I was finally able to make contact with my old parish, Our Lady of Sorrows in Houston. I was told the water rose to the point of making each house and the church an island, but there was no water damage in the houses or church. Once when I was there, we had a hurricane and I remember putting towels and rags in the front door of the church and gratefully the water stopped there, apparently the same as Harvey. Let us continue to pray for the victims of Harvey. Let us also pray for the victims of Irma, which as I write on Thursday, has devastated the islands and is still heading for Florida. There is also another one heading into central Mexico, so let’s keep them in our prayers as well.
By the time we read this, we will know how good Notre Dame is as they play Georgia on Saturday. Need I say: Go, Irish!
As mentioned above all three readings today tell us that we are our brother’s (sister’s) keeper.
Our first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, tells us to get involved. We should point out the wickedness of the wicked to help them change their ways.
Saint Paul tells us in the second reading several of the commandments from the 10 Commandments and ends up saying: “and whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence love is the fulfillment of the law.”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us instructions on how to settle disputes. The first step is to talk things out face to face. The second step is to bring in witnesses, if the first step doesn’t work. If neither of them work, he says bring in the church. If that doesn’t work, he suggests a form of shunning the offender. The hope is this will bring the offender around. But as always Jesus ends on a high note for all of us. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” When we pray or act together in Jesus’ name, he is with us.
On the 15th, the Church celebrates Our Lady of Sorrows. She is the Patroness of the Congregations of Holy Cross, so it is a big day for us. At 4 PM at the Sacred Heart Basilica, three young Holy Cross seminarians will take their perpetual vows in the Congregation. Saturday morning the same three will be ordained transitional deacons by Bishop Rhoades at Moreau seminary. Let us keep them in our prayers.
On the 14th, the Church celebrates the Exultation of the Holy Cross. This celebration recalls St. Helena finding of the True Cross in Jerusalem.
School has started, so drive more carefully.
As I’m sure we have all heard President Trump has ended the DACA program with a six month leeway. That means that if congress does nothing about it, 800,000 young people brought here as small children can be deported from the only country they remember and grew up in. Let us pray for a quick and finally solution that these 800,000 American children can stay here where they grew up.
We are about to begin our 90th year as a parish. We are looking for more history of the parish as well as ideas on how to celebrate this great anniversary. Why not spend a little time looking at the pictures of the priest and deacons who have served here? Maybe you will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit to contribute a great idea or two for this coming year.
I have contacted a couple of companies to look at our pews and kneelers. I think they need a little work on scratches, etc. However, I cannot find anyone local who does this type of work. One company is in IL. The other in OH. If you know of a local carpenter who could look at our pews and kneelers, please let me know. It may only need at little refinishing and a few screws. One of our parishioners has responded to this request. I thank him. We may be looking for a few more volunteers to help him, sometime in the near future.
I hope everyone got to read the article about Bishop Bill Wack, CSC in Today’s Catholic.
As Deacon Mel mentions in The Youth Corner, we are looking at having an RCIA class starting in September and finishing at Easter next year. If there is anyone interested in becoming Catholic or anyone who is Catholic but missed a sacrament along the way, please see me or Deacon Mel and we can plan accordingly.
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.