Reminders: Solemnity of Joseph, parish purgatorial society and St. Isidore sanctuary remodel

March 16, 2025

This week I would like to share a few updates and a couple of reminders for us to think about.

First, this coming week on Wednesday the 19th, we will be celebrating the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the foster father of Christ and the husband of the Virgin Mary. I personally have had my devotion to St. Joseph grow since my ordination and he is a saint I turn to often for intercession with parish situations and when I am asked for prayers in certain intentions. St. Joseph is the patron saint of husbands, fathers, workers and housing. If we need assistance with any of those things - he is a good one to ask for help. On the Feast Day of St. Jospeh, we will have our regular adoration and confessions at St. Isidore from 5:30 to 6:30 followed by Holy Mass. After Mass we will be having adoration and we will pray the litany of St. Joseph and the rosary. If you would like to pray for your father – living or deceased, your husband, to find a good husband or to be a better husband, for a situation with work or housing, come pray with us as we turn to St. Joseph. As we read in the Scriptures: Ite ad Joseph! Go to Joseph!

The second thing is a reminder about our parish purgatorial society under the patronage of Blessed Karl of Austria. We have had quite a number of people sign up so far for this charitable endeavor and I am honestly surprised by how many people have joined so early on in this new to our area tradition. As a reminder, the purgatorial society is meant to assist the Holy Souls in Purgatory with prayer and good works. The daily prayers of a member of the society really only add up to about 10 minutes worth of prayers and can have a major effect on those souls in need. If you would like to join or would like more information, contact me after any Mass or by email and I can answer any questions you might have. It is a good devotional practice to pray for the dead, as we read in the book of Maccabees in the Old Testament; “it was a holy and pious thought to make atonement for the dead, insomuch as they had the resurrection of the dead in view”. Let us not forget in death those we promised to remember in life and let us not turn away from the supplications of those who often are abandoned by their own to suffer their stay in purgatory without any assistance.

Thirdly, the sanctuary remodel at St. Isidore is starting to come closer to fruition. All the necessary approvals of the diocese have been received and now we are waiting for a final rendition of the proposal from our architect. The general design was approved, however there was the suggestion to change the color scheme a bit, as in painting the back wall instead of leaving it plain white and to change the colors behind the statues to flow with the new color of the wall. As soon as we receive this new rendition, it will be put out so everyone can see it and we will have the total cost estimate along with that so everyone will be able to see and donate towards that if they desire.

And lastly, thanks to your kindness and generosity, we have passed our DSA goal already this year. Taking everything into account, we are the first parish to reach the goal. I cannot thank you enough for making the DSA a success again this year at our parishes. Well done and may God reward you!

God love you, Fr. Anthony