Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Why Go to Church?

Why go to Church?

An answer to 'Why go to church?'

 If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this!
 If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it. 
 If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

 A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and
 complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.   'I've  gone for 30 years now,' he wrote, 'and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons, but for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the priests are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.'

 This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor'
 column.  Much to the delight of the editor, it went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:  'I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!' When you are DOWN to nothing, God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical and our spiritual nourishment!

(Why do you go or not go?)

Father's Day Mass for the weekend of June 20 & 21 / The 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time

https://youtu.be/0lwJjY0GF4Q
Enjoy watching the weekend Mass for Sacred Heart, Oelwein and Immaculate Conception, Fairbank, Iowa for June 20 & 21, 2015  (Father's Day)
To view the Mass, click on the picture above or the link below:

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

12th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Father's Day





June 21, 2015
12th Sunday of Ordinary Time
      (Father’s Day)

As I reflect on today’s Gospel and on the secular celebration of Father’s Day, I pause and think about my Dad.  Growing up, he was my hero.  He was the one that I knew would protect me and our family from any harm, no matter what.   As I read today’s Gospel from Mark, I can’t help but draw a resemblance.  Throughout our lives we call on our Heavenly Father to protect us, to guide us, to be there for us no matter what.  Even in the midst of the storm, Christ was there to calm the waters in the life of His disciples.  He continues to be there for each of us today as he calms the waters of our life.
-       Deacon Jim

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Mass for the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time / Sacred Heart & Immaculate Conception

https://youtu.be/CMGMZSn4pyQ
Weekend Mass for the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time.  Fr. Paul McManus is the Celebrant.  To view this Mass, just click on the picture of the link below:

Note( Due to a power outage during Mass, the last 10 or 12 minutes of the Mass were not recorded.  Thank you for your understanding)

https://youtu.be/CMGMZSn4pyQ

Thursday, June 11, 2015

June 14 2015 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time






11th Sunday of Ordinary Time

June 14

Again today we are blessed to be able to partake at the table of God’s Holy Word.  We are challenged by the parables today to reflect on the message that Christ has for all of us.  Our faith allows us to be more and more like the good soil, receptive to the seed that is the Word of God.  As we continue to nourish that seed of faith in our souls, we thank God for the blessing of also being able to be feed at the table of the Eucharist each time we come to Mass.   Now we need to take these blessings and graces and share them throughout our day as we glorify the Lord in our lives.
-        Deacon Jim

Monday, June 8, 2015

Celebration Mass for Fr. Paul - Corpus Christi Sunday


https://youtu.be/QkbC-80UsGo

Congratulations Father Paul McManus on 50 years as a priest.  Your Celebration Mass was one of the most beautiful events we have sponsored at SH and IC.  Thank you for your years of service and sacrifice as a priest for the past fifty years.

"You are a Priest Forever - One Day At A Time"


You will want to check out this video of the Mass. Just click on the link below or on the picture at the top of this page.
https://youtu.be/QkbC-80UsGo

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Corpus Christi / The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ





June 7, 2015
Corpus Christi
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

As I prepare for this weekend, I am drawn to so many different reflections about the feast of “Corpus Christi”.  While it is translated, “The Body of Christ” the feast is “The Body and Blood of Christ.”  I do believe that we too often only consider the Body of Christ when we are talking about the Eucharist.  As we listen to the Word of God proclaimed in the Gospel today, I would suggest that we pay special attention to the Blood of Christ.  “ This  is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many… I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”  What is the significance of the Precious Blood to you at Communion, the Blood of The New Covenant?  
                                    Deacon Jim