Dear Parishioners,

This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend, better known as "Race Weekend" here in Indianapolis. We welcome all visitors to our city and especially to our parish. It is an exciting time to be around Indianapolis.Monday, May 29, is Memorial Day. Our only Mass here that day will be at 9:00 a.m. (Latin Mass). There will be no 5:30 p.m. Mass on Memorial Day.I recommend that everyone try to attend Mass here or at one of our Catholic Cemeteries on Memorial Day. I will celebrate a Noon Mass at Calvary Cemetery, here on the South side. Archbishop Buechlein will celebrate the Noon Mass at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery on the North side. Calvary is 435 West Troy Avenue. Our Lady of Peace is at 86th and Haverstick Road. Haverstick is the first street West of Keystone. I will remember all Holy Rosary Parishioners, living and deceased, as I celebrate Mass Monday.Memorial Day is a day when we remember those men and women, living and deceased, who fought bravely for our country. Let’s remember all of our deceased brothers and sisters this Memorial Day in our prayers and thoughts. The legacy of faith, freedom, and life that we enjoy today is because of them.Last fall, the Indiana bishops jointly agreed to transfer the liturgical celebration of the Ascension to the Seventh Sunday of Easter (June 4). This was done for several reasons. One is simply the shortage of priests. Another is that more people can attend. This idea of "moving a day" is not restricted to liturgical calendars. The birthday celebration of many people is moved to a day when more family and friends can join in the celebration. But the birthday itself is not moved. We celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday of May, but we know that Memorial Day is May 30th. A common misunderstanding is that the actual "feast day" is moved. This is not true. What is moved is the liturgical celebration that commemorates the feast. Ascension Thursday, the 40th day of the Easter Season, is still on a Thursday. The 40-day Easter cycle is not disturbed by this decision. No one can move Ascension Thursday to Ascension Sunday. Thursdays are not Sundays. What is moved is the obligation to celebrate Mass that day and to commemorate the feast on that day.Last Monday there was an organizational meeting for the Italian Street Festival. Some of you have been doing it for years! David Page and Matthew Iaria, co-chairs of the festival, seem to have everything in order.I’m looking forward to our festival. Remember it is Friday, June 9, and Saturday, June 10, 6:00 until 11:00 p.m. If you would like to volunteer to help, please call the parish office. We do need some workers. We will also need help in preparing for the festival during the week of June 5.Saturday, June 10, there will be two English Masses: 4:30 p.m. (as usual) and 7:00 p.m. The Catholic Choir of Indianapolis will sing at both Masses. We are looking forward to that! The procession with the statue of Our Lady and Mass is on Saturday before the 7:00 p.m. Mass. The procession begins down Stevens Street at 6:45 p.m. with Mass beginning at approximately 7:00 p.m. That weekend we will be celebrating the Feast of Pentecost, sometimes called "the birthday of the Church." Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit—and—for good weather!We invite any youngsters of school age to participate in the procession. Some of them will be dressed in native Italian costumes, which the parish provides. If you are interested, call the parish office at 636-4478. There are flyers in the back of church advertising our festival. Take as many as you need to spread the word.The ordinations for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis will be Saturday, June 3, at 11:00 a.m. at our Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. Two men will be ordained. Everyone is invited. If any of our young men considering the priesthood would like a "front row seat," let me know.Our elementary school, Central Catholic, has 8th grade graduation this Thursday, June 1. It’s Good Shepherd Church’s turn to host the Mass. Roncalli High School graduation is Sunday, June 4. Pray for all graduates!Congratulations to Sara Dargie who made her First Holy Communion at the 10:00 Mass last Sunday. Please pray for us, Sara.Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. Summer will be off and running!

Faithfully yours in God’s Providence,
Msgr. Schaedel