Eucharistic Acclamations: Mass of Creation Lamb of God: Mass of New Wine (Jakob) Communion Song: Come to me (Joncus) G 789 Dismissal Chant: Precious, Lord, take my hand G 784
Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 9, 2023
Pope Francis is quoted as saying “Life is a journey: when we stop, things don’t go right.” When Friar Henry and myself first came to Sacred Heart in September 2020, the parish, as had all things, had largely “stopped.” It was hard on the parishioners, staff, and friars alike. It took time and careful planning for Masses, ministries, and events to begin again. Friar Henry was very much a part of the parish’s “restart” following the height of the pandemic. His leadership, compassion, and hard work, more than many parishioners may know, helped put the parish back on a path coming out of that time. It is with sadness that we now have to say goodbye to him. As you well know, Friar Henry was appointed to be the new guardian at Holy Name College in Silver Spring, MD, where he will also work with the formation students on their journeys to become friars.
Henry will especially be missed by our local Franciscan community were he served as our guardian. Throughout Henry’s time with our province and friars, he has always been willing to go and serve were he has been needed. Henry’s last weekend with us will be July 8 & 9. I invite all parishioners to join us in St. Francis Hall following each of next weekend’s Masses to thank Friar Henry for the time he was able to spend with us here at Sacred Heart.
Friar Henry Fulmer, OFM, (center) departs after three years at Sacred Heart for a new assignment in Maryland this July.
Pope Francis is also quoted as saying, “God is not afraid of new things.” Neither should we be afraid of new things and where God might be leading our parish. As I have mentioned before, Angela Erb, our parish event coordinator, will also be departing from her position in the coming weeks. I cannot say it enough, just how much of a blessing it was to have Angela on our staff, as we wish her well in her new endeavors. Sacred Heart is her home away from home, and we are thankful to know that Angela will still be around, volunteering for multiple ministries and events. We recently hired a new Event, Hospitality & Parish Outreach Manager, Connie Gee, who will begin in this new position following the Independence Day holiday period. She comes to Sacred Heart experience and a lot of energy. I invite you to come and meet Connie at a reception scheduled for Monday, July 10 at 6 p.m. in St. Francis Hall.
Our parish life does not begin or end with the friars or staff, but with our parishioners. There are dozens and dozens of parishioners who put in additional time and effort helping steer our parish through their individual ministries, volunteerism, or council on committees and boards. I want to inform you of the committee members who will be aiding the friars across the 2023/2024 liturgical seasons:
Parish Advisory Board: Larry Bevis, Cindy Burnett, Sarah Daniels, Fr. Zack Elliott, OFM, Sam Ferlita, Fr. Mike Jones, OFM, Dr. Stephen Krist, Helen Lukavec, Lynda Marsh, Tony Miranda, Laura Prather (Chair), and Felix Vega. Meets quarterly.
Finance Committee: Mark Agustin, Cindy Burnette (Chair), Larry Cabrera, Fr. Mike Jones, OFM, Craig Lukavec, Laura Prather, and Anne Wiles. Meets quarterly.
Liturgical Advisory Committee: Aprile Black, Rob Boelke, Sam Corson, Fr. Zack Elliott, OFM, Barbara Ferreris, Deacon Ray Ferreris, Philip Jakob, Fr. Mike Jones, OFM, Mike Kelley, Fr. Steve Kluge, OFM, Erin McKernan, and Jeff Wible. Meets based upon the liturgical seasons, usually six times a year.
Maintenance Committee: Ed Bugel, Larry Cabrera, Sarah Daniels, Jerry DiFabrizio, Fr. Zack Elliott, OFM, Sam Ferlita (Chair), Kay Gerardo, Fr. Mike Jones, OFM, Jim McCarthy, and Tony Miranda. Meets quarterly.
Parish Outreach Committee: Larry Bevis (Chair), Rob Boelke, Cindy Burnette, Suzanne Collins, Susan Coppin, Hank Cramer, Sarah Daniels, Angela Erb, Fr. Zack Elliott, OFM, Mike Fabianski, Tom Henry, Fr. Mike Jones, OFM, Dr. Stephen Krist, Shannon Leigh, Jennifer McElroy, Robb Mercado, Tony Miranda, Don Murray, Patty Oliver, Fran Provenzano, Jim Rossman, and Olga Siegenthaler. Meets monthly.
Our parish has life because people come and share their faith with others, as Friar Henry and Angela have done. I know we will continue to build on the work from the journeys they have taken through Sacred Heart. I am truly thankful to all our leaders and volunteers, and I am grateful that I can be apart of Sacred Heart with you.
Following each Mass on the weekend July 8-9, a special reception will be hosted in St. Francis Hall for parishioners to wish Friar Henry well as he departs for his next assignment at Holy Name College in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Coffee and lite refreshments will be served. Friar Henry has made it known that he would like the chance to greet each and every one of our parishioners before he leaves. The friars, deacons, and staff thank Friar Henry for these last three years, and look forward to joining him during this celebration of his time at Sacred Heart.
Eucharistic Acclamations: Mass of Creation Lamb of God: Mass of New Wine (Jakob) Communion Song: Unless a grain of wheat G 868 Dismissal Chant: America the beautiful G 1085
Readings for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 2, 2023
Greetings to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ. As you may know, the week of July 9 will be my last at Sacred Heart Church. The experience of serving the parishioners of Sacred Heart and my brothers as their guardian has been wonderful and truly rewarding over these last three years. I have witnessed firsthand the energy and effort put forth by the men and women of this city and parish. Parishioners who freely give of themselves to care for and respond to the needs of their brothers and sisters on the peripheries.
You, the people of God at Sacred Heart, have done a tremendous job when it comes to living the Gospel. You have truly brought life to the Beatitudes by caring for those who are poor in spirit, for those who mourn, and for those who are hungry. You have been examples of peace makers to those who you have served, bringing to life Matthew 25: “when you did it for the least my brothers and sisters you do it to me.” I have had the wonderful and blessed opportunity to work alongside two of our parish’s outreach groups, Hands of Hope and Giving From the Heart, both exemplifying a way of Gospel living which is very Franciscan and has renewed in me a spirit of giving and acceptance.
Friar Henry prays during a recent vocations retreat in St. Petersburg. Henry’s next assignment will see him as guardian of Holy Name College in Silver Spring, MD.
My life as a Franciscan is itinerant, traveling from place to place when asked to serve. Many of you may have served or have had family members who have served in a branch of the military. You know that when the call comes, you answer. Friars are aware that at any given moment we might receive a call about going to another assignment to serve the people of God. My new assignment as guardian of Holy Name College (Silver Spring, Maryland) calls me to work with and join our formation team to minister to and with the men entering the initial formation to Franciscan life. I have been assigned to St. Camillus Parish and Holy Name College in the past, first as a student, and again as a parochial vicar in the parish. It is interesting to be sent back to a formation house after many years in parish settings. One of my favorite shows is Star Trek. We all know the famous saying, “to boldly go where no man has gone before…” This will truly be a bold journey, but to go back to where I have been before; a journey filled with hope for what is to come.
I want to thank each of you for the kindness you’ve shown me during my assignment at Sacred Heart Church. To all of you who supported or cheered for me…thank you. I am human, so if I have offended anyone for whatever reason in my time here, I ask your forgiveness and your prayers. Please pray for me as I will continue to pray for all of you and the many works of Sacred Heart Parish. This is not a true goodbye. It is “see you later.”
Eucharistic Acclamations: Mass of Creation Lamb of God: Mass of New Wine (Jakob) Communion Song: Give me Jesus G 647 Dismissal Chant: All will be well (Cooney) G 763
Readings for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 25, 2023
Words from the second reading (Romans 5:6-11) jumped out at me as if I had never read them before: “…God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God proves his love as if the beauty of creation isn’t enough. God proves his love as if being isn’t enough. God proves his love as if having intellect, memory, and will isn’t enough. God proves his love as if being created in the image and likeness of God isn’t enough. I could go on, but you get the point. If God seems to think that he needs to prove his love for us, it is not due to any deficiency on God’s part. The deficiency is ours.
Perhaps the Church has these readings following the great solemnities of Pentecost, the Most Holy Trinity, the Body and Blood of Christ, and the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus to remind us, or try to convince us, that God is continually loving us, and inviting us into an ever increasingly intimate relationship with him, his people, and indeed all of creation. Perhaps the Church has these readings to allay any doubt, fears, or feelings of unworthiness on our part. Indeed, we are all unworthy and isn’t that the whole point of grace? It is an unearned blessing.
I try to imagine a thirteenth disciple in today’s Gospel according to Matthew (9:36-10:8). The twelve who are named as apostles are those who trusted that Jesus knew what He was doing. They trusted that He knew who He was sending. and trusted that Jesus knew their gifts and limitations. So they went, although I imagine with some trepidation. The thirteenth disciple is the one who didn’t trust enough, maybe saw only their limitations, did not feel\ up to the task, or felt unworthy. I see in today’s Gospel Jesus proving his love for them by TRUSTING THEM, and having FAITH IN THEM, and their abilities to spread his mission.
Do we ever think about the fact that Christ TRUSTS US with carrying on the faith in our own times and in our own little corner of the world?
…but then, if you are reading this, I’m preaching to the choir.
God proves his love for us, and we in turn prove (or show or respond to) our love for God by “carrying out his holy and true commands” (St. Francis); that is by loving our neighbor and God’s creation.
Eucharistic Acclamations: Mass of Creation Lamb of God: Mass of New Wine (Jakob) Communion Song: On Eagle’s Wing G 749 Dismissal Chant: Sing praises, all you peoples, sing praises to the Lord (Taize) G 680
Readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 18, 2023
Being the source and summit of our faith, volumes have been written about the Eucharist and its meaning to us as Catholic Christians. Today’s Feast is about the bountiful generosity of God, the deepest description of who we are as a Church; we are the Body of Christ. Today’s feast is not about what we receive every time we celebrate the Eucharist; it is fundamentally about who are.
In the Eucharist, Jesus makes us one with each other, embracing the whole community. It is not just my personal communion with Christ; it is our shared communion with each other in Christ. This is a social sacrament, a circle that includes Christ, yourself and all of our brothers and sisters in faith. When we approach the altar, it is a sign of our love for each other, a pledge of kindness and compassion towards each other. We are a Eucharistic people!
Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we are remembering in a sacred and profound way the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus; the Paschal Mystery. This is not some drama at which we are silent and passive observers. The Church calls us to be full, conscious, and active participants in the celebration of the Eucharist at all times.
During the celebration of the Eucharist, we present the most ordinary of things to God; bread and wine; fruit of the earth, and work of our hands. God accepts, blesses them, and then through power of the Holy Spirit, they become the Body and Blood of Jesus. The Eucharist is an expression God’s ultimate bountiful generosity. As we come to receive, our response can only be gratitude, which is why when we receive (and never “take”) the Body and Blood of Jesus, we prayerfully respond, Amen! We should never take this greatest of gifts for granted. We didn’t earn, it’s not our right, and we can’t demand it. It is God’s gift, given freely out love to each of us. As Pope Francis reminds us; “The Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.” (The Joy of the Gospel: 47).
This wonderful feast calls us to remember who we are: we are the Church, the Body of Christ. St. Augustine said, ‘Believe what you see, see what you believe and become what you are: the Body of Christ. When you say ‘Amen’ you are saying, Yes, I believe! At the Last Supper, during which Jesus first offered himself to us through the breaking of bread and pouring of wine, he asked that whenever we do this we are to do it in memory of him. At this same meal, he washed our feet and asked us to do the same for each other; we are to serve each other. Because we have shared in the Eucharist with each other, we are called and challenged by Jesus to care for and serve each other.
At the end of Mass, we hear the words, “Go now to love and serve the Lord.” This is the invitation and challenge presented to each of us precisely because we have celebrated the Eucharist with each other. We are to take what we have experienced around the altar out into the world and live it in our ordinary lives with each other: The love of God made visible through the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We have received the bread of heaven, let us become what we have received; the People of God respond, “Amen!”
Preparation of the Gifts: Ang Katawan ni Kristo G 1038
Eucharistic Acclamations: Mass of Creation Lamb of God: Mass of New Wine (Jakob) Communion Song: Gift of finest wheat G 1032 Dismissal Chant: Sing praises, all you peoples, sing praises to the Lord (Taize) G 680
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