From Our Pastor: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

We take a break from the bread of life discourse. If you get a chance read the entirety of the bread of life discourse, but at least take the time to read John 6:52–59 to see what you have missed this week. This weekend falls the Holy Day of Obligation, the Solemnity of the Assumption. This feast is so important that when it falls on Sunday, it trumps the Sunday readings and prayers. It is where we commemorate the moment Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven. This is of utmost importance for us, as where she goes, we follow! She leads us body and soul to heaven to be with her Son. May Mary of the Assumption pray for us always.

We welcome Fr. Rafal Pyrchla this weekend, as he began this past Wednesday officially. People have asked, it is pronounced, Ra-FALL, as in the season, and Pur-ckla, as in the sound a cat makes with the CH as a hard K sound. Please welcome him and be patient as he adjusts to being here.

I look forward to the blessing of the back packs this Sunday afternoon, and the beginning of school this week! What a very exciting time always for our parish!!!
Lastly, I want to comment on the governor’s executive order requiring masks being worn in our public and private schools. I understand your frustrations. I am not pleased with it myself, but whatever one might think of this order, whether lawful or not, whether infringing on our rights or not, we are mandated to follow it. Countless lawsuits against his executive orders have been denied and the order has been maintained by the courts in Illinois.

If we don’t follow this mandate the consequences would affect our schools greatly. We would lose our accreditation. This would mean a loss of our school lunch programs, many grants, title programs we now have, and athletics, just to name the big ones. These losses are not minor and would be costly. We also take the chance of being closed for in-person learning by the IDPH. These consequences would be immensely detrimental. Any fight against the governor or fighting for our accreditation back would be lengthy, time consuming, and extremely costly. There is no choice here.

The Catholic schools in Quincy are united, and the public schools are following the mandate as well. As soon as we can change or loosen up, we will. Until then, we will do our best with the hand we have been dealt, and as Catholics always do in the face of persecution, we continue to pray and offer our sufferings and struggles to the cross. Unite your frustrations and your passion in this issue to the cross of Jesus Christ, as this is greatest thing we can do.