Saturday, June16th – 4:00 PM
Louise Jackson/Kathleen & Tom Patrick
Sacristan: Audrey Starbuck
Greeters: Fred & Diane Wolf
Lector: Rita Daniels
Gifts/Ushers: Fred & Diane Wolf
Euch. Min.: Alice Muniz, Sr. Carroll,
Tim Ross
Servers: Walt Pleban,
Paul Hartenstein
Sunday, June 17th – 11:00 AM
Louise Jackson/John & Brian Conry
Sacristan: Cheryl Nolan
Greeters: Shawn Burke Family
Lector: Marty Tansey
Gifts/Ushers: Shawn Burke Family
Euch. Min.: Cheryl & John Nolan,
Paul Hartenstein
Servers: McKenna Woodruff,
Katie Woodruff
Money Countersfor May20
Linda Grady,
Rita Butler
Saturday, June 9
3:30 PM Confessions
4 PM MASS
Sunday, June 10
10:40 AM Confessions
11 AM MASS
Monday, June 11
Tuesday, June 12
Wednesday, June 13
Thursday, June 14
10 AM Mass
Friday, June 15
No Communion Service
Saturday, June 16
3:30 PM Confessions
4 PM MASS
Sunday, June 17
10:40 Confessions
11:00 Mass
This Week’s Scriptures
Monday Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3
Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6
6/11Matthew 5:1-12
Tuesday 1 Kings 17:7-16
Ps 4:2-3, 4-5, 7-8
6/12Matthew 5:13-16
WednesdayDan 5:1-6, 13-14,16-17,23-28
Wednesday 1 Kings 18:20-39
Ps16:1-2, 4, 5, 8, 11
6/13Matthew 5:17-19
Thursday 1 Kings 18:41-46
Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13
6/14Matthew 5:20-26
Friday 1 Kings 19:9, 11-16
Ps 27:7-8, 8-9, 13-14
6/15Matthew 5:27-32
Saturday 1 Kings 19:19-21
Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10
6/16Matthew 5:33-37
11 SundayEzekiel 17:22-24
OrdinaryPs 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16
Time 2 Corinthians 5:6-10
6/17 Mark 4:26-34
Parish Staff
Pastoral Leader: Sr. Carroll Schemenauer
440-839-2023
Parish Chaplain: Fr. Kishore Kottana
419-929-4401
Finance: Cece Mees
440-839-2023
Administrative Assistant
Catechetical Leader
Webmaster
Sr. Rosemary Hug
Finance: Diane Wolf
(440) 839-2185 (H)
Maintenance:
Steve Matus
Youth Leaders:
Kristie Jarrett,Jenn Nolan
& Libby French,
Dear Parish Family,
This weekend we return to “ordinary time.” The green vestments are ON after a rather lengthy break of 17 Sundays for Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity and Corpus Christi. BUT we seem to pick up in an odd place: hearing about Jesus being accused of having a devil, responding with a mysterious saying about an “unforgivable sin” and then distancing himself from his mother and relatives.
It seems strange they accused Jesus of being possessed by a devil. But to that accusation, Jesus gives an answer at once simple and profound. “How can Satan be divided against Satan? A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Jesus cannot be devil-possessed and at the same time cast out devils. Still, there is something more here. Satan really is the master of division, disunity. C.S. Lewis describes that disunity in his powerful book The Great Divorce. He pictures hell as a place where its residents keep moving out of their single unit dwellings so they can get further away from each other. The principle of hell itself is division and disunity.
Jesus on the other hand came to bring a deep, substantial unity. One of the signs of being his followers is that we are constantly working for a more profound unity. One of the primary responsibilities of our priest chaplain is to bring all the parish members together as one family. But not only that, he also must be sure we are closely joined to our bishop and the Holy Father…the diocese and the universal church. Father Kishore does a very good job in this area. Jesus wants his Church to be one.
Unity with Jesus is based on receiving his forgiveness and forgiving each other. Regarding that forgiveness, we hear something a bit jarring in today’s Gospel: “Every sin will be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Spirit. It can never be forgiven. It is an eternal sin.” This sounds like an exception to what we always hear about Jesus forgiving everything.
So what is this unforgivable sin? Is it adultery, stealing, abortion, blasphemy of God? All those sins can be forgiven. The unforgivable sin…the sin against the Holy Spirit…is spelled out in today’s Gospel. It is the sin of those who said Jesus has an unclean spirit. It’s not just uttering those words, but what they mean. It’s like saying I do not believe Jesus has the power to forgive. His blood means nothing to me. His death on the cross makes no difference. When a person says that—and means it—he cannot be forgiven, because he has rejected the whole basis for forgiveness.
Today’s Gospel is one of paradoxes, of surprises one on top of the other. First Jesus is accused of being demon-possessed, then he talks about the unforgivable sin. Now we find out that the very people who should have come to him, his mother and close relatives, they seem to question, even to reject him.
Before trying to understand the spiritual meaning of this passage, we need to first recognize the human dimension. This is important because some people use this section to diminish the Blessed Mother. But we should not be surprised by a mother’s concern for her only son, especially since he had become such a controversial figure. Mary was possibly trying to mediate between him and her other relatives.
Jesus himself is pretty calm about it all. He once again gives a response that seems simple, but has a deeper level of meaning: “My mother and my brothers are those who do the will of my Father in heaven.” What Jesus is saying is that as important as family relationships are, the most important relationship is being part of the family of God. For the majority of us the most precious thing we have in this life is our family. But it is nothing compared to belonging to the family of Jesus. That happens by hearing the Word of God and keeping it. Of course Mary did that in a supreme way. She is His disciple, par excellence. Sister Carroll
Last Week $3,031.00
Electronic 535.00
M.T.D. June 3,566.00
F.Y.T.D. 116,833.42
I want to thank all those who helped with Nan Krisha’s funeral. It was a WONDERFUL spirit of help and graciousness. You are the best Parishioners ever!!
Thank you too, for all the work that went into the Corpus Christi procession on Sunday. It was
a beautiful tribute to Our Lord
in the Blessed Sacrament.
Thank you too for all
ofyou who have volunteered
tohelp in different ways. It
is all appreciated!!
In case you’re wondering, Sr. Carroll had worked ahead in writing the letters for the bulletin. I hope she has enough until she gets back!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week to Gary Kraus, JoAnne Jackson, Helen and Larry McGuckin, Barrett French, and Leah Burke, May each of you be enriched with energy and love of life with all the blessings surrounding you on your special day!
SENIOR LUNCHEON is on Wednesday, June 20 at 12:00. Please call Lisa atSenior Center 419-668-6245 to register your name by June 13th. This is important as the food is ordered on the 13th for the luncheon on the 20th. You may have signed the paper in April if you were there and that suffices. There was no senior luncheon in May. The speaker is Genealogist David Morgan: “Accessing Your Ancestors.” Cost is $3.00 and pay at the door.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at Congregational Church the week of June 25-29. Registrations forms are available in the back of church. The theme for the VBS this summer is “Game On.” Gear Up! Get Ready! Game On! The Congregational Church phone number is 440-839-2316. Christy Brammer is the secretary. Call her if you wish to help in the program.
Father’s Day luncheon is nextSunday June 17th after the 11 AM Mass. Come on over and help celebrate all our Fathers! Sign up sheet
is in the back of Church.
Mark your calendars for July 23-27 for New London’s Catholic Summer Camp. Theme is “Be a Saint”. We are asking for a small donation to help with the cost. If you could make a dessert for a day that week, please contact Polly Wolf. 440-213-9151. Registration papers coming soon.