FATHER JIM'S JOTS! - Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 21, 2024

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 20, 2024

 

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

This Sunday, I am at The Church of the Holy Family in Virginia Beach as part of the Diocesan Mission Appeal.  As you heard at Mass, this Sunday is World Mission Sunday.  Pray that my financial appeal is successful as the funds that are collected during this Sunday will help our St. Elizabeth parish and other churches like ours.  In my absence, please welcome Msgr. Walter Barrett, who is celebrating Sunday Masses today,  Msgr. Barrett is a good friend to St. Elizabeth Church and we are blessed that he can help us out since he is now retired.

Last week, the priests of the Richmond Diocese had our annual convocation in the beautiful city of Roanoke.  The topic of this year was "Cultural Diversity and Ministry."  As a church, we celebrate the great diversity that we as Catholics are called to embrace.  We continue to be a warm and inviting Parish where all are welcomed and everyone's talents and gifts are needed.  At the convocation, our main speaker was Rev. Stephen S. Dudek.  The main theme of his presentation was to encourage all parishes to be or do the following eight things:

Be Welcoming

Share Stories

Build Relationships

Belong

Complain - when you complain you're not a stranger but a member and your voice needs to be respected and heard.

Make Decisions

Accept Ownership

Practice Stewardship

Parish Center Update:  On October 7, 2024 we received a letter from Bishop Knestout following a Diocesan meeting with the College Consultors and the Diocesan Finance Council.  All have approved our building a Parish Center for the Parish of Saint Elizabeth.  Next week we will kick off our Capital Campaign.  A copy of the letter of approval is on the kiosk.  Starting next week, we will have an online archive of all information pertaining to the new parish center and the capital campaign.  Please keep a lookout in next week's bulletin for the link.

Blessings to you and yours,

Fr. Jim Arsenault

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