Happy 4th of July!

Dear Parishioners,

Happy Independence weekend!  I hope this time will give you some needed rest with family and friends as we celebrate our Nation's 249^th anniversary of Independence!  

I wanted to give you a few important updates for the parishes.

1. We had a rousing discussion at our first St. Joseph Parish Hall Committee meeting.  There was good feedback about our community gatherings and how our current hall is helping to achieve that purpose.  Out of this discussion there emerged a general consensus to update our hall or gathering spaces to provide better accommodations.  What this will look like is still in discussion, but our hope will be to present a path forward in the near future.  Please pray through the intercession of St. Joseph the worker that we may discern where the Holy Spirit is asking us to grow and expand!

2. St. Joseph is starting a social committee to help put together a calendar of events for the parish calendar.  If you enjoy brainstorming or planning fun events, then this is the group for you!  Please contact Fr. Fleck if you would like to join.  The first meeting is August 3rd.

3. Our St. Joseph Roast Beef Dinner will be Oct. 5^th this year!  We are currently looking for another couple to help lead the dinner.  If you have not served the dinner in recent years, please consider joining our hollowed ranks in this great crusade of feeding the hungry people of Saunders County and beyond!  "A Slice of Tradition, A Bite of Comfort—Small Town Roast Beef at its Best!"

4. Brown Scapular:  If you would like to be enrolled in the Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel, enrollments will take place after all weekend masses July 12-13.  Please let Fr. Fleck know if you would like to be joined in the spiritual benefits of the Carmelites.

5. I will be going on retreat and vacation from July 15^th to July 30th.  Fr. Danek will be celebrating weekend masses July 19-20 with Fr. Stoley July 26 and Fr. Czya July 27.   For Sacramental Emergencies please call St. George in Morse Bluff at 402-666-5280.

6. I will be changing my day off from Tuesday to Monday starting in August.  A grace of the priesthood is brotherly fraternity and friendship.  Now that several of my priest friends have become pastors they have taken Monday as their day off.  In order to continue to live a healthy priesthood, I will also be changing my day off to Mondays.  This will mean that Mass will return to Tuesdays, but not on Mondays at St. Joseph. As a plus, this will mean there will be another priest at Bishop Neumann on Tuesdays as well 🙂

In Christ,

Fr. Luke Fleck