JULY 22, 2018 SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

PARISH CALENDAR Sun July 22 VBS Prep, CC, 12-?pm

Mon July 23 VBS, CC, 9am – 12pm

Tue July 24 VBS, CC, 9am – 12pm

Tue July 24 "C" Team Softball Game, 6:15pm, Fd3, H

Wed July 25 VBS, CC, 9am – 12pm

Thu July 26 VBS, CC, 9am – 12pm

Fri July 287 VBS, CC, 9am – 1pm

**Please note: Due to vacations and other parish

commitments, the Parish Office will be closed to visitors

and phone calls from July 16-July 27. Email will be

monitored, but any emergencies that arise should be

directed to Father John at Our Lady, Medley’s Neck 301-

475-8403. *C: Church, CC: Community Center

MASS INTENTIONS

LITURGICAL FEAST DAY

Mon July 23 St. Brigid Tue July 24 St. Sharbel Makhuf Wed July 25 ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE Thu July 26 STS. JOACHIM & ANNE

WEEKDAYS LITURGICAL MINISTERS

Daily Lector: J Blackwell, T Buckler, C Galli, D Orwig

Meals-on-wheels: P Keen, V Worch, G Crawford

Altar Preparation: M Goldsmith

REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS

Please remember our parishioners who are sick, homebound and those in the nursing homes and hospitals, and all in need of our prayers, especially those who serve our country and their families, and all who are listed in our Parish Book of Intentions.

New registrations are always welcome. Please use the

on-line census by going to our website

(www.StGeorgeRCC.org) and following the links.

Forms also available in the rack in the church front

entrance. Help us keep our parish records up to date.

If you have recently changed your mailing address, e-

mail address, phone number, or plan to be away temporarily, please use the on-line census to update your

information.

STEWARDSHIP — FINANCIAL BLESSINGS

7/15/2018 7/16/2017

General Collection $3567.39 $4409.09 -$691.70

E-Giving (Weekly) $1062.00 $912.00

Identifiable Gifts 119 130 -11

Maintenance $35.00 $205.00 -$170.00

Poor Box $251.85 $198.25 +$53.60

Donations $240.00 $280.00 -$40.00

Thank you for your faithful Parish support.

Do you shop on Amazon.com? Did you know that St. George

participates in Amazon’s Smile program? This means that if you

list St. George as your charity of choice, a portion of your

purchases will be donated to St. George by Amazon. The easiest

way to do this is to visit our parish web site –www.stgeorgercc.org

– scroll down and click the box for Amazon Smile!

STEWARDSHIP MESSAGE FROM OUR READINGS

Most are familiar with the scriptural quote from Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd. There is nothing I shall want.” This passage serves as the Responsorial Psalm on this 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time because it supports the other readings with two key ideas: that we must place our trust in the Lord, and that we inherit life from our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

At the time St. Paul was writing his Letter to the Ephesians (our Second Reading), Paul was under house arrest in Rome and awaiting trial. He was allegedly accused by the Jews of taking a Gentile into a temple. Therefore, part of Paul’s statement, “For he (Christ) is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,” is saying essentially the Lordship of Jesus is not greater then any difference you may feel you have with others — that Jesus is our Savior and our Shepherd.

In the Gospel Reading from Mark, the idea of shepherding lies at the heart. “When he (Jesus) disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” In other words, He began to feed them with the Word of God. That is what we do during this part of our Mass; we hear Holy Scripture. These are the Words of the Lord. He is our shepherd. We are His sheep.

As always, Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson about stewardship through today’s readings. To the Lord, the needs of others were more important than His own. When we share our time, our talents, and our treasure, we are not only following our Good Shepherd, we are also living His Gospel call to shepherd others by giving of ourselves.

Tues July 24 9:00 am Bobby Bowes

Wed July 25 9:00 am Brenda Hanson

Thu July 26 9:00 am Peter Conrad

Fri July 27 9:00 am Rick & Rebecca Carroll Family (L)

Sat July 28 5:00 pm Special Intention

Sat July 28 7:00 pm Dorothy Blackwell

Sun July 29 8:30 am Irene Gross & Family (L)

Sun July 29 11:00 am St. George Parishioners

JULY 22, 2018 SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

LITURGY & WORSHIP

“Scripture and Tradition: Is the Bible the sole rule of faith for Christian people?

The Catholic Church has taught for nearly 2000 years that

divine revelation is contained in both the Sacred

Scriptures and Sacred Tradition. But didn't Jesus

condemn traditions in Matthew 15:3? Let's check it out.

Jesus is condemning traditions that "nullify the Word of

God" - human traditions. Catholics believe that Sacred

Tradition - that's with a capital "T" - are truths that were

handed down to the Apostles orally by our Lord. Listen

to the last verse of St. John's Gospel 21:25, "There are

also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to

be described individually, I do not think the whole world

would contain the books that would be written." What

does St. Paul have to say about tradition? In 2

Thessalonians 2:15, St. Paul says, "Therefore, brothers,

stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were

taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours."

In fact, in 2 Thessalonians 3:6, St. Paul says to “shun any

brother who conducts himself…not according to the

tradition they received from us.” Before the New

Testament was ever written, there was only the oral

teaching of the Apostles. These teachings have been

preserved and taught by the Catholic Church down

through the ages in Sacred Scripture and Sacred

Tradition. For further study: Matthew 15:1-9 John 21:25

2 Thessalonians 2:15 2 Thessalonians 3:6 ”

Excerpt from “A Minute in the Church” by Gus Lloyd. This book and three other books with one-minutes teachings about Catholic life and liturgy may be found in our bookrack in the vestibule.

————————————————————————————

SUMMER CHOIR

All Are Invited to Join Our Summer Choir! As with the past two years, we will have a ‘pick-up’ choir over the summer at the 11am Mass. Anyone wishing to sing should come at 10:15 in order to go over the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation and any special music we may have. A complete list of dates is below:

July 29 11am Pickup Choir (KoC says the

rosary at 10:30am, so practice will be brief)

August 5 11am Pickup Choir August 12 11am Pickup Choir August 19 11am Pickup Choir August 26 11am Pickup Choir

**Choir rehearsals will begin August 22 this year in order to have a rehearsal prior to the SFX Anniversary Mass on August 25. The choir will sing for this special Saturday evening Mass.**

ALTAR SERVERS! WE NEED TO HEAR

FROM YOU!

An anonymous donor heard about the Blue Crabs

game on August 10th and is donating the money for

your tickets. Please RSVP (either negative or

positive) as soon as possible so that we know how

many tickets to reserve!

Save These Dates!

Friday – August 10 – Parish Fundraising Event at Bluecrabs! Buy tickets for the game using our parish code, and the church gets $5!

Sunday – August 19 – Parish Dinner (and save the week before to help prepare!) Anniversary of St. Francis Xavier Chapel on St. George’s Island. Mass begins at 6pm, with a reception to follow in the Island Association Building. (NO 5PM MASS ON AUGUST 25!) Bottles and Brushes FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 St. George Community Center Come paint with our own parish artists!

Needed NOW for our August Dinner:

-Canning jars, pint and quart -Sugar -Vinegar -Cucumbers

Items can be brought to the parish office, or dropped off to Pat Bowes directly.

Volunteer & Change a Life at the St. Mary's County Fair,

September 20th-23rd. Each year the Catholic parishes of

St. Mary’s County have a unique opportunity to spread

the Good News of Christ and our Catholic Faith at the

County Fair. You have been called. Would you

prayerfully consider volunteering for a 2-hour shift at the

Catholic Evangelization booth? You don't need to be a

television evangelist or a Catholic theologian to inspire

others to know Christ. You can make a difference. If

interested, please see the following link on St. Aloysius'

home page to sign up or contact us at

http://www.saintaloysiuschurch.org/countyfair/.

JULY 22, 2018 SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

OUR PARISH FAITH FORMATION

YOUTH FAITH FORMATION (YFF) GRADES K-8

Registration for the 2018-2019 year is on-going. Please contact Mrs. Kim Browne,

kim.browne@stgeorgercc.org

Vacation Bible School July 23-27, 9am –

12pm SHIPWRECKED: RESCUED BY JESUS

Fee: $25 Registration for Participants (preschool to 5th

grade) and Volunteers (6th grade - 12th grade): In the Church Vestibule after Masses

Online: vbspro.events/p/fcf610

Adult Faith Formation

YOUTH MINISTRY

Youth Group is taking a break for the Summer. We are looking for a Youth Leader, if interested

please contact the church office.

OUR REGIONAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL (LFS)

LITTLE FLOWER SCHOOL Bingo every Wednesday, doors open at 5:30 pm; early bird

special starts at 6:45pm. Cash prizes! Food and drink are also

for sale.

Are you on social media? Don’t forget to “like” us on

Facebook (www.facebook.com/littleflowercatholic) and

“follow” us on Twitter and Instagram (@LFSpatriots)!

Interested in learning more about Little Flower School?

Call (301)994-0404 or (LFSoffice@littleflowercatholic.org).

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

Fr. Sebastien De Rose Council # 13091 Grand Knight: Christopher A. Wilcox

CWILCOX@MD.METROCAST.NET

Officers Installation Ceremony and Reception

Rehearsal: Friday, August 3rd at 6:00PM

Installation Ceremony:

Sunday, August 5th at 12:30pm Reception & program followed in the Community

Center

NEWS IN OUR AREA

Fri, July 27 Dinner and a film at St. Joseph Church,

Pomfret. Food starts at 6:30pm, film begins at 7:30pm. Celebrating the beauty of the Church’s teaching on married love, join us for a viewing of “Sexual Revolution: 50 Years Since Humanae Vitae,” a brand-new film that examines the effects of the free-love experiment of the Hippie Generation and the prophetic encyclical Humanae Vitae. Food, film and childcare all FREE (donations gratefully accepted). RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/StJoesMovie.

Sun, August 5 Vendor Show, Hollywood VFD Social Hall,

10am – 3pm. Free admission/free parking. ATM on site. Refreshments will be available for sale. Some of the participating Vendor are as follows: Arbonne, Avon, Buskins, Color Care, Dot Dot Smile, Doterra Oils, Herbal Life, It Works, Jamberry Nails, Jamby Styles, Leilah & Luke, Lemongrass Spa, Lilla Rose, Lime Light, LipSense, Longaberger, LulaRoe, Mary Kay, Melaleuca, Nu Skin, Origami Owl, Pampered Chef, Perfectly Posh, Plunder Jewelry, Pure Romance, Ring Bomb, Rodan & Fields, Scentsy, Sunset Stitches, Tastefully Simple, Thirty-One, Traveling Vineyard, Tupperware, Usborne Books, Young Living, Younique and MORE. We are still accepting applications for other Vendors such as Stampin Up, Creative Memories, Watkins, etc. etc. If you would like to participate please contact Leone Gatton at Vendorshow@hvfd7.com.

Sun, August 12 – 2nd District VFD Breakfast All-You-Can-Eat; 8am - 11am $10/Adults, $5/children(6 – 12) children (5 & under) - free; Menu: Scrambled Eggs, Home Fried Potatoes, Pancakes, French Toast, Sausage Links, Ham, Bacon, Creamed Chipped Beef, Sausage Gray, Spiced Applesauce, Grits, Hot Biscuits, Assorted Juices, Milk & Coffee; For more information call 301-994-9999 – NOTE: AUGUST BREAKFAST PRICE INCREASE TO $10.00 for ADULTS

Sat, August 25 Yard Sale, 2nd District VFD, Saturday; Time: 7am – 12pm; Reserve a space $10 (by 20th August) or mark your calendars to attend; For more information: Call Kelly at 240-299-5261 - Good time to get rid of items no longer needed!

Sat, September 15 2nd District VFD Chicken Carry-Out Dinner, 4pm – 6pm; Cost $12; Menu : 1/2 chicken; Coleslaw; Green beans; Parsley potatoes; & Dinner roll; Preorders Accepted; Contact Robin to preorder / for more information: at 301-737-4366(H) or 240-577-0270(C)

Sat, October 27 2nd District Craft and Vendor Fair,9am – 2pm; Reserve a space $2 (by 20th October) or mark your calendars to attend; For more information: Call Darlene at 240-434-1095 After 4pm.

Loyola on the Potomac, A Jesuit Retreat House, 60th Anniversary Luncheon Cruise Aboard the Spirit of

Washington: 600 Water St., SW, Washington, DC 20024, Sunday, Aug. 12, Boarding time: 10:45 am, Cruise time: 11:30 - 1:30 pm, Bountiful Luncheon Buffet, Cash bar, DJ Entertainment, Raffles. Tickets must be purchased from Loyola on the Potomac to get discounted price. $60 before July 15, $75 July 16 & later. For Reservations/Tickets Contact Alice Case @ 301-392-0819 or alice.case@loyolaretreat.org

JULY 22, 2018 SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Loyola on the Potomac 9th Annual Crab Feast Sunday, September 9, 2pm to 5pm, Menu: All you can eat on site crabs, fried chicken, hotdogs, hamburgers, potato salad, cole slaw, corn on the cobb, and watermelon, Beer, soft drinks, water. Early bird tickets Price $50 (by August 31), Children 7-12 $35, 6 & under free. After September 1, Adult ticket - $65. Contact Alice Case at 301-292-0819, alice.case@loyolaretreat.org, Sponsorship Opportunities Available

LOCAL PILGRIMAGES:

Save the Date - Mother of Africa Pilgrimage - The

archdiocesan Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach

invites you join a special Mother of Africa Pilgrimage

on Sunday, September 16 from 2-4pm in the Upper

Church at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the

Immaculate Conception (400 Michigan Ave., NE). For

further information contact Sandra Coles Bell at 301-

853-4469 or culturaldiversity@adw.org.

"Italia Bella" October 13-21, 2018. Rome • Castel

Gandolfo • Assisi • Florence • Tuscany • Venice • &

more... $3,600.00 - 9 days- Our prices include airfare

from your hometown and exclusively 4 or 5 star hotels

everywhere. Everything included except lunch and

insurance. Traditional Latin Mass daily. Join us! Father

Cusick speaks Italian fluently, lived in Italy for two

years as a Navy chaplain and has visited the country

extensively over the years since. Venite anche voi! Call

ProCatholic Tours at 612-730-2890 to register and for

more info or visit:

https://www.procatholictours.com/trip-

store/?action=trip_registration&tripid=1055

Join Fr. Rory T. Conley, pastor of St. Mary’s

Bryantown,on a pilgrimage to Rome, Sorrento, Naples,

Assisi and more. See firsthand the major shrines and

basilicas of Rome, visit the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican

museums, Padre Pio’s church where he received the

stigmata, the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano, and

much, more. Breakfast, lunch & dinner are included

and accommodations are first class. Dates: 10/13/19-

10-23/19 with a possible two day extension to Florence.

For more detailed information visit our website at

www.pilgrimages.cpm/frconley or contact Sam Oliver

at Samuel_oliver @comcast.net or at 301-848-3206.

Save the Date for World Youth Day in DC – January

26, 2019: Join thousands of college students and young

adults (ages 18-39) for a one-day Catholic festival at

The Catholic University of America. Experience World

Youth Day in Panama including world-renowned

speakers, live music, simultaneous streaming of Pope

Francis in Panama, and authentic Panamanian culture!

Registration begins late summer 2018, For more

information visit www.wyddc.org. #wydDC

REFLECTION ON THE SACRED SCRIPTURE JER 23: 1-6; PS 23: 1-6; EPH 2: 13-18; MK 6: 30-34

The First Reading is from the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah. Of all the books in the Bible Jeremiah is the longest Book in the Bible with more than 33,000 words. It is followed by Genesis; the longest book in the New Testament is Luke with more than 19,000 words.

Jeremiah was familiar with the writings of Isaiah although Isaiah lived about 200 years before he lived. Only once did Isaiah refer to the coming Messiah as a shepherd (Isaiah 40:11): “He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them against his breast.” We can certainly recognize the many images we have of Christ the Good Shepherd in that verse.

However, Jeremiah uses that point of reference more often, especially in today’s First Reading. Jeremiah writes, speaking in behalf of the Messiah, “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow.” That sounds very much like today’s Church that includes “all the lands.”

At the close of today’s reading Jeremiah says, “This is the name they give him: ‘The LORD our justice’.” Jeremiah, like most Books in the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. What we translate as “The LORD our justice” was Yahweh Tsidkenu in the original. Another translation of the Hebrew phrase is “He is Yahweh,” a clear indication that the Messiah is God, a part of the Holy Trinity. Finding Him described as a shepherd in the same reading is quite powerful.

At the time St. Paul was writing his letter to the Ephesians (our Second Reading), Paul was under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial. He was allegedly accused by the Jews of taking a Gentile into a temple. Therefore, part of Paul’s statement, “For he (Christ) is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,” is in defense and explanation. Not only can we relate this to Jeremiah’s statement about “all the lands,” but we also need to note that for Paul any wall of separation that once existed is gone because of the Messiah’s sacrifice. Paul is saying in effect to us if the Lordship of Jesus is not greater then any difference you may feel you have with others — be it political, racial, economic, language, or geography — then you (we) do not understand what it means to be under the Lordship of Jesus. Jesus is our Savior and our Shepherd.

The Gospel Reading from Mark shows some of the dissatisfaction the Apostles evidently had with the huge crowds who followed Jesus (and thus them), but again it is this idea of shepherding that lies at the heart of it. We are told in today’s Gospel, “When he (Jesus) disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” In other words, He began to feed them.

Jesus was meeting the most essential need any of us have, to be fed with the Word of God. That is what we do during this part of our Mass; we hear Holy Scripture. These are the Words of the Lord. He is, or should be, our shepherd. He is speaking to us in this way, and He speaks to us in many ways. And we are His sheep.