SUNDAY OF DECEASED PRIESTS
Christ has established the priesthood for his Church and entrusted it with great responsibilities. The priest is given the task of caring for the spiritual needs of the people of his parish. The bishop, however, is responsible for not only all the people of the diocese, but also for his priests and other ministers.
The more the Lord gives to the Church, the more he asks from it. The gift of the priesthood calls the people of God, the Church, to pray for those who were entrusted with the divine mysteries and carried on the salvific work of Christ. The bishop and priest are called to be the salt of the earth and the light and presence of Christ among us. All these responsibilities have been given to men who possess human weakness and frailty.
The gospel for the Eucharist today speaks of the “faithful servant” which is, of course, the role of the priest and bishop. They are to be like the wise virgins always ready to serve the Lord, and like the faithful servant, eager to multiply the talents God has given them.
Because the priest and bishop have been given so much responsibility over the Church of God, they must know, not only God’s will, but must also constantly strive to be examples of fidelity and prudent action. The Church’s ministers always must seek to be strong in virtue, preserving in willingness and humble and constant in action. If not, they may delay the Master’s coming.
Because of the dangers and temptations that assail the bishop and priest, we must pray for them. This is our Christian duty and it arises out of our gratitude for the service they have rendered God in his Church. We pray that all God’s priests and bishops may enter into the house of the Lord and reap the rewards of the faithful servant. May the Lord entrust them with even greater things.
Feast of Saint Maron
Sunday, February 7, 2016
The Feast of Saint Maron is a special and Holy celebration in the Maronite Catholic Church. Our Cathedral Parish will celebrate the Feast of Saint Maron on Sunday, February 7th, with one Mass at 10:00 am, immediately followed by a lunch at The Cedars in honor of our revered Saint Maron. The menu for the lunch will be Lebanese food and tickets are being sold in advance for $15. Children 8 years and younger are free. Tickets are being sold after Liturgies during January, beginning this weekend. Please purchase your tickets in advance. We are grateful to John and Margie Simon for Chairing this special event in the spiritual and social life of the Cathedral Parish of Saint Raymond. Lets us all plan to participate in this wonderful celebration on Sunday, February 7th, the day before the Holy Season of Lent begins on Ash Monday. For additional information, please contact the Parish Office or John and Margie Simon.
SUBDEACON CANDIDATE’S CORNER:
As part of our formation, one of the goals of our ministry is to help parishioners develop a greater understanding of our rich Maronite Catholic History and Heritage. In furtherance of that goal we will be adding a short explanation to each bulletin about some aspect of our faith. This continues the discussion about our Maronite Liturgy.
Service of the Word
The Thrice Holy Hymn (Trisagion)
With the congregation purified and in a prayerful state, it is time to welcome the coming of the Word of God. The ancient hymn which praises God as strong and immortal is chanted three times. While other traditions have referred this hymn to the Trinity, the Maronite tradition here again affirms all attributes of God to the Word made flesh in Christ. In its origin this hymn celebrated the procession of the Scriptures in preparation of their being read to the congregation. The prayer that follows the Trisagion petitions God to sanctify and purify the minds and hearts that are about to hear the reading of the Holy Scriptures.The Thrice Holy Hymn (Trisagion)
The Reading of the Holy Scriptures
The Christian community of faith is founded on the hearing of the Word of God. It was the preaching of Christ that formed the first disciples. It was through the preaching of the apostles that the Christian church came into being and ultimately spread throughout the world. The Holy Scriptures are the continuation of the preaching forming and sustaining new Christian disciples through the ages. The Scriptures are truly the "Living Word of God" among us. During the Liturgical year the whole Bible is read in the service of the Holy Mysteries and in the Divine Office. We have the opportunity to be instructed by our Divine Master and to meditate on His Words of Life.The congregation introduces and responds to the reading of the Scriptures with psalmic verses (Mazmooro) and by chanting Alleluia.
The celebrant, as the ordained leader of the community, preaches a homily to exhort us, to help us in our understanding of what we have heard and to apply the words of the Gospel to our lives, and to make prophetic judgment on the world and its values.
The faithful conclude the service of the Word offering praise and thanksgiving to Jesus Christ for His Living Word to us.
In ancient times, it was at this point that those who were not ready to celebrate the Service of the Eucharist left the place of worship. These included catechumens and public sinners who had not yet received forgiveness. This practice reminds us of the level of worthiness we should strive for in seeking to participate in the Eucharistic celebration.
Taken from A Commentary on the Holy Mysteries: The Holy Mystery of Offering (Qorbono)
By Chorbishop Seely Beggiani (https://www.stmaron.org/divliturgy.html)
By Chorbishop Seely Beggiani (https://www.stmaron.org/divliturgy.html)
If you have questions about Catholic teaching or our Maronite tradition, or would like to suggest a topic, please email us or tell us the next time we see you. Thank you and God Bless.
Membership Committee
We have established a membership team. The 3 focus areas of the team are: a) welcome new families at Mass b) outreach to inactive members and c) identify people who recently stopped coming to church and see if everything is ok. Since people have very busy schedules, we do weekly conference calls on Tuesdays at 7pm. Simply dial 888-320-3585 and enter in the code 28928762. We would love your help on the team. It’s very easy. Come on and join the team and help build the future of our church! If you can’t attend but want emails contact the Rectory or email Shawn Nesser at shawnn@microsoft.com
The Unlikely Evangelist:
Our church is changing. We are becoming an Evangelizing Catholic Church. We are challenging each of you with remembering why you go to mass at Saint Raymond’s. Evangelizing doesn’t have to be difficult. Do you have a fellow Maronite or Roman Catholic who you notice isn’t going to mass anymore? Simply reach out and say we would love to have them back. Be non-judgmental! It can be very painful when a loved one is separated from the faith. However, many of the saints and other holy men and women felt that same pain. The Holy Spirit endowed them with the wisdom to reach out with the truth of the Catholic faith in a respectful, appealing, and effective manner. There are resources available to aid in your evangelization based on the wisdom of these holy people. This wisdom can change negative attitudes toward the Catholic Church or help bring someone out of indifference and into the light of truth. Pray, pray, pray for the souls of those who are away, and share your faith“with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15) with those you know, whether through your personal witness, your invitation to Mass, or through the gift of a great Catholic book or CD. Remember that God wants your loved ones home even more than you do! Remain trusting in His love for them and in the Holy Spirit to guide you to serve them as best you can.
Ladies Society Meeting
New Year...New Officers…. and New Members….If you are interested in becoming more involved, but don’t know how : Join the Ladies Society.
Due to conflicts in January, there will be no Ladies meeting until Tuesday February 2nd at 7pm in the Lebanon room
Kitchen Scoop
Making Tabouli Monday February 1st @ 8 am
Rolling Cabbage Rolls or Grape Leaves Mondays @ 8 am
Making Kibbi Aras on Tuesdays @ 8 am
Preparing to serve lunch on Wednesdays @
8 am-11:00am
Serving Wednesday Luncheon @ 11am-2pm
Beginning Wednesday February 3rd, the lunch line will be open until 1:30 pm and carry-outs will remain open until 2:00pm.
Kitchen Holiday Fundraiser
The Kitchen would like to thank all those who participated in the Holiday Fundraiser. The fundraiser made $750 plus a generous donation of $500 for a total of $1,250.00 . The kitchen has set up a fund to help purchase some much needed items and with everyone’s participation we can begin to make purchases.
A special Thank You to all the Tuesday Kibbi workers who helped us prepare for the fundraiser.
Thank you all for your generosity and commitment to St. Raymond’s Cathedral
No comments:
Post a Comment