Next Sunday: Third Sunday of Easter Celebrant : Fr. Tharp
Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The sung Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Benediction will be celebrated on Sunday April 16 at St. Ann at 3:00 p.m. Please remember to bring your rosary.
Saturday Morning Mass and Confessions at Sacred Heart
Please be aware that the Joe Nuxall miracle league opening day parade will form in the parking lot of Sacred Heart (primarily on the school part of the parking lot) on April 22, 2023 during the time when confessions are usually heard and rosary is prayed. We have done this in the past and there have been few problems. Just be aware of the reason for additional activity on the parking lot that morning.
Easter Volunteers and Special Craftsmen
Special thanks to all who helped clean-up and set-up for Easter and during Holy Week at both church building locations. The ambiance of each of the two worship spaces is unique, but the music, other ministers, and special attention to cleaning and detail enhanced worship at both locations. Also special thanks to three parish members who have created and crafted new liturgical furniture.
At Sacred Heart, we now have a functional baptismal font. Doug Webb, the designer and carpenter who build the first font in 1989, replaced all the wood and plumbing. He had to work day and night to have it functional for Easter Vigil.
Also at Sacred Heart, many thanks to parishioner Doug Krusenklaus for the three newly crafted wooden tables currently in use in the main entrance to the nave of church. The tables are beautifully crafted and have already proven their functionality during Holy Week and at Easter Vigil.
At St. Ann, special thanks to Joe Keller for the beautiful new columbarium already put to use for funerals during Lent.
“Hats off” to these and all who by their craft have enhanced the warmth and functionality of our two worship spaces.
Catholic Conference of Ohio
In a letter dated February 28, 2023, all the Catholic Bishops from the State of Ohio have asked faithful Catholics throughout Ohio to oppose the proposed ballot initiative for the November ballots enshrining and expanding abortion in the State of Ohio. We have numerous copies of the letter at the doors of Church. Please take a copy and read about this troubling ballot proposal aimed at the Catholic Church and pro-life efforts throughout the state. You have seen similar initiatives reported in other states. Catholics of good conscience are encouraged to read the letter, speak out, and stay informed.
Director of Evangelization for the St. Ann/Sacred Heart Family
Mr. Jose Martinez is the new Director of Evangelization for the Parish Family of St. Ann / Sacred Heart. He is hard at work familiarizing himself with both parishes. He and I will host an evening for any and all questions soon after the end of the school year. More to come….
Beacons of Light Organizational Structure
The recommended Beacons of Light organizational structure requires a Family of Parishes to have a Director of Evangelization, a Director of Worship, and a Director of Administration. The structure I envision will also include a Director of Real Estate and Physical Assets. (This is due to the reality that our Family needs both churches to accommodate our Sunday attendance, and both schools to accommodate our existing and anticipated students.) Together with the two principals, all four directors will serve as an extension of the pastor in their specific areas of expertise. “Beacons” foresees an environment not simply focused on maintaining what is, but directed to outreach, evangelization, and growth.
The symmetry of all this organizational structure is not based on the clerical model I, and most priests of my age, have grown up with! Rather it operates on a model of assumed delegation, so that the younger priest who replaces me when I retire will feel comfortable assuming the role of pastor in an organizational model normative throughout the Archdiocese. In other words, my oversight in this process is to establish a manner of operation designed not for me personally, but for my successors about three years from now. The reality is that priests my age (70 plus) have functional and canonical “expiration dates.” The reality of the “post COVID” church is that fewer people are coming to Sunday Mass. “Beacons” is a creative structuring for where we are going; not for where we have been.
Review of Mass Schedules
There are “five Phases” of the implementation of Beacons of Light. Family C-4 (comprised of Sacred Heart and St. Ann) has been designated a “one priest/pastor region.” It is almost certain that this will become the reality by July 1, 2023. This means that there is no assisting priest envisioned. In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati no one priest is canonically permitted to celebrate more than three Masses on any one day. At present we have two Sunday morning precept Masses at St. Ann and three Sunday morning precept Masses at Sacred Heart. Five Masses may not be celebrated by any one priest. Also every precept Mass at any parish must adhere to “space utilization requirements.” We have a declining Sunday attendance based on St. Ann and Sacred Heart’s October Count numbers. At least three of the five existing Sunday Masses are not well enough attended to meet these utilization requirements.
After we have the data from the survey recently completed, we will empanel an ad hoc utilization committee representing St. Ann and Sacred Heart in order to study, discuss, and reconcile our Sunday numbers with Archdiocesan utilization requirements. In the meantime, please remind parishioners that their presence each week at either St. Ann or Sacred Heart will result in a tremendous impact on the recommendations that the ad hoc committee will be required to bring to the Archdiocese.
Re-introduction of Precious Blood at Communion
We have distributors lined up for two cups at “all three Sunday morning Masses at Sacred Heart.”
For the time being we only have distributors for the cup at the 11:00 a.m. Mass at St. Ann. Again, we can only do this to the degree we have enough Eucharistic ministers willing to do cups at the various precept Masses.
DO NOT FALL FOR SCAMS!!!!
I keep running this article because there are new scams everyday
Remember I NEVER solicit funds, donations, favors, or any request of any kind over the telephone, text, email, carrier pigeon, drone, etc. NEVER! Do not allow yourself to be taken in by scammers. Even if they have my recorded voice, be assured it is computer generated fake! It is not me!!!
Reminder for volunteers who work with or around children
Please be aware that failure to register with and complete the requirements of Safe Parish will result in your inability to continue to work with or around children in any parish and/or school setting. We have been informed by the Archdiocese that there can be NO EXCEPTIONS.
Live Streaming for Precept Masses
My sincere apologies that the sound went out completely half way through the Easter
Vigil live-stream and there was no sound at all on the Easter Morning live feed. We have a call into the company that works on our sound system. Hopefully they can fix it before next Saturday.
Please remember to access the Sacred Heart / St. Ann Pastoral Region You Tube site by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVLLqbEY5hKWinwz069MVcg
Reflection on Scripture:
The Second Sunday of Easter used to be referred to a “low Sunday” because all the exciting stuff happened on Easter (the week before). But then, Pope Saint John Paul II elevated Sr. Faustina to the canon of saints early this century; and since then, we have celebrated what used to be “low Sunday” to be “Divine Mercy Sunday.” The whole point of the Feast is to remind us that God’s love in Jesus Christ is not “retributive justice;” it is “divine mercy.” If God has shown such great mercy for us, is it not appropriate that we show mercy to one another? Thus Divine Mercy flows to us through the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist). As you gaze upon the image of Jesus with water and blood streaming as light from his wounded side, and perhaps as you recite or sing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy; see yourself as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ perfected by the merciful graces flowing from Jesus Christ.
NEXT WEEK Third Sunday of Easter
Acts 2:14, 22-33
1 Pt 1:17-21
Lk 24: 13-35
Theme: The Road to Emmaus Story