A Note From Father Eickhoff

September 17, 2023

This week all the priests of the Diocese of Joliet will be meeting for our annual Convocation.  The Convocation is a four day conference during which the priests of the diocese gossip about their parishioners and try to determine who has the most difficult assignment.  Umm…about that last sentence; I meant to say:

“The convocation is a four day conference during which the priests of the diocese renew their fraternal ties with each other and the bishop; and engage in deep spiritual discussions that will prove helpful in their ministry to the people of the diocese.”

The revised sentence actually is true.  It is good for the priests of the diocese to meet each other in a causal setting and sometimes there really are good programs that are being presented that prove to be useful in parish ministry.  The former sentence does happen as well.  Fortunately, the people of St. Anne Parish shouldn’t worry.  I am a terrible gossip.  By which I mean that I usually forget all the details about a person or persons that I am supposed to relay to others and so I end up saying nothing. Besides, even if I could remember, the people of St. Anne Parish haven’t given me much reason to gossip anyway.

The Convocation this year takes place between Monday afternoon on September 18 and Thursday morning on September 21.  Since all the priests of the diocese are either required or invited to attend; the daily Masses on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week will be replaced by Communion Services led by our deacons.  In addition, there will not be confessions held on Wednesday, September 20. However, there will be Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM as is normally scheduled.  The weekend Masses will be as normal.

I want to thank all of the parish Religious Education staff and volunteers who have been working hard to get ready for the beginning of RE classes this week.  It will be good to see the parish halls and classrooms filled with students once again.

Finally, I want to mention that the traditional blessing of animals will take place on Saturday, October 7 at 9:00 AM.  We will meet outside the church by the bell tower.  So bring your creeping, crawling, leaping, or flying beasts for the blessing.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Stephen Eickhoff
Pastor