Dear Friends in Christ,
The weekend of October 5 & 6, we will have a pulpit exchange with
Fr. Charlie Brown, who will be celebrating Masses at St. Pius X. I will be at
Holy Name in Wyoming, celebrating their Masses. Fr. Charlie’s visit is an
opportunity for him to seek support from our parishioners for San Juan
Diego Academy, a Catholic school with a mission to educate the children
of immigrant families.

San Juan Diego Academy’s Mission and Beliefs: San Juan Diego Academy
educates students of immigrant families in the Catholic faith, instilling in
them the values of being respectful, responsible, and dependable. The
academy aims to empower these students to graduate from high school,
pursue higher education, and ultimately, heaven, which we are all striving
for!

The school serves children of immigrant families, primarily Latino, and
acknowledges the important role they will play in the future of our
society. The students embrace their cultural heritage while receiving a
Catholic education that forms them as upstanding members of society.
Each morning, the students recite their creed: “I am faithful, respectful,
responsible, and dependable. I will succeed in school, I will graduate high
school, and I will go to college.”

The students of San Juan Diego Academy are immersed in their faith
journey by attending weekly Mass and receiving the sacraments of First
Communion and Confirmation. The school fosters a culture of faithful
servant leadership, encouraging students to live Christ-like lives through
service and inspiring them to be future leaders and changemakers.
San Juan Diego Academy also promotes a college-going culture,
empowering students to pursue higher education or vocational paths to
better themselves and their communities. This is why Fr. Charlie is seeking
our support. As neighbors and a parish that has been blessed, St. Pius X is
called to assist San Juan Diego Academy. Additionally, the diocese requires
every parish to support Catholic schools, and if we don’t meet that
threshold, the amount will be added to our CSA for the following year. By
supporting this cause, we also help reduce our CSA obligation. So, please
be generous at the second collection to support San Juan Diego Academy.

On a different note, I will be away on Wednesday, October 9, and
Wednesday, October 23. I will be celebrating Mass at Muskegon Catholic
Central High School to promote vocations and at Muskegon Correctional
for our friends in prison. On both days, there will be no Mass or
Communion Service at St. Pius X. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Finally, I want to extend my thanks to our staff and all the volunteers who
made the parish picnic such an incredible event. The weather was perfect,
the food was delicious, and the games were a blast. The dunk tank was
especially memorable—there was a brief malfunction that delayed my
“dunks,” but rest assured, I got dunked plenty of times! It was truly a joy
to see the excitement and laughter as both the young and the young-at heart took part in the fun. Thank you all for your amazing efforts in
bringing our parish together for such a wonderful day.
In Christ’s Love and Friendship,

Fr. Stephen