My Dear Parishioners,
How are you doing?  Are you enjoying this beautiful Kansas weather?  Let us be thankful for all the blessings God has bestowed upon us and our families.  Let us pray for all those who are not as fortunate as we are, especially the thousands of people on the West coast who have lost their homes due to the wildfires and to those on the East coast due to the hurricanes. 
Daily Mass: Everyone is invited to attend our Holy Mass at 8am from Tuesday to Friday, except when we have a funeral in church.  Beginning in October, our All Saints school children will join us for daily Mass, two classes per day, approximately 35-45 students total.  One class will be sitting on the East wing behind the piano area and the other class will be sitting on the West wing, close by the confessional area of the church.  All adult daily Mass attendees are to sit in the two middle sections of the church, in front of the altar.  I am looking forward to worshipping Our Lord with our children.  Please join us if you can.
Confessions: On weekends, I hear confessions before every weekend Mass.  Whenever you see me in the confessional or when the green light is turned on, you are welcome to enter one of the two stations for your confession.  Please do not wait until the last minute before Mass to enter the confessional.  Please keep in mind that I and everyone in church want to start Mass on time.  In the confessional, I posted the Act of Contrition prayer in English, Spanish and Vietnamese for your use.  If you forget how to go to confession, don’t worry, I will help you. 
Anointing of the Sick: Recently, the diocese informed all non-chaplain priests that we have limited accessibility to the hospitals due to Covid19, and it is rightly so, for the sake of everyone, especially the sick in the hospitals.  Here at All Saints, please know that I would love to pray with you and for you, especially before your surgery or your admission to the hospital.  Just let me know at any time, including before or after any Mass.  Also, do not forget that there are full-time chaplain priests in our Catholic hospitals, always ready to help you day or night.  If you would let the hospital know that you are a Catholic, a priest will visit you in your room.  If you need a priest ASAP, just let the hospital staff know, and a full-time, on-call priest chaplain will be there for you in minutes.  Ask and you shall receive, Fr. Hien  

My Dear Parishioners,
                Can you tell that we have been having more people come back to Holy Mass?  What a blessing to our church family.  God is most important to us.  Please know that I always enjoy celebrating Holy Mass with you, and I am certainly sure that our Lord, Mother Mary and all the angels and saints are so happy for those who love God and become one with God through the Holy Eucharist.  Let us never forget that the Holy Eucharist is the summit of our Catholic Faith; therefore, let us thank God for all priests throughout the world who celebrate Holy Masses for us, and to everyone who loves Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. 
                Blessings: Let us thank DeVorss Flanagan-Hunt Mortuary for another donation of $1,239.50 to our church after a funeral was held here in our church, that was 10% for the funeral service charge.  Thank you also to our many parishioners who kept our church and school grounds mowed and cleaned all summer.  Since June, a group of parishioners also removed and replaced two old pumps (one was custom made because it was too old) and valves in the boiler house.  They saved us over ten thousand dollars on these projects.  Recently too, we had many parishioners, sometimes as many as seven helpers, who removed old electrical wires and installed over 800 new LED light bulbs for our school buildings and gym.  Next time you are in our gym, you can see that it is twice brighter than ever before.  All the bulbs are rated for 50,000 hours.  These bulbs will last us over a decade for sure.  LED bulbs are amazing and are the best way to save energy and also manpower, since they don’t have to be changed so often.  Did you know that none of the bulbs in our church has burnt out since we put them in about two years ago?  Let us thank God for those men who served our church and school with the air conditioner and the light bulb projects.  They worked evenings and on weekends, including on Labor Day.  If you would like to donate toward the purchase of the LED light bulbs and the heating/air conditioner pumps, please let us know.  It costs around $8,300 (discounted price from Kansas Lighting) for all the bulbs and about $5,500 for the pumps and the insulation for the steam/cooler pipes.  All labor was donated.  Thank you also to our parishioner, Mark Rossillon, and his men from F&H Insulation Sales & Services, Inc. who cleaned all the windows in our church this past summer and also recently installed insulation on the pipes in the boiler house.   God is good and many people are very generous with their time, talent, and treasures--THANK YOU--Love you all, Fr. Hien

My Dear Parishioners,
                Blessings from our Lord be with you all.  Now that we are back to school and we are adapting to the new changes due to the coronavirus, I sincerely want to thank everyone for your patience and your open-minded understanding.  Patience is a virtue and being open minded is the most important concept for anyone living in America.  Living in America, regardless of where a person or his/her ancestors came from, such as their original culture, language, color of skin or religion, we must be open minded in order to see the beauty in others that God sees in all of us.  In other words, to see Jesus in them.  I personally believe that everyone, the old and the young, the healthy and the sick, the born and the unborn, the native Americans and the immigrants, we all matter, we are all precious and sacred.  That is what God sees in us all.  Let us love one another as our Lord taught us so that we may be with God forever in heaven.
                On Monday, September 7th, we celebrated our Labor Day.  It is a reminder to all of us that we are blessed living in America with our streets, homes, food, water, electricity, hospitals; we are blessed to have our farmers and servicemen and women, etc.… Everything we have comes from our labors--the work of one another.  We need each other for we all are contributors to our society.  Personally, I am thankful to those who built my truck so that I do not have to walk to see my family and I don’t have to walk for days and weeks to my favorite places for fishing and hunting.  Let us never take anyone or anything for granted.  Let everyone living in America continue making our country beautiful with our hearts, hands, and skills.  God bless America and all those who live to serve others, Fr. Hien
 

My Dear Parishioners,
How are you doing?  Thank God for a beautiful week, the weather has been much cooler, especially at night.  Let us allow God to lead us, to guide us and to love us every day, so that He can bless us with the everlasting life of heaven.  Please know that I am praying for you all-- your good health, peace of mind, your love for God and for one another.  Please join me in thanking God for all members of our church and school families.  This week, we are welcoming our children back to school.  We are blessed to have your children and your family at our church and school.  We are blessed to have so many new students this year, too.  In the near future, I will publish their names so that everyone can pray for them every day.  Please know that only with your personal care, love, and prayer for them can they grow in faith, hope, love, and intellectually.  Let us cherish them and hold them in our hearts.
New Weekend Mass Times will start this weekend, Saturday, September 5th at 12noon and 4pm; Sunday, September 6th at 9am and 10:45am (Vietnamese).  As you enter the church, please sit in pews that are designated for your Mass time.  Pews A—the signs are in red, for those who attend the first Mass of the day, that’s Saturday 12noon, and Sunday 9am.  Pews B—the signs are in yellow, for those who attend the second Mass of the day, that’s Saturday 4pm and Sunday 10:45am (Vietnamese).  Please do not remove the signs; they need to be posted until we are back to “the normal, normal.”  Please always practice physical distancing--six feet away from others, including in church.  We have added extra chairs in the back of the church for those who might need them during Mass.  As a church family, let us be mindful of one another.  Always keep in mind that everyone—old and young, those with walkers/wheelchairs and babies too, are in church to be with us to offer our prayers and worship to God, and to be a church family—God’s family.  Let us always be grateful and happy that others are joining us for prayer and worship.  Some of my most joyful moments at Holy Mass are to see and to be with you.  Together we pray and worship from our hearts.  And, yes, you are the joy of my life.  God is good and let us be good to one another, including in church. 
Peace & love to you all, Fr. Hien
 

My Dear Parishioners of All Saints Catholic Church & School,
Blessings from our Lord to you all.  Please know that I am praying for the safety and good health of our students, teachers, staff, and all of you.  Jesus told His disciples “do not be afraid.”  May you never be afraid of anything or anyone for you will always have God with you.  With God all things are possible.  I want to thank you for being members of our church family, especially with your time, talent, and treasure.  Please know that I love you and I love to worship with you.  I hope and pray that you will always feel good, happy and at peace after you have received Jesus and His many blessings from Holy Mass. 
Did you know that we are super blessed here at All Saints?  Two years in a row we have been able to pay the bills.  God and many good-hearted people, including our government, were good to us.  During this pandemic time, Mass attendance was low and financial contributions were very low too—there were weeks that we collected about half of the budget.  We received a $193 thousand COVID-19 grant from the government to use towards salaries and utility bills.  What a great aid to our church.  Moving forward, we need everyone to trust in God with their stewardship.  Please view the attached statement of your up-to-date contributions to our parish and the parish’s annual financial report.  Please keep in mind that Catholic education is not free but a privilege for families that are faithful stewards.  We are to be honest stewards.  A special thank you to families that have been faithful stewards during this pandemic time.  Thank you!  If you can use the direct deposit method, you will help us reduce our costs.  If you use other methods to give, please put them in the collection baskets during Mass, mail them, or put them in the drop box by the office door.
New Mass times: After I consulted with our office staff and a group of daily Mass parishioners, with their support, I decided to change our weekend Mass times beginning Saturday, September 5th.  New Mass times are on Saturdays at 12noon & 4pm in English, Sunday at 9am in English and 10:45am in Vietnamese.  The reasons for the changes are to better accommodate our parishioners.  During the summer months, Sunday 8am and 8pm masses are great because day light is longer; however, we are heading into the fall and winter months, when day light is short, cold/icy in the early morning and dark around 5pm.  Many elders are limited to driving in the dark and ice and many young children need their evening time for homework and early bedtime for the next school day. 
Beginning Saturday, September 5th, when you come for Mass, please sit in the designated pews for the Mass time you attend.  Section A is for those who attend Saturday 12noon and Sunday 9am Masses, and section B is for those who attend Saturday 4pm and Sunday 10:45am Masses.  Please know that no decision is easy, nor any method is perfect.  I apologize for any inconvenience due to these changes, including the Mass time changes.  I am grateful for your understanding and the many sacrifices you have made for the good of others.  God bless you and your loved ones with good health, many happy days together, heavenly peace and above all, the gift of heaven with our Lord when our earthly life is complete.  Holy God, we praise thy name.  Lord Jesus save us.  Holy Mary pray for us.  Holy Angels and Saints of God protect us from all sickness, harm, and danger.   Love you all---Fr. Hien

              
 

    

My Dear Parishioners,
                Blessings from our Lord be with you all.  Please know that we are preparing for the new school year.  Only God knows what the future will be like for all of us worldwide, including our Catholic school.  Let us trust in God and be open-minded to adjust to this new normal way of life with the COVID19 virus.  Some people have been asking me whether we will have school Mass once school is started.  My plan is yes, but not immediately, maybe a few weeks to a month after school has started.  My prayer and hope are that everyone especially our students and teachers will stay healthy and well-adjusted to the new academic year, then I will have them in church for Holy Masses.  My goal is to keep our children and teachers and especially our older parishioners safe or as safe as possible.  My plan is to have one or two classes per day for Holy Mass.  I will definitely seat them far/separate from the adult daily Mass parishioners.  For the time being, please keep praying for the end of the pandemic and for the safety of everyone, especially our church family.  Let us be safe, be smart and be thankful to God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us, our families, and our church.  God bless our children and all those who love them and care for them, especially their parents and teachers.  PS. Parents and grandparents, one of the most important and special gifts that you can give to your children and grandchildren is the gift of Catholic education.  Catholic education provides an excellent education and the best formation of their bodies, minds, and souls that money can’t buy.  When our children love God, they will love you and everyone in this life.  Of course, they will be with God forever in heaven.  Today, let us give them the gift of Catholic education and formation through your faithful stewardship of time, talent, and treasure, so that we will always have each other in this life and forever in heaven.   Love you all, Fr. Hien 

My Dear Parishioners,
Welcome back our teachers: Our dedicated teachers are in our buildings to get their lessons and classrooms ready to welcome our children for the new academic year.  We are blessed to add one new teacher and a few new staff to our team.  Of course, we are blessed with many new students this year.  A special thanks to their parents for putting their trust in our Catholic School for the good of their children.  Due to the pandemic, it has been a struggle for everyone worldwide, including in our school system.  Let us be patient and pray to end the pandemic so that we all can go back to our normal way of life without fear and headaches.  More details on our teachers, staff, and students will be coming soon. 
Special Thanks: To our beloved Altar Society for the generous $5,000 to help pay for the new roof of our Fischer Center and the church’s office building.  The total cost for the projects was $18,000.  Thank you also to Jim Wiesen Roofing for the discounted price.  Jim loves to help others because he is a daily Mass attendant.  Moreover, we were also blessed with another $5,000 from a non-parishioner family.  This special family used to attend All Saints Catholic church and school.  One weekend, they happened to attend one of our weekend Masses and were pleased with what is happening at All Saints.  They decided to give us a big check after they read my letter in the bulletin about putting the new roof on the Fischer Center.  Of course, I was so happy for our church and wrote to them, thanking them on your behalf.  Yea, we are so blessed here at All Saints!
Finally, thank you everyone for your love, thoughts, and prayers for our church’s family.  Please know that we need your daily prayers, especially for our children, teachers, and parish staff as we are about to enter a new school year with so many uncertainties due to the pandemic.  Our mission is to worship, evangelize, love, and educate our children.  I trust that with your prayers, we will know when to put on our brakes when necessary.  I know that the Holy Spirit is with us, to lead us and to guide us into the way of love and life.   Peace and good health to you all, Fr. Hien 😊

My Dear Parishioners,
                How are you doing?  I am doing well today but last weekend I was quite tired due to the two extra Masses we had in our church for the parishioners of St. Margaret Mary.  Bishop celebrated the Holy Confirmation Masses in English and Spanish.  I was very happy to see four of my brother priests who concelebrated.  I also got to visit with our bishop too.  He looked very happy and healthy.  I hope and pray that you are too.  Please be safe, healthy, and happy.
                When you come to church, wear a mask when you are talking to someone or stay at least six feet away.  As you come forward to the altar area to place your donation in the basket and to receive Holy Communion, please remember to stand at the communion sign/basket by yourself, except if you are together as a family, living in one house, then you can line up as one line---one person in front of the other.  I will give Holy Communion to your entire family/household before I will move to the next communion station.  Please stand as close as you can to the communion sign/basket.  Extend your hand forward so that I can place Jesus in the palm of your hand.  Do not close your hand until I am done giving Jesus to you.  Please receive Jesus reverently with your heart, mind, and soul.  Jesus loves to be loved by you.  PS. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on a weekend this year; therefore, it is not a holy day of obligation.  Love you all, Fr. Hien
 

My Dear Parishioners,
                Blessings from our Lord be with you all.  Let us thank God for the cooler weather with lots of moisture this week.  I am sure the vegetables in my garden are very happy too.  Thank God for the favorable weather and all that He has bestowed upon us, our families and our church’s family too!  Thank you, Jesus.
                Are you ready for August?  Normally, August is a busy month for everyone to get ready for a new school year.  However, this August of 2020 is a headache for everyone, especially the school system due to the pandemic.  As of now, the new school year will start a few weeks late.  Please understand that starting school late is better than never.  Therefore, let us pray that the virus will slow down, and less people will get sick from it beginning today.  This means that everyone needs to be smart by practicing social distancing and washing their hands often.  Only we can slow down the spread of the virus by being smart.  Do you know that I have not been to a box store since May?  It is because I want to be safe for myself (I hate being sick), for my family, especially my elderly parents, and of course for you as my parishioners—old and young.  So, please join me in being patient during this pandemic time and pray the Holy Rosary like Bishop Kemme suggested throughout August for the end of the pandemic, locally and worldwide.  Bishop and I believe that with the help of Mother Mary, God will free us from this crisis.  Please join me in praying a Hail Mary at every Mass throughout this month for this special intention. 
Holy Mary, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Fr. Hien
 

My Dear Parishioners,
                First, please join me in extending our love and prayers for the salvation of Dolores "Dee" Fisher and Carmen Alvarado.  Dee was 84 years old.  She passed away on June 28.  A rosary and funeral mass were held in our church on Saturday, July 18.  Carmen was 97 years old.  She passed away on May 29.  Her funeral was on Monday, July 20, in our church.  May our risen Lord Jesus bless them with eternal life and be with their families during this difficult time of sadness.  “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.  May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. “
     Second, recently I shared with you that we put a new roof on our Fischer Center Hall.  After a few rains, it is holding up with no leaks.  Early Monday morning before my 10am funeral, I went to the roof of the church’s office building and was surprised by what I saw.  About a dozen large holes that were 2-4 inches in diameter were on the roof.  The chimney was falling apart too.  The roof is so old that the rubber is decaying.  Please know that we are putting on a new roof and fixing the chimney now.  I am so thankful that water had not done major damage to our building.  Since I have been here, I have always wanted to go up there to check the roof out.  It was because I saw a stain by the skylight area above the stairways when I first came to visit the office, before I moved in.  I asked and no one knew whether it was fixed or not.  I am glad that we are taking better care of our buildings and facilities now.  Please be faithful to our church and school so that we can take care of what we have.  We rely solely on your faith in God, and your commitment to our church and school with your honest stewardship of your time, talents, and treasures. 
Thank you for being members of our church’s family, Fr. Hien