July 25, 2010

Prayer is a powerful force in the world. Prayer connects us to God who then connects us back to ourselves and our neighbor in new and various ways. In the Congregation of Holy Cross Fr. Pat Peyton, CSC, coined the phrase, “The family that prayers together stays together.” This is as true now as it was in the middle of the 20th century. Fr. Peyton also left us, “A world at prayer is a world at peace.” Fr. Peyton understood these connections between God and humanity. Fr. Peyton of course learned all this from the Lord who today answers his disciples entreaty, “Lord teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.” Jesus then walks them through what we call the Our Father or the Lord’s Prayer. The first two phrases in this Lucan version are about God, “hallowed be your name” and “your kingdom come.” So when we use the Lord’s name in vain we are not keeping it sacred or “hallowed.” Also, we are here to struggle for and assist in God’s Kingdom. If we keep that Kingdom as our primary goal in life then we will see and experience the answers that God gives to us for our daily lives. This is the second part of the Gospel: “persistence” in prayer. Jesus tells us that all we need to do is “ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Our job is to then go through that door. Sometimes we do and other times we don’t . Why? It is a question of trust. Jesus answers that too today, “how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” In giving us the Holy Spirit in answer to our prayers we are then called to follow that Spirit in trust and confidence. When we follow the Spirit, like Paul will have “faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.” It is that very same faith that leads us to pray as the Lord taught us and like Abraham, insisting on behalf of others the mercy of God. Abraham works hard to get God to repent of His anger against the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet we know that God did not find “innocent” people there. Perhaps they had stopped praying; perhaps they did not believe in God anymore. Nonetheless, it is Abraham’s persistence that we are called to imitate. Such persistence in prayer leads to open doors and gives us the power of faith to walk through to a new and more abundant life. Fr. Dan Kayajan, CSC Lumen Gentium—Vatican II Non Christian Peoples: Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God.(18*) In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.(125) On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues.(126) But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohammedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved.(128) Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, "Preach the Gospel to every creature",(130) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention. SUNDAY’S READINGS/ LECTURAS DOMINICALES July 25 / Julio 25 1st Reading (1ª Lectura): Genesis 18:20-32 Responsorial Psalm (Salmo): Psalm 138 2nd Reading (2ª Lectura): Colossians 2:12-14 Gospel (Evangelio): Luke 11:1-13 Mass Intentions for the Week Intenciones de la Semana MONDAY/LUNES, JULY 26 8:30 A.M. No intention TUESDAY/MARTES, JULY 27 8:30 A.M. No intention WEDNESDAY/MIERCOLES, JULY 28 8:30 A.M. Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life (Sp.) 7:30 P.M. No intention THURSDAY/JUEVES, JULY 29 8:30 A.M. No intention FRIDAY/VIERNES, JULY 30 8:30 A.M. No intention SATURDAY/SABADO, JULY 31 8:30 A.M. +Leonard Edward Daszkiewicz, By Lorette Spalding 4:30 P.M. Philip and Tracy Hancock-Wedding Blessings, By Ethel Graham SUNDAY/DOMINGO, AUGUST 1 8:00 A.M. Parishioners (Sp.) 9:30 A.M. No intention 11:00 A.M. +Noreen E. Stoner, By Alice Krystofiak MASS BOOK Our Mass Book has various openings for August through October. Please call or stop by the parish office to book them. LIBRO DE INTENCIONES DE LA MISA Nuestro libro de intenciones para La Misa tiene varias Misas disponibles para los meses de Agosto hasta Octubre. Por favor llame o visite la oficina para reservarlas. Fellow Cursillistas and Parishioners: We are writing to all Parishioners and Cursillistas who live in our diocese about the future of our Diocesan Movement.  Please prayerfully reflect on what is being proposed below.  There are two important steps we are taking to re-unite and re-animate our Diocesan Cursillo Movement.  The most important one is to have all our Ultreya Leaders and all Cursillistas to join us for a “Cursillo Renewal” Weekend at St. Leo’s Abbey Retreat House.  The date will be September 17 – 19 and will go from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon ending no later than 3:00pm.  Like the Three Days, it will be a time for prayerful reflection, rollos different from the Three Days, Table Sharing and Community building.  We urge you to fill out a registration form (available at the Church entrances) as soon as possible.  The cost per person will be $135 which would include lodging and meals for the weekend.  We need Cursillistas who are committed to living the life in Grace using the Cursillo Spiritual method.  We need all registrations returned to us no later than August 15t. Rose for Our Lady Pray for Feast of St. ANNE—Mother of Mary Requested by no name submitted Please call Phyllis Grossi @352-567-6105 for information. Openings are available. Please submit intention at least 2 to 3 weeks in advance, using the envelopes stamped with “Rose for Our Lady” that can be found at the entrances of the church. When completed, please put them in the collection basket at the weekend Masses. Worldwide Marriage Encounter - Next Marriage encounter weekend will be August 20-22. By offering married couples the beautiful experience of a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend, the Catholic Church is affirming and supporting you in your chosen vocation—Marriage. Take advantage of this great gift to enhance your relationship and enjoy a love-filled weekend away together. For information, call 813-270-7832 or go online at www.wwme-tampabay.org. Retrouvaille, winner of the Smart Marriages Impact Award, is a lifeline for marriage. Retrouvaille helps couples through difficult times in their marriage. In today’s busy world, many couples experience boredom, coldness, frustration, and loneliness. Others suffer from anger and other forms of conflict. Retrouvaille provides tools that help get your marriage back on track. It gives you the opportunity to rediscover each other and examine your lives together in a new and positive way. Retrouvaille has helped tens of thousands of couples experiencing marital difficulty at all levels, including disillusionment and deep misery. For confidential information and to register, call Joe and Jeanne Botz at 727-842-7971 or 800-470-2230. RELIGIOUS CRAFTS SALE! On Wednesday August 4th. the Sisters of the St. Elisabeth Convent, Diocese of Minsk will be holding a sale of their crafts and art work. All donations gathered from the sale will help the poor, the homeless, children without parental support as well as other charitable activities of the Sisterhood. Among their items for sale will be icons, crosses, crucifixes, rosaries, CD’s, etc. Please stop by the Church office to see all their handmade goods for sale. READER EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER SERVER OF THE EUCHARIST Saturday, 4:30 p.m., July 31 Elizabeth Bodine Elizabeth Kutsch Volunteer Volunteer at Mass John Kutsch Jane Dunwoodie Sunday, 8:00 a.m., August 1 Charlie Basile Alice Hormuth Foncy Flores Sara Ross Albert Matala Jean Matala Sunday, 11:00 a.m., August 1 Joan Hoffman Margarita Hoffman Mark Hoffman Eric Phaller Ruth Leferink

La oración es poderosa. Se puede mover gente dentro de su corazón. Por eso, la oración nos hace una liga entre Dios y nosotros mismos y luego Dios se hace una red entre todos los seres humanos. Padre Patricio Peyton, CSC, de nuestra Congregación de Santa Cruz nos dejo el lema, “La familia que reza unida se queda unida.” Este sabiduría fue verdad en el medio de siglo 20 y también hoy en día. Padre Peyton también nos dijo, “Un mundo en oración es un mundo en paz.” Padre Peyton entiendo las ligas entre Dios y los seres humanos. Por supuesto Padre Peyton aprendió todo esto por el Señor quien hoy en San Lucas contesta el deseo de sus discípulos, “Señor, enséñanos a orar…” Luego Jesús les dio el Padre Nuestro. Las primeras dos frases en la versión del Padre Nuestro en San Lucas son sobre Dios, “Padre, santificado sea tu nombre” y “venga tu reino.” Por eso cuando estamos utilizando el nombre del Señor en vano es un pecado porque no esta “santificado.” También estamos aquí para luchar por el Reino de Dios aquí en la tierra. Si tenemos en cuenta este Reino como la primera meta de nuestras vidas vamos a ver y experimentar las respuestas que Dios tiene para nuestras vidas diarias. La segunda parte del Evangelio hoy es la perseverancia en la oración. Jesús nos dice, “porque quien pide, recibe; quien busca, encuentra, y al que toca se le abre.” El desafío nuestro es pasar por esa puerta ya abierta. Pero a veces no queremos pasar por la puerta. Porque? Es la confianza en el Señor y en nosotros mismos. Pero Jesús tiene la respuesta, “Cuanto mas el Padre celestial dará el Espíritu Santo a quienes se lo piden?” Dándonos el Espíritu Santo es la respuesta a nuestras oraciones! Cuando seguimos el Espíritu, como San Pablo vamos a tener “fe en el poder de Dios quien lo resucito de entre los muertos.” Este es la misma fe que nos dirige a rezar como Cristo nos enseña. Tanto Abraham como nosotros hoy necesitamos seguir insistiendo con Dios sobre nuestras necesidades. Cuando lo hacemos vamos a ver mas claramente las respuestas del Señor en nuestras vidas. Esta insistencia nos dirige a la puerta abierta que Dios tiene para nosotros y también la fe para pasar por esta puerta y una vida mas estrecha con Jesús! P. Daniel R. Kayajan, CSC Vaticano II– Lumen Gentium Los no cristianos Por fin, los que todavía no recibieron el Evangelio, están ordenados al Pueblo de Dios por varias razones. En primer lugar, por cierto, aquel pueblo a quien se confiaron las alianzas y las promesas y del que nació Cristo según la carne (cf. Rom., 9,4-5); pueblo, según la elección, amadísimo a causa de los padres; porque los dones y la vocación de Dios son irrevocables (cf. Rom., 11,28-29). Pero el designio de salvación abarca también a aquellos que reconocen al Creador, entre los cuales están en primer lugar los musulmanes, que confesando profesar la fe de Abraham adoran con nosotros a un solo Dios, misericordiosos, que ha de juzgar a los hombres en el último día. Este mismo Dios tampoco está lejos de otros que entre sombras e imágenes buscan al Dios desconocido, puesto que les da a todos la vida, la inspiración y todas las cosas (cf. Act., 17,25-28), y el Salvador quiere que todos los hombres se salven (cf. 1Tim., 2,4). Pues los que inculpablemente desconocen el Evangelio de Cristo y su Iglesia, y buscan con sinceridad a Dios, y se esfuerzan bajo el influjo de la gracia en cumplir con las obras de su voluntad, conocida por el dictamen de la conciencia, pueden conseguir la salvación eterna. La divina Providencia no niega los auxilios necesarios para la salvación a los que sin culpa por su parte no llegaron todavía a un claro conocimiento de Dios y, sin embargo, se esfuerzan, ayudados por la gracia divina, en conseguir una vida recta. La Iglesia aprecia todo lo bueno y verdadero, que entre ellos se da, como preparación evangélica, y dado por quien ilumina a todos los hombres, para que al fin tenga la vida. pero con demasiada frecuencia los hombres, engañados por el maligno, se hicieron necios en sus razonamientos y trocaron la verdad de Dios por la mentira sirviendo a la criatura en lugar del Criador (cf. Rom., 1,24-25), o viviendo y muriendo sin Dios en este mundo están expuestos a una horrible desesperación. Por lo cual la Iglesia, recordando el mandato del Señor: "Predicad el Evangelio a toda criatura (cf. Mc., 16,16), fomenta encarecidamente las misiones para promover la gloria de Dios y la salvación de todos. DAILY READINGS-LECTURAS DIARIAS July / Julio 26 - 31 Mon/Lun Jer 13:1-11; Mt 13:31-35 Tues/Mar Jer 14:17-22; Mt 13:36-43 Wed/Mie Jer 15:10; 16-21; Mt 13:44-46 Thurs/Jue Jer 18:1-6; Jn 11:19-27 or Lk 10:38-42 Fri/Vie Jer 26:1-9; Mt 13:54-58 Sat/Sab Jer 26:11-16, 24; Mt 14:1-12 MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES Sunday/Domingo, July 25 Monday/Lunes, July 26 9:00 am Eucharistic Adoration till 5 pm followed by Evening Prayer and Benediction Tuesday/Martes, July 27 6:30 pm English/Spanish Language Class Friday/Viernes, July 30 Office closes at noon Sunday/Domingo, August 1 Special Collection for Catholic Education To all who contributed and helped serve one another at last weekend’s LOA. Many meals were served and a good time was had by all. Thanks be to God! Our next serving will be on August 15th, the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Your help is most needed during our summer months. VOCATION VIEW: “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.” Believe and act on Jesus’ promise. Pray for wisdom to discern God’s will. (Luke 11:1-13) PANORAMA VOCACIONAL: “Pide y recibiras; busca y encontraras, llama y la puerta se abrira.” Hay que creer y actuar sobre la promesa de Dios. Reza por la sabiduria de discerner la voluntad de Dios. (Lucas 11: 1-13) CONGRATULATIONS To Miriam Judith Martinez who celebrated her Quinceañera on July 17th. We also invite you to attend the Grand Ultreya on August 7th which will be held on the grounds of the new St. Catherine of Siena Parish (1955 South Belcher Rd., Clearwater, FL. Please contact Buddy Boyd for further information and registration at 352-458-3322 or 352-428-9680).  Cursillo Renewal weekend registration forms will be available. Finally, we encourage you to please pray to God now for the person(s) you and/or your Group would like to Sponsor for a Cursillo in 2011 in the Spring.  And please, start your own renewal by doing palanca for this Cursillo Renewal and send to Carol Bryant (cmbryant@tampabay.rr.com) before September 1st.  Please pray for the guidance in how to bring others closer to Christ or back to Christ.   Cursillo was started just for these Catholic Christians and our American Church needs Cursillo today just as it was needed in the Cursillo beginnings.  Sincerely in Christ Jesus, The Cursillo Secretariat of the Diocese of St. Petersburg , Florida PRAYER LIST - Please notify the office if you wish to have a family member’s name on the Prayer List. Names will remain on the list for two weeks. HOSPITALIZATION Please notify the office if a family member is hospitalized, and make sure that the patient is listed in hospital records as a Catholic. The hospital will not release your name. We can only visit if you notify the parish. HOSPITALIZADOS: Por favor informe en la Oficina si tiene algún familiar o amigo enfermo y desea que sea visitado. Cursillo News: Ultreya is a gathering of Cursillistas. For more information or if you are interested in joining a Friendship Group at St. Rita please call Buddy Boyd at 352-458-3322 or 352-428-9680. COFFEE AND DONUTS Every Sunday after the 8:00 am Mass. Please join us in the hall! FELICIDADES! A todos quienes vivieron su retiro del grupo Juan XXIII este pasado fin de semana. SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD Will be holding their next breakfast here at St. Rita’s on August 14th. The guest speakers will be seminarians! Please contact Sue Richardson for further information. Greet the Sisters Of St. Anthony of Padua Interparochial School Friday August 6th Catered Buffet Dinner & Auction St. Anthony of Padua Parish Center, San Antonio 6P.M.—preview the auction & greet our Sisters 7 P.M.—dinner $25/adult & $10/child under 12 Tickets can be purchased at St. Anthony’s Office or by calling (352) 588-3081. Offertory for/Colecta para July 18 / Julio 18: $3,191.15 THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY! GRACIAS POR SU GENEROSIDAD Y QUE EL SEÑOR LES BENDIGA ABUNDANTEMENTE!