FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter Why Do We NEED the Holy Spirit? by Dave Quinn www.PASSIONAustralia.org

The Holy Spirit is one of the most new knowledge, but a clarification of God isn’t misunderstood subjects in the Bible. the text as it stands revealed and Many people have this thought that the inspired by God. I believe that it is calling us to Holy Spirit is a force or a ghost type of especially important for the new mystical presence. However, the Bible Christian to understand this teaching GO TO tells us that the Holy Spirit is the third and illumination role of the Holy person of the trinity and often refers to Spirit because the Bible makes it CHURCH. Him as He. So like the Father and the clear to understand the “deep things Son, the Holy Spirit is a person and has of God” we need the wisdom, personality, a will and emotions. teaching and illumination of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6-16). He is calling The Holy Spirit can be especially confusing for the new believer. When 3. We need the Holy Spirit us to BE speaking to a new Christian it is not because He assures us we uncommon for them to ask, “Why do I belong to God CHURCH….. need the Holy Spirit when I already believe in Jesus?” We can answer this The Bible tells us that as soon as we The HOPE of question by looking at the Bible and put our faith and trust in Jesus seeing a number of important roles that Christ we are sealed by the Holy the WORLD! Holy Spirit plays in the life of the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). A seal is a Christian. In this article I want to look symbol of a finished transaction, of at five of the major ones that are ownership and of security. Because we helpful for the new Christian to learn. are sealed by the Holy Spirit, we can be 5. We need the Holy Spirit because assured of our salvation. In Romans He equips us for service 1. We need the Holy Spirit because 8:16 we see that the Holy Spirit also Jesus promised to send another one testifies with our spirit that we are The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit like Him God’s children and Ephesians 4:30 equips us for service with gifts and assures us that we are sealed until the empowers us to be Christ’s witnesses (1 day of redemption. Understanding that In John chapters 15 and 16 we see that Corinthians 12:4-11, Acts 1:8). The we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and Jesus told the disciples that after He Holy Spirit equips us to serve God by assured of our salvation is very returned to the Father He would send imparting His gifts, directing our important for the new Christian, as they another Counsellor (John 15:26, John ministry and anointing us with His are often prone to doubts and 16:5-7). When Jesus said that He would power. For the new Christian it is vital uncertainty about the decision they send ‘another counsellor’, the word to understand that while we have been have made. ‘another’ here means ‘another of the called to serve God and be Christ’s same kind’. Jesus was saying that all witnesses, we have not been called to that He had been to them the Spirit 4. We need the Holy Spirit because do this alone. We have been equipped would continue to be once he had He makes us more Christ-like by the Holy Spirit with gifts to returned to the Father. I believe it is undertake God’s work and we are important for us as Christians to The Bible tells us that as Christians we empowered with the Holy Spirit’s power understand this role of the Holy Spirit. are being transformed into likeness of to be Christ’s witnesses. While we trust Jesus for our salvation, it Christ by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians is the Holy Spirit who is our ever 3:18). When a person becomes born Conclusion present help, comfort and counsellor again, he is sanctified or set apart for today in the same way Jesus was to the God. This happens only once, but In this article I have listed five things disciples two thousand years ago. sanctification is also a daily process for that answer the question, “Why do I the rest of one’s life. To achieve this need the Holy Spirit when I already 2. We need the Holy Spirit because work the Holy Spirit indwells the believe in Jesus?” These include we He teaches us and illuminates believer (Romans 8:11) and works in need the Holy Spirit because Jesus Scripture their life to produce the fruit of the promised He would come, that we need Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). I believe as Him to illuminate and help us to Christians it important to realise that as The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit understand Scripture, to make us more we submit every area of our lives to the teaches us and reveals the truth of Christ-like through the sanctification indwelling Holy Spirit, we allow Him to Scripture (John 14:26, 1 Corinthians process and that the Holy Spirit equips work in us to progressively reflect the 2:10-14). This teaching and revealing us for service. I also looked at how character of Christ. This is what God work of the Holy Spirit is often that Holy Spirit assures us we belong to intended for humankind when He described as Illumination. Illumination God because He is God’s seal of originally created us. does not concern the impartation of ownership on us. May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter IN THE PARISH

Helpful Information Night At the Races Join the Parish Anyone wishing to register for There will be a “NATR Wrap Up Meeting” on membership in the parish is asked Wednesday, May 16 at 6:30 pm in the Fr. to fill out a registration form and Murgas Room. All Committee members are drop it in the collection basket. asked to be present. Request Prayers Our INTERCESSORY PRAYER Financial Update MINISTRY provides prayer for anyone in need throughout the In last week’s bulletin, we reported that the parish. Contact MARY ANN MAGDA proceeds from the Night at the Races was at 570-655-1218 or make your $8,394.00. Through the generosity of intention known on our parish Love is not just candlelight dinners, FCSLA Branch S-178, who provided a website at www.standrebessettewb.com sentimental poems, and bouquets of matching grant of $600.00 for this parish flowers. activity, we were able to increase our Remember your Parish proceeds for this event to $8,994.00. We Your parish serves you faithfully It’s also bandaging scraped knees, are grateful to the members of FCSLA throughout your life. Please reading favorite stories over and BRANCH S-178 for their generosity to us. remember your parish with a memorial gift or a Bequest in your over, and always being there to listen will. Make a return to the Lord for To date, our fund raising for this period all the good He has done for you. and encourage has netted us

Love is all the things you do, every Easter Collection (final) 13,445.05 SACRAMENTAL PREPARATIONS

day, without fail, to make our house Night at the Races 8,394.00 a home, our family a wonderful place Anointing of the Sick to be. Matching fund 600.00 The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may take place at any Donations 3,165.00 time, but, sadly, too many families Happy Mother’s Day wait until the last minute to call the Total Fundraising income 25,604.00 priest to anoint their loved ones. If someone in your family is seriously MOTHER’S DAY CARNATION SALE ill, preparing for surgery, or Parish Assessment 31,212.00 suffering a prolonged illness, please A long-time tradition in contact the parish office to arrange many parishes Fundraising -25,604.00 a time for Fr. Ken to visit. throughout the Diocese AMOUNT SHORT (5,608.00) IN THE CASE OF AN is the Annual Carnation EMERGENCY—or if Fr. Ken is Sale, which benefits unavailable to visit immediately, we will contact the first available priest Pennsylvanians for Even with our successful fundraising income during this period, we were still not able to reach to celebrate the Sacrament of Human Life. our goal of 31,212.00 to pay off the Diocesan Anointing with your loved one. Assessment for 2017-18. We will have to draw For the donation of a this shortfall from other parish funds or savings. Funeral Preparations dollar, you will receive a carnation (red We collaborate with the local funeral for living, white for deceased) in honor In addition, we still have no way of raising the directors in arranging the times of of your Mother. $93,788.02 needed to satisfy our Schools the funerals. Please be aware that Assessment for this year. there is an additional fee for You may take this carnation with you, funerals on Saturdays imposed by New Assessments will be levied by the Diocese most cemeteries in the area. or place it in the vases provided. These on July 1, 2018. flowers will be placed near the Blessed Mother Statue. Baptismal Preparations We have been notified by Parents of newly born infants may NEXT SUNDAY IS THE the Commonwealth of call the parish office to arrange a Pennsylvania that we SOLEMNITY OF time for the Baptism of their child. can no longer offer Baptisms are celebrated, for the PENTECOST. liquor, wine, or beer, as most part, on any Sunday, with the raffle prizes. It is illegal. exception of the season of Lent. It would be most Any organization offering appropriate to wear Wedding Preparations something red to Mass liquor as a prize can face a stiff financial penalty and the revocation of Couples contemplating Marriage are and other functions their license, preventing them from further asked to contact the parish office at next weekend in fundraising efforts. least one year prior to the celebration of the contemplated date of marriage, before making other plans. Outpouring of the Holy In its place, we can offer GIFT CARDS to the Spirit. STATE STORE. That would be perfectly legal. THE LITURGY May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter The Amazing Work of the Holy Spirit in the Liturgy by Rita Ferrone www.PEMDC.org

Of all the Persons of the Trinity, the Spirit—cleansing, restoring, giving, Holy Spirit is perhaps the most REFLECT and sustaining life. From the waters mysterious. Wind, breath, fire, dove? Do you ever think of your heart of creation to the waters of the Many images of the Spirit suggest as needing to be “prepared to baptismal font, the Holy Spirit’s movement and freedom and life. receive the Word of God” at amazing, life-giving work is carried They help us capture a sense of the Sunday Mass? Boredom, out through water. restlessness, and distractions Spirit as kind and gracious, yet are not something we can awesome in power. Wind can be a simply dismiss or get rid of by Anointing with oil, also a sign of gentle puff of fresh air or a fierce force of will power, all on our the Holy Spirit, follows Baptism, gale. Fire brings the safety of warmth own. We need the Holy Spirit. when we receive the Sacrament of and light, but it can also burn a Confirmation. The gift of the Spirit house down. You don’t play with fire! ACT in this sacrament strengthens us for mission, and seals the Baptism Listen for the promptings of The Church in the early centuries the Holy Spirit within you this we received. formally defined the Holy Spirit as week. It may be that you will be the Third Person of the Blessed faced with a moral decision, Finally, the Holy Spirit is the agent Trinity. The Holy Spirit is not a or an unexpected opportunity of transformation who, through the force but a Person. Equal in for doing good, or a crisis you words of Jesus spoken by the priest, need to manage. Listen, and majesty changes bread and wine into the then act, according to the Body and Blood of Christ. In the Spirit. Notice the outcome, for with the Father and the Son, the yourself and others. Next Eucharist, the Holy Spirit transforms Spirit is worthy of worship. Sunday, when you return to the us too and makes us holy. Although traces of the Holy Spirit Eucharist, bring your gratitude. are seen in the Bible from the FROM EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION beginning, it is the New Testament PRAY TO EVERYDAY LIFE that reveals the Holy Spirit most Spirit of God, thank you for The Spirit is constantly working fully. your amazing work in all the within us to make the Mass fruitful sacraments, but especially in for us and for the world. The Holy In John 16:7-15 Jesus promises to the Eucharist. You enable us Spirit prepares us to receive God’s send the Spirit to be our advocate to pray, to worship, and to and guide. The Spirit continues embrace the truth of Jesus Word with faith. The Holy Spirit fills Christ’s mission on earth. The Holy Christ. Open our hearts to the our hearts as we pray and sing; Spirit is with us even now, leading ongoing work you wish to interceding with and for us at all accomplish in us, and and empowering us. The joint times. The Holy Spirit knits us empower us for our mission in together in unity, especially during mission of the Son and the Spirit is the world. now our mission, the Church’s the Communion Rite, but also in the mission. The Catechism of the celebration as a whole. Finally, the Catholic Church describes it well: Holy Spirit strengthens us as we are truth amply demonstrated in the “[T]he Church’s mission is not an sent out to live the mission of the Acts of the Apostles). Yet we also addition to that of Christ and the Church. know that the Holy Spirit is Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: in trustworthy. The Spirit never We profess faith in the Holy Spirit in her whole being and in all her contradicts the revelation given in the Creed at Mass, yet our faith in members, the Church is sent to Jesus Christ. Indeed, the Spirit the Holy Spirit is perhaps never announce, bear witness, make leads us more deeply into that better expressed than when we are present, and spread the mystery of truth. obedient to the Spirit’s promptings the communion of the Holy in our everyday lives. Discerning the Trinity” (CCC 738). Our life as Christians, in the Church, Spirit, responding to is life in the Spirit. In fact, the The Holy Spirit is always leading Spirit’s presence is especially intense the Spirit, and rejoicing in the us into the future. The eschaton, in the sacraments of our salvation. Spirit are indispensable or the “last days,” when Christ will The Holy Spirit is active in all the movements of the Christian life. come again, is the Holy Spirit’s sacraments. The three sacraments of special lookout. Just as the Spirit We learn how to discern and initiation— Baptism, Confirmation, hovered over the waters in respond to the Spirit through and Eucharist— make us who we creation, and anointed Jesus for evangelization and catechesis, but are through the Spirit. his work of redemption, so the we also develop a taste for this— Holy Spirit guides the Church into FROM FONT TO TABLE indeed, a flair for this—by the way the future in hope. we worship. How do we know what It begins with water. The purest and is good? What to pray for? How to We rightly stand in awe before the clearest of liquids, water is superbly thank God? How to praise him? freedom of God. And we know that suited by nature to be the The Spirit teaches us these things the Spirit “blows where it will” (a sacramental sign of God’s own through the prayer of the Church. May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter PARISH MINISTRIES

The Season of Easter Ordinary Time ADMINISTRATIVE Weekend of Civil Observance: Mothers’ Day Weekend of 4 pm Vigil Mass May 12-13 4 pm Vigil Mass May 19-20 5:30 pm Vigil Mass COUNCILS Seventh 5:30 pm Vigil Mass SOLEMNITY 8:00 am Mass The Parish Social Justice Sunday of 8:00 am Mass OF 9:15 am Faith Formation  Easter 9:15 am Faith Formation PENTECOST 11:00 am Mass Council will meet Thursday, May 11:00 am Mass 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Cemetery Envelopes due Conference Room Catholic Communications Collection  The Finance Council will meet Baby Bottles Baby Bottles on Thursday, May 17 at 6:30 St. Joseph’s Pantry St. Joseph’s Pantry p.m. in the Fr. Murgas PRO LIFE CARNATION SALE Conference Room. All members of the Finance Council are asked Monday, No Morning Mass Monday, to plan to attend. May 14 May 21 No Morning Mass  The Liturgical Council will meet Tuesday, 8 am Mass Tuesday, 8 am Mass on Wednesday, June 6 at 6:30 May 15 5:30 pm Choir May 22 5:30 pm Choir p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. Wednesday, 8 am Mass Wednesday, 8 am Mass May 16 May 23  The Pastoral Council will meet 6:30 pm NATR Wrap Up Mtg. 6:30 Mtg. w/ Diocesan Reps. on Thursday, June 21 at 6:30 pm in the Fr. Murgas Conference Thursday, 8:00 am Mass Thursday, 8:00 am Mass Room. May 17 Noon Adoration May 24 Noon Adoration 5 pm Vespers 5 pm Vespers 6:30 pm FINANCE COUNCIL FAITH SHARING Friday, Friday, 8 am Mass 8 am Mass  St. Andre’s Faith Seekers with May 18 May 25 Michael Boris will meet at 7 pm Saturday, No Morning Mass Saturday, No Morning Mass on Monday May 7th in the Fr. May 19 3 pm Confessions May 26 3 pm Confessions Murgas Meeting Room of the Parish Office. VIGIL OF PENTECOST VIGIL OF TRINITY SUNDAY  Disciples of the Spirit of Jesus Social Justice Council with Sr. Madonna will meet on MINISTRY OF (“How to register in the Saturday, May 19th at 10:30 HOSPITALITY parish”, How to get a Activities for May am in the Fr. Murgas Meeting Mass Card,” “How to BABY BOTTLE PROJECT Room of the Parish office. There 10 Mistakes of register for Faith is still room in this group for Formation,” etc.) The Pennsylvanians for Hospitality Human Life promotes anyone who might be interested. 7. Parishioners don't know Here are the top ten the sanctity of human where the most life and we support  Sharers on the Journey with mistakes made when pertinent information is Christ with Rosemary greeting a first time visitor their efforts by located. participating in the Shedlock will meet on Sunday, to the parish: May 20th at 2:00 pm in the 8. Parishioners expect BABY BOTTLE 1. Volunteers are doing home of Elaine Snyder. visitors to know what to PROJECT. Please take task work and are not do during the service an empty bottle, fill it with available or responsive . and offer no helpful spare change, and return it to PARISH COMMITTEES 2. Parishioners are talking advice. (When to stand, the basket by the pulpit. Such a simple donation goes a long with friends and don't sit, kneel, etc.)  The Development Committee notice visitors. way in helping the unborn and 9. Parishioners run out of will meet on Monday, May 7th the newborn. 3. Parishioners don't church before the service at 6:30 pm in the Lower Meeting

introduce themselves to is finished and so are not ST. JOSEPH’S BABY PANTRY Room of the Parish Office. visitors, and don’t available to share  The Young at Heart Committee This ministry introduce visitors to fellowship, answer will meet for their next monthly provides others at the church. questions, or just be meeting on Tuesday May 15th expectant 4. Parishioners generally friendly to visitors. at 1 pm in the Fr. Murgas mothers with a look preoccupied, 10. Parishioners give visitors conference Room. Please note New Blessing distracted or unsure of useless information that change in day. Bag which themselves in their non- is neither enlightening contains items for newborns. It verbals even when being nor helpful. also provides necessary items friendly. If you are interested in and baby supplies for needy Loaves & Fishes 5. Parishioners generally serving in the Ministry of families. hesitate when asked a Hospitality, please contact question. Sr. Madonna at the parish Your donations are greatly Food for May office (570) 823-4988 appreciated and needed. 6. Parishioners are unaware of the basic "how to" ASAP so that we can Coffee questions of the parish. schedule an informational session. FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter

APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON THE CALL TO HOLINESS IN TODAY’S WORLD

CONTEMPORARY PELAGIANISM extol it by our words. with our works, it can only be a gift born of his loving initiative. This invites us to live in 47. Gnosticism gave way to another heresy, 51. When God speaks to Abraham, he tells joyful gratitude for this completely unmerited likewise present in our day. As time passed, him: “I am God Almighty, walk before me, gift, since “after one has grace, the grace many came to realize that it is not knowledge and be blameless” (Gen 17:1). In order to be already possessed cannot come under merit”. that betters us or makes us saints, but the blameless, as he would have us, we need to [59] The saints avoided putting trust in their kind of life we lead. But this subtly led back live humbly in his presence, cloaked in his own works: “In the evening of this life, I shall to the old error of the gnostics, which was glory; we need to walk in union with him, appear before you empty-handed, for I do simply transformed rather than eliminated. recognizing his constant love in our lives. We not ask you, Lord, to count my works. All our need to lose our fear before that presence justices have stains in your sight”.[60] 48. The same power that the gnostics which can only be for our good. God is the attributed to the intellect, others now began Father who gave us life and loves us greatly. 55. This is one of the great convictions that to attribute to the human will, to personal Once we accept him, and stop trying to live the Church has come firmly to hold. It is so effort. This was the case with the pelagians our lives without him, the anguish of clearly expressed in the word of God that and semi-pelagians. Now it was not loneliness will disappear (cf. Ps 139:23-24). there can be no question of it. Like the intelligence that took the place of mystery In this way we will know the pleasing and supreme commandment of love, this truth and grace, but our human will. It was perfect will of the Lord (cf. Rom 12:1-2) and should affect the way we live, for it flows forgotten that everything “depends not on allow him to mould us like a potter (cf. Is from the heart of the Gospel and demands human will or exertion, but on God who 29:16). So often we say that God dwells in that we not only accept it intellectually but shows mercy” (Rom 9:16) and that “he first us, but it is better to say that we dwell in also make it a source of contagious joy. Yet loved us” (cf. 1 Jn 4:19). him, that he enables us to dwell in his light we cannot celebrate this free gift of the and love. He is our temple; we ask to dwell in Lord’s friendship unless we realize that our A will lacking humility the house of the Lord all the days of our life earthly life and our natural abilities are his 49. Those who yield to this pelagian or semi- (cf. Ps 27:4). “For one day in your courts is gift. We need “to acknowledge jubilantly that pelagian mindset, even though they speak better than a thousand elsewhere” (Ps our life is essentially a gift, and recognize warmly of God’s grace, “ultimately trust only 84:10). In him is our holiness. that our freedom is a grace. This is not easy in their own powers and feel superior to today, in a world that thinks it can keep An often overlooked Church teaching others because they observe certain rules or something for itself, the fruits of its own creativity or freedom”.[61] remain intransigently faithful to a particular 52. The Church has repeatedly taught that Catholic style”.[46] When some of them tell we are justified not by our own works or 56. Only on the basis of God’s gift, freely the weak that all things can be accomplished efforts, but by the grace of the Lord, who accepted and humbly received, can we with God’s grace, deep down they tend to always takes the initiative. The Fathers of the cooperate by our own efforts in our give the idea that all things are possible by Church, even before Saint Augustine, clearly progressive transformation.[62] We must the human will, as if it were something pure, expressed this fundamental belief. Saint John first belong to God, offering ourselves to him perfect, all-powerful, to which grace is then Chrysostom said that God pours into us the who was there first, and entrusting to him added. They fail to realize that “not everyone very source of all his gifts even before we our abilities, our efforts, our struggle against can do everything”,[47] and that in this life enter into battle.[53] Saint Basil the Great evil and our creativity, so that his free gift human weaknesses are not healed completely remarked that the faithful glory in God alone, may grow and develop within us: “I appeal to and once for all by grace.[48] In every case, for “they realize that they lack true justice you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of as Saint Augustine taught, God commands and are justified only through faith in Christ”. God, to present your bodies as a living you to do what you can and to ask for what [54] sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Rom you cannot,[49] and indeed to pray to him 12:1). For that matter, the Church has humbly: “Grant what you command, and 53. The Second Synod of Orange taught with always taught that charity alone makes command what you will”.[50] firm authority that nothing human can growth in the life of grace possible, for “if I demand, merit or buy the gift of divine grace, do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor 13:2). 50. Ultimately, the lack of a heartfelt and and that all cooperation with it is a prior gift prayerful acknowledgment of our limitations of that same grace: “Even the desire to be prevents grace from working more effectively [46] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (24 November 2013), cleansed comes about in us through the 94: AAS 105 (2013), 1059. within us, for no room is left for bringing outpouring and working of the Holy Spirit”. [47] Cf. Bonaventure, De sex alis Seraphim, 3, 8: “Non omnes omnia about the potential good that is part of a possunt”. The phrase is to be understood along the lines of the [55] Subsequently, the Council of Trent, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1735. sincere and genuine journey of growth.[51] while emphasizing the importance of our [48] Cf. THOMAS AQUINAS, Summa Theologiae II-II, q. 109, a. 9, ad 1: “But here grace is to some extent imperfect, inasmuch as it does Grace, precisely because it builds on nature, cooperation for spiritual growth, reaffirmed not completely heal man, as we have said”. does not make us superhuman all at once. [49] Cf. De natura et gratia, 43, 50: PL 44, 271. that dogmatic teaching: “We are said to be [50] Confessiones, X, 29, 40: PL 32, 796. That kind of thinking would show too much justified gratuitously because nothing that [51] Cf. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (24 November confidence in our own abilities. Underneath 2013), 44: AAS 105 (2013), 1038. precedes justification, neither faith nor works, [52] In the understanding of Christian faith, grace precedes, our orthodoxy, our attitudes might not merits the grace of justification; for ‘if it is by accompanies and follows all our actions (cf. ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF TRENT, Session VI, Decree on Justification, ch. 5: DH 1525). correspond to our talk about the need for grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; [53] Cf. In Ep. ad Romanos, 9, 11: PG 60, 470. grace, and in specific situations we can end [54] Homilia de Humilitate: PG 31, 530. otherwise, grace would no longer be [55] Canon 4: DH 374. up putting little trust in it. Unless we can grace’ (Rom 11:6)”.[56] [56] Session VI, Decree on Justification, ch. 8: DH 1532. acknowledge our concrete and limited [57] No. 1998. [58] Ibid., 2007. situation, we will not be able to see the real 54. The Catechism of the Catholic Church [59] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 114, a. 5. [60] ThÉrÈse of the Child Jesus, “Act of Offering to Merciful and possible steps that the Lord demands of also reminds us that the gift of grace Love” (Prayers, 6). us at every moment, once we are attracted “surpasses the power of human intellect and [61] Lucio Gera, Sobre el misterio del pobre, in P. GRELOT-L. GERA-A. DUMAS, El Pobre, Buenos Aires, 1962, 103. and empowered by his gift. Grace acts in will”[57] and that “with regard to God, there [62] This is, in a word, the Catholic doctrine on “merit” subsequent to history; ordinarily it takes hold of us and is no strict right to any merit on the part of justification: it has to do with the cooperation of the justified for growth in the life of grace (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, transforms us progressively.[52] If we reject man. Between God and us there is an 2010). Yet this cooperation in no way makes justification itself or this historical and progressive reality, we can immeasurable inequality”.[58] His friendship friendship with God the object of human merit. actually refuse and block grace, even as we infinitely transcends us; we cannot buy it When you TRANSFORM YOURSELF, You help TRANSFORM the WORLD.

The Great Fifty Days The Holy Spirit and the Contemporary Reform of the Catholic Church by Rev. Philip-Michael Tangorra STL http://www.hprweb.com (Homiletic and Pastoral Review)

Introduction the heavens” (Jb 26:13), and “filled the common by all the baptized, and, in a whole world” (Wis 1:7).2 special way, by those ordained and When the work which the consecrated priests, ought to inspire our Father gave the Son to do on The Holy Spirit leads the Church, the Bride sacred gift of imagination as to how we can earth (cf. Jn 17:4) was of Christ, and, with the Church, “the Spirit inflame the Holy Spirit, soul of the Church, accomplished, the Holy Spirit and the Bride both say to Jesus, the Lord: in the Church today, and inspire authentic 3 was sent on the day of “Come!” (cf. Rv 22:17).” The Holy Spirit, in reforms, so as to better our realization of Pentecost in order that he his role of guiding, nourishing, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church might continually sanctify the instructing the Church, the People of God, today. Church, and that, inspires the Church to join with him in consequently, those who preparing to welcome Christ back at his The Imminent Trinity (ad intra) believe might have access Second Coming. The Holy Spirit, who is not through Christ in one Spirit to bound by the visible confines of the Catholic In order to better understand the role of the 4 the Father. (cf. Eph 2:18)1 Church, draws all humanity, through Holy Spirit in guiding the Church to its heightening humanity’s understanding of the consummation with Christ Jesus in the New The Holy Spirit is the guardian and custodian Logos spermatikos scattered throughout all Jerusalem, we must first understand the of the Church, who, through the servants he of creation and in all cultures and religions, Holy Spirit and his relationship with the has called to serve the Church as shepherds, into unity with the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Father and the Son, and then look at the and endowed with charismatic gifts, brings so that, through his Paschal Mystery, they Mission of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity, in the Church into the fullness of truth. may be one with the Father.5 itself (imminent), can only be known by how the Trinity has revealed itself. There is one There is no salvation outside of a God, one divine nature, one true almighty, participation in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus unchangeable, and eternal God. This God is Christ, but the Holy Spirit, while not offering Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three divine a separate or unique mediation of salvation persons, but one God.9 from Christ, can unite all humanity to the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ, through the But (the faithful) worship the explicit act of faith in the existence of God Father and the Son and the and trust in God’s divine providence for their Holy Spirit, One Godhead; salvation.6 “In the hearts of those men of God the Father, God the Son, good will where grace is active invisibly, we and God the Holy Spirit, One can say that a non-Christian is mysteriously Nature in Three Personalities, related to Christ, even if he is unconscious intellectual, perfect, self- of the role of Christ in his life.”7 Through this existent, numerically mysterious participation, wrought by the separate, but not separate in Our Savior never ceases to invite, with Holy Spirit, in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Godhead.10 infinite affection, all men, of every race and Christ, one participates in the fruits of the tongue, into the bosom of his Church: sacraments of baptism and of the Eucharist, The unity of the one God in three persons is “Come ye all to Me,” “I am the Life,” “I am and are, therefore, part of the People of expressed by the word “consubstantial.” The the Good Shepherd.” Nevertheless, God, as they are ordinantur Ecclesiae, Trinity is a consubstantial unity of the according to his inscrutable counsels, he did related to the Church, which is necessary for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. not will to entirely complete and finish this salvation.8 office himself on earth, but as he had The word received it from the Father, so he We see here how the Holy Spirit unites “substance” means transmitted it for its completion to the Holy people, even if they are unconscious of this more than “being,” it Spirit. It is consoling to recall those reality, to Jesus Christ, from whom the Holy denotes nature and assurances which Christ gave to the body of Spirit proceeds. This was a central point for ontology. Hence, his disciples a little before he left the earth: the Holiness movement of the Wesley when we say that the “It is expedient to you that I go: for if I go brothers and of Pentecostalism; that the Three Persons are not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but Holy Spirit brings us to our salvation in with the same if I go, I will send Him to you” (1 Jn 16:7). Jesus, and that those who have received this substance, In these words, he gave as the chief reason gift manifest the presence of the salvation of consubstantial, we of his departure and his return to the Father, Christ in their lives through charismatic gifts express the fact that the advantage which would most certainly of the Spirit. While, as Catholics, we do not they are of the same accrue to his followers from the coming of believe that one must manifest any form of one divine nature, the Holy Spirit, and, at the same time, he extraordinary gift of tongues or healing to being, and essence, made it clear that the Holy Spirit is equally manifest his or her acceptance of the free and this substance of sent by—and therefore, proceeds from— gift of salvation, we do believe that the God is love. It is himself and the Father; that he would extraordinary gifts of faith, hope, and love from the love of the Father that he complete, in his office of Intercessor, must be alive in our hearts and souls. Our generates, not creates, the Son. And, the Consoler, and Teacher, the work which emphasis on the gift of the theological Son returns that love, generated from the Christ himself had begun in his mortal life. virtues (faith, hope, and love) given us by Father, through a procession back to the For, in the redemption of the world, the the Holy Spirit at baptism, the sevenfold Father. The nexus of this love is the Holy completion of the work was, by Divine gifts of the Holy Spirit received at Spirit, and so we relate to the Holy Spirit, Providence, reserved to the manifold power confirmation/chrismation, and our not as Father or Son, but as the gift of love of that Spirit, who, in the creation, “adorned conforming to Christ as priest, shared in proceeding from the Father and the Son. Divine Love first takes its understanding the Trinity ad intra, we cannot participation in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus origin from the Holy Spirit, fully understand the Trinity, and, specifically, Christ, the Holy Spirit is not the mediator of Who is the Love in Person of the Holy Spirit, in the life of the Church, and salvation, but the bringer of humanity to the Father and the Son in the how the Holy Spirit, as the gift of love, salvation wrought by Jesus Christ. bosom of the most Holy reforms the Church in every age. Trinity. Most aptly, then, does Jesus is the lone the Apostle of the Gentiles The Mission: Sent for Salvation mediator between 17 echo, as it were, the words of God and man. As Jesus Christ, when he ascribes After discussing the imminent Trinity, we Jesus is the middle, the pouring forth of love in the must express the economic Trinity, the joining two hearts of believers to this Trinity ad extra, revealed. This comes to us extremes: divinity Spirit of Love: “The charity of through the revelation of the Son, the and humanity, he is God is poured forth in our Eternal Word made Flesh in Jesus Christ, and the perfect mediator hearts by the Holy Spirit Who the Holy Spirit. They are the two “hands” of by virtue of the is given to us.”11 the Father, who make the Father known and hypostatic union of lead humanity back to unity with the Father. his two natures in While the unity of “And now I will no longer be in the world, but his one person. As a the Trinity must be they are in the world, while I am coming to man, Jesus exercises emphasized, there you. Holy Father, keep them in your name the perfect are distinctions, that you have given me, so that they may be priesthood offering the perfect sacrifice, such as: the Father one just as we are” (Jn 17:11). himself, to reconcile humanity with divinity; is not the Son or and as God, he, by virtue of the the Holy Spirit; the The Father sends the Son, not because the reconciliation of the sacrifice of Calvary, Son is not the Son is not equal with the Father, but because showers the grace of God upon humanity. Father or the Holy the Son makes the Father known to Thus, the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ is Spirit; and the Holy humanity by becoming incarnate, taking a our salvation.18 Spirit is not the human nature from the Immaculate Virgin Father or the Son.12 Mary. “Believe me that I am in the Father The activity of the Holy Spirit is to bring These distinctions are derived from the and the Father is in me” (Jn 14:11a). Jesus people to salvation, to bring them to Jesus. processions within the Trinity. If both the is the perfect revelation of the Father. The Holy Spirit offers all men of good will a Son and the Holy Spirit were generated from “Whoever has seen me has seen the participation in the Paschal Mystery of Christ 19 the Father, than both would be the Son. If Father” (Jn 14: 9c). Jesus, who is true God, in an extraordinary way. By the teaching both the Son and the Holy Spirit were became true man to reveal the Father and and preaching of the Church, guided by the 15 proceeding from the Father, than both would reconcile humanity to God. Yet, Jesus Holy Spirit, people will come to know the 20 be the Holy Spirit. Rather, the Son is the Son ascends back to the Father, so that the Holy Father and the Son. The Apostles and all because he is generated from the Father. Spirit may be sent from the Father and the Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, are And, the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit, Son to remain with the Church, so that we called to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. because he proceeds from the Father and the will not be orphans, but sons and daughter of Thus, the mission of the Holy Spirit, the gift Son. Lastly, the Father is neither generated, so noble a Father. of love, is to bring every person to unity with nor proceeding from anyone, but is without love, which is communion with the Father And I will ask the Father, and and the Son. origin. The Father is the principle: “All that he will give you another the Father is, or has, he has, not from Advocate to be with you another, but from himself.”13 The Role of the Holy Spirit in the always, the Spirit of truth, Sacramental Economy The Father is the source and origin of the which the world cannot Godhead. The Father begets the Son from his accept, because it neither The Holy Spirit exercises an integral role in own ineffable substance, love, but not sees nor knows it. But you the sacraments. The sacrament of baptism, different from himself. God begot God. The know it, because it remains later strengthened by confirmation, imparts Father never is without the Son and the Holy with you, and will be in you. I the Holy Spirit upon catechumens, so that Spirit, as each is coeternal. One cannot will not leave you orphans; I they may be conformed to Jesus Chrisrt, relate as the Father without the Son, and the will come to you. (Jn 14:16- crucified and risen, in order to share in the Holy Spirit proceeds, as the gift of love, from 18) Paschal Mystery. Stamped with the permanent Imago Dei and a sacramental the relationship between the Father and the The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the character which grants them a share in the Son. Yet, the Father and the Son are not two Son, so that he can lead all humanity to truth priesthood of Jesus Christ, they are deputed origins of the Holy Spirit, but one origin, just by bringing mankind into relationship with toward right worship. The sacrament of holy as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not the Father and the Son (See Jn 14:26, orders, imparts a sacramental character three origins of creation, but one origin. 15:26, 16:13-14). conforming the deacon to Christ the Servant, The Father is wholly in the Son and wholly in The sending of as a minister of the Word and charity. the Holy Spirit. The Son is wholly in the the Son and the Likewise, it imparts a sacramental character Father and wholly in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Holy Spirit is for to priests, that they minister in persona Spirit is wholly in the Father and wholly in the purpose of Christi capitis, and to bishops, in eius the Son. All that the Son is, or has, he has salvation. The persona, the fullness of orders and sacred from the Father; he is origin from origin. All Son is the sole powers of the priesthood of Jesus Christ. that the Holy Spirit is, or has, he has at once mediator of (simul) from the Father and the Son.14 The Holy Spirit sanctifies the Church, through salvation to the giving of charismatic gifts and sacred humanity. Jesus The aforementioned understanding of the powers, for the building up of the Church, to “snatches men Trinity is necessary to our understanding so all people, depending upon their own needs from the power as to see how the Holy Spirit, anima for personal growth in holiness, and their of darkness and Ecclesiae, inspires reform in the Church. We capacity to use those gifts to their fullest of Satan (cf. Col see from above that the Holy Spirit is the potential. Consequently, the gifts given to 1:23; Acts nexus of the love of God, the gift of love, and one person may vary from another, and the 10:38) and in that the Holy Spirit is both one with the gifts and sacred powers given by ordination him, reconciles Father and Son, as well as distinct from the to a bishop or priest are specific to the the world to himself.”16 While the Holy Spirit Father and Son, because of the mission of ministry of a priest. the Holy Spirit to the Church. Thus, without works to bring all humanity into a goal of all sacramental life.22 holiness and the ability to manifest extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit for Confirmation is not necessary for the building up the Church. Today’s reform of reception of the Eucharist, as current the Church focuses on the Church as the practice in the United States allows children People of God. The holiness that we, the to receive First Holy Communion before People of God, can manifest when we are confirmation. However, upon receiving the truly conscious of the presence of the Holy sacrament of confirmation, our participation Spirit in our in the Eucharistic sacrifice at Mass should be lives is the all the more profound, since we offer greatest ourselves more completely with the sacrifice reform of the The gifts of the Holy Spirit are freely given of Christ upon the Cross in order to increase Church us all. We do not possess them. The gifts are our share in the fruits of the Resurrection possible, not given to us as personal “powers.” There and Pentecost. because our is no such thing as a person who has witness to the “healing powers” or who possesses any The Holy Spirit, Pope Francis, real presence particular gift. The gifts are given for the and the Church—Always to Be of God in this sake of that person’s personal growth in Reformed world, holiness and the building up of the Church, revealed as is needed, at that moment, and in that Above, we see clearly that the Holy Spirit is through our context. He gives us whatever new gift we central to our salvation and holiness of life, holiness, will need to continue our pilgrimage of grace, especially through our participation in, and inflame the faith, hope, and love. But, the gift he freely reception of, the sacraments, which the Holy hearts and gives, he freely takes back when it is no Spirit leads us to, in order to understand minds of longer needed. more perfectly the mystery of the life of unbelievers! Christ Jesus. Although this should not be In confirmation, we receive, in a special ignored, at the same time, we should not Lastly, the Holy Spirit is a dynamo of love, way, the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: define the activity of the Holy Spirit as love powerfully expressed. It is not some wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, limited to the sacraments and liturgical, amorphous, enigmatic contradiction of knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. official acts of the Church. The Holy Spirit revelation and truth. Rather, it calls us to These are meant to aid us in our own works in the heart, mind, and soul of every reevaluate how well the Church generates spiritual growth, as well as to be used for human being, of all religions and no religion, love through its ministries. Perception is the benefit of others by building up the drawing them to Christ. And how this reality. Thus, if our pastoral ministries and kingdom of God on earth through the happens throughout the many cultures of perceived self-expression fail to witness to promotion of the Catholic faith. Confirmation the world should not be underestimated. But the gift of love that is the Holy Spirit, a is the capstone of the Easter sacraments, how the Holy Spirit inspires people of faith reimaging may be necessary, or, at least, a just as Pentecost is the capstone of the New inside the Church must also be discerned, questioning of why that image is what is Law in Jesus Christ begun on Easter. The and, if truly authentic, embraced by her in being perceived. The dynamism of the love sevenfold gifts given by the Holy Spirit at order to reform, grow, and continue to that is the Holy Spirit can be manifested in confirmation perfect the baptized by enliven Christians of today. many ways, including disciplinary reforms transforming them into warriors of Christ, that express more clearly the reality of the knights of the Church, evangelists. Made The Holy Spirit is the gift of love/caritas, the God that is love. firm in the faith through their instruction, nexus of the love shared between God the and nourished by the sacramental life of the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, Conclusion Church, the confirmed are meant to use the it is no coincidence that we see the message gifts of the Holy Spirit to promote and of charity and care for the poor that has The self-examination of the Church, which defend the teachings of the Church. “By been so clearly expressed by Pope Francis, Pope Francis is leading, must ask the virtue of baptism and confirmation, lay as one wholeheartedly embraced by people question: How well is the activity of the Holy members of the Christian faithful are of all faiths, or even no faith, throughout the Spirit, anima Ecclesiae, being revealed witnesses of the Gospel message by word world. This united response to care for the today? This is an objective standard which is and example of a Christian life; they can poor will bring peace and heal divisions that based on the love and truth taught by the also be called upon to cooperate with the afflict the entire human family. It, alone, will Church through the inspiration of the Holy bishop and presbyters (priests) in the succeed where mankind has otherwise Spirit. exercise of the ministry of the word.”21 failed, and, in doing so, will introduce the

Holy Spirit to those who have not yet come The gifts of the Holy Spirit amplify our to recognize that it is his presence which 1. LG, 4. prayer life, enliven our ministry, inflame our 2. Pope Leo XIII, Divinum Illud Munus, 1: ASS 29 (1896-97), 644. unites us. 3. LG, 4. preaching and evangelizing, and are 4. See LG, 8. While the ordinary means of the Holy Spirit 5. See GS, 22. nourished in the sacraments. Through the 6. See Hebrews 11: 6. Holy Spirit, we receive the forgiveness of to communicate the love of God is through 7. Philip-Michael F. Tangorra, Whether There Is the Necessity for All Humanity to Have the Implicit Desire (Votum) for the Eucharist for sins in the sacrament of penance, and the Church, we must not fail to recognize Salvation: According to the Thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we that extraordinary mystical gifts and the Sacred Liturgy, (Licentiate tesina, Pontificia Universitas Studiorum a Sancto Toma Aquinatis in Urbe, 2011), 43-44. come to the crucified and risen Body and experiences have been given to many of our 8. See LG, 14-16; ITC, The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die brothers and sisters in the human family Without Being Baptized, 99. Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist. 9. See Council of Florence, “Decree for the Copts”, in The Christian who are not yet baptized, and therefore, not Faith: In the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church, ed. by It must never be forgotten Jacques Dupuis, (New York: Alba House, 2001), 325-326. fully incorporated into the life of the Church. 10. St. Gregory Nazianzen, Orations, No. 33. that our reception of baptism These gifts and experiences can 11. Ven. Pope Pius XII, Haurietis Aquas, 5: AAS 48 (1956), 310. and confirmation is ordered to 12. See St. Thomas, S. Th. I, q. 40 a.2. communicate great truths to the human 13. St. Thomas, S. Th. I, q. 33 a. 1. the Eucharist … The gifts of family and inspire faith in people seeking 14. See St. Athanasius, Quicumque Velt, in The Christian Faith: In the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church, ed. by Jacques the Spirit are given for the fulfillment and meaning in life. The role of Dupuis, (New York: Alba House, 2001), 16-17. building up of Christ’s Body (1 15. See St. Hippolytus, Against the Heresy of Noetus, ch. 17. missionaries and evangelists is to help 16. AG, 3. Cor 12) and for ever greater people see how such gifts can point to Jesus. 17. See LG, 8; SC, 5; AG, 3; CDF, Dominus Iesus, 11-12: AAS 92 witness to the Gospel in the (2000), 751-754; St. Thomas, S. Th. III, q. 22 aa. 1, 2, and 5; q. 26 aa. 1-2). world. The Holy Eucharist, Because of our common baptismal 18. See SC, 5-6; GS, 22. 19. See GS, 22. then, brings Christian priesthood, given to us so that we may gain 20. See AG, 3. initiation to completion and the perfection of holiness in Christ, we can 21. CIC, 759. 22. Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, 17: AAS 99 (3) represents the center and recognize the capacity for all of us for (2007), 118-119. IN THE DIOCESE May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter

Do You Want to Know More National Association About the Annulment of Pastoral Process?: Musicians Scranton Chapter In the Diocese of Scranton, the annulment process is now more Bus Trip to National “user friendly” than you might Convention expect, and there is no longer a Baltimore, Maryland processing fee. July 9 — 13, 2018

REFRESH YOUR FAITH Bus will leave Scranton Please contact your pastor or First Annual Catholic Women’s Sunday, July 8 at 3 pm and the Diocesan Tribunal Office Conference Wilkes-Barre at 4 pm (570-207-2246) to begin a Saturday, June 23, 2018 The Bus will leave Baltimore conversation. 8 am—4 pm on Friday, July 13 at 1:00 Byron Complex pm

It is possible to get clear University of Scranton Cost for the bus is $85.00 answers to these questions and per person and does not to renew your connection with Featuring: include Convention the Church. Judy Landrieu Klein: Faith Through it All Registration or hotel Fr. Richard McAlear: Ministry of Hope and Healing accommodations. These Music by “His Own” must be booked separately Notice Regarding the Sexual Mass celebrated by Bishop Joseph Bambera prior to departure. Abuse of A Minor To reserve your seat on the For information or to register: bus, contact It is the policy of the Diocese of Contact the Office for Parish Life DAVE BALOGA at 570-207- at 570-207-2213 or ONLINE at dioceseofscranton.org/ Scranton to report any allegation 2213, ext. 1158. catholicwomen’sconference of sexual abuse of a minor to law Seating is limited so make enforcement. If you are a victim of Co sponsored by the Diocese of Scranton your reservation as soon as sexual abuse, you are encouraged and Attus for Women: Growing in Faith possible. to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, For more information on the deacon, religious, lay employee or Convention itself, visit the volunteer of the Diocese of NPM website at npm.org. Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24 hour Child Abuse Hotline (ChildLine) at 1-800-932-0313 or electronically at www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis. It is also the policy of the Diocese to Diocese of Scranton adhere to all civil and state Pilgrimage regulations. To this end, the to the Diocese is equally committed to National Shrine Basilica adhering to the norms of the Code of the Immaculate Conception of Canon Law and to upholding the

tenets of the USCCB Charter for

the Protection of Children and Saturday, Young People, which includes September 22, 2018 supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, Cost: $55.00 per information regarding an allegation person + lunch and of sexual abuse of a minor should personal spending also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Mary Beth

Pacuska at 570-862-7551 or to Diocesan Officials, including the TO REGISTER: Vicar General, Msgr. Thomas M. Call: MARY Muldowney, V.G. at 570-207- at 570-823-4988 2269. May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter STEWARDSHIP

St. Francis of Assisi and Church Renewal

St. Francis As the Model of Authentic Church Reform and society at large. by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput ofm.cap The insight of Francis was very simple. He experienced God as a Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. delivered this address at personal, loving Father—and knowing that a father would not give Franciscan University of Steubenville, reflecting on why St. Francis of his son a scorpion when he asks for bread, Francis decided to live in the world as God's trusting child. Of course, this led him to identify Assisi was an effective reformer of his time. April 2, 2003 with Jesus Christ, the Son in whom we become God's sons—male

I write a lot of letters every day because and female alike—and in that experience, Francis began to graft his a lot of people write to me, and my own life onto the way of Jesus Christ. parents always taught me that ignoring Right away that had consequences. Because of his relationship with anyone is bad manners. So I always God as his Father and Jesus as his Brother, Francis began to write back, which means I have a lot of experience other people in a new way. They became his sisters and interesting pen pals, some happy, some brothers because they were sons and daughters of God and sisters angry and a few who are a little and brothers of Jesus Christ—and this relationship wasn't just one of strange. One of the angry ones emailed words. It was a reality. Everyone and all creation that flows from me a few weeks ago to complain that the the Fatherhood of God are somehow "children" of God. And that Archdiocese of Denver was becoming a explains Francis' reverence toward nature, because nature also flows magnet for every flaky, right wing new from the hand of a loving Father. Francis' ability to seek real group in the Church. And I immediately holiness and to be a poor man came directly from this understanding thought: Thank you for a great way to of God's personal love. He wanted to depend on nothing but the begin my talk on St. Francis. providential care of God, his Father. It's true that God has raised up many Not all of his brothers saw things in the same clear way. Francis had new charisms and communities in the a lot of struggles in his order. He was a man of great gentleness Church over the last 60 years, and and charity, but he could also be very tough. He fought with his especially since Vatican II. It's true that Pope Innocent dreamed that brothers quite frequently, especially when they wanted to water all of them have their special weaknesses a man dressed in beggar’s down what he knew was the inspiration that God had given along with their special strengths. And clothing would save the him. The Franciscan Order, right from its origins, was the place it's also true that the Archdiocese of church. That man was where the struggle was joined. And Francis was always right at the Francis of Assisi Denver has tended to welcome them with heart of the battle. In the year 1221, just a few years after the an openness which they may not always Franciscan community began, some 3,000 friars gathered with find elsewhere. I think that's partly because of the vision of my Francis for a general chapter. And the ministers, the ones who were predecessor, Cardinal Francis Stafford, and partly because of the the leaders of the community, wanted to change the Rule. They conversion our own local Church has undergone since World Youth wanted to accommodate it to the times, so it wouldn't be so Day 1993. demanding. But in each of these new charisms that has taken root in Colorado— Of course St. Francis fought that. And this man of peace chose the groups like the Community of the Beatitudes, the Neocatechumenal following verse from Scripture as the theme for his preaching that Way, the Christian Life Movement, the Fellowship of Catholic day: "Blessed be the Lord my God, who trains my hands for University Students, the charismatic renewal, Opus Dei, Cursillo, the war." Those were the words that he spoke to his brothers as he Marian Community of Reconciliation, Families of Nazareth, and most began his homily. And he won the day. The Rule was later modified recently a wonderful apostolic society that began 30 years ago in anyway, but not that day, because Francis knew how to fight hard Peru, the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae—in each of these cases, their for what he believed was right. Like Mother Teresa and many other spirit is something very familiar to anyone who knows St. Francis. saints all through Church history, Francis was holy and good and Francis once said that, "the saints lived lives of heroic virtue, [but] kind—but when it came to fighting for matters of faith and principle, we are satisfied to talk about them." Francis himself wasn't satisfied he was not necessarily nice, and he was never soft. with pious words. He wanted to act on the things he believed. He The chapter of 1221 tells us something else about St. Francis very called his brothers to live the Gospel with simplicity and useful for our own day: his humility and obedience. After the honesty. And that's why he used the words sine glossa—without chapter, the ministers of the Franciscan community did succeed in gloss—in his Testament. He saw that the Gospel wasn't wresting control of the Order away from Francis' hands. For awhile, complicated, but it was demanding and difficult. The theologians in some ways, he just gave up. Francis got tired of the battle and and Church lawyers of his day had written commentaries called went off to the hermitage with a few of his friends. But he was glosses. And these glosses were very good at either explaining angry and badly depressed. From time to time he still wanted to away the hard parts of the Gospel, or diminishing our need to follow fight. He's quoted as saying—or shouting actually, at one point—"If Christ's demands. Francis wanted none of that. He was a radical in I go to the chapter, I'll show them who I am!" He was going to the truest sense. He wanted to experience discipleship at its root. straighten the brothers out, and teach them what was right. Francis lived in a time at least as complicated as our own. It was an But eventually the Church, in the person of the Holy Father, age of Christians killing Christians, Muslims and Christians killing approved the Order's modified Rule. And once the Church had each other, wars between cities and states, and corruption both approved it, Francis had a peace-giving dream in which Jesus spoke within and outside the Church. Views of society and the Church to him. Tradition tells us that the Lord said to Francis, "Poor little were changing, and both were experiencing upheaval. The feudal man, why are you so sad? Is not your order, My order? Is it not I system was falling apart. For much of his life, Francis was lost in who am its chief shepherd? Cease to be afflicted, then, and take the confusion. But in his experience of faith and prayer, he came to care rather of your own salvation." We're told that after Francis had some basic insights that gave him a very powerful inner this dream, the peace and joy that were so characteristic of his early freedom. And this enabled him to live the Gospel with simplicity and life returned to him, and he died in that spirit of grace. clarity in such a way that he not only was converted himself, but also became the leader of a movement of conversion in the Church TO BE CONTINUED May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter FINANCES

INCOME EXPENSES May 05-06, 2018 May 03 –09,2018 PARISH COLLECTION Administration 4,969.72 In Church Mailed In Clergy Residence -0- Loose 186.01 -0- Liturgy 400.00 Offering 4,011.00 841.00 Religious Education 254.18 Holy Days 40.00 36.00 Social Justice -0- DIOCESAN ASSESSMENTS (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018) Initial -0- 5.00 Maintenance 648.93 Diocesan School BALANCE Dues 1,232.50 91.00 Deposit to Savings -0- Assessment Assessment Prior Debt Reduction 10.00 5.00 Insurance -0- Balance 0.00 34,646.02 34,646.02 Holiday Flowers -0- -0- Taxes -0- Current Assessment 82,746.00 59,142.00 141,888.00

TOTAL PARISH $5,479.51 $978.00 Transfer 2,171.00 Amount COLLECTION Paid -51,534.00 0.00 -51,534.00 BALANCE Diocesan Collections 548.00 31,212.00 93,788.02 125,000.02 DIOCESAN COLLECTIONS DUE Diocesan Debt Service -0- 446.00 22.00 Collection (Principal + Interest) Our Goal is to pay off the $31,212.00 with a combination of our Easter Collection, Night at the TOTAL School Subsidy -0- Races Proceeds, and monies from our General Fund/ $446.00 $22.00 Savings. We have no way of paying the $93,788.02 DIOCESAN we owe toward the school assessment based on current levels of giving. OTHER INCOME TOTAL EXPENSES $8,991.23 Candles 36.00 PARISH DEBT SERVICE Rental of 999.33 Parish Loan Amount BALANCE Properties Paid Due Perquisites 750.00 Previous Balance $3,373.21 PRINCIPAL 400,000.00 44,547.29 355,452.71 Easter 500.00 + Income this week +9,418.61 INTEREST 12,000.00 13,455.15 -1,455.15 BALANCE 412,000.00 58,002.44 353,997.56 Miscellaneous 207.77 -Expenses this week -8,991.83 Please Note: The Parish Debt service has been paid to date. This Account is current. TOTAL OTHER $2493.10 $3,799.99 Balance Forward INCOME Your Gift to God

TOTAL INCOME $9,418.61 April 28-29, 2018 Over $100.00 5 $20 44 Votive Offerings Mass Attendance $100.00 0 $16-19 1 May05-06, 2018 Bread and Wine $76-99 1 $15 20 People In-Church Average $75 2 $11-14 10 Collection Offering Intention Msgr Jacob Sefcik per person $51-74 2 $10 83

4:00 p.m. 121 2,392.26 19.77 Offered by Family $50 8 $6-9 6 5:30 p.m. 74 1,104.25 14.93 $26-49 19 $5 45 8:00 a.m. 76 1,218.00 16.03 $25 15 under $5 30 11:00a.m. 49 765.00 15.62 Sanctuary Candle Total Total 320 5,479.51 17.11 $21-24 0 Envelopes 291 Intention Msgr Jacob Sefcik used REMINDER: In order for our parish to remain solvent, the average weekly Is your gift to the parish each week an offering per person MUST equal or be Offered by Family honest reflection of God’s goodness to greater than $15.00 consistently. you? LOCAL EVENTS May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter

Is getting to the cemetery to take care of We wish to offer a word Wyoming Valley your family’s grave becoming harder each of Thanks to Julie Magri Barbershop Harmony Chorus year? Presents

of Decatur, Georgia, for Call CHRIS CHOMAN of the donation of the CHOMAN’S MOBILE CARE Statue of St. Andre RADIO Bessette which now His services include steam cleaning of Time Machine headstone, manicuring the lawn around the grace the foyer of the Parish Office. stone, mulching, flowering and more! He May 19, 2018 offers one time, seasonal and monthly The statue belonged to at packages. He also offers military and veteran her Father, Leo, who Wyoming Seminary Upper School discounts. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts recently passed away. He will watch over your loved ones resting 295 Sprague St., Kingston. As she did not want to discard it, she place for you! began looking for parishes dedicated Doors open at 6:45 pm, You can contact Chris at to St. Andre. Ours was first on the list Preshow Entertainment at 7:00 pm (570) 262-3109, Show starts at 7:15 pm and we were happy to accept this gift or Book your appointment online at $15 General Admission ChomanCares.com in honor of her late father. or by e-mail at [email protected]. To preorder tickets call 570-285-4810 or In addition, she also sent us several www.SingWB.com FYI: This is a private company and not books and a second-class relic of St. affiliated with the parish or the cemetery. Andre which will be displayed near the Thank You to all who statue in the foyer. helped support the Please keep Julie and her family in VICTIM’S RESOURCE your prayers and pray for a blessed CENTER’S repose for her father, Leo Magri. ANNUAL GERANIUM SALE Calvin and Hobbes 102 geraniums were sold and a total of by Bill Waterson $382.50 was raised in our parish to support this worthy cause.

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal will be celebrating American Cancer Society’s Mass with Prayers ROAD TO RECOVERY for Healing PROGRAM on Transportation can be one of a Cancer Sunday evening, patient’s biggest roadblocks to treatment. May 27th That’s why the American Cancer Society at 7 p.m. Road to Recovery Program provides patients in need with free rides to treatments.

 The Mass will be held at St. Mary's For those who cannot drive themselves, Church, 715 Hawthorne St., Avoca. or have no other means of getting to cancer-related medical appointments,  Rev. August Ricciardi will be our volunteers donate their time to give celebrant patients a much needed ride.  there will be Recitation of the If you would like to volunteer, you need Rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m. a good driving record, a current driver’s  Prayers for healing will follow the license, Proof of adequate auto Mass. insurance, a safe and reliable vehicle, GIANT FLEA schedule availability, and regular laptop/ The evening is being hosted by the MARKET tablet/computer access. Pocono Mountain Region Prayer Groups, May 19, 8am—5 pm and refreshments will be served. May 20, 8am—Noon To ensure quality drivers, the American Cancer Society screens every volunteer. ($1 bag/ $2 box) Volunteers must also complete online Please come and join in the celebration training courses to prepare them for their of the Love of God and the fellowship of St. Maria Goretti new role. the Holy Spirit!! Banquet Hall For more information,

Laflin Rd., Laflin please call 1-800-227-2345 ALL ARE WELCOME or visit www.cancer.org/driver. WEEKLY CALENDAR May 13, 2018 Seventh Sunday of Easter Seventh Week of Easter May 14-20, 2018 Day and Date Time Intention Offered by Events

Monday, May 14 No Morning Mass NO Morning Mass Scheduled St. Matthias, Apostle

Tuesday, May 15 St. Dymphna 8 am Audrey Kozemko Parish 1:00 pm Young at Heart St. Isidore the Farmer 5:30 pm Choir Wednesday, May 16 John Blizman Stephen Iskra & Family Easter Weekday 8 am 6:30 pm NATR Wrap Up Meeting

Thursday, May 17 Noon Exposition Easter Weekday 8 am Ann & George Mushinsky Ron & Ceil Phillips 5 pm Vespers 6:30 pm FINANCE Council Friday, May 18 8 am Joseph J. Novak Elaine Corcoran Pope St. John I Saturday, May 19 3 pm Confessions Easter Weekday 8 am NO Morning Mass Scheduled

Solemnity of PENTECOST VIGIL 4 pm Gregory Kane Joann Sprau 9:15 Faith Formation (LAST MEETING) 5:30 pm Joseph Koval Joseph & Florence Krulak VIGIL Cemetery Envelopes

8 am Parishioners Pastor SUNDAY Baby Bottle Campaign St. Joseph’s Baby Pantry SUNDAY 11 am Andrew Ulichney Family

by Weitzman Pastor Jim

AGNUS DAY DAY AGNUS

LITURGICAL MINISTRY SCHEDULE

May 19-20, 2018 Solemnity of PENTECOST Server Lector EMOC

4:00 pm Ted Harowicz Joe Boris Ted Harowicz

5:30 pm Mimi Tosh Sr. Kate Jim Zoccola

Nicholas 8:00 am Andy Katsock AJ Kondracki Kreidler

Hailey 11:00 am David Alusick Mimi Tosh Stephens

The Solemnity of Pentecost is the END of the Great 50 Days of Easter.