From the Desk of Father Tharp

 St. Ann and Sacred Heart Festivals

I offer my heartfelt thanks to all those who volunteer for our parish festivals.  At the time this article must be presented to the printer, I do not know the success of the St. Ann festival this year.  I know already that any success achieved is due to the diligent work of our festival volunteers and the support of the parish faithful.

Sacred Heart Festival is Friday thru Sunday, August 9, 10, & 11.  Special thanks to the volunteers who make both festivals possible.  As a Pastoral Region let us continue to support each other’s festivals. 

Cooperative Mission Appeal
This year’s cooperative Mission Appeal will take place (NEXT WEEKEND) at all precept Masses on August 3 & 4.  Missionary preachers will provide the homily at the precept Masses in both St. Ann and Sacred Heart.

NEW SCAM ALERT

Scammers continue harvesting names of pastors, parishioners, and parishes from websites and catalogues, and then contacting parishioners acting like someone from the parish asking for information or any number of other things.  Now they are acting like the church or your parish is calling or contacting you and needs your personal information.  All such messages are deceptions by bad people trying to rip off good and unsuspecting people.   Don’t allow yourself to be victimized.  Don’t worry about offending the scammer.  Ignoring, deleting, or shutting down a scammer isn’t uncharitable.  It is justice.

Reflection on Scripture

There is a story told about Calvin Coolidge, the 30^th president of the United States, that when asked what the preacher talked about at Sunday Services, “Silent Cal” remarked “Sin!”    Others asked what he had to say about it.  President Coolidge reportedly said, “He was against it!”   His response was simple and brief.

In today’s reading we hear how Abraham begged for mercy for Sodom and Gomorrah.  In the second reading we are told that Christ has conquered sin and death.  In the gospel, we are taught perseverance in prayer as well as the Lord’s Prayer.   All prayer of humans to God must ask for God’s mercy.  Jesus Christ is God’s mercy in the flesh.  In the text of the Lord’s Prayer we are given the equation; namely “forgive us in the same measure as we forgive others.”    Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins.  He wants us to forgive others, their sins against us.  Forgiveness, the way of the cross, must become the way of our lives.

God’s justice is mercy.  Mercy and compassion practiced from one human to another, reveals that we are indeed made in the image and likeness of God.

Next Weekend: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Eccl 1,2 2:21-23

Col 3:1-5, 9-11

Lk 12:13-21

Theme:  Is your savings plan celestially insured?