Dear Parish Family of St. Mary, +JMJ+

Dear Parish Family of St. Mary, +JMJ+

“I would rather die than do something which I know to be a sin, or to be against God's will.” St. Joan of Arc

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“I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.” St. Francis of Assisi

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“The Son of God became man so that we might become God.” St. Athanasius

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“The nation... doesn't simply need what we have. It needs what we are.” St. Edith Stein

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“God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.” Saint Augustine

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“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” Saint Augustine

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Liturgical Calendar with Ordinary Time in green

Ordinary Time

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:" Ecclesiaties 3:1

We are currently in Ordinary Time, that is ORDERED time. It is not 'ordinary' in that there is nothing special about it; it is 'ordered' so that we can grow in love of God and neighbor, and true love of self.

We are going through the big green section of the Church's Liturgical calendar. You hear and will hear, read and will read, Sunday after Sunday, "30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time, 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time," etc. This in a sense is asking you the same questions each week: Are you loving God and your neighbor more? Are you working on those faults and sins in your life? Do you truly desire Heaven, your true home? Green is for growing and that is what we are meant to do in this season.

Put God first this Sunday, put everyone else second, and then you will love yourself, not because you put yourself last, but because it is in the right place ORDERED to true love and happiness.

Wednesday, Nov. 1st is the Holy Day of All Saint’s Day. It is a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION, that is, Catholics are obligated to attend Mass. Thus, there will be a 6:30PM OCT. 31st Evening Mass at St. Sebastian the night before. There will be an 8AM Morning Mass and 6:30pm Evening Mass Wed., Nov. 1st here at St. Mary. Please come to honor, learn about, and ask for the intercession of all the Saints.

November is also the Month of All Saints. Around the church you will find the pictures and the lives of a few of the 4,000-5,000 canonized saints of the Catholic Church. The saints of heaven are our brothers and sisters who we need to get to know on earth so that we can imitate their lives of loving Jesus and neighbor and ask their help and intercession here on earth. Take some extra time this month to learn about some friends God wants in your life.

Thursday, November 2nd is All Soul’s Day. We pray for all the holy souls of Purgatory, the preparation room of heaven, that they may be with our Lord face to face in Heaven. We will have three extra Masses scheduled (St. Mary at the cemetery at 8:30am (church if rain); 5pm St. Mary Church; St. Sebastian 6:30pm). There will be special candles lit for the families of deceased parishioners from this past year. Families may then take candles home with them at the end of the month. Please come and pray for the holy souls who can no longer pray for themselves. We will also have a Book of Remembrance where anyone can write a deceased loved one’s name to be remembered in prayer.

November is the Month of All Souls! Please continue to pray for all the holy souls of Purgatory who cannot pray or help themselves. Remember to pray especially for all the dead from our parishes this past year. You will see a candle burning during the Mass for them. We have the deceased of the parishes of the past year listed and a Book of Remembrance, feel free to come forward and add the names of loved ones for whom we may pray.

Oct. 29, 2017, is Priesthood Sunday. Priesthood Sunday is a special day set to honor Priesthood in the United States. It is an invitation for parishioners to honor Christ as Priest and the men who were called to be his ordered (ordained) priests on earth. It is also a day to honor all religious and to focus on the importance of vocations. This day is sponsored by Serra International, a Catholic organization whose mission “is to foster, affirm and promote vocations to ministry in the Catholic Church.” Let us give thanks to God for the Priesthood, pray for all deceased Priests, pray for all living Priests, and that men who God calls to be Priests will generously respond. THANK YOU! (http://www.priestsunday.org/)

Did You Know…

that recycling helps preserve the earth God gave us. Pope Francis tells us:

"We received this world as an inheritance from past generations, but also as a loan from future generations, to whom we will have to return it!”

We have a recycling facility right here in Mount Carmel on Golden Aces Way across from the stadium. They are open on Monday and Friday from 7:30 - 3:30 and on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. They accept plastic, cardboard, and newspapers.

Father Richard Kunzman will be visiting our parish next weekend to speak at all the Masses on behalf of Cross Catholic Outreach, which was founded to create a meaningful link between parishes in America and the priests and nuns working in the Church overseas in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Central and South America.

THIS Sunday, Oct. 29th after the 10:30am Mass there will be Server Training for any kids 4th grade and up that would like to serve at Mass. Thank you to all who minister at the altar of the Lord.

A study on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Holy Bible continues this Tuesday at 6:30pm at St. Mary Gathering Hall. Each weekly lesson is also available on Parish Website (www.StMarysParish.net). Please join us Tuesdays evenings at 6:30pm for fellowship, conversation, video, and receiving all that God gives us!

The Nursery Ministry (0-3) continues every Sunday at the 10:30am Mass.

Love and prayers in Jesus through Mary, loved by St. Joseph,

-Father Robert

P.S. Be sure to check out www.SMSrockets.org for all the latest updates of the school and www.StMarysParish.net to check out the latest updates for the parish.

“The Church affirms the inviolable dignity of every person, regardless of the duration or extent of the person’s incapacity or dependency.” -USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities “Catholic Considerations for Our Earthly Passing,” www.goo.gl/MyKAp7

A Bit of Humor: Some Thoughts

-I intend to live forever… or die trying.

-At what age is it appropriate to tell my dog that he’s adopted?

-I used to be in a band, we were called ‘lost dog’. You probably saw our posters.

From the Mouths of Infants and Babes:

Little Angel!--Little Johnny's new baby brother was screaming up a storm. Johnny asked his mom, "Where'd he come from?" "He came from heaven, Johnny." Johnny responded: "Wow! I can see why they threw him out!"

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On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'

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A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'

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While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop? Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'

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A little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'

SACRED SCRIPTURE CORNER

All Saints and All Souls

These are two Feast Days that we celebrate this coming week - All Saints Day and All Souls Day.

All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. It should not be confused with All Souls' Day, which is observed on November 2, and is dedicated to those who have died and not yet reached heaven.All Saints' Day is a Catholic Holy Day of Obligation, meaning all Catholics are required to attend Mass on that day, unless they have a serious reason, such as serious illness. The day celebrates all those in Heaven - those formally canonized by the Church and those that are not.

All Soul's Day honors those who have died and are in Purgatory on their journey to Heaven.According to Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places. The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin (destroyed their relationship with God) are naturally condemned by their choice. The third option is purgatory, which is thought to be where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go.Purgatory is necessary so that souls can be cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. There is scriptural basis for this belief. The primary reference is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32."Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out... Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin."Consistent with these teachings and traditions, Catholics believe that the prayers of the faithful on Earth help the dead be cleansed of their sins so they may enter into heaven. We pray for them always, but in a special way on All Soul's Day.