Listen to your homily here.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Rest, but remember that is still God's time: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Listen to the homily here.
Notes:
Notes:
In 2008 and 2009, I served as a teacher at Totus Tuus—the same mission that four people did for our parishes a few weeks ago.
· That summer was crazy!
· Holy Hour early in the morning (which is not my favorite time in the day), then elementary students from 8:30-2:30, a dinner at a families house from 5:00-6:30pm, then junior high and high school students from 7:00-9:00pm, then back to our homes at about 10:00pm
For 2009 I used what we heard in the Gospel today almost every day
· “The apostles gathered together with Jesusand reported all they had done and taught. He said to them,‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ People were coming and going in great numbers,and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.”
Today as a priest my deserted place is on Friday, my day off
· And yes, I joke with you and others that I really only work on Saturday evening or Sunday
· But I praise God that He says, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
o Where do I go? At the rectory, with my family, visiting friends, exercising, events, reading or write
Where can you rest?
· Rest called his apostles to relax, and in your life, this time can really nourish you with your hobbies, taking a nap, getting out of dodge or more
· An especially day to rest is on Sunday, in which we should not work, but recreate/re-create your life, as God Himself “rested on the Sabbath”
· Please spend more rest with Jesus, as the apostles did so
Then, imagine an annoyance moment, or a better way to call it “a new opportunity”
· For instance, I have had several funerals on Friday—my day off, or, if I am in town, to offer the anointing of the sick…I must do that because it really isn’t my time, but God’s time
· Even during your time to rest, something may challenge your time, because it is God’s time
Like the Apostles: “People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the townsand arrived at the place before them.”
· While resting is crucial for your life, as Jesus Christ told his apostles to rest, always be ready to serve, even if it is your day off
· And if you do receive that rest, whether you only receive a few minutes or a few hours, remember that God may be calling you when He needs you with someone else
Parish Bulletin Article: "Confirmation, Baptism and Annulments": 7-24-18
This weekend I would like to share three opportunities that you may have in your journey with Jesus Christ, especially if you have not had this chance yet.
First, if you are a Catholic adult, have you received Confirmation, or, if you are not Catholic, have you been curious to walk into our Catholic family?
This Sacrament fulfills the gifts and fruits from the Holy Spirit. It would support you to engage with a deeper with Jesus Christ, and be able to show you the beauty, goodness and truth of our faith.
Each year we offer our brothers and sisters through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and we have several parishioners will work with you through this lovely process. While I mentioned a question about confirmation first, this could also be the place to be baptized, confirmed, and receive your first communion! This course usually begins in late September or early October.
Second, do you have children that you would like to be baptized? This sacrament is the first of our seven sacraments and is the most important way that you would be embraced into God’s family. As I coordinate, teach and chat about this essential sacrament, we can have a great gathering to prepare your child(ren) to be ready to receive the Holy Spirit.
Third, if you have been divorced and remarried, have you ever considered seeking an annulment? While this can be a challenging situation, I have worked with several individuals who received God’s peace, love, and compassion.
The word “annulment” simply means that the sacrament of marriage is “null” of being a sacrament. On the physical and natural levels, a marriage may be divorced through our human law in our country. However, in the spiritual journey with God, an annulment can reorder an opening a new path to be married sacramentally.
If you need to be confirmed, bring your children to be baptized or seek an annulment, please send a phone call to our office, email me (bhadrich@frontier.com) or our secretary (parishoffice@stthomasifalls.org), or send me a message via Facebook. I, as well as brothers and sisters in our family at St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Columban will be delightful to begin a conversation and process to help you grow closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.
God Bless!Tuesday, July 17, 2018
You are sent out as an apostle!: 15th Sunday in Ordinary
Listen to the homily here.
Notes:
Notes:
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
· Twelve = Apostles
o Later they lost one, Judas of Iscariot
o They added a new Apostle: Mattathias
· Grounded, built our Church
o Placed their hands on the next bishops
§ Bishop Paul Sirba was consecrated by another bishop, who was ordained by another bishop…back all the way to the first 12
Apostle = sent, mission
· The twelve did some amazing things
o Today’s reading was casting out evil spirits
o They also taught, healed, forgave sins, led Mass, receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
Here is the cool transition
· While none of us are one of the Twelve apostles, each of us are called to be apostles
· You are sent out, you have a mission, a job
· Ite missa est = go, you are dismissed or go, the Mass is ended
o Go in peace, glorifying the Lord with your life
o Go in peace
o Go forth, the Mass is ended
o Go, and announce the Gospel of the Lord
· GO!
· Do the work that God has called you to do!
Parish Bulletin Article: "6th Month Update"
Here is some updates from the last six months at St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Columban and our school. Enjoy!
St. Thomas Aquinas
· 2017 UCA was completed, when we sent the last check in April
· Thanks to Dave Chute, we have continued to save dollars with cleaner and focused energy
· We have saved a lot more dollars as our new rectory has way lower costs with less water, gas, electricity and property costs. Again, thanks for agreeing our decision to place your pastor in a smaller rectory.
· Our Grounds and Buildings group has been getting together to fix a few things: the fence, parking lot, a sign for our playground and removing the stumps around the Church.
St. Columban
· 2017 UCA was completed before December 31st2017—great work!
· A picnic and clean up afternoon as they worked together for their property
· Great brunches at the end of each month
· Some good decisions to shake up our financial and pastoral committees.
St. Thomas Aquinas School
· Hired our new Principal, Alison Fischbach, and we are excited to watch her grow our school with more students, more fundraising and more new family members to offer time, talent and treasure
· We have been preparing for 2018-2019 school year to add pre-school afternoon sessions on Monday-Wednesdays and also adding the 5th-6thgrade class.
· We have many new families joining our family
Goals for the next six months:
· St. Thomas Aquinas: pay off our 2018 UCA by December 31st
· St. Columban: continue to discern how the best way we can offer faith formation for our students
· St. Thomas Aquinas: by the end of the summer, let’s get 60 students in our school!
Each of you, enjoy the directory that we received and, please, invite and welcome more people to fill our parishes at both Mass and Confession.
Thank you, brothers and sisters, for all the ways you support our family and community. Keep rolling!
God Bless!
Sunday, July 8, 2018
"...when I am weak, then I am strong": 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Listen to the homily here.
Notes:
Notes:
Last week I spoke about God’s rescue of each of us, in our physical lives, and eventually, please God, heaven
And what a perfect passage from St. Paul, one of my favorites and for this homily, let’s walk through this passage
· “Brothers and sisters:”
o Originally to the Corinthians, then to us
· “That I, Paul, might not become too elated,
because of the abundance of the revelations,”
because of the abundance of the revelations,”
o Too prideful, to realize that he has experienced mystical conversations with God
o Remember when he fell on the ground and was blinded after he arrested Christians?
· “a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.”
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.”
o One of my spiritual directors once told me, “Ben, God allows you to have vices to keep you on your knees.”
o St. Paul knew that he was turning between pride and humility
o And what was the thorn?
§ Some theories from scholars is health, like his eyes, or a spiritual challenge, aka evil
· “Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,”
o A great question that we should always ask that to God…He already know what you are thinking about anyway!
o Have you ever experienced that one? Of course!
· Here is nugget #1: “but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
o The paradox in our spiritual lives, is that the more we realize that we are weak, uncontrolled, sinful, if we surrender ourselves to God, His grace is indeed sufficient for you
· “I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.”
o Bryan Regan a comedian, “The Me Monster”: I, me, mine, “that ain’t nothing” upping up stories about how better other people are
o Wisdom teeth
o Well, we should point not to ourselves, but to Christ!
· “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;”
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;”
o Bring it right to the Lord, be a sieve right to God, be offer your suffering to our redeemer
· Nugget #2: “for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
We are to be a servant, an instrument, an earthly vessel, a son or daughter, and when we realize that we are actually weak…then we allow God use us to be strong, for His purpose!
Parish Bulletin Article: "Summer Reads": 7-8-18
I love reading to be part of summer. Personally, I enjoy picking up a book on a hammock or by a lake, soaking in the beautiful weather, nature and refreshment.
As we praise God for this time of the year, here are some of my favored books that I have read. The first top ten are novels, the second are focusing onto theology, philosophy, spirituality, philosophy, scriptural and historically opportunities in our Catholic Chistrianity:
1. Ben Hurby Lew Wallace
2. Quo Vadisby Henryk Sienkiewicz
3. Grapes of Wrathby John Steinbeck
4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogyby J.R.R. Tolkien
5. East of Edenby John Steinbeck
6. The Power and the Gloryby Graham Greene
7. Moby Dickby Herman Melville
8. Animal Farmby George Orwell
9. Brideshead Revisitedby Evelyn Waugh
10. Death Comes to the Archbishopby Willa Cather
1. Interior Castlesby St. Teresa of Avila
2. Confessionsby St. Augustine
3. Summa Theologicaby St. Thomas Aquinas
4. The Theology of the Bodyby John Paul II
5. Love and Responsibilityby Karol Wojtyla
6. Where There is Love, There is God: A Path to Closer Union with God and Greater Love for Othersby St. Mother Teresa
7. The Inspired Wordby Alonso Schokel
8. Made for Moreby Curtis Martin
9. Inspiration and Interpretation: A Theological Introduction to Sacred Scriptureby Denis M. Farkasfalvy
10. You Can Understand the Bibleby Peter Kreeft
Check out any of these reads!
God Bless!
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