Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Last weekend, our celebration of the solemnity of Corpus Christi concluded with a beautiful Eucharistic procession. I would like to extend a special thanks to our Knights of Columbus Council 16347 and to Fr. Silva, who put so much time and energy into organizing this devotion for our parish. With Fr. Silva outlining the liturgical structure of the procession, the Knights took the lead on working with the Fairfield Parks and Recreation department to get approval for us to use the park at the corner of Brookside Drive and Mill Plain Road, coordinating with the Fairfield Police Department to have officers directing traffic so we could safely cross the street, setting up an altar in the park, carrying the canopy over the Blessed Sacrament, and providing refreshments after the procession. I am grateful to our town officials and police who were so helpful on Sunday and in the days leading up to our celebration. Finally, thank you to all of you who participated – I am already looking forward to next year’s Corpus Christi procession!
If I may return to the subject of Fr. Silva for a moment, it is important to highlight his service to St. Pius X Parish over the last few years. Though he is not actually assigned to our parish – he has just completed his assignment as chaplain at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull – he has gone far beyond what most resident priests do for the parishes where they live. Fr. Silva has made himself available for Masses and confessions, for spiritual direction, and has been more than willing to provide coverage for me when I need to be away from the parish. In addition, he is a great priest to live with and I am grateful for his ministry, his priesthood, and most of all, for his friendship. This week, he is once again (and for the final time) going above and beyond while I am away with our Fairfield Life Teen youth ministry, and covering all the Masses and confession times in my absence. Next Sunday (June 25), he will celebrate his final Mass here at St. Pius at 9 AM before he begins his new assignment at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown. Please join us at Mass and for coffee hour afterwards, so we can say a proper thank you and farewell to Fr. Silva!
Two other important items:
On Saturday this week, Bishop Caggiano came to celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation for 85 young men and women from our parish. Please pray for our newly confirmed, that they may always know the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives and grow each day in faith!
In the wee hours of the morning on Sunday, our Fairfield Life Teen students will embark on their summer service trip. Chances are, as you read this, they are on the road driving to Richmond, VA. For twenty years, high school students from St. Pius have spent a week serving those in need with Catholic Heart Workcamp (www.heartworkcamp.com). They will return Friday night. I am very grateful to our 25 young volunteers and their adult chaperones who are putting their hands at the service of others this week! The experience of Catholic Heart Workcamp is one of my favorite weeks of the year, and I look forward to serving them as their camp chaplain. Please keep us all in your prayers as we travel, and please pray for all those who will be served by campers at CHWC in Richmond and across the country this summer!
Peace,
Fr. Sam
