The Spiritual Practice of Hospitality David Rynick

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1 FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE Welcoming people to our congregations isn't a duty; it's a way to encounter the mystery and wonder of life. When we hear the term spiritual practice, most of us think of something radically different and more exotic than our everyday lives and actions. But I believe the Sufi poet Hafiz points to the heart of the matter when he says, Everything is sacred. In other words, spiritual practice is what we do here and now with the intention of moving closer to what is most true and alive for us. I want to suggest an approach to the ongoing question of how we welcome people into our communities that I call the spiritual practice of hospitality. Practicing hospitality is not something we can appoint people to do, nor is it a set of techniques or behaviors we use on new people. Rather, it is an individual work of intentional action, action that creates the quality of relationships in our churches that will nourish newcomers and longtime members alike. Practicing hospitality expresses our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of each person. Through our actions of hospitality we move towards creating a world in which we are all treated with justice, equality, and compassion. It is easy to imagine that the spiritual journey is about something other than our daily life. But in fact, the spiritual journey is our everyday life. How do we choose to meet and live each moment? We are always practicing something. Every thing we do has some consequence to our spirit, and as the existentialists tell us, what we do repeatedly becomes who we are. When our actions spring from our deepest truth, we become more alive and aligned. When our actions are out of step with what is most true in our core, we are left feeling disconnected and diminished. Feeling the lack of something essential, we begin to look outside ourselves for something to grab hold of. But most religious traditions teach that what we are seeking is right here. Jesus said, The kingdom of God is within you. Kabir writes, He is the breath within the breath. Zen Buddhists say that we are already enlightened. So, too, does the spiritual practice of hospitality suggest that what we are looking for the mystery of aliveness can be found as we encounter each other. Rather than pursuing paths that lead us away from this moment, we can use our practice of hospitality to encounter ourselves and our world in all their vividness and particularity: right here, right now, with this person in front of me. In a true encounter with another human being, we come face to face with the mystery of life. In some way, every other person, no matter how well we know them, will remain as mysterious to us as a country across the ocean we only read about in books. When we judge other people or other countries by our native standards, we miss the richness and texture of their life and wisdom. We need to learn to be good tourists to be curious and respectful. We need to appreciate both what is the same and The Spiritual Practice of Hospitality David Rynick what is different. Too often we get stuck in the trap of believing we already know who someone else is. But whenever we encounter another human being with respect for this essential unknown, we create the possibility for something genuinely new to emerge. In every interaction, whether it is with a stranger or our longtime partner, we can be surprised by what we have not yet seen or even imagined. Zen teacher Uchiyama once observed, Everything you encounter is yourself. Because we believe other people exist only outside of us, we forget that our experience of them is always a personal experience. We see them through the filters of our idiosyncratic experience, beliefs, and senses. The resulting picture becomes a combination of who they are and of who we are. In that sense, we are part of everything that we encounter. So this journey of hospitality is simultaneously outward and inward; we are always meeting ourselves in the form of the other. It is possible to view hospitality as a duty, as something that imposes a claim on our attention from the outside. But I believe that as spiritual practice, hospitality becomes something quite different, an act of mutual beneficence undertaken in a spirit of selfdiscovery. As I approach welcoming as an expression of who I am, I realize that as I greet you, I also greet myself. I am not doing this act for your sake only. In fact I should be grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to move deeper into my life, to align my actions with my deepest values, and to encounter the mystery of life in this moment. In true hospitality, we are both giving and receiving at the same time. The traditional hierarchy dissolves into something more equalitarian, and the duty becomes an opportunity. The spiritual practice of hospitality is a radical act that requires a new way of being for those of us who wish to practice it. It requires that we go beyond being nice and polite. It requires that we break unwritten rules governing polite social interaction: Smile but don t get too close. Don t ask questions that might make you or the other person uncomfortable. Don t name what is really going on. Don t ask for what you really want. None of us really believes these unwritten rules, yet they govern most of our interactions and keep us from creating the deeper and nourishing connections we all seek. Breaking the rules is never easy. Let me suggest three important things to do as a church if you are serious about becoming more welcoming to outsiders and to yourselves. The spiritual practice of hospitality cannot be just another program or it will fail. Only if you discover and articulate the relevance of this practice to your central purposes as a faith community will you be able to begin to break out of the gravitational field of the way things have always been. If you decide that this practice of hospitality is at the heart of who you are called to be, you must acknowledge the gap between the aspiration of being welcoming and the reality of your practices. At First Unitarian Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, we realized that despite our best intentions we were practicing what we came to call the New England welcome. It goes like this: We sincerely welcome you into our church as long as you know how to get here and know what to do and know your way around. We ll be happy to talk to you if you initiate and will promise not to bother you. We were sincere, but we realized that if we really wanted to practice our values to include and invite everyone, we would have to learn some new ways of being. We must stop trying to figure out how to get other people to change and begin instead to look at our own actions. It s easy for members to believe that the church governing board or the minister or the welcome committee or someone else should be the ones to change how we do things, that it s not my job. But each of us needs to begin to accept responsibility for creating the kind of church we want to be a member of. In other words, hospitality and welcoming becomes a personal choice, rather than an institutional issue. In choosing this spiritual practice of hospitality, I live out the longing of my heart creating a new reality for myself and the people around me. I reclaim my power to create the kind of world I want to live in. Gandhi was speaking of this kind of radical act when he said, We must be the change we seek. We may have little control over conflicts in another part of the world, but we can practice truly honoring the preciousness of all human life by how we enter into relationship with each other. If we are serious about creating a more just, equitable, and compassionate world, we have to start with the room we are in.

2 IN THE PARISH RAFFLE RETURNS Tickets printed 6,000 Tickets sold to date 3,667 Tickets returned unsold 50 Tickets remaining to be sold 2,333 Total Income to date $7, Parish Prayer Ministry Monthly Intention During our recent parish Liturgical Council Meeting, it was suggested that we ramp up our parish prayer ministry and ask all parishioners to be involved in praying for a particular intention for the parish each month. Our Parish Intention for this month is: That all parishioners may grow in a desire to know God more fully and enter into a deeper relationship with Him. We ask all parishioners and friends of the parish to include this petition in your daily prayers and works of charity. Thank You to all who have made their raffle returns. Our goal for this fundraiser is $12, We are at 61% of our goal, with only 2 weekends left until the raffle. We need everyone s involvement to make this raffle a success. Parish Life Council The work of the Parish Life Council will take its inspiration from Bishop Bambera s Pastoral Letter s section on Community: For the Believer, Faith is not a private affair acted upon in isolation; it is a call to holiness within a community of people. The ultimate expression of this community is in its gathering for word, worship and service. Meeting this challenge calls for reflection and study around the following practical considerations: 1. Nurture the personal relationship of our members with God; 2. Deepen everyone s knowledge of God s saving ways; 3. Encourage and empower members to be evangelizers at home, school, in the workplace, neighborhood, marketplaces, and places of leisure. 4. Reach out to the unchurched, inactive and alienated, inviting them to join the Church s belief and worship and life of discipleship; 5. Strive to promote the consciousness that we are all part of a global community and our actions often have broader implications than just within our local community. Bishop Bambera: Wounded and Loved, Regathering the Scattered. We are looking for volunteers who are committed to building community within our parish to serve on this integral council. If this sounds like something that would interest you, please contact Fr. Ken at the parish office ( ). The first meeting is scheduled for August 23, In Case you were wondering. The Parish Choir and musicians are on hiatus for the month of July. They will return to duty on August 11th. RAFFLE DRAWING NEXT SUNDAY AFTER the 11 :00am Mass Get your tickets in ASAP! Helpful Information Join the Parish Anyone wishing to register for membership in the parish is asked to fill out a registration form and drop it in the collection basket. Request Prayers Our INTERCESSORY PRAYER MINISTRY provides prayer for anyone in need throughout the parish. Contact MARY ANN MAGDA at or make your intention known on our parish website at Remember your Parish Your parish serves you faithfully throughout your life. Please remember your parish with a memorial gift or a Bequest in your will. Make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for you. SACRAMENTAL PREPARATIONS Anointing of the Sick The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may take place at any time, but, sadly, too many families wait until the last minute to call the priest to anoint their loved ones. If someone in your family is seriously ill, preparing for surgery, or suffering a prolonged illness, please contact the parish office to arrange a time for Fr. Ken to visit. IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY or if Fr. Ken is unavailable to visit immediately, we will contact the first available priest to celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing with your loved one. Funeral Preparations We collaborate with the local funeral directors in arranging the times of the funerals. Please be aware that there is an additional fee for funerals on Saturdays imposed by most cemeteries in the area. Baptismal Preparations Parents of newly born infants may call the parish office to arrange a time for the Baptism of their child. Baptisms are celebrated, for the most part, on any Sunday, with the exception of the season of Lent. Wedding Preparations Couples contemplating Marriage are asked to contact the parish office at least one year prior to the contemplated date of marriage, before making other plans.

3 THE LITURGY Liturgy of the Word II by Fr. Gabe Huck The Gospels tell us stories about how Jesus and the disciples would take part in the gatherings in the synagogue on the Sabbath. At the time of Jesus it had already long been the practice of Jews to come together on that day for public reading and reflection on the scriptures. This is how Jesus grew up. He was among a people who gave the texts of the Law and the prophets honor and attention in their lives. Those who later came to believe in Jesus through the preaching of the disciples continued this practice. They, too, read from the Law and the prophets and added some part of a letter from Paul, perhaps, and later some of the texts that were going to make up the Gospels. We continue in the same way today. So do all the synagogues and churches in the world. On the Sabbath, Jews now, as then, read from the Law and the prophets, and this is the text for the preaching. On Sunday, Christians gather and read from these Hebrew scriptures and also from their Christian scriptures, and these are usually the texts for the preaching. Jews and Christians are peoples of the book. The book, opened and read each seven days for the whole community, is handed on from one generation to the next, and in each generation it is heard fresh and alive. Among Christians, some have the custom of leaving the selection of a scripture text to the preacher. Catholics and many other churches, like most Jewish congregations, have a cycle of readings from the scripture. We call this our Lectionary: It is an order of readings for three years of Sundays. That is the book that we carry here with great honor in our procession each Sunday, that we open and read from and listen to and preach about. Much surrounds this reading. At the beginning, we sit down and listen as a lector reads to us. The task is to give full attention to the words of the reader. What happens when this first reading is concluded? The reader announces its conclusion by saying: "The word of the Lord." And we respond with an ancient phrase that was Deo gratias in Latin and is "Thanks be to God" in English. It is a line like "Good morning" or "God bless you," an almost automatic expression, but one that reveals an attitude of thanksgiving. And then we need some silence. Why? It helps perhaps to know an image the church uses for the liturgy of the word. It calls it a foundation. Foundation. Support. The basics. That which holds up everything else. That without which everything else is going to fall. Now, the church calls the Liturgy of the Word the foundation not just of the liturgy, but of our life. So what we are doing here is laying a foundation. Week after week, we keep at it. If we fail here, we can't hope for much anywhere else. So we take our time. That's the reason for the silence. We are not hasty about the Liturgy of the Word. That's hard. We are people who think that silence means something is wrong. But silence here is right. Silence means we have time for this. We don't have to rush. We can let the foundation take shape and settle. We can sit back in this tiny silent time and let a single word or phrase from the reading sound again and again inside us. That silence grows into a psalm. Whenever possible, this psalm is sung, usually with all of us alternating with a cantor or the choir. What are psalms, and why are we singing one every Sunday after the first reading? The psalms are in the Bible in a book by that name. There are one hundred fifty of them there. They had all been composed by the time of Jesus, and the scriptures show us that Jesus and his friends knew these songs well and used them in their prayer. Some psalms are songs of blessing; some, of cursing. Some are ballads telling stories; some are harsh lamentations. Some are pure praise of God; some cynical challenges to God's apparent indifference to human suffering. There are psalms like "The Lord is my shepherd" that are as well known to many Christians as the Lord's Prayer, and there are psalms we know because Jesus prayed them: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" was a psalm that he repeated on the cross. The psalms were basic texts of Jewish liturgy in Jesus' day-that is how he learned them-and they remain so today. Among Christians, they became the core of daily prayer for hermits, nuns, and monks, but for centuries many psalms were also the basic daily prayer of ordinary baptized people. In the initial reforms of the liturgy after Vatican II, a step was taken to give the psalms back to all of us. Usually our part is only one line, a short refrain. This we should be able to learn by heart so that we can sit and sing without book or song sheet. That refrain we sing is usually one line from the psalm itself. Brief as it is, it might become a tiny prayer for us during the day and week. In that way, the psalms do their ancient work: They teach us to pray. They show us how many ways we need for speaking to God. The psalm is not an easy moment in the liturgy. It seldom brings us to our feet. It takes some work, some attention. It asks that we be in for the long haul. It's another story for the song that comes moments later. After the second reading and its silence are done, the whole assembly stands up and begins to sing alleluias. It is our procession into the Gospel reading. The Alleluia is not the only mark of special attention given the Gospel. Candles and sometimes incense accompany the person who is to read the Gospel, so that the reading may be surrounded with light and with fragrance. Every sense is involved. Before the Gospel is read, the text is announced, and we respond, "Glory to you, Lord," and as we do so, we sign our forehead, lips, and heart with the cross. With this gesture we show that the Gospel speaks to our minds, forms our words, changes our hearts. After the Gospel, the reader proclaims: "The Gospel of the Lord," and we say, "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ." Then the reader kisses the words on the page. We saw the kiss at the beginning of the liturgy when the presider approached the holy table and kissed it. We will see it again-though often in the form of a handshake-at the peace greeting. Here this gesture of love is made for the words of the holy Gospel. All of this-alleluia, the standing posture we take, procession, candles, announcement of the text, tiny signs of the cross, closing acclamation, kiss-all show the place the Gospel holds in this community, this church. We surround the Gospel with such signs of reverence and affection because that Gospel is for us the saving power of God. The homily comes then, usually as the effort of one person who has pondered the readings to see what they might mean in the life of this church. That pondering is both lonely and social. The homilist has to do this work alone, to wrestle with these scriptures, but also has to be thoroughly familiar with the life this church lives and in the life of the whole world. Gospel and world bang together in the homily. The homilist is not the only one charged to confront the scriptures. We all have to do that. If we only meet the scriptures for a few moments each week in this place, we have little sense for how to listen, little sense for the scriptures' power and breadth. The public reading of scripture here is meant for people who have some presence to the scriptures all week long. The Bible-family edition or pocket edition-is no stranger to Catholics. If only one thing can be done in a busy life, then let it be a quiet reading at home of these texts during the week. Silent time for reflection follows the homily, then we stand and recite one of the ancient formulas of faith, a creed, a way of summing up the belief of this church. Before we can do this, on most Sundays those who are preparing for baptism are dismissed. What is to follow-the creed, intercessions, eucharist-is for the baptized alone. This is not easy to do, to send people out of this assembly, but it is a measure of how seriously we take our baptism. It is only baptism that allows us to profess faith, ask of God what we need, and give thanks and praise through Christ. The Liturgy of the Word concludes with prayers of intercession, called the prayer of the faithful. Sometimes it is sung, sometimes spoken. It is a litany, the kind of prayer in which our part stays the same and the leader brings, one after another, many things before us. After hearing and taking to heart the word of God, the church does something here that gets to the work of being a Christian. We intercede. We pray to God for all that this world and this church longs for. We are telling God to remember the oppressed, the suffering, the sick, the addicted, the victims of war and famine, the imprisoned, the dying, the leaders, the many, many, many troubles and needs of the whole world. Whatever else the church may be, it is an assembly that will not let God forget. It is an assembly that keeps its eyes open, because we have by our baptism taken on this work of carrying to God all the groaning of God's creation. Copyright 1992, Gabe Huck. Used by permission.

4 Weekend of July th Sunday in Ordinary Time Monday, July 16 Tuesday, July 17 Wednesday, July 18 Thursday, July 19 Friday, July 20 Saturday, July 21 TOY BINGO MEETING Summer Ordinary Time 4 pm Vigil Mass 5:30 pm Vigil Mass 8:00 am Mass 11:00 am Mass Debt Reduction Envelope RAFFLE RETURNS DUE 2 pm Companions on the Journey with Christ No Morning Mass 6 pm St. Andre Faith Seekers 8 am Mass 5:30 pm NO CHOIR 8 am Mass 6 PM Toy Bingo Meeting 8:00 am Mass Noon Exposition 6:00 pm Vespers 6:00 pm PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL Weekend of July th Sunday in Ordinary Time Monday, July 23 Tuesday, July 24 Wednesday, July 25 Thursday, July 26 8 am Mass Friday, July 27 No Morning Mass 10:30 am Disciples of the Spirit 3:00 pm Confessions VIGIL of 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time. There will be a meeting to begin planning our annual Toy Bingo on Wednesday, July 18th at 6 pm in the Fr. Murgas Room of the Parish Office. The Toy Bingo is scheduled to be held on November 4th beginning at 1 pm in St. Mary s hall. You can help to prepare for the Toy Bingo by purchasing toys when you see them on sale now. That way, there will be a less frantic rush to get toys come October! Saturday, July 28 4 pm Vigil Mass 5:30 pm Vigil Mass 8:00 am Mass 11:00 am Mass Debt Reduction Envelope RAFFLE RETURNS DUE SUMMER RAFFLE immediately after the 11 am Mass No Morning Mass 8 am Mass 5:30 pm NO CHOIR 8 am Mass 6 pm PC Agenda Meeting 8:00 am Mass Noon Exposition 6:00 pm Vespers 6:00 pm PARISH CATECHETICAL COUNCIL 8 am Mass No Morning Mass 3:00 pm Confessions VIGIL of 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Get your Dancing Shoes Ready! Our Fall Dance will be Friday, September 14th beginning at 6 pm in St. Mary s Hall. Tickets will go on sale in August. Baskets are available for filling for our basket raffle which will be held in conjunction with the Dinner/ Dance. Baskets can be picked up in the vestibule beginning July 23rd. If you need a basket before that, contact Tina Evans or the parish office and we ll make sure you get one. My Raffle Tickets are all in! How about yours??? The Raffle is NEXT SUNDAY! PARISH MINISTRIES ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILS The Finance Council will meet on Thursday, July 18 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. All members of the Finance Council are asked to plan to attend. The Liturgical Council will meet on Thursday, August 2nd at 6:00 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. The Parish Social Justice Council will meet Thursday, August 9th at 6:00 p.m. in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room The Pastoral Council will meet on Thursday, August 16 at 6:00 pm in the Fr. Murgas Conference Room. FAITH SHARING Sharers on the Journey with Christ with Rosemary Shedlock will meet on Sunday, July 15 at 2:00 pm in the home of Elaine Snyder. St. Andre s Faith Seekers with Michael Boris will meet at 6 pm on Monday July 16th in the Fr. Murgas Meeting Room of the Parish Office. Disciples of the Spirit of Jesus with Sr. Madonna will meet on Saturday, July 21st at 10:30 am in the Fr. Murgas Meeting Room of the Parish office. There is still room in this group for anyone who might be interested. PARISH COMMITTEES The Development Committee will meet on Monday, August 6 at 6:30 pm in the Lower Meeting Room of the Parish Office. The Young at Heart Committee will meet for their next monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 18 at 1 pm in the Fr. Murgas conference Room. Loaves & Fishes Food for July Non-Dairy Creamers

5 FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON THE CALL TO HOLINESS IN TODAY S WORLD CHAPTER FOUR SIGNS OF HOLINESS IN TODAY S WORLD BOLDNESS AND PASSION 129. Holiness is also parrhesía: it is boldness, an impulse to evangelize and to leave a mark in this world. To allow us to do this, Jesus himself comes and tells us once more, serenely yet firmly: Do not be afraid (Mk 6:50). I am with you always, to the end of the world (Mt 28:20). These words enable us to go forth and serve with the same courage that the Holy Spirit stirred up in the Apostles, impelling them to proclaim Jesus Christ. Boldness, enthusiasm, the freedom to speak out, apostolic fervour, all these are included in the word parrhesía. The Bible also uses this word to describe the freedom of a life open to God and to others (cf. Acts 4:29, 9:28, 28:31; 2 Cor 3:12; Eph 3:12; Heb 3:6, 10:19) Blessed Paul VI, in referring to obstacles to evangelization, spoke of a lack of fervour (parrhesía) that is all the more serious because it comes from within.[103] How often we are tempted to keep close to the shore! Yet the Lord calls us to put out into the deep and let down our nets (cf. Lk 5:4). He bids us spend our lives in his service. Clinging to him, we are inspired to put all our charisms at the service of others. May we always feel compelled by his love (2 Cor 5:14) and say with Saint Paul: Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel (1 Cor 9:16) Look at Jesus. His deep compassion reached out to others. It did not make him hesitant, timid or self-conscious, as often happens with us. Quite the opposite. His compassion made him go out actively to preach and to send others on a mission of healing and liberation. Let us acknowledge our weakness, but allow Jesus to lay hold of it and send us too on mission. We are weak, yet we hold a treasure that can enlarge us and make those who receive it better and happier. Boldness and apostolic courage are an essential part of mission Parrhesía is a seal of the Spirit; it testifies to the authenticity of our preaching. It is a joyful assurance that leads us to glory in the Gospel we proclaim. It is an unshakeable trust in the faithful Witness who gives us the certainty that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:39) We need the Spirit s prompting, lest we be paralyzed by fear and excessive caution, lest we grow used to keeping within safe bounds. Let us remember that closed spaces grow musty and unhealthy. When the Apostles were tempted to let themselves be crippled by danger and threats, they joined in prayer to implore parrhesía: And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness (Acts 4:29). As a result, when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31) Like the prophet Jonah, we are constantly tempted to flee to a safe haven. It can have many names: individualism, spiritualism, living in a little world, addiction, intransigence, the rejection of new ideas and approaches, dogmatism, nostalgia, pessimism, hiding behind rules and regulations. We can resist leaving behind a familiar and easy way of doing things. Yet the challenges involved can be like the storm, the whale, the worm that dried the gourd plant, or the wind and sun that burned Jonah s head. For us, as for him, they can serve to bring us back to the God of tenderness, who invites us to set out ever anew on our journey God is eternal newness. He impels us constantly to set out anew, to pass beyond what is familiar, to the fringes and beyond. He takes us to where humanity is most wounded, where men and women, beneath the appearance of a shallow conformity, continue to seek an answer to the question of life s meaning. God is not afraid! He is fearless! He is always greater than our plans and schemes. Unafraid of the fringes, he himself became a fringe (cf. Phil 2:6-8; Jn 1:14). So if we dare to go to the fringes, we will find him there; indeed, he is already there. Jesus is already there, in the hearts of our brothers and sisters, in their wounded flesh, in their troubles and in their profound desolation. He is already there True enough, we need to open the door of our hearts to Jesus, who stands and knocks (cf. Rev 3:20). Sometimes I wonder, though, if perhaps Jesus is already inside us and knocking on the door for us to let him escape from our stale self-centredness. In the Gospel, we see how Jesus went through the cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God (Lk 8:1). After the resurrection, when the disciples went forth in all directions, the Lord accompanied them (cf. Mk 16:20). This is what happens as the result of true encounter Complacency is seductive; it tells us that there is no point in trying to change things, that there is nothing we can do, because this is the way things have always been and yet we always manage to survive. By force of habit we no longer stand up to evil. We let things be, or as others have decided they ought to be. Yet let us allow the Lord to rouse us from our torpor, to free us from our inertia. Let us rethink our usual way of doing things; let us open our eyes and ears, and above all our hearts, so as not to be complacent about things as they are, but unsettled by the living and effective word of the risen Lord We are inspired to act by the example of all those priests, religious, and laity who devote themselves to proclamation and to serving others with great fidelity, often at the risk of their lives and certainly at the cost of their comfort. Their testimony reminds us that, more than bureaucrats and functionaries, the Church needs passionate missionaries, enthusiastic about sharing true life. The saints surprise us, they confound us, because by their lives they urge us to abandon a dull and dreary mediocrity Let us ask the Lord for the grace not to hesitate when the Spirit calls us to take a step forward. Let us ask for the apostolic courage to share the Gospel with others and to stop trying to make our Christian life a museum of memories. In every situation, may the Holy Spirit cause us to contemplate history in the light of the risen Jesus. In this way, the Church will not stand still, but constantly welcome the Lord s surprises. [103] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (8 December 1975), 80: AAS 68 (1976), 73. It is worth noting that in this text Blessed Paul VI closely links joy and parrhesía. While lamenting a lack of joy and hope as an obstacle to evangelization, he extols the delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, linked to an interior enthusiasm that nobody and nothing can quench. This ensures that the world does not receive the Gospel from evangelizers who are dejected [and] discouraged. During the 1975 Holy Year, Pope Paul devoted to joy his Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete in Domino (9 May 1975): AAS 67 (1975),

6 IN THE DIOCESE Diocese of Scranton Pilgrimage to the National Shrine Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Saturday, September 22, 2018 Cost: $55.00 per person + lunch and personal spending TO REGISTER: Call: MARY at Interested in supporting and protecting our children s future? Then please consider attending the diocesansponsored VIRTUS: Protecting God s Children for Adults Program. This training session is required for all adult employees and volunteers who have direct contact or routine interaction with children. Please consider joining your community on Thursday, July 19, 2018, with Gate of Heaven Parish, Dallas, to take part in this vital program to help safeguard our most vulnerable and precious gifts: our children. The session details are listed below and also on our website. Thank you for your cooperation and your willingness to protect all our children and to keep them safe. THURSDAY, JULY 19, 6:30 P.M. Gate of Heaven Parish, Dallas *Session will take place in the Parish Center* To register, please contact Dede Scafella at gohccd@aol.com or call the Safe Environment Office at Training for Extraordinary Ministers of Communion Saturday July 21 9 am 2:30 pm Diocesan Pastoral Center, Scranton The Office for Parish Life will offer an all-day training session for new Extraordinary Ministers of Communion. Candidates need the approval of their pastor/parish life coordinator. There is NO FEE for the training and Lunch will be provided. To Register, contact the Office of Parish Life at Notice Regarding the Sexual Abuse of A Minor It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania s Child Protective Services Law, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24 hour Child Abuse Hotline (ChildLine) at or electronically at It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. To this end, the Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Mary Beth Pacuska at or to Diocesan Officials, including the Vicar General, Msgr. Thomas M. Muldowney, V.G. at Scranton Catholic Charismatic Renewal is sponsoring The 36th Annual Charismatic Conference HE RESTORES MY SOUL! August 3 5, 2018 University of Scranton The Conference will feature inspiring speakers and uplifting music. Mass will be celebrated each afternoon A well-stocked book/gift store will be available The full weekend Registration fee is $50.00 until July 23rd. after July 23rd, it will be $65 Single-Day registration is available on site. Commuting and Brown bagging are encouraged Dormitory housing and cafeteria meals are available at a separate cost from registration. For Registration forms please see the bulletin board at or ccrconference@comcast.net or CCR Conference PO Box 3306 Scranton, PA or call Do You Want to Know More About the Annulment Process?: In the Diocese of Scranton, the annulment process is now more user friendly than you might expect, and there is no longer a processing fee. Please contact your pastor or the Diocesan Tribunal Office ( ) to begin a conversation. It is possible to get clear answers to these questions and to renew your connection with the Church.

7 STEWARDSHIP 16 Tips to Improving your Parish Hospitality Every parish has visitors, but not every visit is the same. Are your visitors having a positive experience? Will they come back? Do they feel welcomed? How is our hospitality to these visitors? Think of the last time you visited another parish for the first time. Did you know where to park? Did you find your way around easily? Did you feel welcomed? Were you a bit nervous? What was positive about the experience and what was negative? Many Catholics are able to look beyond the negatives in a parish, because they are insiders who understand the reality of the Eucharist. But, most outsiders to our parishes are unable to do the same and they may focus on the externals we may gloss over. The challenge for us is to see our parishes through the eyes of our visitors, so we can be more welcoming to them. Therefore, we need to explore how we can be more hospitable and the primary reason why is that it is commanded by Jesus! God wants us to welcome the stranger and tells us this again and again in Sacred Scripture: The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. -Lev 19:34 Jesus identifies himself with those who are strangers to us - I was a stranger and you welcomed me -Matt 25:35 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. -Rom 12:13 Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another. -1 Peter 4:9 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. -Heb 13:2 Our Christian witness is reflected in how we treat one another - By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. -John 13:35 Paul was explicit in 1 Tim 3:2 and Titus 1:7-8 about how a Bishop is supposed to be hospitable. At this point I doubt anyone would not want their parish to be more hospitable, but let us first think of the reasons someone may come to your parish: Visiting from out of town. Special occasion (baptism, wedding, funeral, etc). A person (or family) going through a tough time and looking for something to help them. Think of folks going through a death, divorce, troubled child, lack of meaning to life, etc. They may have big questions and are looking for answers. A non-catholic who is exploring Catholicism, but doesn t know where to start, so they come to visit. Trying to find a new parish and are church shopping.etc Each person has a unique reason why they are visiting your parish. What every one of them wants is to feel valued and welcomed. Here is how we can improve. 16 Tips To Improving Your Parish Hospitality 1. The first 10 minutes are key. You only get one chance at a first impression and it really does matter. From the time they enter your parking lot, to the time they sit down and take in the church, they are making judgments about your congregation that may mean the difference in returning or never coming back. 2. Your website is where most people will visit first. Will they find what they are looking for easily? Is it well designed? Is there any insider or churchy language used that they may not recognize? 3. Making a stranger introduce themselves to a new congregation is more intimidating than welcoming for strangers. I am an extrovert (and I can t remember my last awkward moment), but I hate it when I am asked to identify myself as a visitor. Imagine someone who isn t Catholic and/or very shy. Now, think of it this way - why are we putting the onus on them to make themselves known to us, when we should be the ones seeking them out? 4. Make your nursery, cry room, etc easily to find, well marked, clean, and safe. It doesn't mean these things must be used, but if they are, you want families to have a good experience. 5. Have someone who is easy to find, stationed at a prominent place, to answer questions, give literature, make recommendations, etc. Some parishes have added very prominent welcome booths or stations, in the narthex of a church or a rollable stand, that can be set up outside, where it can be seen. This is an easy way to make visitors know where they can come for more information, ask a question, etc. 6. Make sure your bathrooms are wellmarked, clean, and easy to find. They should be checked regularly, especially on a busy weekend! 7. Signage matters! If folks don t know where they can park, how to find their way around, don t know where a restroom is, etc - then it increases the negative aspects of a visit. 8. Don t have a million announcements! Having 5 minutes of announcements at the end of Mass can put a damper on an otherwise positive experience. 9. Ask your parishioners to park in the back of the parking lot, in order to save spaces up front for guests. You might even mark some spaces for visitors only. If your parking lot is hard to find, confusing, or crowded, then you might form a parking lot team. Think of a rainy weekend in a big parking lot - some folks might just turn right around and leave if things get too bad and they won t come back. 10. Ask parishioners who are ablebodied and don t have small children to sit in the middle of the pew, to save seats at the end of the pew for those showing up later. This is one of the most common Catholic cultural issues that may not be seen by insiders. Having to climb over others, to get a seat is not very welcoming. 11. Train folks in how to start a conversation with someone new. Have them placed in strategic places (note - not just at the front door!). Find folks with a charism for hospitality and empower them to talk to others. Have your leaders show the way, by getting to church early, to help. All it takes is 15 minutes more, per week. 12. If you do get to talk to a visitor, invite them to lunch. What more would say we value you, than trying to continue the relationship outside of church? 13. Separate out ushers and members of your hospitality team. They serve a different purpose! Ushers should hold doors, help find seats, clean, help make things safe, and hand out bulletins. A hospitality team does all the other things on this list! 14. If you have some Masses that get packed, then make sure ushers are attentive to the needs of those who are trying to find a space to sit. Not being able to find a seat and/or having to go all the way to the front pew, is not a way to make someone feel welcomed. 15. If someone volunteers their information, then follow-up within 48 hours. Have a member of the hospitality team call them (do not ) and ask them to come to a welcome dinner for the month or to eat at their house. 16. One last thing - pray for those who are visiting your parish, in your prayers of the faithful, during Mass. Remember, the point isn t just to be hospitable for the sake of hospitality, but to show the love of God, as a community, to others.

8 FINANCES INCOME EXPENSES July 7-8, 2018 July 5 11, 2018 PARISH COLLECTION Administration 2, In Church Mailed In Clergy Residence -0- Loose Liturgy 1, Offering 4, Religious Education -0- Holy Days Social Justice -0- Initial Maintenance 1, Dues Parish Assessment -0- Debt Reduction Insurance -0- Holiday Flowers Taxes -0- TOTAL PARISH COLLECTION Diocesan Collection TOTAL DIOCESAN $4, $ Transfer -0- DIOCESAN COLLECTIONS Diocesan Collections Debt Service (Principal + Interest) -0- School Subsidy -0- OTHER INCOME TOTAL EXPENSES $5, Candles Rental of Properties -0- Perquisites -0- Previous Balance $2, Transfers Income this week +5, Miscellaneous -0- -Expenses this week -5, Prior Balance DIOCESAN ASSESSMENTS Current Assessment Amount Paid BALANCE DUE (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019) Diocesan Assessment School Assessment BALANCE , , , , , O.00 71, , , The Monthly Assessment owed the Diocese is $5, (that is a little over 1 Weekend s collection) The Monthly School Assessment is is $4, (another weekend s collection) To pay off the total Schools Assessment, the monthly payment would be $12, (2 weekend collections.) PARISH DEBT SERVICE Parish Loan Amount Paid BALANCE Due PRINCIPAL 400, , , INTEREST 12, , , BALANCE 412, , , TOTAL OTHER INCOME Balance Forward $3, Please Note: The Parish Debt service has been paid to date. This Account is current. TOTAL INCOME $5, Your Gift to God Mass Attendance July 7-8, 2018 People In-Church Collection Average Offering per person 4:00 p.m , :30 p.m :00 a.m. 76 1, :00a.m. 60 1, Total 337 4, REMINDER: In order for our parish to remain solvent, the average weekly offering per person MUST equal or be greater than $15.00 consistently. Votive Offerings Bread and Wine Intention Bernadine Rishcoff Offered by Cousin Sanctuary Candle Intention Albert Pointek Jr Offered by Cousin July 7-8, 2018 Over $ $20 46 $ $ $ $15 27 $75 0 $ $ $10 56 $50 9 $6-9 6 $ $5 40 $25 12 under $5 15 $ Total Envelopes used 259 Is your gift to the parish each week an honest reflection of God s goodness to you?

9 LOCAL EVENTS Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Waterson CHOMAN S MOBILE CARE Cemetery Care His services include steam cleaning of headstone, manicuring the lawn around the stone, mulching, flowering and more! He offers one time, seasonal and monthly packages. He also offers military and veteran discounts. Automobile Detailing We love our cars and rely heavily on them. But giving them the care they deserve is no easy task! Even dropping it at the detailing shop can be an obstacle. That s why we bring the detailing shop to you! We supply the water, power, tools and come right to your home or office! We ll have your vehicle looking like new with no worry or hassle to you!. Power Washing Buildings lose their pristine look due to dirt, grime and motor exhaust. These can build up and severely damage your property and destroy its value. We ll restore your investment and help prevent the mess for coming back as well as increase the curb value of your property overnight. We build our service based on your desire and your budget. We remove mold, graffiti, tar, gum, oil and more. We clean buildings, houses, sidewalks, balconies, porches, rain gutters, decks and patios, windows, parking lots, garages and much more. Commercial and Residential services available. You can contact Chris at (570) , or Book your appointment online at ChomanCares.com or by at ChomanCares@gmail.com. ECO-FRIENDLY CARE FOR YOU AND YOUR INVESTMENTS For more information, please call or visit Seven Lovely Logics 1. Make PEACE with your PAST so it doesn t spoil your future. 2. What OTHERS think of you is NONE of your BUSINESS. 3. TIME heals almost everything Give TIME some TIME. 4. NO ONE is the Reason for your HAPPINESS, except YOU! 5. Don t COMPARE your Life to Others, You have NO IDEA what THEIR JOURNEY is about. 6. Stop THINKING so much, It s ALRIGHT not to know ALL the ANSWERS. 7. SMILE, you don t own ALL the Problems in the World St. Ignatius Loyola Parish will hold GRANDMA S ATTIC (Flea Market) in Fr. Conlan Hall Thursday, June 26th 8 am 1 pm and 6 8 pm Friday June 27th 8 am 1 pm only Saturday, June 28th 8 am Noon (BAG DAY!) Bake Sale and food Items available for lunch. JULY OL Mt. Carmel, Lake Silkworth St. Nicholas, Wilkes-Barre Exaltation Holy Cross Buttonwood St. Maria Goretti, Laflin AUGUST 2-4 St. Robert Bellarmine (St. Aloysius), Wilkes-Barre 9-11 St. John the Evangelist, Pittston St. John s, Larksville St. Jude s, Mountaintop

10 WEEKLY CALENDAR Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time July 10-15, 2018 Day and Date Time Intention Offered by Events Monday, July 16 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Tuesday, July 17 Weekday Wednesday, July 18 St. Camillus de Lellis NO Morning Mass Scheduled 8 am Rita Dunn Mark & Jill Bienias 8 am Margaret Gola Family 6 pm St. Andre Faith Seekers 5:30 pm NO CHOIR 6 pm Bingo Meeting Thursday, July 19 Weekday 8 am Gregory Kane Beth & Joe Ziobro Noon Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 6 pm Vespers 6 pm Parish Finance Council Friday, July 20 St. Apollonaris 8 am Health & Blessings for John Corcoran Jr Alex Partika Saturday, July 21 St. Lawrence of Brindisi NO Morning Mass Scheduled 3 pm Confessions Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time VIGIL 4 pm Joseph O Hara Maureen Lavelle VIGIL 5:30 pm Joseph Buczynski Mr. & Mrs. Robert Barkus SUNDAY 8 am Parishioners Pastor SUMMER RAFFLE TICKETS DUE SUMMER RAFFLE following the 11 am Mass! SUNDAY 11 am In Honor of the 50th Anniversary of Michael & Susan Murphy Family & Friends AGNUS DAY by Pastor Jim Weitzman LITURGICAL MINISTRY SCHEDULE July 21-22, 2018 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Servers Lectors EMOC Hospitality 4:00 pm Maggie Benish Ann Bergold John Bergold Mary Ann Amesbury 5:30 pm Michael Boris Diane Gregor Elaine Klukoske AJ. and Marge Dreier 8:00 am A J Kondracki Mary Ann Slavinski AJ Kondracki Dolores Yesuvida 11:00 am Aiden Burridge Kayla Gianelli Jackie Barkus Sr. Tina Hanrahan Joe Stone