May 24, 2023

Greetings,

When my oldest sister was approaching twenty-five years of marriage, my Mother called her and said, “Guess who’s getting ready to celebrate their silver anniversary!” My sister, completely clueless wanted to know. “Who!?” When my Mother responded, “You!” you could hear my sister turning to her husband and ask, “Don, have we been married twenty-five years?” Time flies when one is having fun.

Of course, there are challenges and a few periods of anxiety, but overall, I would not trade this past quarter century of priestly ministry for anything. One of my closest priest friends and I, summing up a good day, often say to each other, “Why don’t more guys want to do this?” It is amazing the people that one gets to meet, the places one gets to go, the things one gets to do while living a meaning-full life of being a servant to Christ and His Church.

And the lion’s share of that twenty-five years has been with you. This year will mark fifteen years that I’ve been at St. Sebastian, one as administrator and fourteen as pastor. I count myself as extremely blessed to be here. You are amazing. It is not lost on me that any successes I may have had here is because you are so dedicated, talented and generous which makes me wonder if I could be a good pastor anywhere else. (Please, God, not that I want to find out.) Thank you for all that you do; for your faith, your kindness, your generosity and your dedication to the parish. Know of my prayers.

IN OTHER NEWS:

IMPORTANT MEMORIAL DAY NOTES:

* Mass will be at 9am on Memorial Day

* The offices are closed this Monday.

* Our Annual Potluck Breakfast will follow the Mass.

GRADUATION: Congratulations to our eighth graders who will be graduating this week! Many blessings to you as you move on to your high school experience and I look forward to still seeing you at Mass and other parish functions as you enter ninth grade. And congratulations to all of our graduating students from other schools, homes schooling, high school and college!

NEW RESIDENTS IN THE RECTORY: This past Monday marks the official move in date of our summer residents. Mr. Ryan Arto, our seminarian intern, will be with us through the academic year. A new seminarian, Mr. Christopher Villareal, will stay in the rectory until the beginning of the academic year. On a more permanent basis, Joan of b’Arc has brought her bone and settled in! (Thank you, Ed Savistski, for all of your assistance in bringing Joan to the Parish.)

NEW PAINTING: In the Padre Pio Chapel (the former baptistry) there will be displayed a new (epic) painting of St. Joan of Arc whose feast day is May 30. St. Joan is the patron saint of my ordination class since it was on her feast day that we were ordained. Obtaining the painting was made possible by many different persons both inside and outside the parish. Thank you all. It will be here on display for a while and then be moved to the seminary where it will be displayed during those times it is not on display here at St. Sebastian.

GROUNDS: I must say thank you to our Grounds Crew who did a magnificent job of transforming our winter weary property into a spring gem. They worked hard even through two days of rain. We are lucky to have you! Thank you!

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck