TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME AUGUST 27, 2017

Transcription

1 TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME AUGUST 27, 2017 CATHEDRAL OF SAINT PAUL NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL 239 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota Rev. John L. Ubel, Rector Rev. Andrew Jaspers, Parochial Vicar Rev. Nels Gjengdahl, weekends Deacons Phil Stewart & Nao Kao Yang ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS Most Reverend Bernard A. Hebda, Archbishop Most Reverend Andrew H. Cozzens, Auxiliary Bishop

2 LITURGY GUIDE FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OPENING HYMN HYFRYDOL 588 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling INTROIT (8:00 a.m.) Inclina, Domine Gregorian Missal, Mode I Inclína, Dómine, aurem tuam ad me, et exáudi me: salvum fac servum tuum, Deus meus, sperántem in te: miserére mihi, Dómine, quóniam ad te clamávi tota die. Ps. Lætífica ánimam servi tui: quóniam ad te, Dómine, ánimam meam levávi. Ps 86:1, 2, 3, 4 Incline your ear to me, O Lord, and hear me; O God, save your servant who trusts in you; have mercy on me, O Lord, for unto you do I cry all the day.. Gladden the soul of your servant, for unto you, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul. GREETING Celebrant: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.. Amen. Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (or similar greeting). And with your spirit. PENITENTIAL ACT I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, And striking the breast thrice, all say: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. KYRIE Missa XVI GLORIA Congregational Mass, John Lee COLLECT. Amen. THE LITURGY OF THE WORD FIRST READING 930 Isaiah 22:19-23 RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8 St. Noël Chabanel SECOND READING Romans 11:33-36

3 GOSPEL Matthew 16:13-20 Deacon: The Lord be with you.. And with your spirit. Deacon: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.. Glory to you, O Lord. At the conclusion of the Gospel: Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord. MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION. HOMILY PROFESSION OF FAITH Please Stand I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, All bow while saying: and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR AND GIFTS ORATE, FRATRES Celebrant: Pray brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.. May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church. SANCTUS AGNUS DEI Cantor: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,. Third time: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,. ECCE AGNUS DEI Celebrant: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.. HOLY COMMUNION All Catholics who have prepared themselves to receive Holy Communion are invited to come forward. Our brothers and sisters of other faiths are invited to approach with arms crossed over the chest to signal their desire to receive a blessing. COMMUNIO De fructu Gregorian Missal, Mode VI De fructu óperum tuórum, Dómine, satiábitur terra: ut edúcas panem de terra, et vinum lætíficet cor hóminis: ut exhílaret fáciem in óleo, et panis cor hóminis confírmet. Ps. 103:13, 14, 15 The earth will be satisfied by the work of your hands, O Lord, as you bring forth bread from the land and wine to gladden the heart of man; oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man s heart. ANTIPHON Panis Angelicus Camille Saint-Saëns Panis Angélicus fit panis hóminum: dat panis cǽlicus figúris términum: O res mirábilis: mandúcat Dóminum pauper, servus et húmilis. Te, trina Déitas unáque, póscimus: sic nos tu vísita, sicut te cólimus; per tuas sémitas duc nos quo téndimus, ad lucem quam inhábitas The angelic bread becomes the bread of men; The heavenly bread ends all prefigurations: What wonder! The Lord is eaten by a poor and humble servant. You, therefore, we implore, O Godhead, One in Three, so may you visit us as we now worship you; and lead us on the way, that we at last may see the light in which you dwell. Saint Thomas Aquinas CLOSING HYMN THAXTED 541 O God, beyond All Praising COPYRIGHT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The English translation and Chants of The Roman Missal 2010 ICEL Corporation. Congregational Mass by John Lee 1970, 2010 by GIA Publications, Inc. Reported under OneLicense No Saint Noël Chabanel Responsorial Psalm by Jeff Ostrowski, 2010 Creative Commons. ccwatershed.org. All rights reserved.

4 Page 4 CATHEDRAL CAMPUS Monday - Friday Saturday - Sunday Offices, Monday - Friday CATHEDRAL HOURS 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. SUNDAY MASS Anticipatory (Saturday) 5:15 p.m. Sunday 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., Noon, & 5:00 p.m. DAILY MASS Monday - Friday Saturday 7:30 a.m. & 5:15 p.m. 8:00 a.m. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Monday - Friday 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Saturday 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. EUCHARISTIC ADORATION Tuesday Wednesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ROSARY Sundays at 11:15 a.m. in the Cana Chapel and at 6:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Weekdays at 4:30 p.m. in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin OFFICE HOURS (RECTORY AT 239 SELBY AVENUE) Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. WELCOME CENTER HOURS Saturday Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. GUIDED TOURS Offered Tuesday-Friday at 1:00 p.m. (except on holy days and national holidays). Meet in the center aisle. MUSEUM HOURS Call the Cathedral at for hours of operation. VIRTUAL TOURS Visit for a mobile app tour and to virtually walk through the Cathedral. RADIO BROADCAST The 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass is recorded and aired on Relevant Radio 1330 AM every Sunday morning at 11:00. Listen online at SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL CAMPUS Twin Cities Hmong Catholic Community Located at 651 Virginia Street, Saint Paul Sunday Mass (Hmong and English) SUNDAY STEWARDSHIP 9:00 a.m. CONTRIBUTIONS FOR AUGUST 13, 2017 Sunday Envelopes $ 9, Member EFT/Credit Card (Est.) $ 1, Visitors/Plate $ 8, Total Sunday Contributions $ 18, Saint Vincent de Paul Campus $ DOCTORS OF THE CHURCH: THE WISDOM OF THE LITTLE FLOWER I ll never forget my experience twenty summers ago this weekend. It was at World Youth Day in Paris in First, it was the warmest August on record in the City of Lights. It was both exhilarating and exhausting, as much of the time we searched for shade and places to fill our water bottles. At the closing Mass on August 25, Pope John Paul II announced his intention to declare St. Thérèse of Lisieux ( AD) a Doctor of the Church, making her at the time only the 33 rd figure in history to receive that title. It was quite an ending to a transformative, even if grueling, experience for me. In the minds of many, this title was reserved for prolific theologians who penned well-known tomes on theology or spirituality. So why St. Thérèse? Certainly, Pope John Paul II was not antiintellectual. St. Thérèse had once written in her Little Way: Sometimes, when I read spiritual treatises my poor little mind soon grows weary, I close the learned book, which leaves my head splitting and my heart parched, and I take the Holy Scriptures. Then all seems luminous, a single word opens up infinite horizons to my soul, perfection seems easy; I see that it is enough to realize one s nothingness, and give oneself wholly, like a child, into the arms of the good God. Unlike nearly all previous Doctors of the Church, the Little Flower published very little. Her autobiography and letters are the main source of our knowledge of her teaching. She lived just twenty-four years and wrote her Story of a Soul under obedience to her Carmelite superiors. But because of her great sanctity, she was able to grasp spiritual truths in a manner not possible even to great intellectuals; some knowledge is far beyond books. She died at age 24, and is by far the youngest Doctor of the Church. Pope John Paul II remarked that though youthful, her ardent spiritual journey shows such maturity, and the insights of faith expressed in her writings are so vast and profound that they deserve a place among the great spiritual masters. Her most prominent contribution is in giving the Church a clear and deep understanding of spiritual childhood. She was without guile, without cunning of any kind truly innocent. We need to recover this sense of spiritual childhood amidst a culture that has lost its respect for innocence, a quality that has sadly taken on a negative connotation, when in reality it is a beautiful gift. We speak of simplicity, of pulling back from the complicated methodologies of prayer, which while motivated by sincerity, often obscure the simple truths of the divine life of the soul. Spiritual theology can be complicated, but not of necessity. While proclaiming the latest Doctor of the Church, Pope John Paul II noted three special reasons why his act was significant: first, she was a woman, grasping the Gospel s hidden wealth with that practicality and deep resonance of life and wisdom ; second, she was a contemplative totally dedicated to Christ; third, she was a young person, a teacher of the evangelical life, illuminating the path for the young. Thérèse exhibited a great spirit of self-denial, while firmly avoiding the extreme penances of some of the saints. She concentrated her desire for penance in the mortification of her self-love, which, as she put it, did me more good than bodily penance. Young children often grasp the profound spiritual truths better than do we, because we are tempted to let cynicism creep into our vision. Noted 17 th -century philosopher Blaise Pascal observed: Reason s supreme act is in recognizing that there are an infinite number of things that surpass it. We mustn t become enslaved to an understanding of reason that only enslaves us, cutting itself off from any revelation from above. As Pope Pius XI noted in his canonization homily

5 in 1925 spiritual childhood: It consists in thinking and acting under the influence of grace as a child thinks and acts. As one of the Carmelite novices later wrote: Sister Thérèse knew how to transform all her actions into acts of love even the most indifferent ones. The secret of her great success is summed up in one sentence she spoke shortly before her death: I have never given God anything but love! This little way is a path of complete abandonment to God, and is not meant to be an easy way, as if it were less demanding. When we completely trust in divine mercy and abandon ourselves to it, our relationship with Christ becomes everything to us, and nothing can even come close. When God rewards the little ones, he means all those who remain faithful to their daily duties in simplicity of heart, and love God for Himself, never taking themselves so seriously as to think that they know better than God. Our young people have much to teach us parents, priests and all adults. The desire Thérèse expressed to spend her heaven doing good on earth continues to be fulfilled in marvelous ways today through her example and the important lessons of Scripture. While she does not fit the traditional bill as a Doctor, it was a bold move by Pope John Paul II. It has since been followed by Pope Benedict XVI s naming of St. Hildegard of Bingen in 2012 and Pope Francis in his adding 10 th century Armenian St. Gregory of Narek (little known in the West) to the roll in Did you see the Total Solar Eclipse last Monday? Sure, it piqued my curiosity, but I ll admit that geographical oddities, such as Hopkinsville, KY (pop. 31,577) being Point of Greatest Eclipse, are as interesting to me. Go figure! The vast universe of outer space is so overwhelming it beggars the imagination. The Psalmist agreed: When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him? Perhaps I m not so crazy Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, Director of the Vatican Observatory, traveled from Rome to Hopkinsville, to write about the eclipse, lecturing in the local parish as well. Come to the Water, indeed! Fr. Giorgio Pontiggia is one busy Salesian missionary. Stationed for years in the vicinity of Gambela, in western Ethiopia, the priest has baptized over 7,500 individuals. His parish also includes eleven mud and sheet-metal chapels scattered around the remote area. When they met last week in Moscow, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin was not expected to discuss a possible papal visit to Moscow with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Thankfully, they did discuss the situation in Ukraine. Though theologically close to us Catholics, disputes over the status of the Eastern-rite Ukrainian Catholic Church must be resolved before the Pope would be welcome. Parolin also had a private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Oh, to be a fly on that wall! I have been invited to join a group of area faith leaders at the State Capitol this week to discuss ways to improve relations between law enforcement and citizens. I have great respect for law enforcement, and am intentional in introducing myself when I see an officer, or at least to wave and acknowledge their presence. They face tremendous pressure, and anything we can do to encourage community engagement leading to better relations will be worth the effort. Sincerely in Christ, Fr. John L. Ubel, Rector CATHEDRAL CALENDAR Sunday, August 27 11:00 a.m. Rosary for Life - Cana Chapel 6:00 p.m. Rosary for Life - Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary Monday, August 28 Tuesday, August 29 Wednesday, August 30 7:00 p.m. Introducing Catholicism - Ryan Room Thursday, August 31 Friday, September 1 1:30 p.m. Divine Mercy Cenacle - Ryan Room 3:00 p.m. Divine Mercy Chant - Cana Chapel 6:30 p.m. CYA Outdoor Sports Night - Eagan Saturday, September 2 No Special Events Sunday, September 3 11:00 a.m. Rosary for Life - Cana Chapel 11:15 a.m. Blessing of Expectant Mothers - Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary 6:00 p.m. Rosary for Life - Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary Labor Day Schedule BECOMING A CATHOLIC AT THE CATHEDRAL Page 5 Please note the following schedule for Labor Day Monday, September 4, :30 a.m. Cathedral Opens 9:00 a.m. Mass 1:00 p.m. Cathedral Closes No Confessions If you or someone you know is interested in becoming Catholic, or just learning more about the Catholic faith, we have an excellent program of teaching and spiritual formation called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA, which begins Thursday, September 7. Find out more by picking up a brochure in the rack in the Cathedral, by visiting and by talking with Patrick Conley (pconley@cathedralsaintpaul.org; ).

6 Page 6 MASS INTENTIONS Saturday - Sunday, August :15 p.m. Anthony Janz 8:00 a.m. Daniel Messisco 9:00 a.m. Saint Vincent de Paul ~ For the People 10:00 a.m. Cathedral Parish ~ For the People 12:00 p.m. Reverend John L. Ubel (B) 5:00 p.m. Sabrina Dolan Monday, August 28 7:30 a.m. Katie Bowen 5:15 p.m. Patricia A. Sroder (B) Tuesday, August 29 7:30 a.m. Barb Stoehr 5:15 p.m. Eleanor (Ruhland) Mrozinski Wednesday, August 30 7:30 a.m. Alexander & Joseph Kleve 5:15 p.m. William R. Lawyer Thursday, August 31 7:30 a.m. Cathedral Benefactors 5:15 p.m. Rita C. Lawyer Friday, September 1 7:30 a.m. Catherine Green 5:15 p.m. Eleni Demissie Saturday, September 2 8:00 a.m. Archconfraternity of the Apostle Paul GOSPEL READINGS Readings for the Week of August 27, 2017 Sunday: Is 22:19-23/Ps 138:1-3, 6, 8/Rom 11:33-36/ Mt 16:13-20 Monday: 1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10/Ps 149:1b-6a, 9b/ Mt 23:13-22 Tuesday: 1 Thes 2:1-8/Ps 139:1-6/Mk 6:17-29 Wednesday: 1 Thes 2:9-13/Ps 139:7-12ab/Mt 23:27-32 Thursday: 1 Thes 3:7-13/Ps 90:3-5a, 12-14, 17/ Mt 24:42-51 Friday: 1 Thes 4:1-8/Ps 97:1, 2b, 5-6, 10-12/ Mt 25:1-13 Saturday: 1 Thes 4:9-11/Ps 98:1, 7-9/Mt 25:14-30 Next Sunday: Jer 20:7-9/Ps 63:2-6, 8-9/Rom 12:1-2/ Mt 16:21-27 Observances for the Week of August 27, 2017 Sunday: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Monday: St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Tuesday: Passion of Saint John the Baptist Wednesday: 21st Wednesday in Ordinary Time Thursday: 21st Thursday in Ordinary Time Friday: World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation Saturday: 21st Saturday in Ordinary Time Next Sunday: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Liturgical Publications Inc CATHEDRAL NEWS INTRODUCING CATHOLICISM CONCLUDES, AUGUST 30 Are you curious about Catholicism? Thinking about becoming Catholic or returning to the Catholic Church? Join us for the final installment of Introducing Catholicism an informal introduction to the breadth and depth of the Catholic faith through Bishop Robert Barron s acclaimed Catholicism series. For our final meeting, we ll view an episode featuring on the Four Last Things (Death, Judgment, Hell and Heaven) and have a brief discussion afterwards, wherein questions are welcome. No previous participation is necessary...just come! We will meet in the Ryan Room, 7:00-8:30 p.m. For more information, please visit: ARE YOU IN A 12-STEP RECOVERY PROGRAM? Would you like to freely discuss how your Catholic Faith, Jesus Christ and the Sacraments enhance your recovery? If so, The Calix Society is for you. Please consider joining us for our monthly breakfast meeting where you will enjoy a hot breakfast and warm fellowship. We meet at the Cathedral of Saint Paul the first and third Sundays of each month in the lower level Assembly Room. Our meetings begin with a hot breakfast at 9:00 a.m. (immediately following the 8:00 a.m. Mass). ALL ARE WELCOME CATHEDRAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Online registration is now open for religious education for all children, aged 3 years through ninth grade, including sacramental preparation, for the year. Please visit for complete details and registration. All classes will begin Wednesday, September 20. DIVINE MERCY CENACLE BEGINS, SEPTEMBER 8 The Divine Mercy Cenacle begins its tenth year on Friday, September 8 at 1:30 p.m. in the Ryan Room. At 3:00 p.m., we will sing the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the Cana Chapel. Join us as we read and discuss excerpts for St. Faustina s Diary, Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For more information contact, Jeanne at or Paula at WELCOME BACK BBQ FOR PARISH MEN, SEPTEMBER 8 All parish men are invited to join the Cathedral Men s Association on Friday, September 8th, in the courtyard from 5:45 p.m. 7:45 p.m. for the annual Welcome Back barbeque. CMA BBQ master chef Cory Reiman promises new entrees including smoked brisket. Join us for good company and delicious food! All parish men are invited to participate in the Men s Association s meeting on Saturday, September 9th, at 8:45 a.m. in Hayden Hall. Join us to prayerfully consider scripture, to pray together, and to plan our annual pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine in La Crosse, WI. Coffee and rolls will be served along with generous helpings of Catholic male comradery. K OF C LADIES AUXILIARY OPEN HOUSE, SEPTEMBER 9 All are cordially invited to an Open House hosted by the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary on Saturday, September 9 following the 8:00 a.m. Mass in the Ryan Room (downstairs in the Cathedral). Come and see the community outreach programs and events they support to help build the Culture of Life.

7 Page 7 VOICES FROM THE ARCHIVES He points to the Lamb of God... In 2009, a letter arrived in the archives with this message: I recently visited your beautiful cathedral.... I am French-Canadian. In front of the statue of St. John the Baptist, there is a [sign] that says Patron of the French and Canadians. This is inaccurate.... St. John the Baptist is neither the patron of the French nor of the Canadians... [He] is the patron of the FRENCH CANADIANS. The sign was changed only one of many changes in the history of the naming of the Shrines of the Nations. In 1905, Archbishop John Ireland introduced his concept of the Shrines of the Nations, naming saints, apostles and spiritual fathers... that played a large role in the settlement of Minnesota. He chose Saint Remy for the French, a choice that may certainly have come from Ireland s own love of French culture and language. But Archbishop Dowling was aware of the deep roots planted by many French-Canadian missionaries who set foot in Minnesota in the 18th century. He knew their history: they had forsaken stable homes and promising careers, traveled across half the world to minister to natives. They braved every hardship and privation. And despite their shabby surroundings and chronic shortage of means, they never ceased to be gentlemen, conscious of their station and their ancient breeding. They treated their religious calling as a noble cause, an opportunity for greatness. As time showed, though Dowling s intention was right, the sign set in 1928 turned out to be inaccurate. The statue of John the Baptist, patron of French Canadians, is the work of Albert Atkins and the subject of several letters in the archives. In one of Dowling s first letters to Atkins, he wrote, Remember, John the Baptist ate honey and locusts he was an ascetic. Later he wrote to Maginnis & Walsh,... I like St. John the Baptist very much. It is a very noble figure... I like the down turned right hand better than the upturned hand. The Saint points to the Lamb of God below. Excerpts from John Ireland and the American Catholic Church, by Marvin O Connell. Note. The Church honors Saint John the Baptist in two feasts: the Martyrdom of John the Baptist is celebrated on August 29; the Nativity of John the Baptist is celebrated on June 24. ACSP. ATTENTION MEN An Invitation to TMIY! - That Man Is You! is a program for men to understand the effects of our culture s erosion of the family and to give them the tools to combat it by strengthening the role of men in the family and greater society. TMIY began last year at the Cathedral. Year Two of this program will begin in early September and focuses on St. Joseph and how he can serve as a role model and guide for men in their earthly journeys as husbands and fathers as well as their spiritual journeys. We meet on Saturday mornings from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. in the Ryan Room. We have a continental breakfast, a video presentation and lively small group discussion. Interested? Visit us online at tmiy for more information. If you have any questions, please call RITES BAPTISM We welcome those who have been newly baptized. Please pray for them as they continue to grow in Christ. Robert Nolan Gutierrez, Jr. Gianna Lux Ciccone-Boadwine MARRIAGE Please join us in praying for all couples preparing for the sacrament of Matrimony. John Lavedan Nye Natalie Ann Ossowski Kyle Joseph Buscher Kirsten Lydia Gorman FUNERAL Please remember in your prayers those who are in grief because of the loss of a loved one. SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION BAPTISM The sacrament of Baptism is celebrated for our parishioners on Sundays after the Noon Mass. Parents must attend a preparation class. To inquire, call Marybeth Gaetano at MATRIMONY To be married at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, one or both persons of the engaged couple must be an active, registered Cathedral parishioner for six months prior to requesting a wedding date. Call Marybeth Gaetano at for information about wedding policies. HOST FAMILIES NEEDED NET MINISTRIES This fall, NET Ministries will have 177 Catholic missionaries serving with us all across the country, ranging in age from years old. Their training includes a two-week stay with host families in the area near West Saint Paul during the last two weeks of training, September This time provides them an opportunity to experience staying with host families before they officially begin their time of ministry. We would like to extend an invitation to you to participate in this part of our ministry. If you would be willing to host any team members in your home, please contact Morgan Mattfeld at morganm@netusa.org. Each missionary will have a sleeping bag and pillow, so beds are not necessary. All they need is a bit of floor space! All of our missionaries have been VIRTUS trained, are background checked, and have received letters from their pastors stating that they are in good standing with the Church.

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