Next Sunday: Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Celebrant: Fr. Tharp
August Special Election
As you all know, there is a special election on August 8 asking for approval or denial of Issue #1. As I understand it, Issue #1 deals with the percentage of votes (or vote count) necessary to change the Ohio Constitution. At present, the vote count necessary to alter the Ohio Constitution is a simple majority; that is 50% plus 1vote. Issue #1 requires a 60% majority to change the constitution.
Many parishioners have asked if the Archbishop has issued any advice from a moral perspective. People and organizations who are strongly Pro-Life have made it clear that a “YES” vote on Issue #1 will make it harder for Pro-Abortion forces to enshrine abortion and elimination of parents rights over their own children in the Ohio Constitution come the November vote. Since “percentage of votes to change the constitution” is not in and of itself a strictly “moral” issue (although the vote in November is a moral issue!), the Archdiocese has not issued a formal moral statement of instruction on Issue #1. This being said, virtually all Pro-Life spokespersons, agencies, and individual pro-life voters are praying for a “YES” vote on Issue #1 in the August election to make it harder to enshrine abortion in the State of Ohio Constitution come November.
Special Eucharistic Adoration and Prayer for Ohio and the United States
When the moral fiber of our state and nation is accosted by the specter of constitutional amendment proposals (November Ballot Issue) that could enshrine “abortion” as a constitutional right and simultaneously dismantle parental authority over their children’s gender; people of faith look to the Church for definition of moral principles and commit themselves to prayer for the conscience of our state and the nation as a whole. Since the aforementioned August 8 special election in Ohio has such importance to pro-life believers in relation to the constitutional amendment to be voted on in November; an impromptu special prayer for “the moral conscience of our state” has been organized by our Women of Faith for the evening of August 8, the day of the special election. Adoration at Sacred Heart will begin at 5:00 p.m. and conclude with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:00 p.m. Come join in prayer that the guidance of the Holy Spirit will impact the consciences of all voters to favor and protect the sanctity of human life.
Remember
St. Ann Festival took place on July 28th and 29th. Sacred Heart’s festival is August 11th, 12th, and 13th. As “One Family,” let us support each other’s festivals
Feast of the Assumption of the BVM is August 15
Tuesday, August 15 is a Holyday of Obligation for Catholics in the United States. It celebrates that Mary was God’s predestined chosen vessel through which the hypostatic union of Jesus came to be a reality. Therefore God would reasonable afford Mary the gift of being body and soul in Heaven with her Son, Jesus Christ. Mary is the model of the Church! What God promises for the Church, he pre-figures in Mary. Examples: Mary’s immaculate conception is a model for Baptism. The virginal birth is a model for all of us to participate in Mary’s title of Theotokos by receiving the Holy Eucharist. The Assumption is a model for the promise of Jesus to the Church of “resurrection of the body and life everlasting.” What God promises the Church in the Sacraments, God pre-figures in the Blessed Virgin Mary. The follow is the Mass schedule for the Holyday:
Monday, August 14: St. Ann 5:30 p.m. Sacred Heart 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 15: St. Ann 6:30 a.m. Sacred Heart 7:30 a.m. Sacred Heart 7:00 p.m.
Beacons of Light
The next phase of the Beacons of Light process calls us to envision our identity by choosing a name for our Family. The Combined Parish Council now has produced four possible Family Names that they would like to present to parishioners. The vote will take place on August 5th & 6th at all the precept Masses:
- The Family of the Divine Jesus
- Mary, Mother of Grace Family
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Family
- The Family of Christ our Light
The combined Parish Council is planning to vote on the possible names at all the precept Masses on the weekend of August 5 and 6. Please prayerfully consider your preference.
The Sunday Mass Schedule
Precept Masses on Sunday Morning for the Parish Family of St. Ann / Sacred Heart are 8:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart, 9:30 a.m. at St. Ann, and 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart. All Masses are celebrated by the pastor, Fr. Tharp.
8:00 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart worship space
9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Ann worship space
11:00 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart worship space
Remember: The Saturday evening Masses (4:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart and 5:15 p.m. at St. Ann) remain unaltered and are celebrated by the pastor, Fr. Tharp.
Children’s Mass Bags
Our new Director of Evangelization and his wife who is our new Coordinator of Religious Education have put together Children’s Mass bags which you will find displayed in the Narthex at Sacred Heart and soon at St. Ann. Each bag is filled with age appropriate materials for your child. After the items in the bags are used to entertain your child during Mass, please place the items back in the bag and place the bag back on the display frame. You may have noticed the steps and other items for children in place in the restrooms at Sacred Heart. This is all part of the process to make our churches and services more “child friendly.”
The Sacrament of the Sick in Hospitals
Please remember that even Catholic Hospitals are not permitted to tell me when my parishioner enters their hospital. If two or three people tell me about their loved on in the hospital after Mass, I will not keep it straight in my weak brain long enough to get it on paper. Therefore, if your loved one enters the hospital (if it is not an emergency) and would like me to provide the Anointing of the Sick; please leave a clear and accurate message on my daytime voice mail at (513) 858-4260 or email me at frtharp@sacredheart-fairfield.org. Please also remember that you cannot text me at the above number as it is a land line and does not receive texts.
If an emergency arises during the evening or night after the secretaries leave and you need me for an emergency Anointing of the Sick, you must call (513) 858-4210, and press option number 2 to leave a paging voicemail for Fr. Tharp. This is the only way to be sure I will receive your message when I am away from my desk until the next morning. I suggest you use this emergency procedure only at the times when the secretaries are not available to answer the telephone.
Precious Blood at Communion
We have distributors lined up for two cups at all three Sunday morning Masses; two at Sacred Heart and one at St. Ann.” For the moment, we do not have cups lined up for the either of the Saturday evening Masses. Again, we can only offer both species to the degree we have enough Eucharistic ministers willing to do cups at the various precept Masses. We hope to have cups offered at the Saturday Masses very soon.
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
As the new reduced Sunday Mass schedule is in place, it has been recommended that I continue to live stream the 4:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart, and consider not live streaming the 5:15 p.m. Mass from St. Ann but instead live stream the Sunday Mass at 9:30 from St. Ann. We will experiment with this for a time and see which arrangement is more favored.
I also want to apologize that the sound failed midway through the Mass on July 29th from Sacred Heart. Our technician has updated the software in the hope it will provide a short term fix until we receive the new equipment which has been on order for some time.
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 Transfiguration of Jesus was what the TV people call a “sneak peek” preview of things to come, or in this case, of the reality of the hypostatic union. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of Man; a human being born of Mary. Jesus is also “THE” Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He reveals both when Peter, James, and John witness him conversing with Moses, the great lawgiver, and Elijah, the epitome of the Prophets. Jesus is fully God and man. This is witnessed before their eyes.
The Old Testament Law contained in the first five books of the Bible was the foundational identity for the Jewish people. A boy of thirteen was to go through Bar Mitzvah to become a “Son of the Law.” He could now be part of the Quorum in his synagogue. He could now read and obey the Law.
The prophetic books of the Bible allowed both the literary and non-literary prophets to build the conscience of Israel. The prophets spoke the truth and sought to write the truth on human hearts.
The Law and the Prophets are the atomic structure of God revealing himself to humanity. Jesus supersedes both the Law and the Prophets because he does not just communicate Law and conscience! Jesus is the Son of God and therefore because he is God brings God’s revelation to humanity to its fullness and completion.
We have all heard the line from the old “A Team” TV show, “I love it when a plan comes together.” God’s love for us is evident and obvious when his plan of revelation comes together in Jesus Christ.
NEXT WEEK The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a
Rom 9:1-5
Mt 14:22-33
Theme: We are humbled by the power of God