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Browsing From the desk of Fr. Tharp

August 1, 2021 - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Next Sunday:   Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time            Celebrant :  Fr. Tharp

Thank You!    Thank You!

 

I wish to offer a special “Thank You” to Joe Keller, Barb and Chris Fackey, all the chair-people and festival volunteers who made our 2021 Festival one of the best ever.  A successful festival is yet another sign of a healthy functioning parish.  Thanks to all who came to the festival and supported the parish.  Thanks to all the parish/school staff who helped make it possible.  I apologize that in this short article I am  not able to name all those who played a major role.   Be assured of my appreciation and that God (who sees everything) appreciates all the efforts put forth behind the scenes by so many for the good of St. Ann. 

 

 

Fr. Tharp’s pager is Obsolete (like Fr. Tharp)

 

For years I have used a pager to receive notification when someone leaves an emergency message on the Sacred Heart telephone system.  People have been telling me for years that pagers are obsolete.   Well the pager company I have used for years is now ceasing operation, and thus I am going to have our telephone system’s tech set it up so my cell phone now will act as my pager.  Therefore, please do not leave voice or numeric messages using my old pager number.  It won’t get to me.  Rather, just leave emergency messages on my emergency voicemail, and the system will alert me with a text on my cell phone. 

 

Delete or throw away the pager number.  It won’t work anymore.

 

New Sunday Celebrant

 

Fr. Ronald Williams, a priest of the Archdiocese since 2002, and most recently stationed in the Ripley area (before moving back to the Greater Cincinnati Area about a week ago); has agreed to assist St. Ann and Sacred Heart by celebrating  Sunday morning Masses as Fr. Schmitz had been doing until recently.  On the Sundays I celebrate at St. Ann, Fr. Williams will celebrate the three Masses at Sacred Heart.  When I am at Sacred Heart for Sunday Masses, Fr. Williams will celebrate the two Sunday Masses at St. Ann.  I am very grateful to Fr. Williams for his willingness to help us out so that we can maintain our current precept Mass schedule.   Please welcome our new Sunday celebrant to our Pastoral Region.

 

Beacons of Light

 

The Beacons of Light program continues to move forward.  Please reference the Beacons of Light web page for the most up-to-date information at: https://catholicaoc.org/beacons-of-light.    The process of determining which parishes are likely to join together as “Families” is currently being studied.  The proposal being considered would reduce the number of deaneries in the Archdiocese from twelve to six, and we would expect to have around 60 families of parishes.  This consultative process is moving forward so that a draft of the probable pairings can be announced for discussion with the general population of the Archdiocese before Thanksgiving.    

 

Attention parish or school volunteers who work with or around children

 

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has moved from using the “Virtus” Child Protection program to the “Safe Parish” program.   If you have done the Virtus training and have kept up to date on all your monthly bulletins, you should have received an email instruction as to how to reapply under the new program. If you are up to date on all bulletins, your eligibility should automatically transfer.   IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE AN EMAIL MESSAGE, chances are that you were not up to date in your Virtus training and your eligibility to work with children did NOT transfer.  If this is the case, please contact your local parish Safe Environment Coordinator as to what is necessary for you to be eligible to work with or around children in any Archdiocesan location. 

 

The following is the message or instruction you should have received:

Hello and welcome to the new Archdiocese of Cincinnati Child Protection platform — SafeParish™. As an active child protection account holder, you must register for your SafeParish™ account to continue to work and volunteer in the Archdiocese. If you have completed your background and training requirements, that information will be imported to your SafeParish™ account and no additional background or training will be required.  To be certain your information transferred and you are registered with SafeParish, please contact your parish Safe Environment Coordinator.

If you are a new employee or volunteer, please register for your SafeParish™ account and complete your background and training requirements. Check with your local parish Safe Environment Coordinator for Registration instructions.

Live Streaming a precept Mass from St. Ann and Sacred Heart each week

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:

 

“I am the bread of life!”  These words from today’s gospel remind us that the hunger in our souls can be satisfied only by Jesus Christ.  The hunger of Israel in the Desert of Sin was eliminated by the quale and manna.  But the Jewish People had to rely on the Law and the Prophets to satisfy the hunger in their souls.  Only when we are fed by the Body and Blood of the Son of God; only then is our spiritual longing satisfied.  Only Jesus can feed us for eternal life. 

 

There is a “food” network.  We have “food” coloring and “food” service; but only Jesus can provide real sustenance for eternity.  Jesus is real food and real drink.  Only
Jesus is the “bread of life.” 

 

 

Next Week19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

1 Kgs 19:4-8

Eph 4:30-5:2

Jn 6:41-51

 

Theme:  Jesus feeds us eternal life.

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