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Browsing From the desk of Fr. Tharp

July 16, 2023 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Next Sunday:  Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time    Fr. Tharp celebrates all Masses 

Remember

 

July 26 is the Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  For nine days prior to the 26st all are invited to pray the daily novena prayer in honor of the upcoming patronal feast of St. Ann.

 

The New Sunday Mass Schedule

 

Precept Masses on Sunday Morning for the Parish Family of St. Ann / Sacred Heart are 8:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart, 9:30 a.m. at St. Ann, and 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart.  I (Fr. Tharp) will celebrate all the Sunday morning Masses: 

 

8:00 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart worship space

9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Ann worship space

11:00 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart worship space

 

Remember:  The Saturday evening Masses (4:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart and 5:15 p.m. at St. Ann) remain unaltered.

 

Children’s Mass Bags

 

Our new Director of Evangelization and his wife who is our new Coordinator of Religious Education have put together Children’s Mass bags which you will find displayed in the Narthex at Sacred Heart and soon at St. Ann.   Each bag is filled with age appropriate materials for your child.  After the items in the bags are used to entertain your child during Mass, please place the items back in the bag and place the bag back on the display frame.  You may have noticed the steps and other items for children in place in the restrooms at Sacred Heart.  This is all part of the process to make our churches and services more “child friendly.”  

 

Catholic Conference of Ohio

 

The Catholic Bishops from the State of Ohio have asked faithful Catholics throughout Ohio to oppose the proposed ballot initiative for the November ballot which would enshrine and expand legal abortion in the State of Ohio.  In addition, the amendment could mean that parents would no longer need to give consent or even be informed if their minor child is seeking an abortion, redefined gender assignment, or reproductive reassignment.  Catholics of good conscience are encouraged to read the Archbishop’s communications, speak out, and stay informed.

 

The Sacrament of the Sick in Hospitals

 

Please remember that even Catholic Hospitals are not permitted to tell me when my parishioner enters their hospital.  If two or three people tell me about their loved on in the hospital after Mass, I will not keep it straight in my weak brain long enough to get it on paper.  Therefore, if your loved one enters the hospital (if it is not an emergency) and would like me to provide the Anointing of the Sick; please leave a clear and accurate message on my daytime voice mail at (513) 858-4260 or email me at frtharp@sacredheart-fairfield.org.  Please also remember that you cannot text me at the above number as it is a land line and does not receive texts. 

 

If an emergency arises during the evening or night after the secretaries leave and you need me for an emergency Anointing of the Sick, you must call (513) 858-4210, and press option number 2 to leave a paging voicemail for Fr. Tharp.  This is the only way to be sure I will receive your message when I am away from my desk until the next morning.  I suggest you use this emergency procedure only at the times when the

 

Re-introduction of Precious Blood at Communion

 

We have distributors lined up for two cups at all three Sunday morning Masses; two at Sacred Heart and one at St. Ann.”  For the moment, we do not have cups lined up for the either of the Saturday evening Masses.  Again, we can only offer both species to the degree we have enough Eucharistic ministers willing to do cups at the various precept Masses.  We hope to have cups offered at the Saturday Masses very soon.

 

DO NOT FALL FOR SCAMS!!!!

 

I keep running this article because there are new scams everyday

 

Remember I NEVER solicit funds, donations, favors, or any request of any kind over the telephone, text, email, carrier pigeon, drone, etc.   NEVER!  Do not allow yourself to be taken in by scammers.  Even if they have my recorded voice, be assured it is computer generated fake!  It is not me!!!  

 

Reminder for volunteers who work with or around children

 

Please be aware that failure to register with and complete the requirements of Safe Parish will result in your inability to continue to work with or around children in any parish and/or school setting.  We have been informed by the Archdiocese that there can be NO EXCEPTIONS.

 

Live Streaming for Precept Masses

 

As we move to the new reduced Sunday Mass schedule, it has been recommended that I continue to live stream the 4:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart, and consider not live streaming the 5:15 p.m. Mass from St. Ann but instead live stream the Sunday Mass at 9:30 from St. Ann.  We will experiment with this for a time and see which arrangement is more favored.

 

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 parable of the sower and the seed is the epitome of agricultural analogy.  Jesus is sowing the seed of faith and measuring how it might be received.  Some are enthusiastic and then wither.  Some are influenced and deterred by other things that attract.  Some are smothered by the circumstances that surround them. Farmers use “crop yield forecasts” all the time.  No one presumes that “every wheat grain” that is planted yields a stalk and a full head.  But if a high percentage of individual seeds do produce, then the yield is considered a bumper crop.  Thus all of us are called to plant without the assurance that every single seed will grow.  

 

In the Catholic Church today, we call planting the seed “Evangelization.”  And by our baptism we are all called to plant the seed of faith.  Go out therefore and live your daily lives as if Jesus Christ were you best friend.   He is!

 

NEXT WEEK   Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Wis 12:13, 16-19

Rom 8:26-27

Mt 13:24-43

 

Theme: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.”

 

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