Holy Family Parish has been as busy as ever throughout these hot summer months. The parish picnic with outdoor Mass was a great event with more than 200 people attending. Many thanks to Sandy and Bill Tonzi, Tara and Bill Simmonds and all of their co-workers for the hard work that goes into making this event a great day for everyone to enjoy.

Also at the picnic, the Parish Life committee presented eight scholarships of $400 each to Holy Family parish graduating seniors who will be furthering their education in the fall: Nora Bachman, Hannah Bennett, Nicholas Chapman, Theresa Church, Jolene Hoskins, Maggie Hoercher, Suzanne Smith and Jessica Walter.

Thanks to the year-long fundraising efforts of the Holy Family Parish Life Committee, donations have also been made to the following organizations: Finger Lakes Catholic Charities Emergency Fund, St. Alphonsus Food Pantry Emergency Fund, CSCAA Emergency Fund, Pregnancy Care Center, Matthew House, El Portal de Belen Foundation Day Care, El Portal de Belen Foundation Sisters of Monta Plaza and the St. Vincent dePaul Fund.

Before we know it, fall will be here and Faith Formation classes will begin again under the loving care of Nancy Smith and all of her instructors.

Also in the fall, there will be a September chicken barbecue sponsored by Parish Life. All of the proceeds will go to the 175th anniversary fund.

The 175th Anniversary Committee also has a great team of people hard at work planning the events for this grand celebration for our “Mother Church of Auburn.” Judy Janusz has accumulated quite an impressive collection of old school and church photos.

In October, there will be a pot-luck supper, which is one of Father Dennis' favorites. Coffee hours begin again after the 9 a.m. Mass Sunday, Oct. 5, and will continue the first Sunday of each month through May 2009. Special thanks to Loretta O'Connor for making these events happen.

Teams of five workers each from Holy Family continue to help work at the SS. Peter and John soup kitchen one Saturday a month.

None of this would be possible without the great leadership of Susan Buehler and the Parish Life committee. Susan is also our pastoral minister and spends many hours visiting the sick and homebound of our parish. Thank you for all you do all year long.

In addition, the Clothes Closet led by Clint Allen, the homeless shelter led by Sandy Mettler and Lunches with Love led by Teresa Hoercher continue to be very busy serving those among us in most need of a helping hand. The homeless shelter team continues its search for a more permanent home in an affordable building of its own. Several local properties have been considered.

On Friday, Sept. 5, a Eucharistic Adoration has been scheduled at Holy Family from 7 to 11 p.m. for meditation and contemplative prayer. Everyone is welcome for reparation and consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for his love and to ask forgiveness for the sins of the world. Future Adorations will be conducted on every first Friday of each month of the year.

I could not talk about my love for the people of Holy Family without mentioning Father Dennis Shaw as he is the beacon that guides our way, and Maggie Lepak in the rectory office as she is the glue that holds everything together. And thanks to our organist Tom Techman, cantor Debbie Pinckney and our choir for their weekly devotion to bringing us such beautiful liturgical music. I find myself humming these beautiful hymns throughout the week. My favorite is still the holy and prayerful “Litany of the Saints.”

Have a great week everyone, and remember, God loves you so very much.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

- Romans 8:38

Denise Bennett is a parishioner at Holy Family Church in Auburn. She can be reached at deniseb132@yahoo.com