St. Genesius of Arles

Dear Parishioners,

Summer is moving quickly!  I wanted to share some good news with you all.  Our parishes have continued to grow since coming to the parishes two years ago with over 25 baptisms!  With the increased growth in our parish numbers, our parish came to the point of needing a part-time secretary to help manage the weekly affairs for the parishes.  This had been on the mind of the previous two pastors as they balanced school and parish work.  Noticing the growing need, we began advertising last month. I am now happy to announce that we have recently hired Stephine Quinn for this position!

Stephine Quinn comes with a host of experience in organization, written communication, administrative support skills, bookkeeping, and technical documentation.  As parish secretary, her responsibilities include bulletin preparation, ParishSOFT Data Entry, Sacramental Record upkeep, and general support. The inclusion of Stephine to our parish team will provide efficient, streamlined parish operations.  

In addition to having a new secretary, the diocese has given us a diocesan business email to use for parish business communications.   This will be used to greater facilitate the business work of the parish with a stable email.  In the past, the parishes were dependent upon the emails of the incoming and outgoing priests.  The new business email provides a direct link between our parishioners, parish secretary, and current priest.  If you have any communications for the parish please send them to the new email, rather than to Fr. Fleck directly.

Our new parish email:  stjosephstmary@lincolndiocese.org

Now that we have a secretary, please ask for the intercession of St. Genesius of Arles the patron of secretaries!  St. Genesius was the court notary in Arles, Gual (modern-day France).  He excelled in the art of shorthand, transcribing, and courtroom speeches.  He also was a catechumen preparing for baptism.  When on a certain day he found himself called upon to begin transcribing the proclamation of an imperial edict mandating the persecution of Christians, Genesius could not bring himself to record the offensive words against his faith.  Rising from his seat, he hurled down his wax tablet before the judge and immediately resigned.  He was later arrested and martyred by beheading. 

As we welcome our new parish secretary, let us ask St. Genesius to watch over her work and all who serve our parish. May we imitate his fidelity to Christ, striving not to lose our heads over the daily demands of life, but to keep our hearts fixed on the Kingdom of God.

In Christ,

Fr. Luke Fleck