Sunday, July 20, 2025
St. Joachim Day and the Future of Our Parish Family
The feast day of Saint Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is Saturday, July 26th. We will have a parish party on Sunday, July 27th to celebrate our patron. There will be food and fellowship, games and music and corn-hole! Summer is a fine time not only to create space for prayer but also play. I imagine Mary grew up with parents who provided such a place for her, she who brought forth the Messiah. Joachim and Anne can inspire all grandparents to make our faith tradition a living promise for our youth, setting a tone for generations to come.
The name Joachim means “preparation for the Lord” or “God prepares the way.” Evangelization is all about preparing ourselves and others for an encounter with Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Parish Pastoral Council prayerfully discerned our two pastoral priorities for the next three years: Evangelization and Stewardship. These two “buckets” contain all the themes surfaced by members. Three sub-committees of the Council have been working on the main areas of focus. Each is preparing a written report for presentation to the Council in the upcoming months. Welcome and Hospitality will share their analysis and recommendations in September. Youth Engagement will report in October. Family Faith Formation will share their findings with the Council in November. These meetings will help the Council move toward written goals and recommendations for the pastor in early 2026. Sometime thereafter, the recommendations will be crafted into a pastoral plan for presentation to the parish. Please pray for the Council’s work and join us in play next Sunday!
Anticipating our celebration of Saint Joachim and Anne next week, I recall my installation and 25th anniversary Mass with gratitude and joy. I really felt the love and support of our community like never before. I am deeply grateful to everyone who helped make it such a joyful and meaningful celebration. Your prayers, support and time made the day unforgettable. Thank you for walking with me on this journey of faith. Please pray that I may be a loving father, a gentle shepherd and a wise teacher.
In Christ,
Rev. Robert P. Capone