PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS! On October 28, 29, and 30 we will hold our annual Solemn Eucharistic Devotions which will begin on Friday, October 28, with a special school Mass at 9:30 AM. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will continue on the main altar throughout the weekend, and we will have our Solemn Closing with Mass and Evening Prayer and a procession with the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday, October 30, beginning at 5 PM. Our homilist will be Fr. Joe Menkhaus, recently ordained Parochial Vicar at St. Bernadette Parish in Westlake. Those preparing to receive their First Holy Communion and Confirmation will also join in our procession to honor the Eucharistic presence of our Lord. Please make every effort to be a part of this special weekend of praise and prayer as we give thanks to God for the gift of Himself in the Holy Eucharist. Please make every effort to attend or at least make a holy hour during this special weekend of prayer.
This is a very important time for our parish community especially in light of the Eucharistic Revival initiated by the U.S. Bishops on the Feast of Corpus Christi in June. We must make every effort to deepen our devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We are very blessed to have perpetual adoration in our parish. It should be very helpful and comforting to know that we can go to the Chapel of Divine Mercy any time we feel the need, day or night. Not many parishes have that blessing. This is possible only because of the devotion of so many people who are willing to sign up for an hour. We can always use more volunteers to sign up for an hour of prayer especially during the night hours. We have them all pretty much covered, but it would be much better to have at least two people for each hour. It is just something that I would like more people to consider prayerfully. Jesus is asking us to spend one hour with Him in prayer. One hour out of 168 hours in a week is not that much to ask. Pray and think about it.
It is very disheartening when we hear about so many Catholics who do not believe that the Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is not simply a sign or a symbol or a reminder of Jesus and His life-giving sacrifice. When we are present at Mass, we are standing with the Blessed Mother, St. Mary Magdalen, and St. John at the foot of the cross of Jesus. This is a great honor for all of us. We need to be there for ourselves and for one another. Going to Mass each Sunday is the MOST IMPORTANT thing we do on this earth. Some people understand this, but many do not. The Eucharist is the heart of our Catholic Faith. Without Jesus we can do nothing. We need Him if we are to be the people He has created us to be, and if we are ever going to be with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is what we must teach one other through our example and our encouragement, especially our children and young people.
Let us work together to make this weekend of our Solemn Eucharistic Devotions a special time of renewal for our devotion and deepening of our reverence for Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. If you have never made a holy hour this would be the perfect weekend to try it out yourselves, your families, your friends. Make a Holy Hour and bring someone else with you. You will not regret it.
October is Respect Life Month. Please mark your calendar for our annual Life Chain Event which will be held on Sunday, October 2, from 2 PM to 3 PM on High St. and Great Oaks Trail. Please note the change in the location. This is a wonderful way to witness to our respect for all human life from the moment of conception to natural death. Life is a sacred gift from God. No one has the right or the authority to take the life of another human being least of all the life of an unborn child that has not even had the chance to live. We celebrated a great victory with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade by the Supreme Court on June 24th, but there is still much to do in changing the hearts and minds of people so they may come to know that all human life is a sacred gift from God. We must continue to pray and work as people who are Pro Life especially helping mothers and fathers nurture and care for a child that may not be wanted or even a child who is the result of incest or rape. Please remember that the child is innocent and has the right to live the life that God has given him/her.
DON’T FORGET! Our Altar & Rosary Society will be selling raffle tickets at all doors before and after all Masses this weekend and next weekend. Please support all the good work of the Altar & Rosary Society by buying a ticket. The Altar & Rosary Society is involved in many good works for our parish community so they are very much deserving of our good will and support. May God bless these ladies for all they do for us.
