After celebrating Christ the King and Corpus Christi, we return to Sundays in Ordinary Time today. The liturgical color is green for hope!
The Fourth of July is this week. Happy Independence Day to all! Let us continue to pray for our country!
Once again Congratulations to all of our graduates! We are proud of each and every one of you. Congratulations to all who are continuing on in school both teachers and students. Now that summer is here, watch out for children when you drive.
Every year we plan our Parish Picnic as close to the Feast of St. Augustine as possible. Plan ahead and mark your calendar for Sunday, August 25, 2019 at the Berta Pavilion in St. Patrick’s Park from 12:30 – 6 PM.
Lectors and Extraordinary Holy Communion Ministers, please remember to pick up our lists for July – December.
Now that we are back in Ordinary Time, we continue the “C” Cycle of readings, which means we will be hearing from Luke’s Gospel for the coming Sunday’s including today. In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins his journey to Jerusalem with his disciples. But he is rejected by the Samaritan village. He then encounters several people along the road who want to follow him. It is not clear whether any of the three followed him. Jesus gave them each an invitation to do so, but each had an excuse to put off following him until later. If they followed him or not we do not know.
We do know that Jesus invites each of us to follow him by loving one another as St. Paul tells us in the second reading.
We also know that Elisha followed Elijah as prophet. May we too follow God’s invitation to proclaim his good news and to love and help each other.
On Wednesday the Church celebrates Saint Thomas, Apostle. His doubting gave way to faith when he saw the risen Lord. Because of him, Jesus called us who have not seen the risen Lord blessed because we believe. He is associated with founding the Church in south India.
On Saturday the Church celebrates saint Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr. At the age of 12 she was stabbed to death, preferring to die than to be raped. With her mother present, she was canonized in 1950 before the largest crowd ever assembled at that time in Rome for a canonization. She is patroness of teenage girls.
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. Let us also pray for those who are victims of sexual abuse and mass shootings.
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.
Good News
It was announced in the Vatican that Pope Francis accepted - the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Augustine Tolton, Diocesan Priest; born in Brush Creek (United States of America) on April 1, 1854 and died in Chicago (United States of America) on July 9, 1897. This means that Father Tolton now can be called Venerable. The next step is Beatification. For this a miracle approved by the Vatican is needed. So, keep those prayers coming!