November 9, 2025

November 7, 2025

Dear Friends,

 

I was off to Maine last weekend to attend a wedding of good friends. While I was gone, I missed the wonderful Sarah Hart concert, which close to 300 attended. I want to thank the planning team, including Pam McInerney, Michelle Lindsay, Jeff Beckett, Char Merrill, Kenneth Piazza and Laurie Cook, and the many other parishioners and staff members that helped make this a success. I am told it was a wonderful evening, and you did a superb job organizing this event.

 

Fortunately, I was in town earlier in the week for a team building morning for our Staff. As most staff members now support both churches, our team dynamics and responsibilities have changed, and good teamwork and communication makes things run smoothly. We had fun getting to know each other better, strengthening our bonds, and creating our Halloween pumpkins.

 

One of the blessings of travel is seeing the bulletins of other churches. Honor your departed loved ones with these November prayers, which were shared by the parish I visited this weekend.

 

Blessings to all,

Father Rob 

 

The month of November: A traditional time of prayer for our beloved dead.

 

I believe in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. (The Apostles’ Creed)

 

We Catholics pray for our beloved dead, and for all the faithful departed, in the confident assurance that we are commending them to God’s merciful love for the forgiveness of their sins, so that they may be called home to the fullness of life in heaven.

 

“And if I go prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (John 14:3)

 

“To you, O God, the dead do not die, and in death our life is changed, not ended. Hear your prayers and command the soul of your servant to dwell, with Abraham, your friend, and be raised at last on the great day of judgement. In your mercy cleanse him/her of any sin which he/she may have committed through human frailty. We ask this through Christ our Lord.” (Order of Christian Funerals)

 

A prayer for visiting a cemetery (from The Book of Blessings)

Almighty God and Father, it is our certain faith that your Son, who died on the cross, was raised from the dead, the first fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Grant that, through this mystery, your servant (Name), who has gone to his/her rest in Christ, may share in the joy of his resurrection. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto him/her, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him/her. May he/she rest in peace. Amen. May his/her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, Amen

 

You might also like

Father Rob's Weekly Message

August 23, 2026

August 18, 2026
Dear Friends, Fr. Rob is on a well-deserved vacation! Margie Benza has written this week’s column. Parish Ministry Fair September 12 and 13, 2026 It has been quite a while since we brought our faith communities together to offer a hands-on and visual opportunity to see where God is working through us in ministry. It’s also a moment of discernment where God may be calling you to serve. Our Ministry Fair will be held at both parishes after Masses on the weekend of September 12th and 13th . Each parish will offer information on their respective ministries with a chance to speak with someone, or take a flyer and sign up if you’re so moved. Think of the Ministry Fair as an opportunity to meet other parishioners, and share our time and talent with each other and for each other. From greeting or serving as a lector at Mass, helping with our faith formation ministry, serving those in need, to working in our Community Garden, there are so many ways for you to spread the good news of our faith through your actions. Our gospel continues to call us to serve one another in small ways ang large ways in our parishes, our city, in Kentucky or globally to name a few. A small example that I have seen personally is parishioners serving the homeless and hopeless. A small kindness filled their hunger and offered them hope and dignity. Join us, won’t you, for this opportunity to be the hands and hearts of Jesus in someone’s life? See you after Masses in the Parish Life Center at Transfiguration and in the Schnacky Center at St. Catherine’s. Margie Benza Pastoral Associate

August 16 2026

August 12, 2026
Dear Friends, Fr. Rob is on a well-deserved vacation! Anne Gallagher and Karen Luke have written this week’s column. Parents, this is a special message just for you! (And everyone else, please share this message with a busy parent you know.) If you are anything like us, when the calendar flips to August, those "September scaries" start creeping up, and the anxiety about the fall family schedule begins. Everything can get overwhelming very quickly! Our prayer for you this month is that each of you can STOP, take a DEEP BREATH, and open a quiet space in your heart to listen to what God is speaking to you. As parents, we focus so much on our kids, but God desires to spend time with YOU too! Here are some opportunities coming up this year to help adults grow in faith. Please take a moment to prayerfully consider God's invitation to you. Adult Fellowship Nights: On Wednesday nights in October, join us for a free dinner and small group conversation at St. Catherine's, beginning at 6PM. Our topic is "Four Weeks to Fruitfulness", and we will be looking at the upcoming Sunday Mass readings and reflecting on how they speak to our daily lives. If you are looking for a fun way to jumpstart your prayer life and connect to our faith community, this short-term commitment is a great place to start! Childcare will be provided. Please RSVP to Anne by Oct. 1. Order of Christian Initiation for Adults: If you have never been baptized, been baptized Christian in another denomination, or been baptized Roman Catholic but never received First Eucharist or Confirmation, you are a candidate for the OCIA program. AND, if you are already a fully initiated Catholic but would like the chance to explore our Catholic beliefs more deeply alongside those who are preparing to be initiated, you are welcome to participate too! Sessions begin in the fall, and candidates are received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Contact Karen for more info. Other great opportunities for adults coming up this fall include: ·Women’s Bible Study ·The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises ·Silent Directed Retreat Parent Survey: It's now been three years since St. Catherine and Transfiguration combined our lifelong faith formation offerings into a shared program. In that time, we've been blessed to get to know families from both parishes, to watch our ministries thrive, and to accompany so many people of all ages as they grow closer to God and the Church. THANK YOU for all you have done to support us and our faith community through these changes! Looking ahead, we know that there will always be more changes in store. While we are NOT planning any major changes to our program offerings in the 2026-2027 formation year, we need to use this time to intentionally and prayerfully plan for the future. Your voice matters to us. Please take the time to thoughtfully give us your feedback on some of the questions we are asking as we look to the future. Click HERE to take the survey. We are also convening a Faith Formation/Youth Ministry planning team to advise us as we set goals for the coming years. Please prayerfully consider joining us! We will be praying for all of you as we enjoy these last weeks of summer and gear up for the year ahead. Please hold us in your prayers as well! Peace in Christ, Anne and Karen

August 9, 2026

August 4, 2026
Dear Friends, I appreciate every season for what it brings before us from our God of Creation! Though, I’ll admit I have been particularly fond of summer for personal reasons since I was a child. As I grow older it takes more effort to appreciate summer with life, vocation, responsibilities, because of the demands of daily life. Nonetheless, I cherish these days. Did you see the “Buck Full Moon” last week? It was gorgeous and I marvel how God shares the gift of creation constantly with us! This was a gift to a beautiful summer evening. I’m going to take a break and vacation with lifelong friends in the coming days. Deacon Eric is always bringing to my attention to take some “Tomb Time” and refresh my heart and soul. So, that is my plan. I would like to share summer prayer with you. It was written by Father Austin Fleming who blogs at “A Concord Pastor Comments.” May you find it comforting as I do. “Come Summer With Me” Come summer with me, Lord; summer deep down in my soul; restore my faith in summer’s time, in rest, in joy, in play in you… Summer in my heart, Lord, and dwell there as if time would never end, as if all time were children’s time, eternal time when school is always out and joy is ever in… And let others summer in my shade, Lord, and share whatever summer’s peace is mine to give, whatever summer’s light is mine to shed, whatever summer’s warmth is mine to share… Good God of every season and every day this week, come summer with me, Lord, and let the child in my heart spend summer in your love… AMEN. Blessings to all, Father Rob