Since October 30, 1930 @ctkmetropolitan Christ the KING Kampala UG www.christthekingkampala.org PARISH PRIEST Msgr. Gerard Kalumba ASSISTING PRIESTS Msgr. Joseph Mugambe Rev. Fr. John Bosco Ssembatya Rev. Fr. Richard Arthur Muwonge LEAD CATECHIST Evaristo Mary Baguma CHAIRPERSON LAITY Rogers Semakula Sunday, 08th April 2018 It often happens that we pray God to deliver us from some dangerous temptation, and yet God does not hear us but permits the temptation to continue troubling us. In such a case, let us understand that God permits even this for our greater good. When a soul in temptation recommends itself to God, and by His aid resists, O how it then advances in perfection. -- St. Alphonsus Liguori SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR B =or DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY= SECRETARY LAITY John Baptist Ssemitego PARISH EXEC. SECRETARY Mrs. Euphemia Kiwuwa SUNDAY MASSES 07.00am: Luganda 08.00am: English 09.00am: Luganda 10.00am: English 11.00am: English 12.00pm: English 05.00pm: English (Charismatic) SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Monday - Friday 07.45am (after 7.00am Mass) 12.15pm (before 01.00pm Mass) 01.45pm (after 1.00pm Mass) Saturday 07.45am (after 7.00am Mass) 05.15pm (before 06.00pm Mass) First Saturday of the Month (dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary) Additional Mass: 09.00am FIRST READING: Acts 4:32-35; One heart and soul. A reading from the Acts of the Apostles The company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the LORD Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not DAILY MASSES: Monday to Friday: 06.30am; 07.00am; 01.00pm Saturday: 07.00am; 06.00pm (for Sunday)
any one needy among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need. The Word of the LORD. RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Ps. 118:2-4, 15-18, 22-24 (R. 1); R. Give praise to the LORD, for He is good; His mercy endures forever. Or: Alleluia. Let the house of Israel say, His mercy endures forever. Let the house of Aaron say, His mercy endures forever. Let those who fear the LORD say, His mercy endures forever. R. The LORD s Right Hand has done mighty deeds; His Right Hand is exalted. The LORD s Right Hand has done mighty deeds. I shall not die, I shall live and recount the deeds of SECOND READING: 1 John 5:1-7; Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. A reading from the First Letter of Saint John Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the one begotten by Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the LORD. The LORD punished me, punished me severely, but did not hand me over to death. R. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD, has this been done, a marvel in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad. R. the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He Who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the Witness, because the Spirit is the truth. The Word of the LORD. 2 Remember, Rejoice, Renew
ALLELUIA: John 26:29 V. Alleluia, R. Alleluia You believed, Thomas, because you have seen Me, says the LORD; blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe. R. Alleluia GOSPEL: John 20:19-31; After eight days Jesus came. A reading from the Holy Gospel According to John On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, Peace be with you. When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the LORD. Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, We have seen the LORD. But he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe. Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, Peace be with you. Then He said to Thomas, Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing. Thomas answered Him, My LORD and my God! Jesus said to him, You have believed because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have Life in His Name. The Gospel of the LORD. Remember, Rejoice, Renew 3
Thomas the Apostle who was absent at the time when the Msgr. Gerard Kalumba Risen LORD manifested Himself to the rest of the Apostles is the most realistic example of our human nature. Unless I see in the hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I WILL NOT BELIEVE. Human nature perceives by senses, which the brains interpret and turn into some intelligible reality for human nature. In the case of Thomas, the sense of SEEING and TOUCHING are very outstanding. These are conventional standards for humanity to perceive reality. But what we see and touch do not make us one entity always. They may even divide us. What makes us one goes beyond what we see and touch. It makes us a new people and it is Faith. Let us not be made shy by some of the recent Churches that make us feel that to BE BORN AGAIN is their monopoly. The terminology and its meaning and essence were introduced by Christ Himself much long before these modern Churches mushroomed. This is what St. John tells us in our Second Reading today: Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. What goes beyond what we see and touch and makes us new and Born-Again is Faith. Jesus confirmed to Thomas in our Gospel today that; THE PARISH PRIEST S REFLECTION Acts 4:32-35 1 John 5:1-7 John 20:19-31 THE GREATEST TESTIMONY TO OUR FAITH IS UNITY AND FAITH IN THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD Blessed are those who have not seen and yet Believe. They are BORN- AGAIN. Faith goes far beyond seeing and touching! Faith gives birth to a new people: For whatever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the VICTORY that overcomes the world, OUR FAITH. With our Faith in Christ who is the Son of God, we are BORN AGAIN. Faith brings about unity. Those Born- Again testify to God among the people by their Unity: The First Reading puts it clearly: The Community of those who believed (who had the Faith) were of one heart and soul and they had everything in common. Unity is not created by seeing and touching, but by that extra divine sense FAITH. The Love and care for each other in the Community of Believers was the testimony to the world that the LORD Jesus Christ was alive among the Believers. May our human nature be guided by Christ like He guides Thomas to a pick of Faith in Christ Jesus: My LORD and My God. Thomas believed because he saw, but Jesus says; Blessed are those who have not seen and yet BELIEVE. LORD we are very human, continue with your signs among us so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that we may have life in His Name as we meditate on the signs that were recorded for us in the Gospels. Msgr. Gerard Kalumba Christ the King Parish, Kampala 4 Remember, Rejoice, Renew
WHY I M TEACHING MY TODDLER ABOUT DIVINE MERCY Now that we re in the glorious season of Easter (Alleluia!), there are many wonderful traditions and feasts that we can celebrate. One such occasion is Divine Mercy Sunday, the feast which occurs on the first Sunday after Easter. Officially decreed by the Holy See in 2000, Divine Mercy Sunday is a time in which the Church rejoices in the gifts of God s mercy and grace as men and women worldwide offer prayers of supplication and thanksgiving. Some churches hold special celebrations on Divine Mercy Sunday that include opportunities for Confession, Adoration, and praying the chaplet that is discussed in St. Maria Faustina s diary. Many of the festivities surrounding Divine Mercy Sunday focus on the need that we-as people who sin and turn away from Godhave for God s mercy. When I read The Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska early on in my marriage, I fell in love with the message of God s intense mercy and love for us. I currently have a toddler, and my enthusiasm for St. Faustina and Divine Mercy has entered into our life at home, particularly as the Feast approaches. Recently, another woman asked me to explain my thoughts on teaching toddlers about the message of Divine Mercy, since toddlers being well below the age of reason are incapable of sin. I thought she brought up an interesting point. Since so much of the Divine Mercy message revolves around sin and redemption, why should we teach toddlers about it? The more I thought about this devotion, though, the more I realized that within God s message of mercy, there are many areas we can concentrate on. We can indeed look at the beautiful depths of the love and salvation He offers to us when we sin. This area of focus may not make much sense to young children who do not have the mental capacity to wilfully turn away from God. Remember, Rejoice, Renew 5
However, the Divine Mercy devotion does not only highlight our sinfulness. In fact, at the root of God s abundant mercy is His deep, passionate love for every person. As Jesus explained to St. Faustina in her diary, I am Love and Mercy Itself (#1273). This is the reality that I try to show my toddler. Since he s not even two years old yet, my son s comprehension of the intense love and mercy of God is rather limited. However, there are small ways that I ve been introducing the message of mercy to him. For example, when my son sees a cross or picture of Jesus, I explain to him: Jesus died on the cross for you, because He loves you so much! One or two holy cards depicting the image of Divine Mercy move throughout our home, and my toddler will hold them and look at the picture of Jesus with the rays of mercy that shine forth. We ve also read a poem about St. Faustina from Meghan Bausch s book, Saintly Rhymes for Modern Times (Our Sunday Visitor, 2018). Within the next couple years, as my son grows a little older, we may even do some hands-on crafts and colouring sheets that depict St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy image. For now, though, introducing the Divine Mercy devotion in small and simple ways is what is working best for us. We all need to hear the message of God s mercy and love. Even if our children cannot yet commit sins, they still can be introduced to this devotion. By teaching our children about Divine Mercy and bringing the image of Divine Mercy into our homes, hopefully we will be creating environments in which they can nurture deep and profound trust in God. Author: AnneMarie Miller Eagerly seeking new adventures each day, AnneMarie enjoys life in Oklahoma with her husband and little boy. She has a passion for the Faith and particularly loves learning more about the Liturgy, saints, and various devotions. 6 Remember, Rejoice, Renew
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WEEKDAY READINGS Monday 09th April 2018 Easter Weekday: First reading: Acts 4:23-31; Responsorial Psalms: Ps 2:1-9 (R. see 12d); Gospel: John 3:1-8. Tuesday 10th April 2018 Easter Weekday: First reading: Acts 4:32-37; Responsorial Psalms: Ps. 93:1-2, 5 (R. 1a); Gospel: John 3:7-15. Wednesday 11th April 2018 Thursday 12th April 2018 Friday 13th April 2018 Easter Weekday or: St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr (memorial): First reading: Acts 5:17-26; Responsorial Psalms: Ps. 34:2-9 (R. 7a); Gospel: John 3:16-21. Easter Weekday or: St. Zeno of Verona, Bishop (optional memorial): First reading: Acts 5:27-33; Responsorial Psalms: Ps 34:2, 9, 17-20 (R. see 7a); Gospel: John 3:31-36. Easter Weekday or: St. Martin I, Pope & Martyr (memorial): First reading: Acts 5:34-42; Responsorial Psalms: Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14 (R.4ac); Gospel: John 6:1-15. Saturday 14th April 2018 Easter Weekday: First reading: Acts 6:1-7; Responsorial Psalms: Ps 32:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 (R.22); Gospel: John 6:16-21. Vigil mass of the Third Sunday of Easter Year B. Sunday 15th April 2018 SAINTS AND READING OF THE WEEK THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR B First reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; Responsorial Psalms: Ps. 4:2, 4, 7-9 (R.7b); Second reading: 1 John 2:1-5; Gospel: Luke 24:35-48. Other Masses are not permitted, not even funeral Masses. THE CONSTRUCTION OF OUR CHURCH AND A CONTINUED WORD OF THANKS TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. Thank you so much for your prayerful support to our project of the reconstruction of our Church. The biggest part of the floor of the Church has been done, soon the front gallery and the western gallery will be constructed as we fast move to the roof of the Church. Thank you for your perseverance and firm Hope and love of your Church. God bless you all. WE WISH YOU A VERY BLESSED EASTER SEASON! Christ the King Parish, Kampala Tel: +256 414-341505 Plot 3 Colville Street, P. O. Box 2551, Kampala - Uganda E-mail: info@christthekingkampala.org www.christthekingkampala.org