August 12, 2018

I.  New Youth Minister!  Welcome to Crissy Stevenson who joined our parish team on August 1st. Crissy graduated from Brescia University from the Ministry Formation Program and has been ministering part time at Saint Mary Magdalene Parish for 11 years. She is eager to partner with the parents of middle school and high school students in our parish to bring about a vibrant and active ministry program. She has plans and goals and would like to share these with the parents here in the Cathedral Parish and she wants to hear from YOU! The Youth Ministry and the Youth Group is for ALL youth of the parish regardless of whether you attend public school or OCS. I’m excited to invite you, as parents of middle school and high school students, to attend one of two meetings to meet Crissy and to share with her your hopes/expectations and to hear her ideas/dreams/plans for an active program. Please join Crissy and Fr. Sinoj (who is Chaplain for the Youth Ministry) on Sunday evening, August 19th at 6:00 p.m. OR Monday evening, August 20th, at 6:30 p.m. in the Vaughan Community Center. We need you to help with the planning and construction period. 

II.  Saint Stephen Cathedral FAITH FORMATION, grades one to eight (1-8) begins this weekend at 10:00 a.m. in the parish office building. We are grateful to Ellen Aud, who has 24 years experience as a catechist, for filling this interim position as Coordinator of Sunday Faith Formation. As always, our Faith Formation classes are available to assist parents in the teaching of our Catholic Faith. All children who attend public school should be enrolled in weekly Faith Formation. If you have not already registered, forms will be available Sunday morning. If you have any questions, please contact Ellen in the parish office, 270/683-6525. Ellen will be available a few hours during the week during regular parish office business hours. She will be available every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Thank you to Ellen!

III. Holy Day of Obligation/Opportunity: Formerly known as Dormition or Natale,  the “falling asleep,” the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven has been celebrated on this day from the middle of the fifth century, and was proclaimed a dogma of our faith on November 1, 1950 by Pope Pius XII. We profess our belief that Mary has gone before us, body and soul, into heaven “because she belonged to Christ.” Our final hope is the resurrection of our own bodies at the end of time, to exist forever in the new order of creation. Mary, our pioneer in faith, blazes the way for us!

      The Cathedral will celebrate Holy Day Masses at 7:00 a.m. & 12:00 noon, on Wednesday, August 15th. Blessed Sacrament Chapel (7th & Sycamore) will celebrate the Feast of Mary’s Assumption Mass at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 15th.

IV.  Construction fences are up: Please follow all posted signs for safety. Kindly stay away from porch construction areas. “Keeping Safe & Secure” is underway. We will update you from time to time. Your generosity has made this much needed project a reality. Thank you.

Mandeville Mission Trip:  October 6-13. Information will be available from Deacon Richard Murphy. He will be available in the Community Center after the Vigil Mass (about 6:05pm) on Saturday, August 18th, and again on Sunday morning, August 19th after the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Masses. He will have more specifics on departure and return dates and times; projects that will be completed and approximate cost. Call the parish office if you are not able to see the Deacon after one of the Masses next weekend.