In what we believe to be a movement of the Holy Spirit, the religious education professionals from both St. Paul’s and St. John’s have agreed on a common curriculum for Confirmation Preparation that will be centered on the students’ participation at Mass. To this end, beginning after Labor Day, the Sunday 5:00pm Mass will be a more deliberately youth focused liturgy and will rotate from week to week between St. John’s and St. Paul’s as the center of the Confirmation Program for our Collaborative.
On a couple of occasions during the past year, we experienced particularly vibrant and Spirit-filled liturgies in which all the Confirmation candidates participated and were actively involved in all aspects of the Mass. The Youth Music Group, made up of High School aged singers and instrumentalists from both parishes, was magnificent. The youth were lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and greeters. There was a contagious sense of excitement as the young people fully engaged in the liturgy. We are now building a program in which this will be a weekly occurrence! The Mass, supplemented with classroom work, will be at the center of preparation for Confirmation. Our hope is that this full, active participation in the liturgy, the source and summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed, will give our young people a lived connection to Christ Jesus and the community of the Church.
As always, all are welcome at these parish liturgies. The schedule and location of our Sunday 5:00pm Masses will be posted prominently on our websites and in the bulletin.
We are excited about this new initiative! Please join us in praying that the Holy Spirit continues to guide us as we seek opportunities to help our young people grow in faith.
Fr. Jim Laughlin
This week: SUNDAY, JANUARY 7
Donuts & Coffee is ready to go for the New Year! All we need are some volunteers to host. Please sign-up on the board in the Social Hall or email 
Join us as we get in the Christmas spirit on Friday, December 15 from 6:00-8:30pm in Powers Hall! Watch the 
