Safety First!

Dear Parishioners,

The last several months, and especially in the past couple weeks, attention has been given to the suffering and violence that is present in our world as well as here locally. What should be our response? First, prayer for the safety of people in harm’s way, the consolation and healing of the victims and their families, and the conversion of heart for the perpetrators.  Second, reconciliation in our hearts with regard to those whom we have harmed or held unjust prejudice against. Thirdly, a concerted effort to reach out to those who are in pain. Fourthly, seek out justice, mercy, peace, and safety in the name of the Prince of Peace.

All of these are things we can all do.  In addition, reflecting on imitating Christ through today’s reading from Colossians 1:24-28, we are called to suffer with those who are suffering.  By offering up these sufferings, we join together with our Lord in his Passion.  By joining in his passion, we join also in his death and resurrection. This is a mystery.  But, it is one that Paul models for us to do.

In the last several months, St. Anne has seen an increase in mischievous to malicious behavior on our campus. We’ve had cars parked near the adoration chapel vandalized late at night. Two men entered the church last month, stole some candles and put their half-empty beer cans in box-top container for the school. Just this past week, a young adult tried to enter the adoration chapel around 10 PM and when he couldn’t get in, he proceeded to harass one of our adorers who was just driving into the parking lot by jumping on his car while brandishing a large cane of some sort.  What are we to do?  Again, I offer the same four things as I mentioned above.

As the pastor, I am committed to the pastoral and temporal stewardship of the parish.  So, I take all these events seriously.  We have placed cameras all around our campus and even have more yet to be installed. We will soon be changing the combination to the church and possibly retrofitting it with a completely different security system. I’ve given my concerns to the Adoration Chapel Committee to discern a measured response to keep our parishioners safe. And I’ve asked the police to increase their patrols on our campus through the night watch. There is no way to make every public place safe from persons bent on harm.  But, our prudential judgement paired with wisdom for the good of the community will help mitigate temptation and loitering which will keep our campus open and safe.

All that said, let us all continue to commit ourselves to being stewards of our church. Do not hesitate to report anything that seems odd or out of place.  I need to know, and you are my eyes and ears.  Let us pray as a community to pour the Holy Spirit on our campus, so that all who come here will find St. Anne of place light, refreshment, and peace.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Hello and Goodbye

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we welcome Fr. Tetzel Umingli who is fresh from being ordained last month.  As always, I ask your patience as he gets settled in and begins to learn the warp and woof of our parish.  We are his first parish for a priestly assignment.  So, keep in mind the responsibility each of us share in the formation and accompanying of a new priest.  It is quite the privilege and honor to be sure. In the weeks ahead, he will write a letter of welcome where he will give us more insight into who he is a person and as a new priest. Let us rejoice in his presence and continue to pray for more vocations to the priesthood.

Last week, I did not mention the retirement of Esperanza Robles in my bulletin letter nor was she part of the farewell reception last weekend for Natalie and Fr. Nguyen.  This was not a mistake or oversight. In part, it was Esperanza’s preference.  She is a very private person who takes this move very seriously.  It is hard to say goodbye, and everyone does it differently.  Given that, I want to make my thanksgiving to her public for her 16 years of ministry with us at St. Anne.  She has been an incredibly flexible person who has dedicated her heart for the good of our Hispanic community and the parish in general. I want to thank her for all her help in translation work, helping better understand our Hispanic community, and always being a positive and friendly person on the staff. Thank you, Esperanza!   I ask that you join me in prayer for her in the new phase of her life.  May she know the grace of God and the love of all of us as she transitions into a new chapter of her life.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Time of Change

Dear parishioners,

It's that time of year for many goodbye's and hello's.  How's that you ask? Well, here are the highlights...

This past week we celebrated our student at our school who will be moving on to their next grade or next school. They have been given a a wonderful education and a strong encouragement in their faith. 

Next weekend between the Sunday morning Masses at about 9:30 AM, we are hosting a farewell reception for Fr. Nguyen and Natalie Scott. Please come and share in honoring them and sending them off to new adventures. 

On July 1, we welcome Fr. Tetzel Umingli as our new Parochial Vicar and Randi Lauby as our new Coordinator of Youth & Young Adult Ministry. 

There are bound to be more changes, most of which involve parishioners moving away and new ones moving here. For this of us staying out, vacations still await. Some of us will be heading out for vacations while some will be hosting friends and relatives on their vacations. It's just how this time of the year goes. Please, of course, do not go on vacation from practicing your faith. Sometimes people struggle to make it to Mass, because they are unaware of what opportunities are near them. So, before you head out on a vacation, make sure to go to our website and/or go directly to MassTimes.org to get a complete list of churches in the U.S. And their Mass times and add those opportunities to your vacation schedule.

Through all these changes, may God bless you and protect you with his guardian angels!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

New Church Building Update

Dear Parishioners,

Once again, as a manner of transparency and high communications, I would simply like to give you an update to our new church building project.  Here’s a brief history.

 After determining needs and wants over the course of several years, myself along with the Core Building Committee along with the Administrative Council called upon S & B James of White City to draw several plans for a new church which included site plans. The idea of simply remodeling the current building was reflected upon, but continually introduced more problems than it solved.  So, a new building has always been our focus. We did a feasibility study in view of the plan we felt was the best solution to answer almost all concerns brought forward. But, it soon became clear that our dreams when compared to our fundraising potential didn’t match.  So, we concluded that, knowing our potential for fundraising, we would then have S & B James draw up a new plan that would come within our financial reach.  Such a drawing would cut out some of the items we dreamed about, but would focus on the one main goal of this whole project: a better liturgical space worthy of the Sacred Liturgy which had all the pews in one direction. 

Thus, a very rough drawing of a basic rectangular building meeting our basic needs has been draw.  As a rough draft we will soon be reflecting more deeply on this drawing before we bring it before the parish community.  

The Archdiocesan Building Commission will need to weigh in and give approval of our plan and fundraising efforts. Assuming all goes well with the process of finalizing a suitable drawing, we will then seek out a professional company to help with a capital campaign which would likely happen in the Fall.  Assuming that goes well, we would then seek out bids from construction companies, choose the one construction company that fit our criterion, and ground breaking could occur late Winter or early Spring.  During the building phase of this project, we expect to hold Mass in our Parish Center. It will be tight, but we can fit. Personally, I am very curious to see how that experience bonds us together more as a community. 

Again, this is the latest information regarding the building project.  I have no intention of rushing any of this so all suggested drawings and time frames are subject to change.  I have not called together our Core Building Committee for review of the new rough drawing, but will do so when S & B James is ready to discuss the ideas together.  

So, I ask that you all continue to keep this project in your prayers.  We want to do this right and with prudence.  Some people are antsy to get this going while others are very cautious.  I understand both of those points of view, as I have held both, jugging them in my mind many times.  I pray that this project, however it goes, will be a grace-filled time where we grow together as a parish in our journey towards our Lord.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The School, Memorial Weekend, and Boatnik

Dear Parishioners,

This last weekend, our country celebrated Memorial Day. The weekend was full of all kinds of activities here in Grants Pass due to Boatnik. This was a wonderful time for people from all over to gather together for a common purpose. Memorializing our fallen veterans is near and dear to all of our hearts.

Our float during the 2016 Boatnik Parade

Part of the festivities included the Boatnik Parade. Our school, once again, participated with our children, parents, teachers, and fans of the school. I think it is very safe to say that we had a great time. The float won first place overall! A big thank you needs to go out to Tiffany & Allen Fuller, along with Nikki & Garry Huffman who spent most of Friday afternoon into the night putting the float together. Even Fr. Karl was there to lend a hand. Many other people spent countless hours painting and creating the elements that would be later assembled on the float. During the parade itself, there was clearly a wonderful outpouring of joy and support by the people of Grants Pass.

This is one of our most visible opportunities to share the Good News. Our school continues to educate and form our children to be faithful Christians and great assets to our society. We should all be proud of what we are doing for our church and community through our school. Please share this good news!

This coming year, the school will be adding a 3-year old preschool and offering grades up through 5th grade. We will be dropping 6th grade and focusing on being the best elementary school we can be. St. Anne Catholic School is something we all need to promote by getting the word out to those who are discerning where to take their children for the coming school year. We have so much to offer our young people that they need. I am a fan of all that goes on there. And with the continued leadership of our principal, Colleen Kotrba, and the wonderful teaching staff, we have a bright year ahead of us. May God continue to bless our parish and school. May we be beacons of light to all who come our way. May we be the welcoming people we are called to be, sharing Christ’s loving mission.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Not All Catholic Bloggers Are The Same

Dear Parishioners,

In my last reflection, I wrote about the benefits of technology with the context of our faith.  With the power of our modern advancements in computer systems has come the democratization of speech.  This is, again, good and bad.  It is good in so much as it lends a voice to those that need to be heard but cannot afford previous means of doing so.  It is bad in that people who want to promote evil or sin have equal abilities.  The later issue brings to the fore the issue for parents and their right to teach, guide, and protect their children as they believe is best for them. That is why some parents limit their children’s exposure and use of many social websites and apps, let alone the use of a smart phone.

Father Thomas Rosica

‘Many of my non-Christian and non-believing friends have remarked to me that we ‘Catholics’ have turned the Internet into a cesspool of hatred, venom and vitriol, all in the name of defending the faith!

‘The character assassination on the Internet by those claiming to be Catholic and Christian has turned it into a graveyard of corpses strewn all around,’ said Rosica, who assists the Vatican Press Office with English-speaking media, on May 11 as he delivered the keynote address at the Brooklyn Diocese’s observance of World Communications Day.

‘Often times the obsessed, scrupulous, self-appointed, nostalgia-hankering virtual guardians of faith or of liturgical practices are very disturbed, broken and angry individuals, who never found a platform or pulpit in real life and so resort to the Internet and become trolling pontiffs and holy executioners!’ Rosica said.

‘In reality they are deeply troubled, sad and angry people,” he said. “We must pray for them, for their healing and conversion!’”

I would like to offer another additional point of concern which are those websites which claim to be Catholic. Be very mindful of what it written, but also the tone in which things are posted.  Recently, Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, CEO of Canada’s Salt and Light Media Foundation, made a critique that some Catholics engaged in online conversations speak more like the “culture of death” rather than the “culture of life.”  Here’s an excerpt from an article on cruxnow.com which was written by Ed Wilkinson of Catholic News Service:

You can read his fuller reflection by clicking this link or via our parish webpage.

Ultimately, we need to be people of charity who speak the truth without vitriolic hyperbole.  What people need to hear is compassion and a willingness to walk with them as they struggle in their life. May we all continue to be people who are welcoming and willing to share our faith in a way that is sweetly-compelling rather than sour-piteousness.  The former attracts while the latter repeals.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Technology & Pentecost

Dear Parishioners,

With the advancements in technology, communication has been made possible like never before.  We are now able to communicate with each regardless of how far away we are.   There are applications for our smart phones that can allow two people speaking different languages to understand each other in real-time.  Advancements have also allowed us to be made aware of events as they happen and comment on them for everyone to read, share, or debate. The Church has sometimes lagged in this area, but has made great efforts to catch up. Pope Francis has further encouraged this advancement in our call to accompany each other on our journey of faith.  

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With this new power comes the potential for great good as well as evil. Many people have been reunited due to social websites while others have been stalked.  Long lost relatives and friends have rekindled relationships and healed deep wounds while others have further promoted deception through misunderstanding and misinformation.  The speed and access of social media is possibly the greatest sociological force since the creation of the Internet itself. The Church applauds these advancements in technology while also offering caution.  Pope Francis noted in his Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium):

We are living in an information-driven society which bombards us indiscriminately with data-all treated as being of equal importance-and which leads to remarkable superficiality in the area of moral discernment. In response, we need to provide an education which teaches critical thinking and encourages the development of mature moral values. (§64)

This is where St. Anne Catholic School, our Faith Formation ministries, and Youth & Young Adult Ministries play a vital role in our parish.  Anything you can do to participate and/or support these ministries helps develop our faith and moral character. We all need to make use of and access the Internet in order to learn about our world.  But we also need to do so to inform our consciences in the way of the Christian life.  In order to have a mature understanding of the events of the world in light of the Gospel, we must also pair these means of education with a solid prayer life and openness to the Holy Spirit.

This weekend, we celebrate Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples, a gift to the Church to which we all have access.  Spend this week pondering on the gifts that you have been given.  Ponder on how you are being called to share the faith through these gifts, and ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you to go out and share God’s love and his Gospel to those whom you know and meet.  Remember, we are not to shy away from the technologies before us, but to use them for the propagation of the faith.  So, may the Holy Sprit enkindle in each of us a new fire to share the Gospel in our lives using whatever technologies are before us, not to be timid for fear of their misuse, but instead, making them vehicles of Good news, news that the world needs to hear.

Maranatha!  Come Holy Spirit!

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Church Project Update

Dear Parishioners,

Here’s the latest on the new church building project.  Not too long ago we informed the community that the plan to build a church where the offices are located was beyond our capacity to fund.  So, we went back to an earlier (~3 yrs old) and less expensive design which placed the new church in the same spot as our current building, albeit with a more cruciform design and other complexities in order to meet a wish list of ideas for the church.  So, last month, we got estimates on the various versions of this church structure, a layout the Core Building Committee unanimously liked.  However, due to economic changes from three years ago, the cost for the various versions of this build had risen beyond our ability to fund as well.

Image of St. Franics Rebuilding the Church

So where does that leave us?  Honestly, prior to last Sunday, I thought it left us with the only option of a remodel of the current church building without any major augmentation to structure.  This, while the least expensive, meets only two criterion for the new church: moving all the pews to face West and placing the Sanctuary on the West side accordingly.  However, after the Core Building Committee met last Sunday, we discerned that we still needed more research into different ways we could afford the new building.  In general, the solution may lie in a building of much smaller scale.  So, we now will be reflecting and imagining something much more simple, yet beautiful, letting go of many of our bigger ideas.  

This process of discernment has continued to move and change, all the while done in a spirit of hope and desire to do the best we can within our means.  I continue to be impressed with the members of our Core Building Committee as well as that of our Administrative Council who have demonstrated a steward’s response to all the various obstacles and challenges we have faced thus far.  I am constantly being surprised and delighted in this process which has shown the best of our parish community, something which warms my heart and gives me continued confidence that the Holy Spirit is in charge.  I ask all of you to join me in continued prayer for this process, slow as it is, so that we will continue to move in the direction that God wants us to go.  As always, if you have any questions, feel free to talk to me or Stephen Voehl, our Business Manager for details or just to kick around ideas.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Christ Sets Us Free!

Dear Parishioners and Friends in Christ,

All praise be to Christ Jesus who is risen from the dead!  Alleluia! After our lenten journey of preparation, we are finally here.  Today, we celebrate the greatest gift given to humanity: salvation won by Christ through his suffering, death, and resurrection (a.k.a. The Paschal Mystery).  Our heavenly Father sent his only begotten Son to walk with us as God-man thereby taking on all our sins, though not having sinned himself.  By his taking on our sins, crushing them in death, and rising on the third day, he has opened up for us the way to eternal life. This is the Good News! 

Many of us struggle to realize this in our lives due to all the stress we experience and the sheer weight of sins which we carry unnecessarily.  In addition, the popular media and news give us no reason to hope that anything will change.  Each one of us carry burdens which dampen our joy or even blind us to the Divine Mercy which Christ wants us to experience.  So, today is the day we celebrate the fact that God has done something miraculous for us which can set us free.  

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

— John 14:6

Do you want to be set free?  Do you want to truly live without the burden of all that holds you down? You can be set free!  You don’t need to do this alone.  You do not need to be afraid or worried all the time.  Christ is the answer.  It’s all about him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Today, spend some time in quiet prayer.  Share with Jesus your pains and sorrows, your sins and problems.  Ask him directly and without pretense or precise language to enter your heart, to have permission to take on all these burdens, and create you anew.  Ask him to take away whatever disordered attractions keep getting you into trouble.  Allow yourself to die to yourself in Christ, to let go and let Jesus take over.  He won’t let you down.  He will never leave you.  He knows you and loves you beyond all measure, for his love is perfect and his grace is sufficient for you to be able to handle whatever hardships come your way.  He desires for you to live with him along with all the Saints and Angels in heaven. But, know that in the meantime, he has work for you to do. By letting him be the Lord of your life, he will set you on a path that will bring you joy and fulfillment.  Living by His Holy Spirit is an adventure worth living.

Let the reality of Christ’s resurrection steep in your soul.  And finally, if there is anything I or any of our staff can do to help you on your Christian journey, please let us know.  That’s why we are here.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Holy Week

Dear Parishioners, 

As I write this post, I am in the Portland area for the Chrism Mass where all the priests of the Archdiocese gather around our Archbishop at Mass, renew our promises of our ordinations, and assist the bishop in the blessing of the Holy Oils (Oil for the Sick, Oil of the Catechumens, and Sacred Chrism).  This is generally the first of a series of important liturgical events which make up "Holy Week."  This year, however, due to a scheduling conflict at the Cathedral, the Chrsim Mass is much earlier. Holy Week proper begins with each Palm Sunday and concludes on the Saturday of the Easter Vigil.

At Palm Sunday, the Church gathers at Mass to reflect on the Scriptures which tell of Christ's entrance into Jerusalem, his passion, and death.  At our 7 PM and 11 AM Masses, we will begin in the Parish Center and eventually process into the church with our palms waving high.

The following Thursday is called, Holy Thursday.  It begins what is also called "the Triduum" or three days. On this evening Mass (7 PM), we recall the events of the Last Supper which includes a symbolic washing of feet.  This ritual is intended to remind us of our call to serve our brothers and sisters as Jesus did. During the Preparation of the Gifts we will formally receive the Holy Oils which were blessed at the Cathedral.  We commemorate the institution of the Eucharist where we conclude Mass with a solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrament to an altar of repose (located in our Parsh Center) where adoration will take place until 10 PM.   The main altar in the church is stripped and the Eucharist does not return to the Tabernacle until Easter Vigil.  

On Friday, we will participate in an ecumenical Good Friday service at St. Luke's Episcopal Church here in Grants Pass.  In the evening (7 PM) we will continue our solemn memorial of Christ's Passion on Good Friday with a silent entrance into the Church, solemn proclamation of the Scriptures with a more elaborate reading of the Gospel, followed by the Veneration of the Cross. Communion will be offered in a simple way followed by a silent and solemn procession out of the church.  This is not a Mass, but technically a liturgy of the Word with Communion.  The entrance and recession are both striking, for they indicate that they are not beginning nor ending something.  This is true, as Good Friday is more of an "in-between" service with Holy Satruday being the conclusion.

On Holy Saturday, we will all gather outside on the East side of the church at 8:30 PM for the blessing of the fire and Paschal Candle.  We will all enter the church while lighting our own smaller candles.  The Exaultet will be proclaimed, a large selection of Scriptures will be proclaimed detailing Salvation History, and then we bring the Elect to the large Baptismal Fount in order for them to receive their first Sacrament, that is Baptism.  Immersion baptism is the norm, but we will see a variety of forms being offered that night depending on the person.  Then we will receive the Candidates into full communion and then offer both the newly baptized (Neophytes) and Candidates the Sacrament of Confirmation.  The Liturgy of the Eucharist is then offered where our new Catholics become even more in union with Christ through his most Holy Body and Blood.  That concludes Holy Week.

I hope that you will arrange your week around these important moments of the Church.  If you have not ever been to the Triduum, I cannot encourage you strong enough.  It truly sets up Easter in such a context that, I believe, we can more fully enter into the mysteries of our Lord.  

May God Bless you during this Holy Week, 

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor