ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH 508 W. ANGUS STREET GRETNA, NE 68028 JUNE 6, 2021 REFLECT AND RESPOND The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) FIRST READING (EX 24:3-8) Moses and the ancient Israelites rafied the covenant God established with them at Mount Sinai with the blood of a sacrificed animal. The sacrificed animal affirmed Israel’s ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH commitment: “We will do everything the Lord has told us.” Why do you think Israel ed Gretna, Nebraska sacrificed blood to their verbal commitment? SECOND READING (HEB 9:11-15) The author of Hebrews teaches us that the sacrificed blood of Christ sancfies us and offers Welcome us eternal redempon. How do you see this connected to ancient Israel’s pracce of We invite you to become involved sacrificing animals for their blood? in our parish community! GOSPEL (MK 14:12-16, 22-26) There are many opportunies for Mark’s account of the instuon of the Eucharist is linked to the Jewish Feast of experiencing the peace and joy Unleavened Bread when a Passover lamb was sacrificed. What do you think Mark is of our loving God in liturgy, teaching us in making this connecon? educaon, prayer and service. If you would like to join our parish GOSPEL MEDITATION family, please visit our website or the Parish Office for a registraon form. As our world faces so much turmoil and change, it is now more important than ever to remember who PARISH OFFICE God is, who we are and where we are going. It is Office Hours……………..….MRF 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM easy to get distracted and lose focus, especially Phone………………………….…..…….…….402R332R4444 when we are being pulled in so many direcons. We Fax…………………………….……..….……...402R332R5107 can not only lose sight of God but one another. Website…………...………..…....stpatricksgretna.org Maintaining our well developed and mature Facebook……………………..…………..@stpatgretnane relaonships with God and one another is essenal ERmail……………[email protected] to connuing to live healthy, happy, and focused MASS AND HOLY EUCHARIST lives. In a message to young people, Pope Benedict XVI said, “the happiness you are Saturday……….………………………………….…..5:00 PM seeking, the happiness you have a right to enjoy has a name and a face: it is Jesus of Sunday……………..…...8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, & Noon Nazareth, hidden in the Eucharist.” What is true for those who are younger is even truer Monday…………...No Mass or Communion Service for those who are older. Regardless of how the parculars of life change over me, human Tuesday and Thursday…….……….…….…....6:00 PM beings are sll hardRwired to seek the fullness of life and happiness. How we embark on Wednesday and Friday………………….....….7:30 AM this journey and what we choose along the way will indicate whether we meet success. Holy Days…………………….….....7:30 AM & 6:00 PM Holidays (on weekdays) ..……..………...…..9:00 AM There is so much brokenness and pain in our world. Many people are lost, feeling lonely, anxious, marginalized, vicmized, isolated, oppressed, and abused. Every me we receive SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION the Body of Christ, we have an opportunity to become what we eat. The power and Saturday…………………….……..….4:00 PM R 4:40 PM presence of Christ in the Eucharist becomes present in us and effects change in ourselves Or call the parish office for an appointment. and in the lives of those we meet. We are given the grace to become temples of jusce and SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE peace, carrying God’s sacred Presence within us wherever we go. Our faith community is Parishioners registered for a minimum of one ignited with the fire of God’s love and stands out as a beacon of hope in a world that is lost. year are eligible to marry here. Six months of This is the only way we can discover peaceRfilled resoluons to violence and create marriage preparaon prior to your wedding is innovave soluons to what is fueling its need in the first place. True happiness, for the required by the Archdiocese. Contact the Parish young and old alike, becomes an obtainable goal. Office to schedule a wedding date and marriage St. John Maria Vianney says it so well. “There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God preparaon instrucon. had something more precious, he would have given it to us.” Only the Eucharist has the SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM ability to connect, sustain, strengthen, and properly orient us, not only on the road of this Classes are held at 7:00 PM on the second life but the road to life eternal. Knowing this, when life gets challenging, unseling, and Monday of each month in the Fr. Hitch Room. difficult, we can rely on and cling to this gi we have in the Real Presence of Christ. This Please call the Parish Office if you will be actual encounter with God celebrates God’s uncondional love for us and grounds us to aending a specific class. A bapsmal date will the truth of who we are in a way nothing else is able to do. Because through the Eucharist not be set unl you become a registered we really do become the Body of Christ, we are also bonded together in a most perfect way parishioner and both the parents and Godparents to one another as that Body. Nourished, united, and strengthened by the Eucharist, let us aend the bapsmal class for their first child. individually and collecvely bring this wonderful gi to all we meet, especially the poor Bapsms take place a er the Sunday Noon Mass. with whom we have a special connecon. MINISTRY TO THE SICK If you, a relave or friend are hospitalized or shut CATHOLIC LIFE EXPLAINED in, short or long term, and would like a visit from the Pastor, Deacon or Pastoral Minister, please QUESTION: call the Parish Office. For emergencies or if facing Why are some saints honored as “patron saints”? danger or death, call 402R332R4428. ANSWER: EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Each person is unique and each of us has different gi s, The second Thursday of each month, exposion interests, talents, and, yes, even struggles and areas begins at 7:30 AM and concludes before the start where we need to grow. This is no less true of those holy of the same day Mass (reposion at 5:45 PM). women, men, and children who have been canonized or For more informaon, contact Jean Hlavacek at beafied. 402R504R4222. Connued on next pageV> 2 | June 6, 2021 The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Chris) CATHOLIC LIFE EXPLAINED Continued from Page 2 Because we believe that the saints and blesseds are both models of faith and intercessors, Chrisans have looked to certain holy people as role models and heavenly protectors for occupaons, spiritual charisms, and even places. Although the Church somemes names a person as a patron saint (e.g. Saint Philip Neri as the patron of Rome, Saint Clare of Assisi as ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH the patroness of television, or Saint Aloysius Gonzaga as the patron of youth and young Gretna, Nebraska adults), more o en it is popular devoon that inspires lay Chrisans to turn to a parcular saint or blessed for heavenly help and support. This is how, for example, Saint Cecilia came READINGS THIS WEEK to be honored as the patroness of musicians, Saint Toribio Romo as patron of migrants coming into the United States, and Saint Gertrude of Nivelles as patroness of cat lovers. MONDAY: 2 Cor 1:1R7/Ps 34:2R3, 4R5, 6R7, 8R9 [9]/ Although there are official and unofficial lists of patron saints, we should always feel free to Mt 5:1R12 ask any and all the saints to give us their patronage and protecon in whatever it is that we TUESDAY: 2 Cor 1:18R22/Ps 119:129, 130, 131, need. 132, 133, 135 [135a]/Mt 5:13R16 WEDNESDAY: 2 Cor 3:4R11/Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 8, 9 [cf. SAINT EPHREM 9c]/Mt 5:17R19 Deacon and Doctor of the Church THURSDAY: 2 Cor 3:15V4:1, 3R6/Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11R12, 13R14 [cf. 10b]/Mt 5:20R26 Poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith, Ephrem is the only Syriac Chrisan recognized as a doctor of the Church. He FRIDAY: Hos 11:1, 3R4, 8cR9/Is 12:2R3, 4, 5R6 [3]/ took upon himself the special task of opposing the many false Eph 3:8R12, 14R19/Jn 19:31R37 doctrines rampant at his me, always remaining a true and SATURDAY: 2 Cor 5:14R21/Ps 103:1R2, 3R4, 9R10, 11 forceful defender of the Catholic Church. R12 [8a]/Lk 2:41R51 NEXT SUNDAY: Ez 17:22R24/Ps 92:2R3, 13R14, 15R Born in Nisibis, Mesopotamia, he was bapzed as a young man 16 [cf. 2a]/2 Cor 5:6R10/Mk 4:26R34 and became famous as a teacher in his nave city. When the Chrisan emperor had to cede Nisibis to the Persians, Ephrem fled as a refugee to Edessa, along with many other Chrisans. He is credited with aracng great glory to the biblical school there. He was ordained a deacon but declined becoming a priest. Ephrem was said to have avoided presbyteral consecraon by feigning madness! He had a prolific pen, and his wrings best illumine his holiness. Although he was not a man of great scholarship, his works reflect deep insight and knowledge of the Scriptures. In wring about the mysteries of humanity’s redempon, Ephrem reveals a realisc and humanly sympathec spirit and a great devoon to the humanity of Jesus. It is said that his poec account of the Last Judgment inspired Dante.