I wish not merely to be called Christian, but also to be Christian. – Saint Ignatius of Antioch
It has been nearly 120 straight weeks of engagement here in the bulletin and online to communicate the vision, the direction, and the execution of our Capital Campaign, Build Our Future, Serve Our Past. In this time, we have delved into our new Life Center plans, our needs for the rest of our campus buildings, and the programs that are helping to transform our faith into a constant daily approach to life for all ages. Luckily, this weekend, we may have some of you that are picking up our bulletin for the first time, or viewing our website for Mass times and come upon this information. This gives us a unique opportunity to ensure our message reaches new eyes, and perhaps also reinforces that message for some that may still have not connected with it yet.
Saint John the Evangelist is transforming the concept of Catholic fellowship here in Southwest Florida in ways that are both new and renewed. We are renewing the focus on our children through Catholic Youth Organization, which has been dormant in Florida for over 35 years. You will have to wait for next week for a further explanation on our CYO plans. The brand new effort we are engaging in that we want to describe today is Catholic Adult Organization (CAO).
CAO is the persistent and constant set of programs here at Saint John to enrich and engage every age of adult, from 18 to 108, and everyone in between, body, mind, soul, and spirit. We will have social activities, like our current Movie Night for Adults and Happy Hours, so everyone can get together in fellowship. We will include artistic and musical programs like our dance classes, painting, and concert series, allowing everyone a chance to appreciate and/or learn their favorite musical instrument or artistic endeavor. And, of course, as part of our overall wellness efforts, adults can enjoy classes and physical fitness programs, including boot camps, pick-up basketball, and mobility and stretching classes, all taught by certified personal trainers, and catered to various ages and abilities.
As we Build Our Future, Serve Our Past, we still need all the gifts, prayers, and support of our Parish Family to reach our Pinnacle Goals. If you have any questions, please contact Joe Lichwalla, the Campaign Coordinator at 239-495-2001 or email: [email protected].