Brothers and Sisters in Christ – Like many, I ventured outside this week and put on my protective eye wear to view the eclipse. It was fascinating. It was absolutely beautiful. I was enthralled watching the moon pass over the sun. And I found myself noticing how the temperature was changing and the sky darkening as this took place. I was also struck by the commentary on the various news outlets that I was listening to on my TV. A number of reporters talked about how Americans came together to watch this eclipse. For that short moment in time, we weren’t caught up in our divisions. Instead, we were united by this one event. In parks, on college campuses, or gathered in open fields thousands of people stood together and looked up into the sky. What I found myself taken by was the posture. Everyone was looking up. Our eyes were fixed to the sky. Looking upward is a posture used in prayer. In John 17:1 we read, “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven …” Or in Psalm 8:3, “When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places.” As I watched the eclipse I prayed in thanksgiving for the beauty of creation and the opportunity to witness it. I prayed in gratitude for my faith, recognizing that all I have comes from God. I was also keenly aware that this moment of peace that I was experiencing wasn’t the case in so many parts of our world. As I looked upward to the heavens, I remembered all of those living in countries torn apart by war. I prayed for families that are struggling, for those lives lost because of gun violence, and for those who live in poverty. I also took some time to count my blessings as I was caught up with God and the marvels of His creation. I prayed for all of you. I remembered my family and friends. I thanked God for my vocation and the opportunities that I have to share my faith. I prayed for a greater awareness of all the good God puts into my life. As people of faith, it’s important to see every moment of our life as an opportunity for prayer. We need to look up to God and share with Him what’s on our hearts, occupying our minds, and impacting our daily existence. We need to keep our eyes focused on God so that we remain rooted in Him and our faith. I encourage you to spend some quiet time this week looking upward. As you meet God in that moment of prayer, share with Him your gratitude, petitions, and concerns. Our world would be a better place if we came together as a community every day and let our divisions be replaced with peace. A few announcements: Rice Bowls … If you used the Catholic Relief Services rice bowls for your Lenten almsgiving, please return your donation and the monies will be forwarded to CRS. In order to keep all of the coins together, please place the rice bowl in a baggie and then put it in the basket before the altar. A check will sent off in the next few weeks. THANK YOU! Annual Parish Picnic … Will be held from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday, August 25 at the St. Patrick County Park. Please mark your calendars. Alfred Guillaume, the president of the Parish Pastoral Council, will coordinate those who’d like to volunteer to be on a committee to plan for this event. Please contact him ([email protected]) if you’d like to help. Parish Gardening Group … St. A's has started a gardening group to help beautify our church campus. Pleasecontact Sue Call at (574)444-7386 or [email protected] if you’re interested. All are welcome. Let us grow together in the LORD! Parish Potluck Dinners … The Community Life Committee of the Parish Pastoral Council is going to resume the tradition of dinners being hosted at parishioner’s homes in order to build community. The first is planned for Sunday, May 19 at 4:00 p.m. and more information will be forthcoming. The St. Augustine's Prayer Group … On Sunday, April 21st at 9:30 a.m., we'll participate in centering prayer, a form of Christian meditation. Join us in our worship space! St. Augustine Parish Women’s Group … Met on March 9th. Centering Prayer gathered us as we welcomed new members. We reflected on “Help from a Higher Power,” a short piece by Richard Rohr and a story on prayer from Benignus O’Rourke’s book, Finding Your Hidden Treasure.Our next meeting will be on April 20 at 2:00 p.m. (at Sr. Betty’s home).We will reflect on the questions: How is Easter unfolding in your life? and How are we living our mission?For Further information, please call Sr. Betty at (574) 309-1393. New members are always welcome. Sant’Egidio Prayer for Peace … All are invited to join the Notre Dame/South Bend Sant’Egidio Community for their monthly Prayer for Peace on the third Saturday of each month, in the Mary Chapel, Father Jacob Smith, C.S.C., Parish Center (920 Wilber Street), at 11:00 a.m. Sant’Egidio is a Christian lay movement dedicated to living the Gospel through prayer, service to the poor and working for peace. Sant’Egidio’s Prayer for Peace is dedicated to praying for the end of conflicts in many countries of the world. Visit www.santegidio.org for more information. St. A’s St. Vincent de Paul Conference … Will meet on Sunday, April 28 from 9:15 – 10:30 a.m. in the parish basement. All members are encouraged to attend to greet new members and connect face-to-face. Anyone interested in learning about the work and mission of the group is encouraged to attend. If possible, please let Dan Mandell ([email protected]) know in advance if you will be able to join us. After School Tutoring … Will be every Thursday from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. at St. A’s for the remainder of the school year. For more information, please contact Michael Busk at (574) 302-3666. Notre Dame Vision 2024 … These conferences at the University of Notre Dame offer high school students from all across the world the opportunity to immerse themselves in the tradition and campus life of Notre Dame as they learn from the witness of the saints and develop practices to live their faith. For five days, sharpen your spiritual vision to recognize God’s grace at work in your life and immerse yourself in the Notre Dame campus. Sleep in the dorms, eat in the dining hall, and pray at the numerous sacred spaces across campus. Notre Dame Vision combines the theologically-rich experience of hearing nationally-known keynote speakers with the mentorship of college students. From large group sessions to small faith-sharing groups comprised of your peers, Notre Dame Vision gives you the space and the community to ask big questions about how God is calling you to use your talents in service to the Church and world. The program will be held from June 24-28 or July 8-12. St. A’s parishioners should register at https://nd.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bd75yc35Peg7ZHL. For more detailed information, please speak to Deacon Mel. St. Augustine, pray for us! Fr. John, C.S.C.