Sprenke time…
One of the blessings of this parish is the annual Msgr. Sprenke Soccer Tournament. It truly is our parish picnic – spread out, not over one weekend, but an entire month. And, just as it takes a whole village to raise a child, so it takes a whole parish to raise a Sprenke Tournament. Marking the field. Cutting the grass. Trimming the weeds along the creek. Setting up the schedule. Organizing the referees. Cleaning out the concession stand. Ordering the kabobs for the weekend BBQ. Contacting teams and coaches. Putting together the ad book. Sprucing up the landscaping. Starting the charcoal for the BBQ. Stocking up the shelves with candy and hot chocolate mix and popcorn and… And you get the picture.
But, to be honest, the picture is not complete without YOU – you to be there and to enjoy the thrill on the kids faces as they play under the lights and hear their names called on the PA system and make that mad dash to the center of the field; you to be there to greet the alums and former players now turned coaches; you to be there to support and cheer on our St. Ann teams, and to be an example of faith and community and how life ought to be lived.
As an aside, wouldn’t you love it if our Sprenke Tournament drew the same media coverage as the events of Ferguson this past month? Wouldn’t it be amazing for the world to see kids and parents of all colors and creeds mingling together, not protesting, but just being what we are best – a welcoming, faith filled, joyful family? Because that is who we are at our best here at St. Ann, and that is how I believe our world can be at its best. It takes work, and it takes effort, but eventually, it becomes second nature to us all. So, whether the media show up or not, I trust that we’ll continue to do and be what we are and who we are best – the St. Ann family, the Rock of Normandy and source of blessing to our community and parish…
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Finally, just a head’s up. Every four years, the majority of the priests in the Archdiocese gather together to celebrate our fraternal bonds and to do some learning and working and studying together at our priests’ convocation. So I would ask your support and prayers for myself and my brother priests this coming Sept. 15 through the 19th. Fr. Ron, retired, will be covering the weekday masses in my absence.