saints peter paul -...
TRANSCRIPT
June 24, 2018 • Nativity of John The Baptist
902 East Ninth Street • Hopkinsville, KY 42240
Saints
Peter & Paul C AT H O L I C C H U R C H
Established 1872
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
We are a Roman Catholic Community of Christians called to be a priestly people, a household of faith, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a beacon of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apos-tolic Church shining for Jesus Christ in the heart of Christian County.
Rev. Fr. Richard Meredith, Pastor [email protected]
Rev. Fr. Michael Charles Abiero, Parochial Vicar [email protected]
Permanent Deacon, Mr. Tim Barnes [email protected] Permanent Deacon, Mr. Roberto Cruz [email protected] Permanent Deacon, Mr. Tim Schlueter [email protected] Permanent Deacon, Dr. Bill Sweet [email protected] PARISH OFFICE PHONE: (270) 885-8522 PARISH FAX: (270) 885-5296 PARISH WEBSITE: www.stsppchurch.org DIOCESAN WEBSITE: www.owensborodiocese.org VATICAN WEBSITE: www.vatican.va SUMMER PARISH OFFICE HOURS: 8 AM - 5 PM Monday – Thursday Closed Noon -1:00 pm, Monday-Thursday 8 AM - Noon Friday
SCHOOL TELEPHONE: (270) 886-0172 SCHOOL FAX: (270) 887-9924 SCHOOL WEBSITE: www.stsppschool.org
Tru†h Radio WSPP 93.5 FM (Local Catholic Radio)
Saints Peter and Paul Assistance: 270-886-6027
Saints Peter and Paul Thrift Store: 270-962-7008
MEMBERSHIP IN THE PARISH We give a sincere welcome to all new families moving into our Parish. Please register with the Parish Office as soon as possible. Families who plan to move from our parish
community are asked to inform us.
MASS SCHEDULE Saturday evening .................................... 5:00 PM Sunday ................................. 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM Misa en Español ............... 2:00 PM, 10:30 PM Monday - Saturday ................................ 8:00 AM Wednesday ......................................... 5:30 PM Thursday MISA EN ESPAÑOL ..................... 5:30 PM
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY
The Catholic Church teaches that the sexual abuse of any person is a grave moral evil. To report any instance of sexual abuse by any em-ployee of the Catholic Church, please call the Office of the Bishop in
Owensboro at (270) 683-1545. The Safe Environment Program is now available at the Diocesan website www.owensborodiocese.org
† SACRAMENTS † † Reconciliation: Confessions will be heard Saturday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (English and Spanish), Wednesday at 4:30 PM. (ENGLISH and SPANISH) Confessions will be heard any time by appointment.
† Baptism: Baptismal Preparation Class is usually held the first Sun-day of each month. Our next class will be Sunday, July 8, 2018 at 4:00 pm. Please call the Parish Office to register.
† Marriage: Contact the Office six months prior to the desired date.
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Parish Pastoral Council
Robin Bilan, Chair, Education…...……………[email protected] Jim Creighton, Administration ……………[email protected] Libby Downs, Pastoral Associate …………[email protected] Norma Folz, Worship ..…………………………[email protected] Gary Harden, Assistant Chair, Family Life……[email protected] Hilda Linares, Social Concern…………… [email protected] Fran Marko, Secretary ………………………[email protected] Morgan Murray, Spiritual Life [email protected] Katie Wyatt, Principal …………………[email protected]
PARISH STAFF Tom Buehrle ([email protected])...............Director Of Stewardship Brenda Chaudoin ([email protected])…. Parish Office Mgr. Libby Downs ([email protected])............Pastoral Associate Jennifer Groves ([email protected])…… School Secretary
Leigh Ann Johnson …………………Parish Assistance Coordinator Steve Kinnard ([email protected])...Maintenance Foreman Donna Pfeufer ([email protected])……...Thrift Store Gen. Mgr. Angie Phillips ([email protected])……...Thrift Store Mgr. Mayra Tirado ([email protected])...Hispanic Ministry Asst. Sue Wassmer ([email protected])............Parish Secretary Dan Wilkinson([email protected])...Parish Music Director Katie Wyatt ([email protected])...................School Principal
MINISTRY TO THE SICK
Please notify the Parish Office upon admission of a family member into any hospital or nursing home. Any parishioner who is ill or infirm may request anointing by calling the Parish
Office, 270-885-8522.
PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
This is a devotion whereby members of the parish unite in tak-ing hours of Adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament dur-ing the day and throughout the night, seven days a week. (Code required.) There is a regular schedule of adorers but all are welcome to stop in for a visit. Parishioners are encouraged to sign up for a scheduled weekly Adoration time. Please con-tact Bill & Jenny Rush at 270-885-2888, if you are interested in adopting an hour or if you can be a substitute or prayer partner. Available hours: Mondays 2 am; Wednesdays 1 am; Thursdays 5am; Saturdays 12 am (midnight), 3 am, 8 pm & 9 pm-Need prayer partners Tuesdays 9am, Saturdays 8am and 9 pm Please help!!
Jobs Available for the 2018-2019 School Year:
8th Grade Math and Religion Teacher: We are looking for a teacher who is certified through the state of Kentucky to teach. The person interested in this position should be of the Catholic faith, and also hold a certificate in middle as well as high school math. Applicants must be able to pass a Back-ground Check and complete Safe Environment Training prior to working. Applicants should send resumes to Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School or by email to [email protected]. Music/Art Teacher: This position is a part time position. The teacher typically works on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fri-days during the week. Responsibilities of this job include but are not limited to: Preparation of All School Mass liturgy, school choir, spring school musical, and the possibility of teaching private music lessons on Monday and Tuesday. Ap-plicants must be able to pass a Background Check and com-plete Safe Environment Training prior to working. Applicants should send resumes to Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School or by email to [email protected]. Food Service Cook/Worker: We are looking for a dedicat-ed, responsible, individual to serve as the Food Service Cook/Worker at Sts. Peter & Paul School from 6:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each school day (Schedule may vary.)
Qualifications: The employee must: • Be able to frequently lift and or move up to 50 pounds • Have a strong attention to detail • High school diploma or GED preferred • Authorize employer to run Criminal Background Check pri-or to working • Acceptable/Clear Background Check must be returned and approved by employer prior to working • Complete Safe Environment Training prior to working • After hired, candidate must complete Food Service training as required Interested candidates may apply online at www.owensborodiocese.org or send their resumes to: Sts. Peter & Paul School 902 E. 9th Street, KY 42240 ATTN: Yvette Holmes Uniform Fitting and Sale: Saints Peter and Paul School will be having representatives from Shaheen’s Department Store come on Thursday, July 12th from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Meredith Hall for the next school year’s Uniform Fitting and Sale.
JUNE 24, 2018 • NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 3
Family Life: Summer is about family – spending time to-gether, vacations, slower pace, different time schedules, making memories. Wanted to share how some parish fami-lies celebrated Father’s Day - picnics, visiting cemeteries, sharing pictures of their Dads. May we all pray for our Dads, living and deceased.
How we cele-brate Father’s Day ... in a wheat field be-cause he’s work-ing – Lynn and Billy Garnett
Bob Kranz and his daughter Tony Mueller and his daughter Mary Kranz Christe Mueller Westfall
Michelle and daughter Isabella Mauldin visited Veterans Cemetery where Michelle’s dad, Raymond Martin, is en-tombed. The Higgins Boys visiting with their dad, Pat Higgins
Sarah Kranz with her Dad a number of years ago. Fr. Michael Charles, our new Parochial Vicar: Michael Charles was born into an Anglican family in Kenya on Janu-ary 26, 1977. His parents are: Mrs. Dorsila Abiero and Late
James M. Abiero Ajigo. Fr. Michael Charles has 2 brothers and 4 sisters. By the age 8, he converted to Catholicism and later had to convince some of his family members to do the same. Soon after that, he decided to join altar serv-ing for – he had a desire to become a priest. Catholic priests visited his elemen-
tary school in Kenya about once a month, and he admired the way they celebrated mass, the songs they sang and the vestments. “I just found myself imitating the priest celebrat-ing mass in school,” Ajigo said. “From there on I wanted to be a priest one day and do what a priest does.” Religion had been of a great impact on Ajigo’s life since elementary school. Religion is taught as a subject at public schools in Kenya, and he began reading the Bible at a young age. “I wanted to be like Jesus,” he said. Influenced by cousins and friends who were Catholic, he decided to join Catholic faith, persuading his parents and six siblings to con-vert too. “As a young kid, I had to bring my family into the Catholic faith,” Ajigo said. “They had to support me spiritually and financially.” After high school seminary, he went to college, and later joined the Society of Augustinians. He taught chemistry and math in Tanzania, developing a profession outside the priesthood, as many priests do, he said. He originally came to the U.S. to pursue his higher edu-cation in chemistry at Louisiana State University, but before he completed a degree there, he was recruited by the then Vocation Director Rev. Fr. Andy D. Garner and was admitted at St. Meinrad School of Theology and Seminary.
As a teenager, he attended a high school seminary in Kenya, college in Tanzania and philosophical studies in Tanzania and other countries earning his degree in Philoso-phy at Urbanian Pontifical University Roma Italy and Diplo-ma in Humanity. He studied at St. Meinrad School of Theolo-gy in Indiana for five years where he earned his Master’s in Divinity. During his pastoral internship, he lived in Bowling
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY 4
Diana Marie Westfall Carpenter passed away on Monday, June 11th in Hampton, Virginia at the age of 65. Marie was born in Charleston, West Vir-ginia to the late Franklin and Bonnie Westfall. She was preceded in death by her brother Lewis Westfall, sister Patricia Westfall, and grandson Robert Jacob Goodrich. She is sur-
vived by a daughter, Amy Taylor Goodrich, grandson Blake Ryan Goodrich and her brother Roger Westfall.
As a parish we offer our prayers to this family as we pray “May her souls and the souls of all the faithful de-parted through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.”
The Feast of Our Patron Saints on June 29th: Join us this Friday as we celebrate our Patron Feast – Saints Peter and Paul. We will begin this night with Mass at 5:30 p.m. pre-sided by Fr. Byron “Paco” Macias. The festivities will contin-ue in Meredith Hall with a reception.
We will also have a “40 hours” of adoration in the Church beginning Thursday evening, June 28th (at the con-clusion of the 5:30 p.m. Spanish Mass) thru Saturday June 30th. We encour-age your Bible Study group, the Silver Streaks, the Knights of Columbus, the Women’s Group, and others to choose an hour during these days to pray together before the Blessed Sacrament - exposed on the Main Altar. If you have a group that is willing to do a Holy Hour during these days, please let us know. If you would like to assist with the food for the Reception on the 29th let us also know.
Also remember, Bishop Medley gave us permission to celebrate our Feast Day on the Sunday closest to the ac-tual date; therefore next weekend (June 30 / July 1st ) here at Saints Peter and Paul we will celebrate our feast day instead of the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
In addition a breakfast will be offered after the 8:00 a.m. Mass sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Women’s Group. Make plans now to attend.
Vacation: Fr. Richard leaves for vacation on Thursday, July 5th through Wednesday, July 25th. May this time be filled with rest, family and peace. Please keep Fr. Richard in your prayer. Daily Morning Mass: Please know that while Fr. Richard is on vacation, there is a change in our Daily Morning Mass schedule. So that Fr. Michael Charles is able to have a day away from the parish, we will be changing our Monday Mass time from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Specifically this means the Monday Mass schedule for July is:
Monday, July 2nd-8:00 a.m. Monday, July 9th-6:00 p.m. Monday, July 16th-6:00 p.m. Monday, July 23rd-6:00 p.m. Monday, July 30th-8:00 a.m.
We would appreciate it if you could help us spread this change for the month of July. We also encourage you to come and join us for daily Mass. Give yourself this gift this summer, to come and give thanks to God for his many bless-ings.
Green, where he served as a pastoral intern at St. Joseph Catholic. During his third year of seminary at St. Meinrad, he spent a summer in Guatemala, Central America where he learned Spanish.
Fr. Michael Charles was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 2015. He first served St. Thomas More in Paducah as Parochial Vicar for two years, served as Paro-chial Vicar for St. Mary of the Woods in Whitesville and is now with us here at Saints Peter and Paul. Let us welcome Fr. Michael Charles to our parish and promise our prayer of support for him as he serves us and the people of the Dio-cese of Owensboro.
Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist: This weekend as a Church we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. John the Baptist was the great prophet and herald of Jesus the Messiah. He pre-
pared the way of the Lord and revealed Jesus to others as both the Messiah and the Lamb of God. St. John exemplified the Christian life as one who proclaims the Gospel message of healing, and repent-ance while he points to Christ to others
and shows them the way to become united with God. This is an ancient solemnity, reaching back to the
fourth century, though the date of the celebration varied in East and West. In the West, it was celebrated on June 24, in keeping with Luke 1:36, which notes that Elizabeth was six months pregnant at the time of the Annunciation of the Lord. St. Augustine found this date (near the summer solstice) appropriate for, after the birth of John, daylight begins to grow shorter, whereas after Jesus’ birth, it begins to in-crease (Gospel of John – 3:30 reads - He must increase; I must decrease).
Religious Freedom Week is June 22-29. As chair of the USCCB's Committee for Religious Liberty, Archbishop Kurtz
announced the observance of Reli-gious Freedom Week from June 22-29, 2018. Catholics across the United States are encouraged to pray, re-flect, and act in support of religious
liberty at home and abroad as the Church seeks to continue “Serving Others in God's Love.” The week begins on June 22, the Feast of Saints Thomas More and John Fisher, and ends on June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Learn more by visiting http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/religious-freedom-week/index.cfm
Card Received: We received a card and wanted to share it with you: Dear Saints Peter and Paul family,
My ninety-second birthday was full of love and hap-piness. The many cards were lovely and enjoyable. I do ap-preciate your kindness.
Also many thanks for your faithful visits with Holy Communion for me. You add so much to my life! God bless all! Lillian Cotthoff.
Sympathy: We offer our prayers to Roger and Christe Westfall at the death of Roger’s sister, Marie Carpenter.
JUNE 24, 2018 • NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
THIS WEEK IN OUR PARISH • JUNE 26-JULY 1
Readings for the Week of June 24, 2018 Sunday: Vigil: Jer 1:4-10/Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17 / 1 Pt 1:8-12/Lk 1:5-17 Day: Is 49:1-6/Ps 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15 /Acts 13:22-26/Lk 1:57-66, 80 Monday: 2 Kgs 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18/Ps 60:3, 4-5, 12-
13/Mt 7:1-5 Tuesday: 2 Kgs 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36/Ps 48:2- 3ab, 3cd-4, 10-11/Mt 7:6, 12-14 Wednesday: 2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3/Ps 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40 /Mt 7:15-20 Thursday: 2 Kgs 24:8-17/Ps 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9/ Mt 7:21-29 Friday: Acts 3:1-10/Ps 19:2-3, 4-5 / Gal 1:11-20/Jn 21:15-19 Day: Acts 12:1-11/Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 / 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18/Mt 16:13-19 Saturday: Lam 2:2, 10-14, 18-19/Ps 74:1b-2, 3-5, 6-7, 20-21/Mt 8:5-17
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Mon: Parish Council, 6 pm OA Wed: Rosary Makers-8:45 am, HFR Choir Practice: Spanish, 5 pm-English, 6:30 pm Thu: Finance Comm.- Noon, OA Campaign Conservation Committee-1 pm, OA Fri: Reception after 5:30 pm Mass Sat: Cursillo Leaders School-10 am, MH Wedding-3 pm Sun: Feast Day Breakfast-MH (after 8am Mass) Parish Holy Hour-4 pm
Monday, June 25
8:00 AM GERTRUDE FLOOD
Tuesday, June 26
8:00 AM † DAVID SULSBERGER
Wednesday, June 27 St. Cyril
8:00 AM JOEY & HEATHER RODGERS
5:30 PM MICHAEL GALVIN
Thursday, June 28 St. Irenaeus
8:00 AM BROCK & LAURA SARGEANT
5:30 PM Spanish VIGIL † DAVID TRACESKI
5:30 PM Spanish VIGIL † JOSÉ JACINTO
Friday, June 29 Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
8:00 AM WILMA VILLINGER
5:30 PM Bilingual † GEORGE & MARY MACIAS
5:30 PM Spanish WENDY ANDERSON
Saturday, June 30 The First Martyrs of The Church
8:00 AM ARNOLD & JULIA BORDERS
5:00 PM † SANDY MUELLER
Sunday, July 1 Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
8:00 AM JIM GOODE
10:30 AM SUE WASSMER
2:00 PM Spanish FOR ALL PARISHIONERS
10:30 PM Spanish FR. BASILIO AZ CUC
† Indicates Requiem Mass SANCTUARY LAMP
In Honor of Fr. John Thomas By Bob and Lana Bastin
ADORATION CHAPEL CANDLES
In Honor of The Creighton and Lerma Families
©Liturgical Publications Inc
Stewardship News...Today’s reading from St. Paul explains the
“divine economy” of stewardship — “The relief of others ought not to impoverish you; there should be a certain equality. Your plenty at the present time should supply their need so that their surplus may in turn one day supply your need.”
Budget News • June 17, 2018
Envelopes Used: 92 ...................................................... $5,133.00 Online Donations/EFT Participants : 39 ................... $7,560.00 Loose Collection ............................................................ $4,777.57 Total Weekly Parish Collection ................................ $17,470.57 Weekly Parish Budget Needs .................................. $17,005.00 Diocesan Assessment 17/18(Due $63,662) Pd .. $31,477.75 A Legacy of Faith Fund Donations ............................. $1,846.00 A Legacy of Faith Fund Participants: 32 A Legacy of Faith Fund Balance ................................. $2,247.12 Monthly Payment due on the 15th-$35,373.25
Forgot to bring your donation with you to church? You are busy, on vacation or don’t have time to drop it by the office. Have you tried donating online yet? Click the "Donate Now" button on our website, www.stsppchurch.org., to make a one-
time donation or set up recurring donations from your bank account or credit card.
Next Weekend, June 30/July 1st, there will be a second collection (at the time of announcements) that will be used for our Capital Campaign – A Lega-cy of Faith. These funds will be used solely to pay the debt of our new school and parish facility.
As we continue the tradition began long ago
by many of your faithful family members, we offer a
Catholic School that touches minds, hearts and souls
and our new parish hall and kitchen which provides a
place for us to gather and celebrate. May we as
faithful stewards pray for the God’s direction in our
generosity toward this Capital Campaign.
Baptism: We congratulate two families who celebrated Baptisms this week. 1. We welcome through the waters of Baptism Amelia Lee
Cayce, infant daughter of Bart and Melissa Cayce along with sisters, Anne and Hallie and grandmother Gina Cayce. Amelia was Baptized on Friday, June 15th surrounded by her family.
2. We welcome Quinn Emma Craft, the daughter of Caylen Craft and Paige Glenn who was baptized last Saturday night, June 16th, during the 5:00 p.m. Vigil Mass. We also congratulate the proud grandparents from the parish – Tommy and Missy Craft
May each of us be witnesses to these families the mystery of God’s love and mercy.
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY 6
In Need of Prayers… Bradford Heights –Melnora Altshuler, Carriage Way Assisted Living- Eleanor Rogers, Albert Weakly Covington Convalescent–Pat Chesnut, Karen Logsdon, Western State Nursing Facility- Arnold Borders, Debbie Dickerson, Ellen Jones Christian Health Center- Ruth Britt, Alice Chuhralya, Lillian Cotthoff, Norma Downs, Barbara Holubecki, Friendship House- Christine Mills Others.. Vonnie Adams, Clarence & Helen Allard, Kara Alsup, Betty Aberle, Mary Armstrong, Fred Anderson, Trudy Anhalt, Dick & Jackie Arnold, Diane Bailey, Jean Baker, Norma Boyd, Madison Boren, Joan Brockman, Helen Brown, Sam Chesnut, Michele Clark, Rick Connoley, Cipriana Cuc, Ken & Peggy Cunningham, Hugh Davenport, Carol DePalma, Christy Doepel, Franki Durbin, Donna Dunham, Tony Esposi-to, Jason Fanning, Greg Fanning, Kathy Fanning, Glenn Finch, Terry Flanders, Connie Fowler, Martha Fowler, Nancy Gilkey, Caiti Louanne Godot, Stacey Godot, Heather Jeffries, Jim Gorman, Mike Grabner, Beth Hancock, Hannah Isom, Jenna Jones, Doug Kahre, Joe Kukral, Carl Kupke, ‘Buzz’ Langhi, Patricia Leamy, Kim Long, Christopher Lytle, Larry & Kathy Lytle, James McGilli-vray, Joe Mezzoni Sr., Eric Moran, Mason Nickles, Bill Nichol, Ga-briella Olivera, Cecelia Omundson, Theresa Pazin, Ann Perry, Oli-ver Ponder, Emily Thomas Pyle, Zoe Raber, Martha Reed, Nell Ritzheimer, Faith Saupe, Caroline, Emma & Gabriela Schiller, Kris-tian Shouse, Mike & Marilyn Stocker, Georgiann Svestka, Ken Swicicki, Jerry & Bernie Thomas, Carolyn Thorpe, Rose Ann Tobin, Erin Valenti, Wilma Villinger, Gary Williams, Helen Winstead, James Wittschack. Names will remain on the list for approximately one month
Please Pray for our Deployed Military & Families Thomas Borders, Jeremy Chuhralya, Jeremy Crawford,
Trey Johnston, John O’Conner, Quin Perry, Dom Pifko and Tiffany Sellers
LAY MINISTERS JUNE 30/JULY 1 • SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL
Saturday, 5:00 pm Altar Servers ...................... Susanna Sargeant, Ellie Groves Cross Bearer .......................................................... Josh Groves Commentator ......................................................... Will Groves Lectors .................................... Jennifer Groves, Jane Irwin Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers: .............. Dana Nethery, .......................... Sandy Doyon, Regina Combs, Earl Combs Choir Loft ....................... Deana Holdman, Mary Moehlman Ushers ........................................................ .Julie Tiell, Ken Tiell ........................................................ Pat Puckett, Gene Doyon Vocational Cross ........................................... Deana Holdman
Sunday, 8:00 am Altar Servers .............................. Colleen Allen, Lucy Wilkins Cross Bearer ......................................................... Andrew Folz Commentator ....................................................... Diana France Lectors: ................................ Chuck Puckett, Jerry Brockman Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers: ........................ Tom Folz, ..................................Julie Folz, Lana Bastin, Marcy Stevens Choir Loft .......................................... Bob Stites, Frank Raber Ushers ................................................. David Folz, Dennis Folz ............................................................. Dillon Folz, Dalton Folz Vocational Cross .............................. Richard Graham Family
Sunday, 10:30 am Altar Servers ................................... Nic Luckey, Ryan Luckey Cross Bearer ..................................................... Franco Fiscella Commentator ......................................................... Vicki Luckey Lectors: ...................................... Levi Peterson, Libby Downs Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers: ........... Rossella Cincotti, .............. Donna Dunham, Nathan Tillman, Joyce Wiedmer Choir Loft .................................... Charles Fiscella, Kelly King Ushers .......................................... Franco Cincotti, John Soldo ..................................................... Kelly King, Scribby Goode Vocational Cross ...................................... Jerad Smith Family
Domingo, 2:00 pm Comentarista: ........................................................... Lupita Rosas 1-2 Lectura: ..................... Evelia Ocampo, Trinidad Soriano Ministro E: ................................. Roberto Cruz, Yolanda Perry Hospitalidad: ................... Victor Hernández, Tomas Macario Monaguillos: .............................. Aaron Oñate, Michelle Salas
Diocese of Owensboro Safe Environment Policy: It is every adult’s moral responsibility to protect possible victims by reporting suspected abuse or neglect to the re-sponsible authorities. Sexual abuse of minors is a pervasive societal problem, and only concerted and sustained efforts by all adults in every segment of society can help to pro-tect children and youth. To report to civil authorities, call local law enforcement (270-890-1300 – Hopkinsville Po-lice Department/270-887-4135 – Christian County Sheriff Department) or the Kentucky Child Abuse Hotline (toll-free: 1-877-KYSAFE1; 1-877-597-2331). To report abuse by Church personnel (paid or unpaid), ei-ther past or present, please also call the confidential phone line of the Pastoral Assistance Coordinator at 270-852-8380. The diocesan sexual abuse policy describes the dio-cese’s response to sexual abuse concerns, and can be found (e.g. in the sacristy, on the parish bulletin board, in the parish office) and also on the diocesan web site (https://owensborodiocese.org/safe ).
Parish Office: The Parish Offices will be closed on the following dates: Wednesday, July 4th thru Friday, July 13th
(Our 4th of July Celebration and for the annual office cleaning and preparing for fiscal year) The Office will re-open on Monday, July 16th at 8:00 a.m.
If you have a pastoral emergency, please call the par-ish office and follow the emergency prompts. Please pray for your parish staff.
JUNE 24, 2018 • THE NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 7
Pastor’s Greetings: THE SOLEMNITY OF THE BIRTH OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST For the most part Christians view St. John the Baptist as a quaint figure. After all, he was a Jewish priest born of elderly parents, lived in the Judaean wilderness,
probably looked wild, ate grasshoppers and wild honey, dressed in camel’s hair garments, preached fire and judg-ment, baptized the repentant in rivers, and lost his head to Herod Antipas. He is presented liturgically by the Church each Advent to remind us of his preparation of the way be-fore the Messiah, so that we can reform our own ways to meet Christ. Like Christmas decorations and manger sets, he is put away after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, for “storage” until the next Advent/Christmas season. Whenever the Litany of the Saints is sung, however, his position follows the Blessed Virgin Mary and precedes Saint Joseph. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus enigmatically says of John that none born of woman is greater, but that “the least born in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” In the Synoptic gospels he is likened to Elijah. The Fourth Gospel recognizes that some of Jesus’ disciples had been disciples of John, but doesn’t mention that John baptized Jesus. Matthew, Mark, and Luke do report that John did the baptizing. Luke even reports that John and Jesus were kin through their mothers. They all go out of their way, however, to distinguish him from Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, and to make clear his inferiori-ty to Jesus. Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, tells us that John still had disciples well into the fifties of the first century. Care is taken to distinguish the two while relating them in the plan of God. But as happened, following the manifestation of Jesus as the Christ, John sort of fades away. John the Baptist, nevertheless, has an ongoing wit-ness crucial to a vital and vibrant Christian faith life which actually connects with his “fading away.” In the Fourth Gos-pel, the Baptist, referring to Jesus, says: “You yourselves can testify that I said [that] I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bride-groom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease (Jn 3:28-30).” This relationship of “increase” for Jesus and “decrease” for John helped shape the Christian liturgical cal-endar. When in the Third Century the Church decided to commemorate and celebrate the birth of Jesus (the Light of the World), they selected the time around the winter solstice (in the northern hemisphere) due to the beginning of the lengthening of days. Correspondingly, they chose to cele-brate the birth of John the Baptist around the summer solstice due to the beginning of the shortening of days. The testimony of John identifying Jesus as Christ and Bridegroom who alone has the Bride, however, has an even more profound and continuing consequence for each Chris-tian. In relation to all those we love, our Christian purpose in love is to lead each person beloved by us to the loving com-munion of eternal life with God in Jesus Christ. Our relation-ship of love with any person then must be secondary to that ultimate purpose of the love of God in Christ which our love
must serve. In marriage that means that the love of spouse for spouse is not the “be all end all” of their marriage. As focused and sacred as marital love is, it is a “sacrament” of the love for the only Bridegroom and serves to lead each spouse to God in Christ. Only that ultimate love will satisfy the quest of the human heart. Each earthly spouse is called to “fade” before the primacy of the eternal love for which we have been made. Each earthly spouse is a groomsman or bridesmaid to the ultimate union of their beloved with God. Each Christian is called to follow the example of John the Baptist in relation to Jesus Christ. This is true of paren-tal love, of the love of friendship, even the love of self. Where it is not true, the attempt at love is a usurpation and a tendency to idolatry. Only the love which aims at and ends in God is truly love, the love that absolutely satisfies. John’s example in relation to Jesus is essential as a characteristic of authentic Christian love. It teaches us that Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, must be the one to teach us how truly to love. And he teaches us that love is not first an appetite to consume, but as it is with Christ, a desire and an act to be a total gift of self on behalf of the beloved, to serve the feast to the beloved and to welcome the treasure of the gift of one’s beloved in turn. In light of all this, we see that our world really does not know love just as it does not know God, for God is love. Fr. Richard Attention Parents: Meet Margaret – the Pope’s cat! This is the story of a stray cat born on the Via della Conciliazione in Rome, how she’s adopted by the Pope, and then “rules”
the Vatican. The Pope’s Cat, written by Jon M. Sweeney, is the first in a brand new series of children’s books about the adventures of this mischie-vous feline who was fortunate enough to be found on the streets of Rome by the Holy Father himself! The Pope fondly names her Marga-ret and lets her have the run of the entire Vatican. No one has a closer view of what’s happening in the world’s tini-est nation, Vatican City, than Mar-
garet, the Pope’s new cat. But she wasn’t always Marga-ret, and she wasn’t always the Pope’s cat. She started out as a stray on the streets of Rome, and there are those in the Vatican who wish she’d never been allowed inside. Do you know we have hearing assist devices to help you hear during Mass? Just come to the sacristy to get a device. Flags: Do you have an old American flag or an American flag that needs to be properly retired? Bring your flag to Steve Kinnard in the parish office. He will be organizing a retirement ceremony soon for these American flags.