Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The month of May is a month of many sacraments here at St. Pius X. First Communions, Confirmations, and the start of wedding season all come with the beginning of this month. As much as I like weddings, today I would like to give some attention to First Communion and Confirmation and all that goes into preparing for these important sacraments. I have been a priest long enough to have given many children I baptized their First Communion. And thanks to a pandemic that prevented the Bishop from joining us, I was even given the privilege of confirming in the Catholic faith a number of young people whom I had also baptized. I love First Communions at St. Pius in a special way, and as my new ministry will be away from parish work, I am looking forward to these “last” First Communions.

The truth is, though, that I get the easy part of First Communion and Confirmation. All I really have to do is show up and make sure there’s no food stuck in my teeth for the pictures. The hard work is done by our dedicated volunteer catechists who week after week, year after year, donate their time and energy to help the children of our parish grow in faith and prepare to receive sacramental grace. While I am especially mindful of those catechists who are directly involved in sacramental preparation, I need to highlight the generous service provided by catechists who teach children outside of “sacramental years.” While parents are and always will be the first and most influential teachers of their children in the ways of faith, our catechists have a special place in the faith journeys of every child they teach.

The project of catechizing the children of our parish would be impossible without Shari Mellinger, our Director of Religious Education. While I am extremely grateful for the way that she organizes our programs and the effort that goes into coordinating schedules, processing registration, and making sure our classes are running smoothly, I am perhaps most thankful for an aspect of Shari’s work that is unseen outside of the parish office. Namely, I am thankful for Shari’s flexibility and adaptability to my insane ideas. Over the years, we have made many changes to the religious education program here, sometimes in the direction of the Diocese of Bridgeport, and sometimes because I got an idea stuck in my head. Shari lets me invade her office and interrupt whatever she’s working on so that I can talk through my ideas. I know an idea is worthwhile when Shari gets excited and goes to her whiteboard to outline a plan. She is a sounding board and a collaborator, and I am deeply grateful that she has tolerated my often-chaotic brain and process for so long!

Peace,

Fr. Sam