Thursday, October 1, 2020

Weekend Updates from St. Columba - October 2, 2020

 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Entrance Antiphon (Esther 13:9-11; Ps 118:1) 

Cantor:  All  things  are  submitted  to  your  will,  O  Lord,   and  no  one  can    resist  your  decisions;  you  have  made  all  things,   heaven  and  earth,  and  all  that  is  contained  under  the  vault  of  the  sky;   you  are    the  master  of  the  universe. 

( Vs. Blessèd  are  those  whose  way  is    blameless,   who  walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord. )

 All: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit…

 

**Gloria chant- may be found on page 9 in the digital missalette**

 

Psalm Response: The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

 

Offertory Antiphon: There  was  a  man  in  the  land  of  Hus  whose  name  was  Job,     

a  blameless,  upright  and  God  fearing  man;  Satan  asked  to  be    allowed  to  tempt  him,   and  the  Lord  gave  him  pow’r  over  his    possessions  and  his  body;  and  so,  he  destroyed  his  possessions and  his children, and he ravaged  his  flesh  with  horrible  sores. 

 

Communion Antiphon: My  soul  aspires  after  your  salvation;    I  hope  in  your  word;     

When  will  you  judge  those  who  persecute  me?  The  wicked  are  persecuting  me;   

Come  to  my  assistance,  O  Lord  my  God.

 

Communion Hymn:

Refrain

I receive the living God, and my heart is full of joy.  

I receive the living God, and my heart is full of joy.

 

Verses

 

1.      Jesus says: I am the Bread 

          Sent to you from God Most High.  

          Take and eat, and you will live; 

          You need never fear to die.

 

2.      Jesus says: I am the Vine, 

          Far from whom no life can grow.  

          If you join yourself to me, 

          A rich harvest you will know.

 

3.      Jesus says: I am the Way, 

          And my path is straight and true.  

          Follow me to where I lead; 

          There my Father waits for you.

 

4.      Jesus says: I am the Truth.  

          If you follow close to me, 

          You will know me in your heart, 

          And my word will make you free.

 

5.      Jesus says: I am the Life, 

          Raised in triumph from the dead.  

          As one Body now remain, 

          Members joined to me, the Head.

 

6.      Jesus says: I am the Day, 

          Shining brightly through your night.  

          Welcome me, and you will walk 

          By the Spirit’s guiding light.

 

7.      Jesus says: I am the Love 

          Which can bind you close to me.  

          Those who know this gift I bring 

          Will find true community.

 

8.      Jesus says: I am the Peace 

          Which the world cannot bestow.  

          Learn to love and live in me, 

          And in you my Reign will grow.

 

9.      Jesus says: I am the Lamb, 

          And my death set sinners free.  

          Those who drink the cup I drink 

          Must take up this work with me.

 

Text: Vss. 1-3, 5-9, Bernard Geoffroy, b. 1946; tr. by Ronald F. Krisman, b. 1946 

© 2011, GIA Publications, Inc.; vs. 4, anonymous

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-700703. All rights reserved.

 

RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY - BABY BOTTLES - Today marks the beginning of Respect Life Month. Please read the reflection at the end of this Flock Note. We invite you to participate in our Baby Bottle Campaign. Bring home a bottle after Mass and fill it with loose change throughout October. Return it in November. The money will be used for Respect Life activities here at St. Columba, including donations to Care Net and Birthright.

CONFIRMATIONS - Bishop Colacicco will be with us Saturday, October 3 for Confirmations at 10:30 am & 1:30 pm. We are delighted that our former Pastor will confirm our teens. A reminder that these Liturgies are not open to the public. Seating by ticket only due to the pandemic. Please pray for our Confirmandi.

FIRST COMMUNIONS – Our children who were scheduled to receive First Communion last May will receive the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist on Saturday, October 17 at 9:30 am & 12:00 noon and on Saturday, October 24 at 9:30am. Due to the pandemic, these Masses are not open to the public as seating is by ticket only for the safety of all. Please pray for our First Communicants.

ST. FRANCIS PET BLESSING – Bring your pet this Sunday, October 4 at 1:30 pm for this annual blessing. We will be on the lawn in front of the church. Please wear a mask, keep social distance, and ensure that you can control your pet if needed!

GOD SQUAD YOUTH GROUP – Our High School Youth Group is resuming with a picnic in the rectory back yard this Sunday, October 4 at 4:00 pm. We will wear masks, keep social distance, enjoy seeing each other again and plan for the year. It is by reservation, but if you missed the deadline and still want to come, call 227-8380 and leave a voicemail for Father Connolly (#15).

PARISH COUNCIL – Meets on Monday, October 5 at 7:00 pm Zoom Conference.

FINANCE COUNCIL – Meets on Tuesday, October 6 at 7:00 pm Zoom Conference.

TRI-PARISH LIFE CHAIN – A peaceful reminder of the sanctity of life. It will take place Saturday, October 10 from 10:00 am to 12 noon along Rt. 82 in front of St. Columba Church. Come for a few minutes or more: pray, wear a mask, and stay 6 ft apart. Signs will be provided.

AMERICA NEEDS FATIMA ROSARY RALLY – Right after the Life Chain, on Saturday, October 10 at 12:00 noon, we will join parishes across the country to pray the Rosary for America. We will beg God and Our Lady to save America from today’s chaos, immorality, and social upheaval. In 2019 there were 21,145 public rallies. This year St. Columba will join this effort. This is a Public Rosary so we will stay right on Rt 82 in front of the church. We are giving witness to our faith. Bring a Rosary. If you forget or do not have one, we will have a Rosary for you! Wear a mask and keep social distance.

CHURCH FINANCES – As we finish up the fiscal year report, our accountant indicates that we ended the fiscal year with at least a $30,000 deficit. A deficit is also projected for 2020-2021. Indications are that the collection is down about $1,000 per week which is the cause of the deficit. Appropriate actions now need to be taken to deal with our financial situation. Our Finance Council will help us make good decisions. We are most grateful for the many parishioners who are keeping up with your church contributions. You keep your parish going, together with all your prayers and your participation. God bless you!


CARDINAL’S APPEAL as of September 18

Goal - $139,000.00

Pledge - $95,159.00

Number of Gifts – 405

Average Gift - $234.96

Any gift, large or small, is deeply appreciated!

 

RENEW AND REBUILD as of September 18

Goal - $1,709,000.00

Pledged - $1,758,846.92

Paid - $1,108,513.03

Many thank for keeping up with your pledge!

 

Live the Gospel of Life
Respect Life Reflection

Twenty-five years ago, Pope St. John Paul II wrote that the Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus’ saving message to the world (Evangelium vitae 1). In taking on human flesh, dwelling among us, and sacrificing his very life for our redemption, Christ reveals the profound dignity of every human person. This God-given dignity does not change with our stage of life, abilities, level of independence, or any other varying circumstance.

Text Box: “to imitate Christ 
and follow in his footsteps”
The Gospel of Life 51
Rather, it is rooted in the permanent fact that each of us is made in the image and likeness of God, created to share in the very life of God himself. The human person is a “manifestation of God in the world, a sign of his presence, a trace of his glory” (EV 34). And we must reflect this truth in how we act and how we treat one another.

The truth of the Gospel of life is at the foundation of who we are as followers of Christ. In his earthly life, Jesus provided the perfect model for how we are to love our neighbor and live out the Gospel call: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt. 25:40).

Jesus calls each of us to “care for the other as a person for whom God has made us responsible” (EV 87). The Gospel of life is intrinsic to the whole Christian life and foundational to the decisions we make on a daily basis. For, “the Gospel of God’s love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel” (EV 2, emphasis added).

In his encyclical on the Gospel of life, Pope St. John Paul II recognizes the full range of threats against human life, from poverty and malnutrition to murder and war. He places particular emphasis, however, on threats to life at its beginning and end—precisely when it is most in need of protection. In modern times, children in their mothers’ wombs and those approaching the end of their lives are certainly among the “least of these” in our world’s estimation. Practices such as abortion and assisted suicide tragically reject the truth that human life is always to be cherished and defended with loving concern.

As the Church celebrates the 25th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s prophetic encyclical, let us reflect on how we personally live out the Gospel: Do I talk about and act towards others as I would talk about and treat Jesus himself? Do I inform myself of the Church’s teachings and engage in the civic arena as first a follower of Christ? Do I support and advocate for laws and policies that protect and defend human life? Do I help pregnant and parenting mothers in need? Am I ready to support a loved one nearing death?

Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, may Our Lord grant us the grace to truly and courageously live his Gospel of life.