State of the Parish

07-28-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

Last week, I mainly discussed the parish staff. This week, I want to inform you of the development of parish councils and committees. The first of these to be re-established and re-energized was the Finance Council. Larry Farmer serves as the chair of this council and has been a valuable connection to previous Finance Councils on which he served. The newly constituted council was established just in time to help investigate and manage the situation of misappropriation of parish funds. (That situation remains under investigation by police and prosecutors. I will inform the parish as soon as there are any new developments.) The Finance Council is continuing to give guidance on the continuing outside review of our financial procedures, as well as helping with the budget process and financial accountability. I am very grateful for their help and expertise.

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Thank You!

07-28-2019NewsPreston Thompson, Seminarian

I would like to thank Saint Rose for this incredible opportunity to serve over the past two months. Through this assignment, I have been able to see what it means to be active in a parish and what it takes to be a fantastic parish. Growing up, I was never fully involved in a parish, which meant I didn’t find my love of the Faith until high school. It was only through the help of retreats and campus ministry groups, like Melchizedek Project, that I came to realize that God might be calling me to the Priesthood. When I recognized this call, I was unsure and afraid, so I went to college at the University of Montevallo in Alabama for my freshman year to continue playing Lacrosse. The year I played was fun and exciting, but it left me feeling unfulfilled, longing for something more. Near the end of the year, I felt God pulling on my heart again and began to think about seminary. Through unforgettable conversations with my old high school chaplain and an exhilarating race against deadlines, I was accepted into Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas, Texas. God-willing, I hope to be ordained to the priesthood in 2025 and ask for your prayers as I continue on my journey of discernment; know that I will keep all of Saint Rose of Lima Parish in my prayers as I return to seminary this August.

In Christ,
Preston Thompson

Year One

07-21-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

I am going to make an effort to give a "state of the parish" report, having completed my first year as pastor. What a year it has been! Thank God for his grace and mercy, and thank you all for your generosity and patience. Without God's grace and your goodness, I could accomplish nothing.

We are blessed with three priests in the parish, although we have not actually had three priests in residence, except for a few weeks. Fr. Michael has been such a gift to the parish with his warmth and gentleness since he arrived in November, and when Fr. Edwuin comes back from Columbia in early August (we hope!), three will be our normal number of priests. I also believe that there will soon be news to report about Fr. Joe finishing his medical leave and returning to an assignment in the diocese, but that is still in the discussion stage. I look forward to hearing more news from the diocese to pass on to you. Our deacons Pete Semich and John D'Amico continue to serve with distinction and dedication. I don't know where we would be without them. We have also been blessed this summer with the presence of seminarian Preston Thompson, who has served the parish with eagerness and joy.

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Scope of Work

07-14-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

We have just about gotten all the approvals from the diocese to begin the long-discussed projects for the church. If all goes well, it looks like we will begin work by the end of the month. Let me sketch out for you the extent of the these projects. First is the long-awaited HVAC improvements to correct faulty duct work and to increase HVAC capacity, if needed. This time of year, the need for improvements in the air conditioning needs no explanation! As there is some old florescent lighting in the area of the ducts, we will be upgrading those fixtures with more efficient modern ones. Another project will be replacing the ceramic tile flooring, which was improperly installed originally, causing it to crack and to separate from the concrete underneath. This is particularly obvious down the center aisle and across the front where the floor seems to "give" as it is walked on. We have reached the limits of temporary repairs so that replacement is now called for. In conjunction with new tile being installed, a new "loop" for the audio system for the hearing impaired will be embedded in the floor. Finally, the old cry room/chapel will be converted into two confessionals and a vesting room for altar servers. Worthy and designated space for celebrating the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation has long been needed in the church. Although none of these projects is especially "glamorous," I believe that they will enhance our church in significant and needed ways.

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Surrender

07-07-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. John Sims Baker

We usually think of surrender as a negative word of defeat. In the spiritual life, it is just the opposite. It is the first step to victory. Surrender is the way to begin and to begin again. In the spiritual life, we are not going to do much on our own. Actually, we are not going to do anything. God is the one to get us started and to keep us going. All we can do is to accept faithfully what He gives us. That is why surrender is so important spiritually.

Speaking for myself, I am very bad at surrendering to God. I usually think that I have a better way than God does. Generally what I have in mind is a more comfortable way, but a more comfortable way is rarely God's way. Speaking for myself, I seem always to prefer the easier way, and I resist God when He offers me a hard path. And yet surrender to God's way is the way of peace.

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