“Tolton From Slave to Priest” was a big success. The Monday night “Meet and Greet” supper was very good and the Tuesday night play was great. St. Joe’s Gym was just about full with many of our parishioners in attendance. The Tolton Society were great hosts at both events. Thank you for helping and thank to all the parishioners who attended. Let us continue to pray for Father Tolton’s canonization!
A Father Tolton Prayer: Father in Heaven, Father Tolton’s suffering service sheds light upon our sorrows; we see them through the prism of your Son’s passion and death. If it be your Will, O God, glorify your servant Father Tolton, by granting the favor I now request through his intercession (mention your request) so that all may know the goodness of this priest whose memory looms large in the Church he loved. Complete what you have begun in us that we might work for the fulfillment of your kingdom. Not to us the glory, but glory to you O God, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are our God, living and reigning forever and ever. Amen.
I want to thank all those who worked so hard to make the Faith In Indiana Families-First Convention a success. 19 St. Augustine Parishioners attended. There were over 700 participants. Not bad for a new organizing effort!
On this Fifth Sunday of Easter, our Gospel gives us another familiar image of Jesus, who said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him/her will bear much fruit.” He also tells us that the branches that don’t bear fruit will be thrown away, but he also says his Father will prune the good branches so that they will bear more fruit. If you have ever pruned a vine or a tree, you know you cut something off so the plant can grow better. Pruning is keeping God’s commandments.
In our second reading, St. John tells us: “And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he has commanded us.” “Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.”
In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see that doing good after a conversion isn’t always accepted. Saul/Paul went to Jerusalem after preaching about Jesus for three years in Damascus, but he wasn’t trusted. He had persecuted the early church and now wanted to be a part of it. Was he for real? Or was he playing some sort of trick? He is finally accepted but then has to go off to become the Apostle to the Gentiles.
May 1 is celebrated as Labor Day throughout most of the world. The Church declared May 1 as a day to Honor St. Joseph the Worker and holds up St. Joseph as a model for all workers. As a carpenter, he certainly knew how to work.
On Thursday the Church celebrates two more Apostles, Saints Philip and James. Philip preached in Phrygia, dying on a cross in Hierapolis. James, known as the Less or the Just, led the Church in Jerusalem and is said to be a cousin of Jesus.
We had all the carpet in the hall and church cleaned for $973.00. I hope you can see the difference. Please be careful with spills both in the church and the hall. If a stain is cleaned up right away it doesn’t leave as many marks on the floor. There are still a few Play Dough stains that just won’t come up. Please keep Play Dough off the carpet.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us also pray for vocations to the church. Let us pray for the sick of the parish. Let us pray that all will come to respect life. Let us pray for one another and for the canonization of Father Tolton.