From the Pastor’s desk— July 14, 2024

Hello everyone at Sacred Heart! I am very happy to be with you. I very much enjoyed my first
weekend here celebrating the Masses and meeting so many of you. Thank you for being so welcoming and a special thank you to the lay ministers, musicians, and all those who helped me find my
way. Another special thank you to everyone’s patience with my Spanish conversation skills. I have learned new and helpful words already this week, and I know I’ll keep
improving. Maybe you want to know more about me? I grew up in Cape Girardeau, MO at St Vincent De Paul Parish. I have three older sisters, an older brother, and a younger sister. I was homeschooled through eighth grade, then went to Notre Dame Catholic High School. While in high
school I lived with my devout grandma because my parents moved to Jonesboro, AR for a few years. They’re near Cape Girardeau again now and Dad is a deacon of the diocese. You may meet them when they come to visit. Before Seminary I went to Truman State University
or a BA in Romance Languages with an emphasis on Spanish. I studied one summer in Salamanca, Spain where I lived with a family and took classes. Preparing for the Festival of Nations has reminded me how much I enjoyed working in the International Student Office in those
days. God is good! You’ll find out quickly that I’m very thoughtful and organized, not quick to act but deliberate when I do. I enjoy coming up with new ideas and creative projects. I enjoy
creative writing and sketching, but my biggest hobby is music – I play the piano, guitar, and sing. I’m not a great cook, unfortunately, but this year I started baking my own bread! I also have a dog named Chip, who is a 6-year-old German Shepherd/Malamute mix. We go for long neighborhood walks every day. He’s very well behaved, but he may jump up to greet you at the first meeting. You
can discourage him by simply putting your palm in his face before he tries. He’s staying with my parents until I get all moved in. Before I close, I want to say a very big thank you to Fr. Ray for all the good he has done here and how helpful he has been to me in getting started. I pray he knows God’s closeness as he goes to Vancouver. May God reward him for his goodness and faithfulness.

Fr Joseph

  

Text Box: From the Pastor’s Desk / Del Escritorio del Pastor

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Fr. Ray Smith, CMF
Parochial administrator

With a heart for Mission,
Fr. Ray