St. Joseph Catholic Church

150 E First St., P.O. Box 1315, Prineville OR 97754

September 27, 2020 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Confessions

Wednesdays: 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Saturdays: 3:30–4:30 p.m.

(other times by appointment)

Anointing of the Sick Contact Fr. Joseph for this Sacrament

Vigil Mass Saturday 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass (English) 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass (Bilingual) 12:00 p.m. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Monday ● Tuesday ● Thursday 8:00 a.m. Wednesday & Friday 12:00 p.m.

Pastor Rev. Fr. Joseph Kunnelaya T. Secretary Karin Jones

Parish Office Hours Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Parish Office Telephone: (541) 447-6475 / Fax (541) 416-9141 Fr. Joseph: 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (541) 420-4458

Parish Website: stjosephsprineville.org Facebook: St. Joseph”s Catholic Church, Prineville, Oregon

Email: stjosephparish@bendbroadband.com Pastor: fatherjoseph@bendbroadband.com

(Fr. Joseph’s personal email address: joekunel55@gmail.com)

Director of Religious Education Barbara Dalton Funeral Director for Music Garilynn Tocher

Baptisms

Baptisms will be held on 2nd Saturdays of the month in English and on 4th Saturdays in Spanish. Parents of children to be baptized must be registered members of the parish 6 months prior to baptism.

A Baptismal Preparation Class is mandatory for both parents and godparents. For more information, call the Parish Office.

Marriages Couples need to make an appointment with Fr. Joseph 6 months before the proposed date.

A Marriage Preparation Course is mandatory.

MASS INTENTIONS / DAILY READINGS

The practice of requesting a Mass to be offered for loved ones, living or deceased, is a beautiful and wonderful part of our Catholic tradition.

Please call the Parish Office to have a Mass Intention reserved.

Monday 09/28/2020 8:00 a.m. Vincentian Volunteers (L) Job 1:16-22; Luke 9:46-50 Tuesday 09/29/2020 8:00 a.m. Jeane Ferrarin (D) Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; John 1:47-51* Wednesday 09/30/2020 12:00 p.m. Firefighters (L) and (D) Job 9:1-12, 14-16; Luke 9:57-62** Thursday 10/01/2020 8:00 a.m. President Trump and Staff (L) Job 19:21-27; Luke 10:1-12** Friday 10/02/2020 12:00 p.m. Mary Norton (L) Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 Saturday 10/03/2020 5:00 p.m. Shirley and Ron Lattin (L) Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5; Matthew 18:1-5, 10** Sunday 10/04/2020 9:00 a.m. St. Vincent de Paul (L) Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 Sunday 10/04/2020 12:00 a.m. Flaviano Santos (D) Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32

*Feast **Memorial (L) = Living (D) = Deceased

DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET: Every Monday after the 8 a.m. Mass.

FRIDAYS OF THE MONTH: 1st Friday Mass at 12 p.m., with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Hour of Prayer, and Benediction after Mass

REMAINING FRIDAYS: Mass at 12 p.m., with Rosary and Benediction after Mass

Fr. Joseph’s Corner “The Eyes of a Child” (Author Unknown)

September 2020 Weekly Offertory

Date Needed Offering

September 6, 2020 $3,700.00 $3,227.00

September 13, 2020 $3,700.00 $3,224.00

September 20, 2020 $3,700.00 $2,266.00

September 27, 2020 $3,700.00

“Give to the Most High as he has given to you, for the Lord is one who always repays,

and he will give back to you sevenfold.” (Sirach 35:10)

The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.

Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown, for the world was intent on dragging me down.

And if that weren’t enough to ruin my day, a young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.

He stood right before me with his head tilted down and said with great excitement, “Look at what I found!”

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight, with its petals all worn—not enough rain—or too little light.

Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play, I faked a small smile and then shifted away.

But instead of retreating he sat by my side, and placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise:

“It sure smells pretty, and it’s beautiful, too—and that’s why I picked it. Here, it’s for you!”

The weed before me was dying or dead. Not vibrant of colors—orange, yellow or red.

But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.

So I reached for the flower, and replied, “Just what I need.”

But instead of him placing the flower in my hand, he held it midair without reason or plan.

It was then that I noticed for the very first time that weed-toting boy could not see—he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver, tears shone like the sun as I thanked him for picking the very best one.

“You’re welcome,” he smiled, and then ran off to play, unaware of the impact he’d had on my day.

I sat there and wondered how he managed to see a self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.

How did he know of my self-indulged plight?

Perhaps from his heart, he’d been blessed with true sight.

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see the problem was not with the world—the problem was me.

And for all of those times I myself had been blind, I vowed to see the beauty in life and appreciate every second that’s mine.

And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose;

And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose; and smiled as I watched that young boy, another weed in his hand about to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.

—Prayerful Wishes, Fr. Joseph

*Tuesday, 09/29/2020

Feast of St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael—Archangels: Three archangels are cited in the canonical texts. Michael is the leader of the celestial ranks and the conqueror of Satan. Gabriel, the divine herald, announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. Raphael is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey.

+++

**Wednesday 09/30/2020

Memorial of St. Jerome—Priest and Doctor: St. Jerome chose the religious life, becoming a monk and hermit. He wrote the “Vulgate,” the Latin translation of the Bible.

+++

**Thursday, 10/01/2020

Memorial of St. Therese of Lisieux—Virgin and Doctor: At 16, Therese entered the Carmelite convent of Lisieux. She began writing a diary of her childhood, which became “The Story of a Soul” and reflects a spirituality character-ized by simplicity and faith in the love and mercy of God.

+++

**Friday, 10/02/2020

Memorial of The Holy Guardian Angels: According to biblical sources, every human being is accompanied from birth to death by an angel who protects, advises, and in-tercedes.

+++

Sunday Rosary

Each committee is responsible for the Rosary a half hour before Mass begins.

10/04/2020: Lectors 10/11/2020: Acolytes 10/18/2020: K of C 10/25/2020: EM

+++

Annual Clergy Assembly

Please note that Fr. Joseph will be gone from Monday, October 5th, to Friday, October 9th, to attend the An-nual Clergy Assembly. Daily Mass will be canceled from Tuesday through Friday. Please keep Fr. Joseph in your prayers.

+++

40 Days for Life

The Central Oregon Right to Life 2nd Annual “40 Days for Life” Fall Campaign began on September 23rd and goes until November 1st. We pray all Catholics in Central Oregon, will join us and stand up for our brothers and sisters in the womb.

+++

Planned Parenthood

On the 1st Friday of every month, Fr. Andrew Szyma-kowski will have Mass at the Powell Butte Retreat Center at 7:30 a.m. with confessions beforehand, by request.

After Mass, anyone interested can join Fr. Andrew for prayer at Planned Parenthood on 330 NE Division St., Suite 7, in Bend, at 10 a.m. Attendees can park on the street somewhere near NE Tweet Place. Please come and pray for those babies who have no voice but whose lives matter.

+++

Poor Box

Just an update: Through your generous contributions we were able to sponsor a family from India through the Family Development Program. We are waiting to get information on our family and, once received, we will be posting the

information on the bulletin board in the Church. Our hope and goal is to be able to support other families who are in need through FDP. Your generosity to the Poor Box is greatly appreciated.

+++

Election 2020

With elections coming quickly, this is just a reminder that you should participate in the electoral process: to register, to vote, to become informed. As a Catholic, you should be concerned about human life, human rights, justice and peace, and address the moral and human dimensions of public issues. The Political Responsibility Guidelines are on the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) website at: www.usccb.org/resources/dos-anddonts-guidelines-during-election-season.

+++

Prayer List

Please keep the following in your prayers:

Don Arian Linda Arian Dan Gidday

Frederick Smit Joe Morales

Steve Riney Mike Mulvihill Bob George

St. Joseph Parish Bulletin

Today’s Homily

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE passages warn us that it is our final decision—for or against God; i.e., our choosing to obey Him gracefully by doing His will, or by choosing to go against it, which will decide our eternal reward or punishment. As free beings, we are the ones who choose our eternal destiny.

In the first reading, the Lord God, through His prophet, Ezekiel, corrects the Jewish beliefs that children inherit the guilt of their ancestors and are punished for their sins, and that God is more strict than merciful. God explains that His mercy overrules strict justice and that He will punish us only for our sins—not for the sins of our ancestors.

The second reading, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, also affirms the truth that the final choice for God, made by perfect obedience to Him, will be rewarded. Paul emphasizes the fact that it is because of Christ’s obedience to God’s will in emptying himself, taking human form, and humbling himself by accepting even death on a cross that God, the Father, exalted Christ, bestowed on him the Name above every other name, and made Jesus the recipient of universal adoration.

In the parable in today’s Gospel, a man with two sons tells both to go out to work in the vineyard. The first son says he won’t go, but later regrets it and works. The second son says he will go but does not.

In each case, it is the final decision that is more important. Jesus teaches through this short parable that repentant tax collectors and prosti-tutes, represented by the first son, who initially

refused to go, will make their way into the King-dom of God before the chief priests and the elders, represented by the second son in the parable. By their pride and their refusal to obey God’s call to repentance, the Scribes and the Pharisees are excluding themselves, while the tax collectors and sinners—whom they despised—are repenting of their sins and will be accepted into God’s Kingdom. It is a parable on the necessity to offer a

continual “yes” to the saving act of God. We need to do God’s will every day: Each

one of us is responsible to God for every one of our actions, and the just God will punish or reward each individual according to that person’s actions.

Because we are not sure about the moment of our death, our only guarantee of dying in God’s friendship is to live in that friendship— always, saying “Yes,” to God by doing His will. It is never too late for us to repent, to be con-verted, and to allow the Holy Spirit to renew our life: If we have been disobedient to God in our past life, we need to knock at the door of God’s mercy. God can, and will, do for us what, in his mercy, He did for the repentant tax collectors and harlots in the parable and in real life.

Hence, every night we need to repent of our sins and ask God’s pardon. If we are in serious sin, we also need to be reconciled with God, the Church, and our brothers and sisters through the Sacrament of Reconciliation in order to be able to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Let us remember that it is never too late for us to turn back to God.

Holy Humor

WHOEVER STOLE OUR AC UNITS—KEEP ONE.

IT’S HOT WHERE YOU’RE GOING!

*Tuesday, 09/29/2020

Feast of St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael—Archangels: Three archangels are cited in the canonical texts. Michael is the leader of the celestial ranks and the conqueror of Satan. Gabriel, the divine herald, announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. Raphael is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey.

+++

**Wednesday 09/30/2020

Memorial of St. Jerome—Priest and Doctor: St. Jerome chose the religious life, becoming a monk and hermit. He wrote the “Vulgate,” the Latin translation of the Bible.

+++

**Thursday, 10/01/2020

Memorial of St. Therese of Lisieux—Virgin and Doctor: At 16, Therese entered the Carmelite convent of Lisieux. She began writing a diary of her childhood, which became “The Story of a Soul” and reflects a spirituality character-ized by simplicity and faith in the love and mercy of God.

+++

**Friday, 10/02/2020

Memorial of The Holy Guardian Angels: According to biblical sources, every human being is accompanied from birth to death by an angel who protects, advises, and in-tercedes.

+++

Sunday Rosary

Each committee is responsible for the Rosary a half hour before Mass begins.

10/04/2020: Lectors 10/11/2020: Acolytes 10/18/2020: K of C 10/25/2020: EM

+++

Annual Clergy Assembly

Please note that Fr. Joseph will be gone from Monday, October 5th, to Friday, October 9th, to attend the An-nual Clergy Assembly. Daily Mass will be canceled from Tuesday through Friday. Please keep Fr. Joseph in your prayers.

+++

40 Days for Life

The Central Oregon Right to Life 2nd Annual “40 Days for Life” Fall Campaign began on September 23rd and goes until November 1st. We pray all Catholics in Central Oregon, will join us and stand up for our brothers and sisters in the womb.

+++

Planned Parenthood

On the 1st Friday of every month, Fr. Andrew Szyma-kowski will have Mass at the Powell Butte Retreat Center at 7:30 a.m. with confessions beforehand, by request.

After Mass, anyone interested can join Fr. Andrew for prayer at Planned Parenthood on 330 NE Division St., Suite 7, in Bend, at 10 a.m. Attendees can park on the street somewhere near NE Tweet Place. Please come and pray for those babies who have no voice but whose lives matter.

+++

Poor Box

Just an update: Through your generous contributions we were able to sponsor a family from India through the Family Development Program. We are waiting to get information on our family and, once received, we will be posting the

information on the bulletin board in the Church. Our hope and goal is to be able to support other families who are in need through FDP. Your generosity to the Poor Box is greatly appreciated.

+++

Election 2020

With elections coming quickly, this is just a reminder that you should participate in the electoral process: to register, to vote, to become informed. As a Catholic, you should be concerned about human life, human rights, justice and peace, and address the moral and human dimensions of public issues. The Political Responsibility Guidelines are on the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) website at: www.usccb.org/resources/dos-anddonts-guidelines-during-election-season.

+++

Prayer List

Please keep the following in your prayers:

Don Arian Linda Arian Dan Gidday

Frederick Smit Joe Morales

Steve Riney Mike Mulvihill Bob George

St. Joseph Parish Bulletin

Today’s Homily

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE passages warn us that it is our final decision—for or against God; i.e., our choosing to obey Him gracefully by doing His will, or by choosing to go against it, which will decide our eternal reward or punishment. As free beings, we are the ones who choose our eternal destiny.

In the first reading, the Lord God, through His prophet, Ezekiel, corrects the Jewish beliefs that children inherit the guilt of their ancestors and are punished for their sins, and that God is more strict than merciful. God explains that His mercy overrules strict justice and that He will punish us only for our sins—not for the sins of our ancestors.

The second reading, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, also affirms the truth that the final choice for God, made by perfect obedience to Him, will be rewarded. Paul emphasizes the fact that it is because of Christ’s obedience to God’s will in emptying himself, taking human form, and humbling himself by accepting even death on a cross that God, the Father, exalted Christ, bestowed on him the Name above every other name, and made Jesus the recipient of universal adoration.

In the parable in today’s Gospel, a man with two sons tells both to go out to work in the vineyard. The first son says he won’t go, but later regrets it and works. The second son says he will go but does not.

In each case, it is the final decision that is more important. Jesus teaches through this short parable that repentant tax collectors and prosti-tutes, represented by the first son, who initially

refused to go, will make their way into the King-dom of God before the chief priests and the elders, represented by the second son in the parable. By their pride and their refusal to obey God’s call to repentance, the Scribes and the Pharisees are excluding themselves, while the tax collectors and sinners—whom they despised—are repenting of their sins and will be accepted into God’s Kingdom. It is a parable on the necessity to offer a

continual “yes” to the saving act of God. We need to do God’s will every day: Each

one of us is responsible to God for every one of our actions, and the just God will punish or reward each individual according to that person’s actions.

Because we are not sure about the moment of our death, our only guarantee of dying in God’s friendship is to live in that friendship— always, saying “Yes,” to God by doing His will. It is never too late for us to repent, to be con-verted, and to allow the Holy Spirit to renew our life: If we have been disobedient to God in our past life, we need to knock at the door of God’s mercy. God can, and will, do for us what, in his mercy, He did for the repentant tax collectors and harlots in the parable and in real life.

Hence, every night we need to repent of our sins and ask God’s pardon. If we are in serious sin, we also need to be reconciled with God, the Church, and our brothers and sisters through the Sacrament of Reconciliation in order to be able to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Let us remember that it is never too late for us to turn back to God.

Holy Humor

WHOEVER STOLE OUR AC UNITS—KEEP ONE.

IT’S HOT WHERE YOU’RE GOING!

St. Joseph Catholic Church

150 E First St., P.O. Box 1315, Prineville OR 97754

September 27, 2020 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Confessions

Wednesdays: 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Saturdays: 3:30–4:30 p.m.

(other times by appointment)

Anointing of the Sick Contact Fr. Joseph for this Sacrament

Vigil Mass Saturday 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass (English) 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass (Bilingual) 12:00 p.m. Holy Days 8:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Monday ● Tuesday ● Thursday 8:00 a.m. Wednesday & Friday 12:00 p.m.

Pastor Rev. Fr. Joseph Kunnelaya T. Secretary Karin Jones

Parish Office Hours Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Parish Office Telephone: (541) 447-6475 / Fax (541) 416-9141 Fr. Joseph: 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (541) 420-4458

Parish Website: stjosephsprineville.org Facebook: St. Joseph”s Catholic Church, Prineville, Oregon

Email: stjosephparish@bendbroadband.com Pastor: fatherjoseph@bendbroadband.com

(Fr. Joseph’s personal email address: joekunel55@gmail.com)

Director of Religious Education Barbara Dalton Funeral Director for Music Garilynn Tocher

Baptisms

Baptisms will be held on 2nd Saturdays of the month in English and on 4th Saturdays in Spanish. Parents of children to be baptized must be registered members of the parish 6 months prior to baptism.

A Baptismal Preparation Class is mandatory for both parents and godparents. For more information, call the Parish Office.

Marriages Couples need to make an appointment with Fr. Joseph 6 months before the proposed date.

A Marriage Preparation Course is mandatory.

MASS INTENTIONS / DAILY READINGS

The practice of requesting a Mass to be offered for loved ones, living or deceased, is a beautiful and wonderful part of our Catholic tradition.

Please call the Parish Office to have a Mass Intention reserved.

Monday 09/28/2020 8:00 a.m. Vincentian Volunteers (L) Job 1:16-22; Luke 9:46-50 Tuesday 09/29/2020 8:00 a.m. Jeane Ferrarin (D) Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; John 1:47-51* Wednesday 09/30/2020 12:00 p.m. Firefighters (L) and (D) Job 9:1-12, 14-16; Luke 9:57-62** Thursday 10/01/2020 8:00 a.m. President Trump and Staff (L) Job 19:21-27; Luke 10:1-12** Friday 10/02/2020 12:00 p.m. Mary Norton (L) Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 Saturday 10/03/2020 5:00 p.m. Shirley and Ron Lattin (L) Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5; Matthew 18:1-5, 10** Sunday 10/04/2020 9:00 a.m. St. Vincent de Paul (L) Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 Sunday 10/04/2020 12:00 a.m. Flaviano Santos (D) Ezekiel 18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32

*Feast **Memorial (L) = Living (D) = Deceased

DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET: Every Monday after the 8 a.m. Mass.

FRIDAYS OF THE MONTH: 1st Friday Mass at 12 p.m., with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Hour of Prayer, and Benediction after Mass

REMAINING FRIDAYS: Mass at 12 p.m., with Rosary and Benediction after Mass

Fr. Joseph’s Corner “The Eyes of a Child” (Author Unknown)

September 2020 Weekly Offertory

Date Needed Offering

September 6, 2020 $3,700.00 $3,227.00

September 13, 2020 $3,700.00 $3,224.00

September 20, 2020 $3,700.00 $2,266.00

September 27, 2020 $3,700.00

“Give to the Most High as he has given to you, for the Lord is one who always repays,

and he will give back to you sevenfold.” (Sirach 35:10)

The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.

Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown, for the world was intent on dragging me down.

And if that weren’t enough to ruin my day, a young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.

He stood right before me with his head tilted down and said with great excitement, “Look at what I found!”

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight, with its petals all worn—not enough rain—or too little light.

Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play, I faked a small smile and then shifted away.

But instead of retreating he sat by my side, and placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise:

“It sure smells pretty, and it’s beautiful, too—and that’s why I picked it. Here, it’s for you!”

The weed before me was dying or dead. Not vibrant of colors—orange, yellow or red.

But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.

So I reached for the flower, and replied, “Just what I need.”

But instead of him placing the flower in my hand, he held it midair without reason or plan.

It was then that I noticed for the very first time that weed-toting boy could not see—he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver, tears shone like the sun as I thanked him for picking the very best one.

“You’re welcome,” he smiled, and then ran off to play, unaware of the impact he’d had on my day.

I sat there and wondered how he managed to see a self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.

How did he know of my self-indulged plight?

Perhaps from his heart, he’d been blessed with true sight.

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see the problem was not with the world—the problem was me.

And for all of those times I myself had been blind, I vowed to see the beauty in life and appreciate every second that’s mine.

And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose;

And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose; and smiled as I watched that young boy, another weed in his hand about to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.

—Prayerful Wishes, Fr. Joseph