TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year A)
Isaiah 55:6 - 9 This Sunday, we will hear from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. Seeing that it is taken from chapter 55, we know that it is part of Deutero-Isaiah, dealing with Israel during its Babylonian exile. It is at the very end of the Babylonian captivity and we should read the opening verses of the chapter since they speak in anticipation of how the Persians would allow the exiles to return. The Book of Ezra opens with the decree of Cyrus that called the exiles to return [...]
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Sirach 27:30 – 28:9 This Sunday, we will hear from the Book of Sirach, one of the very last books of the Old Testament. It was written between 200 and 175BC by a man who identifies himself as Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sira (cf. 50:27). Some of your Bibles identify the book as The Wisdom of Ben Sira. This is actually the earliest title of the book; the “ch” was added when the book was translated into Greek. It is an excellent example of Wisdom literature, filled with [...]
CATECHETICAL SUNDAY
Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. (Romans 14:7-9) This weekend, we join with the Church throughout our nation and around the world in celebrating Catechetical Sunday. Those whom the community [...]
Welcome Laura Kerr/Farewell to Sr. Kathleen Callaghan, SSJ
WELCOME LAURA KERR I am very happy to announce that Laura Kerr has accepted my invitation to become our Organist/Choir Director, succeeding Joyce Chen who moved to Oregon over the summer where she accepted a professorship at Oregon University. Many of you already know Laura, a longtime parishioner and accomplished pianist. Many of you and your children have taken lessons from her over the years. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Tufts University and a Master’s Degree in Music for Piano Performance from Temple University as well as [...]
Summer Projects Update/Black and Indian Mission
Summer Projects Update It’s hard to believe that summer is coming to an end; I hope you’ve enjoyed some time for rest and relaxation! As we do every summer, this year, we have undertaken a number of projects throughout our parish facilities. The gym floor was resurfaced again this summer; this cost $3,592.00. As you may recall, it was completely replaced last spring after the gym was flooded when Aqua improperly connected our gym to its new water line. Fortunately, Aqua paid for the floor’s replacement but it needs to [...]
ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
On Tuesday, we will join with the universal Church in celebrating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, into heaven. It is a Holy Day of Obligation and the principal feast day of the Blessed Mother, so I would like to offer you some reflections on it. The commemoration of the death of Mary is known as the Assumption because of the tradition that, shortly after her death, Mary was raised up, body and soul, into heaven. In the Eastern Church, it is called the Dormition, or [...]