Thank you! Thank you! Thanks you! Last weekend was filled with many memories for me, and for those who were able to join in the celebration, I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as I did. The Mass and the reception that followed were truly fantastic moments that I shall cherish.

Thank you to all of the energetic people who helped to make the 40th anniversary of my Priesthood such a superb occasion! The Jubilee Committee did splendid work on preparing for the occasion and carrying it out so well! The members include: Karen Turnbull, Mrs. Vikki Delgado, John Krolikowski, Mel and Colleen Shaffer, Wanda Skinner and Linda Flood. Thank you to Father Ridore for arranging the dance troupe to come that performed beautifully at the reception. Thank you to our own little children who lovingly sang their songs of appreciation and joy. I am especially grateful to Monsignor Stephen Bosso for his eloquent homily at the Jubilee Mass. He has the uncanny ability to capture the essence of the moment and to bring to our hearing some profound thoughts and spiritual insights, often in a humorous way. I also thank Bishop Barbarito for graciously coming to honor us, for his kind words, and for spending so much time with us. His presence always makes an event even more special.

I express my thanks, also, to Bill Stafford, Mickey Polulack, Joe Crisco, Jay Flood, Rick Marino, Joe Zupo, Chris Somerville, Jerry Bishop, Kim Weber, Lola Swanson, Don and Lorraine MacLaren, the Knights of Columbus and our Parish Choir, Ushers and Lectors – all of whom made this jubilee the fantastic celebration it was. Please note: As has been listed on the front of our weekly parish bulletin since last October, during the months of June, July and August, there will be only one Saturday morning Mass: at 8:30 A.M. After that Mass, Confessions will be heard, as usual. There will be NO 7:00 AM Mass on Saturday mornings during the summer months.

We welcome our parishioner, Corrine Hahn, who has taken over as the new director of the Gift Shop. I also thank

Audrey O’Reilly, who graciously assisted us during the transition period and, who along with Joan Klattenberg, continues

to volunteer in this ministry. If you do have the time and the willingness to volunteer during the week to work in the shop, Corrine and her team would be glad to hear from you. In response to the recent widespread natural disasters throughout several of our southern states, precipitated by tornados and floods, causing tragic loss of life and devastation, Bishop Barbarito has asked all parishes to take up a special collection to assist with immediate needs as well as long-range recovery. The funds from the Tornado Recovery Collection will be used to support the efforts of Catholic Charities USA, the national office for local and nation-wide Catholic Charities agencies and affiliates to respond to emergency needs for such necessities as food, water, shelter and medical care.

Also, please pray for those who have lost so much, and for those who are coming to their aid. The collection in our parish will be taken up next weekend, May 28th and 29th. Though we get a lot of requests for additional collections for the relief of the those suffering, we know how generous our people are, how much their faith is imbued with the virtue of charity, and how time after time they have responded to Jesus’ call to love their neighbors.

This past Wednesday evening, we had our Academic Awards and Recognition Night, marking the many achievements of our parish school youngsters. Our eighth grade, deservedly, swept away many awards, and left behind them a beautiful legacy of stewardship of time, talent and treasure. They have received scholarships for high schools in this area that are worth over $ 24,000!! Now they present the upcoming 8th grade with some challenges to continue the good work and go even farther. I congratulate them, their parents and their teachers, as well as our Principal, Mrs. Delgado, all of whom continue to promote the blue ribbon workings of our school. Thank you, too, to all of the leaders and donors to our Ferrer Fund; your efforts to promote our school and students is really paying off! MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

Congratulations to all of our graduates of our parish at their different levels of education. What you have been sowing for years, you are now able to reap its rewards. Our 8th Grade celebrated a beautiful Mass marking their graduation this past Friday evening. I hope that this will not be their last occasion to participate in Mass this year; rather let them set a good example of expressing gratitude to God for all they have received from Him by worshipping Him weekly. The previous Friday, Pope John Paul II High School Seniors, along with their families, gathered in our church for their annual Baccalaureate Mass. It, too, was a beautiful celebration of thanksgiving for God guiding them thus far along the path to life.

Monsignor Stephen Bosso, our vivacious weekend associate for many years at St. Vincent Ferrer, will be leaving us in June for his return to his diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. There he will have a new assignment as pastor of a parish near his family roots. We will surely miss him, his valuable help on the weekends, as well as his wonderful homilies -- full of rich, yet very understandable scriptural analysis and usually sprinkled with anecdotes and good humor from his personal experiences. We will hold a farewell reception in his honor on Pentecost Sunday, June 11th, following the last morning Masses, in Kellaghan Hall. Here’s your chance to come and thank him for the many years of spiritual help he’s given us, and to wish him the best for his new assignment back home!

Very Rev. Canon Tom