Next Sunday: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Celebrant: Fr. Tharp
Announcing “Together Sunday”
Archbishop Schnurr is asking each Family of Parishes to participate in “Together Sunday” this year on the Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, November 24. Since the 1970s, the national trend of attending Sunday services only sporadically or not at all has become an epidemic. As a Catholic, one of the five precepts of the Church is attendance at Mass on Sunday and Holydays. How can we say we are part of the Body of Christ if we are not fed by the Body and Blood of Christ at the Eucharist? The more who come together through the mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, the greater the presence of Christ radiates through us into a needy world. Thus, we are asking those who attend regularly to reach out with a personal invitation to friends and neighbors to join them at St. Ann or Sacred Heart on the Feast of Christ the King. Sometimes, all it takes is a personal invitation to find our strength in the community in which Christ is present to us in the Most Holy Eucharist.
Traditional African Cultural Mass
The Catholic Women’s Association of Cameroon will sponsor a traditional African Cultural Mass at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 20 (TODAY) at Sacred Heart Church. Even if you are not of African heritage, it is a prayerful experience of the unity in diversity of the Body of Christ. All are welcome.
Guest Celebrant at 4:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 16, 2024
Father David Endres is one of the priests who hails from Sacred Heart. He was ordained in 2009 and celebrated his first Mass here at Sacred Heart. He is Dean of Mt. St. Mary Seminary and Director of Priests Personnel for the Archdiocese. He will celebrate the 4:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 16 celebrating a family anniversary.
CWA Dedication of New Members
The Sacred Heart of Jesus branch of the Catholic Women’s Association of Cameroon will hold the dedication and blessing of new members in conjunction with the 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 8 at Sacred Heart. The normative liturgical day for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is December 8 each year. Since December 8 is the Second Sunday of Advent, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is moved to Monday, December 9! However, Monday is not a Holy Day of Obligation. The CWA is a group especially dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, the CWA will lead a special traditionally African presentation of the Book of the Gospel, offertory procession, and prayer of the Magnificat after communion at the 11:00 a.m. precept Mass on December 8. They will also invite all who are present at the Mass to join us for celebration of food and fellowship in Fellowship Hall immediate after Mass.
The members of the CWA are an important part of Sacred Heart parish and the Family of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; volunteering as Catechists, lectoring (reading) at Mass, assisting in evangelical work, and helping with hospitality. I suggest you mark your calendar to experience the Catholicity (Universality) of the Catholic Faith as our fellow parishioners show us some of the beauty and culture of the country of their origin.
Beacons of Light: Phase Three: “Culture”
The next step in the Beacons process is to identify and lift up the various cultural adaptations that have evolved in each unique parish and determine how these can be incorporated into and maintained for the combined “Family of Parishes.” In meeting with the combined Parish Council, it seems that both St. Ann and Sacred Heart have combined cultural aspects unique to each so they are available to both. The four directors, two principals and certain volunteer coordinators have been invited to the Archdiocese to consider the timing of official canonical consolidation into the Parish Family of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; one parish with two worship locations and two semi-independent parish schools. As two parish communities becoming one parish in two communities, we do not want to lose the uniqueness of either while we become an even more powerful Catholic evangelical force in the future of the south Butler County region. More to come.
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
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 lowliest servant by the sweat of his brow gives the greatest honor and glory to God. Service to others defines our love for God. In the first reading from Isaiah we hear one of the four “suffering servant songs.” Isaiah says that the messiah will be willing to suffer for the benefit of his people. In Hebrews, the author says that Jesus the High Priest sympathizes with his people. He feels what we feel. Mark makes the point in the story of the request of James and John that Jesus is not your drill sergeant (to use a military analogy) but rather that “Jesus has your back.” Jesus is so loyal to us that he will sacrifice himself for our sake. But the challenge is to remember that “selfless service” means “sacrifice of self.” I have to love every human being more than my own self. Our psychological self-defense mechanism enables us to sacrifice for someone we care about. Jesus says that to follow him, you have to care that way about everybody.
So how do we show loyalty to God? Not by status, but by service! In business, loyalty is not about your cost center turning the highest profit. Rather, it is the employee whose loyalty is evidenced by giving the extra effort without expectation of return. Jesus is telling us to invest ourselves in charity because we recognize God’s presence in the other. Loyalty to the poor shows a wealth of virtue.
Which would you prefer: to be loved by God, or to be esteemed by men. God loves to see his goodness reflected back to him. Charity even to the undeserving is the surest way to show loyalty to God.
NEXT SUNDAY: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jer 31:7-9
Heb 5:1-6
Mk 10:46-52
Theme: Sight is a gift of nature. Insight is a gift from God.