The New Year 2006

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Schedule for week of January 1st

A Healing Remedy

In many post-communion prayers of the Missal, the blessed Sacrament is referred to as “a healing remedy.” I have often been struck by that phrase. First of all because of its archaic quality. We don’t speak much these days of “remedies.” That term has been relegated to the snake-oil salesmen of years long-past. But the word is still a good one-especially in reference to the Blessed Sacrament. It comes from the same root as does the word “mediate,” to go between and effect some change. Remember Christ, our “only mediator and advocate.” My trusty old Webster’s definitions of the word remedy fit the Sacrament like a glove: “Any medicine or application which puts an end to disease and restores health; also one that relieves, but does not necessarily end, a morbid condition; that which corrects or counteracts an evil.”

How apropos are those definitions. The Blessed Sacrament is the prime medicine which puts an end to the diseases of our souls-restores the health that was bestowed upon them in the Sacrament of Baptism in which they were first healed of the disease of original sin. The Sacrament “relieves, but does not necessarily end” the morbid conditions of our human estate, for our free wills often turn to wickedness and we are again and again in need of that saving remedy.

What strikes me as a priest is how often people tell me that they didn’t receive Communion because they didn’t think that their souls were in the right state to receive it-they had “erred and strayed, like lost sheep.” My response to that is that there is none so much in need of a shepherd as the sheep that is straying. And there is none so much in need of a healing remedy as one who is ill. The healthy may partake to maintain their health, but the sick are the ones who ought most to frequent the Sacrament, for it is proffered to restore them to health and wholeness.

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” our Lord tells His followers. The divine physician gives Himself for the healing of our sick souls in the Sacrament of the Altar.

Never be afraid to approach the rail to partake of the saving remedy there offered. Unless you are in the most grievous of sin, the reception of Christ’s most precious Body and Blood in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the remedy in which your soul will find the healing it most needs.

Requiem Mass

On Thursday, October 11th at 6:30 p.m. a special Requiem Mass will be offered to mark the one month anniversary of the loss of thousands of lives due to the terrorist actions of September 11th.

There is no better thing that you could do for those whose lives were so tragically forfeited than to pray for them at Mass. If you cannot attend, unite with us in spiritual communion at this time

+ Requiescant in Pace +

Looking Ahead...

Mark your calendars now for the Annual Canvass Luncheon, Sunday, November 11. The luncheon will take place immediately following the 10:00 Mass.

The parish will provide the meat course. Parishioners are asked to bring a side dish, salad, vegetable or dessert.

We would like to have all pledges in by that day. Pledge cards will be sent in a letter preceding the luncheon. If you are not able to attend the luncheon, please consider sending in your pledge card on or before the 11th of November.

Clean-Up Day Saturday, October 27 10 a.m. to Noon

Come join us for a Fall cleaning day of the Church and grounds. There’s something for everyone to do: bush trimming, pew washing, leaf raking, etc.

Let’s get the “old girl” spruced up and looking her best before Winter is upon us.

Lessons and Carols

Mark your calendars now for the annual presentation of Lessons and Carols, this year to be held on Advent II, December 9.

As always, the music will be spectacular, the food delicious and the voices raised in worship and song inspiring. Don’t miss out on this preparation for the Feast of the Incarnation.

All Saints + All Souls

Two of the Church’s most glorious opportunities for grace will soon be upon us, the feasts of All Saints and All Souls. On these days we are graphically reminded that we are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” who stand on another shore and support us with their love and prayers. We meet on these two consecutive days to praise our Lord who is glorified in His saints and to pray for those whose condition is as yet unknown, those holy souls of our families and friends who rest safely in the hand of God. White and black, exultation and expectation contrast the two aspects of our human separation from those gone before us. Joy and sorrow walk hand-in-hand as we come before God confident that in His love we are never separated.

Solemn High Masses will be offered on both these days at 6:30 p.m. Low Masses will be offered at the usual times of 9:00 and 12:10 on their respective days.

The Month of the Holy Rosary

October has long been dedicated to Our Lady and her holy rosary. There is always much turmoil in the minds of our Protestant brethren over the use of the rosary. This bespeaks a complete misunderstanding of this ancient prayer.

The rosary is completely based in Holy Scripture. As one prays the decades of Hail Marys, “mysteries” or events in our Lord’s life are contemplated. These mysteries are grouped into three; joyful, sorrowful and glorious. The joyful mysteries contemplate the early events in our Lord’s earthly ministry, the sorrowful ponder the events of the Passion and the glorious mysteries take us from Easter onward.

The prayers of the rosary themselves are taken directly from Scripture. The “Hail Mary” comes directly from the Archangel Gabriel’s greeting to our Blessed Lady. The church has added a short second part whose words echo those of Blessed Elizabeth. The Our Father is used at the beginning of each decade and the “Glory Be” concludes each one. The whole prayer begins with the recitation of the Apostle’s Creed which, while not scriptural per se, is certainly owned by the whole Church as a summation of our faith.

There is no reason to be apologetic about the use of this ancient prayer, a gift of Our Lady to the Church Catholic.