St. Francis de Sales Church Parma, Ohio

September calendar!

The P.A.L.S group sponsored a SALAD EXTRAVAGANZA on Sunday August 25th in the De Sales Room. A was fun afternoon with everyone sampled lots of delicious salads! Thank you to all who attended!

Join us tonight for Mass at 7:00 PM for Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary. Today is a Holy Day of Obligation

Many events going on! Check out the bulletin for all the details.

Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time – Aug. 4, 2024

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080424.cfm

Last weekend we began to read through the sixth chapter to the Gospel of John, one of my favorites in the New Testament. It is very providential that this particular chapter of John, the so-called “Bread of Life Discourse of Jesus,” follows right after the great Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis last month. There, thousands of Catholics gathered to publicly proclaim their belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and worship him as our Eucharistic Lord and God. What an experience it was for me and for all who were present last month! But it doesn’t take a Eucharistic Congress to profess faith in Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. We can worship him wherever Mass is celebrated and adore him wherever the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in each and every tabernacle of the world.

But, back to the all-important chapter six of John’s Gospel. In that chapter, Jesus gave us his teaching on the Eucharist, but he began by teaching us at a very basic level. He started with our stomachs. If you recall, last Sunday, Jesus fed the large and hungry crowd by multiplying the bread and fish that the boy provided. On that day, everyone had their fill of earthly food, and they were amazed. So amazed, that they followed Jesus for more of it. They went after Jesus for more food. So, Jesus said to them in today’s Gospel, “You are looking for me. . . because you ate the loaves and were filled.”

Today, Jesus shifts our attention to a different type of food that we also need, the “food that endures for eternal life.” Jesus begins to teach us that he is the Bread of Life, the food from God that will provide for us forever. And so he says, “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

We look at the good that our Church does for so many. We provide food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, help for the outcasts, and medicine for the sick. Like Jesus, we feed the multitudes and provide for their physical needs. We do this through Catholic Charities, overseas missions, downtown shelters, and our many hospitals and other ministries to the poor. But, like Jesus, our Church doesn’t stop there. We also provide something that satisfies the human spirit. We provide the Bread of Life. Our Church is much more than a social services agency. We are a soup kitchen for body and soul.

As we read through John chapter 6 over the next few Sundays, ask the Lord to take care of your spiritual needs. And remember, that the final portion of John, chapter 6, tells us that if we want to be satisfied forever, we must eat of the flesh of Jesus and drink of his blood. That is why we come to Mass — to be satisfied with Jesus, the Bread of Life. And not only that, but to give ourselves as a gift of thanksgiving to the one who feeds us for eternal life.

Have a blessed week everyone.

Office for Human Life expanding ministries [image:2]The Office for Human Life of the Cleveland diocese has embarked on a new campaign to help people understand how its services stretch beyond pro-life activities and are now designed to help people along the full continuum of life. “We are at the beginning stages of a new direction to promo...

August calendar! Many events this month!

It was a glorious day for our 7th Annual Parish Picnic! Great food, ice cream, music and fellowship…and a Euclid Beach Rocket!!😊☀️🍔🍦🎶

Today!

Parish Picnic is this weekend!

Parish Picnic is this weekend!

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time — July 14, 2024

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071424.cfm

Let me focus on the Second Reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. It is rich in its content.

St. Paul tells us that God chose us before the foundations of the world. That is a bold statement. But it rings true for us. God knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb. And he has called us for something very special. He has chosen us to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Think about that for a moment. You have been called to a holiness of life. Me too!

Holiness is more than piously folding our hands in church or making a perfect genuflection before the Blessed Sacrament. Holiness comes from inside of us. It involves an attitude of total love toward God and neighbor.

Several years ago, Pope Francis wrote a document titled, “Rejoice and be Glad: On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World.” He made it clear that every human is called to a higher life with God and a closer life to one’s neighbor. Holiness is aimed at becoming saints. Pope Francis said, “Holiness is the most attractive face of the Church.”

Pope Francis wrote, “I like to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile. In their daily perseverance I see the holiness of the Church militant. Very often it is a holiness found in our next-door neighbors, those who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence.”

Now, why should we be holy? There are many reasons. First, we are made in God’s image and God is holy. So, holiness consists in being, as Matthew Kelly says, “the best version of ourselves.” We should also want to be holy because God has made us his sons and daughters. We do not belong to ourselves (contrary to much popular opinion). We belong to God who has adopted us. Holiness consists in living our lives for God.

And what about those times when we have gone astray and disobeyed our Heavenly Father — and been less-than-holy? St. Paul says it well, “In (Jesus) we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he has lavished upon us.”

And that grace is enough to get us through another week — and for the journey of our lifetime that we make toward the Kingdom.

Yes, we often move haltingly forward in this search for holiness, we stumble backward in sin, and Jesus picks us up when we cry for help. We might not yet be perfect, but we are still chosen — and God will not give up on us until we are perfect — until we are made saints by the perfect love that we have found in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Have a blessed week everyone.

Parish Picnic is July 28th 12-4pm! Please consider volunteering, it is always a fun day!

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time — June 16, 2024

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061624.cfm

Jesus uses two images in today’s Gospel to help us understand God’s Kingdom.

He says that the Kingdom of God is like a seed that sprouts and then grows, almost unnoticed over time, to produce fruit that will be harvested and eaten. It might be slow, but what is growing among us is useful — even necessary.

Likewise, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed that starts off as the tiniest of seeds — but over time it becomes the largest of plants. It eventually provides shade and shelter for the birds of the sky. Again, the Kingdom is useful — even if it is often hidden within something that is hardly noticeable!

Elsewhere, Jesus told us that the Kingdom of God was “within us.” (Luke 17:21). We don’t have to look very far to find it. We carry it with us wherever we take our faith in Jesus. It might be unnoticed by others, but it can do great things for them.

If we put the two images of the quiet, but steady growth of the Kingdom, together with Jesus’ saying that the presence of the Kingdom within us, we can have hope that our progress in the spiritual life might be slow, but it will be sure, so long as we point ourselves toward God’s Son and nourish ourselves on God’s Spirit.

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults says this: “The Kingdom of God is (Jesus’) presence among human beings calling them to a new way of life as individuals and as a community. This is a Kingdom of salvation from sin and a sharing in divine life. It is the Good News that results in love, justice, and mercy for the whole world. The Kingdom is realized partially on earth and permanently in Heaven. We enter this Kingdom through faith in Christ, baptismal initiation into the Church, and life in communion with all her members.”

So, to be clear, God’s Kingdom is growing in our midst, and it will not stop growing until it has reached its fulfillment. It is both useful and necessary for our salvation. We don’t always see its growth. It takes time — and patience — to come to maturity and bear fruit. But when it does — it is very good indeed.

What will the Kingdom look like within us when it is full grown? We will just have to wait and see.

And so we pray, “Thy Kingdom come.”

And let’s thank God for the men who are fathers to us, those who have shown God’s fatherly love to us, and pray for the repose of our deceased fathers. Happy Father's Day.

Have a blessed week everyone.

Join us tomorrow for Fishing for Faith!

June calendar!

We remember...

Check out this weekend’s bulletinhttps://container.parishesonline.com/bulletins/14/0523/20240526B.pdf

Nine Nights of Night Prayer returns to Parma at 8:00Pm from May 23rd - May 31st at St. Anthony of Padua Parish. Join us for this short beautiful traditional time of prayer. Invite a friend, perhaps even someone not familiar with or active in faith.

On Tuesday, May 21, the Anointing of the Sick will take place at St. John Bosco after the 7:30am Mass.

The Anointing of the Sick is given to Catholics who are seriously ill in mind or body, to those undergoing surgery, and to those suffering from chronic illness or the burden of years. If you know of family, neighbors or friends who might benefit from this Sacrament, please be sure to let them know.

Mark your calendars! Many events coming up this summer. Check out our online bulletin for more information.

Bulletin:https://container.parishesonline.com/bulletins/14/0523/20240519B.pdf

Did you know we participate in Online Giving?
Visit our website for all the details.

Give

Congratulations to our PSR students who made their First Holy Communion last weekend! Thank you to our wonderful catechists for all that you do!

May Crowning 🌸

All are welcome to join St. Anthony of Padua Parish for Nine Nights of Prayer May 23-31.

Nine Nights of Night Prayer returns to Parma at 8:00Pm from May 23rd - May 31st at St. Anthony of Padua Parish. Join us for this short beautiful traditional time of prayer. Invite a friend, perhaps even someone not familiar with or active in faith.

Make plans to join us!

Join us for Fishing for Faith tomorrow evening at 6:30pm all are welcome!

May calendar!