Next Sunday: Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time Celebrant : Fr. Tharp
No Parking Lot Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
The parking lot pavement will be sealed and lines repainted this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (August 16th through 18th ), rendering it unusable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
First Days of School
The first day of school at St. Ann is August 25th. The first day of school at Sacred Heart is August 30th. Please be especially cautious driving as the young people who are our future make their way back to school. There is great excitement with the first days of a new school year. Please drive carefully so that the excitement can be safely enjoyed.
Fr. Tharp’s Pager is no longer in use!
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 our telephone system now routes the notice of an emergency voicemail to my cell phone. 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 message on my cell phone. You can leave an emergency message for me by calling (513) 858-4210 and select option number two; “Fr. Tharp for an emergency.” The system will alert me to the fact that you have left an emergency message and I will call you back within five minutes unless I am having Mass.
Delete or throw away the old 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. 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.
The following is a message from the Archdiocese:
BEACONS UPDATE: BE HEARD, STAY INFORMED, SIGN UP - To stay on top of the latest developments on Beacons of Light, the archdiocese-wide pastoral planning process currently underway, sign up for the free monthly Beacons Update newsletter at www.BeaconsAOC.org.
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:
There are three specific teachings regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary that are contrary to the Protestant understanding of Mary’s role as model of the Church. The first is the Immaculate Conception. We believe that Mary was the vessel by which the Son of God was born into the world. God would not use just anyone for this role, rather he kept Mary safe from original sin from the first moment of her conception. We all received essentially the same benefit when we are baptized. As God does for Mary, he does for the Church.
The second is the virginal birth and the doctrine that Mary was ever-virgin. Most mainline Protestant traditions have no quarrel with “virginal birth” but do not accept the “ever virgin” piece of the puzzle. Mary is therefore the “god bearer” the Theotokos. We become Theotokos every time we receive Holy Communion. God would not allow any other soul to be born of the woman who bore and carried the Son of God. Once a vessel is sacred, we do not allow it to be profaned. What God has done for Mary, he does for the Church.
The third is the Assumption of Mary into heaven. We believe that at the moment of her death, Mary was lifted into Heaven body and soul. Every time we say the “Creed” we say, “I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.” What God has done for Mary he promises to do for the Church.
Thus, Mary is the consummate and prototypical model of the Church. What God does for Mary, he does for the Church. Mary is the pattern. Mary is the finished garment.
Next Week: Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Eph 5:21-32
Jn 6:60-69
Theme: Jesus is the ONLY way!