Get Your Spirit On! at the Tailgate Homecoming Celebration Page 9
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PAXCHRISTINEWS Monthly Magazine of Pax Christi Catholic Community in Eden Prairie September 2019 Get Your Spirit On! at the Tailgate Homecoming Celebration Page 9 CHRIST IS ALIVE! …by being present among us all the time as Spirit… 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2019 4 12100 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347-4208 Phone: 952-941-3150 Website: www.paxchristi.com Dear Friends by Fr. J. Michael Byron Office Hours Monday–Thursday 8:00am–4:30pm Friday 8:00am–12:00pm Mass Schedule Weekend Masses Saturday 5:00pm Sunday 9:00am, 11:00am, 5:00pm Nursery available at all Sunday Masses. Interpreter for hearing impaired at 11:00am. Weekday Masses Mondays 8:30am 6 Tuesdays 8:30am Wednesdays 6:00pm Thursdays 8:30am Pax Christi Youth in D.C. Fridays 8:30am Rosary prayed following weekday morning Masses. Sacrament of Reconciliation (private) Saturdays 4:00–4:30pm Mission Statement: As a community of faith nourished by the Eucharist, we are committed in our discipleship with Christ to act for justice, be of generous service, and authentically welcome all to Pax Christi Catholic Community. Values: God-Centered, Justice, Inclusion, Spiritual Growth, Stewardship, and Lay Leadership. 8 9 THE PAX CHRISTI NEWS IS PRINTED MONTHLY BY THE CHURCH OF PAX CHRISTI OF EDEN PRAIRIE. EMAIL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS TO MELISSA NAULT, COMMUNICATION ARTS DIRECTOR, [email protected], OR 952-405-7221. Homecoming at God Centered Pax Christi TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2019 3 10 11 12 13 World Day of Truth and Justice We Honor Kris Koeppl Meet Scott Brazil! Migrants and Refugees 14 16 17 Monday Morning Announcements Volunteers Parishioner News 18 20 21 What’s Going on Month at a Glance.... at Pax Christi psst, tear this page out! Contact Information 4 DEAR FRIENDS BY FR. J. MICHAEL BYRON DEAR FRIENDS... ONE of the reasons that don't get me started. Let's just Protestants do, in fact, believe we take liturgical music so say that the Lutherans have that, but I'm not one of those. seriously here at Pax Christi is been proven right in being And our Catholic tradition has not only to encourage beauty suspicious of us Catholics on never formally taught that. It's and singing—it's also to account of such utterances!) known in theological circles as ensure that we are doing good the theory of "atonement," and theology when we worship Anyway, I've been thinking it has a long, popular history in together. By that I mean that recently about some of the Christian churches of all kinds, the songs in which we partake popular hymns that are sung in including ours. But let's think need to be speaking of things church, not nearly all of which for a moment about what that that we actually believe to are filled with sound Catholic implies. Fr. J. Michael Byron be true about the faith that theology. We do a great job in Pastor we profess. No less than the our parish of filtering out some First, it suggests that God prayers of the Mass, the sung of the worst sentiments in was constrained to behave syllables that come out of our "sacred music," and that is very in a particular way because mouths form us in the practice deliberate. But there's one of a muddle into which we of our religion. (This is why song that keeps coming back had forced Him because of the present English translation because people like it. It's our bad behavior. That's of the Roman Missal is so sung at about 98.6 percent of absurd. Second, it suggests abysmal, among other reasons funerals that we celebrate. It's that suffering and death is for suggesting regularly that the not-particularly-Catholic somehow pleasing to God we Christians "merit" salvation (but quite lovely sounding) because of the good end that from God by the good things hymn titled, "How Great Thou will come of it. That also is that we do. That's completely Art." I like it, too. But it's the absurd. Third, it suggests that false, heretical in fact, but third verse that always makes the God who made us and who me crazy, perhaps because sustains us daily really didn't I think too much about it. like us very much after we The words go like this: "And had disappointed Him by sin, when I think of God, His Son and would only be appeased not sparing, sent him to die, I by blood sacrifice. Believe scarce can take it in. When on that if you will, but I do not. the cross, my burdens gladly And nothing in our Catholic bearing, He bled and died to theological tradition requires take away my sins." us to think otherwise. Wait, what? God sent His Son It all begs the question, "Well to us in order to die? That was then, why DID Christ come His purpose? And somehow to us?". There is a venerable His agonizing suffering was tradition, advanced most needed in order for me to have vigorously by the Franciscans access to the love, mercy, and for the past 800 years or so, forgiveness of God? I don't that insists that He came believe that. Some Reformation in order to disclose God's DEAR FRIENDS BY FR. J. MICHAEL BYRON 5 enduring love for us, and into the life of our Maker. It is to show us how to live well by being Lord over all threats, together as compassionate even death itself. God is not human beings. That makes out to get us, in that sense. But sense to me. I don't and can't God is indeed out to get us. "merit" God's affection by anything that I accomplish well enough, and I don't have to. Life with God is a gift, not a reward. This month's magazine highlights the theme that CHRIST IS ALIVE. Amen! His singular accomplishment is not by being dead or having suffered. It is by being present among us all the time as Spirit, welcoming us, encouraging us 6 SEPTEMBER 2019 PAX CHRISTI YOUTH IN DC! Serving those in need, working for justice Fourteen youth and three adults from Pax Christi traveled to Washington, DC on July 21–27 for a service/justice immersion trip through Young Neighbors in Action. The youth kept a communal journal throughout the trip. Here are some of their entries: July 22, 2019 As we woke up this morning, some of us may not have known what we were getting into or why we are here. Today my group got the opportunity to go to the Garden Guild, and from weeding to mowing, we did it all! We are excited to enjoy our week. On our job site we do not get to see much of who we are helping, but we can see our progress and it puts a smile on our faces. –Makayla O’Laughlin, 18 I woke up, then I ate breakfast. I was working with children all day. I came back and took a nap, ate dinner, went to evening programming, and then went to bed. –Evan Divine, 16 Evan’s rundown is a pretty good description of our daily routine! Our evening July 23, 2019 program consisted of Pax youth served learning about Catholic It was fun taking a tour of the Franciscan Monastery where the at three sites: social teaching, engaging Garden Guild is located. The weather was not as oppressive as in prayer together, and yesterday, so that’s nice. At the site we picked vegetables— FRANCISCAN MONASTERY building our community tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and more. I was a little disappointed GARDEN GUILD: weeding, through social activities that the work was not as much of a workout, but at least it wasn’t mowing, harvesting, and and fun! We also an inferno like yesterday. –Nate Laurent, 17 sorting at an urban farm experienced the culture that offers its produce to Today was really cool. At our work site we were able to of Washington, DC’s food shelves in the area black Catholic community attend Mass and get a tour of the beautiful church. During through an evening of work time we harvested crops and sorted them. We got AGE IN PLACE: indoor and dance, song, spoken word, the opportunity to see one of the food shelves that was outdoor maintenance drumming, and more. receiving the food. I can’t wait for the rest of the week! projects that allow Additionally, we visited –Jacob Plourde, 17 senior citizens to stay the National Mall on our in their homes and live “rec night” and walked independently through several of the July 25, 2019 monuments there. LITTLE FRIENDS FOR PEACE: Today was a good day. I got to make so many connections with working with children the kids. It made me so happy! Everyone was so sweet and kind. I at a peace camp (run learned a lot from all of these people. –Kalina Fuglie, 15 by Pax Christi founding members MJ and Jerry Today was very eventful! At the end of the day we had culture night Park) teaching skills to and it was AMAZING. It was all about African American culture, cultivate peace to kids which I loved! It was so joyful and it was so nice to connect with ages four to 12. my black roots. –Anna Madison, 16 SEPTEMBER 2019 7 July 26, 2019 Our group visited the Holocaust Memorial This week was a great experience! I feel closer to God and the friends I made throughout Museum and the White our time.