Saturday September 3^rd St. Gregory the Great
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday September 4^th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday September 5^th
8:00 am † John and Marion Suchanic

Tuesday September 6^th
6:30 am † Teresa Ann Holman

Wednesday September 7^th
6:30 am † Gerald Gausch—36th Anniversary

Thursday September 8^th Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
6:30 am † John Eckert

Friday September 9^th St. Peter Claver
6:30 am † William Dehan

Saturday September 10^th
8:00 am † Deceased Members of the Link & Simpson families

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Humility and Selfless Service

      The message of this Sunday’s Gospel is both profound and hopeful. Jesus is proclaiming two inseparable paths to holiness. First, stop chasing after human glory or shallow praise.

Second, go and help people who can’t help you back. In other words, His message is: “Imitate Me,” for “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Humility is living in the truth of who we are before God and who we are in relationship to one another. One who is humble always speaks the truth in love and recognizes that the gifts that God has freely given are meant to be used in selfless, loving service to others. We are called to imitate the genuine humility of Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself, as Paul said, “taking the form of a slave.”

In today’s parable, the criticism Jesus is making is that everyone around Him seems to be after only one thing: human glory, the shallow and fleeting praise of others. In his Gospel, John is clear that this is what blinds people from recognizing Jesus. “They preferred human praise to the glory of God,” the apostle says. So what Jesus is telling His hosts is that they’re spiritually blind, blinded by their pride and their own pathetic finagling for the flimsy praise of others.

Jesus doesn’t stop there. What’s the virtue, He asks, in inviting only those you know to your social gatherings—family and friends, those whom you want to impress or get something from?

Why not invite the “poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind”? Jesus tells them they’d be blessed if they invited such people “because of their inability to repay” them.

Obviously, we should identify with the Pharisees ourselves and reflect on this parable as a personal invitation to humbly imitate Christ more fervently. Pray for the grace to do all for the glory of God and not for human praise. Use your God given gifts to serve those who can’t repay you. Join the St. Vincent De Paul Society who help the needy in our parish and the surrounding area. Volunteer to share your time and talent in a particular parish ministry or parish organization. Are you hosting a Labor Day gathering? Reach out and invite an elderly neighbor who lives alone or someone who is lonely. Today Jesus gives us practical advice on how to live our lives in humility and selfless service. Will you heed His call?

May God love and bless you!
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday August 27^th St. Monica
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday August 28^th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday August 29^th The Beheading of St. John the Baptist
8:00 am † Mary and David Eisenhart

Tuesday August 30^th
8:00 am † James Burke

Wednesday August 31^st
8:00 am † Margaret M. Graham

Thursday September 1^st
8:00 am † Mary Suzanne Moffa

Friday September 2^nd
8:00 am † Deceased Members of the Holy Name Society

Saturday September 3^rd St. Gregory the Great
8:00 am † Pat Kensey

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…Mike Dunn, Robert Jacoby, Cosimo Fiorino, Gerard “Gerry” Costello, Margaret Kreiger…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Saturday August 20^th St. Bernard of Clairvaux
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners 

Sunday August 21^st 
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday August 22^nd Queenship of Blessed Virgin Mary
8:00 am † Ann Sauter 

Tuesday August 23^rd  St. Rose of Lima
8:00 am † Joseph G Nemetz II 

Wednesday August 24^th St. Bartholomew the Apostle
8:00 am † Kathleen Lentini

Thursday August 25^th St. Louis & St. Joseph of Calasanz
8:00 am † Joy Burns 

Friday August 26^th
8:00 am † American Soldiers killed in Kabul Airport

Saturday August 27^th St. Monica
8:00 am † Federico Valenzo Martinez 

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Mike Dunn, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, John, Susan & Danielle Guarracino, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased… Sister M. Barbara Troutman, IHM and Sister Marie Peter Conboy, IHM…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Treasures

I am sitting down writing this reflection just after finishing my morning prayer on the Feast Day of St. Lawrence, a martyr of the early Church. It reminds that being a Christian has never been easy. Our faith has been under attack from its very beginning when Christ gave it to us. Christ’s words from the Gospel today are prophetic. His own journey to do the work of His Father in Heaven came with a high cost, yet He did it willingly. Are we willing to do the same even when our faith can be under attack even from within our own families? Are we afraid or hesitant to even address some of the issues of today because they may cause strife at home?

It is at home within our own families that is the very best place where our faith can be taught and strengthened. We need to be prepared to defend, protect, and teach our faith from the home first and foremost. We need to be able to talk about the issues of today. Our families need to know why the Church has issues with abortion, homosexuality, same sex marriage, gender identification, cohabitation, and many other issues our children and families must deal with. Some of these have become so mainstream and accepted in our current society our families believe that these are the norms.

It is at this level that Jesus is speaking to us today. He knows the important role families will play in His mission. We need to be able to pick up this cross even when carrying it may be at home. We must be prepared with the facts and knowledge of church teaching but most of all we need to have love and kindness in our hearts. We also must be prepared to be rejected, even by our own families.

St. Lawrence was brought before his persecutors and told that in order to save his life he was to bring all the treasure of the church to the Emperor. Three days later He showed up with all the poor, handicap, and misfortunate Christians he could find and presented them to the Emperor. These were the real treasure of the Church. St. Lawrence gave his life for those treasures. Our families are that same treasure.

May Jesus live in our hearts forever.
Deacon Chris

Saturday August 13th Ss. Pontian & Hippolytus
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday August 14th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday August 15th Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
8:00 am † Josephine Gallo

Tuesday August 16th St. Stephen of Hungary
8:00 am † Jean Grzwacz

Wednesday August 17th
8:00 am † Dorothy Ross

Thursday August 18th
8:00 am † Patrick Sussman

Friday August 19th St. John Eudes
8:00 am † Bill & Dina Eagan

Saturday August 20th St. Bernard of Clairvaux
8:00 am † Michael Gannon

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Mike Dunn, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, John, Susan & Danielle Guarracino, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…  

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Dear Friends,

Let me begin by thanking you for the warm reception that I have received since coming to St. David, now more than a month ago. I feel very much at home here and I hope to be of some assistance to Father Windle as he leads us all in the way of grace.

Be prepared always! Jesus tells his disciples, and us by extension, that the Son of Man will come like a thief in the night. This is our challenge now. Are we prepared for the day when our time here on earth comes to an end? Gloomy words for a summer’s day to say the least, but we must always live our lives anticipating the coming of the Lord.

Jesus also reminds the disciples—and us—that the more they are entrusted with, the more will be demanded of them. We have probably realized this principle when it comes to expectations at work, at school, and even at home. What are our responsibilities as a faith-filled Catholic? What is demanded of us? We are entrusted in Baptism with our faith. This precious gift may have been handed down to us by our parents or another family member or even by a close friend. The question now remains, what are we doing with that gift? Are we living out our faith in joyful expectation, or are we just getting by?

We spend so much time waiting: waiting in a doctor’s office, waiting for a show to begin, waiting for a loved one to arrive. Each wait asks of us patience. It is a mistake to think that we wait for Jesus in the same way as we wait for everything else in our lives. Jesus is always present to us as we wait. Jesus is here beside us as we wait.

The reading today reminds us that we must always be aware of God’s presence in our lives and of our obligation to respond to the gifts that God has given to us. The prayer after the Our Father in Mass reminds us that “we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” May this be our prayer today and always.

God Bless you,
Monsignor Kennedy

Saturday August 6th Transfiguration of the Lord
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday August 7th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday August 8th St. Dominic
8:00 am † Sandra DeLaurentis

Tuesday August 9th St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
8:00 am † Dottie Noderer

Wednesday August 10th St. Lawrence
8:00 am † James McAnulty

Thursday August 11th St. Clare
8:00 am † Bill Malizia

Friday August 12th St. Jane Frances de Chantal
8:00 am † Deceased members of the McMahon & Reilly Families

Saturday August 13th Ss. Pontian & Hippolytus
8:00 am † Patricia Kensey

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Mike Dunn, Kay Kenney, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Rich Toward God

             “Take care! Be on guard against all kinds of greed,” Jesus warns in this Sunday’s Gospel. Greed can manifest itself in a thousand different ways. It might be collecting books, shoes, or any other tangible thing. It might be amassing money, land, or other wealth. Greed can also be about time, attention, approval, love, knowledge, power, control, being right, being in charge, or countless other things. Ultimately, greed is not about any of these goods, but is a condition of the heart. It is really just a way of dealing with our own feelings of deficit and emptiness. It’s not so much about having enough but about being enough. We attempt to use material goods or other people to fill the hole inside us. The antidote to greed is not necessarily in cleaning out the closet or sharing our material resources, though in some cases that may be a necessary starting point. Greed signals to us that we are living in poverty toward God. The antidote to greed is to be rich toward God.

Pope Francis reminds us that although material goods are necessary, they are only a means of living honestly and sharing with those most in need. Today Jesus invites us to reflect on the truth that riches can chain the heart and distract it from the eternal treasure that awaits us in Heaven. Saint Paul also reminds us of this in the second reading this Sunday: “Seek the things that are above … turn your thoughts to the things above, not of things on Earth” (Colossians 3: 1-2). We are urged to look for things that have eternal value: justice, solidarity, hospitality, fraternity, and peace, all of which constitute the genuine dignity of the human person. To overcome greed, we must live our lives according to the Gospel: to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as Jesus loved him, that is in service and self-giving.

In order to be rich toward God, we must trust Him and strive to live as disciples of the Lord, who constantly manifest love and compassion, solidarity and selfless service to those in need. Our attitude and behavior must be modeled on that of Christ. Saint Ignatius of Loyola expresses it beautifully in his prayer: “Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.” Daily prayer and frequent reception of the sacraments, especially the Most Holy Eucharist in which we receive the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus Himself, will conquer our greed and transform us to be Rich Toward God!

May God love and bless you!
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday July 30th St. Peter Chrysologus
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday July 31st
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday August 1st St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
8:00 am † John Kenney

Tuesday August 2nd St. Eusebius of Vercelli; St. Peter Julian Eymard
8:00 am † Sabina R. Callahan

Wednesday August 3rd
8:00 am † Michael James Molloy

Thursday August 4th St. John Vianney
8:00 am † Marilyn Monroe

Friday August 5th Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major
8:00 am † Thomas Dugan

Saturday August 6th Transfiguration of the Lord
8:00 am † Jean Lombardi

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Mike Dunn, Kay Kenney, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…Gloria Smith & Brian Bell…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

+Dear Saint David Parishioners,
             In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ disciples ask Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” The disciples posed this question because they often observed Jesus going off to commune with His Father. It makes me think that if Jesus needed time to unite with His Father to know His will, then how much more do I, and all of us, need prayer time? Throughout the Gospels we read that Jesus prayed regularly, such as, before choosing His apostles, at the Wedding Feast of Cana, when He multiplied the loaves and fishes, before raising Lazarus from the dead, at the Last Supper, in the Garden of Gethsemane…to mention but a few times. The key point is that prayer was an essential and consistent practice in Jesus’ life.

What is so profound in the “Our Father” prayer is that Jesus tells us that His Father is our Father too. Jesus explains that when we pray, we must acknowledge God’s greatness and holiness – simply put – God is God, and we are not. We then pray that His Kingdom will be recognized by all, and that God’s will be done. We realize that God’s will is done in Heaven, and we pray for the graces we need (our daily bread) to fulfill the mission He has assigned to us individually in this life, in order that we may one day be united with Him forever in Heaven. Furthermore, as fallible people, we beg God’s forgiveness for our sins, and we are then expected to extend that mercy to others. Finally, Jesus teaches that we must pray that we are not engulfed by the snares of the devil. The devil is extremely deceitful and will try all sorts of tricks and lies to prevent us from having a personal relationship with our God. Therefore, we pray for the protection of Saint Michael the Archangel after every Mass.

While I was on pilgrimage to the Holy Land on the occasion of my 25th IHM Jubilee, we visited the Church of Pater Noster, or Church of All Nations. This church is built on the traditional site where Jesus is said to have prayed following the Last Supper. The church takes its name from the numerous nations who donated mosaics of the Our Father in their native language. These international mosaics, I believe, reinforce Saint Augustine’s famous quote, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.” May we accept Jesus’ invitation to share our love and lives with our Father and never to hesitate to pray to Him always.

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary

Saturday July 23rd St. Birgitta
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday July 24th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday July 25th St. James
8:00 am † Mary Rombola

Tuesday July 26th Ss. Joachim & Anne
8:00 am † Carmela Jannetti

Wednesday July 27th
8:00 am † Edward Duross

Thursday July 28th
8:00 am † The Serianni Family

Friday July 29th St. Martha
8:00 am † Eileen Delzingaro

Saturday July 30th St. Peter Chrysologus
8:00 am † Marie and Frank Wilton

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Mike Dunn, Kay Kenney, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Regrets

There is nothing I love more than when my whole family is home at the same time. I especially love when we are all sitting at the table for dinner, and I get to listen to my children tell me of their lives and their dreams.  We usually end up staying at the table after dinner is done, joking and telling stories.  It has, at times, turned into a “making fun of Dad session,” which I secretly love. Sometimes we will reminisce about something from when they were growing up.  Every once in a while, they will talk of a family memory I did not know about.  I’ll ask them, “where was I when that happened?”  They will say, “You were probably working.”

When I was a young father, I chased as much overtime work as I could.  I thought at the time that my family needed me to make as much money as I could.  I wish I could go back and tell young Chris Mars, “Yes you need to provide for your family, but they will only be children for a short time.”  This is a major regret I live with, but I have learned from it.  We all have regrets, but our Lord gives us them to learn from.  I learned that making that extra buck couldn’t compare to the time I would push my children on the swings in our back yard for hours, laughing and singing songs.  Past regrets allow us to prioritize what is important.

We have the privilege of knowing what lies ahead for Jesus after His time with Martha and Mary.  He was only going to be with them for a short time. Jesus is saving Martha from having a major regret. He is preventing her from wishing she had stopped and spent that time with Him.  He only walked this earth for a short time. We only walk this earth for a short time, but it is while we are here that we create a relationship with Christ.  It is through prayer, our Sunday obligation, and the sacraments that we can nurture that relationship. Knowing this and learning from our past regrets, we can prevent the creation of the worst regret we could ever have: coming to the end of our lives and never having established a true relationship with our Lord.  Christ is lovingly calling us to spend time with Him while we still can. 

May Jesus live in our hearts forever.
Deacon Chris

Saturday July 16th Our Lady of Mount Carmel
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday July 17th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday July 18th
8:00 am † Helen Duffy

Tuesday July 19th
8:00 am † Mary Schluckebier

Wednesday July 20th St. Apollinaris
8:00 am † Jean Lombardi

Thursday July 21st St. Lawrence of Brindisi
8:00 am † James W. Rosenbaum

Friday July 22nd St. Mary Magdalene
8:00 am † Katherine Johnson

Saturday July 23rd St. Birgitta
8:00 am † Mary Buccini

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Mike Dunn, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased… Mark Breitag, Clara Wilson, Sister M. Frances Stevenson, IHM, Sister Angele Regina Healy, IHM, Sister Rosemary Maguire, IHM, Sister M. Ann Coyle, IHM…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

We are fascinated by the dramatic falls and failings of people, especially by those who live in the public eye. God, though, is fascinated by their restoration. We tend to want people to get what they deserve. God doesn’t. We tend to shun and are repulsed not just by the sin, but by the sinner too. God never shuns and He is never repulsed. In fact, God gravitates to the sinner much like water rushes to find the lowest place on the ground. God’s mercy rushes to find the person who is in most need.
        These are the lessons I believe are revealed to us in the readings today. In the first two readings, there are two people who would have been written off as ruined if they had been living today in our world, filled with a frenzy of media hype. They would have been seen as people with great potential, who had fallen from grace to a place from which they would never be able to get back up. However, they did get up. God restored them to grace and this is the great news for everyone alive today.
        The two people are Moses and St. Paul. If they had been alive today, when sins are so often played out in the public eye, they would have been considered people beyond hope, beyond repair, and damaged goods. Whenever their names showed up in magazines, newspapers, on TV, or on social media, the commentary would be, “What a shame.” Or, “Can you believe it?” or, “What a tragedy.” or maybe even, “It was all just a smokescreen and they were never really people chosen by God to do His will.”
        Moses was a hero for the Jewish people. He freed them and led them out of Egypt. He was loved by them. He constantly fought for the Israelites time and time again, but before all of this, Moses gravely sinned. He murdered someone and tried to hide the body, described in Exodus 2: “One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.Glancing this way and that seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.”
        If CNN or Fox News got a hold of this, they would have written Moses off and would have told the Israelites that they were following the wrong leader, a murderer who escaped justice. God, however, didn’t punish Moses; instead, we hear that God put Moses to work to do His will.
        Now, Paul was the young star amongst the Jewish Rabbis. He was taught by the greatest Rabbi of his day. He was considered to have a bright and unlimited future. His zeal was so intense that he went about persecuting the first Christians. He was responsible for arresting them, rounding them up, and sending them to jail. God radically broke into Paul’s life, called him to repentance, and commissioned him. He called Paul to be the apostle to all the non-Jewish people – the Gentiles. One of the greatest gifts that God wants to give all of us is His Mercy – a gift to the undeserving. which is giving someone something that is not deserved. God holds Paul up as the model of His mercy.
        We hear about God’s mercy in the Gospel today. We may look down on the Levite and priest for passing by the half dead man on the street, but according to the law and customs of the time, it was sinful and forbidden for the Levite and priest to take care of this man. If they took care of this man, their very livelihood would have been at stake. A Jewish person could have seen and reported them. The Levite knew he shouldn’t come in contact with a dead body because he would then be considered unclean according to the law of Moses. The priest, who was holy, was “particularly told to avoid uncleanness.” Again, anything that was decaying was considered unclean, or sinful, which the half-dead man was in his eyes. It may not seem like a big deal in today’s world, but it was a huge deal then. So, this challenge of who is my neighbor has “levels” of importance beyond the Mosaic Law. Christ challenges us to think and act in a different way. He challenges us to be dispersers and disciples of mercy. Jesus wants the world to experience this: a mercy that is never selfish or self-serving, a mercy that takes real courage to give, for without cost the disciples have received and without cost they are to give.
        The same mercy fueled God’s steadfast love even in the face of the Israelites’ continual sinfulness to God and the Jews’ social mistreatment of others. God’s love for his people is like a parent’s love for a child. Our Father in Heaven continually gives Israel another chance to change, something they did not deserve, something Moses and Paul did not deserve. As any parent knows, that is true mercy. For us today, there are many challenging moments in life, like getting cut off while driving, or people who gossip about us, overly criticize us, and complain about us. Maybe the moments have to do with a loved one who continually makes bad decisions in life and it breaks our hearts when they do sinful things.
        There are countless things people do not deserve from us, our patience, our kindness, our understanding, our vulnerability. They do not deserve our time our talent, our forgiveness, or our love. When we choose to give these things, however, we share God’s mercy with the stranger, our family, or the “unclean” one in our lives. In that moment we take God’s saving power of mercy and place it before them. We become the Good Samaritan by bringing the experience of God’s love first hand to the person. Do people deserve this from us? Probably not, but neither do we. We don’t deserve the gift of God’s mercy given through the blood of Christ on the cross and in the saving power of the sacraments. Without cost we have received, and without cost we are to give merciful love to our neighbor.

Saturday July 9th Ss. Augustine Zhao Rong & companions
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday July 10th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday July 11th St. Benedict
8:00 am † Deceased Members of the Link & Simpson Families

Tuesday July 12th
8:00 am † Mary Carpino

Wednesday July 13th St. Henry
8:00 am † Florence Kaputa

Thursday July 14th St. Camillus de Lellis
8:00 am † Jane Marie Minnich

Friday July 15th St. Bonaventure
8:00 am † Dolores Duross

Saturday July 16th Our Lady of Mount Carmel
8:00 am Secular Discalced Carmelites

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Ambassador of His Peace

       Helen Keller became a great public speaker, even though she could neither see nor hear. On one occasion she was asked this question: “Helen, if you could have one wish granted, what would it be?” She replied: “I wish for world peace.” Jesus would have applauded Helen’s beautiful response, for that is what He told His followers they were to be, ambassadors of His peace in the world: “Happy are they who work for peace, God will call them His children” (Matthew 5:9). In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus empowered and sent His seventy-two disciples out to proclaim this Good News. Through the graces and gifts bestowed on us at our Baptism, each of us is called to be an ambassador of the peace which God has given to us in Christ.

God’s plan and design has always been for the peace of all His creatures. At different points of our journey with God, we have all sinned and thus rejected God’s priceless gift of peace. Every sin is a disruption of the peace of the individual, the community and the world. In spite of our weakness, our Savior never abandons us and is always ready to forgive us, if we open our hearts to His endless mercy and love. As disciples of the Lord Jesus, we are commissioned to go forth and courageously share this Good News of Christ’s gracious forgiveness and the gift of peace it brings.

How can we prepare to be fruitful Ambassadors of Christ’s Peace in our world? First and foremost, we must be obedient to God and to His commands. The second step is to be attentive to the message of Christ and to follow His example at all times. The third step is to always respond positively to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, who is the principle agent that leads us to peace. The fourth step is to listen to the Church as she continues to guide us, in God’s name, through the path of salvation. By so doing we connect ourselves to the Triune God, who is the fount and source of peace. This is very essential because at the end of our journey here on earth, when we come face to face with our God, the deciding factor will be how much we are at peace with Him, with our brothers and sisters, with ourselves and how much we have contributed to the consolidation of peace in the world.

May the peace of Christ dwell in your heart!
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday July 2nd
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday July 3rd
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday July 4th St. Elizabeth of Portugal
8:00 am † Mary D’Alonzo

Tuesday July 5th St. Anthony Zaccaria
8:00 am † Robert J. Burke

Wednesday July 6th St. Maria Goretti
8:00 am † Alice Miller

Thursday July 7th
8:00 am † Robert C. Kriezek

Friday July 8th
8:00 am † The Kroupa and Ippi Families

Saturday July 9th Ss. Augustine Zhao Rong & companions
8:00 am † John & Patricia Stayt

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased… Emily Schmidt…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

+Dear Saint David Parishioners,

        As the school year has ended, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your prayerful and financial support of Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School. Your belief in Catholic education continues to be an inspiration, and the school community is most grateful.  Jesus’ grace and your support is what makes QOA the place to be.

Our theme for the 2021-2022 school year was “dream to be all that God is calling you to be.” At QOA, we teach that following the 10 Commandments is not a choice, but a way that God has given us to live peaceful and productive lives. In addition, living the Beatitudes, praying, participating in the sacraments, and loving one another are all blessings for life. Some may think this may be old-fashioned, but we believe and teach, to the best of our ability, the teachings and traditions of our Catholic faith.

It is our mission, as it is parents’ mission, to create future good and outstanding citizens for this world and to prepare them one day for Heaven. This is the reason why we do what we do, day in and day out, year after year, for the glory of God, to make Him known and loved so that our students can pass on the faith to their children. Let us adhere to Jesus’ exhortation today, “Follow Me!”

May God bless you and your families in a special way this summer and always!

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary

Saturday June 25th The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday June 26th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday June 27th St. Cyril of Alexandria
8:00 am † Herbert Geotz

Tuesday June 28th St. Irenaeus
8:00 am Intentions of Fr. Steven Kiernan

Wednesday June 29th Ss. Peter & Paul
8:00 am † Lois Evelyn Seeler

Thursday June 30th First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
8:00 am † Robert Buccini

Friday July 1st
8:00 am † Deceased members of the McMahon & Reilly Families

Saturday July 2nd
8:00 am † Alfred Messina

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Nina Ferraro, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Eileen Snipas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Andrew Wolford, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Betty Rufe, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Delbert Wallace, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, Magdalena Baumeister, George Weatherford, Mike Dunn, Mark Breitag, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.