Historic St. James at Sag Bridge Church 10600 S. Archer Avenue | Lemont, Illinois 60439-9344 | (Ph) 630.257.7000 | (Fx) 630.257.7912

Email: stjames1833@att.net | Website: www.historicstjames.org Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Saint James At Sag Bridge

Altar & Rosary Society IMPORTANT REMINDER!!! Altar and Rosary general meeting Saturday, February 8th in Sag Hall at 9:30. GUEST SPEAKER at 11:00 following the meeting. All parishioners Men and Women are invited to hear a representative from Honor Flight Chicago. This is the group that yearly flys of three generations of senior hero’s from World War II, Korean and Vietnam Wars to Washing-ton D.C. for the day.

Pres: Barbara 708.257.9129 V.P. Linda 630.257.8252 Sec: Judi 630.243.9414 Treas: Chris 708.330.5216

Mass Schedule

WEEKENDS: Saturdays: 5:00pm & Sundays: 8:30, 10:00 & 11:30am HOLY DAYS: 7:00am & 7:00pm

WEEKDAYS: Mon, Tue, Thu 8:15am & Fri 6:00pm

WEDNESDAY: Adoration at 5:00pm & Mass 7:00pm

CONFESSION SCHEDULE: Wednesdays 6:15-7:00pm & Saturdays 9:30-10:00am otherwise by appointment.

BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS & FUNERALS: Contact the rectory office.

SICK & HOMEBOUND PASTORAL CARE: Please notify rectory.

RECTORY OFFICE HOURS: Wed, Thu & Fri: 9:00am to 2:00pm.

CLERGY: Fr. Tom Koys, M.A.,S.T.L., Pastor, Fr. Edward Gleeson, Pastor Emeritus Fr. Robert Coleman, Resident Deacon John Wilkinson, C.K.M. Deacon Doug Szarzynski

The Presentation of the Lord February 2, 2020

Page Two February 2, 2020

FROM THE DESK OF, FR. THOMAS KOYS, M.A.,S.T.L., PASTOR

St. James superstars, at last week’s March for Life. Although, perhaps the clips for the news won’t go vi-ral like that of Nick Sandman’s, and it’s unlikely that we can count on any money from any law suits, it’s a blessing our group was so visible. Rachel Campos-Duffy is seen interviewing Rep Jackson (D) from Lou-isiana who is a strong defender of LIFE.

As we contemplate the moral issue of the right to life, a quote from Jordon Peterson comes to mind. He is a Canadian psychologist who finds himself in deep do do, because he has refused to comply with a Canadian law that requires teachers, lawyers, clergy and the like to only use “non-gender” pronouns for people. He once said: “This is a note to women You have ob-tained power, even equality. Even in some cases, supe-riority. But you have not taken responsibility for rein-ing in your insane sisters. Men cannot do it. Men can-not oppose pathological women because chivalry de-mands they keep their most potent weapons sheathed. It’s up to you. The forces that have provided you with oft-unhappy freedom have also bred the shrieking har-pies of fairness and victimization.” Across the ocean we can recall that Poland is leading the way to save Europe from Europe. Douglas Mur-ray warns “it must be accepted that Christianity in Eu-rope is in such a state of decline that a Christian Eu-rope in just a few generations will be almost non-existent.” (The Suicide of Europe) Recall that the PiS party won a decisive victory last year as the first “stand alone” party, that is, a party that didn’t need the normal “coalition of parties” to win a major election since the fall of Communism. It is fair to say, that the major issue that inspired the 46% of the voters was its immigration policies. This begs the question, “How does the Catholic faith look upon the various immigra-tion issues facing so many nations?

Cardinal Burke called it an “absolute contradiction” for immigration, poverty and the environment to be placed by leading U.S. prelates on the same priority level as protecting and defending life and the fami-ly. “All of these questions have moral importance, but there can be no question — also in the long tradition of not only the Church’s thinking but also of philo-sophical reason — that the fundamental question has to be the question of human life itself, the respect for the inviolable dignity of human life, and of its cradle, its source, in the union of a man and woman in mar-riage, which according to God’s plan, is the place where new human life is welcomed and nur-tured,” (Hope for the World published 2016).

Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant died Last Sunday in a helicopter crash in Southern California, the father of four, was Catholic. Beyond basketball, Bryant was a husband and a father who in 2015 credited his Catholic faith with helping him move past a challenging period in his own life and the life of his family. Bryant was raised in a Catholic family, and spent much of his childhood living in Italy. He married in 2001 in a Southern California parish. In 2011, Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce from Kobe, citing irreconcil-able differences. But Bryant said he decided not to give up on his marriage, and two years later, his wife withdrew her divorce petition. “We still fight, just like every married cou-ple. But you know, my reputation as an athlete is that I’m extremely determined, and that I will work my ass off. How could I do that in my professional life if I wasn’t like that in my personal life, when it affects my kids? It wouldn’t make any sense. "Bryant and his wife have been reported to be regular parishioners at an Orange County, California parish, and after his death, some on social media said that he had been seen at Mass before the helicopter ride that ended his life.

The Presentation of the Lord Page Three

TRUMP CHAMPIONS PRO-LIFE CAUSE

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on Presi-dent Trump’s decision to address the March for Life crowd:

Other presidents have offered their support to the pro-life cause, but only President Donald Trump has decided to par-ticipate in the March for Life. His pro-life record, coupled with his record in defense of religious liberty, makes him the most important Christian voice in the United States. No president, including President Ronald Reagan, can match his stellar achievements on these twin issues.

By contrast, we have the likes of New York Governor An-drew Cuomo and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, both of whom have endorsed infanticide: there are no penalties for doctors who intentionally allow an innocent baby to die if he or she survives a botched abortion. However, First Prize goes to California Governor Gavin Newsom: he out-Hitlerized both men.

Earlier this month, Newsom said he wants to stop euthaniz-ing animals. “We want to be a no-kill state.” Yet last year he issued a California Proclamation on Reproductive Freedom, one part of which was designed to welcome “women to Cali-fornia to fully exercise their reproductive rights.” In other words, his enthusiasm for killing the least among us is so passionate that he extended an open invitation to pregnant women across the United States to have their babies killed in his home state.

It will surprise no one to learn that Newsom is also a propo-nent of assisted suicide. Indeed, he likes it so much that he boasts of his role in assisting a person to commit suicide in 2002. That person was his mother. [At that time assisted suicide was a felony in California—he put her down in San Francisco.]

It’s too bad Mr. “No-Kill State” Newsom didn’t think of his mother the way he thinks of hamsters.

These are sick times. Kudos to President Trump for

standing up for the most defenseless human beings. He looks positively angelic next to these monsters.

CATHOLIC HOMILIES

Catholic homilies are the shortest sermons in the US, ac-cording to a computerized survey.

The average homily in a Catholic Church lasts only 14 minutes on average, compared to 39 minutes for a sermon in an Evangelical Church and 54 minutes for those in tradi-tionally Black Protestant Churches.

Nearly 50,000 online sermons were analyzed by the Pew Research Center. All were delivered in a total of 6,431 churches between April 7 and June 1, 2019.

The Center also found that the words 'homily', 'Eucharist' and 'Diocese' occurred most frequently in Catholic ser-mons, while 'Alleluia!' is most often heard in Black Protestant Churches.

Another finding was that Catholic and mainstream Protestant Churches tend to focus on the New Testament in sermons rather than the Old.

Even though Catholic homilies last only 14 minutes, this is longer than the 10 minute sermon-length recommended by Pope Francis. He said during a Wednesday General Audi-ence last February: "The one who gives the homily has to remember he isn't doing something of his own. He's preaching, he's giving a voice to Jesus, he's preaching the Word of Jesus. It has to be well-prepared and brief."

Our weekly Offertory collection from January 26, 2020 was $2,768.00. The number of envelopes were 80.

OUR MANY THANKS TO OUR REGISTERED FAMILIES USING ENVELOPES &THE

CASH-AND-CARRY FOLKS.

Our CHURCH CLEANERS FOR FRI – 2/7/20 Are Slowik, Maria, Bronislawa & volunteers. If

you are interested in volunteering, please contact the rectory office at 630.257.7000.

VOTIVE OFFERINGS FOR THE WEEK OF 2/2/20 St. James Altar & Rosary Society All the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Our beautiful bouquets of flowers surrounding our altar were made for the special intention of

BOB POULIOT

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD Sts. Blaise & Ansgar 8:15 AM Anna Wilczek (Blessings) & Margaret Gal (Birthday Blessings)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH 8:15 AM Anna Wilczek (Blessings)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH St. Agatha 7:00 PM Anna Wilczek (Blessings) THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH St. Paul Miki 8:15 AM All the Poor Souls in Purgatory & Anna Wilczek ( Blessings)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH First Friday 6:00 PM Russell Wenzel, Sr.

Fifth Ordinary Sunday SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH Sts. Jerome Emiliani & Josephine Bakhita 5:00 PM John Koys SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH 8:30 AM Lucy Wolkober 10:00 AM John & Helen Nowocin 11:30 AM Thomas & Mary Doyle

5TH ORDINARY SUNDAY

2/8 & 2/9/20

Celebrant

Altar Servers

Lectors

5:00 PM 2/8/20

Fr. Tom Koys

Ramirez Ramirez Ramirez

C. Zarzycki

8:30 AM 2/9/20

Fr. Tom Koys

J. Beecher J. Beecher Dillenburg

T. Gorski

10:00 AM 2/9/20

Fr. Tom Koys

J.P. Colarelli M. Colarelli T. Lawler

S. Kelly

11:30 AM 2/9/20

Fr. Tom Koys

N. Akroush D. Estrada G. Estrada

M. Fleckenstein