A Note From Our Pastor
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This coming Monday August 2nd is the final day to register students entering Grades 1 to 8 in our Faith Formation program this year. Along with the home-based program there will also be in-person family gatherings on 6 Sunday mornings throughout the year after the 9:30am and 11:30am Masses. We are also looking for volunteers to serve as catechists, event volunteers, family ambassadors, and EDGE program volunteers.
Registration for our Confirmation Program is also now open. Please go to the St. Agatha Parish website for information about the program and to register for it.
In terms of Faith Formation and Spiritual Development for adults, please spread the word about our RCIA program beginning this fall, as well as a women’s Catholic Bible Study program entitled, “Walking with Purpose.” More information about both these programs can be found below in this bulletin.
Next Saturday August 7th the 11th Annual My Brother’s Keeper Family Walk will take place at the Stonehill College Campus. Enjoy a vigorous summer walk while also supporting a wonderful charitable organization. More info in the bulletin.
You’ll also note a request in this week’s bulletin for someone to be willing to donate a kidney for a brother of a St. Agatha parishioner who is in need of a kidney transplant.
Next Sunday August 8th begins the local summer mission week for our teens who because of post-pandemic travel concerns will be doing service projects locally. St. Agatha teens will be teaming up with teens from St. Mary of the Hills and St. Elizabeth Parishes in Milton. Parishioners are invited to partner with our teens in 3 different ways. First, you can drop off food items and new school supplies in bins outside the garages behind the rectory NEXT SATURDAY AND SUNDAY August 7th and 8th. Second, on MONDAY August 9th from 4-6pm right here at St. Agatha parking lot the teens are hosting a car wash fundraiser. The proceeds of the fundraiser will be given to local non-profit organizations which serve the needy. Third, a week from Wednesday August 11th at 9:30am in Fr. Curley Hall at St. Elizabeth’s Church the teens from St. Agatha’s, St. Elizabeth’s, and St. Mary of the Hills parishes are hosting an Across Generations Dialogue. The teens have requested to come together with retirees, enjoy coffee and doughnuts together, and listen and speak with one another about issues pertinent to the lives of teens and of senior citizens. If you are free and can participate that morning, stop by St. Elizabeth’s at 9:30 on the 11th, and feel free to come to Mass here at St. Agatha’s or at St. Elizabeth’s at 9am. If you can’t come, or if you have a question ahead of the event that you’d like answered, email our Youth Minister with such questions, at hbornhorst@stagathaparish.org. After Pope Francis declared last Sunday World Grandparents’ Day, it seems to me that this is a wonderful follow-up to that, especially since it comes from the teens’ initiative. So, I hope many of our retirees can make that gathering, since our teens seem to want to pick your brains and benefit from your wisdom!
Finally, members of our St. Agatha School community are invited to take part in a Uniform Swap this Wednesday August 4th. More information can be found on the last page of this bulletin.
In our Church calendar this week, on Wednesday we honor St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, compared to whom we priests today are a bunch of slackers! Thursday we recall the dedication of the Major Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome dedicated to Our Blessed Mother under the title “God-bearer” or “Mother of God.” Friday we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, giving His closest disciples a glimpse of His divine glory. We have a wedding that afternoon at St. Agatha’s, at which the bride will have something in common with the transfigured Jesus: they both will have clothes that are “dazzling white!”
Have a blessed week!
Fr. Palardy