Bring a Friend to Adult Inquiry for RCIA
The first phase of RCIA is coming to inquire. People come to ask questions, get a feel for what it means to be a Catholic and to learn a little about the Catholic Faith. After that a person can decide whether or not they are even interested in going on to the next step.
The second step begins when the inquirer decides to embark on the journey of learning what it means to be a Catholic. This should occur in September. Some who inquire have never been baptized in any Christian religion. Others seek to be Catholics but have already been baptized in another faith. Then again, there are always some who were baptized as Catholics but never practiced their faith. All are welcome to inquire.
RCIA for Children
In September, Zola Ingram will begin inquiry for unbaptized children over the age of 7. If you have children who fall into this category, please leave your name and number in the Parish Office.
Vacation Bible School
Registration Forms for the Baobab Blast Bible School are coming in steadily. There are still a few slots left for 1st to 6th graders. We would like to have five children in each group. Forms are available in the parish office.
Some of the parents are available to help which is wonderful. We will still be happy for more volunteers…teens or adults. Teens who are interested are often very helpful in assisting younger children with games, crafts, putting skits together, and storytelling. We are looking for adults, too (can be aunties or grandmas) to help with guiding groups with Bible stories or any of the activities named above. There will also be lunch and snacks to put together.
This is a perfect opportunity for intergenerational exchange. If you love children, this is the time for you to get involved. We’ll have a short meeting for volunteers in July. Thank you in advance. Cynthia M. Taylor 960-0734
Peter’s Pence Collection
Today we support the Holy Father in his charitable works. The Peter’s Pence Collection is taken up worldwide in an effort of solidarity to support the most disadvantaged: victims of war, oppression, and natural disaster and others in need of emergency assistance. Pope Benedict XVI has said, “God’s love… gives us the courage to continue seeking and working for the benefit of all” (Caritas in Veritate, no. 78). Cast the love of Christ upon the world— please be generous in today's Collection.
Prayer & Serendipity Bible Studies
The Prayer group will continue to meet at St. John’s on Thursday evenings from 7pm to 8:30pm. We will be using the NAB Catholic Serendipity Bible Studies… The Theme for this current Bible Study is “Women of Excellence—Being a Godly Woman.”
The Bible Study will run for 6 weeks, which began June 10th and will continue thru July 15th, 2010. Then a new session will begin. This past Thursday, June 10th the studies centered on Seeking God’s Truth, from 1 Kings 10:1-13. Please join us.
We begin the evening with intercessory prayer and song of praise then the scriptures/bible study and end in prayer. So we usually are done by 8:30pm. Some of us linger for a little while longer drinking coffee and talking story. If you have any questions, please call Margie at 323-3469 or 217-6054.
Attention Young Adults (18-35)!
We would like to begin a Young Adult Group for St. Michael’s Parish and are inviting your to join! Please contact John Paul Nardelli at 217-6886 with questions and more information.
Pre-Catechumenate
Do you have questions about the Catholic Church? Do you think you might be interested in exploring the possibility of becoming part of our community? No obligation exists in getting the answers to your questions. Call now. Inquiry will begin in July. Flexible time can be arranged for your convenience. This is not a class. It is just an informal question and answer time. Call either Cynthia at 960-0734 or Susan in the Parish Office at 326-7771.
Faith and Family Bible
We still have copies of a new Bible to offer you. It is written with families in mind. This Bible was developed by the same people who have given us the One ‘Ohana. We will, therefore, use it in our One ‘Ohana sessions, so you have time to get your copy for the next session in September.
The retail cost of this Bible is $29.99. We were able to purchase them at a discount. They are now $20.00. If you would like one, please ask at the Gift Shop table. She can take your name and number. Selling these Bibles is not the desired outcome. There is no profit in just selling them. Our goal is to get these Bibles into the hands and the lives of our One ‘Ohana families. Cynthia Taylor – 960-0734
BLESSED JUNÍPERO SERRA (1713-1784)
July 1 - No one who has stood before the quiet majesty of Mission San Juan Capistrano, or the altogether different but no less lovely Mission Dolores in San Francisco, or any of the missions from San Diego to Sonoma can fail to bless the Franciscan padre who, while not founder of each, was inspiration for them all, Blessed Junípero Serra. Abandoning the comfortable academic life to which his doctorate in theology entitled him, Serra journeyed to the New World where his tireless traveling, dramatic preaching, and penitential austerity converted thousands of native peoples. Saving souls and celebrating the sacraments were Padre Serra’s primary mission but not his only one. Education in letters and crafts, trades and agriculture transformed the people, while roads and irrigation systems transfigured the landscape. His more than thirty years of ministry were not free from conflict with authorities or without controversy in the retrospectively critical eye of history. But when John Paul II beatified him in 1988, he praised Padre Serra for assisting his converts to use their new faith to advance their true human development. —Peter Scagnelli, © Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.
Reflecting on the Gospel
Many of us need to dive into something demanding, be it an unpleasant task, a tediously long and boring job, or patching up a relationship gone awry. Sometimes just trying to motivate ourselves for various kinds of tasks is a hard sell. This is so common that we have any number of sayings we use in this regard: bite the bullet; go, team, go; set our hand to the plow; move, darn it. Motivation and persistence aren't traits that came naturally to many of us. We need an extra “push” to get moving. The gospel for this Sunday is about a journey, but the end isn't something anyone would choose. It truly takes motivation to undergo this journey and stay the course. It definitely takes a push to get started, and much more that to keep going. What kind of a journey is this?
The beginning of the gospel sets the tone for this selection: Jesus “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” This might seem like a pleasant enough journey until we consider that here “Jerusalem” is a metaphor for death, the end of our life’s journey— but also for new life. Jesus invites us on this journey. We need to get started, and help to stay on an unswerving path. Jesus is there to be that help.
This gospel depicts various responses to and interactions with Jesus: some refuse Him entrance into their village, some naively swear to follow wherever He leads, some put the exigencies of life ahead of following Him. Each response suggests that people have some sense of the cost of following Jesus. Throughout, Jesus consistently indicates that those who follow Him must separate themselves from anything that hinders their resolutely journeying with Him through death to new life. The price is high but so are the stakes and so is the reward.
The challenge of this gospel is for us to be resolutely determined to accept the dying to self that is necessary to follow Jesus and cooperate with Him in establishing God’s reign, just as Jesus was resolutely determined to go to His own suffering and death. We can be neither naïve nor self-excusing. To be “fit for the kingdom of God” we must keep our eyes on Jesus and our destiny. We must let Him be our motivation to stay the course. The course: Jerusalem. The price: dying. The new stakes: new life. This is surely all the motivation we could possibly need: following Jesus brings new life.
Farewell to the Bilotti’s
We extend our fondest Aloha to Dennis, Julie, Ethan, and Jordan Bilotti. The family has shown themselves to truly be a part of our ohana by immersing themselves in the life of the parish.
Dennis has been a Lector and a member of the parish Building Committee. As a member of the Knights of Columbus, he has been busy with many of the Knights’ events that are held here on St. Michael’s grounds.
Julie has been a Catechist and a leader of the One Ohana sessions, sharing the Word of God with the children of the parish. She has also been very active with our Food Pantry by helping to distribute food and inputting data each Friday morning.
Ethan and Jordan have shared their time and talent by serving as Altar Servers at the weekend Masses. They made themselves available for special liturgies in the Church calendar, and have been willing to help out when the need arises.
The family will be moving to the mainland, so we will miss their presence here at St. Michael’s. We wish them all the best for their future, and send them off with our prayers and heartfelt thanks for being such vital members of the parish. Aloha and God bless!
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
