I can’t get this out via email for reasons that our IT people think are related to the Comcast outage, but I can get it posted here.  Go figure.  Anyway, with the hope that it will be able to hit a wider distribution later…

“O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul, give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion.” – from the Collect Prayer, Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul, June 29

I may have used this example before, so forgive me if I did, but the best definition I ever heard of what religion is came from Sister Idelfonse, my ninth-grade religion teacher.  She defined it (meaning we also defined it) as the daily process of bringing ourselves closer to God.  There are, of course, plenty of ways of doing that: the sacraments, prayer, scripture, and acts of charity, and so on.  The point is that all of these things require action.  There is nothing passive about religion.  God is always acting on our hearts, but we need to act, too.

Peter and Paul were both men of action, and bold action, at that. They weren’t afraid to preach the truth to unsympathetic crowds.  They weren’t afraid to travel to new places to do the work of evangelization.  They weren’t afraid of the court of public opinion.  They weren’t afraid to be religious: to engage in the daily process of bringing themselves closer to God.  Through their intercession, may we all have that same courage.

Some news and notes:

PRAYERS:  Please keep in your prayers our eight graders who will be making their Confirmation retreat this weekend.  Please also pray for Ethan Turkovich and Macallan Maramonte, who will be baptized this weekend.

DEACON MING:  As you know, Bishop Zubik has assigned Deacon Ming to be with us for the remainder of this summer and during his breaks this school year.  While his assignment does not officially begin until July 9, he will be here to assist and preach at the noon Mass this Sunday.  Following Mass, a reception will be held in his honor in the social hall.  All are invited.  We are also in need of cookies for this event.  They can be dropped off Sunday morning.

JULY 4:  Parish offices will be closed for the Independence Day holiday.  Mass will be celebrated at 9 AM that day; there will NOT be evening Mass or confessions on Wednesday.

RENEW THE I DO:  Next Saturday, July 7, join other couples for some summer fun at the pavilion in the upper lot for some backyard games.  It’s a fun and easy date night.

PARISH PICNIC:  Don’t forget: the parish picnic is Sunday, July 15, following the noon Mass.  You should have received your raffle tickets in the mail this week.  A picnic and a chance to win $3,000?  What a deal!

And that’s all the news that’s fit to print this Friday.  Enjoy the weekend, and try to stay cool.  Know that you are loved, and I’ll see you at Mass.

Peace,

Fr. Mike