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August 22, 2010
August is often a month of good-byes as students leave home to start a new school experience or return to studies in progress. These are always times of mixed feelings, with the excitement of something new and different but with the farewells we dread. We have several young people in the
parish going away to school or beginning military service and we wish you all well and pray for your success. I want to acknowledge a few people in a special way. Bryan Akerley has been our volunteer drummer at the 5:00pm youth mass for some five or six years. He has been a wonderful and steady presence, has grown in his skill and has enriched our liturgies. He will begin studies
at UNLV this month. Natalie Scott is studying theology at the University of Dallas and will return there this month after spending a summer as an intern in our Youth Ministry Department. She has organized a couple of retreats for our young adults as well Scripture studies for
our teens and young adults. She has assisted Doug in a variety of projects throughout the summer and has enriched our parish with her presence and lovely voice. Thank you both, Bryan and Natalie! God be with you in your future endeavors. Finally, we are also saying goodbye to Tom Nelson, our seminarian. Tom began his pastoral year with us last August and now will return to St. Patrick\'s Seminary for two more years of study toward ordination to the priesthood. It has been good to have Tom with us and an honor to walk this part of his vocation journey with him. I think I can speak for everyone when I congratulate Tom on the progress he has made in ministry during this year, especially in his reflections at mass. Tom has assisted in various ministries in our parish in addition to preaching, including youth ministry, jail ministry, teaching, (both at our school and religious education program), funerals,
hospital and nursing home ministry, parish office, and Why Catholic?. Tom, you have touched so many in our parish in such a short time, especially in your presence and sharing at mass. I know that we are sending you forth better equipped for ministry and with our prayers and support. We\'ll look forward to the time of your ordination, be it God\'s will and the bishop\'s! Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with us and for saying
\"yes\" to the mysterious and wonderful call of priesthood!
Our teachers gathered back to St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School last week, beginning with shared reflection and prayer and an agenda of meetings and preparation for the new school year. Our school continues to grow with new students and, thanks in part to our child development center (preschool), our kindergarten is full. There is a wonderful spirit of excitement and joy and readiness for the new year. As much as children can moan and complain about going \"back to school\" (I used to hate those advertisements when I was a kid) there also is a nervous excitement for beginning a new year with all that it will hold. Remember to pray for our school, our blessed staff, our kids and their families. Many parents and grandparents are making true sacrifices to send their children to St. Teresa\'s and to Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, and this is true now more than ever with the struggling economy. Through our monthly collections and budget we help subsidize the tuition of children from the parish at both St. Teresa\'s and Bishop Manogue. Thank you to all in the parish who help in this effort. Of course we
pray and support all of our children as they return to school, wherever they are going. I especially lift up teachers both in Catholic and public schools. For so many of you teaching is a real ministry to young people. You give so much of yourself every day. May you be strengthened for the journey of another school year and blessed in your work!
Over the last couple of years I have had a number of conversations with people who find it difficult to get to church because they have no transportation. Most of these are elderly or disabled in some way and, in spite of having the deep desire to come, rarely are able to participate at mass or other parish gatherings. I have given this thought and prayer and discussed it with our parish staff. I would like us to begin a \"transportation ministry\" whereby those of you who are willing to help out and able to drive, give those who can\'t a ride to mass and occasionally to other parish functions. This is in the beginning stages, but I would urge you to pray about this and consider helping out in this simple, yet profound way. I think we would try to organize people by neighborhood so that it would be most convenient for everyone. If you are interested in participating in this important ministry, please leave your name and contact
information with the parish office so we can begin to formulate a plan. We so often take transportation for granted as we hop in and out of our cars every day. How would you manage if you couldn\'t drive or didn\'t have someone to drive you? Life can feel very small indeed when a person can\'t get around easily. Remember to keep this matter in your thought and prayers.
Finally, a reminder about the new parish choir: if you like to sing or play an instrument consider becoming a part of our newly forming choir. I see choir as a way to pray through music. We will lead musical reflections for the parish several times a year, so this will not be a
weekly commitment except when we have an event
approaching. Our first rehearsal is set for this Saturday morning, August 28th, at 9:30. Be in touch with me if you would like to give it a try. I\'d love to have you - even if you think your voice isn\'t too good. It\'s amazing what God can do with us when we all get together!
Blessings to you all! Fr. Chu
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