6th Sunday of Easter

Dear Epiphany Family,

RCM architects are compiling a report for our parish from both the physical inspection of our facilities and the feedback from ministry surveys and interviews. The report will combine the facilities assessment with a master plan of parish needs in relation to our facilities. This is an extensive process with a lot of data and feedback which takes time to carefully put together. RCM will meet with our facilities task force in early June (June 2nd) with a first draft of the report in preparation for a parish wide meeting yet this summer (date to be determined). The parish wide meeting will not bring about immediate decisions but will better help us discern the next steps for us to take to be a more fruitful parish. Neither me, the staff, nor our task force have any data or figures at this point, other than some simple minutes taken from the ministry interviews on the two Saturdays in April. Please continue to pray for our process.

Seminarians Kevin McGraw and Chris Turner will be staying with me in the rectory for most of this summer while they are involved in their Clinical Pastoral Education program at St. Vincent’s hospital. Their program will keep them rather busy but it is likely you will see them altar serving or serving as master of ceremonies at weekend Masses. Please welcome them and pray for them.

Looking ahead, Bishop Thomas will be joining us to celebrate Mass for our parish feast day in 2023! He will celebrate the 10am Mass (which will be the only Mass on that Sunday) and also join us for our reception afterwards. I am grateful that Bishop Thomas accepted our in-vitation.

There are many changes of priestly assignments that will take place at the beginning of Ju-ly, including additional changes due to diocesan intention planning. There will be more par-ishes that will share pastors and priests, including Walbridge St. Jerome and Rossford All Saints (one pastor and an associate pastor), as well as St. John the Baptist, Point Place, and Regina Coeli (one priest). There are also other similar changes in other parts of the dio-cese. Please keep all of those priests and parishes in your prayers, as well as me and all priests – thank you!

In Christ,
Father Eric

1 Peter 2:4-5
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, you provide for all our needs and love us with infinite, merciful love. You never abandon us but are ever-present, giving us hope now and for the future. We thank and praise you for the heritage of the original East Toledo parishes and their witness to you.

We are your living stones built upon the Living Stone of Jesus.
Send your Holy Spirit upon us, our whole Epiphany family, and all of East Toledo,
that we may be guided and given wisdom to do your will in all things.
Inspire us to grow as disciples of Jesus, helping us to be true living stones,
building one another up and more closely united in the Living Stone of Jesus.

Help us be good stewards of all you have shared with us and honor our past.
Guide our discernment and give us courage to make decisions that will make our parish fruitful.
Help us, as living stones, to share the Living Stone of Jesus with all, building your Kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jesus the Good Shepherd, have mercy on us
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, pray for us
St. Louis, pray for us
St. Stephen of Hungary, pray for us
St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us