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October 19, 2017Dear friends in Christ,
Our Gospel today is one that has entered into popular speech with the famous line, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” But before you get to that verse, I think something even more striking occurs. The Pharisees attempt to “butter up” Jesus by commenting that he is a “truthful man” and that he “teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth.” They go on to say that he is “not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status.” As usual, the Pharisees’ strategy backfires on them.
Long before we consider giving to Caesar what is his, it seems to me those are two qualities of Jesus that we should strive to emulate. Indeed, should we not all seek to be “truthful” men and women? We don’t need to live with deceit. Lord knows that there is enough of that going around, both long ago with the Pharisees and in our own world today. And like Jesus, we should not regard a person’s status. We are to treat everyone from all walks of life with the same dignity they have in Christ. Practice doing so and then we will come to know what it means to give to God what belongs to God.
We’ve got a great event planned for everyone next Sunday, Oct. 29 after all the morning Masses. As you can see when you drive on our campus, our new Redeemer Activity Center, the RAC as we call it, is taking shape right before our eyes. The steel girding beams are nearly all in place and now we have an opportunity to leave our mark. Please join us next Sunday for a “Beam Signing Party” – you are invited to sign your family name (and maybe leave a Bible verse) on one of the many steel beams that will hold up the RAC. Once the walls go up, your family’s name will be there for generations to come as a “firm foundation” that leaves a lasting legacy.
We’ll host our weekly Coffee and Donuts on the foundation pad itself, so please join us after one of the morning Masses (sorry, the schedule won’t allow us to accommodate you evening Mass attendees). We’ll provide the pens so as to inscribe your name. You can also get an up close and personal view of the building (it’s bigger than you might imagine!) and see where the gym, auditorium, Youth Ministry room, and classrooms will all be located. It will be a fun morning for all ages and all are invited.
In addition to the RAC, recall that our ongoing Capital Campaign is also for reconstruction of the entrances and the second floor of the Parish Life Center. I’m happy to report that work is now complete. The entrances to both the school and Genesis (the east and west doors of the PLC) have been remade to create an extra set of doors for security purposes and the front desk areas on both sides have been remade to provide better service to all visitors and parents of school, Genesis and our Religious Education programs. It’s a beautiful new area that warmly welcomes everyone who enters.
Upstairs on the second floor the old Youth Ministry room was stripped to the walls (recall that a new and bigger youth space is being built in the RAC), the old “pit” was filled in, and through the wonder of steel and concrete, seven new classrooms and two new science labs have been created. The rooms are now in use by both the school during the week and by Youth Ministry on Sunday nights. It’s amazing how seamless it all looks. If you never saw what it looked like it before you would be hard pressed to imagine it. The new classrooms and labs are a blessing for the youth and will allow our school to continue to expand in years to come. We’re up to 434 students this year, including our first ever 8th grade graduating class. The classrooms have everything needed to engage both minds and hearts.
All of this is only possible by your generous support of our ongoing Capital Campaign. My sincere thanks to all who have made a pledge and are continuing to fulfill it every month or quarter. If you have not yet done so, now is a great time to get on board and help us serve our community’s needs now and provide for the future as well. Every pledge and gift is important and needed. Please believe me when I say that your gift matters. An extra sacrifice of $1, $3, $5, or more dollars a day over the next few years enables us to service our debt obligations and provide space for our entire parish to grow and engage in the faith. Thank you for your support and commitment to the mission of CtR!
Looking ahead into November let me ask you to keep Saturday, Nov. 11 open on your calendar. From 6-9 p.m. will be our 4th annual CtR School Chili Cook-Off, and it is shaping up to be an amazing night for the entire parish family of CtR. Tickets are on sale now at the school website, and I encourage you to get them in advance. It’s a heck of deal, too – just $20 for adults and $10 for children 3-18 years old. That gets you all the chili your heart desires, but also so much more.
We have a whopping 26 teams signed up to cook so you will have plenty of options to choose from to satisfy your chili cravings. I recommend you sample a little from all of them and cast your vote for your favorite alongside our judges. The quality of our cook teams is impressive, to say the least. They take their chili seriously and it becomes a real feast for the senses and tummies! There will also be hot dogs, beer, wine, desserts and plenty of other goodies.
There is also an impressive line-up of both live and silent auction items. Our Director of Advancement, Megan Dillingham, has collected a vast array of goods that will surely appeal to you. In addition, we’ll have a live band for dancing, and lots of activities for kids and youth. It’s shaping up to be a real family affair and I encourage you to join us. Our three previous cook-offs were well received by all in attendance, but we are taking it “next level” this year by expanding onto the back parking lot. Wait until you see it! It’s going to be a great night. Again, tickets are available now online at the parish and school websites, and will be sold after Masses Nov. 4 and Nov. 5, as well.
Finally, I invite you to attend the upcoming training orientation for new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs), 1-3 p.m. next Sunday, Oct. 29. EMHCs are a vital part of our liturgical ministry as they distribute the Body and Blood of Christ at every Mass. Given our size, we are always in need of members of the parish to fill this important role. We’ll give you all the training you need. Please make this an act of Stewardship for yourself to serve our parish. The blessings one receives as an EMHC are truly life affirming and a great service to God’s holy Church.
Peace, Fr. Sean
