St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic Church

Fr. Tony

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Reverend Monsignor Anthony M. Tocco, Pastor

When people ask a priest what life in his parish is like, he is sometimes tempted to count off numbers. Thinking of the work involved, he can enumerate how many weddings, funerals, baptisms, communions and reconciliations are done in the period of a year. A thinking pastor tries to not give into such a temptation because counting is always a mistake. Numbers mean very little, They rarely give a true and certain picture of the real quality of life in a given parish. A pastor would do better to reflect on a parish's willingness to be life-giving ... to be transformed into the kind of community that reflects the call of Jesus in the Gospel.

I am most pleased to tell you that St. Hugo's is that kind of parish. I believe that a parish today is called to be open, honest, loving, caring, sharing, celebrating, communicating, forgiving and understanding. We have such a parish because we have such people.

Buildings can be beautiful and grounds can be restful. But, a life-giving parish cannot be known for the beauty of its structures alone. A parish must be known for a direction the community of believers has taken. Above all, a parish should be recognized for the Gospel challenges her people willingly accepts ... challenges to be less prejudiced, more loving, more dedicated to justice, more interested in peace, more generous to those in need and more aware of her responsibilities to the whole of society and to the whole of the church.

As a pastor, I am proud of the physical condition of this parish plant. I am proud to call the community to worship in such a beautiful church. But I am most proud of the way our people continue to serve the Gospel. When visitors compliment our community as being warm and loving as a parish, I feel the greatest sense of accomplishment. When I see so many volunteers in action, generous and giving, unselfish and concerned for others, reaching out to so many who are in need and becoming directly involved in addressing the problems of people who live on the margins of society, I feel most justified in my ministry.

This book puts names to the people who serve in the various ministries of parish life, It puts names to the numbers of worshippers who gather for Liturgy from our many communities and geographical areas. It is meant to be a helpful resource for both staff workers and volunteers in the many ministries that serve us so well as a parish. When a person in leadership picks up this directory to ask for your help, know that our success correlates directly to your response. It is my closing prayer that God will give each of you the grace to participate actively in the life of St. Hugo's. May your service be a blessing for you and your families.

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