Page 1 S ERVED BY : ASCENSIONASCENSION OF THE LORD C A ATHOLIC C MAYOMMUNITY 24, 2020

Rev. Eamon Tobin ...... Ext. 3070 Pastor, email: [email protected] 2950 N. Harbor City Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32935

Rev. Martin Fitzgerald ...... 321-254-1595 Tel. 321-254-1595 -Fax 321-255-3490 Assistant Priest www.ascensioncatholic.net [email protected]

Deacon Sergio A. Colon ...... Ext. 3082 Bereavement Ministry, Hispanic Community [email protected]

Deacon Tom Stauffacher [email protected]—321-242-4504

Deacon Bill Terneus [email protected]—254-1595

Deacon Chris Meehan [email protected] —242-8003

Anita Brady ...... Ext. 3001 School Principal [email protected]

John Baillie ...... Ext. 3044 Technology Administrator [email protected]

Victoria Dunn ...... Ext. 3003 Director, School Development Office [email protected]

Betsy Glasenapp ...... Ext. 3080 Faith Formation Director [email protected]

Shelly Wackley ...... Ext. 3080 Faith Formation Assistant [email protected]

Cara Giuliano ...... Ext. 3501 Director of Youth Ministry [email protected]

Anna Nagy ...... Ext. 3501 Associate Youth Minister

Katie Gander ...... Ext. 3068 Music/Liturgy Director [email protected].

Laura Dodson ...... Ext. 3067 Pastoral Associate/RCIA [email protected] ASCENSION CATHOLIC SCHOOL Ashley Breaux ...... Ext. 3077 SCHEDULE OF MASSES www.ascensioncatholicsch.org Contemporary Music U.S. Department of Education Saturday [email protected] School of Excellence 4:30 pm Monica Sutton ...... Ext. 3076 Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth Grade Sunday Masses Volunteer Coordinator FAITH FORMATION 7:30 am [email protected] Religious Education PARISH OFFICE HOURS 9:30 a.m. (free childcare) Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Pre-K3– Gr. 3 Tuesdays, 2:00-3:30pm (choir)

PARISH OFFICE STAFF Pre-K3– Gr. 6 Tuesdays, 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. 11:30 am (free childcare) Teresa Romano ...... Ext. 3050 Pre-K3– Gr. 6 Wednesdays, 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. 5:30 pm Front Office Manager Gr. 1-6 Wednesdays, 6:15 - 7:30 p.m. [email protected] (Contemporary Music) YOUTH MINISTRY Mary Russo...... Ext. 3078 Ascension Catholic Life Teen Weekday Masses Business Manager/Bookkeeper Sundays 6:45-8:30pm Monday-Friday: 7:30 am [email protected] Edge (Grades 7&8) Wednesdays 6-7:30pm Sat. 9:00 am Anne Whelan ...... Ext. 3074 Assistant Bookkeeper Ascension Thrift Store: 259-7291 Sacrament of Reconciliation [email protected] Saturday: 3:15 - 4:25 pm Ascension Social Concerns: 259-5685 Maria Sittig ...... Ext. 3072 Wednesday: 5:00 pm Religious Articles Gift Shop Secretary/Bulletin (or by appointment) [email protected] Open after all weekend Masses

Brian Carley Special Projects Manager As a good steward of the Lord’s blessings, please remember to consider [email protected] your Parish Family or School Endowment in your Last Will and Testament. Page 2 ASCENSION OF THE LORD A 24, 2020 During this global pandemic, we are learning how to do ‘virtual ministry.’ We are seeking to discern what God is doing during this time and how we are to respond to him and to the needs of our church. As we can all imagine, this period of lockdown, social distancing, sheltering at home, and wearing of masks in public places is going to be talked about for as long as any of us live. As we continue to live our lives in this ‘new normal,’ we will be talking about how Covid-19 changed our world, our economy and our lives. There’s no telling how long this ‘new normal’ will last but it seems we will be in it for  Ascension - Our Parish Feast Day the long haul. It behooves us—as a global family, as a nation, as a diocese, as a parish, and as a family—to  Reflections on the Ascension of the Lord learn to live in this kind of world. Our call as a faith  Plans for the Re-opening of Our Church community is to ask the Holy Spirit to help us see and hear what he is doing in and through all of this, to ask for Daily and Sunday Masses the Holy Spirit to help us respond and minister in this new, strange world we live in. Perhaps we would aptly All over the Catholic world and in most mainline be called the ‘zoom generation.’ Christian churches, this weekend is Ascension Day,

when we celebrate the moment in time when Jesus, having completed his mission here on earth, returned Reflections on Ascension body and soul to Heaven. I will return to that important The Ascension event—when Jesus left the earth to return event in a moment. to his Father in Heaven—signals the end of Jesus’ Ascension is also, of course, the name of our parish and mission here on earth. In saying that Jesus ‘left school. In a humble way, we are proud to be members of us’ (physically), we do not mean that he abandoned us or our Ascension Church and school family. Our church left us orphans. No, he did not. Instead, ‘he moved on’ family came into existence in 1959, which was chris- to the next chapter of his life, if we can use that phrase in tened Ascension by Hurley. relationship to Jesus. And, of course, Jesus’ return to his Father is the beginning of a new chapter in what we call I try never to forget and to always be grateful to those the ‘History of Salvation,’ which started almost 2,000 “first young families” who sacrificed much to build our years earlier with the Call of Abraham, the father of the first church (our current parish hall) and our first school Israelite nation. Going forward, Jesus would be present (our current Ministry Center). Our current school Princi- to us through his Holy Spirit. More on that next Sunday pal, Anita (Best) Brady, was in kindergarten class when ( Sunday) when we celebrate the coming of the our school doors opened. In 1961, the Sisters of Mercy Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church. came from Ireland to help us get started, and they contin- ued to be a wonderful presence in our school for the The following are some miscellaneous reflections on this next 50 years. Our first pastor was Msgr. Martin Power, feast day. after whom our parish Knights of Columbus was named.

In the ensuing decades, our fellow Ascension parishion- Where did Jesus go when he left the earth? ers—living and deceased—went on to sacrifice to build our current church under the leadership of our third I do not know the name of the writer who responded to pastor, Fr. Val Sheedy. Our current school was built in the above question in the following way. He/she writes: phases under the leadership of our fourth pastor, Actually, only one of the (Mark) says any- Fr. Frank Smith. thing of the direction Jesus took. Luke tells us merely Over the six decades, our elementary school developed that Jesus “parted” from the disciples; and Matthew and into a very highly regarded grade school. Our parish John seem to take for granted that Jesus left but they do went on to develop into a strong faith community with not describe the departure at all. 68 ministries, several of which are outreach ministries to So where did Jesus go? And what is it that we

those in need in the Melbourne area. Each fiscal year, we celebrate on Ascension Day? donate over $100,000 in aid to those in need at home and To ask these questions is to open a can of worms. abroad. Page 3 ASCENSION OF THE LORD A MAY 24, 2020 Scientifically, we know that, once you exit earth’s Therefore, the mystery of the ascension is also about atmosphere through the hole in the ozone layer, there is us because Jesus could not have gone up—or wherever! nothing but infinite space, stretching far beyond what the —without us. Whatever we say about the risen and human eye can see, even with the help of the Hubble glorified Lord has its complementary aspect in our lives. telescope. Jesus died—and that was about us. Jesus rose again— So where did Jesus go? Obviously, we are being invit- and that was about us. Jesus ascended—and that, too, is ed to think and live in categories different from those in about us. which we operate as we move about the world. We are So the real question today is not: Where did Jesus go? creatures of time and space. We have to know when and What we really be asking is: Where is he taking us? where (although, when it comes to a 3 p.m. appointment at the dentist’s office, we’d rather forget that time and The Power Within Us that place!). The following reflection is by Fr. Vima Dasan, S. J. As we ponder Jesus’ location, we are brushing up against the boundary between God and our world. It is as A priest, Walter Ciszek by name, was in Russia for 23 much a help to say that God is everywhere as it is to say years, five of which were spent in the dreaded Lubyanka he is nowhere (in the sense that God has a particular prison in Moscow and ten of which were spent in the location). Basically, there is no where to God. Although harsh Siberian slave labour camp. He was finally re- we human beings often cry out in anguish, “God, where leased from Russia in 1963, in exchange for two Soviet are you?” the question makes sense only from our point spies held in the USA. He died in 1984 at the age of 84. of view, not from God’s. After release he wrote a book ‘He Leadeth Me.’ In this So where is Jesus? This is the wrong question book he tries to answer the question: ‘How did you because it is more about us than it is about Jesus. What manage to survive in Russia?’ He says: “I was able to the ascension signals is not a change in Jesus’ location endure the inhuman conditions in which I found myself because I experienced somehow the presence of God. I but in his manner of relating to us. It might be more help- never lost my faith that God was with me, even in the ful to say, not that Jesus went up but that he went within. worst of circumstances.” What was true of Fr. Walter The ascension is the second stage of the incarnation. Ciszek is true of each of us. Jesus is with us; God is with In the first stage, Jesus came among us in a human us in the power of his Holy Spirit. body—he was like us in all things except sin. His influ- These days, we are especially conscious of the cost ence was limited during his earthly life because, in his and importance of power: how to harness the solar body just like ours, he was limited by time and space. power, wind power and wave power; the power of the His teaching carried as far as the sound of his voice; his trade unions, and the power of television. We talk of the reputation spread slowly through village gossip and uses and abuses of power by power-crazed people. along trade routes. He even suffered the ultimate indigni- But on this feast of Ascension, we are not thinking ty that time and space impose upon us: He died. about any power other than the power by which Jesus But, as a result of the resurrection-ascension, Jesus is ascended into heaven. It was by the power of the Father now incarnated in that human body we call the church. that he ascended. “The power which he used to raise him According to Jesus’ promises, the church is immune from from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand in the ravages of time and limits of space. The gates of hell heaven” (Eph 1:20). And Jesus promised the same power will not prevail against it as it goes about the task of to all his followers: “You will receive power when the spreading Jesus’ message to the ends of the earth (which Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8). He fulfils this pretty much encompasses most of the space in which we promise chiefly at our baptism and confirmation. are accustomed to move). When do we experience the power of Jesus dwelling In the third and final stage of the incarnation, at the in us? When we read his words, when we deny ourselves for him, when we carry our cross after him or when we end of history when Jesus comes again, time and space suffer persecution because of his name. But we need to will collapse and he will be “all in all,” as our scriptures pray for his Spirit to become active and alive in us. That promise us. is why his disciples, after his ascension, went directly to To celebrate the mystery of the ascension properly, we the upper room in order to pray for nine days before have to put aside the categories of space and time. We Pentecost. The power of God becomes active through must take up instead the language of love and the prayer. Prayer means more than an occasional nod in realities of relationships that are no less real for being the direction of heaven. It means sitting down or kneeling down on a regular basis and speaking to our invisible to the eye. The ascension is about relation- ships—between Jesus and me, between Jesus and the heavenly father asking him for the gift of the Spirit. As we wait in prayer, we will begin slowly to experi- church, between Jesus and the world. ence God’s power; we will begin to be able to forgive Page 4 ASCENSION OF THE LORD A MAY 24, 2020 and to unite; with the power of the Spirit an individu- we are with them, our absence too will bear fruit. The al’s life will be transformed; suspicions will be memory of that presence, the warmth of it, will continue replaced by trust; hostility can change into mutual to nourish them. Thus, not only our presence but also our trust; repulsion and violence can change into repent- absence becomes a gift. ance. In a word, the whole person can be reborn. Jesus’ ascension was not a journey into outer space. It When we take our seat on a train or climb the gangway was a journey back to the Father to be glorified. We must onto a ship, the thought rarely crosses our minds as to not think that he has abandoned us, that he once lived on whether there is sufficient power in the engines to move earth but has now gone back to where he really belongs. the train or ship. Most likely we take it for granted. Flying If this were so, then Christianity would be no more than a in a jet is quite different. Take-off makes us very much remembrance religion. aware of the tremendous power required to lift such a Today’s ends with Jesus’ promise to remain weight off the ground. We hold high expectations that it with his disciples always, right to the end of time. How will succeed; after all, our life depends on it. What of the can this be if he has ascended to heaven? It can be power of God within us on which peace and happiness in because the ascension does not represent his removal this life and eternal life in the next, depend? Do we from the earth. It represents his liberation from all simply take it for granted or are we truly aware of it? restrictions of time and space. During his earthly ministry Probably most of us rarely think of it, which is a fatal he could only be in one place at a time. But now that he is mistake. united with God, he is present wherever God is present; Thus our Lord’s ascending to heaven is important to and that is everywhere. us, because it confirms his claim to be God’s own Son; The first Christians understood this very well. They it completes the cycle of incarnation-redemption- knew that Jesus was still with them, even if not in the glorification; it give us hope that one day we too will be same way as before. They believed that they encountered with them in heaven. But in the meantime he has not left him when the Scriptures were expounded and the bread us as orphans. Although he is not visibly with us, he was broken (in the eucharist). And they believed that dwells within us by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is death would mean being united with him in glory for what he meant when he said: “I am with you till the end ever. of time” (Mt 28:20). Yes, Jesus is still with us. We Christians of the present day have those same

(Used with permission ©St. Pauls (UK) 1998, His Word Lives, means of encountering Jesus - the Scriptures and the London SWIP IEP, United Kingdom, Maynooth Co. Kildare, Ireland, breaking of the bread. by Vima Dasan, S.J.) Jesus gave the apostles a great task to perform, name-

ly, to preach the Gospel to the world. That task has been Presence and Absence handed on to us. We draw strength from the conviction The following reflection is by Fr. Flor McCarthy, S.D.B. that the risen and glorified Christ is with us as he was with the apostles. St. Luke’s account of the ascension seems to empha- sise the fact that Jesus is going away. This means that he (Used with permission granted by Dominican Publications, will no longer be with the apostles, or with us. However, www.dominicanpublications.com. New Sunday and Holy Day Litur- the story is not so much about Jesus leaving as about gies, by Flor McCarthy.) Jesus being glorified. That’s where the emphasis is, and that’s what this great feast is about. It is true that on Ascension Day Jesus withdrew his My book on The Mass, highlighted by physical presence from the apostles. The ascension DynamicCatholic.com all last week marked the termination of his earthly appearances. Now physical presence is a great thing but it isn’t My book on The Mass was highlighted all week on everything. In fact, it can sometimes actually get in the DynamicCatholic.com. way of intimate communication. Many of our disappoint- If you do not have a copy of the book and would like ments in life are caused by the fact that seeing and touch- one, you can get it in two ways: (1) at the Parish Office ing do not always create the closeness we seek. for $8.00, or (2) from Amazon Kindle eBook for $9.99. Two people can be physically close, and yet live sepa- rate, lonely lives, because there is no meeting of minds and hearts. They are like shells lying on the same piece of Have a blessed week, shore. On the other hand, people can be separated by thou- sands of miles and yet feel close to one another. When people think of each other with love, a spiritual bond is created between them, and they enter into a new intimacy. For those who love one another there is no such place as [email protected] ‘far away.’ If we are able to be fully present to our friends when Page 5 ASCENSION OF THE LORD A MAY 24, 2020 Amazing Outreach of the Knights of Columbus Church Audio/Visual Project Update during the Pandemic Several months ago, we planned to upgrade our church The following is an excerpt from the May Edition of sound system and install visual enhancements to our Columbia (a Knights of Columbus monthly magazine), worship space. The plan got under way during the clo- written by Carl A. Anderson the Supreme Knight. sure of our church on account of Covid-19.

During , I was asked by the White House We couldn’t have asked for better timing! We were to join the president and vice president on a conference able to utilize some of the new equipment to record and call with thousands of faith leaders and report to them stream our Masses and other activities. on our efforts. A prominent evangelical pastor and a rabbi representing the Jewish Federations of North The project was originally conceived with the view to America spoke as well. upgrading our sound system and introducing visual While people of many faith traditions are doing screens for music and prayers, thus eliminating the use wonderful work, what is striking about the Knights of of paper and printing of worship aids. Again, this came Columbus response is its variety. at a time when the Diocese requested that we remove all First, there is the multimillion-dollar food assistance hymnals and worship aids from the pews to prevent the program being carried out through our “Leave No spread of germs.

Neighbor Behind” initiative. Launched during Holy The cost of the project has exceeded our original quota- Week in more than 20 cities in the United States and tion due to the fact that we have added video cameras Canada, it is moving throughout both countries as our and streaming equipment to meet the demands of this brother Knights team up with local food banks. unprecedented pandemic. Total cost: $167,000. Blood donations have been an important part of our charitable work for nearly a century, and now, when the As you may notice, when it comes to singing, some need is so great, we are again stepping up. people never open the hymnal. With the words and “Leave No Neighbor Behind” encourages each notes of the songs now on the big screens, we hope council to reach out to every brother Knight - offering more and more people will help us to make a ‘joyful a helping hand should he or another member of his noise’ unto the Lord. We hope the placement of the family be especially vulnerable or challenged by the screens will provide maximum clarity and comfort of pandemic—as well as to others in need in our parishes viewing from any angle in the church. and neighborhoods. We have also made available through our Church Loan program a $100 million emergency fund to provide loans up to $1 million to help U.S. dioceses continue operations during this crisis. Overseas, we are working with the Vatican’s Bambino Gesù pediatric hospital in Rome to create a new treatment room for infants with Covid-19 infections. We are supporting Catholic hospitals and a medical clinic in Iraq and Lebanon, as well as programs in the Philippines in response to the pandemic. At a time when it is more important than ever, we again made possible the Holy Father’s Holy Week broadcasts, as well as his special Urbi et Orbi blessing in light of the pandemic.

(Copyright©2020 Knights of Columbus, excerpted from “Our Principles in Time of Pandemic” by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, May 2020 issue Columbia Magazine. All rights reserved. Used with permission.)

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A Prayer during this Pandemic Time

Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd and Refuge in times of stress, we come to you during this time when lives everywhere are threatened and disrupted at every level.

We pray for the thousands of people who have already lost their lives to this virus. We pray for their grieving loved ones. We pray for the elderly in nursing homes and all those in hospitals who cannot receive visits from their loved ones.

We pray for doctors and nurses and also for first responders who daily are working long hours and risking their lives to help people infected with this insidious virus. We pray for the protection of all those who continue to serve us at this time, such as police officers, firefighters, EMTs, the media, employees in food stores and pharmacies.

We pray for all who are engaged in research to discover a vaccine to fight this terrible virus. Holy Spirit, bless the work of their minds and hands.

We pray for government officials at the local and national levels, that they will have the guidance of the Holy Spirit to know how to strike a balance between ensuring our safety and reopening busi- nesses and jobs.

We pray for those who have lost their jobs or are in fear of losing their jobs and wondering how they are going to pay their bills. We pray for our economy during this time.

We pray and ask God’s blessing on our Social Concerns office and all social agencies that are seeking to offer aid to those in need. We also remember in prayer all those whose names are on our Prayer Chain list.

We pray for ourselves, that we will do what we need to do to protect ourselves and others from this disease. We pray that we will be ready and willing to help others in whatever way we can. We pray for children and adolescents who are experiencing an extended period of lockdown in their homes. May they learn new ways to be together.

We pray for parents working from home and also helping their children with online school work.

We pray for those with abusive and suicidal tendencies, that they may obtain tranquility and peace through the grace of God.

We pray for our Church leaders and Church family. Lord, you always seek to bring good out of bad things. May this be a time of extra prayer and reflection so that we can hear and see what you wish to teach us during this time. May this challenging time help us to be more compassionate and less selfish.

May this time of “new normal” help us to grow in our appreciation of the things we may take for granted, such as shelter, food, family, good neighbors, and fellow parishioners.

Please consider praying one decade of the Rosary for the above intentions.

- Fr. Eamon Tobin Page 10 ASCENSION OF THE LORD A MAY 24, 2020

Next Sunday’s Readings YOUTH MINISTRY

May 31, 2020 A Ascension Catholic Pentecost Sunday Life Teen Acts 2:1-11 Life Teen and Edge Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34 Our Life Teen and Edge programs have been 1Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 meeting virtually for the past few months and John 20:19-23 will continue to do so each week until further notice. Links are sent out via Email & Remind each week. Keep an eye on our Facebook/ What gifts of the Spirit can you Instagram for additional challenges and special virtual events at Ascension Catholic Teens. identify in yourself that could help transform your world? Life Teen-High School Teens

Tuesday - Join us on Zoom at 7:00pm for Summit (Bible Study). Which gifts of the Spirit can you identify in our community? Edge - 7th and 8th Grade Teens

Wednesday - Join us on Zoom at 7:00pm for Edge Night

Questions about Youth Ministry? Contact Cara Giuliano, Director of Youth Ministry, or Anna Nagy, Associate Youth Minister, EDGE program at [email protected]

Human Trafficking Awareness Event Calendar Listing

The Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force will host a free human trafficking awareness and prevention webinar on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to noon for individuals who are interested in learning more about this modern-day slavery and its impacts on our community. It is recommended for ages 13 and up. Topics will include human trafficking on a global and local level, how we contribute to it, and how to recognize the signs and protect our children.

For more information, contact Christine Commerce [email protected] or call 407-658-1818, Ext. 1122. To RSVP, contact Bridgette Boyd at [email protected]. Page 11 ASCENSION OF THE LORD A MAY 24, 2020

Wedding Anniversaries

Maurice & Jacqueline Guilbault 62 years May 30 Week beginning Monday, May 25, 2020

Steve & Betty Redd 35 years May 29

and ending Sunday, May 31, 2020 James & Barbara Eisenmann 30 years May 25

Jeff & Julie Leonard 30 years May 26 Mon. 7:30 am † Manny & Anne Milia John & Hope Coffey 25 years May 27 Tues 7:30am † Mike Carney † Edward Palo Greg Grasso, Betty Elko, Claire Grasso, Mia Moore, Carmelia Navarretta, Peggy McKelvey, Cathi Hurd, Wed 7:30am † Jim Warwick Ted Stoner, Betsy Coradine, CVNS, Joan Barco, † Lee Dague Rose Struzinski, Mary Laird, John Kelly, Jim Thur. 7:30am † Mike Bobitka Eisenmann, Laurie Chatman, Marge Pearsall, Ann † Eugene DeCerbo McKelvey, Terri Sills, K.J. Baker, Richard Furstenburg, Amanda Oudwa, Janice Roberson, Robert Hinnant, Mary Ellen Ritter, Fri. 7:30am † Anthony & Helen Trovato Maureen Kurtz, Theo Reaves, Leo Shumaker, Shirley Mattai, Sat. 9:00am † John Brewer John DeStefon, Thomas Horan, Margie Boozer, Bill Porzio, † Joan Ludwig Wayne Fogel, Anthony Tynes, John Hemel, John Thorstad, Joan 4:30pm † Robert Parsons Cantwell, Tim Durkin, Art Coridine, Steve Weinhold, Leslie Selage, Jonah Powers, Phyllis Powers, Werner Schulz, Justine † Susan Adams Miller, Cosanne Mistretta, Elizabeth Mengel, Patrick Kenny, Pam Sun. 7:30 am † John Mele Conner, AJ Johnson, Marion Sampieri, Ron St. Clair, Matther † Severo Esquivel Rabel, Fr. Mike DiRenzo, Anita Byers, Ava Barone, Jennifer, 9:30 am † Florence Lackie Elisa Fernandez, Eric Farrell, Frank Cavaliere, Jim Thorstad, Traci Wood, Reca Downey, Kristen Reid, Frances Moberly, Joey † Jim Bellinger Tauper, James Shifflett, James Meegan, Anthony Prisco, Sarah 11:30 am † Pedro Colon Morawa, Charles Janus, James Price † Antonia Landrau

Please pray for those in the nursing homes. 5:30pm People of the Parish

Pray for our Armed Forces Personnel here & overseas Thank You from the Joseph Marci, Robert Crowl, Bryan Calenda, David Barlow, Children’s Hunger Project Dylan Traver, Marty Martinez, Jonathan Martinez, Bryan Satter- white, John Kinsora, Josh Grier, Robert Grover, Rory O’Connor, On behalf of The Children’s Hunger Shane O’Connor, Alex Ritner, Kyle Mimbs, Kristin Agresta, Project Board of Directors and our staff, we cannot thank Andrew Nemethy, Lance Freeberg, Theresa Mavity, Matthew our Ascension family enough for all of your continued Hammond, Daniel Amulong, Dr. Jerry Higman, Margaret-Anne assistance and support, especially amid this uneasy pan- Sytxma, Matt Maurer USAF, Daniel Sosa, Ray Romano, Matthew demic time…we honestly could not serve almost triple the Cavalcante, Chad Bloomstine, Matthew Carney, Logan Solio, amount of our weekend food packages every week without Nick Owens, Nicholas Jon DeDominici, Fredrick DeDominici, your help (we’ve gone from 2,300 weekly to almost Reece Sampieri 6,000). Cheryl Cominsky, Executive Director

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION

There was a curious custom years ago that perhaps developed in an age when was seen less as a baptismal season than as a kind of tour through the deeds of the Risen Christ. The , sign of Christ’s presence, was removed from public view on Ascension , banished to the baptistery. Ascension day does speak of the hidden aspects of Christ’s life among us, but it does not have much to do with God’s absence. Christ has not shed his human life like an inconvenient shell, but rather has taken humanity into heaven. The theologian Karl Rahner said that it is a festival of “the nearness of God.” In vanishing from our sight, Christ has become utterly available to all at every time and every place, and is “closer to us than he ever was.” Today is the feast of believing that beyond our final breath is a presence that waits for us, a banquet prepared, a tender homecoming embrace. Rahner said that today is a festival of the future of the world, a day for anticipating the world’s true destiny, and therefore hardly a day to be going around hiding candles!

—Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.