MY ORIENTATION-OVERVIEW MEETING WITH OLOL's PASTORAL COUNCIL..........

Sometimes when things change, they also can remain the same. That is the situation for me as I go to do my bi-weekly post transplant blood labs today. Having moved seven and a half miles from the LabCorp location on Elvas Avenue, near CSU-Sacramento, it remains the closest location near me here in Del Paso Heights. So Nora, my lab technician of the past six months will have to continue enduring with me in a twelve to fourteen hour fasting state !! Ha Ha.....Last night I held a orientation -overview meeting with the memers of Our Lady of Lourdes Pastoral Council. We discussed an overview of the ministries and projects currently being held in the parish of a prayerful, spiritual, social, or outreach nature; and then I asked for their responses to my Installation As Pastor Mass homily and its focus on the themes of, "All Are Welcome", "There Are No Strangers Here", And Affirming the Parish Mission Statement. Then I shared with them my vision for pastoral ministry in OLOL Parish : creation of a Liturgy Committee; A 4 week Notification and Baptismal Preparation period for Parents and Godparents; an Evenings for the Engaged Marriage Preparation ministry in the parish. and the start of my Faith Seeking Understanding Adult Faith Formation ministry in September. The first six week series being, "The Mass Explained". We talked about Catechetical Sunday in September and about scheduling the 2010 Parish Picnic that day, Sunday September 19, following the 10:30 am Mass. Groundskeeping we also discussed, as we address the need to keep the parish lawns and our adjacent acreage maintained properly at an economic cost. I will be discussing that matter with the Parish Finance Council next week and determine how it fits into our new Fiscal Year Budget. It was a very good and energized, first meeting, Speaking of first meetings, I go immediately from my blood labs this morning back up Watt Avenue to North Highlands to meet with the Bank of America about my authorization as Pastor over the parish bank accounts. Then it's back to the rectory to complete the Sunday Bulletin copy and check in with the Feed the Hungry ninistry in the Parish Hall. And then prepare for the Funeral Vigil for parishioner Rita Green, tonight at 7 pm at the Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes on Marysville Boulevard. More to Come soon on the Parish Mission Statement. With Glory and Praise To God, Fr. Troy