From Your Pastor

This past week was busy with many activities, meetings, and the like. I was able to host the first "Evening with Fr. Mike" on Monday evening, October 26. These gatherings will begin at 7pm in the Lounge at Our Lady of the Sierra Church. The Pastoral Council met this past Wednesday, and some of the discussions held that evening will be published at a later date. I had the first meeting of the newly formed Liturgical Commission on the diocesan level as we begin to look to the liturgical state of the diocese, and the needs that are developing, especially in the light of the flu epidemic and the new Roman Rite, soon to be implemented in the United States. The Priest Council, of which I'm a standing member as Director of Liturgy met for our first meeting of the season to discuss issues that affect priests, the diocese and the Church at large. The Bishop must meet with his Priest Council for consultation, and this gives him the opportunity to see what is going on in the diocese in general. Discussed at the last meeting is the first raise to be given to priests in nine years. It will go into effect January 1st, 2010, an increase of $200 per month. It was 2001, when the last increase had been given.

I was also happy to meet with the high school students at the Yosemite High campus meeting which takes place on Mondays. It is always refreshing to meet the young people of our parish with their enthusiasm for the faith.

Again, a huge thank you to Consuelo and Peggy for their leadership with our youth.

Regarding Bishop Steinbock, he is celebrating his 25th year as a bishop in the Church. There will be prayer services for this landmark event, and we wish him well. He was ordained in 1984 as Auxiliary Bishop of Orange, and then served as Bishop of Santa Rosa, before coming to the Fresno Diocese in 1991. He will have served us over twenty years by the time he retires in a few years.

I must again ask our parishioners at Our Lady of the Sierra Church in Oakhurst to be conscious of how disturbing and rude it is for so many people to leave Mass before the final blessing. Last weekend at the Saturday afternoon Mass, when I walked down the aisle for the recessional procession, the last NINE pews on my left were completely empty, and in fact when I turned to greet people, there was no one there! We had a group of parishioners, who are beginning an intense retreat experience, and they were asking for our prayers and support, yet our parishioners were not there to pray for them. I know it is an extra few minutes, yet the Lord can die on the cross for us, but we can't fulfill our responsibility to supporting one another? I do beg for your special consideration in this serious matter.

On Wednesday, September 23, we celebrate the feast of Padre Pio, a famous Italian Francsican saint who died in the 1960's. The devotion to this great apostle to the sick is very popular in Italy, and his graveside in San Giovanni Rotundo is visited by thousands every year. I have a special place in my heart for Padre Pio, and ask for his intercession for those suffering serious illness in our parish.