In a few days, Fr. Dias and I will feel a bit like empty nesters.

Already our seminarians, Jeremy Barket (for St. Boniface and St. Ann Parishes) and Cody Yarnell (for St. Joseph the Worker Parish), are on their way back to school. We’ve noticed the house that was so full feels a trifle emptier. We’re missing the extra conversation at dinner. But we’re glad they’re continuing their journey towards diaconate and priesthood—both, God willing, happening in 2027. Please keep these young men in your prayers.

This week, Fr Fidelis will return to Nigeria. Again, we’re very grateful for his company and his help with Mass and confessions. We pray for him and his parish community.

Through this summer, I know you seem to see less of me at any given Mass. When we’re cycling three different priests through the schedule, it doesn’t feel like any one of us is consistently anywhere! To complicate things a bit more, this weekend Fr Dias will be our missionary priest, preaching at all our weekend Masses. Please generously support the mission of the Church in India—the Church that has generously provided priests for ministry in our Diocese. If you notice me missing this weekend, it’s not because I’ve been given time off! I have some Regional Vicar duties to take care of. I’ll be travelling to Holy Child Parish in Mansfield and Holy Name of Mary Parish in Montrose to install their new pastors—Fr. Philip Rayappan and Fr. Kevin Miller, respectively. (These will be very long drives in the country for me!) Please pray for these parishes and their pastors as they begin a new era in their communities.

With the weekend over, we’ll be pressing on towards all sorts of activities—Little League and Labor Day, start-ups for Catholic school and Faith Formation, welcoming our neighboring college students, new seasons for our musicians, a whole slew of parish dinners/carnivals/festivals! Plenty to do, plenty to support, plenty to keep in prayer.