Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As the summer comes to a close, I’d like to highlight some of the things we’ve done here at St. Pius in the last few months and say a few words of thanks to those who made it possible.
Vacation Bible School
Our first ever Vacation Bible School, led by Kerry Sweeney and a team of very dedicated volunteers, introduced 30+ kids to some of the great stories of the Bible and gave them a chance to come together for a week of faith, music, games, and friends. We can’t wait for next year!
Catholic Heart Workcamp
High school students from Fairfield Life Teen spent a week in Nashville, TN serving those in need. At CHWC, our teens gave up the first week of their summer vacations to sleep on hard floors and work outside in the heat. Their week helped them appreciate the good things they have, serve others as Christ would have them serve, and became a moment for truly growing in their own relationships with Jesus.
Damascus Camp
Middle schoolers took off for Damascus Camp in Ohio shortly after our high schoolers returned. They had a classic summer camp experience with a distinctively Catholic twist. Each day included opportunities for prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, and building new friendships.
Youth Ministry
Throughout the summer, our youth ministries have been active and meeting regularly. If you’d like to get involved as an adult volunteer or youth participant, check out https://www.fairfieldlt.com!
Religious Education
Preparations have been made to hit the ground running for in-person religious education in the Fall. After a few years of celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation in the fall of 6th grade here at St. Pius, the whole Diocese is now in the process of adopting the practice! All parishes are now asked to offer catechetical instruction for all grade levels 1 through 6. We’re excited to get started! With many students registered, we are still in need of catechists on Mondays and Tuesdays for grades 3, 4, and 6. Contact Shari Garcia (sgarcia@st-pius.org) if you’d like to volunteer!
In order for us to make our building more conducive to in-person instruction, we saw the need for individual desks for each classroom, an expense quite a bit greater than we had planned! YOU came through in a big way! Generous parishioners and local businesses have helped us to raise approximately $18,000 to re-equip our facilities and make them safer for our students. Thank you!
Knights of Columbus
Our Knights have been active throughout the summer, and hosted a state-wide exemplification of the 4th Degree here. They will be starting the 5th Sunday Rosary, prayed before Masses anytime a 5th Sunday of a given month rolls around. Additionally, when our student desks arrive, they will be helping to assemble and arrange the desks in our classrooms.
Senior Ministry
The Senior group has been gathering for monthly luncheons and other events. They’ve had presentations from Sturges Ridge assisted living, elder care providers, and Kathy Donnelly, as well as entertainment and social time. A trip to Aqua Turf was a big hit, and other trips are planned in the months ahead. Thank you to Pete Carey for spearheading these efforts! If you’d like to participate, contact Pete at aandp1964@aol.com.
The Annual Catholic Appeal
Every year, Catholics throughout the Diocese of Bridgeport come together to help fund critical ministries and efforts that benefit both the Catholic community and the community at large in Fairfield County. Through the generosity of 298 donors (to date), St. Pius X Parish has raised $206,405, bringing us to 87% of our $234,600 fundraising goal. A portion of any funds raised over our goal will be used to help St. George Parish in Bridgeport (https://www.stgeorgebpt.org). If you have not yet given to the Diocesan appeal, please prayerfully consider participating! To give, visit https://www.bridgeportdiocese.org/aca/home/.
With all this, I am sure that there are events and efforts that I have unintentionally overlooked. If you or your ministry isn’t mentioned here, please know my gratitude and desire to see God glorified through your efforts! But as it is, I am overdue for my publication deadline and have to wrap this column up. I am so grateful to everyone at St. Pius who are so generous with their time, their talent, and their resources. We have much to be grateful for as this season ends, and much to look forward to as a new pastoral and academic year commences!
Peace,
Fr. Sam
