Since I’ve moved into the rectory this past week, I have been overwhelmed by everything that is being done to make this place into a real home. I’m still discovering things from the house-warming registry that have been tucked away in drawers, and there was even a team in charge of opening and placing all the gifts of towels and such that came in from generous parishioners. Moreover, it seems that whenever I walk through the house during daylight hours there is someone, or even a group of someone's in there working on paint or flooring or heaven knows what else. So, as I sit down to finish all my thank you notes, which I say because I know my mom reads this column and I want to get ahead of that conversation (Hi mom), I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you. PLEASE CLICK TITLE TO READ MORE

The figure of the Good Shepherd is undoubtedly meant to represent Christ. Even though in biblical text and in art from the earliest times Christ is not only the shepherd but also the sheep. The early Christians understood that the followers of Christ are like the trusting sheep, whom the Good Shepherd, Christ, knows and they know him. He has retrieved the lost sheep and is bringing them back to the fold, as he will carry home the souls of the faithful. This is a beautiful image to use in prayers in this season of Easter as we reflect on our Salvation through the saving passion and the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. It assures us of Jesus’ care for all of us. I know that I am one of Jesus’ flock, that he protects me from the wild beasts, theft and inclement weather. Jesus defends you and me as his own flock and He died for us (Jn 10:15). He still leads us, his sheep, to water and comforts us. He keeps his flock together and goes out to search for the sheep that have gone astray.

Reserve your seat by May 1, $25 per person. We are excited to invite all of the women of our regional parishes and their friends to come to St. Matthias Church to enjoy “The Power of the Purse” on Tuesday, May 8 at 6:00 pm! ​​​​​​​ Dinner, dessert, and back by popular demand, our purse raffle (including Coach, Michael Kors, Vera Bradley and more). Our guest speaker for the evening is WWPR parishioner Tammy Bundy, a gifted author and speaker. She gives wonderful motherly wisdom to all ages. If you would like to reserve a table, please let us know in advance. We will do our best to accommodate large groups and seat you with your group. Everyone is welcome; invite your friends! If paying by check please make it out to St. Ann’s Society OLR. Questions: Please contact Jen Laugle at 513-687-9429 or [email protected]

When I began my studies, there were 36 men from four different dioceses in formation at Mt. St. Mary’s. In the past seven years, the number of seminarians and dioceses attending Mt. St. Mary’s has more than doubled, and the average age of the seminarians has plummeted. The seminary is so full of young men discerning the priesthood, that they are working to build an entire new wing to accommodate them. This is among the best problems we could possibly have. The increasing youth of the seminarians also means that their life experience going into the seminary is much different. Whereas Fr. Chris and Fr. Pete were more established before they heard God’s call to the priesthood, the young men preparing to serve God’s people nowadays are often looking to live in a parish over the summer rather than at a place they owned before entering the seminary. Additionally, part of the formation that future priests receive is a one-year internship in a parish or a region about halfway through their training so they can get acclimated to a parish and see what skills and gifts they have as well as what they might need to work on to be as effective in preaching the Gospel as possible. PLEASE CLICK TITLE TO READ MORE.

The Winton Wyoming Pastoral Region will get a treat this spring when the Heidelberg University Concert Choir comes to town as part of their annual spring tour. The 51-member vocal ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Greg Ramsdell, will present a concert with the theme “Come Travel with Me.” The free performance will be at St. James of the Valley on Tuesday, May 15, at 7:00 pm. Volunteers are needed to feed and host the students overnight. A Sign-Up Genius is now available for those interested in helping to provide supplies, prepare and serve the meal, or help with clean-up. http://bit.ly/HUChoirNight For more information or questions, please contact Laura Juengling, [email protected].

As a priest, I have always enjoyed preaching on the Saints because it provides an opportunity for examples to encourage the faithful. A few months after I got to my first assignment, I was gently called out by one of the daily Mass congregants because I had referred to over a dozen individuals in my homilies as “one of my favorite saints,” and the term was beginning to lose all meaning. It was a fair point, but I hope it doesn’t detract from the fact that Pope St. John Paul II is in fact one of my favorite saints. I have the phone case and the keychain to prove it. This Sunday the Church celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy, and JPII was instrumental in bringing about this feast day and giving it a place on the calendar. CLLICK TITLE TO READ MORE.

First communions in our region will be at OLR at this weekend Masses and at St. James’ weekend Masses next week. Please keep these young people in your prayers as they join us at the table of our Lord. This week Discipleship/Club begins at 7 pm Sunday at St. Matthias. We will begin Confirmation Preparation with next year’s eighth graders on Tuesday, April 24, at St. James of the Valley at 7:00 pm. This meeting is for parents and students who will be preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation this fall.