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MAY 31, 2020 • PENTECOST SUNDAY
Saints
902 East 9th Street • Hopkinsville, KY 42240
Peter & Paul C AT H O L I C C H U R C H
AND SCHOOL
Established 1872
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
We are a Roman Catholic Community of Christians called to be a priestly people, a household of faith, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a beacon of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apos-tolic Church shining for Jesus Christ in the heart of Christian County.
Rev. Fr. Richard Meredith, Pastor [email protected]
Rev. Fr. Michael Charles Abiero, Parochial Vicar [email protected]
Permanent Deacon, Mr. Tim Barnes [email protected] Permanent Deacon, Mr. Roberto Cruz [email protected] Permanent Deacon, Mr. Trinidad Soriano Permanent Deacon, Dr. Bill Sweet [email protected] PARISH OFFICE PHONE: (270) 885-8522 PARISH FAX: (270) 885-5296 PARISH WEBSITE: www.stsppchurch.org DIOCESAN WEBSITE: www.owensborodiocese.org VATICAN WEBSITE: www.vatican.va PARISH OFFICE HOURS: 8:00AM-12 NOON • 1:00 PM-4:00 PM MONDAY – FRIDAY
SCHOOL TELEPHONE: (270) 886-0172 SCHOOL FAX: (270) 887-9924 SCHOOL WEBSITE: www.stsppschool.org
Tru†h Radio WSPP 93.5 FM (Local Catholic Radio)
Saints Peter and Paul Assistance: 270-886-6027
Saints Peter and Paul Thrift Store: 270-632-1037 Store Hours M-F 10:00 am-3:00 pm. SECOND SATURDAY OF MONTH 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
MEMBERSHIP IN THE PARISH We give a sincere welcome to all new families moving into our Parish. Please register with the Parish Office as soon as possible. Families who plan to move from our parish
community are asked to let us know.
MASS SCHEDULE Saturday evening .................................... 5:00 PM Sunday ................................. 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM Misa en Español ............... 2:00 PM, 10:30 PM Monday - Saturday ................................ 8:00 AM Wednesday ......................................... 5:30 PM Thursday (en Español) ............................ 5:30 PM
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY
The Catholic Church teaches that the sexual abuse of any person is a grave moral evil. To report any instance of sexual abuse by anyone
acting in the name of the Catholic Church, (priests, deacon, employee or volunteer), please call the Diocesan Pastoral Assistance Coordina-tor, using the dedicated confidential phone-line (270-852-8380) as well as the Diocesan web site (www.owensborodiocese.org/safe).
† SACRAMENTS † † Reconciliation: Confessions will be heard Saturday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and Wednesday at 4:30 PM. Confessions will be heard any time by appointment.
† Baptism: Baptismal Preparation Class - Our next class will be announced. Please call the Parish Office to register.
† Marriage: Contact the Office six months prior to the desired date.
2
Parish Pastoral Council
Lana Bastin, Administration ...…...……...…[email protected] Stephanie Blankenberger, Principal…[email protected] Jan Buckner, Family Life ....…………[email protected] Dee Dailey, Vice Chair & Worship..….…[email protected] Libby Downs, Pastoral Associate ..….…….…[email protected] Hilda Gonzalez, Social Concerns.………. [email protected] Fran Marko, Secretary ………….……………[email protected] Morgan Murray, Chair & Spiritual Life…..….……[email protected] Robert Tyree, Education….……………[email protected]
PARISH OFFICE Tom Buehrle ([email protected])….........................Director Of Stewardship Brenda Chaudoin ([email protected])....……..…. Parish Office Mgr. Libby Downs ([email protected])............................Pastoral Associate
Leigh Ann Johnson ………………….………Parish Assistance Coordinator Steve Kinnard ([email protected])...……….Maintenance Foreman Angie Phillips ([email protected])…………….....Thrift Store Mgr. Mayra Tirado ([email protected])…………Hispanic Ministry Asst. Sue Wassmer([email protected])............................Parish Secretary Dan Wilkinson([email protected])………...Parish Music Director
SCHOOL OFFICE
Stephanie Blankenberger
([email protected])….......School Principal Jaime Embry ([email protected])…………….….. Reception/SCRIP Jennifer Groves ([email protected])………….…. School Secretary
MINISTRY TO THE SICK
Please notify the Parish Office upon admission of a family member into any hospital or nursing home. Any parishioner who is ill or infirm may request anointing in extreme emer-
gency by calling the Parish Office, 270-885-8522.
PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
This is a devotion whereby members of the parish unite in tak-ing hours of Adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament dur-ing the day and throughout the night, seven days a week. (Code required.) There is a regular schedule of adorers but all are welcome to stop in for a visit. Parishioners are encouraged to sign up for a scheduled weekly Adoration time. Please con-tact Bill & Jenny Rush at 270-885-2888, if you are interested in adopting an hour or if you can be a substitute or prayer partner Available hours: Sunday 12am, Monday 2am & 4 pm, Wednesday 2am, Thursday 5 pm & 6 pm, Saturday 1am, 9 pm & 10 pm. Need prayer partners Tuesday 9am & Saturday 9 pm. Please help!!
School News
Father, Creator of all, thank You for summer!
Thank you for the warmth of the sun and the increased daylight.
Thank You for the beauty I see all around me and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy
Your creation. Thank You for the increased time I have to be with my
friends and family, and for the more casual pace of the summer season.
Draw me closer to You this summer.
Teach me how I can pray no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Warm my soul with the awareness of Your presence and light my path with Your Word and Counsel.
As I enjoy Your creation, create in me a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for You.
Amen
MAY 31, 2020 • PENTECOST SUNDAY 3
tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and be-gan to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” Acts 2: 1-4
Marlee Thomas: Congratulations to Marlee Thomas. Marlee is the daughter of Chris and Melodie Thomas and her two brothers, Noah and Landry Thom-as. Marlee has graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Masters of Social Work. She plans to work with our Pennyroy-al Mental Health Center here in Hopkinsville while continuing her education as she aspires to be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. (LCSW). We are so happy for you Marlee.
Charles Wade Garnett: We congratulate Charles Wade Garnett. Charles Wade is the son of Lynn and Billy Garnett and his sisters Lindsay, Eliza-beth, Virginia, Theresa and Anna Garnett. Charles enlisted in the Army has just completed his basic training in South Carolina. He will continue on to Ala-bama for training to be a Helicopter pilot. Let us keep Charles Wade in our prayers.
Get Well Cards: We need your HELP! Could you please help us by sending cards to the following people to help cheer them and wish them to get well soon? 1. Thelma Budias – Christian Health Center, 200 Sterling
Drive, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 2. Linda Combs – Bradford Heights Health and Rehab,
950 Highpoint Drive, Hopkinsville, KY 42240 3. Carol Johnson – Bradford Heights Health and Rehab,
950 Highpoint Drive, Hopkinsville, KY 42240
Pentecost Sunday: Pentecost Sunday is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church, celebrated early enough to be
mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (20:16) and St. Paul's First Let-ter to the Corinthians (16:8). It is the 50th day after Easter (if we count both Easter and Pentecost), and it sup-plants the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which took place 50 days after the Passover and which celebrated the sealing of the Old Covenant on
Mount Sinai. The Acts of the Apostles recounts the story of the original Pentecost as well (Acts 2). Jews from all over were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feast. On that Sunday, ten days after our Lord's Ascension, the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary were gathered in the Upper Room, where they had seen Christ after His Resurrec-tion: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. [Acts 2:2-4] Christ had promised His Apostles that He would send His Holy Spirit, and, on Pentecost, they were granted the gifts of the Spirit. The Apostles began to preach the Gospel in all of the languages that the Jews who were gathered there spoke, and about 3,000 people were converted and bap-tized that day. That is why Pentecost is often called "the birthday of the Church." On this day, with the descent of the Holy Spir-it, Christ's mission is completed, and the New Covenant is inaugurated. It's interesting to note that St. Peter, the first pope, was already the leader and spokesman for the Apos-tles on Pentecost Sunday (see Acts 2:14ff). In years past, Pentecost was celebrated with greater solemnity than it is today. In fact, the entire period between Easter and Pente-cost Sunday was known as Pentecost (and it still is called Pentecost in the Eastern churches, both Catholic and Ortho-dox). During those 50 days, both fasting and kneeling were strictly forbidden, because this period was supposed to give us a foretaste of the life of Heaven. In more recent times, parishes celebrated the approach of Pentecost with the public recitation of the Novena to the Holy Spirit. While most parishes no longer publicly recite the novena, many individual Catholics do. Come, Holy Spirit!
“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them
Welcome Back!!! As we return to opening the church
for public Mass,
please be patient as we do our best to keep our parishioners safe.
A mask must be worn during Mass and
an usher will seat each person to stay within the CDC
guidelines of social distancing.
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY 4
Altar Linens Ministry: Just a reminder with the Holy Mass now being celebrated on our regular schedule, the Alar Linen Ministry returns to their tasks of cleaning and preparing our linens for each Mass. We thank you so much for your service to our parish. If you have any questions, please call Mary Ann Keel.
Commodities Distribution: Aaron McNeil’s next commodity food distribution will be Saturday, June 6th from 8:30 am-11:00 pm. The distribution will be held at the Western Ken-tucky State Fairgrounds located at 2810 Richard Street here in Hopkinsville. Items are given out on a first come first come basis. Photo ID or any other proof of Christian County residency is required. They ask everyone to “Please have your trunk open and cleared out so we can place the food items there.”
Used Postage Stamps: Remember to save your used stamps from your Christmas cards for Sister Miriam, better known as the “Stamp Sister” at the Sisters of Charity Moth-erhouse at Nazareth. For those new to our parish, we collect the used stamps from mail we receive at home (when you cut them off your envelope, make sure not to cut to close) and send them to Sister Miriam. If you want to also help by saving and sending her your used stamps, you can just put them in an envelope and place them in the collection basket or bring to the office. Then we send them to Sister Mariam with the Sisters of Charity. These in turn are used for their missions in Be-lize.
Parish Office Summer Hours: Please be aware that during the summer months (when school is not in session) the parish office hours will be Monday thru Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Fridays: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00-Noon. These hours are in effect thru Friday, July 31st.
During this Pandemic we ask the following: - Please call first to make an appointment (270) 885-
8522. - All visitors must wear a mask and complete a COVID-19
Screening when arriving at the office. COVID-19 Screening: 1. Do you have a new or recent onset of cough or shortness
of breath? OR at least 2 of the following symptoms: 2. Chills, shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore
throat or loss of taste and smell. 3. Your temperature will be taken. (no admittance if
100.1 or above) 4. Additional Questions:
- Have you traveled out of the tri-state area in the last 14 days? - Have you had close contact with someone with con-
firmed or suspected COVID19 without Personal Pro-tective Equipment in the last 14 days?
Surprise Birthday Party: Imelda Gorman was surprised. Her 8 children planned a surprise Birthday party this past Saturday, May 23rd as she celebrated her 92nd Birthday. Her family had a tent set up for her on the grounds of UHA and people drove by honking their horns and wishing her a very happy birthday. The look on Imelda’s face in the pic-ture tells us how much she truly enjoyed being with her fami-ly and her happy birthday wishing friends. We are so hap-py for you Imelda!
Birthday: Shh – Mums the Word! We have two parishioners who will be celebrating signif-icant birthdays on Friday, June 5th.
1. Gertrude Flood will be celebrating her 100th birthday. If you would like to send her a card or note, her ad-dress is 234 Oxford Street, Hopkins-ville, KY 42240. Another idea would be to drive by her house and blow your horn as a way of remem-bering her on this day. May she continue to be blessed with good health and spunk.
2. Lillian Cotthoff will be celebrating her 94th birthday. If you would like to send her a Birthday card or note, her address is: Lillian Cotthoff, Christian Health Center, 200 Ster ling Drive, Hopkinsville, KY 42240.
Our Blessed Mother: We give thanks to Jenny and Bill Rush as they cleaned out Mary’s flower garden and crowned her as Queen of Heaven and Earth as we celebrate with Mary in a special way during this month of May.
MAY 31, 2020 • PENTECOST SUNDAY 5
Monday, June 1
THE BLESDSED VIRGIN MARY,
MOTHER OF THE CHURCH
8:00 am † PEDRO & OLGA MONTEJOS
Tuesday, June 2 STS. MARCELINUS & PETER
8:00 am † BRANDON WASSMER
Wednesday, June 3
ST. CHARLES LWANGA &
COMPANIONS
8:00 am NO MASS
5:30 pm FR. RICHARD MEREDITH
Thursday, June 4
8:00 am †
GEORGE & LOUISE MCSHANE
BROCKMAN & JOHN BUCKO
5:30 pm † POOR SOULS IN PURGATORY
Friday, June 5 ST. BONIFACE
8:00 am † OPAL HORTON
Saturday, June 6 ST. NORBERT
8:00 am FR. PAUL ANTHONY HALLADAY
5:00 pm † EMMANUEL BATTAH
Sunday, June 7 THE MOST HOLY TRINIITY
8:00 am MIKE & BONNIE HANEY & FAMILY
10:30 am GERTRUDE FLOOD
2:00 pm Spanish † ALAN BAKER
10:30 pm Spanish FOR ALL PEOPLE
† Indicates Requiem Mass
SANCTUARY LAMP
IN MEMORY OF WILMA VILLINGER
Father’s Day Cards: Once again this year we are offering Father’s Day (Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21st) Spiritual Bouquets Mass Cards. The packet includes one card and envelope to be sent to your father as we honor all fathers for their many blessings to our lives. The second enve-lope contained in this packet needs to be completed and sent to the church. Please include your loved one’s name and your name and address. For your convenience, these Father’s Day Mass Cards are available this weekend in the Narthex. These cards can be found on the table outside the door during the weekend Masses. Please take as many as you need.
“A society will be judged on the basis of how it treats its weak-est members and among the most vulnerable are surely the
unborn and the dying.” Pope John Paul II. “Address to the New Ambassador of New Zealand to
the Holy See.”
Priests Anniversaries: Below you will find the names of those priests celebrating anniversaries in the month of May. These priests have served here at Saints Peter and Paul or are mem-bers of our parish family. We have also included their current mailing address in case you wish
Mass Intentions Readings for the week of May 31, 2020 Sunday: Acts 2:1-11/Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31,34/ 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13/Jn 20:19-23 Monday: Gn 3:9-15, 20 or Acts 1:12-14/Ps 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7/Jn 19:25-34 Tuesday: 2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18/Ps 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 and 16/Mk 12:13-17 Wednesday: 2 Tm 1:1-3, 6-12/Ps 123:1b-2ab, 2cdef/ Mk 12:18-27 Thursday: 2 Tm 2:8-15/Ps 4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14/ Mk 12:28-34 Friday: 2 Tm 3:10-17/Ps 119:157, 160, 161, 165, 166, 168/Mk 12:35-37 Saturday: 2 Tm 4:1-8/Ps 71:8-9, 14-15ab, 16-17, 22/Mk 12:38-44 Next Sunday: Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9/Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55,56/ 2 Cor 13:11-13/Jn 3:16-18 Lpi©
to send a card to them. 1. Fr. Larry Hostetter – May 30, 1987; Brescia University,
717 Frederica St., Owensboro, KY 42301 2. Fr. Daniel Dillard – May 30, 2009; St. Mary Parish,
P.O. Box 388, Franklin, KY 42135 3. Fr. Joshua McCarty – May 30, 2009; St. Joseph Parish,
113 South 3rd Street, Central City, KY 42330 4. Fr. Michael Charles Ajigo Abiero – May 31, 2015;
Saints Peter and Paul 5. Fr. Richard Meredith – June 3, 1978
Budget News May 24, 2020
Contributing Households
Envelopes 51 $4,649
Online Donations/EFT 10 $805
Loose collection Cash $257
Loose collection Checks 20 $4,945
Weekly Total 81 $10,656
Weekly Parish Budget Needs $20,500
2019/20 Diocesan Assessment due 6/2020 $39,375
SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY 6
free on line for these families and children as they continue their preparation. Parents, please help your daughter or son to continue their desire to join us at the table of the Lord. If you need assis-tance you may contact their teacher or Libby in the parish office. We ask you to pray for our children preparing for the Sacrament of First Eucharist who include: Marilyn Gabriel, Christopher Galde-an, Anthony Hernandez, Tripp Larimore, Isabel Litchfield, Ashly Lopez, Bruno Messina, Piero Messina, Yoel Peña, Adri-an Rodriguez, Isabel Sewell, Liam Siver, Lily Siver, Lucas Stine, and Jorge Uribe.
Update - Confirmation Preparation: This past week Bishop Medley notified all parishes that all Confirmations sched-uled for April and May will be postposed (Saints Peter and Paul was due to cele-brate Confirmation on Sunday, May 17th.). He further adds that there is no point in rescheduling these Confirmation Celebra-tions at this time until we have a better indication of when the new normal takes effect. So at this time, a date has not been determined. What we must focus on here at Saints Peter and Paul is continuing our prepara-tion so that when the time comes, we are ready to celebrate this Sacrament of the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Parents, please help by encouraging this continued preparation and submitting their work back to the teacher. Libby will be in contact with all students this week as several items are needed. Remember to your Patron Saint report to Libby at [email protected]. This is essential. Please keep in prayer those preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation who include: Esmeralda Bautista, Addie Galvan, Jackie Ginez, Livie Jorgensen, Bryan Linares, Martin Nguyen, Thieng Nguyen, Aaron Oñate, Esther Pepple, Emma Petrie, Michelle Salas and Lucy Wilkins.
Materials for Families with Children: There is an online company that has a resource “Worship@Home Family Litur-gy” of the Word services for families with children. It has the Sunday readings in a children’s version, and the text from the Lectionary, and slide shows and videos of children. The resource is free but you can make a free will offering at check out. After subscribing and purchase, they send a link you can share through social media each week. Here are the link: https://pastoral.center/worship-at-home.
Relay for Life: Covid-19 has affected every aspect of our lives. One thing that has not changed is our fight against
CANCER. The 2020 Chris-tian County Relay for Life will be moved from Friday, June 5, 2020 to Friday, July 31, 2020 at the Plant-ers Bank Jennie Stuart Health Sportsplex Hopkins-
ville. Please change this on your calendar as we hope you
will join us, the Saints Peter and Paul Relay for Life Team.
If you would like a Saints Peter and Paul Relay for Life T-Shirt and decal, we have plenty available. T-shirts are $15.00 and Decals $10.00. If you would like a t-shirt or a decal, please see Libby Downs or Robert Hilgartner or any of our Relay for Life Team members. All our fundrais-ing efforts are ways we can assist the American Cancer Society and our friends in raising awareness and to help fund the good things ACS does in our community assisting
with families faced with cancer.
Parents and Youth: We are in a weird time and it looks like there might be a sliver of hope at the end of the tunnel. We will not be meeting for the rest of the month of May and for the whole month of June. However, the moment we are able to have 50 people in a gathering space we will start having some fun summer events. Our hope is that this starts happening in July. Do know that everyone is in our prayers?
Attention First Holy Communion Children and Parents: Though we are not gathering for our PSR Classes, our chil-dren preparing for First Holy Communion have been con-tacted by their teachers. A link to our “Blessed” First Holy Communion program through Dynamic Catholic is available
Please Pray for our Deployed Military & Families
Ryan Harrison & Trey Johnston
In Need of Prayers… Bradford Heights – Lynda Combs, Carol Johnson Carriage Way Assisted Living- Eleanor Rogers, Albert Weakly Covington Convalescent– Pat Chesnut Western State Nurs-ing Facility- Debbie Dickerson, Ellen Jones Christian Health Center- Thelma Budias, Lillian Cotthoff, Norma Downs, Barbara Holubecki, Christine Mills Others.. Helen Allard, Dick & Jackie Arnold, Sher-ry Beck, Ruth Britt, Carolyn Brown, Helen Brown, Judy Brummett, Adley Shay Buckner, Colleen Buehrle, Sherry Calhoun, Sam Chesnut, Martha Fowler, Nancy Freeman, Jim Gorman, Bill Han-cock, William Hancock, Bill Henney, Heather Jeffries, Leigh Ann Johnson, Tony Jones, Charlie Keel, Jane Lucas, Kathy Lytle, WP Meredith III, Joe Mezzoni Sr., Jim Milazzo, Cecelia Omundson, Teresa Pazin, Martha Reed, Tara & Dylan Rush, Al Rutland, Frank Selph, Mary Catherine Smith, Beth Snyder, Rocky Spader, Mike & Marilyn Stocker, Georgiann Svestka, Mary Swicicki, Jerry & Ber-nie Thomas, Ron Todd, Clyde Wallace, Helen Winstead, James Wittschack, Pamela Mezzoni Wofford. Names will remain on the this list for 1 month.
MAY 31, 2020 • PENTECOST SUNDAY 7
day began a life of participation in the Holy Trinity by the Church which has waxed and waned, ebbed and flowed with divine vitality ever since. Those whom the Father draws to Jesus Christ his Son by the working of the Holy Spirit are invited to participate in the very life of God with the mission of inviting others to friendship and life with God in Jesus Christ. As Cursillo puts it: “Be a friend; Make a friend; Bring a friend to Jesus Christ.” This has been the order of the day ever since that first Pentecost. Today, well, with every pope since Paul VI, this basic plan is being called a “new evangelization.” It is ever new, but sometimes lost track of by Christians who are also always sinners in need of regular conversion and reconciliation. Jesus told the parable of the ten Bridesmaids waiting through the night to welcome the Bride Groom when he should arrive. Knowing that they would have an indefinite period of watching and waiting, the wise ones brought an ample supply of oil for their lamps. Even as they drifted off in sleep, their lamps kept brightly burning, ready with an extra supply of fuel for the unknown hour. Friends stay ready for the Friend on his way to visit, ready to open the door and greet him when he should arrive. In this parable, Jesus was speaking to his friends, that they each guard the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of divine Friendship, the per-petual light of life in God. That same light of Christ is a compass for the disciple and a beacon toward friendship with God in this world. It is born of Pentecost. It is birthed in Baptism. It is sealed and commissioned by the Father’s hand in Confirmation. It is incarnated within us in Eucharistic communion. It heals, replenishes and renews in Reconcilia-tion. It is daily, bodily sacrifice bearing new life and friend-ship in Marriage. It unites to the Crucified and Risen Lord in Anointing of the Sick. It assimilates to Christ the Servant and High Priest in Holy Orders. It is made living Sacrament in the Church and in each of the members of the Body of Christ. It is already the beginning of the New Creation in this still fallen and conflicted world of sinners, who in Jesus Christ are nonetheless even now children of God. A blessed Pentecost to the Church in this pandemic year. Fr. Richard
Dear Lord,
Prepare me for the coming week. Take away my worries and my regrets. Recharge my soul and renew my hope.
Please go before me, clear the way and protect me. Bring the right people into my life.
Help me to look for and always see the good in others. Guide me with Your love and give me Your joy.
Bless my family and friends and be with them this week. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Pastor’s Greeting, PENTECOST DURING THE 2020 PANDEMIC Prayer has greater urgency dur-ing a crisis. Jesus himself taught us to pray for deliverance from evil. Prayer for the Holy Spirit is a prayer for the
providential gift of the Father in our great need. This is also how Jesus teaches us to pray as to the most wise and loving of fathers. I know that as I pray I must also ask for the grace and light to perceive the Father’s answer to my prayer. It is my intention not to tell God what to do, to present my need as I know it, but for God to answer my prayer as he knows my need. So, prayer is also for guid-ance in the Holy Spirit so that I might be in union with Jesus as he prays and as he receives the Father’s answer to our prayer. I aim that all my hope and trust may be in Jesus Christ. I am sure that the Father always delivers us through Jesus Christ by the Paschal Mystery of his Cross and Resur-rection. Jesus is immediate to each of us and to the Father. Enthroned at the Father’s right hand, Jesus Christ receives our prayers and responds, sending the Holy Spirt from the Father to meet our needs. [See Luke 11:5-13.] It is this mystery which the “Gloria” of the Mass sings and cele-brates. It is intensely personal, particular, and ecclesial—all at the same time. This is how I believe I pray as a Chris-tian, as a Catholic, and as a priest. When I speak to the Father, I am saying “Abba” with Jesus and in Jesus. The Father, loves, sees, and hears me in the Holy Spirit—as he loves, sees, and hears his eternal, beloved Son. This inter-relationship exists in the embrace of the Holy Spirit, an embrace into which I have been joined by Christ through the Sacraments of Christian faith. I have entered into and seek to abide in the on-going mys-tery of the Incarnation continued and extended through time by way of the Church and the Sacraments of the Church. The Sacraments are living incarnations of the Gos-pel proclaimed by Jesus and the Apostles. As the Church today celebrates the Sacraments faithfully in the Apostolic Tradition, Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate, continues his own ministry among us by the power of the Holy Spirit. The present day minister of the Sacrament is the willing, living instrument, Christ’s personal agent enacting his living Gospel among us. The Lord brings to us today the very fruits of his death and resurrection—his expiation, atone-ment, redemption, mercy, and the seed of the new creation. The Church receiving the Sacraments is receiving participa-tion in the very same mystery. Just think, if they are believ-ing and willing, Christian spouses are both ministers of and recipients of the Paschal Mystery in living their Sacrament of Marriage, offering themselves bodily each day in Christ, living sacrifices in him, as Saint Paul says: their “spiritual worship.” [See Romans 12:1; Ephesians 5:21-33.] Pentecost, understood to be the birthday of the Church, is the birthday of all of the Sacraments of the Church. It is the culmination of all that God, the Holy Trinity, accom-plished for us from the Cross to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in power upon the Apostolic Church. That inaugural
