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Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

This year, August 15 falls on a Tuesday.  It IS therefore a Holy Day of Obligation.  Masses at St. Ann are Monday 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 6:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.  Masses at Sacred Heart are Monday at 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  Regardless of your specific parish affiliation, please attend the Mass at either parish which best fits your schedule.  I will celebrate all the Masses at both parishes and (as always) your envelope will go to the parish that issued it regardless of the Mass location you choose.  I am technically not permitted by Canon Law to celebrate any more Masses than I have scheduled.

 

St. Ann Future Project

 

I hope most everyone has seen and discussed the plat drawings on display in the vestibule showing how we could theoretically replace the old rectory, the old convent (current parish office), and garage building with a multipurpose building that would serve as a gymnasium and “parish multi-purpose center” for meetings, gatherings, etc.  Professional speculators have predicted that the total cost could exceed three million dollars, although specific cost estimates are still being revised. 

 

Archdiocesan policy requires steps that must be followed in a building or restoration project.  At this point, the parish must decide if we are ready to spend money on the next step which would be a “professional feasibility study” to determine if there is adequate funding to keep the parish operational needs being met, and still amortize any construction debt incurred with donations from our donor base.  In other words, the professional study would answer the question; “Can we afford it?” 

 

The study itself is not cheap, so we must determine if as a parish we wish to spend the money for the feasibility study now or wait to see if the parish can and will operate in the black for the next year or so.  I will explain in future articles how we will conduct the vote among contributing members in September or October.  “To delay the feasibility study (and its cost) or not to delay the feasibility study?” that is the question on which you will vote.

 

Cooperative Mission Appeal

 

Father Fortunatus preached all the precept Masses at St. Ann this past weekend, and will be preaching all the precept Masses at Sacred Heart on the weekend of August 19 & 20.  There will be (at Sacred Heart as there was last week at St. Ann) a second collection at each of the Masses which will be sent to the Mission Office of the Archdiocese and dispersed according to their formula to each of the Missionary Societies participating in the Cooperative Mission Appeal.

 

Reflection on Scripture

 

At the recent feast of the Transfiguration, Jesus is shown in the vision seen by Peter, James, and John on the mountain that he is instructing (and is therefore greater than) Moses and Elijah.  In today’s gospel Jesus walks on the water.  Recall that in Exodus, Moses parted the Red Sea and led the Israelites on dry land through the midst of the sea.  When Jesus walks on the water as depicted in today’s gospel story, he again shows himself superior to Moses in that Jesus does not just part the sea, Jesus walks on top of it.  In the Genesis first story of creation, the “breath of God” sweeps over the waters.  As the Son of God, Jesus does not ask God to part the waters like Moses did.  Jesus is the New Law Giver and is superior to the old.  When you walk on top of a liquid whose surface tension would never be enough to support your weight (unless it were frozen) you show yourself to be the master of material things.  Jesus is King of the universe; master of all times, seasons, and existence.

 

Readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Is 56:1, 6-7

Rom 11:13-15, 29-30

Mt 15:21-28

 

Theme:   “Catholic” is both a congregational name and an adjective.

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