p reciou sw or d

Fr. Paul MacNeil Dear Parishioners, Welcome back! It feels these words need to be spoken to all of you since I last wrote to you in Precious Word. It seems so long ago because of our pandemic, but thankfully there is a growing confidence that the worst is behind us and that our return to the new 'normal' is not so far away. I offer heart-felt sympathy and continued prayers to all of our families who have lost loved ones due to the pandemic and sincere gratitude to all of you who have persevered in spite of all of the challenges with a special thank you extended to all of our dedicated health care and emergency professionals.

Precious Blood of Christ Parish has been able to do some much needed renovations to the main entrance area of our Parish Life Center as well as the Parish Office during our time being closed. If you haven't seen the changes please drop by and view the transformation for yourself. Our vision and goal was to make our PLC more welcoming and the office area more professional and up to date. In the area immediately inside the PLC we are once again greeted by our beloved "Welcoming Christ" statue which is just off to the left. At the center is a beautiful large round hardwood table atop a white and blue accented rug with a large custom bouquet of exquisite flowers in the center of the table. To the right is an indoor tree planted in a fine pot next to a hanging

modern Cross, the symbol of our salvation. Inside the welcoming area towards the gym, to the left are two black leather armchairs, a small table and lamp, a coffee/tea station and a modern technology bar equipped with three stools, electricity and plugins for smartphones, ipads, and laptops. Opposite that area to the right has two matching grey fabric sitting chairs, a small table and lamp. Next to see is our parish office space. As you walk towards the office door you will immediately see that the door has a large glass window and upgraded security features. During normal office hours, this door will be unlocked and after office hours, this door will remain locked for safety purposes. As you enter the door, you are greeted by an entirely new space. Our two friendly receptionists, either Patty Guazzo

Fr. Paul’s Message 1-2

Respect Life 3

Women’s Club 4

Precious Hands 5

Prayer & Worship 6-7

Evangelization 8-9

Religious Education 10

Music Ministry 11

Outreach 12

Knights of Columbus 13

Youth Ministry 15

Inside this issue...

P reciousW ord OUR PARISH NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2021

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or Pat Sears, will greet you as you enter and they will be located in a newly enclosed work space. Beyond that reception area is the mail station, photocopier, and sitting area with three pieces of artwork hanging together depicting Our Blessed Mother from our talented late parishioners, Gertrude “Punky” Kramer and Mary Dezzutti. Also is a depiction of the Last Supper done in

porcelain from a Turkish artist from Venessa Seramik.

Along with changes to our PLC entrance and office area we were able to complete the installation of an entirely new section of columbarium on our beautiful campus. In our old columbarium area, a new granite statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus has replaced the former one which was deteriorating. In the newly constructed section, along with the six rows to house 420 niches for our deceased parishioners, the new central area is adorned with a fine granite statue of the Holy Family, of whom our parish has been consecrated. At the end of the outdoor Stations of the Cross walkway, you will find the moving statue of the Pieta (Mary holding her deceased Son) in granite. This new configuration will all be blessed at a suitable time in the near future.

May the Risen Lord and the fifty days of Easter renew God's love, peace and joy in your life, In prayer and gratitude,

Fr. Paul

Pastor

Fr. Paul continued

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Respect Life Ministry

Len Vercelotti has recently stepped down from the PBOC Chair of Respect Life Ministry after founding the ministry many years ago. He has worked tirelessly to provide protection for the unborn through Birthright of Georgetown and his service will be greatly missed. Gloria Dausch and Linda Gray have taken the reins of this ministry and hope to be able to continue to work for the protection of all life from conception to natural death. In spite of the obstacles COVID 19 has placed before us, a group of parishioners traveled to Charleston Planned Parenthood to pray outside the clinic during the 40 Days for Life Campaign last fall. Several of us took the PBOC bus on its virgin road trip and met up with other PBOC parishioners who carpooled to the site.

October 4 was Right to Life Sunday and a large group gathered in front of the church along Waver-ly Road forming a life chain to be a witness for anyone passing by. In the realization that all life is precious and should be cherished, the Respect Life Ministry will continue to educate and be actively involved in 40 Days for Life as well as prayer vigils at PBOC and other pro-life activities. As Catholics we believe that protecting those most vulnerable is critically important, especially since some of the forward progress the pro-life move-ment has made the past several years is in danger of being undone and reversed.

Respect Life

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Women’s Club Springtime Greetings

As flowers are budding and blooming the signs of spring are upon us. The good news, no the fabulous news, is more of our parishioners are getting vaccinated and starting to resume a normal life. You could witness the changes at the Ash Wednesday services where the Church was filled to our pandemic capacity.

Though many of our major events were cancelled, that did stop the

Women’s Club. We were able to offer beautiful mums in the fall and wonderful amaryllis for the Christmas season. We would like to thank everyone who supported our plant sales. But we are not over yet! Check the bulletins and our website, wcpboc.com, and order some beautiful large, hanging baskets of “red” geraniums for $22. The baskets can enhance the look of your patio or can be separated to beautify your garden or decorative pots. Three large geraniums come in the hanging basket. All orders must be place no later than April 1st, 2021. As I mentioned, life is showing signs of the return to normalcy. Our April General Meeting on April 8th at 11:00 a.m. will be

held in the PLC. If you are new to PBOCC and want to meet people, please join our April Women’s Club General Meeting. Our meeting starts at 11am, in the main room of the PLC and with the kitchen remaining closed for the time being, you can join a group of friendly ladies at an area restaurant for get to know more about the Women’s Club, Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church, our activities or who you can call when a pipe breaks. We are a full-service club. Our 2021 Arts & Crafts Festival is scheduled for Friday, October 22nd from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 23rd from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please remember that we will be following DHEC/Diocesan/Parish Pandemic Guidelines that are appropriate at the time of all events.

Thanks again to the entire parish for supporting our events and we look forward to getting back to “normal”! Debbie Clatterbuck

Women’s Club

Father Paul blessing our prayer petitions at the Day of Prayer

Ladies working at our amaryllis sale

Outdoor Stations of the Cross

http://wcpboc.com/

MARILYN OBEREMBT

featuring precious people volunteering for our parish

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE MINISTRY FOR WHICH YOU VOLUNTEER?

I was asked to write about the ministry for which I work, but since I am involved with several ministries, I will have to describe my involvement with each. TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU DO FOR THIS MINISTRY? WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BEING PART OF THIS MINISTRY?

First I started many years ago as a Eucharistic Minister. I never thought I would be worthy enough to do this job, but God showed me even a simple sinner like me can do the job and do it successfully. It made me feel more a part of the Mass, and being able to offer the body and blood to fellow parishioners made me feel good inside. After a few years, the job of scheduling people each Sunday at 8:00 was given to me. It also included training new people for the job. I enjoy doing this as I have made many new friends.

A few years ago, I offered my services as a sacristan and I have found it to be another enjoyable task. It is gratifying to know that doing something like this can make it much easier for others to do their job. Here, too, you meet many nice people.

After the corona virus took hold and we had to limit the number of people at Mass, I became a counter.

None of these jobs is that hard, nor time consuming, and the gratification you get more than compensates.

HOW CAN OTHERS BECOME MEMBERS?

Many years ago, Jo Timpano, in her inimitable way, asked me “Why aren’t you a Eucharistic Minister?” I replied, “because nobody asked me.” That was the start of my learning that we are all needed to help make the Mass run smoothly. There are any jobs available for all of us to help our church run smoothly and the more people involved, the easier it becomes. Not only is it good for the church, it is very satisfying to the individual. I feel very much a part of the church and I know you will too. If you aren’t active in any ministries, why don’t you try it….you’ll like it! You can ask anyone associated with a ministry you would like to join and they can give you the name of the chairperson of that ministry. I know we all would love to have your services.

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My Vocation Journey

“To he whom much has been given, much is expected.” As I continue my third year, of five, in

formation towards ordination to the permanent diaconate, I can still hear those words ringing in my

ears. As the youngest of eight children, our home was always busy, but so full of love. My mother

Rose Mary, and my father, David, were models of the faith in our home. Our Catholic faith was

central to every aspect of our lives and our compass as we navigated the challenges of the day.

Growing up in a small southern town and being Lebanese and Catholic brought many challenges.

As with most young children, I just wanted to “fit in” and not bring any added attention to myself. The

task of my anonymity was challenging for my Dad and my uncle Paul practiced dentistry together,

lived next to one another, and over sixteen years the two brothers and their wives welcomed sixteen

children into the world. My father would often say that we are first accountable to our God, and then

our family, and then our community (in that order). He would go on to say that if one truly loves his

God, he will be virtuous in his actions towards his family and his greater community.

My love for the Church started at a young age. I have fond memories of my time in Our Lady

of Perpetual Help in Camden, SC and my family’s involvement in the life of the Parish. The

sacraments were celebrated with great enthusiasm. After my first Holy Communion, I actively served

the Church as an altar server. Our dear priest, Father Yeager, asked me often to serve at weddings,

funerals, and other Masses throughout my years as an altar server. I remember at that time saying

to myself, “I feel comfortable in this environment.” This love of the Church continued in college at

Georgetown University where I majored in Theology. I chose this major because I simply loved

studying the faith and the message of Jesus Christ and his Church resonated in my heart. After

graduating dental school at MUSC, I moved to Pawleys Island and joined my Godfather, John

Joseph, in practice in Georgetown, SC. In 2001, Father Pat celebrated the Wedding Mass at PBOC

for me and my wife Tara. Our marriage has been blessed with four children. My love of the Church

has grown stronger in my family’s involvement in our beloved Church, Precious Blood of Christ, in

Pawleys Island.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Over the years, my stubborn and often

hardened heart has come to embrace this beatitude. Jesus is always outside our door knocking, but

it is up to us to open the door and invite him in. My door was opened to the diaconate years ago by

Father Pat’s gentle invitation. Years passed and Father Paul asked several men to lunch during Lent

and asked us to go into the desert with Jesus this Lent and discern in our hearts a possible vocation

to the permanent diaconate. One week later, my wife and I were having dinner with Father Paul and

I asked him the simple question, “How can I help serve you in our Parish Father?” He leaned over

the table towards us and confidently said, “You can become a deacon!” One week later, my wife and

I were in Charleston co-leading a Pre-Cana class and during one of the breaks, a man, whom I had

never met before, came and sat in front of me. He said that he was prompted by the Holy Spirit to

come to me and ask if I would like to join the discernment class for the permanent diaconate. That

Prayer & Worship

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man was the director of the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Charleston: Deacon Andre

Guillet; I looked at my wife and said, “I can’t say no any longer” and so the journey began.

The past three years of study and discernment have been filled with many challenges, but so

many graces. Going back to school after almost twenty-five years was quite an adjustment. The

greatest challenge for myself and most of the aspiring deacons is to properly balance our first

vocation of the family, with our work, and our studies. It would not be honest of me to say that at

times juggling these three aspects of my life is not demanding. But, at the same time, God’s grace

shines through times of doubt and despair and brings peace in my discernment and study. As St.

Paul says in Romans 5:20, “where sin (doubt) increased, grace overflowed all the more.”

As my classmates and I look forward with anticipation to our ordination to the permanent

diaconate in February of 2023, I humbly thank God for this incredible opportunity I have been

blessed with to serve His Church. I encourage any men who are reading this and think they may be

hearing that little knock on the door, to open the door for the “harvest is plentiful, but the workers are

few” (Lk 10:2).

- Tim Joseph

THIS IS THE YEAR OF SAINT JOSEPH

Novena Prayer to

Saint Joseph

O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O Saint Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the most Loving of Fathers. O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. Saint Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.

Prayer & Worship

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Evangelization

The Pandemic can make us more “Contemplative”

If we give God our attention, God will draw our whole being into proper focus. Here we are speaking of the silent encounter with God deep within the human soul. To taste somewhat in the heart and to experience in the soul, not only after death but even in this mortal life, the intensity of the divine presence and the sweetness of the glory of heaven. God “is always already there” in the center of our existence. God meets us where we are and asks us to trust that acceptance. Contemplation, or an openness to God’s transforming love, no matter how it is approaching, is the only solid basis for proceeding in life. A life lived without the attentive listening of prayer is often a life lived quite unconsciously. Solitude and silence allow the Mystery at the center of all lives to emerge. The chaos of life gives way to a cosmos ordered by God’s self-communication. This type of prayer opens us up to an inner journey into the truth of ourselves. The spiritual delight accompanying a more contemplative prayer begins in God, as it were, and ends in us. It amplifies our spirits rather than constricts them. God, at the center of one’s life is overflowing into the heart… The purpose of prayer is… conformity with God’s will… gradually learn to want what God wants. (Excerpts from Carmel Clarion Summer 2020) “Contemplative prayer is a deep and simplified spiritual activity in which the mind and will rest in a unified simple concentration upon God, turned to Him, intent upon Him and absorbed in His own light, with a simple gaze which is perfect adoration because it silently tells God that we have left everything else and desire even to leave our own selves for His sake, and that he alone is important to us, He alone is our desire and our life, and nothing else can give us any joy.” Thomas Merton Our Contemplative Prayer group has made some changes to minimize Covid exposure. Ordinarily we gather the third Sunday after 1030 Mass to pray the liturgy of the hours together - Evening Prayer. For our formation study we are working our way through The Way of Perfection by S. Teresa of Avila. We are hopeful for warmer weather in the spring months so we can gather again outside. In order to continue our requirement of monthly meetings we have been Zooming with our Columbia, SC Carmelite Group. Keith Barron, O.C.D.S. has been offering 30–45-minute lectures on various topics of the contemplative experience. We start by praying the liturgy of the hours as a community then Keith shares his information. This happens the first Sunday every month. The zoom room opens 30 minutes early for fellowship. While it is not the same as meeting in person this has been a nice way for us to continue “seeing one another.” At one of our recent Zoom gatherings several participants were bemoaning the lack of in person meetings. A very wise lady commented that while this time of isolation has been challenging for her, as an older single person, she has found great solace by making MORE time for recollection and mental prayer. As Discalced Secular Carmelites we are called to spend thirty minutes every day in silent prayer. This lady mentioned that “the forced isolation has born much fruit in her spiritual life.” She is not able to “run around endlessly distracting herself from time spent with God.” A beautiful sentiment indeed! Thomas Merton, in his book New Seeds of Contemplation, encourages us to make daily silent time for God. “Our vocation is not simply to be, but to work together with God in the creation of our own life, our own identity, our own destiny… To work out our identity in God.” Merton continues, “Contemplation is a kind of spiritual vision to which both reason and faith aspire, by their very nature, because without it they must always remain incomplete… It is a more profound depth of faith, a knowledge too deep to be grasped in images, in words or even in clear concepts… In contemplation we know by “unknowing.” Or, better, we know

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beyond all knowing or “unknowing.” Contemplation is a sudden gift of awareness, an awakening to the Real within all that is real. It is the religious apprehension of God.” Contemplation is a gift given when we offer ourselves to God in daily silence. Merton says: “It is not we who choose to awaken ourselves, but God Who chooses to awaken us... Every moment and every event on earth plants something in our soul. Most of these seeds perish and are lost, because we are not prepared to receive them: for such seeds as these cannot spring up anywhere except in the good soil of freedom, spontaneity and love. Every expression of the will of God is in some sense a word of God and therefore a seed of new life. The will of God comes to us as an interior invitation of personal love… By consenting to God’s will with joy and doing it with gladness I have His love in my heart, because my will is now the same as His love and I am on the way to becoming what He is, Who is Love. And by accepting all things from Him I receive His joy into my soul, not because things are what they are but because God is Who He is, and His love has willed my joy in them all… For whatever is demanded by truth, by justice, by mercy, or by love must surely be taken to be willed by God. To consent to His will is, then, to consent to be true, or to speak truth, or at least to seek it… No man who ignores the rights and needs of others can hope to walk in the light of contemplation, because his way has turned aside from truth, from compassion and therefore from God… Not to accept love and do God’s will is to refuse the fullness of my existence… The secret of my identity is hidden in the love and mercy of God.” “We become contemplatives when God discovers Himself in us… Love comes out of God and gathers us to God in order to pour itself back into God through all of us and bring us all back to Him on the tide of His own infinite mercy. So we all become doors and windows through which God shines back into His own house… We must be clean windows, so that we may not obscure and hinder the light that comes to us.” “Meditation is a twofold discipline that has a twofold function. First it is supposed to give you sufficient control over your mind and memory and will to enable you to recollect yourself and withdraw from exterior things and the business and activities and thoughts and concerns of temporal existence, and second – this is the real end of meditation – it teaches you how to become aware of the presence of God; and most of all it aims at bringing you to a state of almost constant loving attention to God, and dependence on Him.” Thomas Merton shares much wisdom from his years as a Trappist monk at Gethsemane. His words are convicting and deep. The quotes highlighted in this article barely touch the surface of all that is available to be gleaned from this author. However, he tells us in his writings, that no formula, or book, or spiritual director is going to force us to avail time to and for God. This we have to do ourselves. As we continue to find ourselves living through this isolation and limited activities, may it motivate us to spend more time sitting in silence with God. If you would like to learn more about our local Contemplative prayer group please reach out to: Lili Murphy – 843-597-2099, [email protected] Bob Barrows – 843-655-9369, [email protected] Steve Attias – 843-344-7686, [email protected]

Evangelization continued

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When the PLC closed on March 10, 2020 because of the COVID pandemic, we quickly, yet very

cautiously had to “reimagine” almost everything we do each day. Religious education classes were

put on pause while we developed a Home-based program. Print materials were sent to families

along with online easy-to-use lesson plans and teaching guides for parents from the publisher. As

summer approached and we realized we would be unable to offer Vacation Bible School, we sent

home a variety of summer toys, games, prayer books, prayer cards, rosaries and other religious

items in large beach buckets for families to enjoy together.

Our Sacramental preparation programs created

yet another challenge for us to “reimagine”. We

had to prepare for and accommodate for those

parents who were not comfortable sending their

children to an in-person class. First Holy Com-

munion planned for May 3 was postponed until

June 7, when 8 children, whose preparation was

completed at home by their parents, received the

sacrament of the Eucharist in a small afternoon

Mass. In the Fall, we began offering a hybrid pro-

gram for Confirmation preparation, where families

who were not comfortable sending their children to

an in-person class could participate in our Home-

based online program, or they could choose to

have their children begin to meet in-person. For

those who elected to, Confirmation preparation

resumed meeting in person in small groups in the

Chapel, led by catechists Karyn Congdon,

Keaghan Turner, Laura Tate, Steve Attias and Liz

Attias. Bishop Guglielmone visited PBOC on De-

cember 11 and confirmed those 15 students in a

small evening Mass. A new Confirmation class

also began meeting in the chapel last Fall, led by

Deacon Mike Appel and assisted by catechist

Susie Kaminsky. First Holy Communion prepara-

tion resumed in-person in January. This 2nd

grade

class of 8 students, led by catechist Amy Kitowicz,

received the sacrament of First Reconciliation on

Saturday, March 13. They will receive their First

Holy Communion on May 2. We all look forward

to being together again soon!

Religious Education

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Music Ministry

“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” – Johann Sebastian Bach

In every dark cloud there is a silver lining. Even in the darkest of times, God’s light still shines through and He also makes it shine through others. Some of those shining lights of God working through his people are our instrumental-ists. We have been blessed to have our cellist, Sophia Murphy and a new violinist, Amelia Codillo who continue to help make our Sunday 10:30 AM High Mass beautiful for God’s glory. They have been faithfully practicing and working hard both with me and on their own learning new liturgical and classical music. By the time you read this, we will also have a flutist joining us as well, Augusta Couch, (we don’t have a picture for her yet, she joined us only recently). It is wonderful to see them so enthusiastic and wanting to be involved in our worship in this way! Our Cantors, another shining light of God’s grace working through His people have been faithfully practicing and help-ing us to glorify God in our Masses, encouraging us to praise God as we pray twice because he/she who sings prays twice. In addition, they have been singing beautiful solos which are an offering to God. Our Youth Choir has been really stepping up to the plate. Another shining light from God, they have also been practic-ing and working faithfully learning new anthems and solos. They have been singing in parts in duets, trios and quartets during the Mass. Some of them have also been doing double duty, playing an instrument and participating in singing in one of those small groups! Anthems or solos sung by choirs and soloists have a long his-tory in worship. Many of the world’s finest composers have written anthems specifically for the Mass. Their purpose, to borrow from Musica Sacram Vatican II, are to glorify God and to sanctify His people. Their purpose is to help us join the heavenly chorus of angels and to make our worship beautiful. When we sing we are learning and expressing our theology as a faith that is deeply embedded in the words that we sing. They are a prayer. We are digging deep in God’s Holy Word. When we all sing, we are all being spiritually strengthened for the trials and temptations in this life. Who hasn’t found comfort in music in a difficult time? Lastly, another shining light is the Astralis Chamber Ensemble. They have been receiving a growing following here! In fact, the churches in our area have asked me for their contact infor-mation because they would like them to perform a concert in their sanctuaries as well, after hearing them here in concert at PBOC! Their last concert here in November 2020 was very well attended in person and via live stream with people watch-ing from out of state. They will be back here for another con-cert with us on Tuesday, May 18, at 6:00 PM! We are always looking for more instrumentalists, Cantors and singers, so feel free to come and see me and ask how you can join our team! In His Service, Andre’ Rakus

Director of Music and Liturgy

Amelia Codillo, violinist; and Sophia Murphy, cellist.

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Outreach

Fresh Xpress

Fresh Xpress is a program that provides fresh produce through the Low Country Food Bank to our neighbors in Pawleys Island and other areas of Georgetown County. Precious Blood of Christ is the de-livery and distribution point and with the help of volunteers, vegetables, fruit, and sometimes dairy and meat are given away in a farmers’ market style event. Until last year we held six markets every year— three in the spring and three in the fall—to provide a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables and to introduce a variety of choices that some may not have the opportunity to purchase and enjoy. Recipes are provided for some of the less-common vegetables requiring few ingredients to prepare. We were able to have a market in March of last year before COVID 19 shut everything down in the community and on our campus. Last summer as the virus was spreading through the community, we were able to acquire pre-packed boxes of produce to give away at the Wednesday and Thursday lunch give away drive thru. On October 3 of last year we held our first drive-thru Fresh Xpress event. With volunteers working with members of their house-holds and following all COVID safety pro-tocols we bagged the produce and a run-ner placed the bags in trunks of cars so no one had to get out of their vehicles. Volunteers were so happy to be able to get back to helping the community by providing nutritious food that was and is so greatly needed. On November 14, with COVID cases spiking, we were able to have a drive-thru market with pre-packed boxes of produce placed in trunks; again allowing people to remain in their cars. COVID 19 has definitely changed the way we do things, but we have been able to adapt our methods and systems of distribution to bring healthy food to the PBOC community. The safety of volunteers and the community remains one of our biggest challenges.

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A Year of “Making Lemonade” We are all familiar with the cliché, “When life gives you lemons…make lemonade”. Well, I think everyone would agree that, in the year 2020, most of us were certainly showered with lemons. In fact, for a time, it seemed as though you could not go out the door without a hard-hat on to protect yourself from falling lemons. One of the good things to come out of this pandemic has been a sharp increase in people’s resourcefulness. Suddenly, we all needed to devise creative ways to accom-plish tasks that were so greatly impacted. Our council suffered severe setbacks in our fundraising capability that resulted from a need to “socially-distance” ourselves. The early spring found us unable to work the hot-dog stand at all the Myrtle Beach Pelicans home games. The late spring found us unable to host our annual Father’s Day Wine Tasting and the fall found us unable to have our annual Clem Thoennes Memorial Pancake Supper and Silent Auction. These were three huge fundraisers that could not even happen in the dreadful year of 2020! Many of our smaller, less significant fundraisers took on a whole new level of importance. Suddenly we found ourselves putting more emphasis on our annual religious Christmas card sale and our State Charity Raffle reached a whole new level of importance. But, thanks to the loyalty of our council Brothers and the faithful support of our parishioners, both of those efforts saw more success than in years past. In the fall, Sharon Roberts suggested an idea that turned out to be a significant fundraiser. She proposed that the council team up with Max Goree from Pawleys Island Bakery and sell holiday pies for Thanksgiving. The campaign was so successful that we did it again for Christmas and will likely make an annual council fundraiser. On the sixth of February, Brother Bill Sturgeon braved the cold and took the Polar Plunge into the Atlantic Ocean at Litchfield Beach and raised over a thousand dollars in support of Special Olympics. We hope and pray to get out of this lemon shower soon but, until we do, and with God’s help, we will just keep gathering them up, putting them in the press and squeezing out more delicious lemonade! May God continue to bless all the efforts of Council 11028 and the people of PBOC Parish.

Knights of Columbus

SK Bill Sturgeon taking the Polar Plunge

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Ignite update

Ignite continues to be active and meet on a regular

basis at PBOC. During the pandemic we had to get

creative with gatherings, but we have persevered!

We have enjoyed both beach and on-campus bon-

fire evenings, outdoor youth group meetings, first

Friday adoration, and Sunday afternoon youth group

gatherings.

We have established “Ignite Households” -

small groups - designed to encourage the

teens to stay connected with each other during

the week...to offer accountability and support in

living out their faith on a daily basis. During

weekly youth group meetings, we have started

to “dig in” to the scriptures as a source for con-

tinued growth in our faith. We enjoy meals and

fellowship time together.

With the reopening of the PLC, we have made some updates to the teen room and are looking for-

ward to many opportunities to grow in faith and community in our fresh new space! As we look for-

ward to the spring, we will be engaging in some service projects on our church campus. We are ex-

cited to “give back” to our parish by making improvements to the PLC courtyard and help out with

power washing the concrete areas and walkways around the PLC. Over the summer, we hope to

offer additional ways for the youth to stay connect and engaged with each other and their faith.

Youth Ministry

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In July, we are hopeful that Ignite members will have the opportunity to attend the Diocesan-led re-

treat - Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI). Those interested can visit the diocese of Charleston web-

site and register online under the “youth ministries” tab. In the fall, we hope to again attend the Na-

tional Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. We thank our church for its continued support of

youth ministry and ask for your prayers for all of our teens !

Youth Ministry

Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Parish 1633 Waverly Road

Pawleys Island, SC 29585 address service requested

Precious WORD Information and Inspiration for

the parishioners of Precious Blood of Christ

Catholic Parish

Published semi-annually

Editor Patty Guazzo

Production Ellen Sullivan Patty Guazzo

(843) 237-3428 [email protected]

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PERMIT NO. 52 PAWLEYS ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA

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Easter Masses April 3: 8:00 p.m. (Vigil) April 4: 8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. (streamed) 12:00 p.m. Easter Baskets at all Masses

Divine Mercy Sunday April 11: 3:00 p.m. Service

Tastes at Pawleys - Next Year 2022 Sunday, April 24

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