From Our Pastor: Thoughts From The North Woods!!
Thoughts from the north woods!! I am looking forward to seeing you all this weekend, although it's pretty fun and beautiful up here. I am very excited for the Totus Tuus program coming to our parish. This is a prime example of some of the great resources we receive from the Diocese. I have been helping to run the program for the last 11 years. Totus Tuus is Latin for "Totally Yours," which was the motto of Pope Saint John Paul the Great. It is a great opportunity for our children to learn to love the faith and grow in knowing Christ and His Church. They will have so much fun and learn so much. What I love is that it reaches out to our Junior High and High School students as well as our younger students. It reaches grades 1-6 for the morning program and 7-12 for the evening program. I really would like to encourage you to fill up this program. Yes, I know it is new in our parish, but I encourage you to take a chance. You will not be disappointed. They will learn so much and come away very excited. As I have said before, it is ok to make the decision for your child or teen to come. They will not regret it. We have a great team, and I am very excited to see what they bring.
As you all have seen, the parking lot on the west side has been under construction. We found out that the "base" of the lot was almost nonexistent and didn't look like it ever had a true base. We have been working on laying that base to support the lot. The rain we have had didn't help. We are going to make sure this is done right, so that it lasts for a long time with proper maintenance. I apologize for the delays in this project and not being able to park there, but these were unforeseen issues that have caused these delays. Again, I ask you to consider supporting this project, as we all need somewhere to park for Mass; and we want to take care of our teachers, as this is where they will park during the school day from now on. Thank you for your patience as we get this right.
This has been a restful vacation with some of my family. We have been coming here most of my life, but I was unable to join last year as it would have been my first week in the parish and didn't think it was appropriate to move in and take off. My grandfather started coming to Minocqua when he was 5 years old for summers. He was 87 years old when he came up here last. Our family still continues the tradition, although because of weddings and my ordination there was a small hiatus for most of the clan. This is almost a second home for us, and also a second home parish for us. The welcome and hospitality this parish here has always given us reminds me much of the welcome and hospitality I see at St. Francis Solanus. Let us continue that outreach and love we show everyone that walks through our doors.
Rev. Steven Arisman