July 19, 2026 bulletin message from Fr. Tim
We are in the middle of summer – the dog days of summer! I hope you are finding some time to relax and recharge. Thank you for your beautiful response to our 250 Hours for the Lord. We invited and you responded in a beautiful way! We totaled 515 hours of adoration and prayer for our country!
We all have one eye on August as the new school year begins. We have Church years and calendar years, but much of life seems to turn on the school year. Here are some things to keep an eye on for the “new year” at St. Teresa of Avila:
- We are working on making all of our buildings ADA accessible-one main entry and bathrooms. This work will begin this fall. This is a fruit of your Harvest of Hope contributions.
- Security is of great importance in all public venues. We will be installing security cameras within the church for greater security, especially for hours when there are few people on campus. Again, this is the fruit of your Harvest of Hope contributions.
- We will soon have signs going up on our sports field. You might have noticed the new fence to keep children and soccer balls away from the road. We will soon put a sign for St. Sebastian Fields in Memory of Fr. Mike Ingram. We will also dedicate a plaque to Fr. Mike. Stay tuned for dedication dates!
- When Faith Formation is in session, we can have almost 1,000 persons at the 9:00 am Mass, which can create a challenge for parking and seating. Beginning this August 16, we will install a 7:00 a.m. Sunday Mass. This will be on a trial basis for four weeks. Hopefully this will alleviate some pressure on the 9:00 Mass and also serve those who are early morning persons.
- This fall we will also try a Low Sensory Mass. What is this? It is a regular celebration of the Mass offered in a more supportive setting for neurodivergent individuals, those with sensory sensitivities, people living with disabilities, and others who may benefit from a calmer worship environment. Through simple accommodations, such as softer music, reduced sensory stimulation,
and a spirit of welcome, we hope to help more people participate comfortably and fully in the beauty of the liturgy. Participants are welcome to come as they are and may use fidgets, move about, take breaks, or express themselves in ways that
support their prayer and participation. While everyone is always welcome in our parish, we hope this Mass will help more members of our community feel at ease, supported, and at home. Please stay tuned for dates and additional information as we explore this new offering. - Our ChristLife Sessions were very popular last year! This August we will offer the first level, Discovering Christ, during Faith Formation time (10:30 – noon) in the PLC. It is open to all adults in the parish. We will also return to Wednesday
night sessions with level three Sharing Christ. This will be open to all adults. - This August we will welcome Fr. Christopher Awiliba to the parish. He will be full-time chaplain at Aquinas High School but will live at the rectory. He will celebrate mass for us from time to time.
- This September we will welcome a seminarian for a Pastoral Year. Benjamin Aler of Warner Robins will be with us until May to assist with ministry and grow in his priestly formation and discernment.
Fr. Tim McKeown
