Twenty second Sunday in ordinary time FIRST READING: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, (126C) SECOND READING: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a GOSPEL: Luke 14:1, 7-14

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1 Twenty second Sunday in ordinary time FIRST READING: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, (126C) SECOND READING: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a GOSPEL: Luke 14:1, 7-14 FATHER KEN S KORNER Back to School Message It is hard to believe but the start of the school year is just around the corner. Some of our young people will be entering or returning to Sacred Heart School or St. Mary s School to receive a formal Catholic education. Others will be attending public school. But here is a message for our young people in either case. The school you attend may or may not have the ability to openly discuss and incorporate our faith within classroom discussions but in either case, all of you have been given the same mission from God. That mission does not involve whatever you may be getting out of the experience but, rather, what you are being asked to put into it namely Christ. God is challenging each of you to include Him in your school experience. In other words, where there is no Christ, put Christ by your words and actions. That is what evangelization means bringing God s blessing to all situations and to all people by inviting Him to be there with you. You are all called to become missionaries now regardless of age or experience. Here are three ideas to reflect on in pursuit of that holy goal. Family and Individual Prayer: School can be a joyfilled adventure at times where lasting friendships are made and important life lessons are learned. But let s be honest. The experience can also be marked by deep frustration and pain at times. Peer pressure and the need to fit in or be popular can, at times, pressure us into some regrettable decisions. Prayer is the thing that is going to help us successfully navigate through those difficulties. Parents, here is my challenge to you. The best kind of prayer is family prayer and it is never too late to start. If the habit is established early, family prayer strengthens a very important lifetime bond between siblings and in the parent/child relationship. The family that prays together stays together. This can be as simple as blessing your own children before they head for the school bus or it might involve important family time in the evening as everyone recaps their day a time to thank God for the blessings or to ask God s help with the struggles. This holy habit also increases the possibility that when difficulties do come, your kids will trust you enough to come to you first rather than someone else and it decreases our chances of making foolish, regrettable choices in the first place. And for our young people, even if you are on your own in this process of prayer, through the gradual strengthening of our relationship with Him, God frees us from anxiety, strengthens us to face our daily challenges and helps to assure us, even in our most lonely times, that God is with us. All Truth Leads to God: Education involves the pursuit of truth whether that is through the learning of mathematical principles, laws of science, processes of nature, historical truths or even the truths expressed creatively through the arts. As we gain the knowledge of more and more truths of the world in which we live, we say we are becoming educated. St. Thomas Aquinas said that if we are properly following this principle and are not being taught lies instead then, ultimately, we are moving closer to God who is Truth itself and the author of all truth. In other words, proper education will never lead us toward atheism or a fleeing from religion. It should enhance our faith instead. Just as by studying something a person has built or written or painted, we can learn something about its creator if we observe carefully so too when we observe the things God has created, we learn something about Him. There is no discipline taught in school that does not have God at its center, hidden in the background. So pursue your academic passions whatever they may be but remember, to the one with eyes of faith, this pursuit should ultimately lead you closer to God if you accompany your studies with a spirit of prayer. The Glory of God is Man Fully Alive: St. Irenaeus said that almost 2000 years ago. What he meant by that was that God has given each of us a set of talents and abilities to show forth His glory and to serve and help to build up the Body of Christ. Therefore, any time we hone a skill or learn a new one, either through our school journey or through the journey of life, God is glorified as a result. We don t just give God glory through prayer or studying the Bible or working in ministry. If we are developing a gift that God has given us, especially if we are doing so in order to share it with others and be of service, we are, little by little, becoming the version of us that God created us to be. To put it another way, education s goal should not just be to help us find a job to make more money. The goal should be to become a better version of ourselves, to discover the gifts God has blessed us with and to give Him the ultimate credit and thanks for them. To all of our students, good luck in school this year and may God bless your every endeavor! 1

2 PATRICIANS We will meet Monday, September 16 in the Parish Hall at 9:30 a.m. Topic: Vatican II documents - Chapter VI "Religious" and Chapter VII "The eschatological nature of the pilgrim church and her union with the heavenly church" All are welcome. Father Carmelo is our Spiritual Advisor. HEALING SERVICE For those afflicted with a chronic or a temporary illness, of body or soul, the imposition of hands by the priest will be offered on Saturday, September 7 following the 8:30 morning Mass. PARISH OFFICE CLOSED Labor Day Monday, September 2 7:00 a.m. DAILY MASS INTENTIONS M. Sept. 2: No Mass - Holiday T. Sept. 3: Catholic Daughters W. Sept. 4: Sick & Homebound Th. Sept. 5: +Ray Gallo Fr. Sept. 6: +Aurora Roha 8:30 a.m. DAILY MASS INTENTIONS M. Sept. 2: Antonio Aquino T. Sept. 3: +Sue Bloom W. Sept. 4: +Robert Sutton Th. Sept. 5: +Bud & +Dorothy Large Fr. Sept. 6: +Laverne Henning Sat. Sept. 7: +Robert Meyer PLEASE PRAY for the sick of our parish especially: Theresa Matthews, Mickey Ketchum, Tom Wall, Pat Kelly, Jim Carrigan, Alice Ainslie, Leonard Krug, Louise Sutch, Alice Blenkush, Linda Blixt, Dennis Velez, Millie Zarosinski, Nanette Hall, Paul Zeleznik, Marge Kearney, Vickie Harris, Marie Casilio, Loretta Thrun, Jeff Leroy, Patricia Wittenbrock, Celia Caporicci, Brian Chachere, Margaret Welk, Rosary Brooks, Calvin Schwenk, Margaret Mucha, Shizuka McCue, John Preston, Mary Beveridge, Rita Morrell, Rose Casagrande, Marion & Bill Owens, and Dick & Beverly Handley. Please pray for the deceased of our parish and for their families. Could you not keep watch for one hour? Mk 14; 37 What will convert America and save the world? My answer is prayer. What we need is for every parish to come before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in Holy Hours of prayer. ~~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Please prayerfully consider committing to a weekly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration for conversion of America and the world. Open hours : Saturday 12:00 midnight, 1:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m. 4:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m., 11:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., 4:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m. Monday 1:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m. Wednesday 2:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. Thursday 5:00 a.m., 12:00 noon Friday 1:00 a.m., 6:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m. To sign up for these or any hour or if you have any questions please call Dan or OFFERTORY DONATIONS Financial Report 8/18/2013 8/19/2012 Offertory this week ** $15, $14, Offertory Received $118, $128, Needed for Budget $126, $139, Over (Under) Budget ($8,052.54) ($10,910.44) **Includes Holy Day collection. 2

3 ALTAR SOCIETY NEWS Produce Sale -- Gardeners -- We appreciate all the produce you have shared! We will be back next year. Multi-Cultural Festival has finally arrived! Saturday, September 7th, at 6:30 p.m. at The Inn at the Commons, formerly The Red Lion Inn. For information call Jane: First Meeting of the Year -- Monday, September 9th, at 11:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall. Come see old friends, make new friends, and enjoy a great salad lunch. Annual dues: $ ROSARY GUILD SALE Rosaries will be on sale Sunday, September 8, after Masses from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We feature many one of a kind, handmade rosaries. All profit supports free rosaries to the missions and the military. Come see what we have. Need a rosary repaired? Call Bertha at KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BREAKFAST Come on over to the Hall after the 7 and 8:30 morning Masses for the first Knights breakfast of the season! Join in Sunday, September 15, and enjoy scrambled eggs & ham, biscuits & gravy, pancakes and even French toast and especially enjoy a cup of nice, hot coffee. Cost is $18.00 per family, $6.00 adults, and $2.00 children under 10 years old. Proceeds benefit Hadley Hope. CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS We return from break with our continued mission of joining together as Catholic women to embrace the principles of faith, and to positively influence the welfare of the Church. All women of the parish are invited to join us Tuesday, September 3rd at 8:00 a.m. with rosary in the church, then 8:30 Mass. Following Mass we will gather in the Hall for fellowship before our meeting at 9:30 a.m. Bring a light snack to share - coffee and tea provided. Our guest speaker will be Father Ken Sampson. This will be a great opportunity to meet him. Join us as we come together in fellowship to support each other spiritually. Yours In Christ, Connie Moyer, Regent WEED THE CHURCH GROUNDS! Wednesday Weeders continue to meet weekly from 8:00 to 9:30 to work on the landscaping around the church. We welcome anyone who would like to join us for an hour or more. Please bring your own tools and gloves. For more information call BJ Buxton at COFFEE AND DONUTS Come on over to the Hall after the 7 and 8:30 Masses and enjoy a yummy donut and coffee! Schedule of Hosts: Sept. 1: No Coffee and Donuts due to Holiday weekend. Sept. 8: 7AM BJ Buxton 8:30AM The Bryan Family THINKING ABOUT BECOMING CATHOLIC? COME AND SEE! Is God calling you or someone you know to possibly become a fully initiated Catholic? Come, look into it. If you are an adult who is thinking about becoming Catholic, or have a child seven or older who is not yet baptized, or are a baptized Catholic adult or teen who has not yet received your First Communion, we invite you to attend our RCIA. Weekly RCIA sessions for adults, teens, and older children begin on Tuesday, September 17, in the Parish Hall from 6:30-8:00 p.m. At these informal gatherings, you ll become acquainted with the Catholic faith and our parish community. For more information or to sign up, please contact Ann Brophy, Pastoral Associate, 3

4 SACRED HEART SCHOOL NEWS Ready or not, here it comes.! School begins on September 3 rd. We are currently putting the finishing touches on the classrooms, hallways and grounds in order to greet our children and their parents and begin another great year at Sacred Heart Catholic School! We are grateful to have received another Safety First Grant from the Archdiocesan Risk Management office and have used the funds to up security by re-keying the building and putting in electronic entry doors. There are many opportunities in the year ahead to visit our school. Please join us for our concerts, open houses and events! We invite all of the golfers in the parish to join us for our first event, our annual Golf Tournament to be held on September 20th at Centennial Golf Club. We look forward to continuing to share the good work taking place at our parish school. As always, we are grateful for your continued support. Look for us as we host coffee and donuts several times in the coming year beginning on October 6th. We will have Scrip available after the 7:00 and 8:30 Masses that day. We hope you have all enjoyed a wonderful summer and wish everyone a wonderful school year ahead! Shirley Kennedy, Principal RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS Parents Think Faith First -- sign your child up for Religious Education this school year. Sign up Sundays are Sept 7 & 8 th / Sept 14&15 th. Forms available now at the Parish Office. SACRAMENT PREPARATION Baptized children entering 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th or 5 th grade who are in their second consecutive year of Religious Education are eligible for Reconciliation and First Eucharist Sacrament preparation classes. Register after Masses on Sunday, Sept. 8 or 15. Children Come, join us and learn how cool it is to be Catholic! Classes begin Sept 22 nd. You have to be in Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st, 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th or 5 th Grade to able to join the fun. OPENING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY We need a Catechist or Team of Catechists to teach our Preschool. There is a very easy to follow format and most parents stay to assist. Imagine the blessings that come with working with this beautiful age group!! Every Catholic parish has as one of its primary activities the duty to catechize its members. The word catechize literally means to echo. Come be part of the echo and sign up to teach or assist with catechizing our children. I am out of the Office but can be reached at mstallard@shcs.org. Thank you, Mary Stallard, Religious Education SACRED HEART SCHOOL S 13 TH ANNUAL INTO THE HEART OF THE CUP Please join us for a day of golf at Centennial Golf Club. Fun begins at 9:00 a.m., Friday, September 20 th. You can also help out by buying a golf ball drop ticket or two; 1,000 tickets will be sold for $5/ ticket. FIRST place will be awarded $1,000 cash or school tuition!!!!! SECOND place will win $200!!!! LeeAnn Loftin ext 119 laloftin@shcs.org 4

5 FAMILY FAITH SHARING QUESTIONS September 1 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 14:1, 7-14 Luke uses one of Jesus favorite teaching modes in the Gospel for this Sunday the parable. The parable is an interesting form of literature in that it is never meant to be taken literally. A parable uses one situation to examine a second. The gospel for this week deals with humility. The setting and story about a meal are meant to help us consider the heavenly banquet to which we are all called. The invitation comes regardless of our station in life and is not based on merit. God s generosity makes scrambling for position at the banquet senseless and fruitless. Once we have realized how undeserving we are of the invitation, the more exalted we are in accepting the invitation. This is the humility to which we are called. What does it mean for you to be humble before God? What opportunities are available in your community to care for the least (seemingly) in the Kingdom of God? How can we best respond to the cry of the poor and make it an example of accepting the invitation to the banquet? RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. Consider being a blood donor and help save a life! The Red Cross is holding a blood drive in our Parish Hall Tuesday, September 17th, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please call to schedule an appointment. TENTH ANNUAL CHARISMATIC RETREAT St. Rita Retreat Center presents the 10th Annual Charismatic Women's Retreat - THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD- with Michael & Diana Haggerty Sept 20-22, $ after Sept 10th or $ early registration. Call 541/855/1333 to register. Thank you Advertiser of the Week RJS JANITORIAL LLC Please thank our Advertisers with your patronage. To place an ad call Jack Wallich at SECULAR FRANCISCANS Our local Secular Franciscan Fraternity meets every third Sunday of the month - September 15, from 1:30-4:30 in the Sacred Heart Office Conference Room to immerse ourselves in communal song, chant, prayer and study. The world is waiting for our charism and You! Come and see! Praise and bless my Lord and give him thanks, and serve him with great humility. 12th Annual Wine Tasting & Auction Shepherd of the Valley Catholic Church 600 Beebe Road, Central Point Friday, September 13, :00 p.m. Wine Tasting, Finger Foods, Dessert Silent & Live Auction 5

6 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL 2424 N. Pacific Hwy (Ext. 7) SOS!!! - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN MANY DEPARTMENTS!!! ASSOCIATE TREASURER training available, bookkeeping desired, but not required. SOCIAL SERVICES Councilors - training available. THRIFT STORE Receiving Dept., Cashiers, Sorters. St. Vincent de Paul is an all volunteer organization that assists so many people in need. If you find yourself asking What will I do today? please give St. Vinnies a try. You will be busy! CATHOLIC CURSILLO WEEKEND We invite you to make a Catholic Cursillo Weekend in the Southern Oregon area. Like a retreat, the Cursillo is a 3-day (Thurs night - Sunday afternoon) opportunity to grow in your relationship with Christ and a joyful community with approximately 30 fellow Catholics. Men s Weekend -- Sept , 2013 Women s Weekend-Oct , 2013 Both weekends will be held at St. Rita s Retreat Center, Gold Hill. For application visit or call Ethel German at , egerman@halibut.net Or call Mike and Ann Reese at or michaelann_2010@yahoo.com 6