April 28, 2022

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. John’s,

As a parish, we work with parents to form their children in the faith. This task is extremely difficult in our culture that is becoming increasingly secular and relativistic. Society worships actors, musicians, and athletes while promoting ideologies that are anti-Christian. These influences work against what Catholic parents try to do in the home, and it can be frustrating.

In response to that, here at SJB, we desire and strive to create a culture that is guided by the teachings of our Catholic faith. We are blessed to have hundreds of people come through our doors every day, and the culture that we sustain here, influences those people. We desire to have the culture of an inviting environment, as well as offer both vast formation opportunities and generous outreach. In doing so, we live out our mission of “Bearing witness to Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: GO. MAKE. TEACH.”

With the growth in our preschool, as well as the variety of faith backgrounds that those students come from, I desire to provide our students with an opportunity to encounter the beauty of our Catholic faith. To fulfill that desire, I have asked St. John the Baptist Faithful Beginnings Preschool to begin Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, where we will teach our youngest students about God, His love for us and that love revealed to us in the Mass. I have heard very good things from my sister about the program. My niece grew tremendously in her love for the Lord and her understanding of the faith through the program. I am excited about this opportunity, as I hope it will strengthen our Christ-centered culture, as well as draw more students and families into the faith. Here is the announcement from our school principal, Ann Laird.

“St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish and School is excited to announce the addition of a new program to our early childhood classes in our parish and preschool. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a hands-on Montessori program focusing on Sacred Scripture and Liturgy, allowing the children to hear, ponder and celebrate the mysteries of the Catholic faith and grow in their relationship with Jesus. Children learn in a room, called an Atrium, that has been specifically designed and set apart for them. We will be opening our Atrium this spring and begin full classes with our preschool in the fall. Also, we are excited to announce that Bri McCaffrey, a parishioner, school parent, and CGS-trained catechist, will be our program coordinator. Look for more communications coming soon about the program, Atrium, and how you can volunteer.”

We plan to grow the program beyond the school, so that all parish families can benefit from this amazing program. Please pray for Bri and all those working on this initiative, as I believe it will bear great fruit in our community.

Congratulations to all sixty of our First Communicants who will receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time this weekend! I am proud of each one of them. Their love for the Lord is contagious, and I am grateful for their parents’ yes to forming their children in our beautiful Catholic faith. Please pray for them; that the graces they receive this weekend would continue to be nurtured and grow in their hearts, as they live in communion with the Lord and His Church.