Next Sunday: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time Fr. Schmitz
Communion on the Tongue
Fr. Schmitz has indicated that he is not comfortable giving out communion on the tongue. A few of the laity who serve as Eucharistic Ministers have expressed a similar concern. Therefore, until the risk of COVID transmission is eliminated, please continue the practice of coming to me, and me alone, if you wish to receive communion on the tongue.
Bicentennial Mass at the Cathedral
The bicentennial Mass at the Cathedral will take place on Saturday, June 19; however almost all parishes of the Archdiocese will be celebrating the 200th birthday of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in our parishes on Father’s Day weekend.
The pastors of the Archdiocese have also been given promotional copies of two new books published in honor of the bicentennial. One is called “Seeking the Lord an illustrated history of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati” and the other is “Treasures of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.” This is a pictorial history of each of the parishes in the Archdiocese. Both books are beautifully done and (I am told) will soon be for sale on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati shop webpage.
Dispensation from Precept Mass has ended
Beginning June 6 (the Feast of Corpus Christi) the Archbishop has reinstating the obligation to attend Sunday Mass. The law of the Church has always been that those with special medical challenges or obstacles are exempt from the obligation; but during the pandemic the Bishops of Ohio extended this exemption to all fearful of the Corona Virus. The dispensation for the general public has now been revoked.
Beacons of Light
The future planning process to determine the changes in parish organization structure of the entire Archdiocese of Cincinnati (to be implemented on or before 2025) continues to move forward. Please reference the Beacons of Light web page at: https://catholicaoc.org/beacons-of-light. Another option is to type “Beacons of Light” into your favorite search engine. It is expected that the beginnings of the discussions with the general parishioner population of the Archdiocese will begin this Fall.
I encourage everyone to check this website out now and frequently as the process moves forward; and pray for this important initiative.
Live Streaming a precept Mass from St. Ann and Sacred Heart each week
I apologize for the poor quality of the video last week for the Mass at Sacred Heart for Corpus Christi. The picture was very dark due to accidental changing of the settings on the camera. I keep learning new things that can go wrong each week, but I promise you I am getting better at troubleshooting. I still have a lot to learn but am getting better. Again I apologize for the poor quality of the Corpus Christi from Sacred Heart video. At least we had good quality on the Corpus Christi at St. Ann video.
Even though the dispensation for the precept of Sunday Mass attendance has now been revoked, live streaming will continue for the sick, shut-ins, and others unable to come to Mass. 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 love of God is contagious, but the judgment of God is scary. But God did not reveal himself in Jesus Christ so as to scare us straight. God does not want to intimidate us into salvation. He wants to draw us into his love so we can know salvation. Now one can love God and still have a healthy respect for Divinity. A friend of mine once told me that you don’t casually shoot a ten gauge shotgun. If you respect the power of the gun, then you won’t be intimidated by the recoil. St. Paul says in the second reading today that we are to “walk by faith, not by sight.” Our faith as a gift from God allows us to see things we would otherwise overlook. Our fear can make us shy away from the most fulfilling love we could ever imagine.
One day we will all stand before God and be judged. If we don’t know the love of Jesus Christ, we will consider it being on trial. If we have lived in the love of Jesus Christ, we will consider it as coming home. The experience of judgment will be directly proportional to how well we have allowed God’s love, revealed in Jesus Christ, and infused into us by the Holy Spirit to envelope our lives. Which do you want: a homecoming, or a trial?
Next Week: 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Job 38:1, 8-11
2 Cor 5:14-17
Mk 4:35-41
Theme: Jesus calms the sea.