For some supernatural reason, unknown to me, I get really excited about 20 June and 21 December each year. We are aware that these are the annual days of the most and least daylight respectively. One of my dreams is to make two trips to Alaska within a 12 month period; once to be there on 20 June, the other to be there on 21 December. I think it would be a curious endeavor to be somewhere as these daylight hours are rather dramatic in contrast. Seems there are really human instincts which continue to direct our rhythms even in our technologically cluttered world. And so, Monday, the first day of summer, has inspired some thoughts about vacations of the past, present and future.

I think the topics of terrorism, violence, homosexuality, bigotry, racism and the like are the fodder for many pastoral articlesand sermons for obvious reasons. At the risk of jumping on the bandwagon with religious leaders across our country andaround the globe, there are some thoughts I’d like to share on the matter. The thoughts harken back to the words of ourChristian shepherd and His two principle laws: LOVE God above all things; LOVE your neighbor as you love yourself. Somehow, the more we think we know about love, the more we seem to drift away from what our Lord intended.

Most of you are already aware that ordination is the final step for a seminarian before he becomes a clergyman for the Roman Catholic Church.  Some of you are aware that Deacon Daniel Sedlacek is going to be ordained to the Holy Priesthood for our diocese on Saturday 25 June 2016.  I think it’s even more likely that even fewer of you are aware that he is the nephew to Junior and Judy Pieper (members at St. Boniface).  I know that Junior and Judy are among a really small number of people in our parish cluster who are blessed to have a priest in their family.  Please pray for Deacon Sedlacek as he awaits these final days before ordination.

We have come to the point in our annual calendar when school is (or almost) finished for the summer. During these days we enjoy idle time spent with family and friends. I do hope you take some time to establish time away from the busyness of life and take a vacation.

With that being said, my family of origin typically vacationed in northern Wisconsin. Since I was raised in a one and a half income household; my father being a factory worker, and mom working part-time; our vacations were always on budget. Perhaps in God's providence, I was placed into that household so that I could be somewhat of a getaway planner for people on a budget. More particularly, providing suggestions for families with children on a budget. My point is we are at a point in history when household income is really close to household expenses. Surviving is getting more expensive with each passing day. Please, use the resources around you to take a money conscious vacation rather than staying around the home and wishing you would have.