Brothers and Sisters in Christ – In his apostolic letter, Motu proprio, “Aperuit illis,” issued on 30 September 2019, Pope Francis established the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time to be devoted to the commemoration of the word of God. Pope Francis said that his reason for this designation was to set aside "a Sunday given over entirely to the word of God, so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his people." The date of his letter corresponded with the Feast of St. Jerome, the man who translated the Bible into Latin, and who notably said that “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” The name of the apostolic letter, “Aperuit illis,” comes from the opening words of Luke’s gospel where he described how the Risen Jesus appeared to his disciples and “opened their minds to understand Scripture.” When I was a child, my grandparents had a Bible that was stored in a cedar box. Inscribed across the front was “Holy Bible.” I was fascinated by the box. The smell of cedar coupled with the high gloss was enough to capture my attention. As I grew older and my faith deepened, I’d open the box and remove the bible. Sometimes I’d just open it and point to a passage to see if God would “magically” talk to me in the verse that my finger found. As I went through the Catholic school system reading the bible became part of my homework assignments. Obviously, I’d also hear sections from the bible read at Mass. In establishing this commemoration, Pope Francis wanted to encourage all Christians to remove the bible from the bookshelves where it was collecting dust and read it. He wanted us to make sacred Scripture a part of our daily prayer. Pope Francis wanted us to meditate on God’s word and allow it to inform our daily living. When I reflect on that phrase from St. Jerome, “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ,” I find myself thinking about our brothers and sisters of other faiths who can quote from sacred Scripture in ways that would be an embarrassing challenge for me. I certainly pray, but I fail to let the words from sacred Scripture become ingrained in me. Today’s commemoration is a beautiful reminder to us that the word of God needs to become a part of our daily prayer. When we gather at Mass, and hear the readings proclaimed, we should be listening with attentiveness. We should be asking the Lord, “What is it that you’re trying to say to me today?” When I prepare my homily, I pray, “May the Holy Spirit touch my lips as I break open God’s word.” On this Sunday of the word of God, may we all commit ourselves to spending a little more time each day with sacred Scripture. May our minds be opened to understand, hear, and cherish the dialogue that the Lord seeks to have with us through his holy word. A few announcements: Parish Census … A big THANK YOU to those who have already returned their registration form. Our parish records are being updated with all of the correct information. If you haven’t received a letter that means we either don’t have a record for you or your address was not correct and my letter to you was returned. PLEASE see me if you believe we may have had a wrong address. Or take a registration form from the table in the gathering space and fill it out. You’re welcome to return the completed forms via mail or by placing it in the collection basket. The special collection for January 21 will benefit the Church in Latin America. This collection aids the Church in carrying out its pastoral mission of mercy among those with both spiritual and material needs across Latin America and the Caribbean. Since the Collection began, over $185 million has been donated by U.S. Catholics. Due to the generosity of U.S. Catholics, the Collection has been able to award over $92.7 million since year 2000. Please place your special envelope in the basket with the ordinary parish collection. For those who don’t use our envelope system, and would like make a donation, please put on the memo line of your check “Church in Latin America.”THANK YOU for your generosity. 2024 Envelope Packets … There are still some unclaimed envelopes. If you haven’t picked yours up yet, please see me before or after Mass. Next weekend we’ll welcome Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C., the rector of Moreau Seminary, who will preside at the 10:30 Mass. Fr. Jim has never been to St. A’s, so I invited him to come and pray with us. Please welcome him to our parish. Foundations of Faith Course … anyone interested in learning more about our Catholic Faith is invited to join this free course. The course will begin on Thursday, February 1 at 6:30 pm at St. Pius X Parish in Granger with Mr. Robby Kiley as the instructor. Please register by January 26 at http://diocesefwsb.org/foundations-of-faith/ Year of the Eucharist … Cheryl Ashe is coordinating a Zoom small group study on Jesus and the Eucharist (http://www.eucharisticrevival.org/formation-resources). The meeting dates will be January 26, February 9, February 23, March 8, March 15, and March 22. The discussion will be led by Dianna Schmitz. If you’re interested, please talk to Cheryl. This opportunity to continued education responds to one of the areas of parish spiritual growth brought up in the Listening Sessions. Hospitals / Nursing Homes … When a family member is admitted to a hospital or nursing home, please let me know as privacy laws prohibit the facilities from providing me with information on parishioners. It’s important to me that our parishioners struggling with illnesses be visited, receive Holy Communion, and the Sacrament of the Sick. Taxes … If you’d like a record of your 2023 donations for tax purposes, please send an email with your contact information and one will be mailed to you. Looking Ahead … Martin Luther King Day of Service … On Monday, January 22 at 7:30 p.m., Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers will be speaking on “Building a Civilization of Love: A Catholic Response to Racism” at the Driscoll Auditorium, Holy Cross College. In lieu of registration cost, please bring nonperishable items for the St. Augustine Soup Kitchen. On Tuesday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. the Parish Finance Council will meet. Parish Clean-Up Day … On Saturday, January 27 (9:00 a.m.) we’ll be cleaning, tossing, and organizing every room inside and outside the parish. A dumpster will be delivered the day before and the plan is to pack it with all the stuff that has been accumulated over the years and is now taking up precious space. The goal is to create room for meetings, necessary storage, and a welcoming environment for meetings, parish events, and visitors. PLEASE mark your calendars and show up for as much time as you can give that day. The more hands we have the faster the cleaning will go! Mardi Gras … On Tuesday, February 13 the Tolton Ambassadors of Indiana will host the 22nd annual gathering at St. A’s from 5:30 – 7:30. There is limited in-person seating and tickets can be purchased for $25. The dinner will include authentic New Orleans cuisine (seafood or chicken gumbo, dirty rice, dessert, etc.). There will be music, fellowship, and a silent auction. Tickets can be purchased from a Tolton Ambassador or Annie Tardy ([email protected] / 574-707-1232). Donations can also be made to the “Tolton Ambassadors of Indiana” to support the cause of canonization for Venerable Fr. Tolton. On Wednesday, February 14 we begin the season of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. We will have a Mass at 8:00 a.m. with the distribution of ashes. St. Augustine, pray for us! Fr. John, C.S.C.