On behalf of the clergy and staff of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and for those who are traveling over the holidays, a Happy New Year. Did you know that this coming Tuesday will be the 21st anniversary of the first Mass celebrated in our church? On December 24, 1992, the first Mass was celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Fr. John Ludden is eagerly awaiting the celebration of his fifth Christmas Mass as our pastor. Please come out and join us for a beautiful celebration of the birth of Christ.
While I am sure that my comments last week regarding the weather irritated more than a few of our seasonal residents and visitors, I will change my thought process this week and write from the perspective of a winter visitor from the Midwest.
As I write my weekly column, I cannot help but think of how blessed we are to be living in “paradise.” The current temperature in Cleveland is 19 degrees with light snow. The current temperature in Naples is 75 degrees headed up to a high of 78 degrees. And let us not forget that winter only began this past Friday. For the next ten days, the temperature in many areas of the Midwest and Northeast will not reach 40 degrees while we will be basking in cloudless skies with temperatures in the upper 70s and lower 80s. Although our recent and forecast temperatures are going to be well above normal, I seriously doubt anyone is complaining. If anyone has ever questioned why so many people choose to winter in Naples, the next ten days are a prime example. While it is true that during “season” we must deal with increased traffic congestion and arrive at Mass early for a good seat, it sure beats the alternative of driving on icy roads in bone chilling cold.
I had the oddest phone call the other day which I thought I would share with you, especially those of you with hearing problems. The call was from a local audiologist. She explained that one of her patients (a parishioner) was in her office for an appointment. When asked how her hearing aid was working, she commented that it was working OK, but there was really only one place where she could hear perfectly. She said that it was almost a miracle that she could hear every word clearly while attending Mass at St. John the Evangelist. The audiologist asked me what kind of sound system we had, and I explained that the clarity her patient was recognizing was the Hearing Loop System installed over the summer. She then told me that this patient was in the office to have a T-coil installed and did not have this in place prior. If you remember my comments months ago, you will remember that I said you must have the T-coil in your hearing aid to take advantage of the Hearing Loop. I am not sure what this parishioner is experiencing, however, if you have had a similar experience, please contact me and let me know. Further, if you are utilizing our Loop System, please email or call me and let us know how it is working.
We have officially made the switch to our new online giving module. WeShare is our new vendor and will securely process all of your giving via credit card or EFT. WeShare will also be used to handle registration and ticket sales to any number of parish and parish affiliated events. For those who are signed up with PledgeConnect, you should have received an email by now notifying you of the change. I am excited for the flexibility that we will recognize through WeShare and look forward to our parishioners taking advantage of the new capabilities.
Thank you to everyone that gave so generously this Christmas season. Whether it was a gift to the CFA, a donation to Jamaica, a gift to the Sneaker Drive or a contribution to the regular offertory, you defined the essence of Christmas. I am continually amazed every year at this time by the outpouring of generosity shown by our parishioners. It is truly remarkable what you do for others while ensuring that St. John is provided for. I am not a “cradle catholic” like many of you, however, I have visited my share of catholic churches, especially during the design stages of St. Agnes. As I have said many times before, there are countless parishes out there that could learn a thing or two by visiting St. John the Evangelist and simply observing. There just seems to be a spirit that exists here at St. John that does not exist at any other parish I have visited. Obviously, the Holy Spirit is present at Mass; however, there is something more that exists within the friendly confines of St. John.
Due to extremely early deadlines for Christmas, there will be no collection data for the weekend of December 14 – 15 in this bulletin. Please look for this data in next week’s bulletin. Thanks for your understanding.
The Parish office will be closed on December 24, 25 and 26. The Parish Life Center and Claussen Family Center buildings will also be closed on December 24, 25 and 26.
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA
General Manager