What is God’s Plan for SJA?

06-25-2017Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am excited that we have a new group of eager parishioners for our Parish Council. One of the questions we will need to continually address as a council and as a community is: “What is God's plan for St. Joan of Arc parish? Specifically, as we look toward the 2017-2018 faith formation year, what does God want us to do?”

READ MORE

The Essence of Fatherhood

06-18-2017Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Most post-pubescent males can father a child. Fathering a child is vastly different from being a good father. So what does it take to be a good father? One this Father’s Day, I would like to address the vital role my father holds in my life and the important role of the father in the life of his family.

Of the many lessons I received from my father, his willingness to be present to our family keeps our family rooted and focused on what is essential. Running his own business could have easily consumed him and kept him away from our family. I cannot remember my dad ever missing dinner with the family. His presence wasn’t just at dinnertime. I also recall that our family was usually together on the weekends. Whether we were doing chores in the house, mowing the lawn outside or heading to the lake for some fun, it was dad, with mom at his side, leading the charge by being present.

READ MORE

Diocese of Phoenix Welcomes Three New Priests

06-11-2017Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, ordained three men to the priesthood at a special ceremony on Saturday, June 3rd, at All Saints Catholic Church.

Deacons Daniel Cruz, 31, and Timothy Seavey, 28, and Brother Anthansius Fornwalt, 32, were surrounded by hundreds of family, friends and supporters as they received Holy Orders. The average age for the Class of 2017 is 34. Since 1999, the average age of responding ordinands has decreased by approximately two months each year, from an average of 36 in 1999 to the current average age of 34.

The three men ordained for the Diocese of Phoenix are among nearly 600 others who will become Catholic priests this year throughout the United States. Four in five (75%) of these men ordained served as altar servers and about half (52 percent) report service as a lector. About seven in 10 report regularly praying the rosary (73%) and participating in Eucharistic adoration (77%) before entering the seminary.

“As priests and spiritual fathers, Fr. Cruz, Fr. Seavey and Fr. Fornwalt will continue Christ’s work of healing and redemption, bringing glad tidings to the poor, and being faithful witnesses to the Lord Jesus,” Bishop Olmsted said. “I am grateful to God for their families and others in their lives who have helped nurture their faith and their vocation to the priesthood.”

Let us continue to pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life from our parish.

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline, V.F.
Pastor

READ MORE

Pentecost

06-04-2017Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. The word ‘pentecost’ takes its name from the fact that it comes nearly fifty days after Easter. This day commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.

Pope Francis reminds us that: “The world needs men and women who are not closed in on themselves, but filled with the Holy Spirit. Closing oneself off from the Holy Spirit means not only a lack of freedom; it is a sin. There are many ways one can close oneself off to the Holy Spirit: by selfishness for one’s own gain; by rigid legalism – seen in the attitude of the doctors of the law to whom Jesus referred as “hypocrites”; by neglect of what Jesus taught; by living the Christian life not as service to others but in the pursuit of personal interests; and in so many other ways. However, the world needs the courage, hope, faith and perseverance of Christ’s followers.”

READ MORE