August 4, 2019 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I.  Our Mary on a Short Journey! Hoping to make the Grotto honoring Mary more visible, we are moving it from the South side to the North side of our church. When the suggestion came, it seemed so simple and, quite honestly, many parishioners were unaware that the Cathedral had a Mary Grotto, honoring Mary, the mother of the Church and mother of Jesus. Notice the progress!

II.  Save the date! Our Dedication Anniversary Dinner and Raffle is Saturday, September 21. Our raffle prizes are terrific: $3,500 in CASH prizes, three vacation getaways, dinner & overnight stay for 2 at The Farmer & The Frenchman in Henderson, Dinner for Four hosted by Father Sinoj and myself, a Night on the Town (including Owensboro Symphony tickets and $100 gift certificate to Famous Bistro), and a $100 gift card to the new Malco Theater. Tickets are only $10 each! I’m asking all our parish families to help make this fundraiser a great success by selling ten tickets per family–or more, if you can! Support our parish by selling tickets to family, friends, or co-workers. Remember to buy some chances for yourself! Proceeds will help support Children’s and Youth Ministries of our parish. Tickets will be distributed after Masses on the weekends of August 10/11 and 17/18, and will be available in the vestibule during the week. Ticket money is due by Monday, September 16.

III. The Dedication Anniversary Mass, celebrating 93 years at our Locust Street location, will be at 5:00 pm on September 21, with dinner immediately following in the Community Center. The dinner is free for our parishioners and will again feature delicious burgoo and BBQ chicken courtesy of  Glenn Thompson, Todd Johnson, Bill Drury and cooking team volunteers! THANK YOU! If you would like to be a part of the cooking teams, or  be a “helper” at the dinner, please call the Parish Office. Your help is appreciated! Let’s make this a great event and successful raffle for our parish! Burgoo (the best in Daviess County) will again be sold for $20 per gallon and will be available on September 21.

IV.  Onward Brescia!  Brescia University is Committed to Making a Difference in our Catholic Church! One of the many ways Brescia does this is by offering the Catholic Connection Grant, a 50% tuition reduction for new students who live on campus and who have graduated from a Catholic high school or have received a recommendation from their parish priest.  In the past five years, over $1.9 million has been awarded to 212 students through the Catholic Connection Grant. Please read the bulletin insert about the good things happening at BU. Prayerfully consider making a donation on Diocesan Brescia Sunday, August 10-11, toward this goal. 

V.  Anniversary of Ordination!  As I reflect back on August 9, 1975, I am poignantly aware of the free gift of God that still pervades my memory; the grace of that weekend is still active and alive!  Aware of my weaknesses and inadequacies, and feeling blessed to serve the People of God at Saint Stephen, I give thanks to God for 44 years of priesthood. “What return shall I make to the Lord for all the good the Lord has done for me?” (Psalm 116:12)  It’s good to be on a journey with you. I thank you for your ever-present support, active faith, and sustaining love. We’re in this together!