Words, It Would Take Twice As Many the Bishop, Who Could Not Know He Was Ordaining the Future Patron Catechists, If Not More to Monitor the Children
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18th Sunday in Ordinary Time 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Intentions for the Week Monday August 03: From 8:00 AM Judy Molina ~ Mary Hodges Father Joseph Tuesday August 04: St. John Vianney 8:00 AM Michael Dinh and Michelle Dinh Wednesday August 05: Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major 7:00 PM † Ben Coletti, † Ron Ausmus, † Kathy Majek, † Matthew and Anna Bach, † Sister Purificacion Palis, † Cynthia De Leon, † Dominic Philip Nguyen, † Pedro Apiado † Bobby Almager, † Michael Maraist, † Hazel Joyce Nowotny, Davie and Danny Nguyen, Judy Molina, Misa Molina Healing: Debbie Garcia, Mary Dennehy Thursday August 06: The Transfiguration of the Lord Feeding People with Five Loaves and Two Fish 8:00 AM † Joseph Berner ~ Joan Deets Recalling the time that I was training to be a priest both in Friday August 07: St. Sixtus II and Companions;St. Cajetan; undergraduate and graduate schools, there were at least three First Friday levels of training. The level of the quest for the unknown future (discernment) is the first level. The second level is the level of doing 8:00 AM Huong and Thuy ~ Family ministries while we are in seminaries. The third level is that of Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time engaging in a prayer life and the celebration of the Eucharist Saturday August 08 everyday of a week. 5:00 PM Deceased members of the Visosky Family~Janice Crocker When I first arrived at the undergraduate school, Saint Joseph Sunday August 09 Seminary in Covington LA, I asked myself, “What have I gotten 8:30 AM Altar and Rosary Society into?” I arrived at the school around 8:00 or 9:00 PM because I got 11:00 AM Parishioners of St. Paul the Apostle Church lost in several turns because the school was hidden inside an area 6:00 PM † Daniel Jimenez- Ana Navejar that had a lot of trees. I happened to see a movie during my two years in this school that just incidentally mentioned the name of a ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ town called Covington Woods . The town that I was in is also Daily Mass at 8:00 AM on weekdays, the 5:00 PM Vigil Mass on Covington, and it had a lot of trees. In this quest for the unknown Saturday and the Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM are all live on our future, the process of discernment, it reminded me of Jesus’ stpaultheapostlecc.com website and on our Facebook page. disciples facing the quest from the master to feed people in the Or you can always watch a mass on television or on YouTube. middle of the deserted place. This is the first level of the school of ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ faith. Readings for the Week In the second level of the school of faith, Jesus sent his disciples Monday: Jer 28:1-17; Ps 119:29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102; into the world to feed the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless and the Mt 14:22-36 broken, while providing them with limited resources: Two fish and Tuesday: Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Ps 102:16-21, 29, five loaves of bread! In training for a priest, we were also sent out to 22-23; Mt 14:22-36 or Mt 15:1-2, 10-14 do ministries when we reached graduate school. At this level some Wednesday: Jer 31:1-7; Jer 31:10-12ab, 13; Mt 15:21-28 in the class failed. Thursday: Dn 7:9-10, 13-14; Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9; 2 Pt 1:16-19; Mt 17:1-9 When Jesus’ disciples faithfully followed him, he taught them the Friday: Na 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7; Dt 32:35cd-36ab, 39abcd, 41 third level, the level of being grateful for what they have and learning Saturday: Hb 1:12 — 2:4; Ps 9:8-13; Mt 17:14-20 to share with others when he took the loaves, said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave Sunday: 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a; Ps 85:9-14; Rom 9:1-5; Mt 14:22-33 them to the crowds. In our school of theology, we learned to be thankful to God for what we have and who we are. We were also Monday Evening Devotions taught to have faith and trust in the Lord before we were sent out Join us for Evening Prayer every Monday evening at 6:30 after graduation. PM in Church. Then from 7:00 - 8:00 PM we have a Holy Learning to be a priest is a process of discernment and learning to Hour with Praise Music and Adoration. place our faith and trust in the Lord and to be graceful for what we Benediction will close the evening . Come tell the Lord all your have and who we are. This is not only a process for men learning to worries be they sickness, illness, or any thing that is a daily struggle be a priest, but for all of us who profess ourselves to be Christians. and ask for his help in being strong enough to overcome them. We are all invited to learn to have faith in the Lord and to be thankful You may also want to say prayers for your loved ones and friends for who we are and what we have in this process of discernment to and don’t forget to also thank Him for the good things in your life. be Christians, the followers of Christ. The decision is yours. 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time O Loving Father, spare us from storms and hurricanes that threaten Religious Education 937- 6908 us and turn our fear of your power into praise of your goodness. Let the children come unto me, and do not hinder them; Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these . Mark 10:14,16 reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. From Religious Education Amen. What I enjoy most about the end of Mass is the closeness I feel to An Act of Spiritual Communion parishioners, but especially to their children. I have been involved My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy with Religious Education since 1992 as a catechist and the DRE. Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You The children I engaged with in the early years are now parents into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You themselves with some of them bringing their children to Mass. This sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You is the measure of success for our parish, attendance at Mass by as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never families and extended families. The decision to stay in the Church, permit me to be separated from You. Amen. to make sure the children attend Religious Education through high school remains with the parents. The responsibility of our educational programs must center on engaging our students so Saint John Vianney (1786-1859) well, that they can’t wait to get home to share what is touching their August 4 heart. A busy pastor jokingly suggests the Currently, we have received the challenge of a lifetime. Our family secret of John Vianney’s holiness: life has changed with the shutdown of schools and other “He died seventeen years before recreational outlets. Our classes only exist on paper, and we await telephones!” Call they didn’t, but the decisions of our school district. With Bishop Mulvey’s directive visit they did, keeping Vianney to mirror what the public schools do, we don’t have much control of eighteen hours a day in the how we will conduct classes. Our research has come up with some confessional. distant learning solutions, they cost money, and the children will Stories abound of reading hearts need to remain at home. and exorcisms, but Vianney’s first We do have an issue with our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd miracle was getting ordained. classes. It is a hands on program, so a child who wished to Difficulty with studies delayed him, manipulate the sacred vessels would need to sanitize each item prompting the rector’s apology to he/she after each use. At times two children work together handling the bishop, “So far to ordain just one, especially this one!” the same books. In other words, it would take twice as many The bishop, who could not know he was ordaining the future patron catechists, if not more to monitor the children. It could be doable saint of parish priests, replied, “No burden to ordain one good with many hands joining us. priest!”. Possibly, we could offer an alternative live streaming presentation In Ars, France only an elderly handful attended Mass, “praying,” one with the children and the parent on the computer working together, told Vianney, “for a priest with brains.” But he stayed forty-two years, and giving us feedback. Not the ideal, but if worked on, could fulfilling the promise he made the day he arrived. provide the environment for learning. Let us pray that the Lord helps find a way. We must keep our trust and faith in the Lord In a sculpture just outside the village Vianney points skyward: strong. “Show me the way to Ars,” he tells a boy, “and I’ll show you the way to heaven.” God be with you all.