Pastor: Father Victor Ray

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known by Love, and be a voice of Hope in

1 12 th Sunday in Ordinary Time June 25, 2017 Volume 4, Issue #27 Pastor: Father Victor Ray St. Francis Mission is: To live by Faith, be known by Love, and be a voice of Hope in order to give ourselves in service and better the lives of others.

2 HYMNS Gathering 424 Canticle Of The Sun Offertory 465 In Every Age Communion 502 All That Is Hidden Sending 404 In Christ Alone 12 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 = Jeremiah 20:10-13 Responsorial Psalm = Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, Reading 2 = Roman 5:12-15 Gospel = Matthew 10:26-33 St. Ignatius of Loyola (Prayer after Communion) Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, All I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me. Amen Liturgical Ministry Schedule DATE GREETERS ACOLYTE 1 ST READING 2 ND READING/ INTERCESSION EUCHARISTIC MINISTER June 25 Cindy M Terry W Deb F Jim H Mike H Marian G July 2 Florence George Mike M Bill S Ivy V Anthony July 7 Barb F Mary Lee Mary Lee July 9 David B Jon L Mike M Cheryl V Fr. Martin Anthony

3 12 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Meaning We read today s Gospel in the context of last week s Gospel in which Jesus sent the twelve disciples to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. In between last week s reading and today s reading, Jesus has predicted that the disciples will face difficulties in their mission. Many people will not receive them well, even within the land of Israel. Even family members will turn away from the disciples because of the disciples commitment to Jesus and the kingdom. Today s Gospel offers the disciples consolation against this difficult truth. This section of Matthew s Gospel should be read in the context of Matthew s intended audience, a Jewish-Christian community. The Gospel alludes to the dangers and persecutions that this community has most likely already faced and will continue to face. To reassure this community, Matthew recalls for them the encouraging words of Jesus that we read today. In this Gospel passage, Jesus might be understood as putting suffering in perspective. The disciples of Jesus are called upon to keep their focus on God. Those who can harm the body do not have ultimate power; God does. Still persecution and suffering can not be avoided or prevented. But Jesus reassures his disciples that God knows and cares about what happens to his children. We might not face the same type of persecution, but we do experience difficulties as we endeavor to live a Christian life. Sometimes we let the opinions of others prevent us from doing what we know to be right. We need the reminder that what God thinks about us is more important. We are reassured by the promise that God cares for us and protects us.

From The Desk, of The Pastor Today s gospel is a continuation of the instructions that Jesus gave to the twelve apostles as he sent them out to go and proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

4 From The Desk, of The Pastor Today s gospel is a continuation of the instructions that Jesus gave to the twelve apostles as he sent them out to go and proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The values of the Kingdom are different from the values of the world, so much so that people tend to reject the message and turn against the messengers. Tradition has it that almost all the apostles died the violent death of martyrdom. Some of them ended up being crucified on the cross, like Peter and Andrew; beheaded, like James and Paul; flayed alive, like Bartholomew; or thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil, like John. It was natural, therefore, for the apostles to fear as Jesus sends them out to evangelize a hostile world. Yielding to this fear would make them abandon the dangerous mission in order to save their skin. So, Jesus instructs them in today s gospel on how to overcome this crippling fear. The key is to look unto Jesus as their hero and model. As Jesus said earlier in this discourse A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master (Matthew 10:24). Fr. Victor

5 St. Francis E.C.C. In Recognition of PRIDE Weekend June 25, 2017 All: We, as people of faith, claim the promise of Creation s sustaining love. Reader 1: (Lighting of the Red Candle) From the Hebrew Scriptures, we read: This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all generations: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living thing. All: We proclaim our pride. (Red Candle is placed on the altar) Reader 2: (Lighting of the Orange Candle) It is much easier for society and homophobic religion to tolerate a sad and pitiful homosexual than a proud and creative gay man, lesbian, or transgender person. May we march with pride and creativity in our whole lives. All: We proclaim our bold intentions. (Orange Candle is placed on the altar) Reader 3: (Lighting of the Yellow Candle) With Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we remember that the oppressed set both the timetable and the agenda for liberation. If we say now is the time, then now is the time. May wisdom sustain us. All: We remember that we are not isolated or alone in either our oppression or our struggle. (Yellow Candle is placed on the altar) Reader 4: (Lighting of the Green Candle) May our pride and our quest for freedom light a flame within us that is a passion for justice for all who are disregarded, overlooked, or oppressed: native peoples, African-Americans, women, the poor in the United States and throughout the world, those with disabilities, our elders and minority faith groups. May we realize our own participation in fear, denial, injustice and lovelessness, and do what we can each day to live in equity and love. All: We proclaim ourselves as people of faith, living for right relation in our world. (Green Candle is placed on the altar) Reader 5: (Lighting of the Blue Candle) May we become a people of forgiveness and reconciliation as we pour ourselves out in the struggle against oppression and hopelessness. All: We proclaim our vision of diversity and hope, and our responsibility to share this vision. (Blue Candle is placed on the altar) Reader 6: (Lighting of the Purple Candle) May we join with one another to follow the prophets and teachers of our faith in the way of love, compassion, hope and peace. (Purple Candle is placed on the altar)

Let Us Pray for Lucille Champagne, Leo's Mom. Prayers for Speedy Recovery. Mary Ursitti, Joe's Mom. Prayers for Healing and Skillful Surgeon. Myles Rogalla, John and Leo s Friend.

6 Let Us Pray for Lucille Champagne, Leo's Mom. Prayers for Speedy Recovery. Mary Ursitti, Joe's Mom. Prayers for Healing and Skillful Surgeon. Myles Rogalla, John and Leo s Friend. Prayers for Healing Burton Harvey: Uncle to Jessica Villafana Opyd and Mark Opyd, Prayers for Hhealing of a broken hip. Helen Miller: Aunt to Jessica Villafana Opyd and Mark Opyd, Prayers for Better Health. David Baughman, Parishioner. Prayers for Better Health. Jacquelyn Cosentino, friend of Tony and David. Prayers for Healing from Brain Cancer Bill Hartwig, Parishioner. Prayers for Healing and Better Health. Myles Rogalla, cousin of John and Leo in preparation for surgery. Prayers for Surgeon Guidance and Healing. Dawn Rubio, friend of James Hoffmann recovering from a stroke. Prayers for Healing and Thanks to her Caregivers. Joe Ursiti, Parishioner, battling illness. Prayers for Healing and Speedy Recovery Mark Talboom, Parishioner, suffering with additional major health issues. Prayers needed for Healing and a Return to Better Health. D A and Dee, Parishioners, dealing with health issues. Prayers for Healing. Birgit Wilhelm, Parishioners, dealing with health issues. Prayers for Healing. Ivy Villafana, Parishioner, recuperating. Prayers for Healing. Those dealing with unseen issues affecting the heart, mind and body such as grief, depression and anxiety. For the lonely, the dying, those who have entered God s Eternal Kingdom and those who are grieving them. Church Guy Inquiry: Please let me know who we need to pray for! The power of prayer works, but I need to know who we can all pray for..

7 What Makes My Belly Laugh! Influenced by Wayne Rettke Johnny s Mother looked out the window and noticed Him playing church with their cat. He had the cat sitting quietly and he was preaching to it. She smiled and went about her work. A while later she heard loud meowing and hissing and ran back to the open window to see Johnny baptizing the cat in a tub of water. She called out, Johnny, stop that! The cat is afraid of water! Johnny looked up at her and said, He should have thought about that before he joined my church. A woman gets on a bus with her baby. The bus driver says, "That's the ugliest baby that I've ever seen. Ugh!" The woman goes to the rear of the bus and sits down, fuming. She says to a man next to her, "The driver just insulted me!" The man says, "You go right up there and tell him off go ahead, I'll hold your monkey for you." Thank You Jim Villafana Any more funny pictures, jokes, comics, funny faces, recipe, etc. Please media.stfrancis.ecc@gmail.com

Upcoming Anniversaries and Birthdays: Ron Little and Wayne Rettke Anniversary 7/4 Mike and Cheryl Velez Anniversary 7/4 Nile Merrit and Donald McLean Anniversary 7/4 David Baughman and Tony McGary

May 26 th August 10 th Help The Kids Summer Food Collection. See bulletin board for more information. June 25 - Sunday TODAY - Memorial Mass for Daniel Velez SR.

8 Upcoming Anniversaries and Birthdays: Ron Little and Wayne Rettke Anniversary 7/4 Mike and Cheryl Velez Anniversary 7/4 Nile Merrit and Donald McLean Anniversary 7/4 David Baughman and Tony McGary Anniversary 7/5 LOOKING AHEAD Check out the Calendar page for more details. Spiritual Healing from Florence Jean-Pierre. Contact her for appointment. Phone Number is on Website on Parishioners Page. May 26 th August 10 th Help The Kids Summer Food Collection. See bulletin board for more information. June 25 - Sunday TODAY - Memorial Mass for Daniel Velez SR. and Elizabeth Tracey Velez by Mike and Cheryl Velez June 25 Sunday TODAY - St. Peter Pride Street Festival on Central Avenue in Central Park Neighborhood July 1 Saturday Bowling at Liberty Lanes from 6:30 8:30pm July 4 Tuesday Independence Day. Stay Safe! July 7 Friday First Friday Mass at 7pm Aug 4 Friday First Friday Mass at 7pm CHOIR PRACTICE IS NOW ON TUESDAY EVENINGS AT 6PM

LGBT Pride Month is here and it's a great reason to celebrate. Whether you're unique or an ally, LGBT Pride Month is a time for parties, parades, remembrance, love, and support. And it is a spectacle.

9 LGBT Pride Month is here and it's a great reason to celebrate. Whether you're unique or an ally, LGBT Pride Month is a time for parties, parades, remembrance, love, and support. And it is a spectacle. I watched my first massive NYC Pride Parade when I was 18 on a fire escape over Christopher Street and my jaw dropped. I wish I could say it was part of a journey of self-discovery, or a deep understanding of the history, but it was simply because it was one of the most amazing displays of anything I've ever seen. It's easy to get lost in the parties and fun of Pride. But, especially in the wake of the Orlando shooting, it's so important not to forget its roots. If you've ever wondered, "Why do we celebrate Pride?" I understand. It's something I was woefully under-educated in growing up. Besides a rough outline of civil rights struggles and a footnote during World War II chapters of my history books, I'm embarrassed to say how little I was taught about our rights and history. It always felt like an aside or an addendum. But the history of Pride, why we celebrate it, is so important. There are loads of resources available, but here's a brief outline to get you started. Because it's so much more than a parade. The history of the Pride we know today has its roots in the Civil Rights Movement. There were "Annual Reminder" marches as early as 1965, which were meant to be a public reminder that the LGBT community didn't enjoy the same basic civil rights as other people. But the watershed moment of the modern pride movement is widely considered the Stonewall Riots. In the 1960s, due to laws prohibiting public sexuality, there were limited options for queer folk and raids of gay and lesbian establishments were common. As the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights explains: In the early hours of June 28, 1969, a group of gay customers at a popular gay bar in Greenwich Village called the Stonewall Inn, who had grown angry at the harassment by police, took a stand and a riot broke out. As word spread throughout the city about the demonstration, the customers of the inn were soon joined by other gay men and women who started throwing objects at the policemen, shouting "gay power." Police reinforcements arrived and beat the crowd away, but the next night, the crowd returned, even larger than the night before, with numbers reaching over 1,000. For hours, protesters rioted outside the Stonewall Inn until the police sent a riot-control squad to disperse the crowd. In the following days the demonstrations continued and spread throughout the city. Later, in commemoration of the riots, came the first Christopher Street Liberation Day. In the following years, these celebrations spread across the country and the first pride parades were born.

10 Father Victor Ray Office Hours Are Currently By Appointment Only. Please Father Victor on Website Contact Page 2017 Community Council Leo Champagne, Chair Jim Villafana, Vice Chair Larry Roush, Secretary/Treasurer Jon Laubscher, Council at Large Terry Winslow, Council at Large Mike Heimsath, AdHoc

11 Is Your AD On this Page Yet?

12 St. Francis Ecumenical Catholic Church th Street North, Suite E, Largo, FL Phone: (727) Website: Facebook: St Francis Ecumenical Catholic Church Father Victor Ray, Pastor MASS Each Sunday at 10:30am Followed by Coffee and Fellowship

Pastor: Father Victor Ray

Fifth Sunday of Easter May 14, 2017 Volume 4, Issue #21 Pastor: Father Victor Ray St. Francis Mission is: To live by Faith, be known by Love, and be a voice of Hope in order to give ourselves in service