St Francis de Sales

Harford County Celtic Festival August 23-25!
See flyer for details

Una cordial invitación a las Pequeñas Comunidades de Fe (CEBs)

Nuestro próximo encuentro tendrá lugar el sábado 28 de septiembre en la Parroquia de St. Philip Neri.

!Los esperamos!

CEBs de Baltimore

Saint Ignatius of Loyola—Hermit, Priest, Founder—was born to a noble Basque family in Loyola, Kingdom of Castile (modern day Spain) on October 23rd, 1491; and died on July 31st, 1556 in Rome. He is the patron of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), soldiers, educators, and the Basque country. The young Ignatius enjoyed a relative life of privilege among the Spanish aristocracy. Although he was made a cleric as a boy, he was released from this vocation and began training for a military career. He spent most of his young adult life obsessed with vainglory, longing to impress others with his appearance and achievements. But Ignatius’ army career was not to last. While defending the fortified city of Pampeluna against the French, he was shot through the leg by a cannonball. This was a devastating blow to the morale of his men, and with the Spanish defenders worn down, the attacking French army captured the citadel.

Although Ignatius wished to spend his recovery reading novels about chivalry, the only books available were about the lives of Christ and the saints. It was during this period that his heart turned away from the worldliness of his youth and toward Jesus. He realized that the competitiveness of the world leads to unhappiness, not personal satisfaction. He went to confession and gave away his possessions to the poor. Recovered from his infirmities, Ignatius made an arduous pilgrimage to the Holy Land but was turned back by the Franciscans in order to prevent further kidnappings of Christians for ransom. So he soon began his study of philosophy and theology at universities in Spain and France, returning home only due to recurrent illness. In 1537, Ignatius again attempted a second pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but was again turned back, this time due to war with the Turks.

At this point he founded the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, to be soldiers of Christ. His vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience attracted many followers. The Society was approved in 1540 by Pope Paul III, who also approved Ignatius’ ‘Spiritual Exercises’. Ignatius served at the first Superior General of the Jesuits and was given the title “Father General”. He sent Jesuits throughout Europe to preach and create schools and colleges. The primary principle of the order became the Jesuit motto: “For the greater glory of God”. Ignatius spent the rest of his life leading the Jesuits in their missionary and charitable works, dying in Rome from a severe case of malaria.

Saint Ignatius, pray for us!

Painting: 'Saint Ignatius of Loyola' by Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1600

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (13:44-46)

Jesus said to his disciples:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."

Save the Date for our Pastorate Picnic September 8th!

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (13:36-43)

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
"Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."

https://secure.smore.com/n/jgk3s-ministerio-hispano-baltimore

Ministerio Hispano Baltimore AVISO IMPORTANTE

August 16th Ironbirds game!
To sign up use the link below https://buff.ly/3XVNpCx

Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus—Disciples—were probably born in Galilee or Bethania c. AD early 1st century; but little is known for certain about their deaths.

Saint Martha is the patron of cooks, domestic workers, innkeepers, and the town of Villajoyosa, Spain. She was the sister of Saints Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, and what we know about them comes from the Gospels of Luke and John. Martha is characterized in part by her anxiety, but also in her faith and humility. While Jesus was once visiting their home, Martha complained to Him that Mary was sitting around listening instead of helping with the housework. Our Lord gently rebuked her, reminding her that for all her hard work, it was her sister who had remembered what was most important.

Another time, when Jesus arrived in Bethany four days after Lazarus had been laid to rest, Martha ran to meet him, saying if only He had been there sooner, her brother would still be alive. But she also believed Christ had the power to raise Lazarus from the dead, and she saw Him do it.

What happened to Martha and her siblings after Christ’s death and resurrection is unknown. According to Western legend, Martha traveled with her sister Mary to Gaul (modern day France), where she preached until she died in the city of Tarascon. Eastern tradition, on the other hand, holds that Martha and Lazarus fled Jerusalem because of the persecutions following Saint Stephen’s martyrdom, and later met with their sister Mary in Cyprus. Although the final details of these great saints’ life are unknown, they show that in spite of the worries and distractions of daily life, a little faith goes a long way.

Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, pray for us!

Painting: 'Christ in the House of Martha and Mary' by Johannes Vermeer, c. 1654-56

Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

The Gospel According to Saint John (11:19-27)

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you."
Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world."

7-28-24 weekend mass
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Spanish https://buff.ly/3WGqiuU

God knew what He was doing when He created the seventh day. Life is as busy as ever the rest of the week. Rest!

Why work must always be followed by rest, according to St. John Paul II Work is good, but it needs to be balanced by rest so that we can more closely imitate our Creator.

Haiti Update
Sweet little Jessica, the youngest of six children, is quite shy. When I visit her family she often hides behind her mama. Meanwhile, her two older brothers are quickly climbing trees to fetch some mangoes and kineps for me to take home! Nothing sweeter than ripe fruit taken straight from the tree! I love those boys!!

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OR
DONATIONS CAN BE MADE AT EITHER CAMPUS, ANY WEEKEND.
SIMPLY PLACE YOUR CASH OR CHECK IN AN ENVELOPE MARKED HAITI PARTNERSHIP
AND PLACE IT IN THE COLLECTION BASKET

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Gospel According to Saint John (6:1-15)

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
"Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Family Matters Pilot! Pre-recorded info sessions for parents to learn more about FM over Zoom. Here is the link: https://buff.ly/3SsIqWH Passcode: @%6xeBr$ Here is the link to sign up for the Family Matters pilot! English: https://buff.ly/3yhhDph Spanish: https://buff.ly/4cU2xF7 I hope you all will consider joining in the adventure. Questions? Contact Diane [email protected] or 410-676-5119 x115

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (13:24-30)

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?'
He answered, 'An enemy has done this.'
His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
"First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

Saints Joachim and Anne—parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary—were born in Nazareth and Bethlehem, respectively, c. mid 1st century BC; and died in Jerusalem c. early 1st century. Joachim is the patron of fathers, grandfathers, and married couples. Anne is the patron of childless people, grandparents, and carpenters. Little is truly known about these saints because the only sources of their lives are apocryphal books of questionable reliability. But legend has it that Joachim and Anne were a pious and loving couple, and after marriage, they settled in Jerusalem. As much as they wanted to start a family, they could not conceive. Although Joachim was a very devout man, the high priest in Jerusalem rejected his temple sacrifice because of his wife’s barrenness. After this, Joachim went into the desert to fast and repent for 40 days. During this penance, angels appeared to him and promised him a child. Joachim and Anne, soon to be joyful parents, devoted their immaculate daughter Mary to God. These great saints kept their faith despite the heavy cross of infertility, and through this same faith became grandparents of the Messiah.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!

Painting: ‘The Meeting of Saints Joachim and Anne’

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (13:18-23)

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Hear the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom
without understanding it,
and the Evil One comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Saint James AKA Saint James the Greater—Apostle—was born c. early 1st century most likely in Bethsaida, Galilee; and died in AD 44 in or near Jerusalem. He is the patron of veterinarians, equestrians, Spain, and several cities in Spain and Latin America. James was the son Zebedee and older brother of John the Beloved, all of whom were successful fishermen in Galilee. James and his brother John were known as “sons of thunder” for their zeal and strength of character. James was one of Christ’s earliest disciples and went with Peter, John, and others to be “fishers of men”. He was prominent among the Apostles, being present when Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter, during the Transfiguration, and during Christ’s the Agony in the Garden. Tradition says that after Pentecost, James traveled to Spain to preach the Gospel before returning to Jerusalem a decade later. He was arrested and beheaded during persecutions under King Herod Agrippa I during Passover in AD 44. Relics believed to be those of Saint James lie in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, a popular pilgrimage site.

Saint James, pray for us!

Painting: ‘Saint James the Elder’ by Rembrandt, 1661

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (20:20-28)

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (13:1-9)

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (12:46-50)

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you.”
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

Youth event - Guppy Gulch August 9th Last date to register and submit all paperwork July 26!
It's not too late! Anyone over 18 years old must be Virtus trained. For more information on Virtus contact [email protected].

Saint Mary Magdalene—Disciple—was born c. early 1st century in Magdala, near Tiberius, Galilee (modern day Israel); and died according to legend c. mid-to-late 1st century at La Sainte-Baume, Provence, France. She is the patron of apothecaries, women, converts, penitents, and many others. What is known of Mary Magdalene comes from the Gospels. She had a colorful but ultimately holy life, having seven demons cast out of her, accompanying and ministering to Christ, standing at the foot of the Cross as Our Lord died, remaining by when He was laid in the tomb, and being the first person to witness His Resurrection. She is also most likely the repentant sinner who anointed Christ’s feet to the amazement of the Pharisees. There is disagreement between the Eastern and Western Churches regarding Mary Magdalene’s life after the Resurrection. Historians in the East believe that she remained with the Blessed Virgin Mary and retired to Ephesus, Asia Minor (present day Turkey), while some in the West believe that she traveled to France to preach and retire to a life of penance. Despite these uncertainties, her life as recorded in scripture stands as an outstanding example of faith in God and His mercy.

Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us!

Painting: ‘Mary Magdalene’ by José de Ribera, 1641

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

The Gospel According to Saint John (20:1-2, 11-18)

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don't know where they put him."

Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don't know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni," which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
'I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'"
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he told her.