Browsing Pastor's Notes

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Happy, Blessed, & Safe Fall Break!!! It’s hard to believe the first quarter of school is completed. Things have been going so smoothly and the time is flying by. I hope everyone does enjoy some needed rest and recreation, but also remembers to keep God first in our lives even when on ‘break’. Whether Christ and the Church are a first priority in your life is largely visible by how you prioritize God in both your “down time” and your “busy time”. Each in its own way demonstrates that God is the priority of life. In the down time, is God more important than yourself? In the busy time, is God more important than the work, the school, the sports? Objectively speaking – God is always most important. Yet, subjectively in your lived life, only your actions can demonstrate this Truth.


Under the direction of Holy Family’s first pastor, Fr Louis Marchino (later to be named a Monsignor), on 19 September 1954, Holy Family Church was dedicated and consecrated for use by the parish for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It was the first major milestone in the rich history of Holy Family. Fr Marchino was delegated to begin organizing the parish on 15 March 1953. The first Mass was celebrated on 10 May 1954. The convent (now known as the Day Activity Center) was completed in 1955. The Rectory (now known as the Burkert Office Building) was built in 1957. All were completed under Fr Marchino’s guidance, direction, and care.

Holy Family parish was carved out of nearby St Mary-NA, Holy Trinity-NA (which later burned down), and Our Lady of Perpetual Help-NA (founded 4-years earlier in 1950). Then as now, Catholic Parishes have proper territories or boundaries. Although rarely acknowledged today, in Fr Marchino’s days they were strictly enforced. Catholics had to attend the Church within the boundaries where they lived. Holy Family’s area is 6.5 square mile area in the northwest New Albany. Fr Marchino was known to go door-to-door to connect with his parishioners.

Another custom of Holy Family’s first pastor was to end all Masses with the public recitation of the Memorare – a Marian prayer. Tradition holds that Fr Marchino – as a Lieutenant chaplain in the US Navy – promised the Blessed Virgin Mary that he would pray the prayer every day if he was brought safety through the war. Upon his return, the he led his people into Mary’s care and protection through this faithful recitation.

Memorare is the Latin verb meaning ‘to remember’ and is the opening word of the prayer. During the month of October, in memory of Mary’s protection and in honor of our first pastor Monsignor Marchino, we will end all Masses that do not have a recessional hymn with the public recitation of the Memorare. The prayer can be found on the inside back cover of the Gather hymnals.

 

Holy Family, Always close to Mary, Pray for us.

~ Fr Jeremy M. Gries

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