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June 15, 2026We are blessed as a parish to prayerfully remember the gift of the Eucharist through the Corpus Christi Procession.Weather of course will always play a factor in our ‘procession’ as it has the last two years. Our prayers of thanksgiving remain the same however whatever the setting our Lord gives us. Thank you to our parishioners who share your faith and presence within our prayers and the Eucharist. May visitors alike feel the spirit of Christian hospitality as they share our prayers and the Eucharist within our parish. Within our diocese two churches have traditionally held a Corpus Christi Procession through the years: St. Catherine Church in Oyens and St. Mary Church in Willey.Bill Richter is retiring this summer as our part time janitor for Sacred Heart Church and School. He began some years ago with the urging of Fr. Clem Currans, the pastor of Sacred Heart at that time. We are grateful for his dedication, and his care for the upkeep of the buildings and grounds, and that of the students and staff. If anyone is interested in this position please contact me at the parish office. Likewise, if you have questions, please contact me at the parish office.Our Diocesan Mission Office provides an opportunity each year for every parish to host a missionary for a weekend, recognizing the breadth of our Catholic Church and the needs of other church communities who have less than us. Thus, giving us an opportunity to share out of our numerous blessings.
Fr. Peter from the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky will be with us next weekend, June 20th/21st, sharing aspects of the Catholic faith and their needs. Pope John Paul II established the Diocese of Lexington in 1988. It encompasses an area the size of Maryland, Delaware and Rhode Island combined, half of which is in the heart of Appalachia.Of the one and half million people who live in this area, about three percent (39,000) are Catholic. Of the 59 parishes in the diocese, nearly 40 rely on outside funding to meet their church expenses. Lexington Diocese encompasses 50 counties, with 38 active priests and 11religious order priests helping out. Interestingly, there are thirteen federal and state prisons located within these fifty counties. Within the boundaries of this diocese the median level of income is much lower than the urban areas of Kentucky, thus they welcome help to maintain the faith and life within the church communities. Located in eastern Kentucky, the natural beauty and richness of the land is marked by the poverty that exists. Family life is hampered by low educational attainment and rampant addiction. Unemployment rates in Appalachia are 75% higher than the national average. Poverty afflicts over 25% of the population. Mining and logging industries- long the life blood of the region - are dwindling, replaced by minimum wage jobs, with the young people leaving the area for greater opportunities.
“While Catholics are low in number in Eastern Kentucky, the church is known as a source of comfort and support for all who are in need. We welcome Fr. Peter next weekend, and his vocational story and the mission of the Lexington Diocese. (His homilies are to the point, accentuated with a spirit of graciousness.)“The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Jesus’ request from today’s gospel provides emphasis for the need of the ordained and laity alike to share in the mission of our Catholic-Christian faith, most especially before a society that is imbued with secular values. To note, last weekend we ordained two seminarians to the temporary diaconate, a step closer to the priesthood. James Fitzsimmons and Garrett Hugeback will complete their final year of seminary formation before their ordination next summer. Toward the end of this month, Thomas Kollasch will be ordained into the priesthood for our diocese. With continued prayers and through the workings of the Holy Spirit, we have men listening to the call towards the vocation of the priesthood for our diocese.
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI:“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.”(Ralph Waldo Emerson)