Dear Parishioners,

 

I begin with a short update about St. Peter School, which has reopened its doors for the new school year. There are 339 students K-8, plus 36 pre-kindergarten students, totaling 375 students for the 2024-2025 school year. The school has been steadily growing for the last six years. There are a number of reasons for this, including full time school after the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020, growth in North Ridgeville, holding true to Catholic values and increased assistance from the State of Ohio for middle-class families. Also, Mr. Brooks, the principal (who grew up here in St. Julie Parish), having assembled a solid staff, has continued to introduce new programs and extracurricular activities (from Drama Club to the Chess Club) that help round out the students.

 

I addressed the faculty and staff of St. Peter School on Tuesday of this week. I reflected on the hope we have in Jesus Christ, amid these challenging times. I also showed them a short five-minute video that describes the movement from Christendom to Apostolic Mission by Msgr. James Shea, president of the University of Mary in Fargo, ND. (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zTCPn4jrl0)

 

May St. Peter School fulfill its mission of bringing students to a living faith, a disciplined mind, and a loving heart!

 

At the end of this week, I participated in an important meeting. St. Peter and St. Julie Parishes had their first joint Parish Council Formation Day. We met on Saturday, August 24. There will still be two parish councils. However, they will meet together a couple of times during this upcoming year. However, the joint formation day will help us as parishes form a unified vision for the pastoral work of our parishes. I will give a fuller report on this day in the next bulletin.

 

Just a reminder: the ChristLife Series is starting up again on Monday, September 9 with Discovering Christ. This program will be hosted here at St. Julie Parish, and all are welcome. See the details in today’s bulletin.

 

Please keep Fr. Isidore in your prayers. He leaves this Monday, August 26, for a four week stay with family in the Kilimanjaro district of Tanzania. God grant him safe travels and a refreshed spirit!

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Labor Day is around the corner. There will be only one Mass in North Ridgeville on Monday, September 2. It will be at 9:00 a.m. at St. Julie Parish. St. Julie Parish will also host Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours at 8:20 a.m. that morning. Prayer guides will be provided, and all are welcome.

 

Along with Labor Day Mass, our newly formed Ridgeville Catholic Youth, the joint youth group between St. Peter and St. Julie Parishes, will be hosting a Pancake Breakfast. Niki Sherman, and all the youth and adults she can gather to assist her, has stepped out in faith, and embraced this endeavor. What a great way to begin your Labor Day! Mass and breakfast! All are welcome.

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Alec Brown of Troop 175 has erected a Blessing Box on the west side of the property of St. Peter Parish near the multi-purpose path. The box both receives and gives blessings. Anyone can contribute to or take from the non-perishable food and personal hygiene items present in the Blessing Box. Members of Troop 175 will be overseeing the box. However, the community at large is what makes a Blessing Box a blessing!

 

In today’s gospel, many of the disciples of Jesus, scandalized by his demand to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood, quit following him. May we never be those people! With strong faith, vibrant hope, and demonstrable love let us embrace the call of Christ until death joint us eternally!

 

In Christ,

Fr. Bob Franco