There are times (thankfully many times) when I use my pastor's column to say "thank you" to those who have been generous with their financial means to various collections and causes that are put before us within the doors of the church.  I am pleased and grateful to those 100 or so people who, last week-end, made a donation to the St. Boniface School Endowment in Fort Smith which also entitled the giver to an opportunity to win up to $500 a week for each of the 17 weeks of the National Footbal League season.  Others took home forms that will allow them to make a donation by mail.  The charity of so many in this parish to the cause of Catholic school education (including those who participated in the recent golf tournament for St. John's School in Hot Springs which raised $9,500) is outstanding.  Also, the recent plea to lend an extra hand to Jackson House which feeds so many hungry families in the Hot Springs area netted $1,200 in the first week after the plea.  I ask those who did not give anything, to get in the habit (as some now are) of putting something in the Jackson House wooden container in the narthex of the church when you come for a weekend Mass.  If everyone puts just one dollar in the box each week, we would collect at least $900 EVERY WEEK, which would help so many to have at least one nutritious meal every day.  Finally, I would ask for your consideration of a special collection that will be taken up at all Masses the weekend of September 13-14 whcih will help provide humanitarian relief and pastoral support to Christians and others who are experiencing violence in the Middle East right now. Your generous and thoughtful attention to people-in-need, close-by and far away, speaks strongly of the reality of Christ touching so many hearts and filling them with the generous love which he pours out on us and everyone every day.

GOD BLESS YOU CHEERFUL AND THOUGHTFUL GIVERS!

Even though most of our parishioners are not affected much by the resumption of school (unless you get stuck behind a school bus that keeps stopping numerous times along the roads in the Village), the start of the school year means the resumption of religious education offerings for our children, young people AND adults.  I invite anyone and everyone in the parish to sign-up for the OREMUS (Latin for "Let Us Pray") program, an eight-week experience in which the participant grows in their prayer life at home and through a once-a-week video program and group discussions that happen at church.  I especially encourage those who participate in perpetual Eucharistic Adoration to participate in OREMUS as a good way to grow in your prayer options when you spend time with the Lord.  We are also urging all parishioners to invite and bring people to our first inquiry session into the Catholic faith on Thursday, September 18, in one of the classrooms in the Education wing of our church complex.  This session is open to any currect Catholic, any who have been away from the practice of the faith for awhile, and anyone who wants to inquire into the Catholic faith for the first time.  We will find out who's there and what questions people might have initially about the Catholic faith.  We are eager to see our ongoing evangelization efforts bear fruit in growing numbers of new Catholics and Catholics who are interested in reconnecting with their faith tradition or just becoming stronger Catholics.  I hope to see all of you at one of our religious educations offering for the Fall.

What kind of expression did Jesus most often have on His face?  Though this question was never posted or answered by any of the Gospels, I would like to believe that more often than not, Jesus had a smile on His face, especially when encountering people.  A smile not only reflects a positive, upbeat demeanor, but it also serves as an expression of welcome that draws people to the one who smiles even before anything is said.  That is an encouragement that Jesus would give to all of his disciples who seek to be witnesses of Jesus to others.  Last weekend, I spoke about the need for us to be a more "hospitable" community to to those who come through our church doors.  I received a number of comments which indicate that many people do indeed find us already to be a good, welcoming, parish community. That is something I would second AND yet, I would still say that each one of us can always be more hospitable than we now are, which will lead to blessings for the Lord and our faith community.  While our demeanor and expression in times of prayer will normally be more serene and serious, there are plenty of opportunities before, after and even during Mass, for  all of us to encounter those around us and those we meet, with a smile and a word or two of welcome, care, and/or compassion.  Jesus and Christ-like people are always our examples.  I pray that we see them and are inspired to be like them in this and in other ways.