Independence Day

July 4 is a civil holiday so there will NOT be a 6:30 a.m. Mass that day at St. Ann.  Rather I will have the regular 7:30 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart and then a 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. Ann.

St. Ann Vacation Bible School

St. Ann Vacation Bible School is from July 10 to July 13.  I will have Mass each day for the participants of the program barring a funeral.  I am very proud of St. Ann for making this program available, and I am very grateful to the volunteers who make it all happen.

No Benediction at Sacred Heart for the end of Eucharistic Exposition on Friday July 7

I have the funeral for my brother-in-law on Friday, July 7 in Monroe at 1:00 p.m.  I will not return in time for the close of Adoration and Benediction at 2:55 p.m.   Adoration will take place as usual, but we will not have Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to end Adoration.

Hospital Calls

I am running this for a second week because I recently got a call to visit someone else in the hospital I had just left.

Please remember that federal legislation prohibits hospitals and nursing homes from calling clergy with names of parishioners who are patients.  The only way I can know that you or your loved one is in the hospital is if you call my number 858-4260 and leave all the information.  In most cases the hospital or institution will not call.  If the call is an emergency call 858-4210 and then take option two to leave an emergency message for Fr. Tharp.  The system will page me and tell me that I have an emergency voice mail.

Reflection on Scripture

Do we have our priorities straight or are we re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic?  In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us that if anyone or anything is a priority beyond God; we have probably destined ourselves to eternal confusion.  Everything we possess in this world will be taken away at death.  “A shroud has no pockets.”  Even the people we love are subject to the separation of death.  Without faith in Jesus Christ, we have no roadmap to the place of eternal happiness called Heaven.  If our faith in Jesus Christ is not primary and exclusive beyond anyone or anything else, we are lost without a map or a compass.  Faith is the only road to Jesus Christ; and he is our only hope for eternal life.  What could be more important?!!!

Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zec 9:9-10

Rom 8:9, 11-13

Mt 11:25-30

Theme:   Humility versus simplicity!