An Update from Fr. Pat / Eucharistic Congress Reflection

Missing Sabrina Already/South Crescent Office Temporarily Closing
It came as an unpleasant surprise two weeks ago that Sabrina Burton-Simonson, one of our outstanding administrative assistants, offered her two weeks’ notice.  Then, when she related that she was hired as a full-time administrative assistant at Xavier Jesuit Academy (XJA), the good sense of the decision made the surprise far less surprising!

Sabrina has been COR’s admin for seven and a half years and a blessing to the Lord and Jesus’ people ever since. She went full-time a year ago with Beacons of Light.  She is competent, professional, compassionate, and a joy!  We wish her well!  Of course, we can still see her any Sunday singing in the COR choir and praising the Lord in the Church!

 Sabrina’s departure effective Monday, August 12 leaves Crescent Parishes without an administrative assistant at our South Office.  The South Office at Holy Trinity will be temporarily closed as the Parish Leadership Team (PLT) recommends a best course of action.  Also, I would like to consult with pastoral councils.  Two of the possibilities include hiring a new admin. or closing the South Office permanently, since Nativity office is less than a mile away.

Itasca Vacation 2024
I had some trouble getting to sleep before leaving for St. Catherine on July 29-20.  Unlike most years, wonderfully, I had everything I wanted to do, done, before I departed!  The trip north went very well.  I left at 3:30 AM, an hour later than I had intended.  The weather was predicting rain at 2:30, my hoped-for depart time.  So, I slept in and left at 3:30. I stayed closer to Chicago than usual with a couple little delays, but a net savings of time, arriving at St. Catherine by 5:30 local time.

I unpacked, got the boat ready and, exhausted, fell into bed.  Since that time, fishing has been great.  The weather has been good, hot for the first few days.  It is cooling off now, with days in the 70’s and nights in the 50’s, just like I love in MN!

Even as I’ve caught enough fish to provide for my needs, I’ve been blessed to be invited to two family cabins for supper, one on Long Lost Lake and one on Long Lake.  Also, I’ll be out with Dan Schrupp and his daughters, Alice, 8 and Nina, 6, once with Dan for some serious fishing and then with his daughters for fishing with the kids.  Dan is the son of Judy, mentioned last week, and the late Ken Schrupp, who has taught me much about fishing at a number of lakes in Norther MN!

I’m praying for the good people of Crescent Parishes at a daily private Mass and wishing you were here!!

Eucharistic Congress Follow Up
As our regular bulletin readers will know, Crescent Parishes staff members Cari Craver and Meg Anderson attended the recent Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. While I am on vacation Meg will be sharing her reflections on this powerful experience in place of my normal articles. Please see the first part of Meg’s reflection here.  

Sincerely and with Love in Christ,
Fr. Pat

Eucharistic Congress Reflection (Part 1)
By Meg Anderson, Director of Stewardship & Outreach

Dear Crescent Parishioners, 

Thanks to so many who prayed for Cari and me at the National Eucharistic Congress! It’s difficult to describe the overwhelming feelings of pure joy and love as 60,000+ gathered in song and prayer each morning and evening at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Our days began at 6 am and ended well past midnight.  I loved every single minute!  It was a spiritual marathon, from the opening session on Wednesday evening to the closing Sunday morning Mass! It was also one of the greatest experiences of my life and one that I will carry with me forever. It was a glimpse of the perfect unity we will experience in heaven!

Transformation and Surrender
Reflecting on the journey that led me to the Eucharistic Congress, I recall my transformative encounter with Jesus three years ago. At that time, a holy priest welcomed me back—and, for my husband Matt, introduced him—to the Catholic Church. He met us where we were in our faith journeys, and his incredible love for the Eucharist inspired and encouraged us to grow closer to Jesus!

I was at the lowest point in my life, very sick with an autoimmune condition that continued to worsen year after year. It brought an immense amount of physical pain that took a toll mentally and spiritually. I was completely broken and powerless. A speaker at the Congress spoke to this feeling, and it resonated deeply with me. I hungered so much for Jesus I could have eaten all of the loaves and fish after they were multiplied! It was then that I completely surrendered myself to Him, receiving the Anointing of the Sick. With that came incredible healing as I began to let Jesus into every area of my heart, my trauma, my suffering, my weaknesses, and my pain. I fully accepted His invitation to love me. I remember saying (and I say this often), “Do with me as You see fit. You know everything and what I truly need.”

It’s difficult to comprehend the transformation that has taken place as a result of letting Jesus touch every part of me. In offering up my suffering to Him, He gives me the strength to bear my pain and carry crosses in a new and different way, especially concerning my health. Pope John Paul II beautifully explains suffering, emphasizing the importance of never passing up the opportunity to suffer—not masochistically, but as a participation in the suffering of Christ. Jesus wants to live His life in us. We are the branches, and He is the vine.

I better understand that my suffering has focused my soul on what matters most and has created a longing and wholeness for Jesus to transform me in whatever way He wills. Surrender is not a one-time thing; I continue to surrender myself and my will to Him daily. It’s a struggle at times, but I trust Him with my past, present, and future. As it has been said many times, if we want to move faith from our heads to our hearts, we must fall in love with Jesus. This was the beginning of a more profound relationship with Jesus that continues to grow each day, and I am deeply in love with Him! (Continued next week)