August 19, 2012
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH ASCENSION OF OUR LORD CHURCH ST. JOHN , TEXAS MORAVIA , TEXAS
DIOCESE OF VICTORIA IN TEXAS REV . JOHN C. PETERS , PASTOR REV . TOMMY CHEN , PAROCHIAL VICAR P.O. BOX H HALLETTSVILLE , TEXAS 77964 (361) 798-5888 (361) 798-4970 FAX WEBSITE : WWW .SHCATHOLICCHURCH .ORG E-MAIL : RECTORY @SHCATHOLICCHURCH .ORG MASS SCHEDULE Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Saturday August 18 6:00 P.M. Dominic Loth Moravia Sunday August 19 9:30 A.M. Irene Mendel St. John Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Saturday August 25 6:00 P.M. Renee Sternadel Knezek St. John Sunday August 26 9:30 A.M. Joe & Irene Drozd Barcak Moravia Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Saturday Sept. 1 6:00 P.M. Sylvester Janak Moravia Sunday Sept. 2 9:30 A.M. Rose Melnar St. John THE WORD OF GOD Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings: Proverbs 9:1-6 Psalm 34:2-7 Ephesians 5:15-20 John 6:51-58 Wisdom has prepared a banquet of food and wine, an image expressive of God’s communion with us. For those who desire life, Jesus gives his own flesh and blood. Thus we shall be filled with the Spirit. Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings: Joshua 24:1-2a,15-17,18b Psalm 34:2-3,16-21 Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a,25-32 John 6:60-69 Joshua confronts the tribes of Israel: Will you desert your covenant with Yahweh? The desertion of disciples is a prelude to the paschal mystery. With Peter however, let us profess our faith in the Lord, who gave himself up for us all. Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8 Psalm 15:2-5 James 1:17-18,21b-22,27 Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 Through observance of the Lord’s commands, we shall experience the fullness of life. Living in conformity with God’s will frees us from all casuistry about good and evil. We are called to welcome God’s word and to let it take root in our hearts. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK The Year of Faith is a special year. Believers around the world are called to renew their commitment to the faith that is “always the same, yet the source of ever new light.” Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed a Year of Faith beginning October 11, 2012 and concluding on November 24, 2013, the feast of Christ the King. The start of this Year of Faith coincides with the anniversaries of two great events that have marked the life of the Church: the 50 th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20 th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What could be more important than our faith? It is the foundation of who we are as Catholic Christians and a gracious gift from God. Yet, in our contemporary world, we are increasingly vulnerable to secular movements that pull us away from our relationship with God. From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI has worked to gather God’s people into a fuller communion with one another and with the risen Lord. This Year of Faith is a time for us to renew our personal relationship with Jesus and recommit ourselves to the Church. We are called to give ourselves more fully to God by professing our faith in Jesus Christ, His only Son, and this faith is expressed when we profess the Creed. Let us begin preparing ourselves to celebrate this Year of Faith.
ST. JOHN CHURCH CLEANERS St. John Church Cleaners for September: Pam Besetsny, Peggy Mendel and Cheryl Brossmann
MORAVIA PICNIC APPRECIATION DINNER - AUGUST 19 Please set aside Sunday August 19, for our annual picnic appreciation dinner. Picnic workers are invited to come for a catered noon meal. Please bring a dessert for the dessert table. This dinner is a thank you dinner for all the hard work that workers put in at our 2012 picnic.
ADULT EDUCATION (RCIA) Those who are interested in becoming Catholic and who would like to receive instruction to be received into the Catholic Church should contact Fr. Tommy at the Sacred Heart Church Office (361-798-5888). Any baptized adult Catholic who still needs to receive the sacraments of first Penance, first Communion, and Confirmation, should also contact Fr. Tommy.
GENERATIONS OF FAITH Registration for the 2012-2013 year will be immediately after Mass this weekend, August 18th and 19th. You will receive your GOF Folder and Class Schedule at that time. You will also find out how to play Church Geocaching after Mass each weekend to increase your chances to win an Apple iPod nano. Some items required on the Registration Form are: Health Insurance Card Information and Sacrament Dates. Registration Forms will be completed during registration this year. GOF participants will be using books this year so your child must be registered by August 19th in order to insure that he/she will have a book.
GOF classes will begin Sunday, September 16, 2012 at 9:30AM with an opening Mass at St. John the Baptist. This is also Catechetical Sunday.
As required by the Diocese of Victoria, we will be presenting a Safe Environment Training to all students at Ascension of Our Lord and St. John the Baptist Generations of Faith. We will hold this training during the Generations of Faith Classes on Monday, September 17, 2012 for Grade 11; Wednesday, September 19, 2012 for Grades 7-10; and Wednesday, September 26 for Grades K-6 at the Religious Education Department/Rectory.
It is imperative to teach students personal safety skills that will enable them to take an active and necessary role in protecting themselves from crimes of: abduction, Internet crime, violence, sexual abuse, physical abuse and verbal abuse. By providing children with the tools to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations and people, we will give them a better chance of growing up in a happy, healthy and safer environment.
On the first classes, All GOF parents and students are required to attend the Safe Environment Classes; however, after the initial class, only the parents of children grades K-5th grade are required to attend and participate with their children . Of course, the catechists pray that all parents will continue their monthly attendance and take advantage of each GOF session to spend time with your children—you are the first Church and bring such value to our classes!
Anyone interested in volunteering with GOF, please contact Dana Daughtry. If you have any questions about GOF, please contact Dana Daughtry at 979-562-2381, home, or 713-822-3019, cell.
PRO LIFE NEWS The term “war on women” has taken on a life of its own in political and media circles…Clearly, if a female in the 21 st century wants to behave irresponsibly, she can pay for what she wants! Don’t ask me to pay for it! If you do, you are waging a war on me, on all people of faith, on the Author of life, and on the principles that preserve and protect human rights. Yes, there is a war being waged, but it is not on women. It is on God! (Judie Brown, president of American Life League)
ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE Saturday, August 18 - 6:00 p.m. - Moravia - Josh Becan, Caitlyn Deem Sunday, August 19 - 9:30 a.m. - St. John - Seth Eckhardt, Blaine Besetzny, Caleb Krischke Saturday, August 25 - 6:00 p.m. - St. John - James Lofland, April & Clayton Brossman Sunday, August 26 - 9:30 a.m. - Moravia - Caitlyn Deem, Dylan Goldberg, Miranda Shimek Saturday, Sept. 1 - 6:00 p.m. - Moravia - Josh Becan, Caitlyn Deem, Rylie Lux Sunday, Sept. 2 - 9:30 a.m. - St. John - Seth Eckhardt, Blaine Besetzny, Caleb Krischke
Polaris Ranger Drawing to be held at the Sacred Heart Church Picnic on September 2. 1st prize: 2012 Polaris Ranger Crew 500 (seating for 4) with a 12 ft. Maxey single axle trailer (Value $11,080); 2nd prize: $500 gift card; 3rd prize: $250 gift card. Tickets $35 (limit 1500 tickets), and available for purchase at various businesses in Hallettsville and at the Sacred Heart Rectory.
Sister M. Alberta of Incarnate Word, will give a short presentation of her book “Texas Footprints in the Sand” on Wednesday, August 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Freinch Simpson Library in Hallettsville. Copies of her book will be available for purchase. For more information, please call the library at 361-798-3243.
Sacred Heart Parish in Flatonia will hold their annual garage sale on August 24 & 25 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church Picnic, Cistern – Sunday, August 26 Holy Mass 10:00 a.m. Fried Chicken & Sausage Dinner 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. (dine-in or drive thru plates to go). Auction 12:30 p.m. Bingo 1:00-5:00 p.m., cake walk, country store, children’s games, balloon artist 1:00-3:00 p.m., and magic show 3:30 p.m. Trail Ride leaving from 5434 Cowan Road at 10:00 a.m. Contact: David Urban 361-865-2301 or Charlie Hattenbach 361-865-2777. A portion of the net proceeds will be donated to the Cistern Fire Station Building Fund.
We wish all our students well as we begin a new school year.
Next Bulletin: Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012 Bulletin Deadline: 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30th, 2012
THE Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B FAITH CONNECTION August 19, 2012
Self-Interest in Following Jesus When I was in the fifth grade my teacher his teachings Set time aside each day this week with other members of was Sr. Philomena. She was very will have your household, with other committed to promoting the devotion life. To be members of your parish, or of the scapular. She assured us that if with Jesus, alone to listen to and reflect on the living Word of God. we wore the scapular around our neck, to follow his Use these passages from the we would never die without first having Gospel is the Lectionary that are assigned access to a priest to whom we could way to live for Liturgy this week. Reflect on how the Lord is inviting you confess our sins. With this information, fully, both to a deeper union with him. my friend Henry and I came up with a now and eternally. We cannot find a plan. We decided to wear the scapular more direct way to happiness. and live lives of crime! We would do Proverbs 9:1-6 Ephesians 5:15-20 whatever selfish things we wanted and People sometimes imagine that we John 6:51-58 still have time before we died to be should follow Jesus out of obligation. In forgiven and go to Heaven. one sense, this is true. We are obliged * to do the will of God. Yet an attitude of Matthew 19: 16-22 The flaw of this plan (which we thankfully obligation can distract us from a more Jesus said, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your posses- never followed) was that it presumed fundamental truth. The very things that
sions and give the money to that doing selfish and evil things would Christ asks us to do are for our own the poor,…’ Q make us happy. We did not realize that benefit. Avoiding them is foolish. As true the teachings of Jesus were meant to disciples we follow Jesus’ commands ** bring happiness and joy. Jesus makes not out of obligation but self-interest. Matthew 19: 23-30 ESTION U S this clear in today’s Gospel. He is the For mortals it is impossible, but Q
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K for God all things are possible. living bread. Those who follow himF and E T E H E W *** Matthew 20: 1-16 Q The Faith Questions Q
So the last will be first, and the first will be last. of the Church of the Week The Church recognizes that doing what Jesus presents himself as the Bread of Matthew 22: 1-14 is good is the way to true freedom. The Life. Catholics fittingly understand his For many are called, but few more one does what is good, the freer claim as a reference to the Eucharist. are chosen. one becomes. There is no true freedom Scripturally, however, “the Bread” can also **** except in the service of what is good apply to Jesus’ teaching. Following Jesus’ John 1: 41-51 and just. Choices that lead to commands is nourishment for our lives. disobedience and evil can be an abuse “You are Simon son of John. Adults When have I experienced the You are to be called Cephas.” of freedom and lead not to life but to teaching of Jesus as life-giving? What the slavery of sin. blessings have I received by following his Matthew 23: 1-12 word? (See Catechism of the Catholic Church The greatest among you will be Children Do I think it will be better to follow # 1733). your servant. the commands of Jesus or to only do the *Memorial of Saint Bernard, abbot, doctor of the Church things I want to do? Why? **Memorial of Saint Pius X, pope ***Memorial of the Queenship of the Visit us at www.FaithFirst.com (click on “Gospel Reflections”) Blessed Virgin Mary and share today’s Gospel reading as a family. ****Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle Responding to God’s Word . . . SUGGESTIONS When Jesus asks us to be generous, in life is to know that we are moral Use one of these suggestions or forgiving, or honest, he is not primarily persons who have the respect of one of your own to respond to God’s Word this week. imposing an obligation. He is leading others. That is why Christ commands us to life. us to live with integrity. In the home. Pick one of the Ten Commandments that helps you to Being unkind and selfish will not bring Christ commands us to do things live. Discuss how it promotes your us joy. Christ commands kindness and for our own good. Ignoring the happiness. generosity because these qualities teachings of Jesus is not some In the workplace or in school. will lead us to love, and only love will clever way of avoiding a burden. It is Holding onto the command to love make us happy. Refusing to forgive working against our own self-interest. your neighbor as yourself, decide will not satisfy us. It will only make us Following Christ’s teachings is the who needs your love today. slaves to our anger, hurt, and resent- most productive way to live. If we In the community. Believing that ment. Christ commands us to forgive want happiness and joy, there is no we are called to serve the least because only by forgiving will we be other path to choose. We believe that among us, identify who among you free. Living in dishonesty and manipu- Christ has the words of eternal life. is most in need.. lation will not gratify us. Satisfaction
A Prayer for Insight
Meditation Moment God of Jesus said…”If you do not eat Wisdom, The Boy with the the flesh of the Son of Man you guide my life Loaves and Fish through your commands. and drink his blood, You ask me to serve others, Jesus feeds a huge crowd you will not have life in yourselves.” to forgive, and to act justly. in all four Gospels. But it John 6: 53 When I perceive your commands is only in the Gospel of The movie E.T. contains two scenes as difficult, allow me to see that John that we are told that that deal with food. In one scene they are blessings. the five loaves and two the young hero of the film leaves Integrity leads to happiness. fish were brought by a boy some candy for E.T. to show him Forgiveness permits freedom. (John 6:9). His youth and he wants to be his friend. The other Service is the deepest joy. insignificance remind us scene shows a starved E.T. raiding Your commands are not that, when we bring the a refrigerator. Behind the warmth burdens, but pathways to and humor of the scenes is a basic little we have to Christ, life. Amen. message. It is this: without food, miracles happen. we die – whether we are human or extraterrestrial. What is true of bodily life is also true of spiritual life. NIHIL OBSTAT Rev. Msgr. Robert M. Coerver, Censor Librorum IMPRIMATUR Carry this thought in your heart † Most Reverend Kevin J. Farrell, DD, Bishop of Dallas For reflection . . . May 18, 2012 as a guide for your faith journey The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that the material reviewed The two episodes in E.T. and is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those this week. granting the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions, or Jesus’ words invite me to ask, How statements expressed. appreciative am I of the Eucharist as Jesus said to them, “I am the Author: George M. Smiga ACKNOWLEDGMENTS my spiritual food? bread of life. Whoever comes to Front photo: © 1994, Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, art by me will never be hungry, and Steve Erspamer, SM. Before communion the sacred bread The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version whoever believes in me will Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the does not look National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by never be thirsty.” permission. All rights reserved. as if Christ is present in it. © 2012 RCL Benziger LLC. All rights reserved. After Communion we christians do The Faith Connection® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office John 6:35 and is published weekly by RCL Benziger, 8805 Governor’s Hill Dr., Suite 400, not always look Cincinnati, OH 45249 877-275-4725 • Contact us at RCLBenziger.com as if Christ is present in us. frank Sheed (Adapted) From Mission by Mark Link, S.J. 081912