While many people look at the Fourth of July and utter “summer is half over” it’s really just begun. There is plenty of summer ahead of us. I hope everyone has some time to relax, refresh, and enjoy.
Of course, parish life doesn’t take the summer off. Vacation Bible School is running this week, and then in two weeks we will have three weeks of the Summer (Religious Ed) Academy. There are also many other summer offerings through the Faith Formation Office, that will provide spiritual, social, and entertaining enrichment for everyone involved. Please check the bulletin for details.
We have a few summer projects planned, though nothing quite as major as we did in the past few summers. The school needs some maintenance, and while I would like to carry out some more extensive work in the school, we lack the resources to do anything significant. Overall, it is in pretty good shape. We could use more space, and it would also be nice to be able to air condition more of the classrooms. This would not only be a good recruiting tool, but would give us more flexibility in summer programs. Ideally, I would like to see the school facilities being used for enrichment and education camps and programs throughout the summer. It would be a positive revenue stream, and it would offer opportunities for our parishioners and students as well.
While Father JM is away we are doing a minor upgrade to the rectory in which he lives. He was in need of new, and certainly more efficient kitchen appliances.
We would also like to finish the Hall of the Saints that was begun several months ago through the insight and donation of a parishioner. There are more Icons we would like to add, to complete the room and make it more of a place for quiet prayer and meditation. I have found that I like to use that chapel myself, as praying with the Communion of Saints is a great reminder that indeed we all pray with and for one another. We will provide a list of available saints shortly so that parishioners may have the opportunity to memorialize them.
Our new principal, Mr. Kevin Donahue, assumes his duties on Monday. I am very much looking forward to his tenure here, and I am confident that he will guide our school in the right direction. We will have a chance to introduce him to the community shortly.
In the absence of a principal since February, I shared those duties with Mrs. Noreen Potterton and Mrs. Christine Keeling. While sometimes a three-headed team can become a monster – Cerberus – or some ineffectual triumvirate leading to a dictatorship – Caesar, Crassus, Pompey – I think we managed very well. I am grateful to them for maintaining a seamless flow to the rhythm of the school, and for their day-to-day management and insights. Along with Diane Laskowski (human resources) and Fran DeMuria (business administration) we were able to review many policies and procedures, leading us in a sound and solid direction. Overall we ended the year on a high note. I want to thank them with all due public acclaim, and would invite you all to do the same.
There are still some openings in the school – particularly in the pre-K, kindergarten, and the primary grades, so if you, or someone you know, might be looking or interested, please make contact with the school office.