Letter from Msgr. Schaedel for bulletin of November 14, 1999

Dear Parishioners,

I am happy to report that Archbishop Buechlein is on the mend. He had his third and hopefully final kidney stone removal procedure last Monday. The doctor was very pleased with the results of the lithotrypsy and the archbishop is slowly regaining his strength. Continue to keep him in prayer.

As you know, last weekend was "Commitment Sunday" for our Parish Stewardship Program and the United Catholic Appeal. I would say that so far we have about half of the commitment cards turned. That’s good.

May I ask that if you have not turned in your commitment card that you do so this week? We want a prayerful response from everyone. The phone committee of the parish council will call those we do not hear from. So, if everyone turns their card in, it will save lots of work. As I said last weekend, if you cannot participate at this time mark it "$-0-." That way we know that you saw the card and made your own prayerful decision.

Be sure to mark both top and bottom of the card in reference to your financial gifts. This is a bit confusing. Some have already turned their cards in and not marked the bottom, even with a zero (-0-). We will need to contact them again to make sure we understand their intention. Although the card is perforated, do not separate the card. We will do this in the parish office.

I also want to clarify something I wrote about and spoke about last weekend—parish registration. I believe every Catholic should be registered in a parish. I have invited those who attend Holy Rosary regularly, but who are not officially registered, to do so. I have in mind people who were not registered anywhere else or who intend to make Holy Rosary their parish home.

There are some folks who often come to Holy Rosary, particularly for the Latin Mass, but who are registered in another parish. It’s often one closer to their home. That’s fine. I am not insisting or suggesting that you must transfer your parish registration. I mainly have in mind those who are not registered anywhere else.

November is rapidly moving past us. The liturgical year (Church year) ends next Sunday, the 21st. I never dreamed that the weather would be so pleasant and warm for so long! We could have used he air conditioning in the church the past two weekends. However, faithful Gus Stinnett had disconnected the air conditioning system and "winterized it" last month. O, well, at least we are saving money on the heating bill!

The roofing folks should be here any day now. I regret that they have missed so many ideal days to work on the church roof. Let’s pray that they get it completed before really wet or inclement weather settles in. Pray also for the safety of the workers. By the way, I am concerned at what they will find when they remove the old roof. Heaven only knows what the condition of the boards underneath the roof might be. We shall see.

Our next parish council meeting is Tuesday, November 16, at 7:00 p.m.

Our "Giving Tree" project for Advent begins next Sunday, November 21. Marie Pittman-Oechsle is again taking charge of this for us, another example of parish stewardship of time and talent. Marie will explain again how this project works next weekend.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 25. We will have two Masses that day: English at 9:30 a.m. and Latin at 11:00 a.m. As you read in The Criterion a couple of weeks ago, holydays have always varied from country to country. I have always wondered why Thanksgiving Day could not be a holyday of obligation in the U.S. It is a perfect day to begin with Mass before we gather with our families and friends to give thanks to God for all of our blessings. Please plan to attend Mass on Thanksgiving Day.

All throughout the month of November we pray for all those who have died. In a special way, we pray for the souls in purgatory. Our prayers assist them in being released from their time of purification. We pray that they will remember us as they enter into the fullness of God’s heavenly kingdom.

The book in which you recorded the names of your own beloved faithful departed are on the altar this month. We will remember them at this Mass and at all of the Masses during November, month of the Holy Souls.

Sincerely yours in God's Providence,

Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel