Sunday, September 20th - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Anticipated 4 p.m. (organ & cantor) Elderly Mass Sunday—9:00 a.m. (organ & cantor); 11:00 a.m. (organ & cantor); 5:00 p.m. (organ & cantor) Monday, Wednesday & Friday - 6:15 a.m. Tuesday & Thursday - 5:30 p.m. First Saturday: 8:00 a.m. followed by recitation of the Rosary Fatima Votive Mass: 13th of the Month, May - October | 5:30 p.m. Monthly Peace Mass: First Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. This Mass heeds Our Lady’s call to pray for world peace and conversion of hearts. CONTACT US 2319 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA 70503 Pastor: .................................................................. Rev. Msgr. Jefferson DeBlanc Parochial Vicar: .................................................................. Fr. Nathan Comeaux Deacon ........................................................................................... Timothy Maragos Administrator: ........................................................................... Stephanie Supple Parish Secretary: ............................................................................ Mona Bouillion Receptionist:....................................................................................... D D McElligott Bookkeeper: .................................................................................. Annie Governale Director of Music, Organist, Choir Master ...................... Keith D’Anna Bulletin Editor ................................................................................ Keith D’Anna Church Office: .................................................................................... (337) 232-8945 Church Fax: .......................................................................................... (337) 232-0323 School Office: ..................................................................................... (337) 235-2464 Church Website: ..................................................... www.fatimalafayette.org Office Hours ....................................... Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Sacrament of Penance on the third Sunday of each with the Church office, if at all month, following the 11:00 possible, at least ONE YEAR in Saturday a.m. Mass. Please contact the advance. To avoid schedule 1 hour prior to the Vigil Mass; parish office before the baby conflicts, all wedding dates Sunday is born for required classes. held at Our Lady of Fatima 30 minutes prior to Mass; Sponsors are to be confirmed must be confirmed with the and practicing Catholics who Parish Administrator, who Monday, Wednesday, Friday attend Sunday Mass. should be the first contact of & First Saturday 30 minutes prior to Mass; the couple. Please visit our Tuesday & Thursday The Sacrament of Matrimony Parish Website to review 1 hour prior to Mass Due to a new “couple wedding and music mentoring” marriage guidelines, and details of The Sacrament of Baptism preparation program, paperwork and preparation The Sacrament is celebrated arrangements are to be made requirements. contemplation of Christ: adore. Adoration is the natural expression of one’s poverty before God. As Christ once told Catherine of Siena, “You are she who is not and I am He who is.” Indeed, the one who fashioned the cosmos, whose inner thoughts are revealed in the grandeur of nature, whose vast providence guides histo- ry, whose personal love knows every hair on the head of his children - that one is worthy of all honor. We are because of He who is. However, this majestic God, always evident in creation, was not fully evident as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To reveal what was once concealed required the advent of Christ. Yet not to the powerful did the God-man manifest himself, but rather to Joseph of Galilee. Indeed, under the hidden nature of dreams and a birth under the dark of night, the brilliance of this once-hidden God was gifted to Joseph. Joseph’s response was adoration. One doesn’t have to look far to grasp this great truth. The one who “knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13) was known first by Joseph in the womb of Mary. Before mortal eye was laid on the Son in the madness of the crowds, Joseph looked upon his redeemer in the sanctuary of his home. Before the lepers were cleansed, the new wine drunk, or the woman at the well satisfied, it was Joseph whose soul first drank from the wellspring of life. For this reason, Joseph is the model of the virtue of religion, that act by which man gives proper honor to God. Thus, we “go to Joseph” not primarily for his own sake but precisely so that he may bring us to adore his Son. Before his public ministry, Joseph guards and protects Christ, but it is now no longer his mission to keep Christ hidden. The adora- tion he enjoyed in Nazareth is to be shared by us all. May we not miss out on this great gift. PUT INTO PRACTICE † Attend Mass and Holy Hour on First Wednesdays. † Make a pilgrimage to one of the St. Joseph parishes. † Pray the Litany of St. Joseph. LITANY OF ST. JOSEPH Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. “Pray for us” follows each title invocation: Illustrious son of David, Light of Patriarchs, Spouse of the Mother of God, Chaste guardian of the Virgin, Foster -father of the Son of God, Watchful defender of Christ, Head of the Holy Family, Joseph most just, Joseph most chaste, Joseph most prudent, Joseph most valiant, Joseph most obedient, Joseph most faithful, Mirror of patience, Lover of poverty, Model of all who labor, Glory of family life, Guardian of virgins, Pillar of families, Solace of the afflicted, Hope of the sick, Patron of the dying, Terror of demons, Protector of the Church. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. V. He made him Lord over his house, R. And the ruler of all his possessions. Let us pray. O God, who in your ineffable providence chose blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother, grant that we may merit to have as our advocate in heaven him whom we revere as our protector on earth. You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen. 02 FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK: THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA & THE TEN COMMANDMENTS The Fourth Commandment Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. - Deuteronomy 5:16 Saint Paul writes that this is the first commandment to which a promised is attached (Ephesians 6:1-3). Sister Lúcia brings this thought a step further when she comments that observance of the Fourth Commandment will make us happy on earth and will help us “to avoid eternal punishment, since to fail to observe this commandment is to sin against justice and charity, and thus to fall into grave sin, which can result in eternal damnation. ‘Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.’ (Ex 21:17).”* Hell is a terrifying place. In The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri describes condemned souls whom the boatman Charon is about to ferry across the River Acheron into Hell. These souls persist forever in their sins against the Fourth Commandment. They cursed at God, the human race, their parents, The place where they’d been born, and the time, and the seed That gave them life and brought about their birth. ** The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the existence and eternity of Hell. God predestines no one to go to hell; for this a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church im- plores the mercy of God, who does not want “any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” *** As the Israelites were preparing to cross the River Jordan into the Promised Land, Moses commanded the Twelve Tribes to gath- er for a liturgical celebration on Mount Gerizim and on Mount Ebal in the land of Israel. The Levites were to make statements of Divine Law with maledictions on those who broke these laws. One of these pertained to the Fourth Commandment: “‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors father or mother!’ And all the people shall answer, ‘Amen.’” (Deuteronomy 27:16). Jesus Himself “has no patience with any of the many pretexts we invent for evading [observance of the Fourth Commandment.] … ”: “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die’. But you say, ‘Whoever says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is dedicated to God,” need not honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” (Matthew 15:3-6). Ben Sira wrote: “With your whole heart honor your father; your mother’s birth pangs do not forget. Remember, of these parents you were born; what can you give them for all they gave you?” (Sirach 7:27-28). Lúcia quotes “a memorable page” of Ben Sira (Sirach 3:1-16) on the Fourth Commandment. 1 Children, listen to me, your father; act accordingly, that you may be safe. 2 For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons. 3 Those who honor their father atone for sins; 4 they store up riches who respect their mother. 5 Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children, and when they pray they are heard. 6 Those who respect their father will live a long life; those who obey the Lord honor their mother. 7 Those who fear the Lord honor their father, and serve their parents as masters.