The Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (our IHM sisters) have sent our St. James Parish and School community a novice, Sr. Alexis Karen Reavill, who will, God willing, make her first vows as an IHM Sister in August! She will be with us for 12 weeks or so up to Holy Week and will be in the school and experiencing a few classrooms. It is a blessing and an honor to have her with us for this experience!
I must say, it is an honor for the Sister Servants to send a novice to our parish, convent, and school. That they would chose to send her to our community of Sisters speaks a great deal to the wonderful group of sisters we have here! The community life is good and strong with our sisters. This honor also speaks well of our school community and families. They want her to have a good experience of life in an IHM school and, because of the good work that the Sisters have done in the school for so many years, they chose St. James out of all the other schools and apostolates that they have. The IHM Sisters are still focused on the charism of formation and education in the Catholic faith and what a gift they are to St. James and, indeed, the whole Church as they stay faithful to the charism!
This is also an honor for our Parish! We are blessed to have the Sisters present in the school, on campus, and in the parish! Their witness is everywhere and we are so very thankful for it! Again, it speaks well for our Parish Community that the Sisters chose to send her here. Our parish healthy and there is a good relationship between the parish and the school. The school and the parish are growing and there is a vibrancy here in our Parish Community that is not found readily in other parishes. Thank you for making it such a beautiful place of welcome, joy, peace, and community! You make up this parish and give witness to our faith. I am proud to be a disciple of Christ with you and a shepherd, a pastor, a father, for you.
Catholic Woman’s Conference
January 28, 2023, this coming Saturday, St. James will host a Catholic Woman’s Conference! Women from the parish are organizing this day of retreat, reflection, and renewal for the women of our parish and beyond. Bishop Parkes will open with mass, and Rachel Balducci and Lisa Hendley will be the presenters for the conference. We will have time of prayer, fellowship, adoration, and a chance to receive the mercy of God in the Sacrament of Confession.
Ladies of the parish, please come if you are available (men, watch the children for the day and take care of the homestead so that your wife can attend!). This Conference is for ALL Catholic women – school age, college students, unmarried, married, young and old! Please come and bring a friend!
May the Lord Jesus grant you and your family many wonderful blessings this week!
~ Fr. Daniel Firmin