Bulletin Article: July 31

The first day of the new academic year for Saint Mary School is August 5th. Please pray the families, students, and teachers of our school as the begin this new year. Will the return of school our 8:30am Mass will return to the church on Monday, August 1st. The Mass at 7am will remain in the chapel.

August 15th is the Solemnity of the Assumption. Due to this being a Monday this will not be a Holy Day of Obligation. There will be three opportunities for Mass for those who wish to attend: 8:30am, 6pm (Latin), and 7:30pm (Spanish).

I officially welcome Mary Klug to our parish staff as our new youth minister. Mary will start August on 15th. I look forward to working with her and releasing more information on our youth program soon. Please pray for Mary and the youth of our parish during this time of transition.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: July 17

On the weekend of August 13/14 there will be an informational table for the Legion of Mary in the gathering area. The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic association of Catholics who, with the sanction of the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of All Graces, serve the Church and their neighbour on a voluntary basis in about 170 countries.

The members of the legion works with their priest in performing the spiritual works of mercy for the parish. It is my hope that members of the Legion of Mary will make visits to our shut ins, make home visits to new members of our parish, resume the practice of a traveling statue of Our Lady of Fatima, promote the faith throughout our parish boundary, and in good time start of Junior Legion of Mary which would be available to the youth of our parish.

Leading up to this weekend more information will be found concerning the Legion of Mary in the bulletin. I look forward to having this organization in our parish for the fruit that they will bring. For more information on the Legion of Mary please see their website at https://www.legionofmary.ie. 

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: July 3

After consultation with the Parish Pastoral Council I have added two important dates to our parish calendar.

Firstly, we will have a State of the Parish report given on August 29th from 6:45pm-7:45pm. The purpose of this evening is to present the current status of our parish and school along with future aspirations. There will be a few minutes set aside for various parish ministries to present to our parish community. This is not an open forum, but a time to be made aware of the current ongoings of our parish.

Lastly, our next Parish Discussion Session will be September 19th from 6:45pm-7:45pm. These sessions are important because they bring our parish family together for discussion. We must come together in order to build the puzzle that is our parish community. These evenings never have an agenda and move forward as the participants so wish.

Prior to each of these evenings there will be a pot luck dinner beginning at 6pm. I hope to see you and your family in attendance for both of these evenings.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: June 26

I have signed a contract with Jones Lawn Care to repair the labyrinth which is located outside of the church. He will level all bricks and repair areas that are damaged.

I am hopeful that prior to the start of the school year a security door will be installed inside of the school. This door will provide an extra of security which will keep people from having instant access to the school building without first being buzzed in. 

We have finally received approval with the diocese to move forward with an architect, Uwe Rothe, to devise a master plan for our campus. This will be helpful in defining what can be achieved in the lower level as well as other needs that we have for our campus. There is a major need to make sure that we can have proper space for parish social gatherings.

We are currently working with Michael Stone, architect, to design bathrooms and kitchen for the lower level. This will hopefully go out to bid for construction in the near future. Despite whatever the long term plan for the lower level may be these bathrooms will be a necessary improvement.

The master plan and bathroom/kitchen project are being funded by the HOME Campaign. All remaining money from the HOME Campaign will be used in the lower level to carry out projects designated from the master plan.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: June 19

Congratulations to Deacon Jim Haselsteiner who was ordained last weekend. He has been assigned to our parish and will also assist at Saint Michael Parish in Erwin as needed. Deacon John Hackett will begin to step aside from ministry at our parish. I thank him for all that he has done at our parish community.

Next weekend the Choice Wine program will come to it’s conclusion. There will be a blessing of marriages at the 5pm Mass on June 25th to conclude this program. This first run at this marriage ministry has been very successful and I look forward to having it offered again in the near future.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: June 12

I welcome Tonya Chavez to our parish and school staff. She will start her position as Development Director on June 15th. She will work with Andrew Cooper for the next two weeks. Andrew’s final day on staff will be June 30th. I thank Andrew for all that he has done for our parish community and look forward working with Tonya.

Next Sunday, June 19th, is the Feast of Corpus Christi. This is a celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ which is the central element of our faith. We will have a Eucharistic Procession this day at 4pm. There will also be exposition from 3pm-4pm for those who wish to come to pray before our Eucharistic Lord.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: June 5

I thank each of you for the kindness and prayers pertaining to my 10th anniversary as a priest. Please keep Jim Haselsteiner in your prayers as he now prepares for his ordination as deacon on June 11th. He will be the deacon at 5pm Mass on June 11th and will preach. There will be a reception for him following Mass in the gathering hall. Due to this ordination there will not be Mass  at 8:30am and confessions at 9am on June 11th. 

I am pleased to announce that William Reiser has been hired as the new facilities manager for our parish. He will take over from Pat Marek on August 1st. Our parish continues to look for a youth minister. If you are interested in applying for this job please contact me or the parish office.

Now that we have moved into the summer daily Mass will transition back into the chapel on June 13th. The 7am Mass will remain in the chapel year round while the 8:30am Mass will return to the church in August due to the return of the students of our parish school. First Saturday Masses will remain in the church due to the amount of people who attend.

Our parish Eucharistic procession will be June 19th at 4pm. Those who made their first communion this year are invited to wear their first communion clothing when they participate. This procession will bring our parish community together as we set our sight upon Christ present with us in the Eucharist. It is through Him that we are made one.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: May 29

I thank those who participated in our recent Parish Discussion Session. The Parish Pastoral Council will set the next one of these at their June meeting. The majority of our discussion was over the finances of the parish and our need to complete many maintenance projects.

June 19th is not only Father’s Day, but is also the Feast of Corpus Christi. This is a Feast of the Eucharist, so we will have our annual Eucharistic Procession which will take place at 4pm. There will be a reception to follow the procession in the gathering hall of the church.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: May 22

This past week was the final week of school for the students of our parish school. Please pray for the faculty, staff, and students of our school during their summer break. If you would like to inquire about enrolling your children in our parish school please contact the school office.

Next Sunday, May 29th, we will celebrate all the graduating seniors of our parish at the 10am Mass. I invite our seniors to join us for this Mass and to wear their gown to Mass. May the Holy Spirit descend upon you and lead you forth in the next stage of your life.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: May 15

Tomorrow, May 16th, will be our next Parish Discussion Session. This will begin at 6:45pm and end at 7:45pm. There will be a pot luck dinner for those who wish to attend starting at 6pm. This will take place in the gym and there will not be a Zoom option. It is the purpose of these to bring the parish community together to enter into discussion concerning the parish community.

Please pray for the students of our parish school as the end of the school year quickly approaches. Also, please pray for all those who will be graduating this year.

In Christ, 

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: May 8

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers!

Next Sunday, May 15, will be Family FunFest. I look forward to because it is a perfect opportunity to build up parish fraternity. On this day we will have food, music, and games. Please join us from 11am to 4pm

As a reminder we will have our next Parish Discussion Session, Open Forum, on May 16th. This will be our first back in person since COVID. There will be a potluck dinner at 6pm. The discussion session will be from 6:45pm-7:45pm.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: May 1

Our parish has had a very busy week since Easter. We were blessed with a fruitful Easter Vigil where many came into the Church through baptism, this past Thursday we celebrated the sacrament of confirmation, and this past Saturday we celebrated first communion. May we continue to pray for all those who have recently received sacraments.

May 7th is a stewardship opportunity for our parish. On this day we will have our spring clean up day. Please come following 8:30am Mass to assist in making our grounds beautiful. The Knights of Columbus will provide lunch. It is always great to see families come to work together.

I thank Stephanie Mann for her time as Youth Minister. She will step down from her position in the summer after the Steubenville trip. July 10th will be her final day on parish staff. I remain grateful for all that she has done for our parish youth and building up this program in our parish. She has planted the seed of faith in the hearts and minds of so many and those fruits continue to be seen day by day.

We are now taking applications for Facilities Manager and Youth Minister. The job description  for these jobs can be found on our parish website. If you are interested in applying for either positions please contact me or email our parish secretary with your application.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: April 24

Happy Easter!

While most of the world has moved on from Easter we continue to rejoice at the Good News of the Lord’s Resurrection. The Easter season officially ends with our celebration of Pentecost which will be June 5th. Let us use this season to continue to dwell with our Risen Lord in order that our hearts may burn within us for Him. No matter what we must face within this life let us realize that He is always present with us as He was present with His disciples on the way to Emmaus.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: April 17

Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

I welcome all to our parish community. If you are new to our community and local I hope that you will register with our parish and become an active member of our parish family. I thank all who have assisted in any way during our Triduum and Easter liturgies.

As we continue to rejoice at the Good News of the resurrection of the Savior let us find our hope. In the midst of sickness and war the hope that Christ brings always remains. Let us allow Him to be our light.

Next Sunday we will be Divine Mercy Sunday. This Sunday serves as a celebration of mercy. There will be a special Divine Mercy service at 3:30pm. This weekend confessions 30 minutes prior to Sunday obligation Masses will resume.

Happy Easter,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: April 10

Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week. At this time we especially remember the Passion of the Lord and anticipate His resurrection.

Holy Thursday, April 14, is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This Mass will be at 7pm and call to mind the very night that Christ took bread and wine into His Hands that becomes His Body and Blood. On this evening the feet of 12 individuals will be washed as a reminder of our call to service.

Good Friday, April 15, is the day that the Lord lowered His Head and died upon the cross. There is not Mass this day, but there will be a service at 7pm where we will venerate the cross and receive Holy Communion.

Holy Saturday, April 16, will be the Easter Vigil Mass at 8:30pm. Please note that there will not be Mass this day at 5pm. Also, please realize that this is a beautiful, but lengthy Mass. At this Mass adults will be baptized and brought into full communion with the Church. Please keep them in your prayers.

Easter Sunday, April 17, we rejoice at the Good News of the Lord’s Resurrection. Please realize we will not follow our normal Sunday Mass schedule. For this Sunday Masses will be at 8am, 10am, 12:30pm (Spanish), and 3pm (Latin).

Please consult the bulletin for other events taking place during Holy Week and Easter.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: April 3

Our Lenten Day of Recollection will be April 9th from 9:30am-12:30pm. Father Michael Hendershott who is the Parochial Vicar of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville will be our presenter. He will present on bringing the faith into the world to share with others. This day will provide an opportunity for study, prayer, confession, and fraternity.

Next weekend will be Palm Sunday which is the start of Holy Week. On this day we joyfully greet Jesus as He enters into the holy city of Jerusalem. Assuming the weather will cooperate we will gather outside in the labyrinth area for the blessing of palms and procession into the church.

In Christ, 

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: March 27

The date of our next Parish Open Forum will be May 16th at 6:45pm. In light of our recent Parish Listening Sessions from the Synod this will now be referred to as Parish Discussion Sessions. It is the goal to have these sessions quarterly in order to bring the parish community together to discuss with one another what is taking place at our parish. Despite the change of name our goal will remain the same as it has been in the past. This first Parish Discussion Session will return to being held in person and will begin with an optional potluck at 6pm.

I thank our parish Synod team for all of their hard work. They provided the diocese with a one page document which summarized the Parish Listening Sessions and survey. This document from our parish, a similar document representing our parish school, and survey questions have been complied together and are currently available on our parish website in PDF format.

Finally, I remind all parishioners that I can always be contacted if you are in need of anything, would like to discuss what is taking place at our parish, or would like to assist the parish in some way. 

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: March 20

Our second collection this weekend was for refugees from Ukraine. With all that is taking place within Ukraine and the world let us continue to pray for peace. At Fatima our Blessed Mother left a timeless message with three shepherd children. She asked (1) that we stop offending God and be moved towards repentance, conversion, and reparation, (2) that we pray the rosary daily, (3) entrust ourself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

Stations of the Cross continue each Friday at 6pm (English) and 7pm (Spanish). Our Knights of Columbus provide a wonderful fish story each Friday from 5pm to 7pm. This is a perfect opportunity for fellowship.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: March 13

Our last Parish Open Forum was held on February 28th. Our discussion focused upon the parish portion of the Synod. The finished one page report that was submitted to the diocese was read and will be further presented to the parish in the near future. Our discussion then evolved to focus on the importance of evangelization and providing adult education opportunities for adults. The date of our next Parish Open Forum will be set by the Parish Pastoral Council at their next meeting.

I thank Pat Marek for his continued service to our parish community. He will be stepping away from his responsibilities as facilities manager in August. He plans to continue to assist our parish as a volunteer. I will begin to evaluate this position and develop an updated job description. In the near future we will look for applicants to fill this important position for our parish community.

June 19th is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. I would like to officially reopen our adoration chapel that evening following our Eucharistic procession. In order to make this a reality we need to fill all days of the week with adorers. We currently offer adoration on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. We are now looking for adorers for Tuesday. Let us fill the hours before the end of March in order that we can move to another day of the week and one step closer to our goal of reopening the adoration chapel.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

Bulletin Article: March 6

Beginning next Sunday, March 13th, we will resume sharing the sign of peace with one another at Mass. In doing so please keep in mind the General Instruction of the Roman Missal: “It is appropriate that each person, in a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those nearest.” Due to the continued complications of COVID-19 please be mindful of those outside of your household. A simple bow of the head to those around us can be given as an alternative to a handshake.

I thank Andrew Cooper for all the work he has accomplished as Director of Development for our parish and school. His final day with us will be June 30th. I am pleased to announce that Tanya Chavez has been hired as the new Director of Development effective June 16th. I welcome her to our parish staff and look forward to working with her in the near future.

I hope that all of you continue to have a blessed Lent. Our parish penance service will be March 16th at 6pm and Father Michael Hendershott will lead our Lenten Day of Recollection on April 9th from 9:30am-12:30pm. Also, don’t forget that we have Stations of the Cross each Friday at 6pm (English) and 7pm (Spanish). Each Friday from 5-7pm the Knights of Columbus also have their fish fry which is a great opportunity for great food and fellowship.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins