 |
 |
MESSAGE FROM MONSIGNOR SHAMLEFFER
February 12, 2012
Dear St. Joseph Parishioners,
The Rite of Election (and Call to Continuing Conversion) is the liturgical rite, celebrated at the Cathedral-Basilica, on the First Sunday of Lent, by which the Church formally ratifies the catechumens' readiness for the sacraments of initiation and recognizes the candidates preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist or reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church and the catechumens, now the elect, and the candidates express the will to receive these sacraments. (RCIA, Part 1) The presiding celebrant of the rite is the Bishop.
Before the rite is celebrated, the catechumens and candidates are expected to have undergone a conversion in mind and in action and to have developed a sufficient acquaintance with Christian teaching a well as a spirit of faith and charity
The Period of Purification and Enlightenment corresponds to that time known in the Roman Catholic Church as Lent and has the character of a time of retreat for the elect who are preparing for Baptism, for the candidates who will complete their initiation or enter the full communion of the Catholic Church, and for the faithful who will commemorate their own Baptism at Easter.
The centerpiece of this period of prayerful preparation is the celebration of the Scrutinies. Although the candidates will not be the subject of the Scrutinies, catechesis for both the elect and the candidates during this period is related to the celebration of the Scrutinies.
Throughout this period, the elect and the candidates are invited to join with the whole Church in a deeper practice of works of charity and in the practice of fasting.
The Scrutinies are celebrated on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of the Lenten season. At the Masses at which the Scrutinies are celebrated, the cycle A readings must be used (RCIA no.146). The presentations, to the elect, of the Creed and the Lord's Prayer are also celebrated during this period.
Please pray for those preparing to enter the church here at St. Joseph: (please add names) and throughout the world at this coming Easter Vigil.
Lenten Blessings!
Monsignor John Shamleffer
MESSAGE FROM MONSIGNOR SHAMLEFFER
February 5, 2012
Dear St. Joseph Parishioners,
Pope Benedict has designated Saturday February 11, (Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes) as World Day for the Sick. It is a day to remember, pray for and with those who are ill or infirmed in our world. Jesus is often found in the Gospels healing the sick in body or mind. It was not a sign of his power but an act of love and compassion.
Pope Benedict states:
Sickness inevitably brings with it a moment of crisis and sober confrontation with one's own personal situation. Advances in the health sciences often provide the means necessary to meet this challenge, at least with regard to its physical aspects. Human life, however, has intrinsic limitations, and sooner or later it ends in death. This is an experience to which each human being is called, and one for which he or she must be prepared. Despite the advances of science, a cure cannot be found for every illness, and thus, in hospitals, hospices and homes throughout the world we encounter the sufferings of our many brothers and sisters who are incurably and often terminally ill. In addition, many millions of people in our world still experience unsanitary living conditions and lack access to much-needed medical resources, often of the most basic kind, with the result that the number of human beings considered "incurable" is greatly increased.
Here I would like to encourage the efforts of those who work daily to ensure that the incurably and terminally ill, together with their families, receive adequate and loving care. The Church, following the example of the Good Samaritan, has always shown particular concern for the infirm. Through her individual members and institutions, she continues to stand alongside the suffering and to attend the dying, striving to preserve their dignity at these significant moments of human existence. Many such individuals - health care professionals, pastoral agents and volunteers - and institutions throughout the world are tirelessly serving the sick, in hospitals and in palliative care units, on city streets, in housing projects and parishes.
Our Church is blessed with two healing sacraments that of Reconciliation and of Anointing of the Sick. Both are grace encounters with our God and signs of his abundant love and compassion. We as members of this Catholic faith are called to imitate Christ in word and deed. Thus we are called to have a special care of the ill and infirmed both in body, mind or spirit. Visiting the sick is a work of mercy and closely aligns us with Christ. If you know of anyone who is sick or in poor health please let us know at the rectory and we will be glad to visit them. I also encourage all of you to also visit the sick whenever possible it is always a great source of comfort.
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will take place this coming Lenten Season, at all of our Masses on the Fourth Sunday of Lent March 17 & 18. This celebration of the sacrament is a reminder of our Church's and our God's care for all the sick.
Lastly I would ask all of us to pray in a special way today for all the sick of our world and especially for those in our parish.
Blessings!
Monsignor John Shamleffer
MESSAGE FROM MONSIGNOR SHAMLEFFER
January 29, 2012
Dear St. Joseph Parishioners,
I will be leaving today with fellow parishioners, classmates and friends on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Rome. I will be gone from January 30 through February 11. It is exciting to have the opportunity to walk in the steps of Jesus. To pray where he prayed and to visit the Holy Sites. I read the scriptures everyday and I am sure that this pilgrimage will bring a new and more vivid understanding of the places that Jesus visited during his ministry.
To the Jews, this is the land of the Bible; to the Christians this is the land where Jesus lived and suffered, the land which heard his mighty words and witnessed His miracles; to the Moslems this is the land where the prophet ascended to heaven. All three call this the Holy Land, I will pray for our St. Joseph parish community, as we celebrate 100 years of gathering for prayer in our Church and 170 years of parish life here at St. Joseph. As I along with all the other pilgrims pray at these sights, I ask for your prayers as we visit the Land of the birth of our faith.
Also please see the information about the upcoming series that I will conduct when I return from the pilgrimage. Fr. Robert Barron created this groundbreaking program as a thematic presentation of what Catholics believe and why, so all adults can come to a deeper understanding of the Catholic Faith. Not a video lecture, Church history or scripture study, this engaging and interesting formational program uses the art, architecture, literature, music and all the treasures of the Catholic tradition to illuminate the timeless teachings of the Church.
Blessings!
Monsignor John Shamleffer
MESSAGE FROM MONSIGNOR SHAMLEFFER
January 22, 2012
Dear St. Joseph Parishioners,
What is Catholicism? A 2,000 year old living tradition? A worldview? A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? In Catholicism Father Robert Barron examines all these questions and more, seeking to capture the body, heart and mind of the Catholic faith.
Starting from the essential foundation of Jesus Christ’s incarnation, life, and teaching, Father Barron moves through the defining elements of Catholicism – from sacraments, worship, and prayer, to Mary, the Apostles, and Saints, to grace, salvation, heaven, and hell – using his distinct and dynamic grasp of art, literature, architecture, personal stories, Scripture, theology, philosophy, and history to present the Church to the world.
Catholicism is an intimate journey, capturing “The Catholic Thing” in all its depth and beauty. Eclectic, unique, and inspiring, Father Barron brings the faith to life for a new generation, in a style that is both faithful to timeless truths, while simultaneously speaking in the language of contemporary life. Filmed in 50 locations throughout 15 countries this series illustrates the splendor of the global Church.
Father Robert Barron had this to say about his series: “What I propose to do in this series is to take you on a guided exploration of the Catholic world, but not in the manner of a docent, for I am not interested in showing you the artifacts of Catholicism as though they were dusty objets d’art in a museum of culture. I want to function rather as a mystagogue, conducting you ever deeper into the mystery of the incarnation in the hopes that you might be transformed by its power.”
Starting Wednesday February 15 at 7:00 pm in the parish Church this series on our Catholic Faith will run for ten weeks. Please watch bulletin for more information concerning this exciting series.
Blessings!
Monsignor John Shamleffer
