From the Desk of Father John Nickolai

🎃Happy Halloween from Father Nickolai, Deacon Bill, Deacon Denny, Gina and the whole parish staff!  👻Trick or treaters can stop by the rectory between 6:30-7:30pm on Halloween night for a treat 🍫 🍬(reminder to please follow safety and distance guidelines 😷 and stay at home if you are not feeling well!!).

Don't forget to FALL BACK - Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend, so roll back the clocks one hour before you go to bed on Saturday!! 

From the Desk of Father John Nickolai

I’m away again this week, for my retreat. I know this comes fast on the heels of my last absence. However, while Study Week might be described as “encouraged,” an annual retreat is more strictly “required” of priests by the Church. There aren’t all that many retreats offered specifically for priests, and this year some places that usually have them aren’t available. So I’m making use of one of my limited opportunities.

It should be pointed out that a retreat isn’t simply for me to put up my feet and relax. I can assure you that I have been challenged by retreats. I have been on priest retreats that spurred me to renew my efforts, to make a suitable response to the gifts conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders.    

This seems a suitable time also to direct everyone’s attention to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ “Faithful Citizenship” document. This document has been updated and reissued every four years for some time now. It indicates the principles we are to keep in mind on Election Day. When you read it, you will see that the defense of innocent human life features prominently. But there are many other themes: combating racism, upholding the rights of immigrants, caring for our common home and its natural resources, and many others. There is more than can be easily summarized. The print version of the document is 60 pages long. It can’t be reduced to a bumper sticker or a yard sign. It is meant to provoke serious thought, and serious prayer. The direct link to the document is here: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/upload/forming-consciences-for-faithful-citizenship.pdf