A most blessed and Happy Father’s Day! Today we remember our Fathers, Grandfathers, and all of those wonderful father-figures who have graced our lives. May the Lord pour out his abundance on all of you.
Allow me to share a note from Sister Debbie Drago, Executive Director of Collier Youth Services:
Dear Fr. Garry, Fr. J.M. and St. Benedict Parishioners,
Thank you for your warm welcome, genuine interest in, and kind response to us last weekend as we visited the parish to talk about Kateri Day Camp and seek your support. I truly enjoyed being with you and experiencing your hospitable community. Thank you for your generosity and kindness. This is a huge help to us and to the families and children we serve at KDC summer camp.
You are in my prayer of deep gratitude,
Sr. Debbie Drago
Executive Director, Collier Youth Services
Thank you all for your generosity. We raised $3178 at the Masses last weekend. If you would still like to contribute to the summer camp there, please make contact with the parish office, or contact the Sisters directly.
School ended on Friday. It was a very successful and dare I say “fun” school year at SBS. Always ready to move forward, our principal Mr. Donahue and our wonderful staff of teachers, aides, cafeteria workers, and aides, along with those who provide auxiliary services and programs do a wonderful job and are most ready for a summer break. We wish them all well and look forward to their return in the fall.
As noted last week we are at the University of Notre Dame through Wednesday of this week attending a conference on Catholic Education with a specific focus on the Latino community. I think that the last time I was on the campus was in 1992 for a NB v PSU football game. I know that neither Mr. Donahue nor Mrs. Ulrich have ever been there, so we are all looking forward to the time there. Most importantly, we are hoping to learn new strategies for advancing and promoting our school.
We are in a brief lull here before things begin in earnest after July 4th weekend with the Summer Religious Education Academy and the various camps here at SBS. Construction on the Outdoor Classroom is slated to begin almost immediately so we can be ready for the coming school year.
The school is also employing an Amazon Wish List as a way of assisting the teachers with getting supplies their classrooms. We know that many people feel that they can’t contribute a lot of money to the school, but making a purchase for the school using Amazon Smile (with SBS as the designated charity) is a way of making an easy donation to the school. There will be lists and details in subsequent bulletins as well as the parish and school websites. Everything that we can do to support the school and help the school to save money is necessary in helping the quality of our teaching and the proverbial “bottom line.”
Thank you for everything you do for our parish!
Father Garry