St. Alphonsus Liguori “Rock" Catholic Church 1118 North Grand Blvd. St Louis, MO 63106 314-533-0304 (ph) 314-533-4260 (fax) [email protected] (e-mail) www.stalphonsusrock.org (website) or Like us on Facebook at St Alphonsus “Rock” Liguori Catholic Church Rev. Stephen Benden, C.Ss.R., Pastor Rev. Rodney Olive, C.Ss.R., Associate Pastor Mission “To Joyfully Preach, Teach, and Live the Word of God” Theme “Leaning On His Everlasting Arms, Knowing That We Will Overcome In 2021” PASTORAL STAFF Sharon Cooney-Smith, Dir. Religious Education Roberta George, Secretary Deborah Grant, Clerical Support Angela Harris, Bulletin Editor SUPPORT STAFF Bro. Steve Fruge, Pastoral Staff Terrance Gipson, Maintenance Terri Schneider, Dir. Hardin Food Pantry Athletic Office: 314 533-0304 Teen Ministry: 314 533-0304 MUSIC MINISTRY Malcolm Speed Danny duMaine REDEMPTORISTS IN RESIDENCE Rev. Tom Donaldson, C.Ss.R. Rev. Dave Polek, C.Ss.R. Rev. Peter Schavitz, C.Ss.R. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (Call for Appointment) SUNDAY MASSES: 10:00 a.m. DAILY MASSES: Monday 5:30 p.m. (Eucharistic Adoration 4:45 p.m. (W. Th & F.) 11:30 a.m. (Rectory Chapel) Saturdays: 9:30 a.m. (Church) MONDAY: Eucharistic Adoration 4:45 p.m.—5:30 p.m. TUESDAYS: Exposition & Benediction: 11:30 a.m. Our Perpetual Help Novena & Mass SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME JULY 18, 2021 There once was a young man who had just gotten ordained Weekly to the priesthood. He had in his own mind that he wanted Readings… to bring Jesus into the world. He was going to organize Sunday: the parish with different committees, and they would do Jer 23:1-6/Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 [1] so much work. Then he was going to evaluate what they Eph 2:13-18/Mk 6:30-34 had done so they could put into place more committees Monday: to finish the work that had already begun. He had it all Ex 14:5-18/Ex 15:1bc,-2, 3-4, 5-6 [1b]/Mt 12:38-42 arranged in his head until he sat down in his office to start the work. As soon as he sat down, the secretary came in Tuesday: and said the toilette in the hallway was not working properly, and so the Ex 14:21—15:1/Ex 15:8-9, 10 and 12, 17 [1b]/Mt 12:46-50 young priest had to figure out what was wrong and fix it. Within two hours, he had the toilette working like new. Wednesday: Ex 16:1-5, 9-15/Ps 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28 [24b]/Mt 13:1-9 The young priest again sat down to set the world on fire with the Word of God. Just as he sat down, some young children came into the rectory. Their Thursday: Sg 3:1-4b or 2 Cor 5:14-17/Ps 63:2, 3 little pet parakeet had just died, and they wanted the priest to pray for the -4, 5-6, 8-9 [2]/Jn 20:1-2, 11-18 bird. The priest took the children outside, dug a hole in the ground, gently placed the bird in the hole, and covered it. He said some prayers and Friday: Ex 20:1-17/Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11 [cf. Jn reassured the kids the bird was now in heaven with God. The kids seemed 6:68c]/Mt 13:18-23 very happy and relieved and thanked the young priest. A third time the Saturday: young priest came into the office to convert the world. Ex 24:3-8/Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15 [14a]/Mt 13:24-30 For the third time, someone came to disturb him. This time it was the cook in Sunday: the rectory. She was in the middle of something in the kitchen but needed 2 Kgs 4:42-44/Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, something at the grocery store. And so the young priest goes off to the store 17-18 [cf. 16]/Eph 4:1-6/Jn 6:1-15 to get something for the cook. When he gets back, he reflects on his day. He had set out to change the world, but had fixed a toilette, buried a bird, and went to the store for the cook. He wondered if this is what his priesthood SAINTS AND SPECIAL would look like every day. This young priest had done his job the best he OBSERVANCES could. Maybe this is what life, any kind of life, is all about. We may have Sunday: planned everything out in our heads, but maybe God had different plans. We 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time never know how God may use us on any given day. Tuesday: St. Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr In the gospel, for the last few weeks, Jesus gets interrupted all the time. He has to readjust his goals. He has gone with his disciples to an out-of-the-way Wednesday: St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and place, hoping for some peace, and quiet yet the people learned where he has Doctor of the Church gone and beat him there. They want and need Jesus to minister to them. He looks at them and has pity on them. He realizes God the Father wants him to Thursday: St. Mary Magdalene minister to these people God has put right in front of him. Friday: There is a lesson here for all of us. We must learn to readjust our plans if St. Bridget, Religious God has different plans. Sometimes the interruptions we experience can be Saturday: just the thing God wants us to do at the time. I hope we never get too busy to St. Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest; BVM help someone in need. That may be just what God is asking us to do. Sunday: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Page (2) SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME JULY 18, 2021 NOTE: Names will remain listed for 2 weeks INTENTIONS 07/06/21 Oldani, Shirley Beasley, Stephanie Reedy, Judith Collins, Tamika Remsberg, Cory Sgt. Ford, Eric Scherer, Karl George, Roberta Schnelle, LaVerne Hearns, Zeysean Smith, Melba LeSeur, JaVaughn Stricklin, Shontea Martin, Michael Strong, Betty Perry, Kameron Thompson, Mary Ann Smith, Paulette Vet, Alphonso Valle, Dot Vinson, Kelly Webb, Kim Weaver, Stephen INTENTIONS 07/13/21 SICKNESS 06/29/21 Adams, Deborah Dobbs, Vivienne Burke, Terry Bro. George, Betty Jackson, Tamica Green, Alonzo Polek, David Fr. Green, Jackie Reedy, Sid Haine, William (Bill) SICKNESS 07/06/21 Massingale, Bryan Fr. Atherton, Andrew Moore, Joyce Atherton, Vertibe Mozee, Sylvester Bolden, Roderick Parran, Rodrick Caprese, Brittany Perkins, Stephen Chapman, Bonnie Porter, Markeeta Gipson, Joseph Potts, Mary Hart, Edgar Potts, Rick Fr. Harris, Tobey Serio, Jessica Hebron, Sylvester Stamps, Arlecia Howard, Yvonne Valle, Jr., Robert (Bobby) Jones, Lavell Watkins, Darnell (Chef D) Whitfield, Edna (Mother) Latham, Jean Luster, Juanita HOSPITAL 07/06/21 Moore, Brenda Green, Alonzo O’Brien, Nancy Reedy, Christian SHUT-IN’s Atherton, Andrew McCoy, Bernice Bohannon, Ida McCoy, Carolyn Brack, Dorothy Peters, Mae Clay, Irving Thomas, Bernice Pray for the repose of the soul of †Ruby Wicks Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen Page (3) SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME JULY 18, 2021 LITURGY NOTES... The anointing of the sick is administered to bring spiritual and even physical strength during an illness, especially near the time of death. It is most likely one of the last sacraments one will receive. A sacrament is an outward sign established by Jesus Christ to confer inward grace. In more basic terms, it is a rite that is performed to convey God’s grace to the recipient, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Like all the sacraments, holy anointing was instituted by Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. The Catechism explains, “This sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord” (Mark 6:13; Jas. 5:14-15). The anointing of the sick conveys several graces and imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation, and conveys peace and fortitude. These graces flow from the atoning death of Jesus Christ, for “this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases’” (Matt. 8:17). Mark refers to the sacrament when he recounts how Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to preach, and “they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:13). In his epistle, James says, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (Jas. 5:14–15). “The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance; the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; the preparation for passing over to eternal life” The Catechism.