July 2020 NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE St.RaphaelSt.Raphael PAIDPAID CHURCH CHURCH Cleveland, OH 44101 525 Dover Center Road 44101 525 Dover Center Road Permit No. 703 BayBay Village, Village, OH OH 44140 44140 Saint Raphael MONTHLY NEWSLETTER The True Story of St. Mary Magdalene By Ashley Herzog n July 22, the Catholic Church observes the wisdom, the Bible never says that Mary Magdalene OFeast of Saint Mary Magdalene, the female was a repentant prostitute or an adulterer. This theory disciple of Jesus, witness to his crucifixion and seems to have emerged in the sixth century, when Pope resurrection, and the second-most important St. Gregory the Great gave a speech confusing three woman in Jesus’ life, behind his mother Mary. different women mentioned in the Gospels, lumping However, despite playing a central role in the them into one: Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and Would Wouldyou like you to like stay to stayconnected connected to theto the Parish Parish using using E-Mail? E-Mail? Then pleaseplease share share it withit with us. us.Just Just go to go our to Parish our Parish Website, Website, crucifixion story, few women the penitent woman who annoints www.saintraphaelparish.com,www.saintraphaelparish.com and, and enter enter the the information information under under “Staying Connected Connected Thru Thru E-Mail”. E-Mail”. Information Information will not will be not shared be shared in the Bible have as much myth the feet of Jesus shortly before his and you can remove it at any time. Contact Mark Cunningham in the Parish office with questions at (440) 871-1100. and you can remove it at any time. Contact Mark Cunningham in the Parish office with questions at (440) 871-1100. attached to their name as Mary execution. The third, unnamed Magdalene. To put it simply: woman might have indeed been a Mary Magdalene has a mixed prostitute—Jesus welcomed such The Home and School Association Shopping Gala continued from page 7 reputation. people with open arms, even as they were shunned by society. But mind that part of the word “fund” is “fun.” Our H According to the National Catholic Educational Since the early Middle Ages, there is no evidence this woman & S Association recognizesCOVID-19 this, and they offer many Association, Notice Catholic schools raise nearly $2 billion Mary Magdalene has been was Mary Magdalene. Regardless, opportunities for people to participate and support annually. portrayed as a “sinful woman” Gregory’s speech gave the myth their Catholicsefforts. inAfter the state the ofannual Ohio continue Mardi to Gras be dispensed event, from theThe obligation vendors toat attend the Gala Sunday pay forMass. the Ourright bishops to have a (as sixth-century St. Gregory momentum, and it’s been a the Shoppingurge those Galawho areis themost largest vulnerable fundraiser to coronavirus, that Hand booth,their caregivers, and there to is continue a small in admission prayer from charge home. for St. those the Great put it), a prostitute, mainstay in pop culture ever since. & S sponsors.Raphael will The continue funds toraised live-stream allow daily the andability Sunday to Masses.who choose As the to diocese come ofand Cleveland participate. returns to public and an adulteress. On the provideworship, funds important for the newbasic guidelines operation will costs be in ofeffect the to help“This us protectis an each important other. “We parish thank andyou forcommunity your other hand, popular novelist Conversely, the evidence that schoolpatience, such understandingas materials, and technological cooperation as upgrades, we implement activity,” this gradual Sara return says. to “Imaginethe public celebrationbeing able of toMass,” complete Dan Brown claimed in his Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ wife and the future. Perhaps most important, it helps to your Christmas shopping 26 days before Christmas. the Ohio bishops’ statement says. The full statement can be read at https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/covid19. bestselling novel The Da Vinci or romantic partner is equally provide a Catholic education at a reasonable cost. That is what the Gala gives you the opportunity to do.” Please continue to access our website, www.saintraphaelparish.com, for updates on St. Raphael’s re-opening Code that Mary Magdalene uncompelling. This theory, was Jesus’ wife and his hand- Mary Magdalene by Frederick Sandys popularized by Dan Brown’s plansFor andmore procedures. information, please send an email to [email protected] picked leader of the Christian Church—and that novel The Da Vinci Code, seems to be based on a single or call Sara Seybold at 440-835-0312. We hope to see you there! the Catholic Church has led a centuries-long wacky New Age book called Holy Blood, Holy Grail. conspiracy to cover it up. So which version is This work advanced the specious theory that after the Liturgy Schedule accurate? crucifixion, Mary Magdalene fled to France, gave birth to Jesus’ child, and spent the rest of her life living in Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m. │ Sunday: 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., noon As modern Church scholars can tell you, the caves. This theory has been debunked by secular and answer is “neither.” Contrary to conventional Weekday Mass: M, T, W, F, 7:45 a.m. │ M, T, Th, F, 9:15 a.m. │ Saturday, 8:30 a.m. Continued on Page 2 Confessions: Saturdays 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. │ Eucharistic Adoration: Friday 10:00 a.m. - Saturday 4:00 p.m. This Issue: Why I Go to Church 1 The True Story of St. Mary Magdalene The True Story of St. Mary Magdalene by Mike Manco We’ve finally been able to start going back to Mass A Statement from Father Continued from Page 1 starting May 26th. It hasn’t been a return as though we 2 Donald P. Oleksiak religious scholars alike, with renowned British historian Richard were asleep and can pick right back up where we left Barber calling Holy Blood, Holy Grail “a work of pseudo-history.” off. We wear masks and sit socially distanced from each “When This Is Over” 3 Holy Blood, Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code both touted the other. It will be strange going forward, but I hope as in existence of the Priory of Sion, a secret society of Catholics working the last two and half months, it will shortly be deemed St. Hildegard of Bingen and to suppress the truth about Mary Magdalene. The Priory of Sion unnecessary. 4 St. Catherine of Siena has since been debunked as one of the greatest hoaxes of the 20th For me, it’s finally about time that we can return to century, akin to Holocaust denialism and conspiracy theories about some sense of normalcy. I have not been able to get 6 Faith and Fireworks the government faking the moon landing. This didn’t prevent Dan comfortable with the video Mass, as if I am watching a Brown from claiming in the introduction to The Da Vinci Code that TV show. I know it must be hard for Father Tim and Why I Go to Church the Priory of Sion is very real—leading Laura Miller, a writer for “Doctors of the Church” 7 Father Eric to preside in front of an empty church and Continued from Page 5 the secular Web site Salon.com, to mock the novel as “The Da Vinci not being able to get the non-verbal reaction that they Covid-19 Notice Crock.” Her holiness, devotion to her work, and 8 often feed off of. I know that it’s the best we could willingness to challenge political and religious expect because of the awful virus, but now we can just leaders brought her to the attention of Pope “What entrances readers [of the Da Vinci Code] is the possibility that a secret society has protected a religious maybe get back to as near normal as possible. and historical secret for almost 2,000 years, a secret that could undermine Christianity as we know it,” Miller Gregory XI. At the time, Italian City-States and the wrote. This disruption, like most things to an older person like me, Vatican were in conflict, and the Pope actually lived has caused me to think about: “Why do I go to church?” in Avignon, France. St. Catherine wrote energetic But the true story of Mary Magdalene doesn’t undermine Christianity one bit. The Gospels show that she was and effective letters to leaders, urging an end to I have thus concluded that I go to church each Sunday a very special friend and disciple of Jesus and a witness to the most important events of his life. She remained the “Avignon papacy” (1309-1377). After the Pope to look forward to resuming the routine pattern I enjoy. at the foot of the cross until the very end, helping Jesus’ mother prepare his body for burial and checking on returned to Rome, she travelled widely throughout him in the tomb. She was the first person he greeted after his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Besides the obligation part, I go not so much just to make spiritual progress in my faith journey each week, Italy, fostering peace among the States. In 2016, Pope Francis elevated St. Mary Magdalene’s Memorial -the lowest ranking celebration - to a Feast although it’s wonderful when it happens, but rather, I go Surprisingly, St. Catherine did not learn to read Day. In doing so, he recognized Mary Magdalene for what she really was: a loyal disciple and one of Jesus’ mostly for the consistency – for what remains the same or write until age 30. Until that time, she dictated most trusted friends.