One Catholic Ohana

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I – Isaiah 6:1- 2a, 3-8

Reading II – 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Gospel – Luke 5:1-11

God’s Call - In today’s Scriptures we hear three instances of people receiving and responding to a call from God.  These accounts follow the pattern of most scriptural call narratives:  a divine presence appears and speaks; the person expresses fear or unworthiness, receives encouragement, and finally responds to God’s call.

Today’s First Reading shows an unworthy Isaiah responding to the Lord’s call, “Here I am; send me!”

(Isaiah 6:8 )  In the Second Reading Paul tells us that, even though he had persecuted the Church, he was called to be an apostle.  In the Gospel, despite Simon Peter’s protest that he is a sinner, Jesus calls James, John, and Simon to follow Him.  They leave everything they have and follow Jesus – that is, they become Jesus’ disciples.  These Scrip-tures can challenge us to take stock of our lives.  How do we experience Jesus’ call to discipleship in our lives?  How well and faithfully are we responding? © Copyright, J.S. Paluch Co.

Fr. Bill Burton OFM lectures attendees at this year's parish mission held at Immaculate Conception, Holualoa.

On Tuesday, Father Bill left us to return to the frigid temperatures in Chicago.  Many people attended the mission and expressed appreciation for the full evenings of Introduction to Dei Verbum.  Many of you requested that we invite Father back.  I asked Father Bill to include us in his schedule sometime in early November, 2010.  We’ll arrange for the exact dates and let you know.  Father Bill can prepare us for the reading of the Gospel of Matthew before the first Sunday of Advent.  That is when the new liturgical year begins.

On Friday, January 29th, the young people of the parish and their parents met for a Scripture session with Father Bill.  John Paul did an energetic warm-up to help communicate the meaning of One Ohana.  Gloria Krier-Matthews coordinated the pizza, salad, and ice cream supper.  The most important thing was that there were 90 kids and their parents who attended.  The next One Ohana will be in April.  Thank you to those who prepared the event and to those who attended.

During the next two weeks, we will all prepare to enter our Lenten pilgrimage of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving on Ash Wednesday.  The 40 days of Lent are given to us so we can free ourselves to focus on those things in our lives which will take us deeper into the Paschal Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

As usual, read the bulletin for information about our weekly Stations of the Cross followed by the soup and bread supper.  I look forward to seeing as many of our community, as possible, join us.  During Lent, I will try to provide reflections to ponder and short prayers and suggestions for fasting that will help you to grow more deeply.  We will talk about and reflect on Scriptural passages we read during the Lenten Season.

In another week, we, the North Kona Catholic Community, will send our nine catechumens and their sponsors out to the Rite of Election and the enrollment of names.  Bishop Larry will admit them to the group of the elect.  The Rite of Election will be held at Annunciation Church in Waimea.  The RCIA requires that the catechumens have “undergone a conversion in mind and in action and to have developed a sufficient acquaintance with Christian teaching as well as a spirit of faith and charity.”  Sometimes we think that only the priests and the RCIA coordinators are responsible for bringing the catechumens to the Sacraments.  This is far from the truth.  The responsibility for teaching and welcoming belongs to every member of our Church community.

The remodeling of the pavilion at St. Paul’s has begun.  It is estimated that it will take about eight weeks to complete.  Therefore, we will be unable to use the pavilion until the work is finished.  For those who have occasion to use the pavilion for social events, you will be pleased with the upgraded kitchen and bathrooms.

We continue to meet with Mark Lively, the architect who is designing the detail of the new church building, etc.  Although you have seen the basic design of the church, I hope we will soon have something concrete to share with you.  So far, I am very pleased with what I have seen.  Let us keep in mind that we also have a considerable amount of money to raise before we can build.  During our capital campaign, we raised 3.3 million dollars of our 5 million dollar goal.  This fact may require us to build in distinct phases rather than build everything at one time.  I will update you about the building project as we gain new information.

I am always grateful to our visitors for their support in contributing to our Building Fund.  Each week, I receive several letters and checks to help us with our building.

In Christ,

- Fr. Lio

The Iranian authorities are continuing to harass activists working to defend women’s rights. Source: www.protectthehuman.com.

While the U.S. media has turned its focus from Iran, egregious violations of human rights continue there.  On January 9, 2010, Iranian police arrested 33 mothers of young adults who were killed in the protests.  These women were demonstrating peacefully in memory of their children.  With growing reports of violence and rape in Iranian prisons as a retaliation against female protestors, the world needs to see, reflect, and act on behalf of the people of Iran.

BIBLE STUDY

Fr. Jack is going to begin Bible study again.  The first day will be Tuesday, February 16th at 7:00 PM in Kamiano Hall.  Everyone is welcome.

SUPPORT ST. MICHAEL’S BUILDING FUND

You wanna malassada??

We are planning a delicious fund raising event with those wonderful Traditional Portuguese Malassadas.  Plan to buy something sweet for your Valentine.

Here are the facts:

DATE:  Sunday, February 14th

WHEN:  After the morning masses

Pre-sale tickets available today.  For more information please call:  Fanny Gouveia  @ 329-3080 ;  Barbara Kossow @ 938-0806; or Kristen Kam @ 756-3192.  YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED.