Dear Parishioners,

This week marks a sad passing in the history of our parish. This is the last week that we will have a parochial school. When I first announced that this would happen, many people questioned me about why the school has to close. I think that most people understand now that we have to close the school in order for the parish to remain stable. But, that does not make it any less sad.

On a personal level, many people will miss Holy Innocents School because it was the school that they or someone they loved went through. Many people have great memories of HIS. Many people spent their formative years there and even made friends they still have to this day. When one loses an institution like this, one can feel like their childhood is being taken away.

On a parish level, losing the school is a huge change as well. After all, the first building built on our campus was the church building which became the school gym, and even the rest of the school was built long before any other building on the campus came about (at least as far as I can tell). Having a school was just assumed to be something Catholic parishes did. So, if we do not have a Catholic School, what happens to our mission? Some people might even tie it to the recent scandals in the news and wonder if it’s a trend for the Church in general.

While I cannot predict the future, I am here to tell you that no matter what happens, Jesus Christ is Our Lord and can use whatever we’re going through for our salvation. The Church exists to share Christ with the entire world and Catholic Education is one of the ways she did it in many places throughout the world. If that is no longer sustainable, the plan needs to change. But, the mission remains the same. We are a community that worships and gives glory to God above all things. If you have your faith today thanks to our little school, then its existence was worth it.

On this feast of Pentecost, I hope we can all be renewed in the Holy Spirit. If you are able, then please come to the mission talks we will be having this week. When the world seems most unstable is when we most need to cling to God who is our all in all.

God bless!

Father Carter