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E-Newsletter for
June 16, 2023
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I’m sure we have all heard the line: “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Many of whom say it in the name of Christianity, in the name of Jesus. The tragedy of such souls is a lack of identity. Pope Francis spoke out against this “do-it-yourself church.” He said:
“If we believe, if we pray, if we know the Lord and are able to listen to His Word, we feel close to Him and recognize Him in our brethren, and because others before us have lived faith and transmitted it to us, have taught us. The Church is a family in which one is welcomed and learns to live as believers and disciples of the Lord Jesus”.
Pope Francis was speaking about the ecclesiastical “we” that makes the Church, we could also direct his words toward those whom Jesus describes in the Gospel: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven.” Jesus places a strong emphasis on hearing, listening to the Word of God and acting on that Word. There is something rather profound about our Lord’s words. To listen, to hear, implies an internal absorption of God’s Word that implies an obedience and faith in His word. To truly hear God speak, then, meant that a person not only believed but also understood.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as an invitation to a bond of communion is thus directly opposed to the “do-it-yourself” church. The Church, as a praying community, is to be constantly turned toward the Lord. This is the principle of our koinonia – of our communion. We are first and foremost called to contemplation. We are invited to enter into God’s own Heart – together. From there comes a sense of unity in Him who is the source of divine life and a sense of responsibility toward one another. There is no greater sign of this unity, of the common prayer of the Church, than in the celebration of the Mass. As the late Pope Benedict XVI once commented: “The Church’s ‘praying’ finds its center of gravity in the breaking of the bread” Thus, our communion is sacramental. It transcends time and space, reaches beyond the social order to penetrate the mystery of the divine. During this month June dedicated to the Sacred Heart, we are reminded that we cannot “do it alone” – we need one another, we need to support one another and lift each other up in prayer, contemplation, worship of God and fellowship with one another.
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News & Events
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Please watch here for news and events, and join our events for good Catholic community!
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The Office of the Diaconate has begun to recruit
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men throughout the Diocese who share a love for God and their fellow man and who would be comfortable serving in the sanctuary. If you, or any potential candidates, have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact The Diaconate office at 413-452-0674 or diaconate@diospringfield.org.
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A Golf Tournament honoring USMC Captain Daniel M. Walsh III
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will be held on Friday, June 30th at Franconia C.C., 9a.m. shot gun start. $125 includes breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner golf and cart. Foursomes only. 50/50 raffle and prizes – proceeds will be donated to The Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan Foundation. Contact Mike Borecki at mdborecki@gmail.com or call 413-351-6572.
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Rectory Office Summer Hours
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The rectory office closes at 1:00p.m. on Fridays for the month of June. July & August are T.B.D. (We will still have the prayer line on Fridays, just earlier to coincide with the summer hours.)
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The Legion of Mary will be sponsoring coffee & donuts
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at the Social Center after the 10:30 and 12:30 Sunday Masses this weekend. Everyone is invited!
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The first Monday of every month
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members of our parish are cooking and bringing American Chop Suey to South Congregational Church to serve the hungry of our city. If you can help with the cooking, please call Ann at the rectory, 733-5823. You may use your own recipe. Meals can be dropped off between 4:15 and 4:30p.m., or you are invited to stay and help serve. You’ll find plenty of safe parking right in the church parking lot.
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The Steubenville East Conference
will be held in Springfield again this summer on July 21-23, 2023. Registration is open! The Diocese of Springfield is offering a $75 discount for all diocesan youth who register for this weekend.
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Watch new episodes of Coffee with JF here:
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