Latest Announcements
Please subscribe to receive email notifications of announcements and other parish events.
Our parish offices will be closed on Monday, 1 September, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Please note: NO 7am Mass on Monday only
Watch your mailbox! All registered parishioners will be receiving our Parish Renewal Handbook, Ministry Catalog and Annual Report, probably beginning September 5.
We will celebrate Parish Life Weekend September 13-14, and Commitment Sunday the following weekend. Please review the book and consider how you might get involved in parish life!
Thanks to the good people of Saint Bernadette! Another amazing Saint Lucy Food Project drive: 8,284 pounds of food, $1,340 in donations! Especially now that our government has
canceled assistance for the poor, your help is more needed than ever.
Join us for our monthly Taizé Ecumenical Prayer service on Monday, 15 September at 8pm in the church. Bring your friends, all are welcome!
Thank you to all who have responded to our request to reduce our parish envelope costs. If you are receiving offertory envelopes but don’t use them or no longer wish to receive them, please contact our parish office so that we can remove that service from your registration file. Remember Second and Special Collections can be done electronically through Faith Direct.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
Next Sunday, September 7, two contemporary saints will be canonized: Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint who died in 2006 and was known for his computer-savvy which brought attention to Eucharistic miracles, and Pier Giorgio Frassati, who died in 1925 and was a Third Order Dominican known for his charity. Click here https://youtu.be/d97Vn7q2n3I?feature=shared to watch a video on how the Church declares saints, and click here https://ewtn.co.uk/article-breaking-carlo-acutis-to-be-canonized-sept-7-with-pier-giorgio-frassati/ to learn about them.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) is held during the Sunday 9am Mass to proclaim God’s Word to our three-to-six year olds at a level they can understand. If you would like to sign your child up, please use this link: https://forms.office.com/r/jtBEQmQ0ys or scan the QR code at left. As the CLOW team preps for the new school year, we are in need of volunteers to help teach the children and to be classroom aides. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please reach out to Kathryn Melton at yanezka@gmail.com or Lynn Jones at ljones@stbernpar.org.
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ As we prepare to plan for the upcoming Religious Education school year, please discern if you would like to help. We are in need of Lead Catechists and aides. If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website. You will also find the QR Code at the bulletin board.
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org. Monday, September 1 is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. This casual meal is one of our normal dinners on the 1st the 3rd Monday of every month.
NEW DATE! Our next monthly meeting will be Tuesday, September 16 at 7pm in the Bradican Room. We have a very special program tonight. Father James will favor us with a vocal and guitar performance including some self-composed songs and some more familiar and popular favorites. This will surely be an evening not to be missed!YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Socials begin 26 August!
All high schoolers are invited to join us for Tuesday Socials every Tuesday from 7-8:30pm! Meet in the youth room (in the parish office) for games, ice cream, and a discussion on the faith. Our first Tuesday social of the school year will be Tuesday, August 26. Contact Grace Mee for more information!
All High schoolers are invited for dinner, games, a fellowship on Saturday, September 13. Meet in the Bradican room from 6-8:30pm!
Middle School Youth Ministry begins 2 September
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm, beginning Wednesday, September 2.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
s you know, I have been reflecting on the value and success of a strong community as a refuge from all the moral chaos and lack of truth. I have been interviewing all our inquirers coming into this year’s OCIA program, and there seems to be a consistent thread that runs throughout their seeking: we all need a place where the mess of the world can be viewed from a perspective of faith. That foundation of faith needs to be strong. We aren’t going to make sense out of most of what is happening in the world today. Nor do we need to. We just need a perspective from which we realize life isn’t about the world, anyway. It is beyond, a much broader horizon that we often forget is there, from here in the trenches. We need a community of faith, it is in our DNA.
Also, I have been doing a deep dive into the experiences of Saint Paul in his four journeys in preparation for our upcoming parish pilgrimage.
Against all expectations, the early Christian community grew with remarkable speed in the first centuries after Christ. Several factors help explain this unlikely expansion.
The Roman Empire, like the world today, was vast, multicultural, and often hostile to new movements. Christianity’s rise from a small group of Galilean disciples to a faith spanning cities and continents signals something powerful at work.
Of course, there were shared languages and roads: The Pax Romana provided a relatively stable political environment, with trade routes and Roman roads enabling ideas to spread quickly. Greek and Latin served as common tongues, allowing missionaries like Paul to communicate broadly. Imagine how much faster the message of love would have gotten out if there had been a Roman internet!
In the Church there was also social inclusivity: Christianity welcomed people across class, gender, and ethnic boundaries. Women, slaves, and the poor—those most marginalized in society—found dignity and belonging in the Christian message that “all are one in Christ.”
Most important from the Church was found hope and meaning: Jesus. The promise of eternal life, forgiveness, and God’s love spoke directly to human anxieties about suffering, mortality, and injustice.
Persecution, though brutal, often backfired. Martyrs who faced death with courage stirred curiosity and admiration among non-believers. Stories of their witness inspired others, making Christianity appear not weak, but indestructible. Communities that cared for their sick, buried their dead, and practiced charity stood out in times of plague and crisis, offering practical as well as spiritual refuge.
Missionary zeal, especially that of the Apostles and early bishops, created tight-knit communities that multiplied in households and cities. Local leaders adapted the message without losing unity, giving Christianity both flexibility and coherence.
Against the odds, then, the early Church’s growth owed less to power and more to persuasion, compassion, and conviction.
What can we learn from the early Church today as heirs of the Tradition? First, we focus on Jesus. We take advantage of the gifts we have received that enable us to communicate Jesus in the trade routes and roads that we travel in our daily lives to the people we encounter there. This is where you as lay people have your advantage. The Church takes care of you so you can take care of others. Pope Francis called us the field hospital for all those who are out fighting the good fight every day.
We need to continue the Tradition of being inclusive, not exclusive, to all those who have been left behind by the world, all those who are vulnerable and lack a voice. We have to be ready to give them the kerygma: the need of the world for salvation and the solution offered to all of us in Jesus, God’s Son, who entered into our humanity and by his cross, death and resurrection, makes all things new. Not just some things or some people, but all.
We need to think not so much about power and who has it, but rather focus on unity, compassion and forgiveness.
Start watching your mailboxes for our Parish Renewal Handbook, Ministry Catalog, and Annual Report! Parish Life Weekend is in two weeks!
To our sisters and brothers at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis:
When one member of the Body rejoices, the Body rejoices.
When one member of the Body suffers, the Body suffers.
When one member of the Body mourns, the Body mourns.
We mourn with you, standing from afar, but know our presence with you. We pray for hope and healing for your victims and families who are struggling with this reality. We implore God for the end of this senseless violence, hate, and inhumanity. May God’s peace be with you, and may they rest in peace.
To our brothers and sisters here at Saint Bernadette:
We stand in solidarity with the Catholic Church and condemn this act with deep sadness, and pray for resolution. We also renew our commitment to making our first priority the safety and well-being of our children and our families. We take our security measures very seriously and ask for your partnership to remind our children about the importance of our safety procedures and how they can contribute to the well-being of all by listening attentively and following the guidance of parish leaders. The Lord be with you.
Calling all rising 4th graders who would like to serve at the altar as Altar Servers! Training starts September 8, so contact Jean Corday in the parish office to sign up.
Bring your blue Saint Lucy Food Drive bags this weekend at Masses, August 23-24. See p. 13 of this weekend's bulletin for a list of most needed items. Thank you for your generosity.
The Knights of Columbus are hosting a Pancake Breakfast for the parish this Sunday, August 24 following the 7, 9, and 11am Masses to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. Proceeds will go to K of C charities.
There will be a Rise Against Hunger planning meeting this Sunday, August 24 in the Bradican Room. Come and see how you can get involved in all the aspects of providing meals around the world with thousands of life changing meals.
Thank you to all who have responded to our request to reduce our parish envelope costs. If you are receiving offertory envelopes but don’t use them or no longer wish to receive them, please contact our parish office so that we can remove that service from your registration file. Remember Second and Special Collections can be done electronically through Faith Direct.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
Happy Sunday! This week on August 22 we celebrate the feast day of the Queenship of Mary. The Queenship of Mary falls on the octave of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to Catholic tradition, as Christ is king of the world and saves the people from their sins, Mary is queen over the earth because of her role in the story of divine redemption, serving as the mother to the Savior.” One delicious way to celebrate the feast day is by creating Coronation parfaits. Instructions can be found here. https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2013/08/blueberry-peach-parfaits-for-coronation.html.
Children's Liturgy of the Word ~ As the CLOW team preps for the new school year, we are in need of volunteers. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please reach out to Kathryn Melton at yanezka@gmail.com or Lynn Jones at ljones@stbernpar.org.
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ As we prepare to plan for the upcoming Religious Education school year, please discern if you would like to help. We are in need of Lead Catechists and aides. If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website. You will also find the QR Code at the bulletin board.
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org. Monday, August 18, is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and the 3rd Monday of every month.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Socials begin 26 August!
All high schoolers are invited to join us for Tuesday Socials every Tuesday from 7-8:30pm! Meet in the youth room (in the parish office) for games, ice cream, and a discussion on the faith. Our first Tuesday social of the school year will be Tuesday, August 26. Contact Grace Mee for more information!
All High schoolers are invited for dinner, games, a fellowship on Saturday, September 13. Meet in the Bradican room from 6-8:30pm!
Middle School Youth Ministry begins 2 September
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm, beginning Wednesday, September 2.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
I asked A.I. the origin of the word “pastor.” The word “pastor” originates from the Latin word “pastor,” meaning “shepherd.” This term, in turn, comes from the Latin verb “pascere,” which means “to lead to pasture, set to grazing, cause to eat.” In religious contexts, particularly within Christianity, “pastor” is used to describe a clergyman or minister who is a shepherd to a flock or congregation.
It has been my experience, however, that the job often seems more like that of a sheepdog than a shepherd, running around biting at peoples’ heels to try to move this ship of church in the right direction. You hear people use the phrase “herding cats” a lot, but I think it better to popularize “herding sheep.”
It is an interesting reflection: to lead them to pasture, to set them to grazing, and to “cause [them] to eat?” What is the old phrase – you can lead a horse to water...but you can’t make it drink! But that is, apparently, exactly my vocation.
What is the best course of action for Saint Bernadette, how do I place it in front of you, and convince you that you can’t live without it? That there is nothing more important to your life than what Jesus is offering at this and every moment of your life? I would hope that in an unobscured moment of clarity each and every person in our parish would realize that this is True. But how do we renew our hearts to make Saint Bernadette our priority as a community that brings us holiness and life?
This is not something that happens automatically, sadly. It is only inspired by an encounter of the love of God, often in prayer but sometimes in our interactions with others. There is an unconditionality of love that lays bare all our brokenness from bad experiences of love which did more harm than good. It is only actualized by the same interaction when we experience the beauty of others serving us and our service to others. This is the love that saves. This is the love whose absence on the last day will bring about the words of our Savior, reminding us that every time we did not do something out of love for the least of our brothers and sisters, we did not do it for him. It is starkly simple.
In our planning committee meeting for Parish Life Weekend there was some discussion about the use of the word “commitment.” “Commitment card.” “Commitment Sunday.” People are afraid to commit to things today, I was told. There is the pasture... so many possibilities. Please, eat. The alternative is to starve.
I need your help.
We have a great future just about to open up. Think of the possibilities with a new building: we have to plan. We have to dream. So what does a pastor do when he needs help? He forms a committee. There are a lot of jokes out there about committees and death by meetings. But I propose to you the first Church committee had 12 members, suddenly then 11, and then a new 12th was called up. We do human things by calling forth the gifts that God has already placed in our community.
I’m forming a parish advisory board because finally I think we are ready. The pasture is laid out before us. We are led to the water.
Also, I need two other principal committees first. One is a group that will effectively call forth the gifts from the many cultures and language groups that make up our parish family. I’m calling it the Multicultural Ministry Team (how original!). Everyone needs to be represented and have a part and a say in how we dream our future.
Second, I need a Communications Committee. This is particularly an area where you youth and young adult members of our family can shine. I love to tell our kids that I graduated from college before personal computers were invented. They invented the internet the year I was ordained. (They don’t believe me.) So you can see how steep my learning curve is! I make this bulletin, that is about the depth of my tech talents. BUT... YOU can get our good news out there! Think about how quickly bad news fills the world-wide web. Good news can travel just as quickly and will provide people with the hope they need so much. The best news is usually received in person: by word of mouth, share our story and get people excited! It will require commitment...
The Lord be with you.
In his weekly General Audience Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV invited all the faithful to take part in a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace in the world on this Friday, August 22, the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Pope Leo asks for prayer and fasting for all those who suffer due to war, particularly in the Holy Land and Ukraine, and “to implore the Lord to grant peace and justice, and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of ongoing armed conflicts.” He added, “May Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path of peace.”
Calling all rising 4th graders who would like to serve at the altar as Altar Servers! Training starts September 8, so contact Jean Corday in the parish office to sign up.
Pick up your blue Saint Lucy Food Drive bags this weekend at Masses, and bring them back for the collection at Masses next weekend, August 23-24. See p. 7 for a list of most needed items.
The Knights of Columbus are hosting a Pancake Breakfast for the parish on Sunday, August 24 following the 7, 9, and 11am Masses to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. Proceeds will go to KofC charities.
There will be a Rise Against Hunger planning meeting on Sunday, August 24 in the Bradican Room. Come and see how you can get involved in all the aspects of feeding 250,000+ meals to people who don’t have food today.
Join us for our monthly Taize Prayer Service, Monday, August 18 from 8 - 8:45pm. The perfect, peaceful, prayerful end of the day. Join us as we pray for unity in the world.
Thank you to all who have responded to our request to reduce our parish envelope costs. If you are receiving offertory envelopes but don’t use them or no longer wish to receive them, please contact our parish office so that we can remove that service from your registration file. Remember Second and Special Collections can be done electronically through Faith Direct.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
Happy Sunday! This week on August 22 we celebrate the feast day of the Queenship of Mary. The Queenship of Mary falls on the octave of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to Catholic tradition, as Christ is king of the world and saves the people from their sins, Mary is queen over the earth because of her role in the story of divine redemption, serving as the mother to the Savior.” One delicious way to celebrate the feast day is by creating Coronation parfaits. Instructions can be found here. https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2013/08/blueberry-peach-parfaits-for-coronation.html.
Children's Liturgy of the Word ~ As the CLOW team preps for the new school year, we are in need of volunteers. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please reach out to Kathryn Melton at yanezka@gmail.com or Lynn Jones at ljones@stbernpar.org.
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ As we prepare to plan for the upcoming Religious Education school year, please discern if you would like to help. We are in need of Lead Catechists and aides. If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website. You will also find the QR Code at the bulletin board.
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org. Monday, August 18, is our next Dinner with Friends at 5pm, at Saratoga Pizzeria, 8050 Rolling Road. We meet for this casual meal on the 1st and the 3rd Monday of every month.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Socials begin 26 August!
All high schoolers are invited to join us for Tuesday Socials every Tuesday from 7-8:30pm! Meet in the youth room (in the parish office) for games, ice cream, and a discussion on the faith. Our first Tuesday social of the school year will be Tuesday, August 26. Contact Grace Mee for more information!
All High schoolers are invited for dinner, games, a fellowship on Saturday, September 13. Meet in the Bradican room from 6-8:30pm!
Middle School Youth Ministry begins 2 September
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm, beginning Wednesday, September 2.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Have you ever daydreamed of living your life in reverse? You’d watch the weight of the future retreat as you walked back into the past, living each year in reverse order: growing younger, having family and friends restored to you, erasing mistakes.
There’s something delightful in the dream, however impossible or improper it might be. Indeed, that an adult would entertain the notion of going backward through time suggests the presence of Adam’s fall in our lives, of original sin. We know that hope does disappoint; we’ve seen it happen. The wisdom of age tells us that we have wandered, lost the way, become alienated from some source of renewal and delight. Why not go back?
In the movie “The Passion of the Christ” (2004) a line of Scripture is used out of context and, in that act of artistry, reveals the deepest of truths. Here’s the scene. Mary sees her son Jesus fall under the weight of his cross. She remembers running to her child when he fell. Despite the crowd and his captors, she races to her adult son. Raising his bloodied face from the earth, she offers the greatest of comfort, though it is only the words, “I am here.”
Jesus sees her and, short of breath, responds, “See, Mother, I make all things new.” That’s nothing less than inspired. Why?
Because what we call the Way of the Cross is Christ striding through time, Christ aging in the course of a few hours, Christ trampling toward death, making his way to the farthest reach of human sorrow, of our estrangement from God. If the old world, the one in which you and I were born, was one of sin, of alien-
ation, of aging and of death, Christ walks the way of the cross so as to claim it back for God.
In the mystery of his Incarnation, God the Son comes to die. God takes all that is ugly and old and rotten in this world and draws it into himself. Here death dies. Here the old gives way to the new. Here hope is reborn. This is why Saint John brilliantly records Christ speaking of his passion as his hour of glory.
With equal artistry and genius, Pope St. Leo the Great spoke about the deepest meaning of the Mass, of our very liturgy, when he wrote, “And so what our redeemer made evident (in his presence among us) has passed over into the sacraments (Tr. LXXIV, 2).”
In the Mass, the world is young again. In the liturgy, the Word is spoken with a freshness that does not age. In the Eucharist, bread and wine, given to us centuries long past, become food for our journey together. In his body and his blood, like a woman giving birth, Christ makes all things new.
As we enter into the next few weeks coming up on Parish Life Weekend, I ask that everyone seriously consider how important – and vitally necessary – is the life of our worship and community. Liturgy is work, liturgy is life, and everything we do afterward flows from Jesus in his body given and shared, so that we might give and share ourselves.
Make a commitment to this holy and joyful endeavor of being in communion with God and each other, and dream of how we, as the Saint Bernadette Family, in the middle of such noise and chaos, can become like little children again. Jesus wasn’t speaking figuratively: he tells us what can happen if we become like little children, because to such as these, the kingdom of heaven belongs.
Commit to this vision. The world is watching. Our neighbors are watching. Being a follower of Jesus is not political, or being better than everyone else. It is Jesus in his humility and innocence living in you. If we truly live our joy, faith will become irresistible to everyone we encounter.
The Lord be with you.
Summer is here!
Friday, August 15 is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a holy day of obligation. Here is the Mass schedule: Vigil, August 14, 7:30pm; Masses on Friday at 7, 9, Noon, and a bilingual Mass at 7:30pm. Come and celebrate this beautiful
feast.
Calling all rising 4th graders who would like to serve at the altar as Altar Servers! Training starts September 8, so contact Jean Corday in the parish office to sign up.
Pick up your blue Saint Lucy Food Drive bags next weekend at Masses, and bring them back for the collection at Masses the following weekend, August 23-24. See p. 7 for a list of most needed items.
The Knights of Columbus are hosting a Pancake Breakfast for the parish on Sunday, August 24 following the 7, 9, and 11am Masses to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. Proceeds will go to KofC charities.
There will be a Rise Against Hunger planning meeting on Sunday, August 24 in the Bradican Room. Come and see how you can get involved in all the aspects of feeding 250,000+ meals to people who don’t have food today.
Join us for our monthly Taize Prayer Service, Monday, August 18 from 8 - 8:45pm. The perfect, peaceful, prayerful end of the day. Join us as we pray for unity in the world.
Thank you to all who have responded to our request to reduce our parish envelope costs. If you are receiving offertory envelopes but don’t use them or no longer wish to receive them, please contact our parish office so that we can remove that service from your registration file. Remember Second and Special Collections can be done electronically through Faith Direct.
FAITH FORMATION
Living the Liturgical Year:
On Friday, August 15, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. It commemorates when Mary, the Mother of God, was assumed into Heaven at the end of her earthly life. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. One way to celebrate the feast day with your children is to create “Heavenly Assumption Parfaits” with blue jello and whip cream. Cooking Instructions can be found here: https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2013/08/heavenly-assumption-parfaits.html. If you would rather craft, you can find craft ideas for the Assumption of Mary at Catholic Icing here: https://www.catholicicing.com/assumption-of-mary-are-you-ready-to/.
Children's Liturgy of the Word ~ As the CLOW team preps for the new school year, we are in need of volunteers. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please reach out to Kathryn Melton at yanezka@gmail.com or Lynn Jones at ljones@stbernpar.org.
Who should register? All currently registered students, including all Confirmation 2025, Confirmation 2026, and students preparing to receive First Eucharist next school year.
Questions about your child's registration? Call the Religious Education Office or contact the staff via email.
Volunteers for 2025-2026 ~ As we prepare to plan for the upcoming Religious Education school year, please discern if you would like to help. We are in need of Lead Catechists and aides. If interested, please contact the Religious Education Office or fill out the Volunteer Form on the website. You will also find the QR Code at the bulletin board.
WOMEN'S MINISTRY
Come and enjoy warm fellowship and great food. No need to RSVP. For more information, please email us at women@stbernpar.org. Our next monthly meeting will be Tuesday, August 12 with Friends at 5pm, at 7pm in the Bradican Room. Summer is travel season: time to explore the world with family and friends. We will hear about recent adventures from several of our members. Come enjoy their stories and get some ideas for your next trip.
YOUTH MINISTRY
High School Socials begin 26 August!
All high schoolers are invited to join us for Tuesday Socials every Tuesday from 7-8:30pm! Meet in the youth room (in the parish office) for games, ice cream, and a discussion on the faith. Our first Tuesday social of the school year will be Tuesday, August 26. Contact Grace Mee for more information!
All High schoolers are invited for dinner, games, a fellowship on Saturday, September 13. Meet in the Bradican room from 6-8:30pm!
Middle School Youth Ministry begins 2 September
All 6th-8th graders are invited for games, snacks, and fun every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Meet in the school gym from 6:45-8pm, beginning Wednesday, September 2.
To learn more about our middle and high school ministries,
please contact Grace Mee, gmee@stbernpar.org
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
These weeks of August are time which we are all getting a sense of what the coming year will look like. We have a list of all the things we hope to do this year, as well as a list of all the things we have to do. We must seriously consider if we have the time and spaces to accomplish all of it. There is never enough time and space. Unfortunately, we have to assign priority to the things that are more important. Our young people carry impossible schedules and we often do not put first the things that are most important.
Prioritize now. Intentionally include in your daily schedules quality family time (not just going from one place to another in the car), and time for prayer (again, not just in the car!). Include time spent in community, too, and build your self-awareness not on your individual performance in accomplishing all of your tasks, but learning how we can accompany each other along the way. Write these things with a highlighter on the calendar alongside all the other things that fill your time, and decide to be as conscientious about them as you are with anything else.
Because of the school year and summer vacations, programs in the parish tend to follow the school year, and we are now coming to that crunch time when everything hits at once. We would like to get a head start on getting you involved in real ministry serving God and others, despite that everyone isn’t back until school starts and demands on your time have already made themselves known.
Please, include worship and parish life in your planning. It may well be your and your family’s salvation.
Take this moment to think about what is really important: being a good example for others of Christian values of honesty, kindness, selfless unconditional love, and forgiveness. Prioritize these. Show your children your goodness so that they will desire to be like you. Share your faith freely in everyday, casual words so that faith doesn’t seem like an extracurricular. Saint Paul was known to say, “Put on Christ.” Well, you don’t have to because, in your baptism, you already have. Your mission in the world is to make him visible. The priest and sister Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales simply instruct: “Live Jesus.”
Although the next few weekends are so busy as you come back from travels and summer programs and get acclimated again to parish life, think now about how you would like to be involved here, where you belong. Make your parish your home, and our people your family. Make your beautiful faith sweet and central to your lives again. Rediscover that wonder you may have known as a child: in that space we are open to hear what God wants to say to us. Allow that openness to be the quality of your daily life.
A lot of preparations are underway this week as we prepare for our Parish Life Weekend September 13 and 14. We will be asking you to take an active, intentional role in parish work. We have been confused in the past thinking that all we need to do is join something that will benefit us, like a Bible study or prayer group. I encourage you to consider how you can become the leader that leads that Bible study or prayer group. Not something that will benefit you, but what you can do to benefit others. Live Jesus.
Imagine what community we could be. That is the first step. I will ask you to make a concrete commitment in this opportunity to take responsibility for the life of faith that we enjoy as a community, a life of faith that needs to deepen and broaden outside our immediate circles. I ask you to begin thinking about how you would be able to share your gifts – certainly your talents to build up our community – but also gifts of time and treasure. It is the hallmark of a Christian believer, to give freely of yourself in such a way that when people encounter you, they encounter Jesus.
Don’t be doubtful about your ability to do this. It is too easy to think you are not enough. God made each and every one of us enough, to accomplish our own small miracles of loaves and fishes to feed a multitude. It is not you who accomplish this, but Christ who lives in you. Live Jesus!
The Lord be with you.