Message from Father John and Father Smith

by Fr. John Sponder and Fr. Richard Smith  |  07/05/2026  |  A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Parishioners:

As we celebrate this July 4th Holiday and begin our journey with all of you at St. Joan of Arc Parish, I am mindful of a wonderful movie called Saving Grace. It is a beautiful and heartwarming story of the election of the new pope. One day, the new pope decides to visit the local hospital in Rome.

Upon arriving, he is greeted by a woman who runs up to him, grabs his arm and shouts: “Holy Father, you are the pope, you are God’s chosen, PLEASE SAVE MY CHILD.” To which the young pope responds: “I am sorry, I can’t create a miracle, I can only pray. Let’s pray together.”

We are both excited to begin our journey here at St. Joan of Arc. No doubt there will be many joys and some sorrows, many good days and some challenges. We may not be able to create miracles, but we can do the next best thing. PRAY. Please pray for us and we will always pray for you. Let’s begin our journey together with the greatest of faith, hope and love in the Lord Jesus who leads and guides us as his faithful disciples.