Come, Holy Spirit!  Happy Feast Day, Happy Birthday!  The feast of Pentecost celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of our mission as Church.  With today’s celebration, we bring our seven weeks of Easter feast to conclusion.  We are blessed today to be able to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation with eleven of our young parishioners.  I am sorry that I cannot be here with Bishop Medley and Fr. Brandon to celebrate with you.  Know that I am praying for you in Rome, asking that the Holy Spirit enflame you with grace and strong faith.  Congratulations!

I also regret that I am missing the high school graduations of fifteen of our parishioners during these days.  Know that I am thinking about you and praying for you as well.  God bless, and congratulations to each of you!

As long as I am voicing regrets, I am especially sad to miss the reception for Fr. Brandon on Sunday afternoon.  It has been a joy to have shared these first three years of his priestly ministry with Fr. Brandon.  I know you have come to love him and appreciate him as I do.  I want to thank him for all he has done to make us a better parish during his time here.  I will miss him very much when we move to our new assignments next month.  The folks at my home parish of St. Thomas More will be blessed by his ministry.

You may have noticed some work occurring in the sacristy behind the Holy Family Shrine.  Workers have been installing marble tile to that floor as has been done in the rest of the Church.  It was not in our original plan to do so, but we had tiles left over and decided that this would be a good final touch to our beautiful Cathedral floor.

Love, Fr. John

Happy Mother’s Day to all our moms!  We wish all of you a day filled with blessings of love and joy.  Know that all of you have a special remembrance in our prayers today, and we also pray for all our deceased mothers and look forward to our reunion with them in heaven one day.

Last Sunday was the end of Faith-Formation for the current school year.  I express my gratitude to Sr. Therese Francis and to Donna Murphy who have coordinated the program this year, and to all our faithful catechists who have given so much of their time to help our children grow in faith.  Thanks, also, to all you parents who have been diligent in getting your children to class on Sunday mornings.  I know this is an extra burden on you and your children, but it is also one that is important and so very beneficial.

I am away for a couple of weeks on business for the Canon Law Society.  By the time you read this, I will have been in Rome for a couple of days, but I am flying to Ireland on Monday for a meeting of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland in Galway.  I will be back in Rome for meetings next week.  You may recall that I had mentioned that these scheduled meetings in Rome were postponed when Pope Benedict abdicated.  When these meetings were scheduled months ago, I did not know that I would be leaving the parish in June.  It is not the best timing for many reasons, but all these factors are out of my control.

Last Tuesday, I went to Madisonville to meet with Fr. John Thomas and the parish and school staffs.  There is a small elementary parish school (fewer than 100 students) and, like students (and teachers) everywhere, they are eagerly anticipating the end of the academic year.  I will be moving to Christ the King, and Fr. Jerry Riney will be coming here on the 18^th of June.  Fr. Brandon will be leaving here during the first week of June, and as of this writing, Bishop Medley has not told us who will be coming to assist Fr. Jerry.

Love, Fr. John

It’s May!  What a beautiful month, one dedicated to our Blessed Mother.  There are other great events that happen this month, too.  Of course, the end of another academic year is a time of great joy for all our students, as well as for our teachers and administrators.  We will celebrate Mother’s Day on the 12^th and then Pentecost on the 19^th.  We look forward to celebrating Confirmation with our 8^th graders on Pentecost as well.  Our local high schools will celebrate graduations this month, and some of our parishioners will be graduating college as well.  We offer congratulations to all our graduates of the various institutions.

On Tuesday, I will make a trip to Christ the King in Madisonville to meet with Fr. John Thomas and the parish/school staff there.  I have been to Madisonville numerous times through the years, but I have little familiarity with the particulars of the parish and the community.  They are grieving the loss of Fr. John as he prepares to move to Bowling Green.  Fr. Jerry Riney was here on Thursday to visit with me and some of the parish staff.  He will be a great pastor, and you will benefit tremendously from his preaching and pastoral leadership.  Let’s all pray for one another.  This time of transition is difficult for all three parishes involved in this particular change.

Last Monday, I had the opportunity to participate in the blessing and dedication of the chapel in the new hospital.  I concelebrated with Bishop Medley in the first Mass to be offered there.  I hope and pray that the new facility will be a true blessing to our entire community.  Congratulations to all who have been involved in this project.

My mother and my sister, Lynn, are coming to visit me Sunday night and Monday.  Mother always enjoys being here but has not been able to stay overnight since she had the stroke last summer.  She is determined to do so another time before I move.  Many of you frequently ask about her.  She has made wonderful progress over the winter and we are very grateful for that.  Thank you for your prayerful concern.

Love, Fr. John

Sunday is a wonderful day for our parish family as we celebrate First Communion with nine of our young parishioners and their immediate families.  We congratulate them, welcome them to the Eucharistic Table and hold them close in prayer.  May their devotion and excitement be a gift that makes all of us more grateful for this precious sacrament, which we too often take for granted.

I have other good news to share with you today, as well.  Noelle Curry will soon join our parish staff as the Coordinator of Youth Ministry.  Noelle is the daughter of Deacon Dirck and Chona Curry.  She is a graduate of Illinois State University (2012) and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Pastoral Theology from Holy Apostles College in Connecticut.  This year, Noelle has been serving as catechist for our eighth graders preparing for Confirmation.  I am happy to welcome her to our staff, and I know that our teens will greatly benefit from her instruction, leadership and witness.

Throughout the Easter Season, we have had the sprinkling rite at Sunday Mass to emphasize our baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus.  I would again remind you that the proper gesture when sprinkled is the Sign of the Cross.  We genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament, but not to Holy Water.

As I write this note, we have still not heard from Bishop Medley regarding an associate pastor to serve with Fr. Riney.  It is my hope that by the time you read this we will be able to make an announcement, but there is no way to know for sure.

Love, Fr. John

I am sorry to inform you that Eddie O’Bryan will soon be leaving our staff.  I am very grateful to Eddie for all he has done for us in the past six months. He has worked tirelessly to keep the Church clean and our property neat and clean.  At the same time, I am happy to tell you that Patrick Clary will join the staff as parish custodian.  Patrick is a new member of our community.  He brings much experience and knowledge to the job.  Currently he is the chair of our Art and Environment and was thoroughly involved in the Easter environment we have had the past few weeks.  Thanks, Eddie!  Welcome, Patrick!

We have eleven young parishioners who will be confirmed by Bishop Medley on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. They have been working all year to prepare themselves for this wonderful event.  Today (Sunday) they will travel to Gaspar River Youth Camp for a Confirmation Retreat.  I ask you to keep them in your prayers in these final weeks of prayer and preparation.  Thanks to Donna Murphy and to Meghan Payne and Noelle Curry who have worked with these candidates in their preparation.

I am looking forward to the “field trip” to St. Louis on June 23rd for the Cardinals’ baseball game.  I was happy to be able to make arrangements so that I will be able to join those on the bus.  I understand that there are still seats available.  Sign up…. It will be a great day!

I will be away this week attending the spring meeting of the Board of Governors of the Canon Law Society of America.  We will meet in a beautiful (?) airport hotel in Baltimore.  Have a blessed week.

Love, Fr. John

The other shoe has dropped! As you know, last week-end Fr. Brandon announced that in June he will be moving to St. Thomas More Parish in Paducah – my home parish.  He is pleased that he is going to a place with which he is familiar. When he was a seminarian, Fr. Brandon spent his pastoral year there with Fr. Pat Reynolds who is still the pastor.  I know that you will miss him when he moves, as will I.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the three years that we have lived and worked together, and I am grateful to him for his friendship and support.  I know that my family and the other members of St. Thomas More will come to appreciate him, too, and will benefit from his priestly ministry.  Please pray for both of us. Such transitions are one of the most difficult aspects of the priesthood.

I wish I could tell you who will be joining Fr. Jerry Riney on the parish team, but as of this writing Bishop Medley has not told us.  Fr. Brandon and I have speculated about this, but some of our previous guesses have already been wrong, so we will just have to wait and see. Some have asked if there is a possibility that the Cathedral will not have an associate pastor. I do not anticipate that happening – especially since Fr. Jerry will also be the pastor of Blessed Sacrament.  I promise to let you know as soon as I am told and permitted to make the announcement.

On Thursday, Bishop Medley will be here to preside at a Mass celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.  Although there are few of these sisters currently working in the diocese, the Catholics in western Kentucky owe this community a huge debt of gratitude.  They have generously and faithfully served many parishes and schools in our area throughout the years, including our parish and St. Stephen School. This celebration is another reminder that we must continue to pray for vocations to religious life and priesthood.

I want to express a word of gratitude to David “Smokey” Millay who has been overseeing the concrete/masonry work going on around the Church.  Through his concern, expertise and efforts we are correcting some of the drainage issues that have caused problems through the years.

Love, Fr. John

Happy Easter!  As we continue our Easter feast today, the Church celebrates “Divine Mercy Sunday” as a beautiful reminder that Jesus died and rose from the dead so that we might be forgiven our sins and share in His gift of eternal life.  In one of the first talks after he was elected Pontiff, Pope Francis reminded us that God never tires in showing us mercy.  We may get tired of asking, but God never gets tired of giving.  Let us all accept this gracious gift with contrition and gratitude.  (Check out the information in the bulletin regarding Divine Mercy celebration at Blessed Mother parish on Sunday afternoon.)

In last Sunday’s bulletin, I thanked various groups who made it possible for us to celebrate a beautiful Triduum and Easter; and this week, I want to express a special words of gratitude to our Environment Committee.  Many of you commented about how beautiful the Church looks with all the Easter flowers so expertly arranged, etc. Thanks to all of you who gave of your time and gifts to make our worship space even more beautiful (a difficult task, indeed!), to help us pray better and to lift up our minds and hearts to God, the source of all beauty.

Next weekend, members of our Disaster Preparation Committee will speak to us at each of the Masses.  I am grateful to these parishioners who have worked over the past months to develop a disaster plan for the parish should we ever face such an emergency, especially if such were to occur while we are in Church.  Hopefully, we will never have to implement this plan, but events such as the recent fire at First Christian make us realize that emergencies are always possible.  I know you will give the committee your attention and support.

Next Saturday morning, Bishop Medley will ordain two of our seminarians, Will Thompson and Emmanuel Edoh, to the Diaconate.  Many of you will remember Will who spent a summer with us a few years ago. We congratulate these two young men, and offer our continued prayers for them as they prepare themselves for ordination to the priesthood next year.

Because of the ordination, there will be no scheduled confessions here next Saturday morning.

Love, Fr. John

Fr. Brandon and I, along with Deacon Curry and all the parish staff, want to wish you and your family a very blessed Easter.  I hope that these days of Holy Week and the Triduum have been a special time of prayer and grace for each of you.  Thanks to all of you who celebrated the Chrism Mass with us on Tuesday night and to those of you who participated in the beautiful liturgies the past three nights.  Thanks, also, to Mike and the members of the choir, who worked so diligently to help us pray better.  I also want to offer a word of gratitude to those who came to give our beautiful Church a good cleaning.  That adds to good liturgy.

We were all saddened by the tragic fire that destroyed First Christian Church last week.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they deal with their loss and plan for the future.  I wrote to the pastor, Rev. Jake Caldwell, assuring him of our prayers and offering any assistance we might be able to render.  He is grateful for our concern.  This tragedy is a further reminder of the need for us to prepare ourselves (as individuals and as a parish) for any emergency.  I am grateful to the committee that has prepared an emergency plan for the parish.  They will be making a presentation to the parish in two weeks.

At the most recent Parish Pastoral Council meeting, John Calhoun was chosen as the vice-chair of the Council.  He will assume the role as chair next year.  Many thanks to John for his willingness to serve the parish in this capacity.

I hope you enjoyed the Fish Fry on the 22^nd.  Thanks to the Parish Pastoral Council, who hosted the event, and to Darcy Purk, who coordinated the meal.

Finally, a word to our Extraordinary Ministers of the Precious Blood.  I ask that you do not stuff the purificator into the chalice once you have finished distributing Holy Communion to the congregation.  That just stains the purificator and slows the process of purification of the vessels.  Thanks!

Love, Fr. John

Habemus papam!  Of course, by the time you are reading this, it is old news, but as I type this message Pope Francis walked out on the balcony of St. Peter’s two hours ago.  To be honest, I am surprised that the election did not take another day or two, but I am very happy that we now have the 265^th successor to St. Peter. We look forward to the days and years ahead, and pray that our new Holy Father will teach us well and inspire all of us to be more fervent disciples of Jesus Christ and committed members of His one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.

Our great week has begun.  The last five weeks of Lent have been preparing us for this truly blessed and holy week.  I pray that you will unite yourself to the Church’s liturgy, as we enter into the Sacred Triduum beginning next Thursday evening.  Even if you are not able to be here in person, these days call each of us to deep prayer and reflection.  So, wherever you are, take some extra time this week to read the Bible, say the Rosary and reflect upon the love of God we celebrate at this sacred time.

Although not part of the Triduum, our Chrism Mass is on Tuesday evening at the Sportscenter.  I am always happy that so many of you participate in that annual liturgy.  Other than the Jubilee Mass which we celebrated on December 8^th, this is the only time of the year when the entire diocesan Church is called together.  Bishop Medley, Bishop McRaith, virtually all the priests, and people from every parish in the diocese, will be there to celebrate the Mass and bless the holy oils which will be used in the sacramental rites throughout the year.  Please, join us at the altar on Tuesday night.

Love, Fr. John

By now, I feel certain that most everyone in the parish has heard the news that I will be leaving the Cathedral in June.  In a letter dated, March 5^th, Bishop Medley has appointed me as the pastor of Christ the King Parish in Madisonville.  This has been a tough couple of weeks, and I want you to know that I am so very grateful for your kind words, emails and promise of prayer.  As sad as I am, I am certainly not surprised by this move.  I will have been here for eighteen years, and very few priests are permitted to stay in one place for that long. (Monsignor Higdon was here for twenty years; Father Rhodes for sixteen).  I think that we have accomplished much during these years, but I am well aware that no one priest can effectively relate to everyone.  There are probably people who have left the parish because of me, or those who do not feel that I have fed them spiritually or brought them closer to God.  A periodic change is good for a parish.  A new pastor can perhaps relate to some who felt left behind by his predecessor, and his unique gifts and talents can bring new life into a parish.  It is my sincere hope, prayer and expectation that this will happen under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Jerry Riney.  We have been friends since 1963, and I am pleased and honored that he will be the next pastor of St. Stephen.  I have assured him that he is blessed to have received this assignment.

As I write this perspective, the Cardinal-electors in Rome have entered the Sistine Chapel and have begun the Conclave.  It is my hope and expectation that by the time you are reading this, we will have a new pontiff.  Even though most of us (members of the Church) do not have a vote, nonetheless, the Conclave is truly an ecclesial event in which we all participate by our prayers.  I know you have joined me in prayer for the Church during these historic days and especially in praying for the one whom Christ has called to assume the tremendous responsibility as the successor to St. Peter.  I have had the occasion to visit the “room of tears” adjacent to the Sistine where the newly elected pontiff changes into his papal vestments.  I was happy for that opportunity and my joy was intensified knowing that I would never have to change clothes in there!

Please, let’s hold one another in prayer these days.

Love, Fr. John