Corpus Christi is blessed to have such beautiful facilities and we are forever grateful for those who have gone before us to provide the vision, financial, and other support to provide us with these gifts. As with anything in life, we should not take any gifts for granted but be good stewards of those gifts with our ongoing sacrificial support.
The decision to provide a Catholic School at Corpus Christi is an ongoing commitment that also needs the constant support of everyone in the parish. Our school, parish gym, and Commons are used by the entire parish on a daily basis. Those facilities provide classroom space for our parish school and Faith Formation program for all students of the parish. The school also provides office space for parish staff, and the gym and Commons are used for our parish CYO program, parish scripture studies and larger gatherings, for large receptions both for the parish and parish families who rent the space for anniversary celebrations or wedding receptions, and more. All of our facilities are for the use of everyone in the parish.
Our parish school is the largest mission of Corpus Christi parish. Only through the stewardship of ALL of the parishioners are we able to maintain our excellent school without government support. Currently we do not charge tuition, but this is becoming more and more of a challenge as time goes on. We are entering year three of a three-year process of evaluating how we will financially manage our parish school in the future. Enrolling a child in our Catholic school is a partnership among the family, the parish, and the school. It is a privilege and not a right.
What we expect of all Catholic School Families in the way of active stewardship is expected of all families in the parish. Every Catholic is expected to participate in Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation and participation in the sacramental life of the Church. We ask everyone to actively participate in parish ministries, and in the religious education programs for families and adults. All Catholics should consistently live and strive to understand fully how to live by Catholic moral teachings. And finally, we’ve asked all Active members of Corpus Christi to complete and fulfill of an annual pledge of time, talent, and treasure with the goal to increase financial giving to be true to a biblical tithe of 10%.
If all of this were to be fulfilled, or all were willing to commit to strive to live the stewardship way of life, we would be better situated to care for the growing number of needs we have in our parish facilities. I would invite you to read what John Dahlstrand, our Director of Operations, has written later in this bulletin (page 12) concerning the many projects we have needed to complete this summer, specifically in our School complex as we struggle to find space for our growing needs. We are thankful for the many volunteers who have helped us during these months, and we still need a lot of volunteer help in the next month to have our school ready for the return of our staff and students in less than a month. I invite everyone, especially school parents, to a Back-to-School Parent Work Day on Saturday, August 10th 9am - Noon, to ensure the campus looks great and is ready for the start of a new school year. It is a good problem to have that we are growing and need more space, and a blessing to know that with our Lord as our shepherd, we will want for nothing.
We have heard the challenge of discipleship over the past few Sundays from the Gospels, and I have written about some of the struggles in being a thriving parish with aging facilities, and we all face challenges in our personal lives. Always be available to be alone with our Divine Shepherd, and time to be with our nurturing community of disciples at Corpus Christi. Make the time every Sunday to enter into communion with Jesus, our Shepherd at Mass, so His gift of the Eucharist may feed you.
God Bless,
