St. Joseph School

   St. Joseph School held its first all-school Mass of the new term on August 15. That date is also a Holy Day of Obligation known as The feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It celebrates the Catholic belief that upon the death of the mother of Jesus Christ her body and soul were taken into the presence of God in heaven. This occasion has been celebrated since the 4th century, A.D. and was defined as an irrefutable tenet of the faith by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
   Our new pastor, Father John Connell, led the service and introduced himself and his two associates, Father Daniel Wendel and Father Taryn Whittington, to the K-12 student body. Father Connell also blessed a vocation chalice recently purchased by the parish Vocations Committee, chaired by Ms. Jennifer Tucker, who has given it to the school. It will be used weekly, along with a special vocation prayer written by Bishop Erik Pohlmeier of the Diocese of Augustine, Florida, when each grade spends time praying for all vocations. These include priests, nuns, deacons, and those considering married life. After each school Mass, the chalice box will be returned to the church for pickup by the next scheduled class.