Aug 12, 2021

Greetings,

We were supposed to bid a fond farewell this weekend to the seminarians who have been living here and assisting us but one of them, Cameron Ferrell, needed to leave early. This weekend he is returning to his home parish of Sts. Peter and Paul, Doylestown, where his presence is needed. His pastor, Fr. Rob Stein, passed away and Cameron is going home to help visiting priests navigate the weekend schedule and hopefully to be a source of consolation to the parish.

Charlie Bulger is with us through this final weekend of his summer break from the seminary. This week he will be packing up his bags (and collecting his many plants) and heading back down to Wickliffe, the site of St. Mary Major Seminary, where he and Cameron will enter as first year theologians after having completed their undergraduate studies at St. Charles Borromeo seminary. Joe Ho, who was with us last summer and who has been staying at St. Bernard this summer, is also in their class. I thank them for exploring their vocation to the priesthood and for all the many things they’ve done for St. Sebastian over the past months. Their assistance in so many different ways and their love of the faith and the Church (and this parish) has been outstanding. Please keep them and all discerning a Church vocation in your prayers.

IN OTHER NEWS:

NIGHT PRAYER:  This weekend brings a conclusion to the Nine Nights of Night Prayer at St. Sebastian sponsored by the office of the Vicar of Evangelization. Every night up to and including Sunday, August 15th, at 8:30, compline-the official night prayer of the Catholic Church-is prayed. It lasts about 15 minutes. There is ice cream on the final night.

EVENTS:  There are a lot of events going on around St. Sebastian Square this week! Preparations will be going on all over the place. The stage is being constructed for the Ballet (Friday and Saturday) and the Orchestra (Sunday) across the street in Forest Lodge. Then the city truck stage will be pulled in to the parking lot of Forest Lodge where NEO Jazz will once again be performing the following Friday. The city is partnering with St. Sebastian and we will be providing refreshments for sale to help you enjoy the event more. For both of these events bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the evening.

Families new to the school will come together for a picnic on Thursday. On Saturday, the 21st, the Christopher Consilio Memorial Event will take place on our grounds with lots of food, refreshments, raffles and entertainment. The funds raised provide scholarships for St. Sebastian students going on to St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and enrichment programs. The Parish School Open House follows the next day (Sunday) at 1:00pm.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY:  This Sunday is the sixth anniversary of the dedication of the brick parking lot! Thus far the only maintenance it has needed is striping and one vacuuming. I am just thinking of all of you who helped make it possible. Thank you.

HIDE AND SEEK:  I will be away from the parish for a few days next week. I hope to see you at some of the events above when I return!

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck