St. Ann Catholic Church | St. Louis, MO

I received this letter from Beth Buchek, our part time youth minister of the past few years.

“During my 26 years as a member of our parish I have really seen St. Ann grow. Most recently through my work with the youth group I have seen the seeds of a St. Ann Catholic education blossoming in our young members of the parish. I have had the pleasure to see this through works of prayer, community building, service projects, Luke 18 retreat planning, and even through one of our members being honored with the Dr. Martin Luther King Model of Justice Award. I am proud of what members of this group have accomplished, and I was blessed to walk with them on this journey.

At this time, though, I am going to step down from this position and look for new ways in which I personally can grow. I am grateful for this opportunity to have served. Although this decision is not without sadness I look forward to seeing in what new and exciting ways our Youth Group and Parish grow in the future. Thanks to all who help plant and water the seeds that make our parish grow.”

Youth ministry is always a challenging endeavor. As any of you who have/had young adults under your roof know, the demands on their time are multiple and varied. School and its related activities pull in one direction. Social calendars pull them in another direction. Family obligations are not lightly dismissed. I am so grateful to Beth for her efforts to engage our students here at St. Ann these past four years. I watched with her as that initial core of students grew “in age and grace and wisdom”, serving our parish community as lectors, as speakers for confirmation and first communion retreats, and in offering service for the elderly. What a gift her ministry has been. In your name, let me say a heartfelt word of thanks for her presence with our teens and the ways she has shaped them in the wonderful young adults they are becoming….

Obviously, this leaves a bit of a hole in our parish leadership structure, so I am investigating some options in terms of future youth ministry. As in all parish ministries, I invite you to do a little praying and reflecting, asking that simple question: “Is THIS an area where I have some gifts and skills that God is inviting me to use for the good of his Kingdom?” And then listen for an answer in those quiet moments of prayer. Then let me know…

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Amazing.  Simply Amazing…

With one bill outstanding from the Sponsor’s Dinner Dance (from the credit card machine – and we are not sure of the percentage they will take off of those sales…) it appears to be safe to say that we raised at least $65,000 and most likely even more.  Wow!

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.  You have always been so amazingly generous in support of this parish and our school and our teachers.  In a parish founded on the generosity and faith of one woman, Anne Lucas Hunt, it is edifying to see that her Charism of giving still thrives in this community.  It is in our genes to ‘pay it forward.’  I am sure that Anne could only vaguely imagine what her gift might look like 160 years later.  But it was worth it to her to give generously from the heart for people she would never see.

In some ways, like Anne, we have no idea the impact of our parish and school on future generations of the church and world, but we trust that God will never be outdone in generosity.  Like St. Paul, we are only responsible for sowing the seeds.  The harvest is in God’s hands.

So am I surprised?  Not really.  It is what you do so often and so well for all these years.  Am I amazed and grateful?  Very much so!  The hard work of the committee and the generosity of so many (a huge word of thanks to all those at Table 3!!) are just more reasons why I love the gift of being assigned as Pastor here at St. Ann’s.

Thanks to Kay Dieckmann and Cheri Smith, our co-chairs for the event once more.  Thanks to their sometimes ‘orphaned’ husband and families for the hours they spent working to pull everything together.  Thanks to all our generous sponsors.  Thanks to the Men’s club for donating the receipts from the bar.  Thanks to Kathy Dolson for setting up our electronic spreadsheets and projectors so people could see where they were in the bidding wars.  Thanks to Jennifer Bahan for coordinating the decorations, and to Favazza Florists for donating the center pieces.  Thanks to Tom Kielly, Jr. and The Liquor Doctor for contributing the wine for the dinner once again.  Thanks to “The Z-man” and the volunteers who did the floors.  Thanks to Pat and Eileen, our office staff, who coordinated all the comings and goings here at the rectory.  And finally, to all who had any part in this wonderful day, a simple yet woefully inadequate “THANK YOU” from the bottom of this pastor’s heart and from the next generation of students, faculty and staff who are the beneficiaries of your faith and love…

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Does it ever stop?

The older I get the more I realize how important it is to “feed my introvert.”  And the closer to the end of the school semester, the more vital that task is to my ability to be present to people.  Having just met with Mrs. Reichenbach to talk about graduation and awards and end of the school matters, I realize I am just beginning to move into my second busy season.  (The first one started with Holy Week and ended with the Sponsor’s Dinner Dance.)

The month of May has a plethora of activities.  We all know them.  Mother’s day.  First Communion.  7^th and 8^th grade picnic.  Last day of school for the 8^th grade class.  Graduations. Last all school mass.  Open Houses.  Throw into that your usual sports practices and games, miscellaneous family birthday gatherings, and the regular business of work, and if you blink, you’ll miss the entire month.

That is why it becomes all the more important for to ‘feed’ the part of the self that restores balance and energy.  For some, that means an extra few minutes on the back deck, lingering over a solitary cup of coffee in the morning or evening.  For others, it is that healthy jog or walk through the neighborhood, either alone or with a friend.  For me, that means I need to ‘feed my introvert’ – reading, a few holes of golf, quiet time in front of a fire pit, prayer before the blessed sacrament, or a late night walk through the neighborhood does wonders for my spirit.

Though it sometimes feels a bit selfish, my years in the priesthood have taught me that those are the exact practices that I need to choose so that I can be present to the people involved in the events of these whirlwind days.  These are the choices that minister to the minister.  And when I choose them, I find myself ready to listen to that troubled college student or hear the struggles of a single mom or be present to the spouse whose other half is in the nursing home or hospital.

One truth about life in our time is that it does NOT ever stop.  It will be as busy as you allow it to be and choose for it to be.  So you have a choice.  Will you complain and be tired and a bit grumpy because you have not ‘fed your introvert’, or will you do the things that feed your spirit so that you can be fully present to all the things you do choose?

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I came across a few lines in “The Word” – a weekly column that unpacks the upcoming Sunday’s scripture in America Magazine – that caught my attention.  Barbara Reid, O.P., writes: “Easter is not only what happened to Jesus but, to a great degree, it is about what happens to us as we live lives that are transformed by his rising.  …We await not only final transformation but, every time we stand with the crucified peoples of our day, as did Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the Risen One is alive in us as we break the hold of the death-dealing powers even now.”

The older I get, the more I appreciate that the call and challenge of Easter is never confined to just a personal, interior change of heart and a feel good kind of getting my act together.  Rather I am called to be a part of the transformation of our culture and our world.  I am invited to run breathlessly, heart racing, as did the women and the disciples from the tomb, back into the world, there to make a difference.

I find the daily newspapers a ‘good’ place to start, in that it brings to my attention so readily, all the places that still need to know the power of Christ’s love.

• So how can I not pray for and stand with the people of Libya in the midst of their oppression?
• How can I keep my voice silent as the Congress debates and tries to come to an agreement on its yearly “moral document” – called a budget?  And make no mistake about it, budgets are value based, moral documents.  They reveal to us what we value as a people and a nation.  Though people of good will can differ about approaches and what needs to be kept and what needs to go, I continue to find it disturbing the “given’s” in our budget process.  One example: How can I stand silent while MY tax dollars are used to fund the largest provider of abortion services in the country?
• How can I build up an inner sense of worth in high school and college students I meet and work with so that they will not feel a need to turn to the drugs that continue to fuel the violence in Mexico.  In Juarez alone, it is estimated that 20,000 have been killed because of drug related violence.

So, read the papers this week.  And then ‘sit’ in prayer with the headlines.  Which one calls to you, which one seems to invite a response, however small, to bring the Risen One’s strength to bring about resurrected life?  And then get busy being the bearer of good news…

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Holy Places…

The church of the Holy Sepulcher is perhaps the most complex space you can ever imagine.  Housed under its roof are at least 6 separate churches/spaces of worship.  The hill of Calvary with its two separate altars; the stone of anointing with its perfumed oil lamps; the tomb of Jesus with two separate ‘churches’ in front of it, and finally, deep below, the burial chapel of St. Helena, wife of Emperor Constantine, and finder of the true cross – are all literally within a stone’s throw or two of each other.

Of my many memories of that place, one that comes to the fore is the quiet, reverential ‘buzz’, especially in front of the hill of Calvary.  There was no ‘sign’ to tell people that this was a place of prayer, yet you knew it to be so.  And the most striking part of that ‘buzz’ was the many languages that created it.  German.  Italian.  Hebrew.  English.  Asian. Korean.  And those were just the 10 or so people to whom I was standing the closest.  And in a little moment of grace, I understood something in a visceral way.

The cross belongs to everyone.

Before the stark sacrifice of our Lord upon the hill of Calvary, we are all equal, all debtors, all supplicants, all sinners in need of His mercy and forgiveness.  And we are all recipients of that same universal love that wants to connect all believers and bond them into one as a gift to the Father.  This love that we all know in the sacrifice of Jesus calls us to treat each brother and sister as equal, as co-debtors and co-owners of the mystery of the heart that was pierced so that we could be free.

Of the many things to pray for during this Holy Week as we recall the great events that led to our salvation, perhaps this year might find us humbly kneeling in supplication for the same, all inclusive heart and love that filled our Savior on the Cross.  As his love cut across all boundaries of race, class and nation, so may ours.  As his sacrifice, symbolized by his outstretched arms, embraced all of humanity, might ours reach out to embrace our wounded families, our broken relationships, and our fractured neighborhoods – that the power of his cross and resurrection might indeed redeem the world.

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Things unseen…

Most parishes have people who do the ‘unseen things’, like replacing light bulbs or cleaning out gutters or dusting in the sanctuary.  Though the effect of what these volunteers do is barely perceptible, the result makes a huge difference in the parish plant.  So I have a few kudos and words of thanks for some of our unseen heroes.

Thanks to Luke Engelmeyer who, over the course of two days, cleared the roadway into the cemetery of the dead branches and trunk of a rather large tree that the rains and wind took down.  (If you are in need of some fire wood, you may take any of the wood that is stacked along side the road there.  Better yet, bring a chain saw and have at the remainder of the trunk of the tree that sits off the road…)  Because of his work, Ameren-UE was able to get a truck back there to repair/replace the downed electrical line that provides power to our dusk to dawn light on the back part of the parking lot.

Thanks to Conrad Philipp Sr. and Bob Maixner for replacing several of the hard to get to burned out bulbs in the ceiling of the church.  It takes a very tall ladder and a very steady hand to get into those side ceiling fixtures.  The church is visibly brighter because of them.

And in perhaps the most unseen bit of work in a while, thanks to Al Horstdaniel for cleaning out the storm drains in our church parking lot storm water sewer system.  These are those little grates along the sidewalk between the church/rectory and school and the church and Post Office.  Over the course of the years, leaves and other debris accumulate inside, preventing the rainwater from being carried away underground.  This is only the second time in my ten and a half years of living here that this has happened.  (unless someone else was VERY unseen in the doing of this…)

If all goes as planned, by the time you are reading this, the updated electrical panels in the church will have been installed and be functional.  The timing seemed very good, as two more of the circuit breaker switches have ceased functioning.  Thanks to Tim Weir and AMF Electric for their always professional and excellent job at ‘church affordable’ prices.

Finally, a huge word of thanks to all our FISH FRY CREW!  ‘Nuff said…

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Lent is late this year…

If you remember in 2008, the date for Easter Sunday was about as early as it could be.  Falling on April 24^th, this year’s celebration of Easter finds it about as late as it could be.  (Technically speaking, it actually could be one day later, mirroring the fact that in 2008 it could have been one day earlier.)  So we have a late Lent this year.  This is good news to our Fish Fryers, who will not have to brave the cold as much as in the past.  (Though with is as crazy as this winter has been, I am not counting on anything…)

It strikes me this late date also gives us an opportunity this Lent that we don’t often have – the chance to slow down our days by being OUTSIDE for a while.  Having just returned from a vacation in the warm Caribbean, I relished the opportunity to spend time under the stars at night time without freezing, and moments walking during the day soaking in the sun’s warmth.  In a society that gets so crazy busy, there is nothing like being outside to slow down the pace, and to allow time for centering oneself in God’s presence by a kind of walking prayer.

So, as you spend time choosing the disciplines that will mark the Season of Lent this year, take advantage of the warmth and do a little outside walking and praying and slowing down.  Not only will it do the spirit good, but the heart and body as well will enjoy the benefit.  And then, when you are signed by those ashes this Wednesday, commit to the journey we all pledge to walk – to connect more deeply by our prayer, fasting and almsgiving to our Savior, our Lord and brother.

Only 266 more days…

No, that is not the number of shopping days left before Christmas.  That is the number of days until the First Sunday of Advent, which will be the day we implement the new English translation of the new Latin translation of the Roman Missal.  From the responses we pray to the Mass parts we sing, a lot of the words will change.  This is a great opportunity to do a little study and reflection on the mass which we so often can take for granted.  I encourage you to join Phil Kril on Fridays after the Fish Fry, up in church, to begin your process of learning anew how to pray with the Church our great act of Thanksgiving.  There is the ‘early bird’ session – from 6:30 to 7:00.  And the later session: from 7:05 – 7:35, for three Fridays in a row, beginning March 18^th…

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Of many things…

Despite the best laid plans of mice and men, you’ll notice some splotches in our roof in church.  The recent “Ice storm of 2011” not only made a mess of our parking lot, but also covered the drains in the flat ceiling of the church.  As it slowly melted, the water accumulated, and as water is want to do, it found paths of least resistance, high about the normal roof line and found its way in.  Unfortunately, even the plastic we had put in place in the usual spots was not enough to contain the volume that crept on in.  (God bless the engineer who created flat roofs…)  Despite the best efforts of Dave Marstall to climb up on the roof and shovel the ice and snow away (once we realized what was going on) the damage was done.

Now that the roof has dried up, we’ll be making repairs to seal those ‘higher up’ leaks, as well as add a note to ‘check on the roof’ when we have measurable snows to our preventative maintenance routine.  When and how to repaint are still being investigated.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

I have entered into a contract with AMF Electric to replace the three electrical panels in the sacristy that control the lights in the church, sacristy and power to the front offices.  We just ran out of our supply of replacement breakers, and though replacement ones are still out there, they are no longer manufactured and are getting more difficult to find and more expensive to purchase.  One breaker has stopped working between the time of the bid and today, and a second is on life support – I can get it to function, but only after multiple attempts and that professional technique called “jiggling it.”  After 60 years of daily use for the panels, (they are the original equipment) it is time to replace them.

You notice that one of the church doors has some taped arrows directing you to use other doors.  Please do not use it.  There are some issues that need to be fixed for it to operate without causing further damage to the floor and the door.  A parishioner has informed me that he is able to fix it, can get the parts needed, and will get to it as quickly as his full time job and full time life permits. But in the mean time, if you would heed the arrows and use the other doors, I would be grateful. (This is a classic example of the good-cheap-quick triangle.  You can only have two of those at any one time – so this will be good and cheap, but just not quick…)

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A winter to remember… (or to forget)

It is the lull between the storms as I write this.  We had enough residual salt down on the blacktop to keep ice from accumulating Monday night.  However, today’s sleet has done what the ice failed to do. The parking lot looks like an ice rink. Don’t even ask about the sidewalks.  50 pounds of ice melt was just enough to clear the steps to the church and the rectory, and the small black ‘rugs’ outside the front of church.  And now we are waiting for what forecasters are calling ‘the big snow’.

As I kid, I loved this kind of weather.  As an adult who worries about keeping sidewalks safe for walking, and access open for people, it is a little less fun.  I tell my classmates “I love my parish.  Where else can I get my aerobic workout done (shoveling/chipping away ice) all before the 8am mass?”  Thanks to Phil Krill for his help with the daily “getting church accessible” labor.  Thanks to Bob Reid and Luke Engelmeyer for their work on keeping the school accessible.

Thanks to a combination of folks who came up during the last snow storm with plow equipped ATV’s (Tim and Mike Britt) and a snow blower (Don Muckerman) and shovels (Bob Maixner and others) to lend a hand.   In the absence of a maintenance man, their help makes a huge difference.

And then, let me say a word about safety.  In golf, they talk about the risk/reward equation to various shots.  If your chances of finding the hazard are pretty good unless you hit ‘the perfect shot’, then the risk involved tells you to “play the safe shot.”  The same applies with the decision to come to mass.  There are some times when it is neither wise nor prudent nor safe to come to mass, even if it should be on a weekend.  If the chance of falling and breaking a leg or a hip is strong, especially as you get into your senior years and the balance and agility are not quite what they used to be, then the prudent choice is to keep holy the Sabbath from the comfort of your living room.  Stay home!  And don’t worry about ‘not going to communion until you have had the chance to go to confession’ about this.  If that is the reason why you are missing mass, trust that our Lord understands.  (Now, if you miss mass out of laziness and neglect…)

This winter will pass – this we know.  It may take a few hundred more pounds of ice melt before it does.  But it will pass. In the mean time, be safe out there…

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Helping hands…

You may have occasionally seen an unknown face around the St. Ann campus recently.  It belongs to a man named Kevin McLaughlin.  Kevin is a member of St. Gerard Magellan Parish and he is good at ‘fixing things.’  I ran into my old soccer coach, Fr. Tom Bryant, while I was at a meeting there, and was telling him about some of the minor maintenance work that, despite the best efforts of our local volunteers, never rose to the importance of ‘it really needs to get it done now’ status. (Dave Marstall is very good at making sure those IMPORTANT repair items are taken care of.  Thanks, Dave!)  “Make me a list of things that you want to get done,” he told me, “and I’ll figure out a way.” That is how we came to have Kevin’s services.  He’ll show up every so often to do those jobs that fall through the cracks – like replacing ballasts on florescent light bulb fixtures, changing  out defective 3-way light switches in the rectory, or touching up paint in the church.  So if you see a tall man, in his late 40’s(?) walking around with a tool kit in his hand, introduce yourself and tell him: “Thanks!”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day found us once more recipients of some labor from UMSL’s celebration of Dr. King’s life.  In its second year of running a service component to the celebration, UMSL enlists the volunteer energy of students, faculty and staff to help at various sites around the city.  Under the supervision of Bob Reid, the science lab got a good cleaning, chair rails and walls were given fresh coats of paint, doors and lintels were spruced up, and a lot of general clean up happened.  THANKS to them and to all our St. Ann parents who showed up to help during the day.  The school looks great, just in time for the open house at the end of the month.

Finally, there have been two tragedies that have once more brought out the best in St. Ann parish.  One of our 8^th grade student’s apartment was severely damaged in a fire.  Many have come forward with donations, clothing items, and basic necessities to help them put their lives back together.  Secondly, with the death of Mr. John Wiedmann, our 8^th grade teacher, there has been an outpouring of love and prayers for the family, as well as the planning of a few fundraisers to help John’s family during this time of loss.  Thanks for being such good ‘helping hands’ to these families in need.

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