Page 2 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time August 23, 2015 Simon Peter Laudato Si’ - On Care for our Common Home answered Jesus, “Master, to whom In June, Pope Francis released the encyclical shall we go? You Laudato Si’. An encyclical is a teaching docu- have the words of ment issued by the pope. Encyclicals are among eternal life.” the more solemn and thus more authoritative papal documents. This one is called Laudato Si’ (“Be praised” or “Praise be to you”)—a line Today’s concluding section of the “bread of life” from the Canticle of the Sun by St. Francis of discourse from John's Gospel is a turning point for Assisi. It is Pope Francis’s second encyclical. His first was Lumen Fidei, the disciples of Jesus. Will they join the ranks of which was largely drafted by his predecessor, Benedict XVI. Laudato Si’ the skeptics, who have dismissed Jesus and his talk is thus the first encyclical prepared entirely at Pope Francis’s initiative. It is devoted to ecology and related themes. Care for creation is some- of “eating his flesh” or commit themselves to Jesus thing that is close to his heart. You might guess this from the fact that – and the shadows of the cross that begin to he chose to be called Francis after St. Francis of Assisi, who was famed fall? We can hear the pain in Jesus’ question: “Do for his concern for nature. More fundamentally, Pope Francis believes you want to leave me, too?” Peter’s simple, plain- that there are significant ecological problems today that need to be tive answer is the confession of faith voiced by addressed. They include not only problems in the natural environment disciples of every age who have come to sense the but also in the human sphere, particularly among the poorest. Spirit of God acting in and re-creating their lives. This encyclical is unique in several ways. First, it is the only encyclical The true demands of the Gospel are hard to devoted to environmentalism. This topic has been the subject of many “endure”: the justice and reconciliation required of papal statements, but Francis is the first pope to devote an encyclical to the faithful disciple runs counter to the conventions it. Second, virtually all encyclicals are addressed to the bishops of the Catholic Church, sometimes with added groups like other Catholic of society; the attitude of humble servanthood clergy, religious, laypeople, and even—in exceptional cases—all people Jesus asks of us puts us at odds with the “me first/ “of good will.” Laudato Si’ is different. It is not addressed specifically to win at all costs” philosophy of our culture. But, as the bishops with additional groups added. Instead, it is addressed to Peter acknowledges, the words of Jesus are the every person on the planet. This means, unlike any previous encyclical, only way to transform and restore our lives and our only a minority of its intended audience is Catholic. (Catholics make up world in the life of God. a little more than one billion of the seven billion people alive.) Third, encyclicals are usually more centered on Catholic doctrine. While Lau- Hopelessness can easily become a way of life; the dato Si’ contains many elements of Catholic teaching, it is not focused sense that God has abandoned us or that God just on Church doctrine in the same way. Fourth, and related to the former, doesn't exist in our lives can cripple us emotionally the encyclical does not simply propose views that all are expected to accept because of the pope’s religious authority. Instead, he invites the and spiritually. But the faithful disciple under- people of the world to a dialogue on the subject of environmentalism. stands the reality that God is the only constant The pope also lists many concrete ways in which individuals, source of anything and everything that is good. communities and nations can make a real difference. Peter's simple, plaintive answer is a confession of You can read the entire encyclical on-line at various locations such as faith in the God of life and resurrection who is not the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website at usccb.org present in the darkness of evil but in the light of or the Vatican website: w2.vatican.va. goodness that seeks to shatter that darkness. The faith that Christ comes to reveal is not a Pope Francis has instituted a new day of prayer and “warm fluffy blanket” under which we hide from celebration for the Church entitled the whatever we find unsettling or painful nor a pro- “World Day of Prayer tective coating designed to ward off every form of for the Care of Creation” sin and evil; faith is a light that illuminates our to be celebrated on September 1st each year. Join us to celebrate this day of prayer here at the parish! journey through life’s challenges and obstacles, a Tuesday, September 1st lens through which we are able to see God’s grace 5:30pm in the Church –before the 6pm Mass at work even in the most confusing and difficult We’ll gather to pray and thank God times. —connectionsmediaworks.com for his wonderful creation! Page 3 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time August 23, 2015 Mass Intentions Weekly Events at St. Didacus Saturday………….........August 22 Sunday, August 23, 2015 Location 5:00PM…………………†Bart Diaz Monday, August 24, 2015 Location Sunday………….....…...August 23 Teen Leadership Meeting 6:00pm Hall 8:30AM……………...…†Carolyn Curiel Hastings Tuesday, August 25, 2015 Location 10:00AM…………….....†Martin Kosmicki Youth Night 6:00pm Hall 11:30AM………...…......People of St. Didacus Wednesday, August 26, 2015 Location Monday………………...August 24 Eucharistic Adoration 7:30am-8:30am Church 7:30AM….…†Deceased Members of the Couch Family Parish Finance Meeting 7:00pm Hall Tuesday………..…..….August 25 Thursday, August 27, 2015 Location 6:00PM…………...........†William Hanna Divine Mercy 4:00pm Hall Wednesday……......….August 26 Divine Mercy 5:00pm Church 8:30AM…...….………...Gibbons Family, Spec. Int. Knights of Columbus 6:30pm Hall Thursday………...…….August 27 Friday, August 28, 2015 Location 7:30AM………...............†Francis Herbig Saturday, August 29, 2015 Location Friday…………...……...August 28 School’s New Family Orientation 9:00am School 7:30AM…...…...……....…Richard & Linda, Spec. Int. Eucharistic Adoration 3:30pm-5:00pm Church Saturday………….........August 29 5:00PM…………………†Maria Dung Ho Religious Education Registration Ends Soon! Come to “Our insistence that each human being is an image of God should the Parish Office this week to register your children! not make us overlook the fact that each creature has its own purpose. None is superfluous. The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” - Pope Francis GIFTS OF OUR TREASURY THE WEEK OF August 16, 2015 Readings for the Week of August 23, 2015 General Collection $5,874.00 Sunday: Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b/Eph 5:21-32 or Average Weekly Parish Operating Costs $7,155.00 5:2a, 25-32/Jn 6:60-69 Deficit for the week of August 16, 2015 —$1,281.00 Monday: Rv 21:9b-14/Jn 1:45-51 Tuesday: 1 Thes 2:1-8/Mt 23:23-26 Building Fund—August 16, 2015 $3,611.00 Wednesday: 1 Thes 2:9-13/Mt 23:27-32 The gift of your treasure helps us meet our weekly obligations. Thursday: 1 Thes 3:7-13/Mt 24:42-51 Friday: 1 Thes 4:1-8/Mt 25:1-13 When we commit to serve the Lord, we must be willing to become a partner in the work of the Lord. A partner is a person who invests their time, talent Saturday: 1 Thes 4:9-11/Mk 6:17-29 and treasure. If we say we serve God, we must actually do something and Next Sunday: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8/Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27/ not merely talk about it! Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Welcome to St. Didacus Parish! Please Pray For Masses Rosalba Alarcon Mary Farrell Aaron Rodriguez Saturday 5:00pm Maria Luz Arrellano Santiago Fontes Alette Rodriguez Diann Bauer Susan Guenzel Jeff Salazar Sunday 8:30am & 10:00am English Dan Bauer Dolores Hansel Christine Segura 11:30am in Spanish Herbert Baxter Bernie Kober Alice Sergi Daily Mass Martha Becerra Marilyn Kober Mark Silke Mon., Thurs., Fri. 7:30am Ron Berry Elizabeth La Costa Michael Smith Rita Bonnell Virginia Lantry Raymond Sparks Wednesday 8:30am & Tues. 6:00pm Norm Boyer Juanita Lopez Angel Tapia Eucharistic Adoration Herminia Brignoni Maria Lopez Pedro Tapia Wed. 7:30am—8:30am / Saturday 3:30pm—5:00pm Ibeth Brignoni Anthony Martinez Helen Terry Ruben Campos Rosalie Martinez Merida Tirado First Fridays 8:00am—9:00am Marie Cavanaugh Terrence McCabe Therese Tucker Confessions—Saturdays 3:30pm or by appt. Gail Cedercrans Emma McPhereson Carol Verdon Baptisms: Arrangements must be made 3 months in Eileen Connolly Dolores Mediano The Webb Family Handley Cook Dominick Palestini Jason Williamson advance. Contact the Parish Office for information. Irene Davis Gladys Palestini Joan Williamson Weddings: Arrangements must be made at least 9 MaryLou De Luca Diane Porter Adalina Zarate months in advance. Please contact the Parish Office. Aaron Damishia Antonia Raya Josephine Pastor, Fr. Michael J. Sinor Bob Demers Dolores Robertson Cecelia Dueber Atina Rodriguez Parish Office 619-284-3472 And the special intentions in our Book of Needs Page 4 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time August 23, 2015 An Invitation to the RCIA The community of St.