From the Pastor&
No doubt you've heard about the difference a ham and egg breakfast makes between a chicken and a pig.  The chicken makes a contribution.  The pig, however, makes a commitment.
If we expect the Church to be really important in our lives and the lives of our children and friends, it is going to require ONE thing from us& commitment.  During the Easter Season we read from the Acts of the Apostles.  It is the fascinating story of the early days of the Christian Community.  It is a story of martyrs and courageous people.  They were committed to Jesus, his gospel, and the community.  Their commitment changed the face of civilization.  It took eleven committed disciples to make a world of difference.  Would you or I be chosen today as one of the eleven?  Are we committed?  Or, simply contributors?
Do we want an exciting parish community?  Do we want the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit?  Do we want to be at peace?  There is a way -- and only one way.  And that way is commitment.  Don't wait for your neighbors or brother or friend to make the commitment.  Each one of us must commit today& and then the Church is alive for us. 
Being committed to the Church is about a relationship to God, trying to live the gospel, and being committed to people.  People are the church.  We are living in a society that is becoming more individualistic and isolated.  Christ's vision is about people being together in community, caring for one another.  We need to worship together on Sunday; we need to support one another on the way to the Kingdom.  Get involved in the different ministries of the parish.  Join a small community.  Take advantage of different groups for prayer and study.
Do you know the Bible?  As followers of Jesus, we must commit ourselves to reading, studying and praying with the scared scriptures.  Is it any wonder that the Church seems irrelevant  when members don't know the book of our faith?  We need to feed our souls with more than T.V. Guide and television.  Just pick up a good translation and start reading the Bible.  Join a Bible-study group.
Read the Gospels (Matthew/Mark/Luke/John) and commit yourself to a gospel way of life.  We must know who we are as people of the Word.  Don't ignore this great gift.
And we must commit ourselves to prayer.  Because we are baptized, we have the privilege to pray, to speak and to listen to God.  A privilege!  Not an obligation.  As the poet wrote, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."  Religion is a matter of the heart and the traditional definition of prayer is "lifting up one's heart to God."  The only thing God wants from us is our heart.  We must offer our hearts, minds, wills and emotions to God.  When we do this, the Church moves.  It will be alive for us.
Commitment isn't very easy in our throw-away society.  But without commitment we don't have anything or anyone.  Let's commit ourselves to God and God's people once again.
And once we do, watch out!

-- Fr. Bill     

The Ground Breaking Ceremony scheduled for Sunday, June 4 was cancelled due to rain.  The Ground Breaking Ceremony has been rescheduled for this Sunday, June 11 at 12:00 p.m. we will process out the narthex (east entrance).  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.  We hope that you will join us this Sunday, June 11 for this historical moment!  Reception will follow.   Items from the convent cornerstone as well as building project photos are on display in the   narthex.