Joe Ricks


(May, 2009, Parish Fair) Joe Ricks volunteered for the toughest shifts at the fair’s catfish booth. Joe is the Men of Manresa’s Number One Chef, regales our monthly meeting with good stories and great ideas, and attends retreat in July.



We begin by thanking God for all the gifts He has given us - such a wonderful parish, and such a successful 2009 parish fair. We thank our priests, the entire parish staff, and all the organizers of this year’s fair. We thank all those who prepared for the fair, who volunteered to work at the fair, and who came out to enjoy the food, fun and fellowship.

And on these pages of our own monthly newsletter, we present just a few of the many Men of Manresa who were among those thousands of parishioners and friends who prompt us to also close with all thanks and glory to God.

SCB celebrates Mass for anniversary couples

The Lamb, November 2009


Mary and Joe Ricks (50 years)

At 4:30 Mass on Saturday, September 26, nineteen St. Charles Borromeo couples celebrated significant wedding anniversaries. Observing their 50th anniversary were Mary and Joe Ricks, shown above celebrating their sacramental marriage.

Three SCB parishioners receive St. Louis award

Joyce Faucheaux, Joe and Mary Ricks

JOE AND MARY RICKS, JOYCE FAUCHEAUX RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE TO GOD

The Lamb, June 2005

Once again the SCB Men of Manresa are privileged and very proud to have two of the three recipients of this year’s award for service to their God and our parish from our ranks. This award is given annually for outstanding service. This year’s honorees are:

Mary & Joe Ricks (Men of Manresa members)
Joyce Faucheaux

Joyce Faucheaux is a most admired parishioner with a record 49 years of teaching in the SCB Elementary School. This is a record that will probably never be equaled. During that time she stepped up when called upon and took the leadership as principal of the school, but her first love was the classroom. As proof of this love she spends additional time one night a week teaching religion in the parish CCD Program. Each year our First Communion class has two services on a Saturday – one at 9 AM and a second at 11 AM. This is a very time consuming preparation for our youth and she’ll tell you “I enjoy every minute.” Joyce is on our church cleaning team helping on Fridays in June and July (her summer vacation months)!! For years she has volunteered to assist in decorating the church for major feast days and seasons (Christmas, Easter, etc.). Joyce has participated in every work day for the school and church, painting, cleaning, scrubbing, moving furniture, desks, etc. There is no end to what she has done and it is always a pleasure to work next to her.

Mary and Joe Ricks are relative new comers to our parish, but they hit the church steps “running”. They are presently involved in almost every ministry related to church and school. They have a number of grandchildren presently in the SCB Elementary School and support every exercise the school has. Mary and Joe are on a church cleaning team for two months of each year. Mary volunteered in her team to wash and iron the altar linens weekly during that two month period. Both are heavily involved in the SCB Men of Manresa with monthly attendance. Joe cooks meals, helps other cooks with preparation and does a great job in getting his son and other three sons-in-law to also attend. Mary took the lead role the last two Easter seasons to locate, purchase and care for the peace plants that decorate our church. The two of them nursed the plants and readied them for the next year. Joe is a very dependable handyman doing many odd jobs such as carpentry, building fair booths, and preparing palms for Palm Sunday. Both volunteered for the decorating committee. Together they participate in the Men of Manresa presentations, “The Living Way of the Cross”, “The Story of Jesus”, and “Mary’s Way of the Cross”, even enlisting their family members and grandchildren. Both work each year at the annual fair preparing and serving food in the food booths.

No one person could possibly list all the generous services these three outstanding parishioners have provided. To know that they have always been there when needed makes them extra special.

Thanks to the three of you for letting us see our God in your lives of service. May each of you be truly blessed with the graces that comes to those who imitate Christ in all they do.

Lamb-Yap

The secret of jovial Joe Ricks’ gift of gab has been discovered.

Secret of silver-tongued Manresan exposed

The Lamb, October 2006

SCB Men of Manresa member Joe Ricks is well known for his gift of gab, He can tell a story with the best of them, and he can put you in stitches with his jokes. Using his great vocal talents, he makes sense of complex situations and brings understanding to all listeners. With his soothing voice, he brings calm to the frantic, cheer to the saddened, comfort to the lonely, and hope to those who have given up. Words of wisdom and home-spun catch phrases pepper his speech. Even when he is hoarse, his voice still sounds like a Derby winner. And even when he has a frog in his throat, his voice never croaks.

Much admired, people far and wide have long wondered how he does it. But in a chance meeting at a local hardware store, Joe’s secret was unintentionally exposed. Making engaging conversation, Joe occupied our attention that day with a tall tale about some project he was doing refinishing a table “for his momma.”

Then, in a rare slip, his secret was laid bare. I actually heard him say what he was purchasing: it was tung oil!

It’s no wonder he’s such a good speaker! Of course anyone who lubricates their tongue is going to spin a yarn a bit more freely.

(Kids: Don’t try this at home!)

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