Dear Parishioners,
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Bread and wine were an ancient component in Israel’s ritual history. Jesus infused their sharing with new meaning that has sustained the church to this day. When we regularly participate in the Eucharist, we can become immune to its unifying power for the whole world. This annual feast reminds us that it is our central liturgical act as Christians. Unity is deeply needed more than ever, and the source of that unity is literally in our hands.
Next weekend we will celebrate the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We return to “green” next week as we return to “Ordinary Time.” As said many times “Ordinary Time” isn’t “blah” time … it is a time when we “count” the weeks leading up to Christ the King and Advent. As we celebrate the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time next week, we reflect that we are all called to follow Jesus. That is no surprise. This sacramentally-sealed call is operative for as long as we live. We also know that accepting it has implications we will only discover as we go. Next weekend’s readings remind us that calls can be unexpected, demanding, even dangerous. But Paul assures us that freedom, love and the Spirit’s guidance are all part of it.
Father Mike Donald: A BIG thank you for ALL that you did here these past twelve years serving as our Senior Associate Pastor. Especially during the time of Msgr. Dennis Doerhoff’s illness, death, and the time between his death and the appointment of Msgr. John Brennell, you carried the burden of this parish on your shoulders. The people appreciate your homilies and the work you did in so many areas, especially in our PSR program and taking care of the servers. Count- less numbers of people benefitted from your care and concern shown by your many hospital visits, nursing home visits, and Masses, Communion Calls to the shut ins, and especially your care and concern shown at funerals. We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts. May the Lord, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, watch over you and bless you as you make your move to Saint Joseph Parish in Clayton. I know the many people there who attend the noon Mass will benefit from your clear homilies.
To all the parishioners, especially those NOT at the 11:30 A.M. Mass, I hope that you return for the reception honoring Father Mike following the 11:30 A.M. Mass this Sunday.
The future: With the arrival of Father Stephen Schumacher next week, the Mass schedule will stay the same while he is with us. (Father was here for a brief visit and lunch on this past Thursday. He is “anxious to get to work.”) I want to alert you that when Father Schumacher returns to Rome in the Fall, unless something positive happens, there will be a change in the Mass schedule here at Saint Monica’s. The Parish Council will begin discussing this at their next meeting on July 8th. Since I’m the only priest here, I have some ideas about a future schedule, but I will discuss it with the Parish Council first. No decisions will be made until after the August Parish Council meeting.
Religious Freedom Week 2019: Strength in Hope
In the pilgrimage of this life, hidden with Christ in God and free from enslavement to wealth, they aspire to those riches which remain forever and generously dedicate themselves wholly to the advancement of the kingdom of God and to the reform and improvement of the temporal order in a Christian spirit. Among the trials of this life they find strength in hope, convinced that “the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). –
Apostolicam actuositatem, paragraph 4 (Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, November 18, 1965)
Our U S Bishops ask that from June 22 to June 29, we pray, reflect, and take action on religious liberty, both here in this country and abroad. The suggested intentions for each day of this special week of prayer are:
June 22: Saints Thomas More & John Fisher – seeking the kingdom and finding strength in hope June 23: Corpus Christi – Middle East Christians
June 24: Nativity of Saint John the Baptist – Faithful Public Servants June 25: Myanmar – End Persecution of the Rohingya
June 26: Freedom to Serve in Foster Care and Adoption
June 27: Saint Cyril of Alexandria – Persecution of Christians in Nigeria June 28: The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus – Religion: A Public Good
June 29: Saints. Peter & Paul – Religious Freedom for Incarcerated Persons
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says: “Religious freedom gives us the space to carry out the mission that Jesus has entrusted to the Church. Religious freedom means that Catholics, and all people of goodwill, are free to seek the truth and to live in accordance with that truth, and so to strengthen our common life as a nation. … In the midst of our current challenges, join us as we seek the kingdom and find Strength in Hope.” Learn more at www.usccb.org/ ReligiousFreedomWeek. The “fortnight (two weeks) for freedom” is now “Religious Freedom Week.” May we pray that we have the opportunity to be free … our First Amendment right, and do all we can to insure that others may be free.
Act of Consecration: Last week the Knights of Columbus distributed (at most Masses) a prayer card asking that you consider consecrating your families to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. That Act of Consecration will be made next weekend. We hope that you have
Looking ahead: Our only Mass on Thursday, July 4, will be at 9:00 A.M. We invite to come and celebrate our freedom that day, the 243rd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Faithfully yours in Christ, the Bread of Life,
Fr Joe Weber