Father Pat’s homily for June 16, 2013
Jesus loves us as we are. There is no entry requirement for being in community with him.
Listen here or in the embedded player below.
June 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Peter’s Pence Collection
Our second collection this weekend supports Peter’s Pence.
The Peter’s Pence Collection is taken up worldwide to support the most disadvantaged: victims of war, oppression, and natural disaster and others in need of emergency assistance. Be a pilgrim of charity—please be generous in this collection.
June 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Last Call for Bishop’s Annual Appeal
Please fill out an envelope, even if you do not wish to contribute to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.
Fr. Pat would like to know that you have at least prayed about it. One of our goals is percentage of participation. We are over our goal on pledges and will receive a refund once they are paid off.
June 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Catholic Practices: The First 10%
The bible says we should give the first 10% of everything in thanksgiving for what God has given us.
Catholic practice of sacrificial giving means
- 5% in charities of your choice;
- 2% to the parish offertory;
- 2% to the diocesan appeals (BAA); and
- 1% for the designated collections.
This week, stop and review how well you are doing to support the work of the Church.
June 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment
The Seminarian’s Corner: Mass Intentions
By Shane Ball
One thing that has always bothered me at funerals is when the celebrant insists on telling the congregation that the deceased is now with God in heaven. While it is certainly done to comfort the family, this premature canonization does a disservice to the souls of the faithful departed.
In life, we do not hesitate to admit that we are deeply flawed and far from perfect. This fact is the basis for the Church’s doctrine on purgatory, which, simply stated, says that we must be “purged” of our sinful inclinations before we can stand in the presence of God. All of us will need this purification after our deaths.
Another doctrine directly related to our purification is the communion of saints. While most Catholics practice this doctrine by soliciting the aid of saints through intercessory prayer, the souls in purgatory are often forgotten. We can pray for those in purgatory to assist them on their journey to heaven and they, in turn, can intercede for us.
The single greatest prayer of the Church and aid to souls in purgatory is the sacrifice of the Mass. Nothing is more efficacious in aiding the purification process than to have Masses said for the deceased. Therefore, I invite you to remember your deceased relatives and friends by having Masses said for them here at St. Joseph. Many of the Masses during the week are “open,” meaning there is no intention designated for that Mass.
I urge you to contact the parish office this summer and have a Mass said for someone who is dear to you. You will also receive a Mass card that can be given to someone, which is a nice way of showing that you are thinking about and praying for the repose of the soul of the deceased. In so doing, you give testimony to the reality of the communion of saints and perform a profound act of charity by aiding souls on their way to heaven.
Shane Ball is a second year theology student at the Pontifical College Josephinum. He spent 6 weeks with our parish and this is his final bulletin article. He anticipates ordination to the priesthood in 2016.
June 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Bride of Christ
The scriptures use many different images for the Church. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are his flock. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. St. Paul describes us as the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. From the Old Testament, we get the image of People of God. And, as discussed last week, the Church is the Bride of Christ and the New Jerusalem.
The many images all have one thing in common, namely our relationship with Jesus Christ. The image of bride is the most intimate. We recall the story of Hosea who God commanded to marry a prostitute as a message to the people about their infidelity. In the end, she becomes faithful. This is our story as well. When we consider our selves as the bride of Christ, it is important to note that we do not make ourselves worthy. Christ has chosen us as his bride. It is God’s grace that makes us worthy.
Trying to work through the confusion of our theological language is difficult. Scripture does not define the words it uses. The language of salvation is crisscrossed by interpretations by many different denominations within the Christian Church. For some, being “saved” is the same as being “sanctified”. For others, being “saved” means we are no longer under condemnation of Hell but are heirs to Heaven. Being “sanctified” is an ongoing process that is necessary to enter into heaven. Thus, a person must repent (Mt4:17), believe in Jesus (Acts 16:31), keep the Commandments (Mt 19:16-17), and live a life of charity (1 Cor 13:1-3) as scripture plainly teaches.
Here is my reflection on the question about the Bride preparing herself. First, the Church is made up of the followers of Jesus on Earth and those who are in heaven. The heavenly church is described in Revelation 7:13-14, “These are the ones who have survived the great period of trial; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Here is a bride who has prepared herself and is dressed in the wedding garment. Recall the parable of Jesus about the guest without a wedding garment.
The image of the Church as the New Jerusalem is not contradictory but a compliment to the other images of the Church in scripture.
June 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
June 16 Bulletin
From the Announcements:
- This is Shane’s last weekend with us. We wish him many blessings as he continues through his journey to the priesthood.
- VBS Registration on page 5 along with a listing of things we need. Please register your child and let us know what items you can help with.
- Need 2 new people to serve on the Finance Committee. Contact the parish office.
- As part of the Plain City area BE THE CHURCH, we are collecting large girls’ socks and composition books. Please bring them to the collection bins by July 6/7.
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June 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Corpus Christi 2013 Highlight
Thank you to everyone who helped make the West Deanery Corpus Christi at St. Joseph such a blessed event.
June 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Catholic Practices: Commit to Spiritual Reading
Summer is a great time to do some reading. There are many great Catholic books that can lead you closer to a relationship with God.
Start with the Bible, God’s Word. If you are already in the habit of reading the Bible daily, try reading one of the saints or one of the Catholic classics.
Commit to spiritual reading every day.