Reflecting on God’s Word In The Secret Life of Bees, August, an older black woman, is talking about “the problem with people” to Lily, a young-er white woman who has run away from an abusive fa-ther. Lily has said that people don’t really know what matters. But August says the deeper problem is that peo-ple do know what matters, but don’t choose it. God tells Ezekiel that virtue’s proof is in choos-ing to do the right thing. What you choose to do matters. So be careful not to go off the right path at the end of your days. On the other hand, you might be off the right path for years, but end up hopping back on at the very end, and you will have life. It doesn’t sound very fair; nevertheless, it’s where you are when the end comes that counts. And you don’t know when the end will come. Jesus confronts the religious leaders with a para-ble. A father asks his two sons to do some work in the vineyard. One talks a good game but never makes it into the field; the other refuses outright, but then goes and does what his father asked. In telling this parable, Jesus compares these leaders unfavorably to the tax collectors and prostitutes. The elders must have been shocked. “Have in you that same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus,” writes Paul to his beloved Philippians. The attitude he urged on them was giving oneself for the sake of others—even unto death. In this way, we not only speak but also do “Yes.” Choose to live Christ.
Living God’s Word In the Our Father we pray that God will not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil. We pray that we will be obedient to the Father’s will to the point of death so that we will be raised into eternal life and join in the song of exaltation, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord.
Mass Intentions Monday, October 2, The Holy Guardian Angels 8:00AM †Rita Schmidt req. Husband Gene & Family †Herminia Catayong req. Nuncia Villaraza †Lucia & Leone DiBaiasio req. Granddaughter Lucy Tuesday, October 3 8:00AM †Lily V. Barlaza req Nuncia Villaraza †Ron Kersten req. S. Stahl †Marcella Schueneman req. Judy Beyer Wednesday, October 4, Saint Francis of Assisi 8:00AM Living Mike & Sherry Schmidt req. Gene Schmidt Family †Ed Feyersen req. Helen Donahue †Joanie Kroll req. Ernie & Diane DeSalvo Thursday, October 5, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest 8:00AM Living John & Cheryl Poletto req. Poletto Family 9:00AM Living Ryan Johnson req. Jennifer LaMora †Iris Gerger req. Jane Ellison Friday, October 6, Saint Bruno, Priest, Blessed Marie Rose Duracter, Virgin 8:00AM †Edward & †Cecelia Brzezinski req. Tommy, Ted & Therese Their Children †Adeline Kubicz req. Theresa Blaszcyk Saturday, October 7 5:00PM †Robert Smutney req. Mrs. Cinquegrani †Glen Marsh req. Wife RoseMarie †Raymond Beyer req. His Loving Wife Betty Beyer †Rita Schmidt 1st Anniversary req. Husband Gene †Wendi Roberts req. Nancy Jansen †Marty Lavin req. John Braun †Connie Schofield req. The Grunder Family Sunday, October 8 7:30AM †Fr. Ron Lewinski req. Deacon Gary & Barb Kupsak †Elizabeth Krzyzowski req. Daughter Pam Riedel & Family †Thomas Trebilcock req. John & Arlene Basso †Rita Hertel req. Bernie & Mercedes Lenzen 9:30AM Living 50th Wedding Anniversary George & Kathy Pannhausen †Mabel Bennett & †Christine Bennett req. Macjher Family †Danny Hansen req. Brad & Carol Hansen Family †Adela & †Stanley Wulf req. Opiola Wulf & Family †Vaclay Opiola req. Opiola Family †Jadwiga & †Deward Kleka req. Wulf Family †Josephine & †Sr. Grace Panettieri req. The Family 11:30AM For the Parishioners of St. Mary of the Annunciation
Mass Times 5:00PM 7:30AM 9:30AM 11:30AM
Presiders Fr. Jacob Fr. Alexander Fr. Jacob Fr. Jacob/Fr. Alexander Anointing of the Sick
Deacons Deacon Gary Deacon Gary Deacon Howard Deacon Al
Lectors J. Koch P. Koch
P. Coughlin A. Kuderna
B. Slack K. Igielski
K. Crotty D. Wittgen
LITURGICAL MINISTERS OCTOBER 7 & 8, 2017
Eucharistic Ministers
Deacon D. Suhling, C. Kasamis T. Kennedy, G. McQuillan C. Marciniak, M. Marciniak J. Sinkovec, D. Prezell
Deacon, A. Rafferty III, K. Lenzen, D. Igielski, E. Tauscher, L. Zucco, M. Sikorski P. Tekampe, M. Tekampe
Deacon, L.M. Davis R. Fisher, J. Fisher K. Pieniazkiewicz C. Lutzow, K. Schmitt L. Kuderna, C. Kuderna S. Kajohn, A. Capulong
Deacon, S. Matousek Z. Dela Cruz, L. Dela Cruz L. Tooke, S. Poletto O. Santos—Trindad A. Thompson. E. McPherson
The Week Ahead Sunday, October 1 9:30AM Childcare 9:30AM Liturgy of the Word for Children 10:45AM Family Catechesis Monday, October 2 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary Tuesday, October 3 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary 9:00AM Book of Revelations 5:30PM Youth Meeting 6:30PM St. Vincent de Paul 7:00PM Book of Revelations Wednesday, October 4 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary 7:00PM Parish Choir Rehearsal Thursday, October 5 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Pray the Rosary Friday, October 6 8:00AM Mass 8:30AM Divine Mercy Chaplet Saturday, October 7—Hospitality 8:30AM Leadership Summit 5:00PM Liturgy of the Word for Children Sunday, October 8—Hospitality 9:30AM Childcare 10:45AM Welcoming Session 11:30AM Anointing of the Sick
St. Vincent DePaul Society Dedicated to serving the poor and suffering in our local area. Confidential help line – call 224-522-8863.
Fr. Patrick O'Malley "Perspectives on the Scriptures" Memorial Conference 10/28/2017
Fr. Patrick O’Malley was a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago for 56 years, passing away in 2013. He worked diligently and effectively to connect life with faith for the people of God. He had a great love for Scripture and wrote “Perspectives on the Scriptures” for the Archdio-cese of Chicago’s Catholic New World newspaper for many years. We at St. Mary Parish benefitted from Fr. O’Malley’s regular presence as priest presider and from his Lenten scripture booklets. Through the generosity of the ACTA (Adult Catechetical Teaching Aids) Foundation, the last of three yearly conferences will take place on Saturday, October 28. The Fr. Patrick O’Malley “Perspectives on the Scriptures” Memorial Conference is designed for all people seeking a deeper relationship with Christ. It will be relevant for laity, deacons and priests. The focus of the 2017 conference will be on the Gospel of Mark (Sunday Cycle B). Speakers are noted scripture scholars Dr. Mary Healy, Professor, Sacred Heart in Detroit Michigan, and Fr. James McIlhone, Priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago. The conference will be in the Conference Center on the beautiful grounds of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, We hope you can join us on Saturday, October 28! Please register for this event at https://usml.edu/event/omalley/ for this conference. 9:30 - 10:00 a.m. - Fruit, Coffee, Juice 10:00 a.m. - Welcome, Opening Prayer with Fr. Thomas Baima 10:10 a.m. - Adult Catechetical Teaching Aids (ACTA) Foundation Fr. O'Mal-
ley Project and Amazing Contributions of Fr. Patrick O’Malley 10:30 a.m. - “Embracing the Cross: the centrality of the cross in Mark” - Fr.
James McIlhone 11:30 a.m. - Break 11:40 a.m. - Conversation with Fr. McIlhone 12:10 p.m. - Lunch 1:30 p.m. - “Messianic Meals in the Gospel of Mark” - Dr. Mary Healy 2:30 p.m. - Break 2:40 p.m. - Conversation with Dr. Healy 3:10 p.m. - 3:40 p.m. - Conversation with Fr. McIlhone and Dr. Healy 4:00 p.m. - Mass – Conference Center Chapel - Very Rev. John Kartje
Seniors Annual Luncheon at Dover Straits The St. Mary Senior Club annual luncheon will be held on October 9th, at 12:00 at Dover Straits in Mundelein. To make your reservations, please call Jeanne Cooper, 847-606-2357. Price will be the same as last year.
The next club meeting will be on Monday, November 13, at 12 noon in meeting room 1.
J W
from
ell acob’s
Dear Friends in the Lord, It is with great joy that I announce the hiring of a new youth minister. Grant Bright joined the St. Mary pastoral staff earlier this week. He is a recent graduate of Franciscan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics. He has served as a core team member with the EDGE junior high pro-gram which we are currently using at Saint Mary. Grant has a passion for youth ministry and has experience with mission trips and service. Most important, Grant wants to come to Saint Mary and is excited to begin this new chapter in his life. Let us pray for Grant in this time of transition and the youth his minis-try will positively impact. Let us pray for one another,
Fr Jerry
Prayer for Vocations Father you call each one of us by name and ask us to follow you.
Bless your church by raising up dedicated and generous leaders from our families and friends who will serve your people as Sisters, Priests, Brothers, Deacons, and Lay Ministers.
Inspire us as we grow to know you, and open our hearts to hear your call.
We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Cor Ad Cor Heart to Heart
“‘Lord, teach us to pray’ . . . ‘When you pray, say: Father.’” (Luke 11:1-2)
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017 Time: 7:00 P.M.–8:15 P.M. Place: New Church at St. Mary’s
Prayer is sharing in intimacy with the Father. But, how are we to pray? When our hearts are joined with the Heart of Jesus, we learn how to share in intimacy with the Father. If you have a desire to grow deeper in your prayer life and encounter the Lord’s living Heart, come on out and give this a try. Fr. Matt Alexander is hosting a simple evening of prayer with the Word and adoration of the Word.
Stewardship Report Sunday Collection September 24, 2017 $ 19,346.63 Budgeted Weekly Collection $ 21,730.77 Difference $ (2,384.14) Current Fiscal Year-to-Date* $ 270,948.19 Budgeted Sunday Collections To-Date $ 282,500.00 Difference $ (11,551.81) Difference vs. Last Year $ 11,652.90 Seminarian Education Collection $ 7,119.05 Seminarian Education Collection PY $ 9,146.19 Difference $ (2,027.14) *Note: YTD amount reflects updates by bank to postings and adjustments.
Pray for all who suffer illness, pain and grief,
and for the repose of all who have recently died.
Pray the Daily Rosary Please join other parishioners in the Eucharistic Chapel following the 8:00 AM Mass Monday through Thursday.
Pray the Divine Mercy Novena & Chaplet The Divine Mercy Novena & Chaplet is prayed in the Eucharistic Chapel on Fridays immediately following the 8:00 AM Mass .and 3:00 PM during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Family Rosary Join us for Family Rosary Saturday Devotion, requested by Our Lady of Fatima, every First Saturday of the month at 4:30 PM.
Childcare at 9:30 Mass Childcare is available during the 9:30 Sunday morning Mass in Meeting Room 3. questions: [email protected]
Featured CD
Shedding New Light on the Scriptures and the Church
by Dr. John Bergsma
Dr. John Bergsma is an Associate Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, and was a Protestant pastor for four years before converting to the Catholic Church. In this enlightening talk, Dr. Bergsma shows how our respect for the traditional canon of Scripture, as well as our understanding of the Catholic Faith, can be greatly en-hanced by the Dead Sea Scrolls- the greatest archaeological discovery of all time.
Feature CDs can be found at the wooden kiosk in the narthex. Please remember a $3 donation per CD is suggested to allow the parish
to continue the program and offer new material.
St. Mary of the Annunciation Altar Server Training (4th grade and older)
You are invited to participate in training to become an Altar Server! Two sessions will be offered; you only need to attend 1 COMPLETE session to receive all the training. You must sign up for the training.
Wednesday, October 18th 6:00-8:00pm Wednesday, October 25th 6:00-8:00pm
All sessions will be held in the big church. Please sign up by emailing the Altar Server Ministry Coordinator, Tom Forster, at [email protected] / 847.975.0987 Altar serving promotes responsibility, accountability, leadership and above all, teamwork. It is also a chance for young people to get to know other Catholic children which helps reinforce moral and ethical values our children need to face the difficult issues in today’s society. Altar servers are expected to sign up to serve at least one Weekend Mass each month.
Little Church Basement Update As a result of the torrential rains our area experienced in July, two of our buildings experience flood damage. Repairs to the basement of the school, where the library and art room are located, are nearly com-plete. Our focus is now shifting to the basement of our Little Church. Repairs have begun with the removal of the asbestos floor tiles and damaged cabinets. Project work will continue for a number of weeks. We are estimating that the little church basement will not be available for use through the month of October. Unfortunately, this timeline im-pacts our PADS ministry which normally begins the first week of Octo-ber. The county PADS organization is making alternate arrangements to shelter the homeless on Wednesday nights until our space is availa-ble. We will be working hard to get the basement space back “online” as soon as possible. We thank those impacted for their patience. Thankfully much of the cost of the repairs is covered by insurance, but there is a significant portion of the work that must be funded by St. Mary. Look here for future updates as the repairs progress.
Ozanam Orientation If you feel the call to serve the poor in the St. Vincent de Paul ministry at St. Mary of the Annunciation, please consider registering for the upcoming formation session.
Orientation is designed as introductory and refresher formation for people interested in knowing about the Society. Ozanam Orientation is not a prerequisite for volunteering in the ministry, but it is the most complete one-time review of the Society’s history, Vincentian spirituali-ty, SVdP culture, poverty & generational impacts, and home visits. Please save the date and register: Saturday, October 14 at Santa Maria del Popolo, 151 N Lincoln Avenue, Mundelein, contact: Claudia at [email protected] or 847-366-2303. Volunteer at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Libertyville – Invitation to Serve Want to serve in the Society, but step in slowly? A good opportunity is literally “around the corner.” Our local thrift store at 1125 S Milwaukee Ave is in need of helping hands & hearts in various roles: cashier, donation intake and processing, floor stock coordinator, window dress-ing, event staging, cleaning, and promotion. The amount of time you volunteer is completely up to you! The Vincentian vocation is to follow Christ through service to those in need and so bear witness to His compassionate and liberat-ing love. What you may not know about the thrift store: 1) quality fur-niture, clothing, and household items at low costs help families man-age their monthly budgets 2) when someone in need meets with the SVdP home visit team, we offer no-cost vouchers to the individual or family 3) we accept things you no longer need and put them to work operating the store and servicing the poor, the suffering, and the mar-ginalized 4) the thrift store provides full time employment. To start volunteering, go to svdpchicago.org, Get Involved, Volunteer. Follow the link at the bottom of the page to the Volunteer Application. Thank you.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Tuesday, October 10 The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in the
Eucharistic chapel for adoration from 8:30 AM until 8:30 PM. The sign-up book is in the narthex.
October is the month
of the Rosary
Revelation: The Kingdom Yet to Come is an intriguing study that shows how the kingdom established by Christ in his Church is intimately connected with the kingdom of heaven. Explore the meaning of the mysterious figures and events in the book of Revelation and discover how the Mass is really heaven on earth. See the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment in the context of history, and learn the Catho-lic understanding of what will happen at the end of time and the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth. • Each session includes lively group discussion followed by
a video presentation to help unlock the lesson each week. • Sessions offered 3 times per week - participants can
choose the time that best fits their schedule. • Cost to register is $23.95 per person and includes materi-
als for all 11 sessions.
Dates Session (Video Times)
Tuesday 10/3 Saturday 9/30
Introduction (55 min.)
Tuesday 10/10 Saturday 10/14
1. Revelation 1: Introduction and Inaugural Vision (53 min)
Tuesday 10/17 Saturday 10/21
2. Revelation 2–3: Letters to the Seven Churches (60 min.)
Tuesday 10/24 Saturday 10/28
3. Revelation 4–5: Creation and Redemption (53 min.)
Tuesday 10/31 Saturday 11/4
4. Revelation 6–7: Opening the Seals (55 min.)
Tuesday 11/7 Saturday 11/11
5. Revelation 8–11: The Seventh Seal Unleashes Seven Trumpets (53 min.)
Tuesday 11/14 Saturday 11/18
6. Revelation 12–13: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (49 min)
Tuesday 11/21 Saturday 11/25
7. Revelation 14–15: Praising the Lamb (49 min.)
Tuesday 11/28 Saturday 12/2
8. Revelation 16–18: Seven Bowls of Judgment and the Fall of Babylon (50 min.)
Tuesday 12/5 Saturday 12/9
9. Revelation 19–20: The Marriage Supper and the Great Judgment (51 min.)
Tuesday 12/12 Saturday 12/16
10. Revelation 21–22: A New Heaven and a New Earth (53min.)
St. Mary Session Times Tuesday AM: 9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Tuesday PM: 7:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Participants are welcome to attend any session that best works with their schedule each week
An Eleven Part Bible Study by Jeff Cavins and Thomas Smith
F isch–ing Lines by Deacon Howard Fischer
Today’s Gospel reading demands that you and I examine our lives and ask: Do we embrace God’s call or merely give it lip-
service? What does the evidence of our actions say? The late Francis Cardinal George once observed, “The particular tension in American culture is a fundamental clash about power – between an all-powerful God and the culture’s
sense of freedom. Since we have to be free, we do away with God – or at the very least we tame Him.” The cardinal went on to say that from the perspective of our culture “God can’t make demands on us. Religion is a hobby. It’s relegated to leisure time…Church becomes a spiritual club, not a way of discipleship.” So what about us? Do we tame God so that he fits our re-quirements? Have we put God into a box so that he loves us but never demands anything from us? Has the practice of the faith become a hobby that we squeeze into our all-too-scarce free time? Too often it seems that involvement in the Church is regard-ed as just a membership in another of the many clubs and leisure activities to which we belong – something we enjoy doing on occasion but on our terms and at our convenience. There is little sense of de-mand or imperative. The only absolute seems to be “What do I want to do? What enjoyment do I get out of it?” Such a hollow, plastic faith life will not lead us to the salva-tion of the Kingdom. True discipleship demands that our life revolve around our faith. That doesn’t mean that we have to do “churchy” stuff every night of the week, but it does mean that our activities and our lifestyle need to give priority to the demands of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Discipleship means that we find our sense of fulfillment in God-centered action, which in addition to a daily life that embodies Gospel values also includes liturgy and prayer, getting involved in a ministry, reading to nourish our spiritual life, and concretely helping the poor and neglected. The central question in our lives is not “Where can I find some personal enjoyment?” but “What am I called to do on behalf of the Gospel?” Ask yourself: Would I rearrange my plans to watch the [substitute your favorite team] in the playoffs? Do you organize your plans to watch your favorite TV show? Do you rearrange your sched-ule to participate in any of our Adult Faith Formation offerings or dis-cussion groups? If your child’s soccer game conflicts with your normal Mass time, do you go to another Mass or skip it entirely? Do you make time to pray every day? Do you arrange your life (voluntarily, out of a sense of personal commitment) to participate in any activity/ministry that serves the Gospel? To what extent do you sacrifice to support the mission of the Church and outreach to the poor? Religion is not a hobby. The Church is not a social club. Catholicism is not a spectator sport. Discipleship is a way of life, a matter of priorities and commitment. You and I called to be fully en-gaged in making our relationship to Christ and his Church the center-piece of our lives – not just in our heads, but in our hearts and actions as well. So, what do we need to change in our lives to make them more complete images of the Lord’s Way? Maintaining a superficial veneer of Christianity filled with pious sentiments and words is not a sufficient embrace of Christ and his Gospel. Actions speak louder than words about our true level of love and commitment. Time to stop talk-ing and get doing. If you wish to contact me, please leave a note at the Parish Office or send an email to [email protected].
BE PART OF THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD JOURNEY
HAVE A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER
WITH JESUS CHRIST THROUGH THE POWER OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT!
OCTOBER 20-23, 2017 Transfiguration Parish Office 316 W. Mill St. Wauconda
Friday, October 20, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Saturday, October 21, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Sunday, October 22, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm Monday, October 23, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
18 years & older No Cost All Meals provided No overnights
Questions? To Register: Call Mary Sloan, 224-500-6122 Or email : [email protected]
KNOW AND LIVE GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU!
October is Respect Life Month
HUMAN CONCERNS COMMISSION: The mission of the Human Concerns Commission is to promote the word and manifest the love of Jesus Christ by helping those who are in need, following the principle that “whatever you do to the least of my people, you do unto me.”
We can respond to Pope Francis’ Call to Action by following suggested ways to make a difference. This week’s tip to Care for our Common Home is: Adjust your driving route. By combining multiple errands into one trip, you reduce the amount of fossil fuel you use. Check out the Archdiocese website: pvmarchchicago.org/creation
St. Mary’s Baby Shower For: Mothers in need from Aid for Women Date: For the month of October (Respect Life Month) Time: After all the Masses Place: Place your gift or donation in the box in the narthex RSVP: For more information call Carol Walsh 847-249-2700 Suggested Baby items (New or gently used) Formula (iron-fortified milk or soy based, disposal diapers sizes 4 and 5, small bottles of baby-lotion, powder, baby shampoo, baby wipes, diaper rash ointment, bottles, baby books, sleepers (newborn or Large size 2), one piece—all sizes, car seats, strollers, walkers, safety gates, swings, maternity clothes, nursing pads, postage stamps (for thank-you cards), and monetary donation (for prenatal vitamins and pregnancy tests. Make checks payable to: Aid for Wom-en). Aid For Women of Lake County is a Pregnancy Resource Center that reaches out and provides assistance to meet the needs of pregnant and parenting mothers. Their mission is to give hope to women and girls who are preg-nant and to let them know Life is a beautiful choice.
This is the third in a series of articles with information from the USCCB: Anointing of the Sick is the sacrament that is received by those who are ill or suffering. By the sacred anointing and the prayer of the priest, the whole Church commends those who are sick to Christ. The sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gifts of strength, faith, peace, and courage, and his or her suffering is united with the suffering of Christ for the building up of the Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], nos. 1520-23).
Union with Christ’s Passion—While it is possible that the sacrament could bring physical healing, Anointing of the Sick is pri-marily about the healing of hope and of the spirit. Above all, the sacrament allows the person who is ill to unite more closely to Christ’s Passion. This gives suffering a new meaning: a participation in the saving work of Jesus. This is a powerful witness that is for the good of the whole Church (CCC, nos. 1521-22).
Beacons of Hope—Pope John Paul II wrote, “Even the sick are sent forth as laborers into the Lord’s vineyard” (Christifideles Lai-ci, no. 53). As the sick unite their sufferings to those of Christ, they become bearers of the joy of the Holy Spirit in the midst of affliction and witnesses of Christ’s Resurrection. Anointing of the Sick testifies to the fact that all are called to participate in the redemption of the world (Sacramentum Caritatis, no. 22). We all have a role in sanctifying and building up the Church, whatever our physical condition. As the Synod of Bishops told an audience of sick and suffering persons, “We need you to teach the whole world what love is” (Per Concilii Semitas ad Populum Dei Nuntius, no. 12).
A Witness to Dignity—The sacrament reminds us that each person is made in the image of God and has dignity that remains un-changed, whatever the body suffers. The ministry of those who are sick is a powerful witness to the fact that human dignity is in-trinsic and does not increase or decrease based on a person’s physical state or abilities. This is why the Church works to protect the life and dignity of the person at every stage of life—the embryo, the person suffering from AIDS, the family in poverty, and the person nearing death—and why she works to secure access to decent health care for all.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK AT THE 11:30am MASS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8th
Human Concern Commission Members: Carey Marciniak, Chairperson; Deacon Gary Kupsak, Kathleen DeCaire-Aden, Linda Green, Tom Hanley, Veronica Hertel, Mary Lou Loomis, Sue Poletto, Dan Prezell, Jan Swanson; Diane Mulroe, Staff Liaison Join us for meetings 4th Wednesdays 3:30pm
OCTOBERISDOMESTICVIOLENCEAWARENESSMONTH*Purple ribbons around our campus trees are symbols to raise awareness and to remind us to be kind to everyone who lives with us and to treat them with respect. Love shouldn’t hurt...Stop Domestic Violence!
Last year, Fr. Chuck Dahm from the ACDVO spoke at our masses about Domestic Violence. He referred to the USCCB letter entitled “When I Call For Help: A Pastoral Response To Domestic Violence Against Women”. Below are some ex-cerpts from that letter.
In the beginning, I was young . . . he was handsome. He said I was beautiful, smart, worthy of love . . . made me feel that way. And so we were married, walking joyfully together down a church aisle, our union blessed by God. Then came the angry words . . . the verbal tearing apart. . . . Now I was made to feel ugly, unintelligent, unworthy of any love, God's or man's. Next came the beatings . . . unrelenting violence . . . unceasing pain. I shouldn't stay, but this is my husband . . . promised forever. He says I deserve it . . . maybe I do . . . if I could just be good. I feel so alone . . . doesn't God hear me when I cry out silently as I lie in bed each night? Finally came the release, the realization. It's not me . . . it's him. . . . I am worthy of love, God's and man's. One spring morning, my heart was filled with hope and with fear now only of starting over on my own. And so again I walked . . . down the hallway of our apartment building . . . never again to be silent . . . never again to live with that kind of violence, to suffer that kind of pain. —A battered wife
As pastors of the Catholic Church in the United States, we state as clearly and strongly as we can that violence against women, inside or outside the home, is never justified. Violence in any form"—physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal"—is sinful; often, it is a crime as well. We have called for a moral revolution to replace a culture of violence. We acknowledge that violence has many forms, many causes, and many victims—men as well as women.
The Catholic Church teaches that violence against another person in any form fails to treat that person as some-one worthy of love. Instead, it treats the person as an object to be used. When violence occurs within a sacramental mar-riage, the abused spouse may question, "How do these violent acts relate to my promise to take my spouse for better or for worse?" The person being assaulted needs to know that acting to end the abuse does not violate the marriage promis-es. While violence can be directed towards men, it tends to harm women and children more.
Violence against women in the home has serious repercussions for children. Over 50 percent of men who abuse their wives also beat their children. Children who grow up in violent homes are more likely to develop alcohol and drug addictions and to become abusers themselves. The stage is set for a cycle of violence that may continue from generation to generation.
The Church can help break this cycle. Many abused women seek help first from the Church because they see it as a safe place. Even if their abusers isolate them from other social contacts, they may still allow them to go to church. Recognizing the critical role that the Church can play, we address this statement to several audiences:
For more information and the complete letter go to http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/marriage/domestic-violence/when-i-call-for-help.cfm The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides crisis intervention and referrals to local service providers. Call 800-799-SAFE (7233) or 800-787-3224 (TTY). For more information, go to www.thehotline.org.
Next weekend, members of the St. Mary Domestic Violence Ministry
will be available before and after all masses. WEAR PURPLE TO MASS—show your support for victims of domestic abuse
and help us to shine a light on this important issue!
Sacrament of Penance Saturdays 4:00—4:40 PM, and by appointment
Baptisms Ordinarily during the Mass on the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month and after the Mass on the other Sundays, outside of Lent. Parents are required to participate in a Baptismal Preparation class before scheduling a Baptism.
Adult Initiation Adults who wish to become Roman Catholics are enrolled in a formation process that includes prayer, dialogue, instruction, and introduction to the Church’s life and values, rituals and tradition. Call the parish office for more information.
Marriage St. Mary Parish rejoices with parishioners who are preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony. The Church requires at least four months’ time before the marriage for adequate preparation. A parish wedding information packet is available at the parish office.
Ministry of Care Ministers of Care visit the homes of the sick, homebound, or hospitalized and bring Holy Communion to them. Call the parish office when a pastoral visit is desired. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is administered by the parish priest upon request.
New parishioners We welcome new members who wish to worship with us and support the parish’s work and mission. New Parishioner Welcome session is offered on the 2nd Sunday of the month. Time of registration is 10:45AM—11:25AM. If you are unable to make the Welcoming Session, please call the parish office to schedule time to register.
