Fr. Tom’s Letters

Each week Fr. Tom writes a letter to parishioners in our bulletin. Every letter is comprehensive, including current information about the Parish, an explanation of Scripture for that Sunday, and an invitation to become more engaged in the life of the parish.

October 11, 2026

Dear Parishioners,

FAITH FORMATION

Congratulations to Mrs. Flood and the Faith Formation team for a hugely successful first week of Faith Formation. All classes have now begun except for 7th grade which begins this week. So that includes about 800 students and about 100 catechists. The priests of the parish joined with the Faith Formation team to welcome the children, their parents, and the catechists.

We have a very fine Faith Formation program. As the children and parents reported for the first day, how cheerful, excited, and relaxed the young families were. Several spoke of the warm welcome they received at the doors of the church when they arrived.

The first day is designed for the families to meet the catechist for their children and receive materials for the year. A very distinctive part of the Faith Formation experience for the children of our parish is the presence of so many high school students who volunteer to serve as catechists for the younger children. These volunteer high school students come from Sacred Heart, Kellenberg Memorial, Chaminade, Garden City, and Carey. We have two catechists for each class and these high schoolers are well appreciated by the younger kids and their parents. Mrs. Huggard prepares their lessons for them and it is a great experience for both the children of the parish and the high school volunteers. We are very grateful to the high school students and the schools that arrange for them to be here. We could not have the program without the high schoolers.

We continue to have generous and faith-filled adult catechists. Some have been catechists for 36 years or more. Some are younger parents who want to accompany their children through the faith formation years. Others are parishioners who volunteer because they understand the need and importance of faith formation and religious education in a parish.

Additional volunteers are always welcome as catechists, substitutes for absent catechists, hall monitors, office aides, and so many responsibilities for a parish ministry that welcomes 900 first through eighth graders for catechetical formation and sacramental preparation.

Thank you to all involved.

PARISH SOCIAL MINISTRY
THANK YOU LINDA LEONE!
WELCOME NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM!

On Sunday, October 25 at the 10:00AM Mass, we will celebrate our Parish Social Ministry: Past, Present, and Future! All parishioners are invited.

We will have the opportunity to thank Linda Leone who established this ministry 25 years ago in collaboration with Msgr. John Gilmartin. Linda has grown the ministries over the years to respond to the many needs of parishioners as they have arisen since 2000.Linda enlisted hundreds of volunteers over the years. Hundreds of parish families have benefited from the ministry. Financial support has been very generous. Hundreds of families from other parishes have received food and other kinds of assistance. Hundreds of families have been consoled by the Ministry of Consolation. Our Respite Ministry has been a great experience of community for participants, parents, and volunteers. And so much more.

At the 10:00 Mass on Sunday, October 25, we will welcome our new leadership, Stacey Young and Chris Roller, both active long time parishioners. Stacey and Chris have been part of Parish Social Ministry for several years; Stacey has served as Linda’s assistant and Chris as a volunteer. The transition from Linda’s leadership to Stacey’s has been seamless. Senior Scene, Respite, Ministry of Consolation, Thanksgiving Sponsor a Family, Weekly Food Drive, Loaves & Fishes, Fall Coat Drive, Families in Service, Breakfast Bag Project, Cancer Support Group, Share-a-Meal are all active already this academic year. So many volunteers support all these ministries and activities and more! Stacey and Chris and volunteers will be commissioned and receive a blessing as we begin this new chapter of Parish Social Ministry.

Our future in Parish Social Ministry is bright. Pope Leo has been steadfast in his encouragement that the Church has a special responsibility to families, the elderly, the poor, the oppressed, and the sick. The Church has experienced a seamless transition of leadership from Pope Francis to Pope Leo. These two popes shared a similar vision, sense of mission, and fidelity to the gospel and call of Jesus Christ. I am most confident that such is the experience we are having in this transition of leadership in St. Anne’s Parish Social Ministry. Mark the date: Sunday, October 25 at 10:00AM.

Have a peace-filled week!

Fr. Tom

About Our Parish