Dear Parishioners,

Having reached the summertime apex of July 4th , it won’t be long before we begin seeing the gradual descent from this plateau into the late summer weeks of August. I once read that August is summer that has heard the rumor of fall. -- a lovely poetic description for the month that offers us a seamless transition into the season of autumn. In Ohio, (and perhaps elsewhere too) farmers measure the present time of year by the height of the sweet corn. I grew up hearing, “Knee high by the Fourth of July,” not only as a measuring concept, but also as an expressed hope for the bountiful crop needed to sustain the farmers’ livelihood. Roadside stands punctuated the rural roads on Ohio where one could purchase freshly picked corn as well as a wide variety of homegrown fruits and vegetables that found their place on countless dinner tables.

Here at St. Joan of Arc Parish we have our own roadside stands in the courtyard of the church. There one can we see tiny tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and zucchinis emerging on their vines and being carefully tended to by Matt Zurek and his coterie of green-thumb parishioners. Once ripened, these fruits of the earth will be donated to local organizations to help feed the hungry in DuPage County. Besides lending an element of beauty to the north side entrance to our place of worship, these boxes of vegetables remind us that hunger takes various forms – spiritual as well as material.

As our seasons transition, so do members of our parish staff. I am happy to welcome A.J. Fisette to our parish staff as the maintenance technician who will work with Tom Zettle in keeping our buildings and groups is the excellent condition we appreciate in them. Having consistently worked in this capacity, A.J. also enjoys other outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing or simply grilling supper for his family in their backyard. A.J. exudes a natural excitement and is eager to meet as many parishioners as possible, so please feel free to greet him and intro duce yourself should you see him working around our campus. Who knows, he may even invite you over for one of those outdoor grilled suppers. Ha ha.

Regarding our campus and our ongoing concern for the safety of those who study, pray and work here, we are currently looking into companies that specialize in designing and installing the type of equipment that helps provide this safety. I regret the inconvenience that some of you are experiencing whenever you come to the Parish Center and do not have the immediate access you once had. I am hoping that this will be a short-lived situation. Unfortunately, we are living at a time when precautions, like the ones we are researching, are no longer optional. While I do not want to exaggerate this concern, as pastor of our parish, neither do I want to minimize it. Ultimately these times are an invitation to look out for one another and realize our shared responsibility for the protection of each other’s welfare.

On July 27, I will celebrate my 34th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. I mention this only because approximately 22 years of my priestly ministry have been here at St. Joan of Arc Parish as either an associate pastor or the acting pastor. These years have been both enriching and challenging, joyful and at times sad especially as I preside over the funerals of so many parishioners who have been faithful pillars of this community and personal friends to me. I continue to be grateful for all the love and support I experience from many of you. But I am most grateful for the example of your faith-filled lives that have served to deepen my own faith and that have made me ever so grateful to have followed the call to serve God as a priest of the Catholic Church.

Blessings,

Fr. Gabriel O.S.B

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