Our beautiful new Votive Candle Stands were installed on Wednesday afternoon, March 30. Since that time, I have been absolutely amazed at the response. Who knew that so many would light candles for their special intentions. Obviously, the Blessed Mother has had the majority of the activity, but St. John the Evangelist has had his fair share. This is a very welcome addition to our church, and I am thrilled that so many are taking advantage of the opportunity. One parishioner commented that in the past they would drive to St. William to light a candle as we did not have any here. On behalf of the entire parish, I would like to thank the generous family that donated the Votive Candle Stands.
Nearly 1,000 expected for Parish Appreciation Day
After changing the format of our International Festival to Parish Appreciation Day, we now have tentative reservations for nearly 1,000 guests this Sunday. I look forward to seeing everyone this weekend to thank you for all you do for this amazing parish.
Did you know that we have an author in our midst? Joan Driscoll Lynch has been a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist since 2003. She is a Professor Emeritus and former chair of the Communications Department at Villanova University. Joan has authored a Novel entitled “Women of the Passion.” The days and weeks after the crucifixion and resurrection were both an exultant and a harrowing time for His followers. Even as they were assured of their faith, they feared for their lives. And the women who were some of the early leaders of the church were in just as much danger as the men. “Women of Passion” places readers squarely in the middle of those dramatic days through the eyes of the women who walked with Christ: Mary, his mother, Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and Joanna, among others. Inspired by Scripture and deepened by historical research, the novel gives readers the opportunity to walk in the shoes of a group of women who let faith guide them when times seemed darkest. A fast-paced narrative that puts readers in the midst of the events, this book makes the characters real and the events immediate. The novel is available in our Religious Gift Shop for $15.00.
I would like to thank Thomas and Sondra Sheehan for their very generous donation of a new candle stand which will adorn the Altar. Sondra is a current RCIA candidate and has been so touched by the RCIA program and Parish that she felt inclined to do something during this Lenten season to show her appreciation. She further wishes to thank Margie Lynch for her dedication and support during her RCIA journey. Let us all pray for Sondra as she is welcomed into the Catholic Church on Saturday April 23.
We are in the final stretch with regards to the Paniccia Prayer Garden. As of this past Wednesday, only four Stations of the Cross remained. Another parishioner came forward and purchased a Station and a bench in the Memorial Garden. Also, a very generous family that spends only three weeks a year in Naples wanted to purchase a Station to honor their family. This leaves Stations I, VII, IX and X. In an effort to have all of the remaining Stations sold by Easter, may I offer the following option. Consider purchasing a Station with another family and share the cost. Two families may come together and honor or memorialize their loved ones. The dedication plaque will simply list the names of both families rather than one. If this option is of interest to you, please contact me at 566.1678 to arrange an appointment. Stations of the Cross are $7,500.00. We would like to have all of the Stations of the Cross spoken for by the end of season so that we may order the granite, break ground and have the grand opening by the end of the year.
Update: I neglected to mention the size of the miniatures as well as their composition in last week’s bulletin. All of the pieces will be approximately 11” tall with a width and depth of approximately 5”. They are composed of resin stone which is crushed marble and stone mixed with a clear resin. Timothy is still sculpting the pieces so exact dimensions are not possible at this time. As soon as the clay renderings are completed, I will publish pictures in the bulletin. Do you enjoy the new statues of Mary and St. John the Evangelist? Are you mesmerized looking at the beautiful crucifix while sitting in Mass? You can now have all three of these beautiful pieces in miniature form for your home or office. Our sculptor, Timothy Schmalz, is creating miniature replicas of all three pieces, which we will offer for sale at $35 each. There are very limited quantities (200) of each piece. If you would like to pre-order yours, please contact Natalie at [email protected]. We are expecting delivery in mid to late September.
Don’t forget that Bishop Frank Dewane will be the guest speaker at Faith and Ale this coming Wednesday in the PLC Ballroom. See the flyer in this bulletin for further details.
Please consider making a donation to the Easter Spiritual Bouquet so that the Arts and Liturgical Environment Committee may furnish the church and Altar with beautiful flowers this Easter season. Any excess funds will be used to keep the Altar decorated year round. If you are unable to locate a Spiritual Bouquet envelope, please tear out the sample on page 12 of the bulletin. Thank you in advance for your prayerful consideration.
Thank you so much for supporting St. John the Evangelist.