Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter, known as Good Shepherd Sunday. Picture a lush meadow with a large flock of sheep enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Despite the coronavirus around us perhaps this scene might be helpful to us today. We are part of that flock. We have a lovingly devoted shepherd, the One who calls us each by name and invites us to have life and to have it more abundantly. This weekend let’s join together in joy and with gratitude for all He has done for us.

Next weekend is the Fifth Sunday of Easter. It will be, of course, Mother’s Day. Next week we will honor our mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and all who have been like mothers to us.

Peter’s words in today’s second reading apply to many of them, for they have been cornerstones

in our lives, chosen, and precious. In the Gospel next week, taken from the Last Supper, Jesus will teach his disciples, and us, that He shows the way to His Father. Many of us were shown the way to faith by our mothers. May we pray for them, living and dead, next weekend.

Upcoming events: Even though most of the state will “reopen” tomorrow, those of us in St Louis City and County are still not yet “open.” At this time, as you know, the prohibition of large (more than 10 people) gatherings and social distancing are still in effect. However, we are starting to plan for the future.

As already mentioned, the celebration of First Holy Communion, originally scheduled for last weekend, is TENTATIVELY scheduled for Sunday, June 14, the Feast of Corpus Christi, at 2:00 P.M. Assuming that this will be the case, we will have a practice, just for the first communicants and parents, at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 13.  However that is still subject to change.  The “official” end of the School year will be celebrated with a Mass Wednesday, May 20. It will be streamed at 9:30 A.M. as usual. The PSR closing Mass will be at 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, May 27th. We are inviting our 8th grade PSR students to participate in the Mass and the annual May Crowning. That will also be streamed on the 27th. There will be more details forthcoming … and we hope that things will work out well. 8th grade graduation will happen! We are shooting for a date in July … but we don’t know (for sure) whether or not it will happen yet so I’m not announcing that this weekend.

We don’t know when we can have the celebration of Baptisms of our Elect and Reception into the Church for our candidates which were cancelled for the Easter Vigil. My guess (purely a guess) is that it won’t happen until sometime in June. We do hope for more direction from the Archdiocese when things are more firm.

Yesterday six young men were ordained transitional deacons. They are scheduled to be ordained priests next May. It was at the Cathedral, but it was a “private ceremony,” with it being live streamed. This is a momentous event when they received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, at least the first stage, the diaconate. Please pray for these six young men as they will (hopefully!) be able to begin their ministry as deacons soon.

Of course our own transitional deacon, Rev. Mr. Dane J. Westhoff, is still scheduled to be ordained a priest on Saturday, May 23. That might be a “private” ceremony,” too. (That would really be too bad!) However it will be live streamed if it comes to that. Please pray for Deacon Westhoff as he gets closer and closer to his Ordination to the priesthood.

Meanwhile, let’s all pray for an end to this pandemic and a return to a “more normal” way of life.

May the Month of Mary: I already mentioned that the closing Mass for PSR will include a May Crowning. That is an old tradition of the Church whereby we acknowledge our Blessed Mother to be the Queen of the Universe. We owe her so much, in saying “yes” to the Lord to become the mother of Jesus. We owe her so much as she continues to pray for us.

Certainly one of the most beautiful devotions to Mary is the Holy Rosary. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has an entire section devoted to Mary, the Mother of Christ, the Mother of the Church. In paragraphs 963 to 975, the Catechism speaks about Mary and her role in salvation

history.  Particularly, in paragraph 971, the church teaches:   A” ll generations will call me blessed”: “

The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship.”The Church rightly honors t”he Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of ‘Mother of God,’ to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs…. This very special devotion … differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration. “The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an e”pitome of the whole Gospel,”(as both the Second Vatican Council and Pope Saint Paul VI put it) express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.

In paragraphs 2673-2682, the Catechism speaks of her role in Christian prayer. Specifically, later on in paragraph 2708, in speaking of Christian Meditation there is mention of the Rosary, and the Catechism writes: Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.

The point of this is that the twenty mysteries of the Rosary help us to grow closer to Jesus as we meditate on His life, death, and resurrection.

Since we all have “more time” now than when other evening busy things happen, perhaps we can spend time with the “family rosary,” (remember “the family that prays together, stays together”!) and ask our Lord and His Mother to watch over and protect us.

Continuing Formation: Please remember that Father Schumacher and Deacon Westhoff are still hosting the “continuing formation” talks at 10:30 A.M. each Sunday morning on the “Saint Monica Young Adults” Facebook Page. They are in the midst of talking about the Sacraments … and are putting in a lot of work preparing for these sessions. They are worth watching!

The Mass intentions to be prayed at our daily “private Masses” this week (celebrated “in private”

in our church, and streamed on our website … through YouTube … and on the parish Facebook page at 9:30 each morning are): Monday – Friday: for the Mother’s Day Novena. The Saturday intention is for Dr Syl Flotte and his daughter, Mary. On Sunday we will have a Mass for the People of the Parish and I have asked Fr Schumacher to celebrate the Mother’s Day Novena Mass intentions on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and Tuesday of next week.

On a personal note: Thank you ALL for the various gifts, the numerous cards, and many e-mails I received on the occasion of my 70th birthday. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. I used to think that 70 was, as the saying goes, “old as dirt,” well it is old, but not THAT old, I guess. Please continue to pray for me. Thank you.

Faithfully yours, in the Risen Christ, our Good Shepherd,

Fr Joe Weber

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