Church of the Holy Cross
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Church of the Holy Cross 6 3 1 S O U T H S T A T E S T R E E T HOLYCROSSDOVER . O R G D O V E R , DE 19901 A U G U S T 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 302.674.5787 2 1 S T S U N D A Y O RDI NA RY T I M E MASS SCHEDULE Weekdays 6:30 & 8:00 AM 12:10 PM during Lent Saturday 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM 1st Saturday 5:00 PM – Children’s Choir 4th Saturday 5:00 PM – Gospel Choir Sunday 7:30, 9:15, 11:00 AM and 1:00 & 6:00 PM 1:00 PM – Spanish 6:00 PM – Youth Choir Holy Days Times will be announced CONFESSION SCHEDULE Saturday 4:00 – 4:45 PM Thursday before First Friday 8:30 – 9:00 AM First Friday 7:30 PM – October through June OFFICE HOURS Parish Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM Summer Hours: 9:00 AM—3 :00 PM, Closed on Fridays School Summer Hours Monday – Thursday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Sacrament of Baptism Call the parish office to register and to arrange for the parents’ pre-Baptismal instruction. Sacrament of Marriage Couples planning for Marriage must contact a parish priest or deacon one year in advance to set the wedding date and plan for pre-Cana instruction. Holy Orders and Religious Life If you believe you have, or someone you know has, a vocation to the priesthood or religious life, please contact one of our parish priests. Hospital Visitation If a member of your family is in the hospital and would like to be visited, please call the parish office. Pastor’s Desk Dear Parishioners, previously disunited. He declared Latin the official language of the newly formed Kingdom of Hungary – a language that In 1976, comedic genius Mel Brooks, who had to that point remained in use and official until the mid 19 th century. St. crafted some amazingly funny movies – “Blazing Saddles,” Stephen loved his faith, and he loved his people – and he united “Young Frankenstein,” “The Producers,” “Silent Movie” to name his people under the Cross of Christ, in this kingdom. Bruce but a few – decided to return to television comedy. He decided Springsteen might say that St. Stephen had a Hungary Heart that he would produce a series that would be a comedic version (ouch). By the good work of St. Stephen, today, Hungary, the of Robin Hood. The show was called “When Things Were land that gave us goulash and Zsa Zsa Gabor, remains very Rotten.” It focused on Robin Hood and his Merry Men battling Catholic in its composition: according to a recent poll, 58% of the evil Sheriff of Nottingham and the power of the King, in 13 th Hungarians are Catholic (and nearly three-quarters Christian, century England. Very funny, but the show entered the overall). The Hungarian constitution, which reference back to graveyard of TV flops after but a season. the time of St. Stephen, “recognizes Christianity's nation-building role [for Hungary].” Kings: From Bad to Verse. While I cannot remember much about any one single episode of that series, the theme song St. Louis meets the Cardinals. On August 25, the universal (written by Mel Brooks) to this day still lingers in the recesses of Church celebrates the memorial of another great King: King St. my mind. The opening verse of that song, speaks to the Louis IX (for whom St. Louis, Missouri is named). He became understanding many people then and now had of Kings… and it King of France in 1226 at the age of 12. He was famously devout wasn’t a good one. The lyrics went like this: “Once upon a time in his faith. Once after his nation had been embroiled in a war, when things were rotten / not just food, but also kings were he made restitution to innocent people whose property had rotten. / Everybody kicked the peasants / Things were bad and been destroyed in the battles, both at home and in the that ain't good / …then came Robin Hood, Voila!” vanquished nation. St. Louis once made a trip to Rome but was scandalized by the behavior of some in the Papal court, including Rotten kings! From our American perspective, we buy that some of the Cardinals he encountered. He noted on his return stereotype: Monarchy is contrary to democratic rule, therefore to Paris, that the fact the Church can survive such scandalous to our way of thinking, the presumption is that Kings are bad, figures as he had seen on his 13 th century trip to Rome, proves dare I say rotten. However, Catholic history – and scriptural that Church must be Divine in its institution, or else it would history – tells us that while there were bad kings there were certainly have collapsed. also good kings, good monarchs – both kings and queens. Yes, there were bad ones – and the bad ones, back “when things For all his other accomplishments, what was most important to were rotten,” were really bad. However, this month on August Louis IX, was – as it is for so many parents today – to pass his 16 (last week), and in the following week on August 25 (next faith on this son. He knew his son was in line for the throne and week), we find Church honoring two really amazing and saintly wanted him to be a faith-filled ruler. To this end, here’s what kings. I want to talk about these monarchs of Catholicism and King St. Louis wrote to his son, from his death bed. what made them so memorable and gave them a place in “My dearest son, my first instruction is that you should love the Lord Heaven. your God with all your heart and all your strength. Without this there St. Stephen and the Hungary Years: Putting last week first, is no salvation. If the Lord has permitted you to have some trial, bear let’s roll back to August 16: On that day the Church honors St. it willingly and with gratitude; If the Lord bestows upon you any kind Stephen of Hungary, the first King of Hungary. St. Stephen got of prosperity, thank him humbly and see that you become no worse the greatest Christmas gift ever (even better than a ginsu knife for it, either though vain pride or anything else. Be kindhearted to the or a Chiapet): On December 25, 1000, he was crowned the first poor, the unfortunate and the afflicted. Give them as much help and King of Hungary. The crown he received came from the Pope. consolation as you can. Thank God for all the benefits he has He reigned until 1038, outliving all of his children. bestowed upon you, that you may be worthy to receive greater. Always side with the poor rather than with the rich, until you are What did St. Stephen of Hungary do that was so amazing? Well, certain of the truth. Be devout and obedient to our mother the at the close of the 10 th century, the area that we today call Church of Rome and the Supreme Pontiff as your spiritual father. My Hungary was one of the last areas in a Christian Europe still dearest son, I give you every blessing that a loving father can give a populated by practitioners of pagan religions. Those people – son. Do the Lord’s will so that he may be served and honored through many of them – were the descendants of the barbaric tribe you, that in the next life we may together come to see him, love him called the Huns (as in Attila, the Hun). Hence that area was and praise him unceasingly. Amen.” informally referred to as “Hun-gary.” But these pagan religionists were on the decline, and St. Stephen, a Catholic, saw the rapid Following up this column on Kings, next week we will focus not growth of Catholicism. He managed to win the throne from his on Kings, but on a Queen – our Blessed Mother, Mary, the uncle, the last of the pagan claimants to the throne. Upon Queen of Heaven and Earth. More specifically, I be examining becoming King, St. Stephen united the disparate factions of the history behind the memorial feast day (on August 22) Hungary – notable the Magyar peoples – under the Catholic knowns as the Queenship of Mary. Good King St. Louis (Aug. faith. Additionally, he declared the Hungarian kingship 25) and King St. Stephen of Hungary (Aug. 16), pray for us! “apostolic” Yours in Christ, St. Stephen brought a taste of peace and stability to a country Fr. James Lentini, Pastor 2 Liturgy Christian Formation Readings Sunday, August 28, 2016 Religious Education 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time CCD Registration for 2016-2017 school First Reading: Ecclesiasticus 3:173:17----20,20, 2828----29292929 year. If you have not registered please The sage advises humility as a way of treating our neighbor call today! Forms and class schedules on parish website. (holycrossdover.org/ well and pleasing God. teaching the faith/K-8 formation) Second Reading: Hebrews 12:1812:18----19,19, 2222----24242424 The author presents us with a powerful and beautiful CCD: Opening Mass for all three programs vision of our final end: eternal life with God and all the Thursday, September 8th at 6:00pm angels and saints. Open House following Mass Gospel: Luke 14:1, 77----14141414 Children ages 8-14 who have not been in faith formation classes Jesus tells a parable and adds teaching to show two things: but are in need of Baptism, First Communion, and Penance may that there will be a general resurrection and that God register for the RCIA adapted for Children class beginning in invites us all to the wedding banquet of eternal life.