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July 24, 2022Dear Parishioners,
We have big news in the parish this weekend. I am very happy to announce that we have a new Youth Minister: Mrs. Liz Pfunder. Liz, along with her husband Robert and young daughter Grace, are parishioners of the parish. If you attend the 9:00am Mass on Sundays, you can find them seated in the front row. Liz has a lot of experience as a youth minster, college campus minister, singer-songwriter (she has an original album called “Unglued”), and worship leader. She graduated from Providence College with a bachelor’s degree and from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a master’s degree. Her dynamic and driven personality will certainly engage young people.
One of my goals as pastor of the parish has been to increase youth and family participation. Part of accomplishing that mission involves dedicating resources and time to a youth program. This is an investment for the future of our parish. Pope Francis tells us that “[young people] are the fertile and new soul that God gives to Christian communities.” So, I ask parishioners to help support Liz and her ministry with your prayers and contributions. I also ask that you spread the news to the young people in the parish and school. I am looking forward to working with her to help inspire love of Jesus Christ and His Church in young people and families.
Speaking of the formation of youth, one sadness I experience as a priest is the declining attendance of young people and families at Mass during the summer. I find it strange that we wonder why young people leave the Church as they get older (typically after Confirmation). It is no great mystery to me. The reason young people leave the Church is because they see it as non-essential. This mindset starts young. Children intuitive this truth: If a person does not need to go to Mass every week, or only during the school year, then why should a person have to go at all? A person will not learn to play an instrument or sport if he goes long periods of time without practice. Likewise, a family who misses Mass regularly will not develop of love for it.
It should go without saying that Mass is an obligation. We must attend it every weekend. It is an obligation in a peculiar sense: Our Lord obliges us to attend Mass the same way we are obliged to breath to survive. We may scoff at, resist, or rationalize away this obligation, but we might as well argue against the need to eat. In a word, it makes no sense to miss Mass. Granted, there may be situations in which a person or family cannot attend Mass, but such situations should be rare that the family and the community do all in our power to remedy.
Parents, guardians, and all those who form young people I implore you: do not neglect your great vocation to inspire children to love Jesus in the Mass. On the one hand our Lord has very strong words to those who do not bring their children to the Mass: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea (Matthew 18:6).” On the other hand, when we ask the question: “what is the very best thing that I can give to my children?” there is no greater gift we can instill in them than love of God and the Eucharist. I hope that our Youth Ministry program will serve as encouragement for our families.
God bless,
Fr. Barrow
