Dear Parishioners,
On Thursday I leave for an 11-day trip to Europe. I am joining a few friends on a Viking river
cruise on the Rhine River. We start our cruise in Amsterdam and then travel up the Rhine
River to Cologne, Koblenz, and Speyer in Germany, then to Strasbourg, France, and Þnally
ending at Basel, Switzerland. Father Jon Koehler and Father Paul Counce are scheduled to
celebrate the Masses here next weekend, June 10 & 11, and Father Joseph Arulraj, MSFS,
the Masses the following weekend of June 17 & 18.
This is my second time traveling with Viking. In 2019 I traveled with a large group of about 50
parishioners and friends on the Danube River. That was a wonderful trip which started in Bu-
dapest and Þnished in Prague. The COVID pandemic canceled planned trips to Greece and
Spain, so this is the Þrst time I am traveling abroad since then.
I have never been to Amsterdam, so I am looking forward to visiting the Anne Frank House,
walking along the canals, and seeing paintings by some of the Dutch masters. We will also
stop at some of the scenic windmills after leaving the city. I have previously traveled to Ger-
many, France, and Switzerland, but never to the cities that we are scheduled to visit on this
trip.
Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, the easternmost region of France, and neighbor to Lor-
raine where my family immigrated from around 1850. Some of the German cities are very old
– Speyer, Koblenz, and Cologne were all founded over 2000 years ago. Basel is located at
the point where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet.
We will have a short Eucharistic procession this Sunday, June 4, immediately following the
9:00 a.m. Mass. This is part of our local celebration of the National Eucharistic Revival move-
ment. I know that the Feast of Corpus Christi would be a more logical occasion for a proces-
sion, but I will be out of town next weekend, and I didn’t want to impose on a visiting priest.
Thus, we are honoring the Eucharist on this Feast of the Most Holy Trinity.
We are hosting a dinner in the Full of Grace Café on Monday, June 12, to help send youth to
the Steubenville South Youth Conference. The menu includes pulled pork sandwiches with
chips and dessert, all for $10. The dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. and both dine-in and curbside
pickup are available.
Vacation Bible School is July 17-21 so be sure to mark your calendars and come enjoy a
week’s activities with classmates and friends. We need teachers and aides as well as partici-
pants, so all are invited to join us. Registration is available via our website, or you may call the
Religious Education OfÞce at 647-5321 for more information.
In Christ,
Father Matt
On Thursday I leave for an 11-day trip to Europe. I am joining a few friends on a Viking river
cruise on the Rhine River. We start our cruise in Amsterdam and then travel up the Rhine
River to Cologne, Koblenz, and Speyer in Germany, then to Strasbourg, France, and Þnally
ending at Basel, Switzerland. Father Jon Koehler and Father Paul Counce are scheduled to
celebrate the Masses here next weekend, June 10 & 11, and Father Joseph Arulraj, MSFS,
the Masses the following weekend of June 17 & 18.
This is my second time traveling with Viking. In 2019 I traveled with a large group of about 50
parishioners and friends on the Danube River. That was a wonderful trip which started in Bu-
dapest and Þnished in Prague. The COVID pandemic canceled planned trips to Greece and
Spain, so this is the Þrst time I am traveling abroad since then.
I have never been to Amsterdam, so I am looking forward to visiting the Anne Frank House,
walking along the canals, and seeing paintings by some of the Dutch masters. We will also
stop at some of the scenic windmills after leaving the city. I have previously traveled to Ger-
many, France, and Switzerland, but never to the cities that we are scheduled to visit on this
trip.
Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, the easternmost region of France, and neighbor to Lor-
raine where my family immigrated from around 1850. Some of the German cities are very old
– Speyer, Koblenz, and Cologne were all founded over 2000 years ago. Basel is located at
the point where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet.
We will have a short Eucharistic procession this Sunday, June 4, immediately following the
9:00 a.m. Mass. This is part of our local celebration of the National Eucharistic Revival move-
ment. I know that the Feast of Corpus Christi would be a more logical occasion for a proces-
sion, but I will be out of town next weekend, and I didn’t want to impose on a visiting priest.
Thus, we are honoring the Eucharist on this Feast of the Most Holy Trinity.
We are hosting a dinner in the Full of Grace Café on Monday, June 12, to help send youth to
the Steubenville South Youth Conference. The menu includes pulled pork sandwiches with
chips and dessert, all for $10. The dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. and both dine-in and curbside
pickup are available.
Vacation Bible School is July 17-21 so be sure to mark your calendars and come enjoy a
week’s activities with classmates and friends. We need teachers and aides as well as partici-
pants, so all are invited to join us. Registration is available via our website, or you may call the
Religious Education OfÞce at 647-5321 for more information.
In Christ,
Father Matt