​Dear friends in Christ Jesus,      
Jesus is proclaimed as the Lamb of God by John the Baptist in the Holy Gospel:
 
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world . - John 1:29
 
         These are also the words we hear right before we kneel down before the Holy Eucharist as the priest holds Him up, and proclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.  Blessed are those called to supper of the Lamb."

     Do you and I ever consider that in his flesh, Jesus Christ ended sin and death by being slain and dying on the Cross, and then became food for our very body and soul that we might be transformed so that we might populate Heaven?


Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
 
P.S. To learn more of why a Lamb, read the piece in Catholic Term.
 
P.S.  This coming Sunday is the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time .  The readings can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111625.cfm

​P.S.S.  At the end of E-weekly is this week's readings with reflections and questions for self or family.
​

​Pray for Christian Unity
There is more that unites Christians than divides them.  Yet at times this is easy to forget.   Jesus prayed in John 17:
"Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are." -John 17:11A Pentecostal, a Pope and an iPhone for Christian Unity(A heartfelt memory from Pope Francis)Posted by Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY — The search for Christian unity is an enterprise that has taken the time and energy of scholars and popes. Recently it got a helping hand from an iPhone and YouTube.
 
Those involved in ecumenism insist on the power of prayer to heal Christian divisions and on the importance of involving not only high-powered theologians, but Christians of every community and every walk of life. They need to meet each other, get to know each other, help each other and pray with and for each other.
 
Putting those sentiments into practice, Pope Francis agreed to record a message to a group of Pentecostals in the United States. His guest, a bishop from a Pentecostal Christian community, did the camera work with an iPhone.

Screen grab of Pope Francis interview shown to a group of Pentecostals in the United States. (CNS photo)
 
The pope’s message can be seen here, it begins at about 31:35 after Bishop Tony Palmer delivers a speech to a Kenneth Copeland Ministries about the importance of Christian unity for preaching salvation in Christ to the world. The bishop, who also serves as international ecumenical officer for the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, a group that is not affiliated with the Anglican Communion, takes a much simpler view of the path full Christian unity than the pope and the mainline Christian churches do.
 
The translation used for the English subtitles on the video are not precise, but the pope’s sincerity is clear.
 
The video can be found at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ9Ssvs5cgY

New outpatient clinic for people in need in St. Peter’s Square. | Credit: Vatican Media

​By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 14, 2025 / 16:50 pm
Pope Leo XIV on Nov. 14 visited a new outpatient clinic in the Vatican, built beneath the colonnade of St. Peter’s Square, in the lead-up to the ninth World Day of the Poor, which will be celebrated on Sunday, Nov. 16.
The new health center aims to strengthen assistance and increase health care services for those in need, according to a statement from the Office of the Papal Almoner, also known as the Dicastery for the Service of Charity. 
The center was made possible through the collaboration of the Health and Hygiene Directorate of the Governorate of Vatican City State and features two new medical consultation rooms equipped with state-of-the-art instruments and a new radiology service.
This equipment, including a cutting-edge X-ray machine, will allow for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of pneumonia, bone fractures, tumors, degenerative diseases, kidney stones, and intestinal obstructions — conditions often overlooked by those living in poverty.
“Early diagnosis of these conditions will make it possible to start appropriate treatments in a timely manner, contributing to improving the quality of life of those who have nothing,” the statement reads.
At the Office of the Papal Almoner’s other outpatient clinic, more than 2,000 health care services are offered completely free of charge each month thanks to the work of 120 volunteers, including doctors, nurses, and health care technicians.
Thanks to the two clinics located beneath Bernini’s colonnade, general and specialized medical consultations, dental visits, blood tests, and X-rays will continue to be available to the poor. In addition, removable dentures, eyeglasses, and hearing aids will be donated.
Finally, the necessary medications will be delivered directly to the poor person, always completely free of charge. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity and papal almoner, emphasized that in these places dignity is restored to the poor, “in whom we see not a homeless person or a poor person, but the face of Jesus.”

The benches of the confessionals ready and packed, in the atrium of the workshop at the Coimbra Prison. Photo courtesy of Clara RaimundoIn all, 150 confessionals were built in three Portuguese prisons (Coimbra, Paços de Ferreira, and Oporto), following an agreement between the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation and the Directorate-General for Reinsertion and Prison Services, with the aim of valuing the professional skills of prisoners and contributing to their reintegration into society. 
Upon learning of Silva's intention, the WYD Local Organizing Committee was overjoyed. 
“We are very interested in complying with his wishes and we will do all the necessary steps so that he can participate in the setting up of the confessionals,” assured the spokeswoman for the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation, Rosa Pedroso Lima.
The different pieces that make up the structure of each confessional, together with the benches that will be placed inside, are already packed and stacked, ready to go directly to Belém, where Reconciliation Park will be open from Aug. 1-4, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. 
During this time, distributed among the confessionals will be priests of different nationalities (and, on the morning of Aug. 4, the pope himself), available to listen to pilgrims from all over the world who wish to receive the sacrament of reconciliation.
Coincidence or not, it was precisely in Belém, in the church of the Jerónimos Monastery, that Silva received baptism at the age of 12. Neither he nor his 12 siblings had been baptized as babies and never attended catechesis. 
In the midst of a complicated childhood, with his parents absent and in the care of a grandmother, Silva remembers the day his religion teacher asked the classroom: “Who is still not baptized?” Silva was the only one to put his hand in the air and that day he came home asking for the sacrament. 
Silva’s grandmother had no idea who to invite to be his godparents. “I was a problematic child and she thought nobody would want it, but I suggested it could be my primary teacher and off we went to talk to her, who gladly accepted… I ended up keeping in touch with her throughout my life, until I came to prison,” he recalled.
Despite having been baptized, Silva did not remain connected to the Church. As an adult, he lived in Argentina for a few years and experienced another moment he will never forget. 
“I went to the cathedral with my sister, who lived in Buenos Aires, and with her husband’s family, and we attended Mass.” The celebrant was none other than the then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. “In other words, I had the privilege of being with the pope! And from then on, I really liked him,” he said.

​

Pope Pius XII said, “The devotion to the Carmelite scapular has brought down on the world a copious rain of spiritual and temporal graces.”
On the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16, here are 12 keys to explaining the Brown Scapular and its use:
1. It’s not an amulet.
It’s not a charm or an automatic guarantee of salvation, nor is it a dispensation from living the demands of the Christian life.
St. Claude de la Colombière said: “You ask, what if I would want to die with my sins? I answer you, then you will die in sin, but you will not die with your scapular.”
2. It was an article of clothing.
The word “scapular” comes from the Latin “scapulae,” which means “shoulders” and was originally an overlapping article of clothing worn over the shoulders by monks at work.
The Carmelites adopted it as a sign of special dedication to Our Lady, seeking to imitate her dedication to Christ and neighbor.
3. It’s a gift from the Virgin Mary.
According to tradition, the scapular, as it is now known, was given by the Virgin Mary herself to St. Simon Stock on July 16, 1251.
Mary told him: “It must be a sign and a privilege for you and for all Carmelites: Whoever dies wearing the scapular will not suffer eternal fire.” Later, the Church extended the use of the scapular to the laity.
4. It’s a mini habit.
The scapular is like a miniature Carmelite habit that all devotees can wear as a sign of their consecration to the Virgin Mary.
It consists of a string that is worn around the neck with two small pieces of brown cloth attached. One is placed on the chest and the other on the back, and it is usually worn underneath clothing.
5. It’s a service uniform.
St. Alphonsus Liguori, a doctor of the Church, said: “Just as men are proud that others wear their uniform, so Our Lady, Mother Mary, is pleased when her servants wear their scapular as proof that they have dedicated themselves to her service, and they are members of the family of the Mother of God.”
6. It has three meanings.
The scapular stands for the maternal love and protection of Mary, for belonging to Mary, and for the gentle yoke of Christ that she helps us to bear.7. It is a sacramental.
The Brown Scapular is recognized by the Church as a sacramental — that is, a sign that helps us to live a holy life and to increase our devotion.
The scapular does not impart grace as the sacraments do, but it disposes the person wearing it to the love of the Lord and to repentance if it is received with devotion.
8. It can be given to a non-Catholic.
One day a dying old man was brought to St. Simon Stock Hospital in New York City. A nurse noticed he was wearing the Brown Scapular and called a priest. As prayers were said over him, the man regained consciousness and told the priest that he wasn’t Catholic but wore the scapular as a promise to his friends. The priest asked the man if he wanted to become Catholic, and before he died the man received Baptism and Anointing of the Sick.
9. It was seen in one of the Fatima apparitions.
Lucia, the visionary of Our Lady of Fatima, reported that in her last apparition (October 1917), Mary appeared with the Carmelite habit, the scapular in her hand, and said that her true children wear it with reverence.
Mary also asked that those who consecrate themselves to her wear it as a sign of that consecration.
10. The scapular has been discovered undamaged after burial.
Blessed Pope Gregory X was buried with his scapular and, 600 years later when his tomb was opened, the object was intact. Something similar happened with St. Alphonsus Liguori.
St. John Bosco and St. John Paul II also wore the scapular, and St. Peter Claver vested the scapular with those he converted.
11. There’s a preferred way to receive the scapular.
The imposition of the scapular should preferably be done in community, and in the ceremony the spiritual meaning and commitment to the Blessed Virgin should be clearly expressed.
The first scapular must be blessed by a priest and placed on the devotee while reciting the following prayer:
“Receive this blessed scapular and ask the Most Holy Virgin Mary, on her merits, that you may wear it without any stain of sin and that she guard you from all adversity and bring you unto everlasting life.”
12. Only the first scapular you receive needs to be blessed.
When the first scapular one receives is blessed, the devotee does not need to ask subsequent scapulars to be blessed. Those that are worn out, if they were blessed, should not be thrown away but should be burned or buried, as is suitable for sacramentals.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA

​

​The Inspiring Message Pope St. Paul VI Sent to Apollo 11 Astronauts 50 Years Ago

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by ChurchPOP Editor -  
Vatican Media / EWTN, YouTubeFifty years ago, Pope St. Paul VI watched Neil Armstrong become the first man to walk on the moon.
The pope looked at the moon from a telescope and watched the landing on television from the Vatican Astronomical Observatory.
He dedicated Psalm 8 to the astronauts, giving them a handwritten letter to leave on the moon. He also blessed them once they landed. He then congratulated President Richard Nixon via telegram for the successful landing.
Pope St. Paul VI sent this message to Apollo 11 astronauts:“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will!
Christ, when coming among us from the abysses of the divinity, made this blessed voice resound in the firmament.
Today, we, His humble representative, echo and repeat it as a festive hymn on the part of our whole terrestrial globe, no longer the insurmountable boundary of human existence but the open threshold to the wide expanse of boundless space and new destinies.
Glory to God!
And honor to you, the architects of this great space undertaking! Honor to the men responsible to the scientists, the planners, the organizers, and the technicians who made it a reality!
Honor to all those who have made possible this most daring flight. Honor to all of you who in any way played a part.
Honor to you who, seated at your marvelous instruments, control the flight; to you whom inform the world of the enterprise and its time-table, which extends to the depths of the heavens the wise and bold dominion of man.
Honor, greetings and blessings!
Here, from His Observatory at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, Pope Paul the Sixth is speaking to you astronauts.
Honor, greetings and blessing to you, conquerors of the Moon, pale lamp of our nights and our dreams! Bring to her, with your living presence, the voice of the spirit, a hymn to God, our Creator and our Father.
We are close to you, with our good wishes and with our prayers. Together with the whole Catholic Church, Paul the Sixth salutes you.”



INSPIRED BY POPE FRANCES, CALIFORNIA LEGAL COUNSEL CLINIC OFFERS FREE SERVICES
Oakland, Calif., Jul 19 (EWTN News/CNA) - Free legal counsel and advice may sound too good to be true, but in the Diocese of Oakland, it’s a reality.


On June 7, the Pope Francis Legal Clinic opened in Oakland, California, on the property of the Cathedral of Christ the Light.
“So many people have legal problems because law is everywhere,” Tom Greerty, director and co-founder of the clinic, told EWTN News.


“What we try and do is relieve the hardships of people.”


Experienced lawyers volunteer their time to offer free legal consulting, reconciliation, and resolution services to any adult in the community.


Greerty, who recently retired from his legal practice in Martinez, California, said the idea started while he was earning his master’s degree in theological studies from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley.
“My professor, Sister Marianne Farina, asked me to do a project which would be consistent with my job,” Greerty said.
That project became the Pope Francis Legal Clinic, and in less than two years, others helped to make his idea a reality.
Nico Herrera, another attorney in the diocese, helped co-found the clinic. The Order of Malta, which runs a health clinic on the cathedral grounds, made space available for the new endeavor with the help of Tony Sanchez Corea, a member of the board. Bishop Michael C. Barber embraced the idea and had the clinic’s name in mind.
“I want this to be called the Pope Francis Legal Clinic,” the bishop told Greerty.
“We agreed to that naturally,” Greerty said.
Bishop Barber had a desire for the clinic to be about mercy, not just the law.
“Mercy is ordinarily not about the law,” Greerty explained. “The law doesn’t think in terms of mercy. The law thinks in terms of justice.”
But Greerty said the bishop wanted him and other faithful lawyers to bring mercy and reconciliation to legal problems that Greerty said are “almost always a breakdown in human relations.”
The lawyers spend an hour with each client. They listen to the client’s story, go over the history of the client’s problem, and try to understand the “nature of the problem.”
“We try to honor the memory of Pope Francis, and what he is trying to do with the Year of Mercy, to try and help people in a merciful way with the law,” Greerty said.
He also noted that the idea could likely be replicated in other dioceses across the country. Many Catholic lawyers are retired or far enough along in their practices to have the time and resources to establish similar clinics, he said.
Bishop Barber blessed the clinic on June 4, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the clinic was consecrated to the Immaculate Heart as well.
Right now, the clinic is open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments are required.
According to Greerty, 10 lawyers have signed up to volunteer their services and more than 20 clients have already made appointments.
“I think we may be onto something,” he said.
 
POPE'S GENERAL AUDIENCE:
"BE COURAGEOUS AND GO TO CONFESSION"

Vatican City, 19 February (VIS) – The Holy Father dedicated his catechesis at this Wednesday's general audience to the Sacrament of penance. After touring St. Peter's Square in an open car, greeting the thousands of faithful who applauded as he passed, the Pope explained that “the forgiveness of our sins is not something we can offer to ourselves; it is not the result of our efforts, but rather a gift from the Holy Spirit, which fills us from the wellspring of mercy and grace that surges endlessly from the open heart of Christ, crucified and risen again. … It reminds us that it is only by allowing ourselves to be reconciled through the Lord Jesus with the Father and with our brothers that we may truly be at peace”.

Pope Francis explained that the celebration of this Sacrament has transformed from its previously public nature to the private and reserved form of Confession. However, “this should not lead to the loss of the ecclesiastical matrix, which constitutes its living context. Indeed, the Christian community is the place in which the presence of the Spirit is felt, which renews hearts in God's love and brings all brothers together as one, in Jesus Christ”. He continued, “For this reason, it is not enough to ask for the Lord's forgiveness in our own minds and hearts, but rather it is also necessary to humbly and trustfully confess our sins to a minister of the Church”.

The Bishop of Rome emphasised that the priest does not only represent God, but rather the community as a whole, and that anyone who seeks to confess only to God should remember that our sins are also committed against our brothers and against the Church, which is why it is necessary to ask forgiveness from them too, and to be ashamed for what we have done. “Shame can be good”, he affirmed; “It is good for us to have a certain amount of shame, because to be ashamed can be healthy. When someone has no shame, in my country we describe them as “sin verguenza”, shameless. Shame can be good as it can make us humble, and the priest receives this confession with love and tenderness, and forgives in the name of God. Also from a human point of view, to unburden oneself, it is good to speak with a brother and to tell the priest those things which lie so heavily upon our hearts. And one feels unburdened before God, with the Church, and with a brother. Do not be afraid of Confession!”

The Pontiff went on to ask those present when they last confessed, and strongly urged them not to overlook Confession. “If a long time has passed, do not waste another day, go, the priest will be good. It is Jesus who is there, and Jesus is better than a priest, Jesus will receive you, he will receive you with love. Be courageous and go to Confession! … Every time we confess, God embraces us, God celebrates! Let us go ahead on this path. May God bless you!”

​After agreeing to baptize him along with the sinners, John the Baptist looked at Jesus and pointed him out as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". By doing so, he reveals that Jesus is at the same time the suffering Servant who silently allows himself to be led to the slaughter and who bears the sin of the multitudes, and also the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel's redemption at the first Passover. Christ's whole life expresses his mission: "to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  -Catechism of the Catholic Church #608

​+JMJ+
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sunday, November 16th, 2025

The First Reading- Malachi 3:19-20a
Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts.  But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Reflection
This Sunday is a celebration of endings.  It’s almost the end of the Church year.  We contemplate the end of the world.  And this reading is from the end of the last prophet, Malachi. Let’s look carefully at the passage read for this Sunday.  The prophet proclaims the coming day of judgment of the LORD, which has two different consequences: it will be a day of wrath for “the proud and all who do wickedness” (literally from the Hebrew), but a day of consolation for those who “fear my Name.”  For them, the “Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings” (literally from the Hebrew). Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness who will rise with healing in his wings, and he longs to gather Jerusalem under those wings of healing.  However, Jerusalem will refuse, and that is the point of our Gospel Reading below, which concerns the judgment that will fall on unrepentant Jerusalem in AD 70. However, since Jerusalem is the center of the earth, the destruction of that city portends the destruction of the world.  And so Malachi’s prophecy may be taken not only with reference to the judgment on Israel’s capital, but also with reference to the end of the world.  If we wish to escape being set on fire like stubble, we must “fear the Name of the LORD.”
Adults - Is there a healing that Jesus is trying to bring to your life that you are resisting?
Teens - What do you think it means to “fear” God?
Kids - How does the Lord console you?

Responsorial- Psalm 98:5-6, 7-8, 9
R.The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth,
he will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Reflection
-The relationship of the psalm to the rest of the liturgy is clear: it is a song of praise to God for his imminent arrival as the judge of the earth.
Spend some time reflecting on the relationship between mercy and justice.

The Second Reading- 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
Brothers and sisters: You know how one must imitate us.  For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone.  On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you.  Not that we do not have the right.  Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us.  In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.  We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food.
Reflection
St. Paul’s exhortation here directly addresses Christians who were using the expectation of the end of the world as an excuse to quit working and live at the expense of others.  St. Paul describes them with a Greek phrase which corresponds very closely to this English rendering: “they are not busy, but busybodies.”
What does it mean to be a busybody? How can you avoid this?

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, "All that you see here--the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down." Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. "Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
Reflection
Here Jesus prophecies things we find fulfilled in the Book of Acts, when, during the AD 50’s and 60’s, the Apostles were seized, persecuted, handed over to synagogues and prisons, led before kings and governors, and some put to death.  All these things took place before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.  At the same time, these persecutions have been characteristic of the Church throughout history, and will recur in a particularly intense way just before the Second Coming. Since Jesus acknowledges that some will be put to death, his statement “not a hair on your head will be destroyed” cannot be taken in a simple sense, to the effect that no physical harm will come to those persecuted for their faith in Christ.  Rather, “Not a hair on your head will be destroyed” must be understood as an eschatological statement, that no ultimate damage will be sustained by the Christian because his entire body will be restored at the resurrection.  Thus we tie in the theme of resurrection, which dominated last week’s Readings. Perseverance is a form of the virtue of fortitude, an ability to endure under the stress of pain and hardship.  Let’s pray at this Mass for God to grant us the perseverance we are going to need to endure the persecution that is brewing for us in this culture, in order that we remain faithful to the end and receive back our bodies at the resurrection, without a single hair missing.
Adults - Are you ever ridiculed for your faith? How do you respond?
Teens  - What do you say when someone asks you why you believe in Jesus Christ?
Kids - How can you grow closer to Jesus?

LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! - "Today if you hear God's voice harden not your heart" the Scripture warns us. Today you have heard Him speak to you. He has reminded you that your end is coming, that you should put your spiritual accounts in order. This is an act of God's mercy. He does not need you, it is you who need Him. Your eternal future will depend on whether you listen to His call today, as tomorrow may be too late. You can put your accounts straight this very day. Why take a risk with your own eternal welfare?  The Christian who wants to die in the state of grace, that is, in the friendship of God (and can there be any real Christian who would not want to?) has but one way of making sure of this. He is to try to live always in God's friendship. The man who does this by living his Christian life daily need not fear death. It may be a sudden death, but it will never be an unprovided-for death.” — Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.

​Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
        Why is a church dedicated, set apart, made holy through sacred rites?  For whom and for what purpose is a church anointed, consecrated, washed, and clothed as if it were a living being?  For GOD that He may live there, and for the purpose of saving and the making holy of human persons!  Why?  So that they can become living temples carrying God to family, work, indeed the whole world that God may do there what He does in His Temple, His church!
 
      The Church has some great Feasts of Dedication, namely, the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Latern, the Pope's Cathedral (this past Nov. 9th), (no, the Pope's Cathedral is not St. Peter's Basilica) and the Feast of the Dedication of the Churches of St. Peter and St. Paul (coming this Nov. 18th).  These days mark the moment when these buildings were set apart for the service of God.  So important that a day on the Roman Calendar is taken just to commemorate this event!


        Every Catholic Church is either Blessed or Dedicated for sacred use, which means that it is set aside for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the celebration of the Sacraments.  If consecrated with sacred chrism, the church can only be used for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  And as I said above, if God does this for mere stone, wood, and steel; how much more holy, sacred, and precious is your body & soul and mine made a Temple of the Holy Spirit by our yes and the power of the Church's Sacraments.
 
     When the tempter knocks at the door of your soul, or you are tempted to use your body for something other than the glory of God, think of these things and then pray and strive like crazy to keep holy the place that God dwells in you so that you may continue to be the Temple which brings Him to your family, your school, your work, indeed to all the world who needs Him so desperately now!
 
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
P.S.  This coming Sunday is Feast of the Dedication of the Bascilica of St. John Latern.  The readings can be found at: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110925.cfm


P.S.S. Also, at the end of this e-weekly are the readings with reflections and questions for further reflection.

"Helpful Hints of Life"


Ways to Save Energy During Winter
*Decide on a setting for your thermostat and leave it there. Adjust your clothing by wearing layers. This will stop your heating unit from constantly turning on and off which will run up your bill.
*If your appliances are over ten years old, you can bet on a savings by replacing them with newer energy saving products such as those with high Energy Star ratings.
*Double paned windows are a win, win purchase. These windows have two panes with a layer of gas sandwiched in-between, which acts as insulation to slow the transfer of heat or cold through the window. 
*Installing a heat pump might be your best bet depending on the mean temperature where you live. Check out the advantages as well as the disadvantages of owning one and always find out how long it will take to get your investment back in savings before buying.
*Have your furnace checked out the duct-work cleaned on a regular basis. Change the filters when the manufacturer recommends and don't place furniture to block air vents.

"Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons - not to be confused with sacramental ordination - are the blessing of the abbot or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins and widows, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.). The dedication or blessing of a church or an altar, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, and vestments, bells, etc., can be mentioned as examples of blessings that concern objects."
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1672

​

Best Parish Practices

THANKSGIVING BLESSING TABLE

If your parish has a Mass for Thanksgiving Day or Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving Day, ask your Pastor to consider having a Thanksgiving Blessing Table. 
BENEFITS:
Let the blessings of the Holy Mass share and bless food from your own table and bless those who partake of the food.


HOW:
A table can be set up near the front of the sanctuary for people to put food on it they bring at the beginning of Mass.  Priest can bless food during Mass, and then it can be picked up after Mass to be taken to their homes and shared with their loved ones having been blessed and come from the Holy Mass.

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​7 Things to Know About St. John Lateran on Its 1,700th AnniversaryCOMMENTARY: The home church of Pope Francis marks its 1,700th anniversary Nov. 9.
Father Raymond J. de Souza Commentaries
November 8, 2024
The Roman basilica of St. John Lateran marks the 1,700th anniversary of its dedication on Saturday, Nov. 9. It’s a feast day for the universal Church, because it is the seat (the cathedra) of the bishop of Rome, the supreme pontiff. The Lateran — not St. Peter’s in the Vatican — is the cathedral of Rome. 
Here are seven things to know about the Lateran on its 1,700th anniversary.

Constantine, Cathedral and Council
“The Lateran” takes its name from the family historically associated with land; the complex of buildings on the site was known as the palace of the Laterani family, a high-ranking family in service to several Roman emperors. 
During the first Christian centuries, when the Church was illegal, formal structures were difficult to establish. That changed with Constantine, who, early in the fourth century, first legalized Christianity and then gave it official favor. The Lateran Palace came into his possession around 311; Constantine gave it to the Church in 313, and it became the seat of the bishops of Rome from that time. 
Early on, a meeting of bishops was held there to discuss the Donatist controversy; the Lateran had quickly become the center of ecclesial life. Pope Sylvester I established his cathedral there and dedicated it in 324 — hence the 1,700th anniversary this year.
As Church structures were being physically established in Rome, the new freedom made it possible to tend to the theological architecture, as well. The first great ecumenical council, also under Constantine’s patronage, was soon to be organized. The 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea will take place next year.
The popes lived at the Lateran from the fourth century until the 14th century, when the papacy moved to Avignon, France, in 1309. Two fires — in 1309 and 1361 — badly damaged the Lateran complex, so when the papacy returned to Rome from Avignon, the popes shifted their residence and court to the Vatican. The official cathedral, though, remained at the Lateran. Thus the Vatican has been the residence of the popes for only about 600 years. The popes lived at the Lateran for nearly 1,000 years.
The old Lateran basilica was torn down in the 16th century and rebuilt in its current state; the current façade was completed in 1735.

Cathedral of Rome
As the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, the Lateran is the seat of the bishop of Rome. At the entrance of the basilica, the pilgrim reads: Omnium Ecclesiarum Urbis et Orbis Mater et Caput — “Mother and Head of All the Churches in the City and the World.” The unity of the entire Catholic Church with the bishop of Rome is expressed in the cathedral church of Rome.
Even today, the offices of the Diocese of Rome are in the Lateran Palace, a building just behind the basilica.
Pope Francis in recent years has emphasized this by often signing documents “at the Lateran” as opposed to “at the Vatican.” The Holy Father lives at the Vatican, but the seat of his authority is the Lateran basilica, his cathedral.
Just as Vatican I and Vatican II were held where the pope lived in the 19th and 20th centuries, five ecumenical councils were held at the Lateran when the popes lived there. The First Lateran Council was held in 1119. Lateran V was held 1512-1517 and was not a successful venture; the Protestant Reformation began as it ended.
The 1929 treaty between the Republic of Italy and the Holy See, which regulated the end of the Papal States and created the Vatican City State, was signed at the Lateran and is known as the Lateran Treaty.

An Unusual Liturgical Day
The dedication anniversary of every cathedral is a feast day for all the churches in that diocese. As the Lateran is the cathedral of Rome, it is a feast day for the entire Church, celebrated everywhere. 
In fact, the feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran is of such great importance that it outranks a Sunday in Ordinary Time. Next year, that will happen. This year, as the feast falls on a Saturday, Masses celebrated on Saturday evening will observe the greater feast of the Lateran’s dedication, rather than the lesser observance of a Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Who Is St. John Lateran?
It’s an excellent Catholic trivia question: Who is St. John Lateran?
It’s a trick question. There is no such saint. The basilica at the Lateran — the mother church of the whole world — was suitably dedicated to Christ the Savior in 324. Much later, in the 10th century, a dedication was added to St. John the Baptist, and another dedication in the 12th century added St. John the Evangelist.
The official name is thus a mouthful: Papal Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and Sts. John the Baptist and the Evangelist in the Lateran. This is simplified in common parlance to “St. John Lateran.”
There are four major papal basilicas in Rome, and they are dedicated fittingly to Christ the Savior (Lateran), to the Blessed Mother (St. Mary Major), and to the princes of the apostles martyred in Rome (St. Peter’s in the Vatican and St. Paul Outside the Walls).
It may well be that the dedication to St. John was added later to give recognition in Rome to St. John the Baptist, of whom Jesus spoke as “the greatest born of woman.”

Still Standing
The Lateran is a visible expression the Church’s passage through history. Battered and damaged, reformed and rebuilt — she stands. The Lateran — near the Roman city walls — has been sacked many times by invading armies. The most recent attack upon it was in July 1993, when the rear portico was bombed by the mafia in reaction to St. John Paul the Great’s condemnation of the mafia in Sicily in May of that year.
Most of ravages of the Lateran have been due to fires, floods and the deterioration of time — walls bulging out, foundations eroding. So it has been repaired, rebuilt — even entirely reconstructed — several times. The Lateran doesn’t look like it used to, but has the same identity and mission.
One notable feature has endured. The great doors of the Lateran are taken from the Roman Forum. Likely the most ancient part of the complex, the doors indicate that while the Roman Empire is long extinct, what survives of it is that which was taken up in the life of the Church.

Relics of the Passion
The most valuable part of the Lateran is no longer housed within it. Just a few years after its dedication in 324, St. Helena, mother of Constantine, traveled to Jerusalem and returned with the relics of the Passion. 
Some of those relics are now kept just across the street from the Lateran, including the Scala Santa — the “Holy Steps” from Pilate’s praetorium. A short walk takes the pilgrim to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, so named because it is meant to bring Jerusalem to Rome, as it were. There are kept relics of the True Cross, as well as instruments of the Passion — fragments of the nails, thorns and scourging pillar.

Papal Tombs
Six papal tombs are in the Lateran today. More popes had been buried there in the first millennium but their graves were lost over time. Two tombs are of special note. 
Innocent III (1198-1216) reigned when St. Francis of Assisi came to Rome to establish his new order. Innocent was initially skeptical that the radicalism of the Franciscan proposal was practical. As he was considering the matter, Innocent had a dream in which he saw Francis holding up the Lateran basilica. Convinced that this was a sign that Francis was needed to support a Church in need of reform, Innocent gave his approval in 1210.
Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) is also entombed at the Lateran, the last pope not to be buried at St. Peter’s. (Pope Francis has also chosen to buried elsewhere, at St. Mary Major, a place he has visited more than 100 times, as the Holy Father goes there before and after every papal trip.)
Leo came to the papacy while the question of the Papal States was still unresolved. Consequently, he never left the Vatican during his long 25-year papacy. Knowing that a bishop belongs in his cathedral, he was determined to get there in death if he could not do so in life. 
Such is the importance of the Lateran, the cathedral of the whole world, as it enters its 18th century of service.

​“Nobody else had this idea at the time — now there are a few who’ve hopped on the idea — so it was so much fun to name all the different coffee flavors after different saints and invite our customers to grow closer to them in their mornings,” Sri explained. “Ultimately, we started this business to be a tool to help people grow in deeper intimacy with Christ.”
“One of our favorite professors here at Benedictine said about prayer that ‘in order to pray at all times, you must first pray for a time,’ and this is really what the heart of our business is all about,” she continued.
“We don’t want people to just stop and ‘check the box’ of their morning prayer by praying the morning offering on our bag, but we hope that it is a tool to begin a time of longer and deeper contemplation in order to be in dialogue with God for the entirety of their day.”
Bennett added: “Just as the saints lived so beautifully united to Jesus in every moment from the early mornings, washing dishes, the joy of the day, and even the mundane task, so too are we called to live with Christ at all moments.”
The pair will graduate this December with degrees in theology and get married soon after.
Recently they had more ideas of ways people can be reminded to pray throughout the day —  such as stickers with prayers that can be placed on a bathroom mirror — and so the company expanded from Religious Roast Coffee to Little Way of Perfection.
“We then changed our brand name to Little Way of Perfection because, ultimately, what we want to do is to invite people to reach spiritual perfection through being brought further into God through prayer but also to embrace the ‘little way’ of allowing God’s grace and mercy to always work through you,” Sri said.
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“St. Teresa of Ávila talks about the ‘way of perfection’ and how it is possible in this life to reach spiritual perfection, but this comes from detachment from the sinful pleasures of the world and striving for humility and pure love of God,” she explained. “St. Thérèse of Lisieux is famous for her ‘little way’ in that we are far too small to achieve sainthood on our own and we must have total abandonment to the merciful love of God.”
“We want our customers to be inspired by the reality that they can become a saint through loving God with your entire heart and choosing him above all things, but also to remain little and to do little things out of love and humility for God.”
The different coffee flavors are also inspired by the saint on their bag. For example, Little Flower Cinnamon Hazelnut is said to have a floral smell — hence St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a medium roast with a sweet, buttery caramel flavor. Other roasts include Holy Family Hazelnut; Love and Roastsponsibility St. John Paul II Medium Roast; Early Church, Early Morning Saints Peter and Paul Roast; and Monte Caffino Benedictine Breakfast Blend.
Each bag also includes a morning offering prayer, which reads: “Heavenly Father I offer you this day, all that I think, do and say. May everything I do begin with your inspiration and continue with your help, uniting everything in the Holy Spirit and what was done by our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
“Making your morning coffee is something that we usually wouldn’t think of as being an opportunity to pray, but actually every simple moment is a perfect time to talk to God,” Sri said. “We hope that our products remind people that God is present in every moment and to make every moment an offering to him.”

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A bit of humor…

​-Teacher: Tell us, Johnny, where is your father staying on business?   Johnny: In Vishakhapatnam.  Teacher: How interesting. And now tell us all how it is spelled.  Johnny: Oh, I just remembered he got reposted to Goa.
-Little Johnny comes home and his father sighs, "Alright, boy, out with your report card."  Johnny says, "I don't have it, dad."  "What? Why not?" asks his father.   "I borrowed it to my friend. He wanted to freak out his parents."


Some Thoughts:
-When in doubt, mumble.  
- I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not sure. 
-  I like work. It fascinates me. I sit and look at it for hours.  
-  If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you!


New Generation
I was visiting a friend who could not find her cordless phone. After several minutes of searching, her young daughter said, “You know what they should invent? A phone that stays connected to its base so it never gets lost.” 
Where You Want to Be"Where is Pearl Harbor?" I asked my fourth-grade history class. "Here’s a hint: It’s a place where everyone wants to go." One student blurted out, "Candy Land!"

UNANSWERED PRAYER?              The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father
always paused and bowed his head, for a moment, before starting his sermon.
One day, she asked him why.
 
              "Well, Honey," he began, proud that his daughter was so
observant of his messages, "I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good
sermon
               "How come He doesn't do it?" she asked.
 
 
UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER:
 
              During the minister's prayer, one Sunday, there was a loud
whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy's mother was horrified.  She
pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, "Tommy, whatever made you
do such a thing?"
 
              Tommy answered, soberly, "I asked God to teach me to whistle,
and He just then did!"
 
TIME TO PRAY:
              A pastor asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night.
              "Yes, sir," the boy replied.
              "And, do you always say them in the morning, too?" the pastor asked.
              "No sir," the boy replied.  "I ain't scared in the daytime."

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O most merciful and eternal Father, Whose will it is that all should be saved, Who did send Thy Son to the lost and did pour out Thy Life-giving Spirit: Have mercy on our relatives and those who are near and dear to us who have fallen asleep, and on all who have died throughout the ages; forgive and save them, and by their intercession visit us, that with them we may shout to Thee, our God and Saviour, the song of victory: ALLELUIA. (said 3 times)

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"In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the contribution of all Christians and men of good will. Faith and the practice of the Gospel provide each person with an experience of life "in Christ," who enlightens him and makes him able to evaluate the divine and human realities according to the Spirit of God. Thus the Holy Spirit can use the humblest to enlighten the learned and those in the highest positions."  -Catechism of the Catholic Church #2038


+JMJ+
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica of St. John in Rome
Sunday, November 9th, 2025

The First Reading - Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the façade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side.  He said to me, "This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."
Reflection
It might seem odd that today we celebrate the dedication of a church building in Rome. But the Church of St. John Lateran is no ordinary church. It was first built and dedicated in the 4th century. It has since served as the cathedral church for the Pope and, thus, has been called the "mother of all the world's churches." In commemoration of the dedication of this church, we read today about the Jerusalem Temple, which foreshadowed the establishment of the Church by Jesus. God ordained that a magnificent temple be erected as the central place of worship of Him by the Jews. For centuries, this temple in Jerusalem was the central location for worship of God, including sacrifices, prayers, offerings, etc. In the first reading, we hear of a vision of Ezekiel in which he sees water flowing from the temple. This symbolizes the life-giving nature of the temple. The temple was where God dwelt among His people. Thus, the temple was where the people could come to commune with God and find the true life that He offers.
Adults – Spend some time this week learning about the architecture of your particular church.
Teens – How does the beauty of the Church building inspire your faith?
Kids – What is your favorite part of the Church building?

Responsorial- Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!.
Reflection
This Psalm reminds us of the Lord’s constant presence, and desire to assist us in our lives.  Do you acknowledge God throughout the day?


The Second Reading- 1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17
Brothers and sisters: You are God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
Reflection -  When Jesus came, the temple in Jerusalem became unnecessary, since, as we will see in the Gospel, Jesus is the new temple. He is where we come to commune with God and find life. In fact, Jesus referred to himself as the "living water" when speaking with the Woman at the Well (see John 4:10, 13-14) and even said, "Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: 'Rivers of living water will flow from within him'" (John 7:38). Thus, Jesus fulfills Ezekiel's vision and invites us, as His followers, to join in being temples from which life-giving water will flow. Paul's words here to the Corinthians confirm that as believers we are temples of God. Jesus Christ Himself is our foundation and the Holy Spirit (God's very presence) dwells within each of us. As temples of God, we are sacred and holy. We are called then to live accordingly. Seeing ourselves as temples of God should cause us to live differently, recognizing we should turn away from anything that would defile God's temple.
-What does it mean to be a temple of God?

The Holy Gospel according to John 2:13-22
Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money- hangers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
Reflection  This famous scene of Jesus driving the money-changers out of the Temple can seem perplexing. Why did Jesus do that? We see here, first, that Jesus had righteous anger toward those who were taking advantage of people through dishonest exchange of goods. Jesus' indignation was not necessarily aimed strictly towards the sale of items at the Temple, but specifically towards the fact that they were taking advantage of people by offering unjust prices and giving outrageous exchange rates for currency being changed to the necessary form for the Temple tax. They were also selling in the Court of the Gentiles – a place set aside for gentiles to worship God. We see here that Jesus does not tolerate those who disrespect the place of worship designated by God. He also uses this situation to teach something profound about Himself and His mission. In saying, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up," he was not speaking of the Jewish temple itself, but of His body. Thus, He revealed that He came to bring a new order of worship and to establish a new temple, bringing to fulfillment the old. The new temple is not a building but the very person of Jesus Christ Himself. This temple would be destroyed at the crucifixion and restored at the resurrection three days later. In fact, the Jewish temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Romans not long after Jesus' life in A.D. 70 and has never been re-built. If you go to Jerusalem today, you can see where the temple once stood in all its glory and, then, you can walk not too far away and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the site of Jesus' death and resurrection. You can go into the empty tomb and see that the new temple still stands and lives and, thus, our worship is to be centered in Jesus in the Church, not in the old temple. He leads us into true worship of God, and, in fact, invites us to be temples of the Holy Spirit ourselves by virtue of our baptism into Christ.
Adults – How does putting God first properly order the rest of your life?
Teens – Why is it important to keep the atmosphere in the Church building reverent?
Kids – How can you be extra respectful while in the Church building?

LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK!  - On this solemnity the Word of God recalls an essential truth: the temple of stones is a symbol of the living Church, the Christian community, which in their letters the Apostles Peter and Paul already understood as a “spiritual edifice,” built by God with “living stones,” namely, Christians themselves, upon the one foundation of Jesus Christ, who is called the “cornerstone” (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Ephesians 2:20-22). “Brothers and sisters, you are God’s building,” St. Paul wrote, and added: “holy is God’s temple, which you are” (1 Corinthians 3:9c, 17).
The beauty and harmony of the churches, destined to give praise to God, also draws us human beings, limited and sinful, to convert to form a “cosmos,” a well-ordered structure, in intimate communion with Jesus, who is the true Saint of saints. This happens in a culminating way in the Eucharistic liturgy, in which the “ecclesia,” that is, the community of the baptized, come together in a unified way to listen to the Word of God and nourish themselves with the Body and Blood of Christ. From these two tables the Church of living stones is built up in truth and charity and is internally formed by the Holy Spirit transforming herself into what she receives, conforming herself more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ.  She herself, if she lives in sincere and fraternal unity, in this way becomes the spiritual sacrifice pleasing to God.
Dear friends, today’s feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God’s desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a community that worships him in spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23-24).  But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in which the community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that she help us to become, like her, the “house of God,” living temple of his love.
—Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus Address, November 9, 2008





595. How is forgiveness possible? c) it is only possible if we ourselves learn how to forgive
Mercy can penetrate our hearts only if we ourselves learn how to forgive – even our enemies. Now even if it seems impossible for us to satisfy this requirement, the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit can, like Christ, love even to love’s extreme; it can turn injury into compassion and transform hurt into intercession. Forgiveness participates in the divine mercy and is a high-point of Christian prayer.


596. What does “Lead us not into temptation” mean? d) all of the above   We ask God our Father not to leave us alone and in the power of temptation. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us know how to discern, on the one hand, between a trial that makes us grow in goodness and a temptation that leads to sin and death and, on the other hand, between being tempted and consenting to temptation. This petition unites us to Jesus who overcame temptation by his prayer. It requests the grace of vigilance and of final perseverance.


597. Why do we conclude by asking “But deliver us from evil”? d) “evil” indicates the person of Satan who opposes God and is “the deceiver of the whole world.”  “Evil” indicates the person of Satan who opposes God and is “the deceiver of the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Victory over the devil has already been won by Christ. We pray, however, that the human family be freed from Satan and his works. We also ask for the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance as we wait for the coming of Christ who will free us definitively from the Evil One.


598. What is the meaning of the final Amen? a) ‘so be it’   “At the end of the prayer, you say ‘Amen’ and thus you ratify by this word that means ‘so be it’ all that is contained in this prayer that God has taught us.” (Saint Cyril of Jerusalem)

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​Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
      The seventh corporal (bodily) work of mercy is: To bury the dead.  We have sometimes lost sight of this because we want to distance ourselves from death.  But as it was a priority among Jews because the person was made in the image of God and His desired dwelling place, all the more do Catholics honor the body with Christian burial.
 
       Today we perform the work of mercy of burying the dead by attending wakes and Funeral Masses.  When our loved ones die, to fulfill this we make sure that they have a Funeral Mass offered for them and that their bodies are buried in blessed ground (ground that has been blessed by prayer and holy water). 
 
      While the Church does allow cremation for those who do not use it to deny the resurrection of the body, the Church requires that the cremated remains of loved ones are buried in ground that is blessed.  The cremated mortal remains of our loved ones are not to be kept as if we could ever possess them, or to be distributed or spread over an area even if they request it.  The reason is that we belong to God, we did not create ourselves, so while we have the power, we do not have the authority to ever misuse the body, alive or dead.
 
      Try to attend parish funerals, especially if you do not think many people will attend, and see that the dead receive a proper burial.  The dead need your prayers and mine and this work of mercy, as you and I will when the Lord calls us from this life!
 
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
 
Father Robert
P.S.  Check the green sections in this e-weekly for the exact words of the Church concerning this.
P.S.S.  This Sunday is:  Commemoration of All the Faithfully Departed (All Souls Day).  The readings can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110225.cfm
P.S.S. At end of e-weekly, Readings and reflections can be found.

St. Peter Bascilica Website

http://www.vaticanstate.va/content/vaticanstate/en/monumenti/basilica-di-s-pietro.html
 https://www.vaticanstate.va/it/monumenti/basilica-di-san-pietro/basilica.html

This extensive site covers the art, history and architecture of the Vatican Basilica.  It includes numerous pictures, an interactive floor plan map and the entire text of several books and scholarly articles. If you have ever wondered which saint was on top of the Colonnade or are doing historical research, St. Peter's Basilica.org is the place to visit for this and much more.


St. Peter's is not only home to the Pope, but is our spiritual home, where the Church has nurtured and raised Christians through her two thousand year history. However, for many of us St. Peter's is too far away to visit. This website is a wonderful way to experience her beauty and richness from your own home.

CREATE AND HAVE MERCY BAGS AT YOUR PARISH OFFICE FOR THOSE IN NEED

People will often come to a Parish Office or places where churches gather asking for food or things they need.  Having Mercy Bags of food and other needed items can be a Work of Mercy and help someone who is in need of essentials.
BENEFITS:
Having Mercy Bags of food and other needed items such as hygiene items can be a Work of Mercy and help someone who is in need of essentials.  It allows parishes to serve and help the Parish Office and staff in concrete ways.

HOW:
Talk to your Parish Priest and ask if something like this is needed or can be done through the Parish Office.  Then a committee or individual creates Mercy Bags.  If they are food bags, they can contain imperishables, yet easily accessible food like applesauce single servings, individually wrapped breakfast bars, chicken or fish servings or beef jerky in easily tear-open containers, peanut butter plastic jar, small water bottles, plastic table service wrapped in a napkin, and all kept together in a double plastic sacks.  If they are hygiene bags, individually wrapped items or items bought in bulk and individually wrapped in zip lock bags again kept in double plastic sacks.  These can be done 10 or 15 bags at a time delivered to the Parish Office in a tote or box and they handed out one by one by staff appropriately at the door.  Prayer cards or holy items can also be placed in them.  Committee or individual can also pray then for persons receiving them.​

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, this week responded to a letter in the Wall Street Journal from a priest objecting to the praying of the St. Michael prayer at the end of Mass, asserting that the priest’s view is “simply wrong.”
In a letter to the editor published Oct. 21, Father Gerald J. Bednar, a retired priest of the Diocese of Cleveland, wrote that the Vatican “suppressed this practice in 1964 because the prayer interferes with the integrity of the Mass.”
Bednar proffered his view that praying the St. Michael prayer after Mass “ends the liturgy with a private devotion, a petition to a saint, while all of the petitions were concluded much earlier in the liturgy and addressed to God the Father.”
“The end of Mass sends participants out on a positive mission, bidding them to expand God’s kingdom through evangelization,” Bednar wrote.
“St. Michael is known as the captain of the guardian angels and we should, by all means, ask for his help. But believers should accept the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist as their primary protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil — and respond to his call to enhance God’s kingdom, where the devil has no influence,” the priest concluded.
In a response letter published Oct. 27, Paprocki disputed Bednar’s assertion that praying to St. Michael after Mass “ends the liturgy with a private devotion.”
“The liturgy ends when the celebrant says, ‘Go forth, the Mass is ended,’ and the people reply, ‘Thanks be to God.’ The prayer, then, is recited after Mass, which the priest and people are free to do. It isn’t a private devotion when prayed publicly,” Paprocki wrote. 
“The end of Mass sends participants out on a positive mission, and while Rev. Bednar is correct in saying that the devil has no influence in God’s kingdom, we aren’t there yet. Doing so together doesn’t hurt, and we pray it will help to invoke the intercession of St. Michael to defend us in our spiritual battles.”
St. Michael the Archangel is one of the four principal angels and is described in the Bible as a “great prince” who battles against Satan in defense of God’s people. 
Following an 1884 vision of Satan “running riot” on the planet, Pope Leo XIII composed three prayers to St. Michael, the briefest of which he commanded should be prayed at the end of every Mass.
That prayer is as follows:
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the divine power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
The prayer to St. Michael was a regular feature of the Mass until the Vatican II era, though Pope John Paul II in 1994 urged Catholics to make the prayer a regular part of their lives. Devotion to St. Michael is still widely promoted today, including by Pope Francis.
​

During the month of October under the theme “Like the martyrs, together with Mary, firm in the faith,” thousands of people from the northern province of Jujuy in Argentina make pilgrimages to the shrine of their patroness, the Virgin of Río Blanco and Paypaya. Last weekend more than 40,000 young people turned out for the pilgrimage.
The pilgrims, coming from different parts of the province, began to arrive at Río Blanco on Friday, Oct. 27, some after walking more than 60 miles. Once there, they camped on the shrine grounds.
On Saturday afternoon the activities began, organized by the diocesan youth ministry.
Saturday culminated with the celebration of Mass and a night of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which lasted until 11 p.m.
The pilgrims continued to arrive until Sunday to participate in the main Mass, which was offered by the bishop of Jujuy, César Daniel Fernández.
In his homily, the prelate encouraged the young people to feel personally loved by God. “God is tattooed on the hearts of those who were baptized and never abandons us,” he said.
Throughout Sunday, Masses were celebrated at the shrine and the rosary was prayed.
Speaking with Todo Jujuy online news, Fernández said: “With great joy we receive so much sacrifice, effort, and enthusiasm from these young people who want great things for their lives.”
“We as adults must wish them the best and build the best for them through the conditions so that they can work, study, and give meaning to their lives,” he urged.
The prelate considered that this “date” that the young people meet every year in Río Blanco “will give them a lot of strength to continue the fight in their everyday lives.”
“We always hope that this sanctuary, which is emblematic for the province, which is the religious heart, has the best to offer everyone a place to encounter God. Faith does not slacken,” he concluded.

​

'Authentic Racial Reconciliation,' From the Heart of the Church
News: Racism

Adora NamigaddeOct 26172The founders of a new initiative say the Catholic Church could be a leader on discussions about racism and discrimination — but right now, it’s not. Their new project, the Before Gethsemane Initiative, aims to address that. 
Chenele Shaw, co-founder of the Before Gethsemane Initiative. Courtesy photo.

“The Church should be leading on these issues, and she’s not right now, unfortunately,” the project’s co-director, Maria Benes, laments. 
She told The Pillar that in recent months, she’s been told about incidents of racism and Catholic contexts.
“I’ve heard at Catholic schools, Asian students being told to go back to Wuhan, many of whom are not even Chinese. Wrong regardless, but a lot of them in this case were being told to go back to Wuhan because of the pandemic. I’ve heard even of the n-word still used in some Catholic schools.”
That kind of language is a problem, and Benes wanted to be part of the solution. 
Benes reached out to Chenele Shaw, a former youth minister and theology teacher who is passionate about creating a welcoming environment for racial minorities in the Church.
Benes and Shaw hit it off. Soon, the women decided to launch the Before Gethsemane Initiative. 
The name is meant to evoke Christ’s prayer for unity and conversion in John 17, before his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The founders of the Before Gethsemane Initiative say there are a lot of obstacles to Christian unity — and attitudes about race are among them.
“There’s a lot of political allegiance that happens in the Church that kind of strays us away from our universal call to holiness and the idea that we’re called to love one another,” Shaw told The Pillar. 
“Sometimes that can get muddied up into the truth of what we’re being called to be -- Catholics that live consistent life ethics. It can get muddied up by believing we have to be perfectly aligned with one political party or the other. Therefore, there’s a lot of gaps on either side.”
That’s why the group’s co-directors put adherence to Catholic teaching at the forefront: every publicly-associated member signs a fidelity statement declaring strict adherence to key Catholic teachings: the inherent dignity of every person from conception to natural death, the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and abortion as an intrinsic evil. 
The group’s co-founders want to bring racism and xenophobia to the fore of conversation among Catholics. 
Benes said the group aims to address racism and xenophobia from a Catholic lens – promoting prayer and fasting, education and difficult conversations as the road to repentance for those who inflict racism on others, and forgiveness for those who have experienced it. They hope to help people suffering from wounds related to racism to find healing, and to help unify the Church, and inspire conversion, through fasting and prayer.
The vision for Before Gethsemane When Benes and Shaw started telling people about their project a few months back, interest in the group grew quickly. Within 24 hours of reaching out to people about the initiative, Benes was connected with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Fr. Josh Johnson, and former EWTN Radio host Gloria Purvis, who saw her show cancelled in December 2020, after complaints from a radio syndicate about her discussion of George Floyd and other topics connected to racism.
“Finding Chenele and a lot of people on our board was honestly through me saying a prayer to the Holy Spirit, then doing a Google search,” Benes says. “I found this site for Catholic speakers of color. Honestly most of us have not met in-person before, except for a few of us.”
Benes and Shaw say Catholic groups and a few bishops have expressed interest in their work. 
Before Gethsemane hosted its first conversation Oct. 14, with a virtual gathering of 30 Catholic school principals, and a school has agreed to partner with them. 
Benes and Shaw say they aim to help lead conversations in different settings to help people at all education and age levels recognize and address racism. 
“Our hope with our initiative is to be able to address people in the Church with both education and with healing opportunities,” Shaw says. “So we’d like to provide education like workshops, bible studies, etc., but also healing and mental health resources for Black and brown Catholics.”
They’d also like to offer racial reconciliation retreats, collaboration with Catholic counselors and awareness and sensitivity training to Catholic organizations like schools and parishes. 
Shaw heads the spiritual and mental health pillar of the organization, while Benes handles the piece on facilitating challenging conversations. 
Shaw stresses that as Catholics, racial reconciliation necessarily involves forgiveness.
“We like what Fr. Josh Johnson has said a lot about that,” Shaw says. “People that commit acts of racism are not only called to say sorry and apologize, but also to change their ways. And the people called to forgive acts of racism are not only called to forgive but to also go through the process of healing, which works together.”


Authentic racial reconciliationDifficult conversations are right up Maria Benes’ alley – as a second grader, she feared she would have to watch her parents get divorced. 
“My parents almost got divorced over political and religious differences. But they decided to stay together, and they learned to work through things,” Benes recalls.
“They still don’t agree on everything, and in fact there’s a lot they still don’t agree on. But I grew up learning how to have difficult political conversations at the dinner table. I think that’s why I’m so passionate about helping bridge the political divide with God at the center.”
Benes carried that skillset into her career and expanded upon it. She holds a masters in international affairs, with a concentration in conflict resolution, and she has spent five years teaching students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln the art of participating in tough political discussions.
Maria Benes, co-founder of the Before Gethsemane Initiative. Courtesy photo.“I developed a curriculum for how to teach students how to have controversial political conversations,” Benes says. “A lot of it is related to emotional intelligence.”
Her eight tips for difficult conversations are preparation, relationship, avoiding “whataboutism,” vulnerability, listening, using “I” over “we” statements, admitting when one is wrong, and assuming the other person has the best of intentions.
“Whataboutism” refers to an attempt to divert attention away from the topic at hand by making a counter-accusation.
“It’s like if someone says, ‘Well, your political party doesn’t care about healthcare,’ or ‘Your political party doesn’t care about abortion,’” Benes says. “Certainly some mortal sins are worse than others. If something is a mortal sin, we can acknowledge that without having to say, ‘Well, this mortal sin is worse.’ At that point, we are not striving for excellence.”
In the years Benes taught people how to have challenging conversations, she says students only broke out into fights twice. Both times, they were breaking one of her rules.
“In one case where there was this open fight between two students, it was actually because they broke [the rule on using “I” instead of “we” statements]. It was two Latino students that had very different past experiences -- one, his father was a legal immigrant who had a six-figure salary and was doing very well in the United States. The other one, she grew up super poor, had a ton of family members, some of whom were not here legally. And they were both using ‘we’ statements as if they were speaking for all Latino people.”
Before Gethsemane will modify its approach based on the age and education level of participants. The organization is using a Catholic human dignity curriculum from the perspective of Catholic social teaching. For older students and adults, it will make use of a multimedia curriculum about Catholic social teaching, called Connected. 
“When I talked about controversial issues with my students, I would pray and fast for them at least a week, if not more in advance. Then I’d get to the classroom early and sprinkle holy water around the room, sprinkle blessed salt,” Benes says. 
That’s a tradition the leadership of Before Gethsemane will continue. 
“So we actually do a lot of this stuff when we go into schools. We will start praying and fasting,” Benes says. “So the group we have right now, we will pray and fast for them as a team before we even go and see them.”
In the words of board member Janine Christiano, “We are not going to solve this problem without God.”
Next steps“We have so many secular initiatives that I think are doing a great job on the education and awareness piece, but this is really ultimately about a change of heart in all of us. And that’s not going to come apart from God,” Christiano said.
Benes and Shaw say they’ve both experienced God at work in their project, and they know it is possible for all Catholics to feel welcomed in the Catholic Church, whose very name speaks to the idea of universality. 
The group submitted paperwork for the organization to reach 501c3 nonprofit status earlier this month. 
“I hear the IRS is really backed up right now, unfortunately. With the pandemic, it may be up to a year before we get that back,” Benes says. “Once we get that, we can do state filings for non-profit raising. In the meantime, we’re able to start going into schools and parishes.”
For now, they’re fundraising, and praying for the work ahead.

​

Before he became a bishop, Michael Mulvey joined the Be the Match Registry, the world’s largest register for bone marrow transplants (BMT), which is run by the National Marrow Donor Program.
After the organization discovered a match, South Texas Catholic reported, Mulvey, 70, traveled to San Antonio to make a peripheral stem cell donation. He had matched with a mother who had been diagnosed with a type of blood cancer.
Although Mulvey has never met the woman, he said he was humbled by the experience and expressed gratitude to be able to contribute to the well-being of this mother and her family.
“Knowing that because of the life I have been given by God – I was able to give back and make a big difference in this person’s life, in the life of her children and her family is something I have thought of quite often,” he told South Texas Catholic Nov. 5.
Mulvey said he was introduced to Be the Match in 2004, while he was a priest of the Diocese of Austin. There, he had met Leticia Mondragon, a donor development and engagement specialist with GenCure who partners with Be the Match.
“When I was assigned in Austin years ago, one of our very charitable and active parishioners was signing up people for Be the Match,” said Bishop Mulvey, according to South Texas Catholic. “I appreciated her commitment and dedication to this cause, and after hearing more about the registry, I signed up.”
BMT replaces unhealthy bone marrow with healthy marrow from an outside source. The procedure is used to cure cancers in the blood as well as diseases in the bones and immune system. Among other illnesses, BMT has been used for leukemia, aplastic anemia, and sickle cell disease.
According to South Texas Catholic, Mondragon said the process to sign up is more convenient than in the past, noting that people may apply through their smartphone.
Unlike blood donations, a match for BMT does not focus on blood type, but ethnicity. Mondragon expressed hope that the new system will add more “people of all ethnic backgrounds” to the registry.
She stressed the importance of BMT donors, stating that life-threatening disorders are discovered every few minutes, and thanked the bishop for his contribution.
“Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening blood cancer or blood disorder, such as leukemia or lymphoma,” said Mondragon, according to South Texas Catholic.
“We are thankful Bishop Mulvey wanted to share his story because it is so important that we have leaders like him promoting our global life-saving mission,” she further added.
Bishop Mulvey described the experience not only as an opportunity for charity but as a spiritual encounter.
“St. Matthew says what you have received as a gift, give as a gift,” said Bishop Mulvey, South Texas Catholic reported. “We must always remember that everyone’s life is a gift and true gratitude is expressed when you are willing to give back and share what you have.”


Pope Francis: The Future of the World Depends on the FamilyBy Hannah BrockhausVatican City, Nov 11 (EWTN News/CNA) - 
The future of the Church and the world is dependent on the good of the family, said Pope Francis in a video message Saturday.

“The love between a man and woman is one of the most generative human experiences, it is the ferment of the culture of encounter and brings to the present world an injection of sociality,” the Pope said.

“The family born of marriage creates fruitful bonds, which reveal themselves to be the most effective antidote against the individualism that currently runs rampant.”

Quoting his 2016 apostolic exhortation, Amoris laetitia, he emphasized, “Indeed the good of the family is decisive for the future of the world and of the Church.”

The Pope sent a video message to participants in the third international symposium on Amoris laetitia, organized by the Italian bishops’ conference. Taking place in Rome Nov. 11, the theme of the meeting was: “The Gospel of love between conscience and norm.”

Speaking about the role of the properly formed conscience, Francis warned against the temptation to turn to a sort of egoism or “cult of self.”

“The contemporary world risks confusing the primacy of conscience, which is always to be respected, with the exclusive autonomy of the individual in relation to the relationships he lives,” he said.

This is why, he said, there is a need to form consciences – not substitute them – and to accompany spouses and parents in learning to “apply the Gospel to the concreteness of life.”

In the reality of the family and of marital love, there may come situations which require “arduous choices,” he continued, and these should be made “with righteousness.” Therefore, divine grace, “which illuminates and strengthens married love and parental mission,” is absolutely necessary for spouses and the family.

Pope Francis’ video message echoed his recent keynote address to a major conference on the future of the European Union, in which he spoke out against abortion and said the Christian understanding of the family can serve as a model on which the European continent can base its identity as it faces a changing and uncertain future.

In the family, “diversity is valued and at the same time brought into unity,” Francis said Oct. 28, explaining that the family “is the harmonious union of the differences between man and woman, which becomes stronger and more authentic to the extent that it is fruitful, capable of opening itself to life and to others.”


General Audience: The Importance of Forgiveness in the Family
Vatican City, 4 November (VIS) – Giving and mutual forgiveness, without which no love can be lasting, were the theme of the Pope's catechesis during this Wednesday's general audience.
Before examining this issue in depth, the Holy Father recalled that the recently concluded assembly of the Synod of Bishops had reflected at length on the vocation and mission of the family in the life of the Church and in contemporary society. “It was an event of grace. At the end the Synod Fathers submitted to me the text containing their conclusions. I wanted this text to be published, so that everyone could participate in the work we have been devoted to together for two years. This is not the moment to examine the conclusions, on which I myself have to reflect”.
 
“In the meantime, however, life does not come to a halt, and in particular the live of families does not stop! You, dear families, are always journeying. And you already continually write in the pages of concrete life the beauty of the Gospel of the family. In a world that at times becomes arid of life and love, every day you speak of the great gift that is marriage and the family”.
 
The Pope went on to introduce the central theme of his catechesis, reciting the words of the Lord's Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”. “It is not possible to live without forgiveness, or at least you cannot live well, especially in the family. Every day we wrong each other. We must take account of these errors that we make due to our fragility and our selfishness. However, what is required of us is to heal the wounds we make straight away, to immediately weave again the threads we have broken. If we wait too long, it all becomes more difficult. And there is a simple secret for healing wounds and undoing accusations: never let the day finish without apologising. … If we learn to say we are sorry immediately and to offer mutual forgiveness, the wounds are healed, the marriage is strengthened, and the family becomes an increasingly solid home, that resists the shocks of our evils, great and small”.
 
“If we learn to live this way within the family, we will also do so outside, wherever we find ourselves. It is easy to be sceptical about this. Many – Christians included – think it is an exaggeration. … But thanks to God this is not the case. Indeed, it is precisely by receiving God's forgiveness that, in turn, we are able to forgive others. … And it is essential that, in an at times pitiless society, there be places such as the family where we can learn to forgive each other”.
 
“The Synod also revived our hope in this regard: the capacity to forgive others and oneself forms part of the vocation and mission of the family. … The Church, dear families, is always beside you to help you build your home on the rock Jesus spoke of”, exclaimed Francis. “And I assure you that if you are capable of journeying ever more decisively along the path of the Beatitudes, learning and teaching to forgive each other, then in all the great family of the Church the capacity to bear witness to the renewing power of God's forgiveness will grow”.
“Otherwise, we will give beautiful sermons and perhaps even cast out the odd demon, but in the end the Lord will not recognise us as His disciples, as we have not been able to forgive or to allow ourselves to be forgiven. Christian families can truly do much for today's society, and also for the Church. … Let us pray that families may be increasingly able to live and build concrete roads to reconciliation, where no-one feels abandoned to the burden of his own trespasses”.
 
Finally the Pope, accompanied by the with the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, repeated the phrase from the Lord's Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”.
 Knights of Columbus Donate 500th Ultrasound MachinePope Considers Lesson of Zacchaeus in Angelus Address By Kathleen Naab  Baltimore, Md., Nov 8, 2014 / 09:27 am (EWTN News) - More pregnant women can see their unborn babies thanks to a five-year-old Knights of Columbus program that has provided 500 ultrasound machines to pro-life pregnancy centers.

“Not only has this program saved the lives of countless unborn children, but it has saved many mothers – and fathers – from a lifetime of regret,” Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said Nov. 4.

Anderson and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, the fraternal order’s supreme chaplain, presented the program’s 500th ultrasound machine to the Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns for use at its facility in Dundalk, Md.

The presentation took place at the Baltimore Hilton during an annual meeting of the order’s leaders from around the world.

Anderson credited the program’s success to “the generosity of brother knights from coast to coast.”

The Catholic fraternal order began the ultrasound program in 2009, encouraging state and local councils to fund half the cost of ultrasound machines for qualified pregnancy resource centers. The Knights of Columbus Supreme Council’s Culture of Life Fund then provided matching funds to buy the machines, which can cost over $20,000 each.

The organization has now purchased machines in all 50 U.S. states, Jamaica and Canada. The machines’ collective value is almost $26 million. The program has also begun to fund mobile ultrasound machines that can be used in multiple communities.

Knights of Columbus groups in Texas have funded the most ultrasound machine purchases of any state, totaling 40, followed by Missouri, Florida, California and Michigan.

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal order, was founded in New Haven, Conn., in 1882 by Venerable Michael J. McGivney, a parish priest. It has 1.8 million members worldwide who perform volunteer service and works of charity and fraternity.  
 

Code of Canon Law (Church Law)
Can.  1176 §1. Deceased members of the Christian faithful must be given ecclesiastical funerals according to the norm of law.
§2. Ecclesiastical funerals, by which the Church seeks spiritual support for the deceased, honors their bodies, and at the same time brings the solace of hope to the living, must be celebrated according to the norm of the liturgical laws.
§3. The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the deceased be observed; nevertheless, the Church does not prohibit cremation unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine.


 ​

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…  ​

 
"God revealed the resurrection of the dead to his people progressively. Hope in the bodily resurrection of the dead established itself as a consequence intrinsic to faith in God as creator of the whole man, soul and body. The creator of heaven and earth is also the one who faithfully maintains his covenant with Abraham and his posterity. It was in this double perspective that faith in the resurrection came to be expressed. In their trials, the Maccabean martyrs confessed:
The King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws. One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him."  -Catechism of the Catholic Church #992


+JMJ+
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Sunday, November 2nd, 2025

The First Reading - Wisdom 3:1-9
The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; they shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with his elect.
Reflection
As we celebrate All Souls Day today, we are reminded that death is not the end. Today we commemorate all the faithful who have passed on from this earth, and we recognize the great hope we have of resurrection. This first reading reminds us that the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and they are in peace. Those who live a righteous (i.e. just) life can, in fact, have immortality and abide with [God] in love forever. Today, we remember this reality and have hope for our loved ones who have passed away in faith. We also are reminded that heaven is the goal of all our lives.
Adults – Do you struggle with hope, or having an eye toward eternity? How can you build hope?
Teens – Do you see heaven as the ultimate goal?
Kids – What do you think heaven will be like?

Responsorial- Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
   In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
   he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
   I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
   that give me courage.
R The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
   in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
   all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
   for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reflection
This Psalm reminds us of the Lord’s constant presence in our lives.  Do you acknowledge God throughout the day?

The Second Reading- Romans 5:5-11
Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Reflection -  In this reading, the Apostle Paul also speaks of the hope we have of resurrection and shows how this hope is founded in Jesus Christ. Jesus brings salvation and offers eternal life through his death and resurrection. God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. He offers us forgiveness of sin so we can have friendship with Him and spend all eternity with Him.
-What does it mean to place your hope in Christ?

The Holy Gospel according to John 6:37-40
Jesus said to the crowds: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”
Reflection  In today’s Gospel, we hear from the lips of Jesus himself the promise of eternal life for those who come to Him. Jesus came to call all people to Himself and not to lose anyone who the Father wills to be saved. As we heard in the second reading, Jesus brought about salvation through His death on the cross. Jesus died for all and desires for all to be saved. We must respond to that gift being offered to us. The way we respond to the offer of salvation is through faith. In commemorating all the faithful departed today, we are reminded of the key component of faith. We have a great hope for the eternal rest of our loved ones in heaven because of their faith. Faith is not merely a onetime choice, but an ongoing yes to God. Faith is active and obedient. In faith, we choose to follow God and live according to His will. And if we have this faith that is, in fact, a gift from God, we can have the great hope of eternal life with Him forever. So, today, let us be reminded of the reality of heaven and hold great hope for our loved ones who have departed this life in faith. And let us also remember the reality of heaven to which God is inviting us. God desires a relationship with each of us and He wants us to spend all of eternity with Him. Will we respond to His invitation given to us in Christ by living a life of faith? Will we say yes to the call to be with Him for all eternity by living our lives for God here and now? Let us all seek after heaven and hold great hope that it may be attained.
Adults – How can you live your faith in your daily life?
Teens – What does it mean to respond in faith?
Kids – What work of mercy can you do this week?

• LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK!  - “Add some pious practices to help the souls in Purgatory: attend three Masses for the faithful departed on this day; remember your family and friends who are deceased and make an extra sacrifice for them; pray the rosary for the most forgotten soul in Purgatory.
• An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from November 1-8; on other days of the year it is only a partial indulgence. The plenary indulgence is earned under the usual conditions: sacramental confession (within 20 days before or after), one Eucharistic Communion for each visit (20 days before or after), and prayer for the Pope's intentions (usually one Our Father and the Creed or Hail Mary, prayed each visit) while detached from sin.
• Make a poster listing all your departed family and friends. Put this on display where the members of the family can be reminded to pray for the loved ones throughout November. Remind family members to offer extra prayers and sacrifices for the souls in Purgatory. Of course this shouldn't be the only motivation, but do include the fact that after these souls reach heaven, they will intercede on your behalf.
• In many places this day centers around the family departed and the cemetery. Families go to gravesites, clean them, decorate them, add candles. This can be an all-day affair, with picnics and celebration. Of particular note is the Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead, celebration in Mexico on November 2.” –CatholicCulture.org



592. What is the sense of the petition “Give us this day our daily bread”? c) it is the daily nourishment that helps us recognize how good God is  
Asking God with the filial trust of children for the daily nourishment which is necessary for us all we recognize how good God is, beyond all goodness. We ask also for the grace to know how to act so that justice and solidarity may allow the abundance of some to remedy the needs of others.  
593. What is the specifically Christian sense of this petition? d) all of the above   
Since “man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4), this petition equally applies to hunger for the Word of God and for the Body of Christ received in the Eucharist as well as hunger for the Holy Spirit. We ask this with complete confidence for this day – God’s “today” – and this is given to us above all in the Eucharist which anticipates the banquet of the Kingdom to come.   
594. Why do we say “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”? c) we acknowledge that we are sinners and yet proclaim his mercy   By asking God the Father to pardon us, we acknowledge before him that we are sinners. At the same time we proclaim his mercy because in his Son and through the sacraments “we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14). Still our petition will be answered only if we for our part have forgiven first.

Catholic Good News

Receiving the Gospel, Serving God and Neighbor

Solemnity of All Saints, Commemoration of All Souls

“I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before

​ the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.”  Revelation 7:9
 ​

 Dear friends in Christ Jesus,
 
                The solemn month of November always begins with Solemnity of All Saints followed by the Commemoration of All of the Faithful Departed (All Soul's Day).  On Nov. 1, we honor and imitate all our brothers and sisters who await us and help us from heaven, the next day, Nov. 2, and especially the rest of the entire month we pray for those who are being purified in purgatory so that they will be with God forever.
 
       There are about 9,000-10,000 canonized saints in the Church.  Those who the Church has said with absolute certainty are in heaven.  A ‘saint’ can mean to be anyone redeemed by Jesus Christ, but is almost always used in the Catholic Church to refer to someone who is with God.
       The seventh Spiritual Work of Mercy is “To pray for the living and the dead.”  A priest has special permission to offer 3 Masses on All Soul’s Day, and Catholics are strongly encouraged to attend the Holy Mass on November 2nd.  ALL the souls of purgatory cannot help themselves because their time on earth, their time of merit is over, so while slowing being purified, they await our prayers to help them.
 
        Our world needs saints today perhaps more than ever.  A saint is simply ‘a sinner who perfectly accepts the mercy of God.’  You and I can do that!  God and those we love NEED us to do that.  From now on, do the simple things of your life with great love, and you will be saint!
 
       Honor, love, and receive help from the saints as they give it to the souls of purgatory.  Fight the good fight here on earth, pray for the souls of purgatory, and ask for their prayers for you.  Then one day, if you and I are faithful, we will join ALL Saints and ALL souls of purgatory in heaven!  Thank you Jesus for the Communion of Saints!!
 
Peace and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by Saint Joseph,
Father Robert
 
P.S.  Please check out the term and website section for more information and for a history of All Saints Day and All Soul’s Day.


P.S.S.  This Sunday is the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The readings can be found at:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102625.cfm

All Saints Day Readings:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110125.cfm
​
All Soul's Day Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110225.cfm

Catholic Websites of the Week

All Saints’ Day

This Tells of the Day:
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2022-11-01

Here is a History of All Saints’ Day in the Catholic Church:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315a.htm

All Souls’ Day
 
This Tells of the Day:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2015-11-02
 
Here is a History of All Souls' Day in the Catholic Church:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315b.htm
 
Catholic Biblical Apologetics for Purgatory
 http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap090400.htm
 ​

By Francesca Pollio Fenton
CNA Staff, Oct 28, 2023 / 07:00 am

​Twins Gianna and Andrew Renwick were born on July 18, each weighing slightly less than 6 pounds. One month later, on Aug. 20, they were baptized at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania, by Father Ben Daghir and Deacon Luke Daghir, clergy from the Diocese of Erie who happen to be twin brothers.
Luke and Kristin Renwick are parents to four under 4: Arthur, Grace, Gianna, and Andrew. The Catholic couple told CNA that they always prayed for twins knowing that it runs in the family. Kristin’s mom is a twin and her mother’s grandfather was a twin. But, after suffering a miscarriage last fall, twins were not on the Renwicks’ mind.
“When we got pregnant again, we were blessed with twins so we ended up doubling up the family,” Luke Renwick said.
Kristin added: “We had always prayed for twins. You just never actually think — will God grant us these prayers? But, certainly, prayers were answered and God is good.”

Father Ben Daghir baptizes Gianna Renwick with mother, Kristin Renwick. Credit: Don WojtaszekThe Renwicks decided that instead of having a separate ceremony, they would do it during Mass “because we really wanted other people to experience it as well,” Luke said.
Kristin added: “I think it was the witness of it, what made it so much more special.”
Another unique circumstance was being able to have two sets of godparents — one set for each baby. Gianna’s godparents are Kristin’s sister and brother-in-law and Andrew’s godparents are Luke’s sister and a close family friend who is currently in seminary.
For Kristin, having three sets of twins present at the baptism was special.
“It was the Daghir twins and then my mom and my aunt, and then the babies, and we have this really cool picture of all of them together,” she said.
The Renwicks shared that the meaning behind each of their twins’ names also has a special significance.

Andrew Renwick is presented to St. Mary's of Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania, as their newest baptized Christian. Credit: Don Wojtaszek

​Since 2015, the couple has been involved in “Alpha,” a program for adult faith formation that emphasizes evangelization. During a talk one day, the speaker said: “We can’t all be St. Peters, but we can all be St. Andrews” — referring to the fact that Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus. This resonated with Luke.
“I’ve always loved the fact that that’s kind of what we’re here for is just to introduce people to Jesus,” he said.
One of Kristin’s favorite saints is St. Gianna Molla.
“I’m a family physician. So, I was always drawn to St. Gianna because she was a pediatrician, of course, and led the pro-life movement as well, which is so special to me. So, it was kind of a no-brainer,” Kristin explained.
Gianna and Andrew, who are now 3 months old, already have a unique “connection.” Kristin shared that seeing the two snuggle up together and interact “is incredible” and a “miracle from God.”

Connor Farrell (second from right) and his siblings assemble care packages for Bright Lights in Greenville, South Carolina (photo: Courtesy of Connor Farrell)
Kathy Schiffer BlogsOctober 29

For the Doucette family, rosary-making is a family activity. (photo: Courtesy of the Doucette Family)
Joseph Pronechen Features October 24

When Matt and Elizabeth Doucette were students at Franciscan University of Steubenville and first dating, she wanted to get him a rosary for a Christmas gift. Shopping for one, she couldn’t locate “the” rosary she wanted, so she ended up gathering beads for a rosary and other parts, including the crucifix and medal, and making the special rosary she really had in mind but couldn’t find.
“That was the little seed all the way back,” Matt said, because at that time neither realized that six years after they would marry in 2006, they would launch Design My Rosary (DesignMyRosary.com), their family business run from home. Elizabeth already had experience making rosaries with her mother for the Fathers of Mercy in Kentucky. “My mom was making rosaries for them. That’s how I learned,” she said. Then Matt presented the inspiration to start Design My Rosary. With his experience, Matt designed their website and worked with his wife to make rosaries. 
The family is always happy to hear the stories behind the unique rosary creations. As Matt shared, “We find we often make them for children being baptized.” The Doucettes share this family tradition, he said: “We make a rosary for each of the children and have it blessed at their baptism.”
“And lots of people tell us about one for a convert entering the Church,” he added. The Doucettes feel honored and privileged “to be included in those stories and those moments. We feel we’re part of it when they ask us to make that rosary.”
There are the sad stories, too, whether for funerals or the loss of a child. These stories stick out for Elizabeth. “As a mother we’ve done several memorial rosaries for infants that have passed away. I’ve always been touched by that. We had a close friend who we did that for as well.” 
Many happy occasions include making rosaries for weddings. Often people buy rosaries to go in the bride’s bouquet. “One of the most fun things is when we have made rosaries for the entire wedding party,” Elizabeth said.
In fact, it might be said the Rosary led to the Doucettes’ marriage. The time-honored devotion brought Matt and Elizabeth together in 2002, when they were students at Franciscan University. “We met because of the Rosary,” Matt explained. “We happened to be in a similar random collection of students that began praying the Rosary at the grotto,” Elizabeth added, referring to a popular devotional site on campus. 
“Over time we’d hang around talking, then developed a friendship and started dating.”
Naturally, the Rosary has always continued to be a big part of their lives, including as Matt transitioned to working full time with Elizabeth.
“One of the first things I did when I left teaching and Elizabeth was making the rosaries was to produce a Rosary DVD,” he said. “Our children inspired us to create ‘Pray the Rosary,’ a DVD that has helped us as a family pray the Rosary together, which can be a challenge with children.”
An animated Rosary is seen below each decade, each illustrated with beautiful artwork through all four mysteries, helping even the youngest pray-ers to keep their place.
The Rosary anchors their family life with eight children — Maximilian, 14; Isabella Clare, 12; Olivia Irene, 10; Benjamin Joseph, 8; Dominic, 7; Samuel, 5; Gabriel, 3; and Violet, who is going on 2 months — amid home schooling. As Elizabeth explained, “We’ve had times where we’ve really struggled to sit together and pray the Rosary as a family. We make a recommitment to pray it each day. I feel like the grace that comes from God and knowing I’m helping my children develop this prayer life and carry it into adulthood is wonderful. We struggle like any family. The baby will throw things across the room, and that gets giggles. That’s all part of the beauty of it.”
As she also shared, “I enjoy how as the kids have gotten older they can help lead each one of the decades, and it feels more like praying it as a family.”
In terms of the family business, the children assist with packing the rosaries into the gift boxes in which they’re shipped, labeling packages and mailing them. The two older girls learned how to make rosaries from their mother. Of the scores of different beads, Bella said, “There’s Cats Eye I really like working with.” Another favorite is a Christmas-themed one “that’s really pretty.” Livy has her favorites, too. “My favorite kind of bead is called tree agate.”
They may make rosaries as a family, but praying the Rosary is the most important legacy. As Elizabeth said, “We make a recommitment to pray it each day.”  

​

Twenty-year-old Gonzáles has watched her story go viral over the last week on social media over a post on the “Miss Mexico” Facebook page.


Gonzáles was born April 12, 1997, in Valle de Guadalupe, Jalisco State, to a Catholic family. She currently resides at the convent of the Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament of Cuernavaca in Morelos State, after leaving her career as a nutritionist.


“You really don’t know what religious life is until you’re within it. So far, I have been able to see from another perspective what the world is and what it offers you,” the young novice told CNA.


“I was very happy with everything I had, but it does not compare with the happiness that God now places in my heart.”


The young postulant met the Poor Clare Missionaries five years ago, at the age of 14, when her concern for a religious vocation “was awakening” through “vocational days, missions and camps.”


In addition, she pointed out how it was hardly a month after this process of discernment concluded, when on March 2017, she gave her first Yes to her vocation on the Solemnity of the Annunciation.


“God’s timing is perfect. During this time [of discernment] he allowed me to have some experiences, such as being a beauty queen and other experiences, which forever left their mark and which allowed me to learn a lot for what was to come later.”


The discovery of the vocation to which she had been called was always present in her life like a “little thorn,” she said.


“I realized that I had to make room in my life to know what it was that God had planned for me. In the process of discerning my vocation, there was also fear and doubts, but the love that Our Lord was showing every day made me overcome any feeling of discouragement,” she said.


She said she had discovered that God was calling her “to serve him in a radical way,” that is, changing her “life to embrace the cross of Christ and live it more closely.”
“I have been in religious life very little time, but I truly have been very happy,” she said.


In order to discover her vocation, she spent a lot of time in prayer and charity, “knowing from the outside or from the world” what this change would involve.
“Change is hard for the family because it involves detachment, but I have always had the support of my parents, siblings and true friends. Even though I could have developed myself in some other setting, I feel that if the Lord needs me, then I can bear fruit in a different way,” she told CNA.


Offering advice for young people, she said that in any vocation there will be difficulties, “but if you go and take God’s hand, you'll always be able to take the next step.”
“In religious life every new day is a new beginning and a new opportunity to extend the Kingdom of God. This involves making a lot of sacrifices, but they are always rewarded with happiness,” she said.


The young novice also said that it is true that “the reality and the supposed happiness that the world sells is very attractive,” but “it is necessary to fix your eyes on what lasts.”
The Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament are a Religious Institute of Pontifical Right founded by Blessed María Inés Teresa Arias in 1945 in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
The spirit of the order is Eucharistic, Marian, priestly and missionary and is centered on Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.


The missionaries work in clinics, youth groups, preschools and schools, university dorms, centers for the spiritual exercises and missions, among others. They are present in Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, the United States, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Russia, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Vietnam and India.


“You mustn’t be afraid,” the young novice encouraged her peers. “If God is calling you, he’ll take care of everything. All you need to do is receive him with a lot of peace, joy and confidence. I believe fear is a big excuse that is responsible for truncating the true happiness that only God can offer.”

​

​A bit of humor…
​
-“So what have you been doing at school today, Johnny?”-“I don’t really want to talk about it mom. You’ll see it later on the news, anyways.”
-Little Johnny asks the teacher, “Mrs. Roberts, can I be punished for something I haven’t done?”-Mrs. Roberts is shocked, “Of course not, Johnny, that would be very unfair!”-Little Johnny is relieved, “OK Mrs. Roberts, sorry, I haven’t done my homework.”

-The sole purpose of a child’s middle name, is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble.
-I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
-The shinbone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.
-You know you’re texting too much when……you try to text, but you’re on a landline.
-I can't believe I got fired from the calendar factory.  All I did was take a day off.
-I asked my daughter if she’d seen my newspaper. She told me that newspapers are old school. She said that people use tablets nowadays and handed me her iPad. The fly didn’t stand a chance. 


THE NEW LAWYER
Joe grew up in a small town, then moved away to attend college and law school. He decided to come back to the small town because he could be a big man in this small town. He really wanted to impress everyone.
He opened his new law office, but business was very slow at first. One day, he saw a man coming up the sidewalk. He decided to make a big impression on this new client when he arrived.
As the man came to the door, Joe picked up the phone. He motioned the man in, all the while talking...
"No. Absolutely not. You tell those clowns in New York that I won't settle this case for less than one million..."
"Yes. The Appeals Court has agreed to hear that case next week. I'll be handling the primary argument and the other members of my team will provide support..."
"Okay. Tell the DA that I'll meet with him next week to discuss the details..."
This sort of thing went on for almost 5 minutes. All the while the man sat patiently as Joe rattled instructions.
Finally, Joe put down the phone and turned to the man.
"I'm sorry for the delay, but as you can see, I'm very busy. What can I do for you?"
The man replied "I'm from the phone company...I came to hook up your phone."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
A Sunday School teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus

with them to Jerusalem. A small child replied: "They couldn't get a babysitter."~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no

male pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for her memorial

service, she wrote, "They wouldn't take me out while I was alive, I

don't want them to take me out when I'm dead!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A police recruit was asked during the exam, "What would you do if you

had to arrest your own mother?" He said, "Call for backup."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Install a Cheap Home Security System
1. Go to a second-hand store and buy a pair of men's used size 14-16 work
boots.

2. Place them on your front porch, along with several empty beer cans, a
copy of Guns & Ammo magazine and several NRA magazines.

3. Put a few giant dog dishes next to the boots and magazine.

4. Leave a note on your door that reads:
Hey Bubba, Big Jim, Duke and Slim,
I went to the gun shop for more ammunition. Back in an hour. Don't mess
with the pit bulls -- they attacked the mailman this morning and messed him
up real bad. I don't think Killer took part in it but it was hard to tell
from all the blood. PS - I locked all four of 'em in the house. Better
wait outside.  -Cooter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
SAINT Thérèse of Lisieux
“Oh, how well I know that happiness is not found in the things around us. 
It is found in the secrecy of the soul.”

+JMJ+
SUNDAY BIBLICAL MASS READINGS AND QUESTIONS
for Self-Reflection, Couples or Family Discussion
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sunday, October 26th, 2025

The First Reading- Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18
The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.  Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.  The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.  The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens.  The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay.
Reflection
The theme of our reading, Sir 35:12-18, continues the theme of perseverance in prayer that we witnessed in last week’s Lord’s Day readings.  Sirach mentions that God is “not unduly partial toward the weak,” meaning that God does not consider the weak to be in the right merely for the fact that they are weak.  Weakness, poverty, or other disadvantages do not justify any and every action of the disadvantaged person, nor do they automatically confer the mantle of righteousness on him.  Nonetheless, God is particularly attentive to the cries of the poor for justice and salvation.  God is sensitive to the vulnerability of those without the resources to defend and support themselves.  God is especially solicitous for those whose only hope is in Him. When we read the entire chapter Sir 35, we realize that one of the major themes is the inter-relatedness of proper worship and charity towards the poor.  Sirach 25:2 says, “He who offers alms sacrifices a thank-offering.”  The thank offering was the Old Covenant precursor of the Eucharist.  This verse emphasizes a mystical connection between proper liturgical worship and acts of charity. This was well-understood in medieval Christianity.  Observe the painting on the left of a medieval saint. The saint is portrayed distributing food to the poor on the left, but his food distribution intentionally resembles the distribution of the Eucharist.  Furthermore, the looks and posture of the saint mimic in every particular the appearance of the bishop on the right, who is dressed in liturgical garments as he blesses what appears to be a sack of flour and jug of wine, offered by the laity to be made into the Eucharistic species.  Charity is liturgical and the liturgy is charitable.  
Adults - Have you ever considered the connection between liturgy and charity?
Teens - How does attending Mass affect the way you live through the week?
Kids - Be sure to say a special prayer for the poor each day this week.

Responsorial- Psalm 34: 2-3, 17-18, 19, 23
R.The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the Lord hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Reflection
-Much of Book I of the Psalter (pss 1-41) is dominated by the image of David the suffering servant, at the mercy of his enemies and the forces of evil in the world.  Psalm 34 is pure consolation for the righteous oppressed of this world, who find themselves victims of the powerful, the wealthy, and the unscrupulous.  
What is one small thing you can do each day to make a difference?

The Second Reading- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Beloved: I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.  From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.  At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me.  May it not be held against them!  But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.  And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.  To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Reflection
In this second reading we see St. Paul in a similar situation to David in the Psalm.  Both were in positions of vulnerability, under the power of an evil monarch.  David was delivered; St. Paul has faith that he will be, too.
Some believe St. Paul wrote 2 Timothy while being tried before the imperial court of Nero before ultimately being put to death.  We hear a note of sadness and loneliness in Paul’s remark that no one came to assist him at this defense.  As Christians, we can often feel abandoned.  Sometimes we are persecuted for the faith, and even our brothers and sisters in faith distance themselves from us, not wishing to be entangled in the persecution we are experiencing.  Through it all, St. Paul finds consolation in Jesus alone, Jesus who himself was completely abandoned by his companions when he suffered his Passion.
Do you know anyone who feels abandoned because of their faith? How can you help them?

The Holy Gospel according to Luke 18:9-14
Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.  "Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.  The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'  But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'  I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Reflection
The proud Pharisee “speaks his prayer to himself.”  He mostly talks about himself in his prayer; in fact, he is praising himself and even praying to himself!  The Pharisee has gotten himself confused with God.  That’s the essence of pride. The tax collector simply cries to God for mercy, and receives it.  Take note that this does not mean the tax collector was a “good man.”  Many tax collectors were unjust, abusive persons who took advantage of others in society, even and including the poor. Jesus’ point is that pride can overshadow all other sins, and that if we have attained all other human virtues but retained pride in ourselves, we are like someone who has not even begun the spiritual life.  The spiritual life begins with the acknowledgement of our sinfulness and our need.
Adults - Is there an area where you struggle with pride? Take it to prayer and ask God’s help.
Teens  - What is the difference between healthy and unhealthy pride?
Kids - Try to compliment or help someone each day this week.

LIVING THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK! –“We must all be on our guard against this insidious and destructive vice. It is insidious because it can grow in us almost without our knowing it, and once it has taken root it is difficult to eradicate. It is destructive because it spoils every other virtue we practice and every good work we do. Charity, or brotherly love, cannot flourish in a proud heart, for a proud heart is so full of self that it has no room for others. No true love of God can exist in a proud heart, for even the very acts of religion which a proud man performs, are done for the motive of self-glory and not for the glory of God. The Pharisee in this parable proves that fact. He boasted of his good works.  A few simple straight questions can tell us whether or not we are proud. Do we like others to see and hear of our good works, or do we prefer to do them in secret? Do we give as generously to charitable causes when no list of benefactors is published? Do we willingly take part among the rank and file in parish activities or do we feel offended if we are not the leaders? Do we criticize offhand those who are not all they should be, or do we thank God that we were saved from similar temptations? Do we always try to find an excuse for the failings of others or have we excuses for our own faults only? God forbid that anyone in this congregation should be suffering from this, the worst of all vices. If anyone recognizes that he is, let him pray to God from the bottom of his heart for the opposite virtue, the true Christian virtue of humility, and look for every possible occasion to practice it. Let us all remember the two men praying in the Temple. One was full of himself and boasted to God and to all present, of his many good works. The Other just humbly beat his breast and asked for mercy-he had nothing to boast of. Yet, he left the Temple forgiven, the other returned home a worse sinner than when he had entered the Temple.” — Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.


585. With what spirit of communion and mission do we pray to God as “our” Father? d) all of the above
Since praying to “our” Father is a common blessing for the baptized, we feel an urgent summons to join in Jesus’ prayer for the unity of his disciples. To pray the “Our Father” is to pray with all people and for all people that they may know the one true God and be gathered into unity.


586. What does the phrase “Who art in heaven” mean? c) with Christ we already live there
This biblical expression does not indicate a place but a way of being: God transcends everything. The expression refers to the majesty, the holiness of God, and also to his presence in the hearts of the just. Heaven, or the Father’s house, constitutes our true homeland toward which we are moving in hope while we are still on earth. “Hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3), we live already in this homeland.


587. What is the structure of the Lord’s Prayer? d) God-centered petitions with our poverty and expectations
It contains seven petitions made to God the Father. The first three, more God-centered, draw us toward him for his glory; it is characteristic of love to think first of the beloved. These petitions suggest in particular what we ought to ask of him: the sanctification of his Name, the coming of his Kingdom, and the fulfillment of his will. The last four petitions present to the Father of mercies our wretchedness and our expectations. They ask him to feed us, to forgive us, to sustain us in temptations, and to free us from the Evil One.

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