Historic St. James at Sag Bridge Church

Transcription

1 Historic St. James at Sag Bridge Church S. Archer Avenue Lemont, Illinois (Ph) (Fx) Website: Facebook: JULY 21, 2013 SIXTEENTH ORDINARY SUNDAY Founded in 1833, St. James at Sag Bridge is the sole country parish of the Archdiocese of Chicago serving a growing community of Catholics who come together to worship God through the celebration of the Eucharist and traditional devotional activities within truly unique and beautiful surroundings. Our faith filled community strives to bear witness to Jesus Christ by loving and serving one another to bring about the Kingdom of God. Parish Boundaries The Village of Willow Springs, The Village of Burr Ridge (Cook County only). Unicorporated Lemont Township along Archer Avenue, Bell Road, and Route 83. Mass Schedule Weekends: Saturdays, 5:30 P.M. Sundays, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30 A.M. Holy Days: 8 :15 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. Weekdays: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: 8:15 A.M. Wednesdays: 7:00 P.M. Confession Schedule Saturdays: 4:30 to 5:15 P.M. or by appointment. Baptisms Sundays after the 11:30 A.M. Mass by appointment. At least one parent must be a registered parishioner. Weddings Minimum eight months in advance. At least one partner must be a registered parishioner. Funerals For families of registered parishioners. For nonparishioners to be buried in our own cemetery. Religious Education Classes 1st through 8th Grade Tuesday evenings, 6:30 to 8:00 P.M. September through April. At least one parent must be a registered parishioner. Rectory Office Hours Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays: 9:30 A.M. to 12:00 Noon 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. Marriage preparation by appointment only. Parish Ministerial Staff Father Edward Gleeson, Pastor Emeritus Father Thomas R. Koys, Pastor Deacon John Wilkinson, CKM, Minister of Care/RCIA Mr. Brian Tishuk, Director of Religious Education Mr. Thomas Kulawiak, Business Manager Mrs. Pamela Stafford, Music Coordinator Mrs. Pamela Mikrut, Organist Mr. Rodney Poynter, Holy Name President Mrs. JoAnn Starha, Altar & Rosary Sodality President Rectory Support Staff Mrs. Jane Mayer, Administrative Assistant/Bulletin Editor Mrs. Bronislawa Raj, Housekeeper/Cook

2 Page Two JuLy 21, 2013 FROM THE DESK OF THE PASTOR HOUSEWORK OR NO HOUSEWORK? Martha and Mary were sisters. They had invited Jesus to their house so that He could get some needed R & R. The hosts had different roles to play. Martha did all of the dirty work, cooking and cleaning. Mary supplied the chit-chat. Martha thought that the arrangement should be more equitable with Mary responsible for more chores and less gab. Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me. Jesus wisely skirted the issue. Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part of it and it will not be taken from her. The key question is this: what exactly was the part of Jesus that Mary was choosing? When St. Luke wrote that Mary sat at the foot of Jesus, he was not describing her posture but her relationship to him. To sit at the feet of someone meant to be that person s disciple. Jesus had come to call all people, women equally with men, children as well as adults, even those who were considered sinners. They were all eligible for discipleship. Jesus insisted that Mary had chosen the better part of Him. She had made the right choice. Of course, someone had to prepare the meal if they were ever going to get something to eat. Jesus wanted Martha to be His disciple too, even if she spent a lot of her time in the kitchen. Mary represents all of the women of the Church. She can also serve as a role model for men, because we all have the same calling, to offer the Lord the warm hospitality that He had experienced in the Bethany home of Martha and Mary, to listen to Him as intently as Mary had, to make Him the priority of our lives as Martha had, and to allow nothing and no one to deprive us of our relationship with Him. In the first reading of the Mass the prophet Abraham proved Himself to be a highly gracious host like Martha and Mary would later be. He provided hospitality to three strangers who turned out to be Angels, preparing for them a fine meal of beef, rolls, curds, and milk. Like Abraham, Martha, and Mary we must provide hospitality for the Lord. At Mass we sit at the feet of Jesus the Christ. We focus our attention on Him, hear His words in faith, absorb it and apply it to our lives. Then we are nourished with a sacred food, the Eucharist, which is prepared, not by Martha or Abraham, but by Jesus Himself. Some of us may find the example of Mary difficult to imitate. After all the busy work of Martha is physically hard but mentally easy. We can allow the preoccupations of daily living to distract us from hearing and following the teachings of Our Lord. There is a temptation to let the false values of this society turn aside the truths of our Catholic Faith. At Sunday Mass we sit at the feet of Jesus. This wee bit of a church becomes our Bethany, the place where we learn to become true disciples of Jesus. SIGNING OFF! After writing this bulletin article for page two for the last ten years and one month (without once ever missing) it is time to hang it up. From now on the weekly bulletin is the responsibility of our pastor, Father Koys. Good luck! Will I miss making the 12:00 Noon deadline for the weekly bulletin every Wednesday? Heck no. Every single one of my bulletin articles since June 29, 2003, has been recorded for posterity. If things get dull Father Koys can always re-produce them. The end. GOD BLESS OUR PARISH, FATHER ED GLEESON, PASTOR EMERTIUS

3 Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday Page Three The two large bouquets of flowers surrounding our altar were made available for the intention of ANN & HARRY SCHICKEL. THANK YOU! ANNOUNCING A NEW CATHOLIC MEDICAL PRACTICE DOWNERS GROVE OB/GYN Robert C. Lawler, M.D. Anthony J. Caruso, M.D Warren Ave. Suite 200 Downers Grove, IL The collection for St. James on the weekend of July 14, 2013 is $3, The number of July 14th Offertory Envelopes handed in the weekend of July 13th and July 14th was 150. The amount of money coming out of those envelopes was $2, which averages out to $18.30 per envelope. Our many thanks to the 150 contributing families. BLESS YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED AND VALUED SUPPORT. Comprehensive women s care Infertility in accordance with the Catholic Church s teaching High Risk pregnancies General obstetrics and gynecology Supports all methods of Natural Family Planning VOTIVES FOR SPECIAL INTENTIONS Seven day Votive Lights for special intentions are available for only $8.00 for 170 hours of continuous light. Blue lights are available in front of Holy Mary and white lights in front of St. Joseph. Envelopes are available in back of church. Just fill in your request and place the envelope with the donation into the collection basket. Your name or intention will be written on each candle cylinder you purchase before it is lighted. B E N E T A C A D E M Y 2200 Maple Avenue Lisle, IL Catholic Benedictine College Prep BENET ACADEMY HONOR ROLL SECOND SEMESTER Please welcome the Catholic University Club who will be in attendance at our July 21,2013, 11:30 Mass MASS INTENTIONS If you want Mass intentions for especially on weekends you need to request and pay for them now. The weekend Masses fill up very quickly and some of them are already spoken for. Come to the rectory or call during normal business hours. FIRST HONORS Caroline Beecher Patrick Lawler SECOND HONORS David La Sota Shelia Lawler Daniel Lawler Frank Zabilka Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 21, 2013 It is [Christ] whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. -- Colossians 1:28b

4 Page Four July 21, 2013 HOSPITALITY Christians should offer their brethren simple and unpretentious hospitality. --St. Basil She came to him and asked, Lord, don t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me! LISTEN: The first reading tells of the "annunciation" of the birth of Isaac. It is profoundly mysterious, beginning with the appearance of the "three men." This reading illustrates God's active role in our history. The second reading treats a universal experience--suffering. Paul sees suffering as the mark of discipleship. He finds joy in the suffering he endures because it is for the sake of the church. Through his preaching he hopes all people will come to accept Christ. The Gospel paints a lovely picture of Jesus at rest among his friends. Luke has placed the incident right after the parable of the Good Samaritan. But lest "activism" be seen as the only path, we now hear Jesus' call to sit quietly and listen to the word of God. We have to be like both of the sisters. Even in our harried and noisy world, there is an insistent call to sit back quietly and listen to Jesus. Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co. TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION: There's a different pace to a summer Sunday, especially on those days when we dream of air conditioning and wave any available paper to stir the air. Yet we persist in gathering, even with so many breaks from the usual routines. We distance ourselves not only from routines, but from schedules and familiar well-worn paths. These are playful days and contemplative days. We see long-lost friends and visit almost-forgotten places. We have more leisure than any people before in the history of the world, and we need it because our lives are so care-worn and tiring. More of us walk barefoot and look up at the stars or dip our toes in the lake or sea, sing around campfires, read novels on the beach, and eat comfort food with our fingers. We see how beautiful life can be, and are more aware than usual of how God is always breaking in with signs of love. In Genesis today, Abraham and Sarah practice hospitality to their visitors, who turn out to be God dropping in. During the summer months, God practices hospitality in return, inviting us into a season of celebration. Keeping Sunday holy is a good habit to cultivate in these days when our spirits are especially receptive to God's deep desire for us to know divine love. --James Field, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co. FORGIVENESS To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover that the prisoner is me. --Anonymous The Better Part: The Gospel for this Sunday can sometimes give the impression that Jesus favored Mary over Martha. But if they had both sat down to listen, there would have been no dinner to serve to Jesus. He saw that Mary was content to listen to him, so Martha could have been content to prepare the meal for him. Remember the first reading, in which Abraham insisted on serving the visitors, whom he came to recognize as the Lord and two angels. He was rewarded with the assurance that he would soon have a son. So simple acts of hospitality can also be how people can welcome the Lord into their homes. When we welcome someone into our homes as a visitor, or into our lives as a friend, we are also welcoming Christ. When we get to know someone better, we are also getting to know Christ. And what about that "better part" that Mary had chosen? Are we sometimes like Martha, with too many things on our minds to be aware of the Lord? Sometimes we can't avoid the distractions that are part of life. But if we keep the Lord on our minds we may be able to see which are distractions to be put aside, and which are opportunities to serve the Lord in a different way. As we spend more time with the Lord in prayer, we begin to experience God's peace, which gives us the ability to choose the better part. Tom Schmidt, Copyright (c) J. S. Paluch Co. Jesus said, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her. Luke 10:41-42

5 Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday Page Five St. James the Greater The patron of Pilgrims & Laborers Feast Day: July 25th Named by Jesus as one of the Sons of Thunder DOD: Died in A.D. 44 Cause of Death: Beheaded St. Mary Magdalene Attributes: Western: alabaster box of ointment Eastern: containers of ointment ( as a myrrh bearer), or holding a red egg (symbol of the resurrection), embracing the feet of Christ after the Resurrection. The patron of Apothecaries, contemplative life, converts, glove makers, hairdressers, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumeries, pharmacists, reformed prostitutes, pilgrims and laborers. Feast Day: July 22nd DOD: Unknown Place of Death: St. Maximin-la- Sainte-Baume, France The story and history of St. James the Greater, who was one of the disciples of Jesus. James was prominent amongst the twelve apostles. He was James, the son of Zebedee, who was considered the greater apostle of those called James. James thought to be a cousin of Jesus, by the sister of the Virgin Mary, and the brother of St. Jude Thaddeus. James worked as a fisherman with his brother John, his father Zebedee and his partner Simon. John and James were followers of John the Baptist and then Jesus. John the Baptist referred to Jesus with the words Behold the Lamb of God!. He left his life as a fisherman when Jesus called him to be a fisher of men. He followed Jesus as one of his disciples until Jesus was crucified. James the Greater was chosen by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles and was given the mission to spread the gospel of Jesus. He made a pilgrimage to Spain to spread the word. St. James returned to Judea, where he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I (10 BC - 44 AD) in the year 44. This is detailed in the Bible in Acts 12 of the New Testament. The remains or relics of St. James the Greater are said to be buried in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (Spain) explaining why St. James the Greater is the patron saint of Spain. St. James, or according to the Spanish form of his name, St. Lago, is also the great military patron of Spain. His mission to defend the Christian Church against the Infidel was however reserved until after his death. In the course of the celebrated battle of Clavijo he suddenly appeared on a milk-white charger, waving aloft a white standard and leading the Christians to victory. This manifestation was in response to the soldiers invocation of his name, St. Lago! being the battle-cry of that day. Hence the name of the ancient city (Santiago) which contains the cathedral founded in his honour. Death of St. James the Greater: There are two categories of saints: martyrs and confessors. A Christian martyr is regarded as one who is put to death for his Christian faith or convictions. Confessors are people who died natural deaths. Date of Death: St. James the Greated died in A.D. 44. Cause of Death: Beheaded. St. James the Greater is universally regarded as the patron of pilgrims to the Holy Land, because after establishing the Christian religion in Spain, he returned to Judaea on a pilgrimage and was there beheaded. The scallop-shell is the recognized symbol of all pilgrims to the Holy Land, as it abounds on the shores of Palestine. When returning to his own country, pilgrims displayed the scallop-shell in their hats, to show that they had carried out their pious intentions. Mary Magdalene (original Greek Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνή), or Mary of Magdala and sometimes The Magdalene, is a religious figure in Christianity. She has been called the second-most important woman in the New Testament after Mary the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene traveled with Jesus as one of his followers. She was present at Jesus' two most important moments: the crucifixion and the resurrection. Within the four Gospels, the oldest historical record mentioning her name, she is named at least 12 times, more than most of the apostles. The Gospel references describe her as courageous, brave enough to stand by Jesus in his hours of suffering, death and beyond. In the New Testament, Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", Luke. 8:2] [Mk. 16:9] sometimes interpreted as referring to complex illnesses. Mary was most prominent during Jesus' last days. When Jesus was crucified by the Romans, Mary Magdalene was there supporting him in his final terrifying moments and mourning his death. She stayed with him at the cross after the male disciples (except John the Beloved) had fled. She was at his burial, and she is the only person to be listed in all four Gospels as first to realize that Jesus had risen and to testify to that central teaching of faith. John 20 and Mark 16:9 specifically name her as the first person to see Jesus after his Resurrection. She was there at the "beginning of a movement that was going to transform the West". She was the "Apostle to the Apostles", an honorific that fourth-century orthodox theologian Augustine gave her and that others earlier had possibly conferred on her. Despite her centuries-old disreputable depiction in religion, art, literature, and in recent prominent fictional books and movies, such as The Da Vinci Code, it is largely agreed today that "not a shred of solid biblical or extra biblical evidence suggests she played the role of harlot, wife, mother, or secret lover". St. Mary Magdalene is considered by the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches to be a saint, with a feast day of July 22. Other Protestant churches honor her as a heroine in the faith. The Eastern Orthodox churches also commemorate her on the Sunday of the Myrrh bearers, the Orthodox equivalent of the Western Three Marys. O Glorious St. James, because of your fervor and generosity Jesus chose you to witness his glory on the Mount and his agony in the Garden. Obtain for us strength and consolation in the unending struggles of this life. Help us to follow Christ constantly and generously, to be victors over all our difficulties, and to receive the crown of glory in heaven. Amen.

6 Page Six July 21, 2013 S.s. Joachim and Anne Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary First Century BC Feast Day: July 26 Novenas to saints Joachim and Ann, as the parents of the Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus Christ, are known for their intense power. Having suffered almost every trial a couple on earth may experience, they are approachable for the solving of any family crisis. Shamed by infertility, they were married for twenty years before they had their only child. They faced their daughter s unexpected pregnancy and her near-desertion by her fiancé with great faith and tolerance. After Saint Joachim died, Saint Ann, in the throes of widowhood, watched as her beloved grandson became a prisoner and was crucified. Saints Joachim and Ann offer the loving acceptance and wisdom of grandparents, and one should never be ashamed to turn to them for any reason. Very little factual information is available about the parents of the Virgin Mary. Saint Ann is said to have been twenty years old when she married the forty-nine-year-old Joachim. Comfortable financially, they lived in Nazareth and were faithful followers of the Jewish religion. Each year they divided their income into thirds, offering the first part to the temple for the worship of God, distributing the second to the poor, and keeping the third to maintain their moderate lifestyle. Their great misfortune was their barrenness. At the time, this was considered a divine punishment, and it led ultimately to Joachim s offering being refused at the temple. Their community began to snub them, considering them inferior. Both Ann and Joachim made a vow to the Lord that if they did have a child, they would consecrate it to his service. After twenty years of marriage and no children, and once again humiliated when his offering to the temple was rejected, Joachim, too ashamed to return home, went to live among his shepherds. There, an angel came to him, ordered him to return to his wife, and told him that she was pregnant, saying, Delayed conceptions and infertile childbearing are all the more wonderful! Your wife will bear you a daughter and you will call her Mary. As you have vowed, she will be consecrated to the Lord from infancy and filled with the Holy Spirit from her mother s womb. Simultaneously, Saint Ann had been given the same news. She gave birth to the Virgin Mary at the age of forty. Saint Joachim was sixty-nine. Devoted to God, they raised Mary accordingly. Prayer: Parents of Mary, pray for all parents that they may provide the loving home and faithful teaching that you provided your daughter. Amen True to their promise, they sent her to live in the temple to serve God when she was three years old. This was an extremely difficult act of faith on their part, surrendering the one thing they cherished most to God. So it was that Mary never lived among common people. She was given extraordinary parents and a sheltered, religious life in the service of God. Saint Ann is the better known of the two saints and her cult goes back to the beginning of the church. She is the patroness of housewives and women in labor. Because she kept her home in perfect order, she is the patron of cabinetmakers. In Brittany, Saint Ann has an exalted place. There were many sightings of her there in the 1600s. She is also the patroness of Canada. Saint Ann is the patron Saint of : Housewives, Pregnancy, Family Crisis, Cabinetmakers, Brittany and Canada. She is invoked against: Infertility. Together, Saints Ann and Joachim are the Patron Saints of Parents and Grandparents. Prayer to Ss. Joachim & Ann (parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary) O glorious Ss. Joachim and Anne, Grandparents of the Most High! Great indeed is our Lord s affection for you. We honor your faithfulness in marriage, and your openness to God s hidden plan. It was from your marital embrace that the Spirit fashioned your fair daughter Mary to be sinless; the dawning of a new creation awakening from her Immaculate Conception. It was in your family that she learned to love God and grow in every virtue. By a life of obedience to the Law of God lived in your home, Mary was prepared to receive the Eternal Word into her heart and into her womb. From your tender love Mary learned a motherhood that knew no bounds, and by the example of your married life, Mary knew what it was to be a faithful wife to Joseph, her most chaste spouse. O Ss. Anne and Joachim, great indeed are you who gave life to the Mother of our Savior! It pleased God to create from your union a woman freed from the stain of sin, by the saving death of the son she had not yet conceived. Dearest Ss. Joachim and Anne, pray that our families may grow in holiness and that our homes may become grace filled sanctuaries of love. By your powerful intercession, protect and guide all grandparents that they may be great examples of faith. Amen.

7 Sixteenth Ordinary Sunday Page Seven VOTIVE CANDLES Votive offering for the week of July 21, 2013 St. James Altar & Rosary Sodality Special int. for the Arra Family Special int. for the Golom Family Special int. for the 11:30 a.m. Ushers Monday July 22 St. Mary Magdalene 8:15 AM Donna Wilkinson Tuesday July 23 St. Bridget 8:15 AM Purgatorial Society Wednesday July 24 St. Sharbel Makhulūf 7:00 PM Special int. for the wedding anniversary of Barbara & Wojciech Fugiel Thursday July 25 St. James, Apostle 8:15 AM Special int. for Charisa & Joe Scharnak Friday July 26 Ss.Joachim & Anne 8:15 AM Jerry Mogy Saturday July 27 VIGIL: SEVENTEENTH ORDINARY SUNDAY 5:30 PM Rosalie Cannizzaro Sunday July 28 SEVENTEENTH ORDINARY SUNDAY 8:30 AM Janina Spiewak & Ciciora Spiewak 10:00 AM Blessing & Thanksgiving for Bosia & Patrick Foran 11:30 AM Frank Conigleo 17th Ordinary Sunday 7/27/13 & 7/28/13 5:30PM 8:30AM 10:00AM 11:30AM Celebrant Father Gleeson Father Gleeson Father Koys Father Koys Altar J. Beecher K. Madden Lawler Fugiel Servers J. Beecher T. Szarzynski Lawler Fugiel M.C. Witter J. Szarzynski Lawler Fugiel Lector Beecher C. Slowik Lawler S. Hagen LEM Father Koys Father Koys Deacon John Deacon John Ushers S. Hillstrom J. Quigley C. Hughes J. H. Dillenburg M. Hally T. Lang F. Pearman D. Butalla M. Lavery J. Pajkos J. Wall B. Czaja J. Neadly R. Poynter M. Fleckenstein