St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church

Hey St. Philip, today is Superman Day. For those of you into the Kryptonian, aka the “Man of Steel” – this is your day.

In the early Church, Bishop Arius believed and professed that Jesus Christ was higher than human beings but less than God the Father. He believed that Jesus was kind of like a demigod, similar to the character of Superman.

The Catholic Church answered by gathering at the Council of Nicaea to refute Arius and many who believed this false theology. It was here that the beginnings of the Nicene Creed were developed.

The Gospel according to Matthew - June 12, 2024
Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."

ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS!!!

Hey there, St. Philip family - this week, we celebrate one of the great Doctors of the Church, Saint Anthony of Padua. Many people know St. Anthony because he is the saint who “finds things when they are lost,” but there is so much more to this Franciscan powerhouse!

The Gospel according to Matthew - June 11, 2024
Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Happy Monday, St. Philip the Apostle! In this month of the Sacred Heart, let's reflect on Our Lady's relationship with the Holy Eucharist:

“Mary lived her Eucharistic faith even before the institution of the Eucharist, by the very fact that she offered her virginal womb for the Incarnation of God’s Word. The Eucharist, while commemorating the passion and resurrection, is also in continuity with the incarnation. At the Annunciation Mary conceived the Son of God in the physical reality of his body and blood, thus anticipating within herself what to some degree happens sacramentally in every believer who receives, under the signs of bread and wine, the Lord’s body and blood.”

- Pope St. John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia

The Gospel according to Matthew - June 10, 2024
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Dear Parishioners, beginning Monday, June 10th, please take note of our new parish office hours.
Monday - Thursday: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Friday - 8:30 am - 12 noon

Although Jesus cares deeply for his brothers and sisters (“cousins” in the Greek Old Testament) and his mother, he’s stating that obedience to God the Father is more important than family relationships. Jesus did not have biological siblings. His spiritual brothers and sisters, baptized Christians, are adopted children of God through the Holy Spirit. Within the new covenant, all that follow the will of the Father are part of the one family of God. Christ expands the scope of his family to include his disciples but does not exclude his blood relatives.

It also seems Jesus rejects his mother in this verse, but that is hardly the case. He does not undermine her role in salvation history. He reveals her true greatness since she will be the divine mother of all his followers. Mary is not just Jesus’ natural mother through their family line. She would become the Mother of God at the Annunciation and by her “Yes.” In our Lord’s assertion, the physical and spiritual bond they share is amplified. Read Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 495.

Congratulations, Deacon Jim Craig, Deacon Javier Ebertowski and Deacon Luis Lozano!

The devotion to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary is similar to the Sacred Heart of Jesus but with less fervor. The devotion to the Immaculate Heart gained popularity after the apparitions at Rue du Bac when Our Lady appeared three times to St. Catherine Laboure (1830).

A society loyal to the Immaculate Heart of Mary began in Paris in 1836. During the same year, the Catholic Church investigated the aforementioned apparition and confirmed its supernatural authenticity. Following the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, devotion to the Immaculate Heart grew.

The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary focuses on how we should love the heart of God. Her immaculate heart, because she was conceived without sin, is an example for all of us striving to have a complete relationship with Jesus Christ. Honoring Mary’s immaculate heart is another way of honoring her, which always leads us closer to Jesus Christ.

KC Monthly Summer Family Movie Nights continue!
Join us in 2 weeks as the Knights host another great family movie night. Doors open at 6pm and feel free to bring comfy chairs.

When Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, he told her he would bestow twelve promises upon all who consecrated themselves to his sacred heart. The twelve promises are...

1. “I will give to My faithful all the graces necessary in their state in life.”

2. “I will bring peace to their homes.”

3. “I will comfort them in all their sufferings.”

4. “I will be their safe refuge against all the snares of their enemies in life, and above all in death.”

5. “I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.”

6. “Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.”

7. “Fervent souls shall mount to high perfection.”

8. “I will bless every home in which an image of My Heart will be honored.”

9. “Tepid souls shall become fervent.”

10. “I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.”

11. “Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced.”

12. “To all who receive Communion on the First Friday of the month, for nine consecutive months, I will grant the grace of final repentance.”

The Gospel according to John - June 7, 2024
Since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled: Not a bone of it will be broken. And again another passage says: They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

The Gospel according to Mark - June 6, 2024
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Boniface of Mainz. He is known as the “Apostle to Germany” since he brought the Christian faith to Germanic peoples in the 8th century. He is also the patron saint of brewers and World Youth Day. Have you been to World Youth Day? If you answered yes, which one?

Come celebrate him with us! Weekday Masses are at 8:00 am, Monday - Friday.

The Gospel according to Mark - June 5, 2024
Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone's brother dies, leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise.
And the seven left no descendants.
Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her." Jesus said to them, "Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the Book of Moses,
in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled."

THE ANSWER IS IN THE COMMENTS

Saint John Eudes was a promoter of the Sacred Heart, but who is known as the Beloved Saint of the Sacred Heart?

The Gospel according to Mark - June 4, 2024
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion. You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” They brought one to him and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied to him, “Caesar’s.” So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” They were utterly amazed at him.

Between 1885 - 1887, Charles Lwanga and 21 of his Catholic companions were martyred for the faith. In total, more than 100 Christians were martyred in Uganda during this period, becoming the seeds of the Church in that nation.

Every year, millions of pilgrims from around the globe walk to Namugongo, now one of the most well-visited shrines in the world, to pay homage to the young men who lost their lives in the name of Christ.

To learn more about these courageous young martyrs, click on this link: https://www.ugandamartyrsshrine.org.ug/

The Gospel according to Mark - June 3, 2024
Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully.
He sent yet another whom they killed.
So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?"
They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.

Today, we celebrate one of the great solemnities in the Catholic Church, the Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi.

In his apostolic letter focusing on the Eucharist, Pope St. John Paul II said, “A particular mention should be made at this point of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ as an act of public worship rendered to Christ present in the Eucharist, a feast instituted by my predecessor Urban IV in memory of the institution of this great Mystery.” (Dominicae Cenae, #3).

The genesis of the great Eucharistic feast began with a vision by St. Juliana of Mont Cornillon in Belgium (1193-1258) and a doubting priest in Bolsena-Orvieto. To read the full story, click on this link. https://www.catholiccompany.com/magazine/feast-of-corpus-christi-story-6077

Today is the Memorial of St. Justin, an early Church martyr born around 100 A.D. in the region near Palestine. After living a life of paganism for thirty-three years, Justin converted to Christianity after studying different systems of philosophy, most notably Platonism. He was an early church Christian apologist (one who defended the faith) in Asia Minor and Rome. He wrote many documents, but the two most important ones defending the Christian faith are Apologies and the Dialogue. They are both works of importance about the practice of the faith at the time.

After defeating a cynical philosopher in Rome, he was revealed to be a Christian apologist. To denounce his faith, Justin was ordered to offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods. He refused and said, “No right-minded man forsakes truth for falsehood.” St. Justin, along with six other Christians, were martyred in the year 165 A.D.

Pope Francis' prayer intention for June is for migrants fleeing their homes. Let us pray with him as a St. Philip family:

“Let us pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.” Amen.