For The Bulletin Of only activity required of the farmer is 13 June 2021 vigilant patience. In the dispossession that is his incarnation, even Jesus had to accept some unknowing, some surrender of events into His Father’s hands (Mark 13:32).

Perhaps we have had the experience with children who have planted their seeds in the garden and, excited about the possibilities of the flowers or vegetables to come, must be dissuaded from regular and disastrous digging down into the earth to see how the growth is proceeding! The farmer must wait confidently on God’s good time and providence, and eventually the time of growth and the time of harvesting will THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN intersect. Once we have received the seed SUMMER’S ORDINARY TIME of God’s word in the soil of our heart, we must be ready for the dispossession, the From Father Robert gradual unfolding of the seed’s potential that Jesus’ parables are not nice entertaining will push into our consciousness and little stories. As Jesus proclaims in the first transform our lives, making us a plentiful words He speaks according to Mark (Mark harvest and enabling us to become 1:14-15), His mission is to announce the nourishment for others. Because the growth Good News of the kingdom, the reigning of the seed is God’s secret, it can often and transforming presence of God in His happen in what, to our limited human person and words, and call the people to perspective, are the most unlikely places: in faith and repentance. Like all the parables, the lives of the poor, the despised, the the two parables of green and growing persecuted. This was surely a great things we hear today are words of Jesus that consolation to Mark’s community, for this tease us into contemplating our own lives was the reality of their lives. It should give and our response to the kingdom. the same hope and confidence to us today in our personal, communal, or national In the first parable, Jesus compares the situations. What seems humanly growth of the kingdom to the seed that is insignificant, and even a failure, is planted by the farmer who then retires from transformed by God’s power, just as the the scene into the rhythm of his everyday seed of Jesus’ life fell into the ground of life. Day and night he wakes and sleeps, death to be transformed by His resurrection while the seed, once sown, has its own (John 12:24). This is the great potential for growth independent of the encouragement for disciples as we live farmer. The mystery of growth belongs to between the planting and harvesting into the the seed and the soil, to the gradual kingdom of God. “dispossession” of the hard little seed to the nourishing earth, and its consequent The parable of the mustard seed and its unhurried and gradual growth: first the surprising growth is also one of stalk, then the head, then the full grain. The encouragement for struggling communities

1 frustrated or despondent because of what In his second letter to the Corinthians, seems the small and insignificant growth of St. Paul tells the community, “we walk by the kingdom of God and its impact on the faith, not by sight.” What does this mean world around them. Jesus makes use of for your journey of faith? legitimate poetic license in exaggerating the size of the mustard seed (“the largest of In the gospel the mustard seed grows to plants”), in order to stress the extravagant become a plant that can shelter “the birds of and disproportionate growth of the kingdom. the sky.” How does our parish offer shelter That God is in all our beginnings and and safe haven for others? endings is the great and faithful hope of Jesus’ disciples. The mustard bush, we are What evidence do you see of the kingdom of reminded, does not exist only for itself, but God growing in our midst? it offers a welcoming refuge for the birds of the air who nest in its shade. So, the Christian community is to spread out its branches in welcome to others, especially to those who are enduring the heat of suffering, who are searching either physically or spiritually for some “shade” or sanctuary.

We too often find it difficult to be at home and comfortable with mystery; there is still About Liturgy: Ordinary, Extraordinary the primeval temptation to be like gods, to This is the Sunday when, during the know everything to overreach our God- Presider’s greeting to the assembly or during given humanity. That we have Jesus’ word the homily, we are frequently “welcomed to “explain” to us the deeper meaning of back” to Ordinary Time. As mentioned on God’s action in our lives and our world, is Trinity Sunday, Ordinary Time actually the privilege of Jesus’ disciples. began two Sundays ago, even though the vestments were still white, even though we don’t actually hear the phrase “Sunday in Ordinary Time” until today.

Along with this misplaced greeting, we will often hear as well about how it’s been months since green vestment have been worn on Sundays, and how after the pinnacle of the year (Easter) and the great feasts of Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi, we are now returning to the ordinary days of In both the first reading and the gospel, we the calendar, as if they are somehow are given an image of the small becoming lackluster and banal. Some overcorrect for great. Where have you seen this pattern in this by speaking about how the time isn’t your own life? ordinary at all but rather “extraordinary,” in that we will spend many weeks being trained by the scriptures in the practice of being a disciple of Jesus.

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While that last part is true, utilizing the It is not the full vulnerability of lying down language of “ordinary” and “extraordinary” or the powerful stature of standing; it hovers in this way is a disservice. The periods of somewhere in between – not action, not rest the liturgical calendar known as Ordinary – yet it is calm, watchful, alert. If we let it, Time are called that because these Sundays it can become a posture of receptivity, of are counted, and for no other reason. openness, of a willingness to hear and You’ve likely heard of the ordinal numbers: understand. We spend much of the Liturgy first, second, third, and so on. It is because of the Word in this posture, listening to of these ordinal numbers we get, in English, Scripture, and that Scripture broken open in the name Ordinary Time. Further, to call a well-crafted homily. these days extraordinary is to use that word to mean “amazing” or “remarkable,” when, For the presider, though, we have already in the lingo of the church, extraordinary seen how the Presidential Chair is one of typically means “outside of the normal, dignity and presidential authority when it is usual, or prescribed” – for instance, used; for a that cathedra is so “extraordinary ministers of Holy important that the building it occupies is Communion” are those people outside the named for it. Let us pray that our servant- normal, usual, prescribed ministers, those leaders are mindful that, when they too are who are ordained. called to hear and understand the words of Scripture and the needs of the flock they These coming weeks of Summer’s Ordinary shepherd. Time, while not Advent, Christmastide, Lent, or Eastertide, are no less vital to the life of the church and our prayer and formation. We should be careful, then, about how we use language to describe the passage of time and seasons in the Liturgical Year.

Each week we are blessed by parishioner About Liturgy: Sitting – A Middle Posture volunteers who come on Saturday mornings Perhaps the most “ordinary” posture we to clean and prepare the church and humans have is sitting. Whether at a desk in bathrooms for our weekend services. Once a workplace or relaxing at home, eating a again, our thanks to Al Cosce, Reno and meal, watching a movie or a play in a Thelma Benasfre, Jun Bajet, Carole theater, sitting is perhaps the posture in Miller, Jean Rogers, Mency Osborne, which we spend most of our days. Rose Salamanca, and Steve Rojek.

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Our Art & Environment Committee has once done an exceptional job of creating a There's a revolution beautiful and meaningful environment for Summer’s Ordinary Time with the artistic needed. Join it. fabrics, the Peace Lilies and Ficus Trees. 10 June 2021 Our thanks to Tom and Stevie Catchings, by Joan Chittister Leo and Minnie Rivera, Tony and Claudia Gumina, Pablo and Norma Villegas, Dorothy O’Connor, Theresa Nelms, Rich Confetti, and Don Benson.

A discarded plastic bottle floats in the Anacostia River in April 2020, near Bladensburg, Maryland. (CNS/Chaz Muth)

Journalism in the is more a drumbeat than a narration.

Important stories come in one of two types: First, there are the ones that come and go, shock or entertain, surprise or delight us. Today we join Andrew and Allison Harris These are the quick ones, the ones we search in thanking God for their 40 Years of the headlines for day after day. Just to find Married life and love. They will receive the out what's going on. 40th Anniversary Blessing at the conclusion of this morning’s 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist. We share the cloudy details at suppertime. May God continue to bless you with the best We recount them at family picnics. We of health, much happiness, and the forget the names of the characters involved deepening of your love. Congratulations! but we cherish the core of the story. They bring a message or a lesson or a promise or a fear.

They become the colors of our lives: yellow for exciting, red for violent, blue for sad, green for successful, purple for fear.

But they're short. They go away quickly. We treat them as irritations or interruptions or promises of a better or even more uncertain tomorrow. They become the background noise of what it means to be alive now. They

4 describe our world or our concerns but, most These are the really big stories, the ones, we of all, they have very little to do directly are sure, are way over our heads and so with us. They are short narratives that save ignore most of them. us from dull and uninteresting. Like UFOs, or more political, the coral reef in Australia. And therein lies the problem. What we are not fixing is only getting worse. And if it The second kind of journalism in modern doesn't undermine our own lives, it will society is very different than that. These are affect the lives of the next generation. It will the stories that seem to never go away. Day certainly affect the lives of our after day, television news shows update grandchildren. yesterday's slow, slow stories that inch through our lives a moment at a time. But Which is where climate change comes in. these are the stories that count. This is the kind of story that we forgive ourselves for not listening to. It's just too For instance, this one was written in the 12th large for the size of us. "Nothing I can do century by St. Hildegard of Bingen, a about it all — except hope that someone else German Benedictine abbess who saw the does, of course." sacredness of the land as a manifestation of the creator. As she captures in her concept Americans have two ways of dealing with of viriditas, or "greening," we need to be stories like this. We yawn. Or we count on aware of the power of God under our technology to solve the problems even feet. She writes: though technology has had a great deal to do with causing it. At the time of the great gas Gaze at the beauty of earth's greenings. shortage some years ago, for instance, I Now, think. heard the man in the airplane seat behind me What delight God gives to humankind say to the man next to him, "Oh, don't kid with all these things. yourself. This is just hype to justify their All nature is at the disposal of humankind. price raises. And even if it's true, they'll go We are to work with it. For into a lab next week and invent some kind of without we cannot survive. substitute." Ah, yes, American superiority wins again. Well, the point of today's story is now that 12th-century consciousness is a bigger story Not this time, not where climate change is than ever. concerned. This story takes as much immediate response just to keep up with the These kinds of long-inching issues are the results of it, let alone to "solve" it. underlying current of our lives. These are the stories about COVID-19 and vaccines, But more than that, this great question is a about voting rights and elections, about the moral one, not a political one at all. Not if weather and climate change. These are the you're a Christian. Not if you were raised on stories we get tired of hearing about. These the Scriptures. This one is in our own are the stories that threaten all of us whether spiritual DNA: It comes out of the lifetime we like it or not, know it or not, or do mandate of what it means to be the human anything whatsoever to influence their race. It comes directly from the Garden of outcome ourselves. Eden to humankind, "Be fruitful and multiply ... till the garden and keep it."

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Right now, we are barely doing saving for us as we ignore the damage we either. Family size has dropped. The globe is are doing to ourselves. under unnatural assault. The birds of the air and the creatures of the sea are in danger. Professionals in the field of "solving plastic" The development of the fruitfulness of the have written lists of ideas aimed at helping Earth is under attack. From us. Worst of all, us find our own personal, private the world we did not create, we are now able contribution to the cleanup and new creation to destroy. And so we are. of the Earth. For instance, they tell us to "get rid of the throwaway culture" by repairing things rather than replacing them. Or by buying higher quality furniture in the first place rather than buying the same things over and over again. Or how about by telling restauranteurs not to use plastic straws or cutlery that is littering the entire country.

The point is that as you and I get deeper and deeper into saving our little part of the globe, alternative energies will be imperative. Electric cars will be next on the list, too. Single-use plastics — the ones we

A woman and children walk through a drought- throw away immediately — utensils, food stricken rice field in Cebu, Philippines in April containers, plates and packaging will 2016. (CNS/Reuters/Jay Rommel Labra) disappear from society because we will not accept them anymore. For instance, the obvious is upon us: The greenness of life is withering under the And suddenly we will find ourselves chemicals we have created to control and cleaning up the Earth for our grandchildren enhance it. The oceans are full of plastic — and nothing will make you happier than particles that are infecting the fish, and the that. birds are dying by the millions for lack of habitat and migration routes. Grazing lands But unless we begin to respond in force, the are drying up; desertification is a creeping oceans will go on dying. The forests will global disease that triggers immigration burn down. The land will dry up as everywhere. Species after species — irrigation from the snowless highlands thins including are own — are in danger, but we out. The animal species that pollinate and are sure it will be fixed in a lab somewhere control growth, that spawn and refresh the in California. All of life can live without us. food chain, will become more and more None of us can live without them. scarce.

Clearly, it is time we each find ourselves a From where I stand, it looks like we are at path into this issue. Each of us. This is not a the point again of Louis XV's "After me, the story we can either ignore or dismiss as deluge." Pure chauvinism, narcissism, soul- political hype. On the contrary, we are late less-ness, biological immorality. in coming to consciousness while we wait for the government or science to do our

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The tragedy of it all is that it happened in our time. To us. Because of us. By us, for Who are the us, and with little or no attention to the creeping self-destruction of it all. pushing

Pick one thing. Do it. And know then, that you were there in soul when the Scripture Communion-denial required us to "tend the garden and keep it." That's the real story. That's the drumbeat of efforts? creation. That's the one commandment we The leading got in the garden. Oh, yes, and that other one: "Be fruitful and multiply." Which won't backing such efforts happen much longer if we don't soon join the revolution. Unless, that is: have a history of

Gaze at the beauty of earth's greenings. opposing Francis' Now, think. What delight God gives to humankind approach to pastoral life with all these things. 10 June 2021 All nature is at the disposal of humankind. by Christopher White We are to work with it. For without we cannot survive.

Joan Chittister A Benedictine Sister of Erie, Pennsylvania, of San Joan Chittister is a best-selling author and Francisco; Archbishop Samuel Aquila of well-known international lecturer on topics Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, of justice, peace, human rights, women's Kansas; Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix; issues and contemporary spirituality in the and Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, church and in society. Illinois (CNS photos/Dennis Callahan, Archdiocese of San Francisco; Sean Gallagher,

The Criterion; Gregory A. Shemitz; Tyler Orsburn; and Diocese of Springfield)

When Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the disgraced former papal to the United States, released an unprecedented and soon discredited letter in 2018 alleging ' complicity in covering up for former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's history of abuse, San Francisco's

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Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone came to president of the U.S. bishops' conference, Viganò's defense. urging caution and outlining the necessary process for moving forward with such a Despite Viganò's shocking call for Pope document, which included greater Francis' resignation, Cordileone was joined discussion among the bishops, Catholic by a number of U.S. bishops who bolstered politicians and other episcopal conferences. the testimony of the former nuncio. Among them, Denver Archbishop Samuel In response, 67 bishops sent a private Aquila, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of letter to Gomez, which was later leaked, Kansas City, Kansas, Phoenix Bishop requesting that the vote on whether to move Thomas Olmsted and Bishop Thomas forward with such a document be postponed Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, all of until the bishops could meet together to whom issued personal statements or gave discuss the proposal in person. Gomez has interviews echoing Cordileone's praise of informed the body of bishops the vote will Viganò as a man of faith and integrity. proceed without delay.

Today, those same bishops are also driving John Carr, who for a quarter of a century the controversial efforts aimed at pressing worked as the top policy advisor for the U.S. the U.S. bishops' conference to draft a bishops, described the open display of document that will have far sweeping effects divisions, both among themselves and with to deny Communion to Catholic politicians , as "unprecedented." who support pro-choice legislation. When the U.S. bishops meet virtually June 16-18, "The idea that very direct warnings and they will vote on whether to proceed with guidance from the Vatican would simply be drafting a document on the "meaning of the seen as an advisory opinion was not part of Eucharist in the life of the church," a my experience," Carr told NCR. "The proposal championed through a series relentless campaigning for this proposal, the of pastoral letters, media dismissal of other priorities, the leaking of appearances, personal articles and social correspondence, the impugning the motives media campaigns by the aforementioned of others is unprecedented in my bishops. experience."

Yet the manner in which the debate among the U.S. prelates has played out — and the medium in which the body of bishops will hold this debate — has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, including by longtime former staffers at the U.S. bishops' conference and high-ranking Vatican officials who see the rushed debate as a stark departure from Pope Francis' call for dialogue. John Carr, co-director of the Initiative on In May, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, the head of Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at the Vatican's doctrinal office, sent a letter to Georgetown University, participates in Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, Georgetown's March 18 roundtable dialogue on "The Francis Factor at Eight Years: Global

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Impacts, U.S. Challenges." (CNS/Courtesy of Included on Napa's current ecclessiastical Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public advisory board are Aquila, Cordileone, Life, Georgetown University) Gomez and Paprocki. Naumann is among those slated to take part in this summer's Carr said Pope Francis has become "just one conference, along with Bishop Joseph voice among many" and now "the question Strickland of Tyler, Texas, who is not whether I agree with the pope but has repeatedly defied Pope Francis and the whether the pope agrees with me." Vatican on the moral efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, endorsed a video "The polarization in political life has found claiming that one cannot be a faithful its way into ecclesial life that in a way, for Catholic and a Democrat, and offered a too many of us, politics shapes our faith prayer at the "Stop the Steal" rally in rather than our faith shaping our politics," Washington last December, which falsely Carr added. "The saddest thing is that the alleged widespread election fraud. Eucharist has become a battleground instead of a source of unity."

Culture warrior bishops vs. Pope Francis Many of the bishops now leading the push to deny pro-choice Catholic politicians Communion have been interconnected through a web of conservative Catholic organizations resistant towards Pope Francis and favorable to former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Pope Francis greets Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, during a meeting with U.S. One of the primary organizations behind the bishops from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas resistance effort is the Napa Institute, which during their "ad limina" visits to the Vatican Jan. regularly holds high-end conferences 20, 2020. Bishop Strickland said he asked Pope that provide a platform to some of the pope's Francis about the Vatican investigation into most notorious critics. Attendees pay $2,600 Theodore E. McCarrick and the release of a promised report on how the former cardinal in registration fees (plus hotel resort fees managed to rise through the church ranks. and travel expenses) to attend talks (CNS/Vatican Media) from high-ranking conservative bishops and priests, along with politicians such as Sens. In addition to their ties with Napa, the same Lindsey Graham and Rick Santorum, while prelates are among those who most regularly attending wine and cigar receptions in Napa appear on the Eternal World Television Valley. Network (EWTN), which has come under scrutiny for its selective presentation of One of the inspirations for the Napa Institute Catholic teaching. In recent years, the was now-retired Philadelphia Archbishop network's coverage has often been critical of Charles Chaput, who served as its inaugural Pope Francis and favorable to Trump and ecclesiastical adviser and who has been Viganò, who the network has continued to among the most vocal prelates against host, despite his calls for the pope's President Joe Biden. resignation and his backing of QAnon conspiracy theories. Chaput and Gomez are

9 also both longtime board members to EWTN.

The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, which annually brings together more than 1,000 Catholics to the nation's capital for a morning of prayer and speeches, has also served as a major platform for the same individuals and organizations and is backed financially, in part, by the Napa Institute. Now-retired Philadelphia Archbishop Charles In recent years, Chaput, Naumann and Chaput is seen March 25, 2019, at the Basilica Olmsted have headlined the breakfast. of the National Shrine of the Immaculate The 2020 virtual event, broadcast live on Conception in Washington. (CNS/Tyler EWTN, included an address by Trump and Orsburn) honored Attorney General William Barr with its "Christifideles Laici" award for Chaput's essay came just days after Cardinal service to the church, despite Barr having Wilton Gregory, the Archbishop of reinstated the federal death penalty, which Washington, said he would not deny Biden has long been opposed by the U.S. bishops Communion and looked forward to a and is against church teaching. relationship marked by respectful dialogue.

Even so, Chaput took to the pages of First As a retired bishop and one lacking Things magazine and praised Barr for canonical authority in either Washington or having "a thinking Catholic brain, a Delaware where Biden most regularly character of substance, and a moral spine." attends , Chaput's intervention into the As an added bonus," Chaput wrote, "he's Communion debate marked a departure disliked by all the right people." from the 2004 document produced by the U.S. bishops' conference on "Catholics in Soon after Biden's election as the nation's Political Life," when the body of bishops second Catholic president, Chaput took a first took up the topic of Communion for different tone towards Catholic public pro-choice Catholic politicians. officials who enact policies against church teaching. In another essay in First Things, The document, which Chaput helped draft, he argued that Catholic politicians who said that the question of Communion should support policies such as abortion and be left up to the local individual bishop. Carr continue to receive Communion are causing recalls being a staffer working on the "scandal" and that bishops who announce document and how, despite the sensitive that they will give Biden Communion "do a nature of the issues at hand, "it united the serious disservice to their brother bishops conference and brought the bishops and the and their people." Vatican together."

"It accurately reflects the teaching of the church on the commitment to the unborn and the pastoral responsibility of bishops," Carr said, noting that it was passed with an overwhelming majority vote of 183 to 6. "It

10 continues to serve the church well," he institutional church that are allied to them," added, while warning that such consensus Millies said. seeking efforts appear rare among the bishops today. 'Extensive and serene dialogue'? When Cardinal Ladaria, the head of the Stephen P. Millies, associate professor of Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of public theology and director of the the Faith, wrote to Gomez and the U.S. Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological bishops in response to their plans for next Union, told NCR that the current cohort of week's planned vote on whether to proceed Catholic bishops are principally shaped by with a document on the Eucharist, he the John Paul II and Benedict XVI era of the encouraged "extensive and serene dialogue" church, which emphasized a re- prior to advancing any potential plans. centralization of the church's authority and a Mercy Sr. Sharon Euart, a former associate desire to slow down change following the general secretary of the U.S. bishops' era of Vatican II. The Pope Francis era, conference, told NCR that "one of the observed Millies, is about a decentralization fundamental questions that has yet to be of power and making more room for voices answered is, 'Does the body of bishops want on the margins. to act contrary to the directions from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith?'" Millies said what while many of the bishops I think the focus of the letter from Cardinal leading a push for a document on Ladaria is on the unity of the conference," "eucharistic coherence" are in some ways said Euart, who is now the executive making a "very Francis" argument about director of the Resource Center for decentralizing authority and not wanting Religious Institutes. "In light of what has Rome to "tell us what to do," while at the been reported, the question goes back to the same time their impulse is not to approach action of the bishops: 'Will it promote that the issue the same way Pope Francis would unity or will it obstruct it?' " approach such a sensitive topic, with dialogue and broad consultation. For his part, Carr believes that moving ahead would be "ecclesially divisive, "This is where a lot of the disunity comes pastorally destructive and counterproductive from," he noted, adding that many bishops in public life." still exert a central control and do so through the support of "well-funded movements" He said that having this debate just over a such as the Napa Institute, EWTN and the year into the pandemic where many National Catholic Prayer Breakfast and are Catholics have been away from Mass for able to reach a larger audience through their months — and at a time when many church networks and platforms. leaders are trying to figure out ways to get Catholics back into the pews — sends the "In all of these ways, there's a pipeline from wrong message. the money to the creation of the message to the amplification of the message both "This is a time to step back and ask what is through the institutional church and its the best way to encourage people to come structures, but also through those parallel back to the Eucharist? What is the best way organizations that support that vision of the to defend the humanity of the unborn child? institutional church or those people in the What is the best way to share the wisdom of

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Catholic social teaching on immigration, "I think people are puzzled by 'what's the poverty and life? What is the best way for us sense of urgency of a few months?' " she to care for our people at a time of racial said. reckoning?" said Carr. "If you've thought about that, no one would say, 'Let's have a Similarly, Carr labeled the rush to proceed fight about whether the Catholic president ahead as "pastorally dangerous." can go to Communion.' " The current approach of the conference, he Euart doubts that, given the needed said, "generates and demonstrates the sensitivity of such discussions, that a virtual divisions between the bishops and Pope meeting would prove to be the right medium Francis and among Catholics." for such a significant policy move. Carr describes the contrast between these "I think we recognize that virtual meetings bishops and the pope as "an expression of do not favor dialogue, especially with 300 two different kinds of leadership." persons," she said. "They tend to favor those who are comfortable speaking out, but lack "If you think we have essentially lost the the opportunity for back-and-forth dialogue. fight for the culture and that we're a faithful It can be a series of people offering opinions remnant, then you hunker down and try to but not the interaction and dialogue that preserve and protect what we have and you being in person can create." make statements, you proclaim truth, you make judgment and you issue penalties. That's one of leadership."

"But," he continued. "If you think we have what the world needs, if you think Catholic social teaching offers a path forward, then you engage and persuade. You try to reach out and invite people in, and judgment and condemnation are counterproductive."

Quoting longtime PBS commentator Mark Mercy Sr. Sharon Euart, executive director of Shields, Carr said that you can measure the the Resource Center for Religious Institutes, health of an organization by whether it is welcomes attendees Oct. 31, 2017, to the seeking converts or trying to find heretics. Resource Center for Religious Institutes' "Pope Francis is looking for converts," he National Conference in St. Louis. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman) said. "Some others are looking for heretics and want to punish them." As a point of comparison, she noted that last summer, the Vatican's Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life said that religious could not hold a chapter virtually because they could not discern together. They could not take a canonical vote, because they could not ensure the necessary requirements.

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The answer — spoiler alert! — is no.

At the June 16-18 meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will only vote on whether to permit its Committee on Doctrine to draft a document "to help Christopher White Catholics understand the beauty and mystery Christopher White is NCR national of the Eucharist as the center of their correspondent. His email address Christian lives," in the words of the bishops' is [email protected]. Follow him on conference president, Los Angeles Twitter: @CWWhite212. Archbishop Jose Gomez.

Any such document will likely not be As Catholic bishops' produced until at least the bishops' fall meeting and isn't likely to produce a ban, Communion war which is the business of individual bishops, not the bishops' conference, as the Vatican roils June meeting, has made clear.

look what's not on But what is most telling is what is not on the agenda: nothing about global warming, racism or the economy, the topics most the agenda central to the future of America and the 10 June 2021 world. What about voting legislation that is by Thomas Reese, Religion News threatening our democracy? Service True, there are other items on the agenda besides the Communion draft. The bishops will consider a proposal to develop a pastoral framework for young people, but again, the vote will not be on a document but on whether to draft a document.

But a framework on young people will do little good if young people themselves don't take bishops seriously. They won't take the Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, bishops seriously if the bishops' conference president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic does not prioritize the issues about which Bishops, responds to a question during a news they are most concerned. conference at the fall general assembly of the USCCB in Baltimore Nov. 12, 2019. (CNS/Bob A more developed pastoral framework under Roller) consideration is on marriage and family life

ministry in the spirit of Amoris Laetitia, When the bishops gather virtually for their Pope Francis' 2016 exhortation on love in June 2021 meeting, all the attention will be the family. focused on whether pro-choice Catholic politicians will be banned from Communion.

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Granted the centrality of family in Catholic Justice Corner by Carolyn Krantz, life, the bishops' document could be Pastoral Associate important as a framework for The first part of today's Gospel gives us an implementing Amoris Laetitia in the United amazing but difficult clue to life. We do not States. On the other hand, the draft will know how the planted field comes to be. probably avoid controversial topics like “All the seed would sprout and grow, he marriage and Communion for divorced and knows not how. We plant by our actions, remarried Catholics. but what becomes of that is only the hymn of the universe. But will the bishops say anything at their meeting about immigration and gun When we start a project, we plan it out with violence, which affect so many families in an end goal, but life interferes and we have this country, including many Catholics? to adjust and change. Confucius said, “The The bishops will also be voting on a few would often changes that would be constant liturgical translations up for approval, votes in happiness and wisdom.” We have been liturgical geeks will be watching to see invited to that kind of change during the past whether the translations follow the new rules year. set down by Francis or whether they continue the word-for-word approach This past month I have been in severe pain favored by Benedict. from a herniated disk. I have offered it up for peace in the Middle East. I do not know But what about issues of concern to what will come of that offering, but I will Catholics around the world? What about entrust it to the Lord of the Universe who religious freedom in China, India and knows all things and keeps them in elsewhere? What about our obligation to existence. make COVID-19 vaccines available to poorer countries? What about refugees? We must offer our pains and sorrows to the Afghanistan? Lord. United with Him on the cross we can move people's hearts. Howard Thurman Some of these topics the bishops have said, “To be in unity with the Spirit is to be spoken on in the past, but their urgency in unity with one's fellow people.” We must demands more. It's sad that the U.S. bishops feel the oneness with others who are are so focused on the Communion war that suffering. God plants us all in the same field they have no energy for anything else. and gives us the inner movement to grow The silence on these topics is deafening. into fullness. This is our invitation to wholeness. “See the lilies of the field. They neither toil nor spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.”

The second parable expands on the first. The smallest of seeds springs up to the largest of plants and is home to the birds of Thomas Reese the air. Our small acts have great Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese's column for consequences, far beyond our seeing. We Religion News Service, "Signs of the don't know how this happens, we just have Times," appears regularly at National to trust that it is so. The Spirit, like the Catholic Reporter. mustard tree embraces us all.

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If we want the world to be better we must, “lay our lives on the altar of social change so that where you are the Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Howard Thurman) The mustard tree is there, but we must find it. The planted field is there, but we must harvest it. We do not control the growing. Whatever acts we have accomplished, we must leave the results to the Lord.

Illia Delio said, “To live in evolution is to let go of structures that prevent convergence and deepening of consciousness and assume new structures that are consonant with creativity, inspiration and development...” to live in openness to the future is to live with a sense of creativity and participation.

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COVID-19 Worship Guidelines Update Effective June 15, 2021

In light of the color tier system being lifted by the State of California, the following are modifications of previously recommended liturgical practices. Although most of the state’s legal mandates are being lifted, we must continue to adhere to recommendations from the CDC and local health officials for the safety of our people.

Capacity There is no-longer a government-restriction on capacity for indoor services, provided there is adequate ventilation. Most tape and signage promoting social distancing may be removed.

Masks and Social Distancing If you have been vaccinated you do not need to wear a mask indoors. However, non-vaccinated persons, including minors, must wear masks indoors. If Mass is outdoors no one needs to wear a mask.

Cleaning The cleaning of commonly touched surfaces may be reduced but still maintained. Hand sanitizer should still be available at all entrances.

Fonts and Worship Aids Standing holy water fonts filled with holy water may be reintroduced. Hymnals and missalettes may, once again, be used, although single-use worship aids are still safer. It is still recommended that multi-use worship aids (like hymnals) be cleaned on a regular basis.

Music The singing of hymns and acclamations may resume. Small vocal ensembles (choirs) may sing unmasked if all singers are vaccinated and they maintain a six-foot distance from each other.

Processions Processions may resume, including the presentation of the gifts at the Offertory. Persons presenting the gifts should be masked if they are not vaccinated. A covered ciborium would be best for preserving the hosts from any possible contamination before and during the procession.

Sign of Peace The Sign of Peace should still be exchanged without physical contact, except for family members.

Precautions Regarding the Priest All previous precautions regarding the preparation of the gifts and the segregation of hosts for the faithful from the priest’s host may be eliminated, provided the priest has been vaccinated. An unvaccinated priest should remain masked for the Eucharistic Prayer, but may remove the mask while preaching at a distance from the people.

The Eucharist It is strongly encouraged that the faithful receive Communion in the hand, however provision should be made so that anyone who wishes to receive on the tongue may do so, from a priest. If the priest does not feel comfortable with this, he may delegate to another, trained minister.

We are not authorizing the distribution of the Precious Blood for the time being.

Ministers of communion should remain masked for the foreseeable future. It is also recommended but not required, that they be vaccinated for their own protection and that of the people.

Communion Vessels should continue to be thoroughly washed after each Mass, once they have been purified.

Home Visits With caution we can begin to expand Eucharistic outreach to the sick by priests, deacons, and extraordinary ministers. It is recommended that the minister and recipient be fully vaccinated and masked. Not all hospitals or nursing homes allow outside ministers at this time, so be sure to check before making arrangements.

Anointing of the Sick When anointing the sick, it is recommended that the priest be vaccinated and masked. Masks will probably continue to be required in health care facilities, for patient visitation, and for the celebration of Mass.

Sacrament of Penance The use of traditional confessionals and rooms of reconciliation may be resumed, provided the room is well-ventilated. The priest and penitent, if unvaccinated, should be masked.

Restoration of the Obligation to Attend Mass The faithful are encouraged to return to participating in the Sunday Mass if their health permits. Bishop Barber will soon be issuing a Pastoral Letter on the beauty and centrality of the Eucharist in our lives. The lifting of the dispensation from the Sunday Mass Obligation will come into force on Sunday, August 15th, the Solemnity of the Assumption. The usual dispensations allowed by canon law will be explained in the bishop’s letter.

Misc. Gatherings before and after Mass are safer outdoors.

Taking people’s temperature is not required or necessary.

The passing of collection baskets may resume.

Altar servers may be reintroduced, following established diocesan policies. If they are unvaccinated, they must follow the same precautions, listed above.

Diocese of Oakland Office of Worship

2 Expansion Update June 9, 2021

Last weekend, a portion of the drywall to be installed in the new kitchen was placed in the Gathering Plaza. Parishioners were invited to write a message of support or simply add their signatures. Although the signatures will not be visible when construction is complete, they will remain a permanent part of the structure. The second progress payment to Oliver & Co. as required under the contract in the amount of $179,965 has been certified by the architect and submitted to the diocese for approval. Great progress continues with the kitchen. Pictures on page 2 show the four walls and the trusses for the roof.

View of roof trusses from inside the kitchen looking up.

Kitchen trusses

Existing tile roof.

View of kitchen roof trusses from the existing tile roof. Framing for the new skylights over the hall entrance. Grandma’s Back! $15 SUMMER FROZEN PIES FUNDRAISER ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS PLACE YOUR ORDERS EARLY SALES END JUNE 13th

Purchase your summer pies today. These pies keep up to 1 year in your freezer. FROZEN PIES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP IN THE ST IGNATIUS PARKING LOT BETWEEN 1:30 & 2:30PM ON SATURDAY, JUNE 26th $15 for your choice of Apple, Dutch Apple, Apricot, Blackberry, Blueberry, Boysenberry, Mixed Berry, Cherry, Nectarine, Peach or Strawberry Rhubarb 10” Pies. Apple, Apricot, Boysenberry & Peach Cobbler are also $15 each

Orders should be placed by emailing [email protected] giving your contact phone number and your pie order. You may also place your order by contacting your favorite Brother Knight from Knights of Columbus 12587 of St. Ignatius of Antioch. Knights will then email [email protected] to place your order. All profits will be used to do good deeds and help our Council meet its financial commitments. THANK YOU for your support!

Troop 153 Boy Scouts of America Golden Gate Area Council 50 Walton Lane Antioch, CA 94509 SCOUTING FOR FOOD

SCOUTS ARE HELPFUL & KIND! HELP FEED THE HUNGRY DURING THIS TIME OF NEED(COVID-19)! COLLECTION DAY: JUNE 19, 2021-SATURDAY PLS. SUPPORT OUR FOOD DRIVE! DROP OFF YOUR DONATIONS AT ANTIOCH CHURCH ON THE ROCK (50 Walton Lane, Antioch CA 94509) FROM 9 AM - 12 PM! ALL DONATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE FOOD BANK OF CONTRA COSTA AND SOLANO! MOST NEEDED FOOD FOR OUR FOOD BANK ARE LISTED BELOW BUT WE WELCOME ANY NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS YOU CAN DONATE!

Natural Peanut Butter, Whole Grain Cereals, Hearty Low Sodium Soups, Beans and Lentils (dry or canned), Canned Tuna and Chicken in Water, Canned Fruit in Juice, Nonperishable Low Sodium Ready to Eat Meals (chili, ravioli, etc.), Low Sodium Canned Vegetables, Brown Rice, Whole Wheat/Grain Pasta, Canned Tomato Products

Thank you for your generosity! God Bless You!