The Church of Saint Patrick February 4, 2018 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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The Church of Saint Patrick February 4, 2018 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Parish Mission: School Mission: As a faith community, we are the hands St. Patrick School is a Catholic, Child-centered, and feet of Christ, reaching out elementary school where the staff, parents and as He did. parish community educate the whole child spiritually and academically to live as an active Catholic in a rapidly changing society. SAINT PATRICK CHURCH WADSWORTH, IL PAGE 2 Annual Catholic Appeal Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, The call of Jesus echoes across the generations and is ever the same: Come, follow me. These words of Jesus have been chosen as the theme for the 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal. We are living in a graced time of renewal here in the Archdiocese of Chicago. In a fresh way, we are reclaiming the call to follow Jesus as his disciples. He calls us both individually and as a community, in which we are responsible for one another. Our Annual Catholic Appeal brings us together to live out our responsibility in that community of discipleship. By each of us joining in the Appeal together, we sustain Catholic Schools and parishes in need, support programs of religious education, ministerial formation, and many initiatives for the protection of life and the promotion of peace and justice. Through the Annual Appeal, we also support the efforts of Catholic Relief Services which cares for people across the globe who struggle and suffer because of natural disasters and the ravages of war. We are all connected to one another in Jesus as his disciples, and we can express that connection through our support of the Appeal. Join me and other disciples across the Archdiocese in making a generous offering to the Annual Appeal. Once again, I pledge that we will be good stewards of your gifts. And remember that once your parish reaches its goal, 100 percent of the over-goal contribution will be returned to your parish. Pray for the people who will benefit from your generosity. And, of course, please pray for me, as I am always praying for you. May God bless and keep you and all of your loved ones. Sincerely yours in Christ, Cardinal Blasé J. Cupich Archbishop of Chicago Archdiocese of Chicago We Welcome Since 1991, people of the Archdiocese have generously contributed to the success of the ministries of the Annual Catholic Appeal under the pastoral leadership of Cardinal Bernardin, Cardinal George and now Cardinal Cupich. As 21st century followers of Jesus, we know that through our sacrifice and labor, and God’s blessings to us, we return a portion back to God so that others will hear the invitation to “come and follow our Lord’ building up a world of hope, peace charity and love. May your participation in the 2018 Catholic Appeal strengthen your connection to our Lord and our neighbor as we share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. We Serve Catholic Relief Services represents the Church’s healing presence through the world. Without regard for religious affiliation, CRS promotes human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies. Through the Annual Catholic Appeal, the generosity of the people of the Archdiocese of Chicago supports this important ministry. We Support We are the Catholic Church of Cook and Lake Counties in Illinois. Graced by the gospel and spirit of Jesus Christ, we nourish faith through Catholic Schools and religious education programs. We also support the many critical agencies and ministries of the Church. Through your support of the Annual Catholic Appeal, you assist in passing on the treasures of faith to a new generation of Jesus’ disciples. Many of you have already received Appeal information in the mail. Perhaps you have already responded. If not, there are Appeal envelopes in the pews this weekend. Our parish goal this year is $46,000. Any money received over that amount will be given back to our parish to support our many and varied ministries. In Christ our Brother, Fr. Merold SAINT PATRICK CHURCH WADSWORTH, IL PAGE 3 Ask A Priest Q: What is the difference between the “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” and the “Fruits of the Holy Spirit?” A: First, let us briefly recall the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. God, who is Love, is a relationship of Persons. There is a Lover (the Father), a Beloved (the Son), and the Love that passes between them (the Holy Spirit). All of Creation is a result of the super- abundance of the Love of God; it overflows from the Trinity into the hearts of each one of us. Created in God’s image and likeness, we are created for Love; it is only through our ability to love and be loved that we will reach our fulfillment. Now, just as the Holy Spirit is the manifestation of the Love between the Father and Son, it is through the gifts of the Holy Spirit that our love for God and neighbor is perfected. These gifts of the Spirit are special abilities which perfect the virtues we received at Baptism. They enable us to become the people we were created to be. Let us pause for a moment, and quickly answer the original question: the gifts of the Spirit are abilities given us by God, and the fruits of the Spirit are the manifestations of these abilities in everyday life. Suppose I had the gift of being an incredible athlete. This athletic talent would help me in other activities as well: I would be strong, and flexible, and healthy, and active. In much the same way, our spiritual gifts have practical fruits that manifest themselves throughout our lives. There are seven ‘Gifts of the Spirit,’ as outlined in Isaiah 11:1-2. They are as follows: 1. Sapientia (Wisdom). The perfection of the virtue of charity. The desire to judge all things through God, by combining the will and the intellect. 2. Intellectus (Understanding). The perfection of the virtue of faith. The illumination of the mind to grasp the Truths of our Faith. 3. Consilium (Counsel). The perfection of the virtue of prudence. The supernatural intuition to judge the right way to act, even in difficult situations. 4. Fortitudo (Fortitude). The perfection of the virtue of fortitude. The firmness of mind required to both do the good and to endure through evil. 5. Scientia (Knowledge). The perfection of the virtue of temperance. The ability to see things through the light of faith and from the perspective of God. 6. Pietas (Piety). The perfection of the virtue of justice. The ability to recognize our total reliance on God, and to come before God with humility, trust, and love. 7. Timor Domini (Fear of the Lord). The perfection of the virtue of hope. The awareness of God’s glory and majesty, and the fear of ever separating oneself from God. We receive the Theological virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity) and the Cardinal virtues (Temperance, Prudence, Justice, and Fortitude) at our baptism. As you can see in the list above, these virtues are all perfected in our souls when the Holy Spirit is bestowed on us in the Sacrament of Confirmation. If you have not yet been confirmed, call the office and register for our preparation program! Classes begin February 12th. Of course, as we mentioned above, these gifts of the Spirit produce practical fruits that are manifested in our everyday life. In Galatians 5:22-23, St. Paul identifies nine distinct fruits of the Spirit: 1. Caritas (Love). Goodwill that always seeks the best for others, giving freely without asking for anything in return. 2. Gaudium (Joy). The interior awareness that God is my Strength and Protector. 3. Pax (Peace). The interior equilibrium resulting from trusting myself completely to God. 4. Longanimitas (Patience). The capacity to continue to bear with difficult circumstances, not out of complacency, but actively resisting weariness or defeat. 5. Benignitas (Kindness). Adjusting myself to the people around me, as opposed to demanding that they adapt to my needs and desires. 6. Bonitas (Goodness). Kindness, generosity, and joy in being good, manifested as a persistent state of life. 7. Fides (Faithfulness). The personal resolve not to wander away from commitments or promises made to another, especially to God. 8. Modestia (Gentleness). An even-tempered, tranquil, unpretentious disposition that has the passions under control. 9. Continentia (Self-control). The ability to have mastery over my thoughts, feelings, desires, and actions. As I am sitting here typing this list, I cannot help but feel inspired; how much I desire to experience these fruits in my everyday life! Dear friends, these fruits are available to us if we open our hearts to them. May we continue to strive for these graces in all of our work and prayer, giving ourselves totally to God so that God might give himself totally to us. Peace, Fr. Mike SAINT PATRICK CHURCH WADSWORTH, IL PAGE 4 Baby Bottle Project Beginning on February 10/11, our parish will be participating in the Baby Bottle Project-benefitting the Women’s Centers of the Greater Chicagoland. This non-profit organization directly assists mothers and families experiencing crisis pregnancies by offering emotional, financial, material and spiritual support through counseling, clothing and monetary provisions, prayers and other aid. Each year the three locations together have over 5,000 appointments with expecting mothers. By God’s Grace, the Women’s Centers have saved over 40,000 babies-and their mothers-from abortion since opening in 1984. Please take a Baby Bottle home with you from Church, fill it with your spare change, and return it the weekend of March 10/11.