It is normal (and I say wonderful) each week to have flowers donated to add to the beauty of our altar area, from at least one couple who is celebrating a wedding anniversary sometime around that weekend. Last weekend was NOT normal in that we had four couples celebrating anniversaries that were significant. Two were celebrating fifty years of marriage, one sixty, and another sixty-six years! While there are obviously many blessings associated with marriages that are so long-standing, these and other couples can tell you there are challenges as well, especially declining health in mind and/or body. Sometimes the decline is more pronounced in one than the other, sometimes both have some serious issues. One version of the Catholic wedding vows says, "I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and honor you, all the days of my life." I will comment on the last part of those vows at another time. Right now, I want to address the promise to be faithful "in sickness and in health". What is the commitment to be "faithful" to one's spouse when the other is sick (or in declining health). More often than not, the healthy (or healthier) spouse does their best and in more than a few instances is heroic in taking care of their spouse on their own twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Over time, this can be overwhelming to the caregiver and start taking a toll on their mental and physical health. While seeking to care for the couple's spiritual needs, which I'm confident is a blessing for them (and for me), I sometimes urge the healthier spouse to look into getting some help for the sake of them, the caregiver as well as the one who is in a situation of sickness or decline. When one promises to be faithful to one's spouse in sickness or in health, in my opinion, that does NOT mean being the one (especially the sole person) who cares for them. I am so happy when I find out that a couple has agreed to have home health, or some kind of home care come in regularly to help. At times I have also been pleased (and even relieved) when a couple makes a difficult, but good decision to move into an assisted living place where one or both of them has help daily and someone (including a nurse) 24 hours a day whenever a need arises. Sometimes such a move is local and sometimes it takes a couple closer in proximity to a child or other family member.

I pray that all of you who are in such a situation now or will be in the future, will be open and will act sooner than later to get help for one or both of the spouses who have needs that are not realistic for them or their spouse to satisfy 24/7. If you are not sure where to start call one of our Helping Hands coordinators, Cathy Wedwick (501 915-8456) or Pat Widlowski (501 922-1395) and they will give you some helpful contacts to try.

Please know, as well, that I and this parish community want to support our couples AND single people in any way we can! You are brothers and sisters in the Lord and we want to help!

"Variety is the spice of life".  This saying is something that many people take to heart and live by it,
counting and giving thanks for the blessings that come from it.  Our V.I.Ps for the month of August,
Gary and Ruth Wolfer are good examples of parishioners who have gotten and still are active in a
variety of ministries.

Ruth has been a parishioner here for 19 years. She got involved early on (through invitation) in the All
Saints Guild and became an active member, serving in 2008 as president of that guild.  She also became involved with the larger group of ladies in the Ladies of the Sacred Heart and participated in their many activities and fundraising endeavors.  She was elected to the pastoral council, was a member of the liturgy commission, and served as pastoral council president in 2012.  She has been a regular Eucharistic Adorer since the inception of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in 2013.  As the wife of Gary (October 6, 2012) she has supported Gary's active involvement in the Knights of Columbus and has volunteered to help at many Knights' fundraising events. 

Speaking of the Knights of Columbus, Gary, in sharing the variety of ministries and activities he has been and still is involved in, listed a litany of positions of leadership and accomplishments that have come through his membership in Council 10208.  He has been the Grand Knight twice which has led to numerous awards on the state level including receipt of the "Star Council" award.  He served a term as faithful navigator of our fourth degree assembly (the Father Victor A Bieberle Assembly) and has been serving as the color guard commander for a number of years now.  He is a member of the Sacred Heart Men's Club, works with parishioners on obtaining a niche in our columbarium, and is the lead person on our parish disaster relief team.  He serves in our liturgies as an altar server and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

Needless to say, Gary and Ruth have both stepped up to the plate in more than a few instances and ways and have blessed our parish, our parishioners and others in countless ways over the years! They serve the Lord and others with a smile and don't hesitate to say yes when new needs arise!  A BIG thank you and God bless you to Gary and Ruth!

Last weekend I had the opportunity to participate in much of the "Arkansas Holy Fire Ministries" annual convention at the Wyndham Hotel in North Little Rock. This used to be called the "Catholic Charismatic" Conference until recent times. I suspect that the change happened, sadly, because there are people who have preconceived ideas about charismatic Catholics that might keeping them from going to the conference. Personally, I have found participation in the annual conference a great blessing and a bolstering of my spiritual life and commitment to the Lord and my Catholic faith. It seems every year the conference has nationally known speakers (lay and clergy) who are fired up for the Lord and always present engaging and inspiring talks that benefit all who attend and would inspire any person of faith. It's not firstly about "knowing" Christ in terms of what he taught and did for all of humanity. It is about a "relationship" with Christ that is heartfelt and is a daily encounter with him under the inspiration the Holy Spirit. During the conference, the opportunity is given for people to come up and be "prayed over" by a priest, deacon, or lay person and in some cases some people are "overwhelmed" by an outpouring (or what is called a "Baptism of the Spirit) and find themselves falling back into the arms of "catchers". Most will tell you that they are changed by that experience in a wonderful way! Admittedly, I have not presented myself for the possibility of such an experience, but I pray I will sooner than later (maybe at an upcoming priest retreat from September 16-18 at Subiaco). What I can testify to is the reality that such people are not at all shy about participating fully in the Mass (with minds, hearts, voices and sometimes hands lifted up in praise of the Lord) which to me is a foretaste of heaven when EVERYONE will be outgoing and full of continual joy in giving praise to God. As I compose this pastor's column, I regret not sharing all of this with you weeks ago in the hopes that some might consider coming to the conference. I hope I will remember to do so next year and find some of our Sacred Heart parishioners attending. If so, some might be inspired to come back from that experience and share it at our weekend Masses. Anyone who gives a weekend's worth of their time for this or any other spiritual "retreat" from the cares and challenges of this world will not regret it and will leave "refreshed in the Lord". It might also lead to changes in priorities and relationships that will reflect a life lived more with and for the Lord (which is the best way anyone can live)!