Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest —The Diocese of Jefferson City, as so many others throughout the United States, has many more parishes than priests. In our diocese, roughly one third of the parishes do not have a resident priest. Our parish is one of six parishes that are administered by Permanent Deacons or Religious Women. Roughly thirty other parishes are without a priest or administrator in permanent residence. Strong effort is made to celebrate mass within every parish as frequently as possible. However, during some weekends while Father Patrick is with his family in Ireland, we will not have a priest available to us. On those weekends, we will have a “Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest.” This “Sunday Celebration” is a ritual the Bishops of the United States have provided for circumstances like ours, and participation fulfills your Sunday obligation. Masses will continue to be celebrated in Centerville, Kirksville, and on some Sundays in Milan.