As you know, the Missouri Bishops have asked us as committed Catholics to make the wish of one of our newest saints (St. John Paul) a reality in the state of Missouri, by abolishing the death penalty. There are several stages to that battle. The first, in light of the botched execution in Oklahoma and the secrecy around the production of and use of the various drug protocols, is to urge Governor Nixon to call a moratorium on executions in our state. The following link allows you to customize a letter to him, urging a halt to executions in our name. Go to:https://www.votervoice.net/MOCATHOLIC/Campaigns/35923/Respond
They began with an act of kindness to a newly retired, former associate of St. Ann parish. Fr. Bob Corbett was looking for a way to be of service in his retirement. Barbara Lynch ran into him at the store one day and offered him the opportunity to provide the convenience of a Saturday morning mass at a desirable time here in the parish. Bob said those masses with great joy for several months. Health issues intervened and he was no longer able to make the commute to provide that morning mass. So Barb lined up a cadre of other priests to come and fill in. And they have filled in well. However, at my choice, this Saturday morning ‘mass of convenience’ will end on May 31st.
The main reason is simple. With two masses available on Saturday mornings within a mile of St. Ann parish, (the Good Shepherd Convent and Mother of Good Counsel Home – albeit not at the 8am time), it is no longer a good use of priest personnel on the larger Archdiocesan scale to schedule a mass simply for the convenience of a desirable time. The number of parishes which are being run by one priest continues to grow. The number of priests who are available and able to fill in for my brother priests when they desire/need to get away for vacation and retreat and study times has decreased to such an extent, that it is simply not a good use of personnel to ‘use’ one of those possible subs simply for a mass of convenience.
I am sure that Barb would have continued to find my brother priests who were willing to make the journey. With two other options for a Saturday morning mass within a mile, I prefer to allow them to be available to do needed fill in work. Thanks to Barb Lynch who made those masses possible. In the mean time, continue to pray that the Lord of the Harvest send more laborers into his fields, especially as Archdiocesan Priests.