Our Lady of the Desert Church

7101 West Picture Rocks Road, Tucson, AZ 85743

Phone: 520-744-3400 Email: office@desertrenewal.org

Website: www.desertrenewal.org

July 26, 2020

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Redemptorist Community

Church Rector

Rev. Ed Vella, C.Ss.R.

Associates

Rev. Tony Nguyen, C.Ss.R.

Director of Renewal Center

Local Redemptorist Superior

Rev. Pat Grile, C.Ss.R.

Rev. Jim Shea, C.Ss.R

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bro. William Cloughley, C.Ss.R.

Rev. Peter Connolly, C.Ss.R.

Rev. Ricardo Elford, C.Ss.R. Borderlands Outreach

Rev. Tom Fransiscus, C.Ss.R.

Rev. Lamar Partin, C.Ss.R. Pastor, Santa Catalina Parish

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Deacon

Rev. Mr. Ken McNealy

Choir

Hope Sullivan, Music Director

Liturgical Ministers/

Compliance Officer

Kelly Mooney

Bob Jones

Bulletin Editor

Alexis Murrieta

Knights of Columbus

Herbert Colon

Grand Knight

David VanderLinde

Deputy Grand Knight

Welcome: The Redemptorist Community and Pastoral

Staff of the Redemptorist Renewal Center extends a warm and loving welcome to all who come here to pray and worship in our church. We are a community that welcomes all people as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. Together we are the body of Christ, living and active today.

Our Lady of the Desert Dear Church Family,

Tough decisions. The administration of the Redemptor ist Renewal Center is doing everything reasonably possible to adjust to our ongoing financial challenges. This reality is directly caused by the pandemic situation. Scheduled group and individual retreats in the months of July and August and much of September are presently few to none. Many have had to cancel or postpone. This makes a tough situation even tougher. I know that most if not all families are going through their own financial challenges and your own tough decisions have to be made. So I know you understand well the situation.

Church building of Our Lady of the Desert. As you know, in order to cut costs we have turned off the A/C in the church building and most buildings on the property. Since it is used as a public space, we cannot keep the church building unlocked unless we are able to guarantee that the church and bathrooms are kept constantly disinfected. We adhere to this CDC and Diocesan directive. Due to our present Redemptorist Renewal Center financial situation, employees have been laid off or had hours drastically reduced. Some are working by donating their time. Thus, the necessary trained disinfecting is not possible. I do not wish to compromise the public's safety. I know that some are not happy with the decision to keep the church locked. I don't like it myself and I agreed to and helped make the decision. It does bring home the reality of the seriousness of the present pandemic, which unfortunately too many in society are not taking seriously. The Renewal Center does take it seriously though. This decision not only reduces costs even more, but lessens the continuing risk of spreading contagion. There are some churches nearby that have the means to remain open for private prayer during this time. You might want to look around for private prayer. At this time we are limiting the number of persons overall who visit our property. We also take into consideration the fact that the property serves as a residence for the Redemptorist Community, most of whom are vulnerable to the virus. Someone said to me that this decision is unprecedented. I agree. We live in an unprecedented reality now! I look forward to the day when it is over.

Stewardship. The office remains open. Please wear a mask and follow distancing protocols. We take very seriously our obligation to good use of your stewardship. That is, the responsible use of the sacrificial giving that you make so generously out of love and commitment to the Redemptorist Mission here in Tucson. For your convenience we offer online stewardship gifting at http://desertrenewal.org/fees-and-rates/ or you may mail in your stewardship or bring it to the office. Since our church building has the power turned off and is remaining locked for the time being, the Stewardship envelopes are now found in the front office

Office hours. The office hours are as follows but subject to change. Please call ahead of time at 520-744-3400. Monday - Friday: 8 am - 4pm and Sunday: 8 am - 3pm.

Online weekend Mass. We continue to record the weekend Mass. You will notice that the venue is a pr ivate chapel, rather than the main church. Each weekend I will send an email alert of the Mass posting on YouTube. If you subscribe (it’s free) to our YouTube Channel, you will automatically receive it in your email. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy9X4IXEaR31PVIFMU6eRAO2rOx6tV9Th Morning of Retreat on Saturday, August 1. We still plan to hold the morning of retreat on August 1st. Please see the flyer in this bulletin and call the office to register by Monday. We must have a minimum number of registrations, so call soon. The location has been changed to the Ironwood Room.

We Redemptorists remember you in our daily community prayers. May God bless you abundantly! Please contact us if there is anything we can do for you. Feel free to call or email me (vellacssr@earthlink.net).

Photo of Harry the tarantula on the prowl, taken by Fr. Peter Connolly at the Redemptorist rectory

~Fr. Ed Vella, C.Ss.R.~

Our mission is to be a place where the contemplative spirit of the human person may be discovered, fed and nourished. It is a place, an oasis in the Sonoran Desert, where Individuals encounter God and “feel the burn” of the Holy Spirit.

If you request additional envelopes, the envelopes will

be available the following weekend in the box on the table by the candles in the front office.

For your convenience, know that you may come during office hours

to personally offer your stewardship, or mail it in, or use the

following link and specify y our donation. Click here:

http://desertrenewal.org/fees-and-rates/

SUNDAY COLLECTION July 18-19, 2020 $ 6,665.00

Redemptorist Renewal Center office hours are as follows:

Monday - Saturday:

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sundays:

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

-Fr. Ed

Please Take Note:

OUR SICK

“The desert will lead you to your heart where I will speak.”

OUR DECEASED Please remember in your prayers:

(Month/Year)

Ed Bumby (6/20) Michael J. Connolly (2/20)

Maureen Connolly (2/20)

John Dallas (8/19) Carolyn Hasenoehrl (6/20)

Robert Heyer (10/19)

John Hoelzel (10/19)

Thomas Jackson (5/20)

Marcia Janicki (9/19)

Ray Kovash (6/20) Ralph Long (2/20)

Dave Miller (2/20)

Robert E. Muckley (12/19)

Margaret O’Connell (2/20)

Joseph Plamondon (7/20)

Consuelo Piccarella (7/19)

Joseph Piccarella (9/19)

Aidan Martel Santoyo (7/19)

Tom Weiss (9/19)

Please pray for others in our community who are struggling with various illnesses.

Marge Beymer DCN Joe Bogushefsky Peggy Calabro Pat Celentano Berlyn Hodges Sherry Iavagnilio Kim Judkins

Jo Kovash

Suzanne Kraft

Virginia Lester

Jack Lehmkuhl

Harriet Lewandowski

Billie Marshall

Philip Oberstar

Jim Oliver

Kathy O’Toole

Mark Paris

Paul Person

Pat Pion

Alice Rigney

Walter Ross

Aubrey Scarbrough

Chuck Sensale

Jane Welti

Kathy Zeches

Ernie Zeches

**Julio A. Burroughs

**Fr. Paul Coury - Happy Birthday

**Tracy McNamara-Happy Birthday

**David Miller (d)

**Sheridan & Mary Shea (d)

**Mike Gallagher (d)

**Ray Kovash (d)

**Ed Bumby (d)

**Special Intentions

** Paul & Louise Guley (d)

**Velma Starman (d)

**Spiritual Progress

of Redemptorists

**Christopher Mattis(d) and

all who battle depression and

mental illness

UPCOMING EVENTS

SoulShine -is a 12 Step group designed to meet the needs of recovering addicts. The primary focus is on codependency, but we are open to all persons suffering from any type of addictive behavior. Our meeting format follows that of A.A. and includes recovery readings. Come learn to love yourself better, free yourself from addictive thinking and allow your soul to shine! Every WEDNESDAY, 7:00- 8:30 pm. The SoulShine Online CoDA Zoom Room starts at 6:30 pm for anyone who wants to join early and visit before the meeting starts at 7:00 pm.

https://arizona.zoom.us/j/965541204

Seeds of the Word Book Club: Our next book club meeting will be Wednesday, September 30th, from 2-3 pm in the Ironwood Room (across from the RRC pool). We’ll be discussing Anthony Lilles and Dan Burke’s book, LIVING THE MYSTERY OF LOVE: 30 Days with Thérèse of Lisieux (discussion of which was postponed due to the Coronavirus shutdown). Lilles and Burke lay out Thérèse’s program for a deeper relationship with God in this

presentation of her intimate letters to her sisters and close friends. The RRC bookstore still has a few copies in stock. Please join us, even if you have not read the book!

Please note that we will have the discussion as a Zoom call September 30th at 2 PM if the RRC remains closed in September. Well make the final decision by the end of August.

GriefShare - will take place on Saturday mornings on Zoom or conference call from 10-12.

To register or for more information: contact, June or Stan Wood 520.219.2919. or at Jwls1@earthlink.net

Scripture Prayer Group - meets via zoom each Tuesday from 7-8pm. For more details email John Davenport at: john@davenport.net, or call 440.478.1203.

Redemptorist Associates - All meetings are taking place via zoom. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the Redemptorist Lay Associates, please contact Jenny Martin 520.461.9001 or Fr. Ed Vella 520.744.3400.

**Mass Intentions

Be assured that the

Redemptorists will celebrate private Masses for these specific

intentions, as requested .