ST. IGNATIUS WEBPAGE
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You can view or read last Sunday's Homily by clicking on links below:
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| TRUTH SERUM | 
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This week's Truth Serum is about Jesus and The Road Less Traveled.
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| ST. IGNATIUS CALENDAR | 
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View Full Calendar
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| POOR BOX COLLECTION | 
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Each weekend St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. This week we are collecting for Fr. Mark Ebosele and the parish of St. Bede, and its wonderful work in Nigeria.
To learn more
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| MASS MUSIC | 
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Attached is the listing for the music selections at next Sunday's 10:30 Mass.
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| WORLD WATCH | 
Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is happening with your brothers and sisters!
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| JOIN OUR LIST | 
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Pope Francis kisses a child at the Mass of the Assumption of Mary which was attended by thousands in Daejeon, South Korea's packed World Cup Stadium.
POPE FRANCIS AND HIS VISIT TO KOREA
My Dear Sisters and Brothers:
The Bishop of Rome, as he likes to call himself, just completed another one of his remarkable journeys to another country. His reception was an extraordinarily successful one. As a number of journalists have indicated, politicians the world over would do anything to have the kind of winning charm and thunderous response Franics receives wherever he goes. His visit to Korea was no different. For five days he met with and spoke to countless groups of people and individuals from the Asian Youth Meeting to a completely unplanned, spontaneous visit with his Jesuit brothers at the Jesuit Sogang University in Seoul.
His visit to the Catholics and the people of Korea was not the first visit of a Roman Pontiff. St. John Paul II had visited the country twice, in the 1980s and again in the 1990s. In order to get a fuller perspective on the importance of the Korean Church and why Francis chose to visit it, some historical background would be helpful.
Actually, the Catholic Church in Korea has a fascinating yet painful history. Catholicism was brought there not by missionaries as happened in all other Asian countries, but by a lay person. In 1784 Yi Seung-hun who had studied Catholic texts written in Chinese went with his father on a trip to Beijing. While he was there, he sought out a Jesuit priest who provided instruction and baptized him. Eventually, Yi Seung-hun returned to Korea and, aided by several others, he established the Catholic Church and fostered its growth.
By the early 1800s the Church was beginning to spread. However, under King Sunjo the authorities stepped in to prohibit its right to exist in Korea. It became forbidden to be a Catholic because it appeared to be a threat to the tenets of Confucianism and to the hierarchical structure of Korean society. Serious persecution of Catholics broke out and Yi Seung-hun along with a number of Catholics were executed because of their faith.
In spite of the heavy-handed treatment by government officials, the Church continued to grow. In 1845, a twenty-four-year-old Korean man, Kim Tae-gon Andrew was ordained the first native priest in China. Returning to his homeland, he nurtured the faith of Catholics wherever he could as he traveled from place to place. Arrested in 1846, he was beheaded. In fact, some 10,000 Catholics were put to death between the 1840s and the 1870s. Finally, in the 1880s, freedom was granted to Catholics to practice their faith openly. Over the next 75 years the Catholic Church grew in numbers and gradually organized itself into parishes and dioceses.
By the mid-1960s there were three archdioceses and six dioceses in the southern part of Korea. It was no longer considered a mission territory. Presently, it has its own parishes, schools and social institutions. In fact, it has begun to be a significant presence and influence in the country. At the moment, Korea is a nation of some 50,000,000 people of which the Catholic Church makes up about 10% of the population. It continues to grow and is a vital community within the country.
It is this vibrant and ever-increasing Catholic Church, as well as the Korean nation within which it exists and operates, that Pope Francis just visited. To learn more about the meetings, talks, and other impressive actions he undertook while there, here's a summary from Vatican Radio. CLICK HERE. On the way back from his trip he held a press conference and shared his impressions of the trip. CLICK HERE.
Gratefully in Christ,
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The Work of our Co-laborer, Fr. Mark Ebosele
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Many of you are aware of Fr. Mark Ebosele who has been in and around the parish the past couple of weeks. This is the 8th summer that Fr. Mark has been with us, spending 5 weeks at a time doing pastoral work and projects for St. Ignatius. He is the pastor of the Saint Bede parish in Ugha, Benin city, Nigeria. Through his leadership, and with the generous support of the parishioners here at St. Ignatius, Fr. Mark has taken up many projects including the digging of a fresh water well, the building of Saint Bede Church and Rectory, and the establishing of a Pre-School. Beginning this next month his Parish will open a Primary School to provide quality education for the indigent children in the villages, as well as sharing with them about the love of God.
It has been a joy and a pleasure to watch Fr. Mark's ministry grow, and we continue to love partnering with him in all of his efforts to bring God's love to Nigeria in so many practical ways. This week's POOR BOX (click here), and our second collection at Mass this weekend will be in support of the Gospel work he puts his hand to. To read a 'thank you' report from Fr. Mark, click here.
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Events of the Next Week
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Prayer Service for Peace between Israel and Palestine
- Friday, August 22
In the midst of the conflict in Israel and Palestine we all need to pray for peace. Many innocents are suffering; we pray God will be present in the midst of this conflict and bring peace to the Holy Land.
The monthly Prayer Service for Peace will take place at 7:30 PM on Friday, August 22 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, 4 East University Parkway (enter the parking lot on Charles Street and go into the Cathedral through the doors to the Diocesan Center). Please mark your calendars also for the September 22 Prayer Service for Peace which will be held at Loyola Blakefield.
Inter-religious & Ecumenical Prayer Service For Peace in Iraq
- Sunday, August 24
Catholics and all people of good will are invited to join Archbishop William E. Lori for an inter-religious and ecumenical prayer service for persecuted Christians in Iraq.
Sectarian violence has forced hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, many Christians, from their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs.
Children are reported to be dying from thirst and hunger and women taken during flight from their homes. Responding to the humanitarian crisis and Pope Francis' calls for prayers for peace, the Archdiocese of Baltimore will join with people and leaders from other faiths for a prayer service on Sunday, August 24 at 2 PM at the Basilica in Baltimore. A collection for Catholic Relief Services, which is in Iraq to provide support to those forced to leave their homes, will be taken up at the prayer service. People may also give at www.crs.org. All are welcome. Click here for event flyer.
Young Adult Bible Study
- Monday, August 25
The Bible Study group has decided to read With Open Hands by Henri Nouwen as our next spiritual guide book. As usual, no prior reading is required beforehand.
With Open Hands, Henri Nouwen's first book on spirituality and a treasured introduction to prayer, has been a perennial favorite for over thirty years because it gently encourages an open, trusting stance toward God and offers insight to the components of prayer: silence, acceptance, hope, compassion, and prophetic criticism. Provocative questions invite reflection and self-awareness, while simple and beautiful prayers provide comfort, peace, and reassurance. With over half a million copies printed in seven languages, this spiritual classic has been reissued for a new generation.
Meetings are held on the second and the last Mondays of the month. If you are between the ages of 20 and 40, join us in Ignatian Hall at 8:00 PM. For more information, contact Gabrielle Finck: gabefinck@yahoo.com.
Embracing God's Gifts
- Tuesday, August 26
You are invited to join members of our gay and lesbian community in the Parish Offices at 805 N. Calvert Street at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26. This group is open to anyone interested in fostering support, maintaining communications, and encouraging social activities among diverse members of our parish. We are currently reviewing a piece of literature, discussing it and being nourished by some faith sharing/dialogue. Contact Gordon Creamer at 410.236.8225 with any questions. To learn more about the Embracing God's Gifts Ministry click here.
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Reminders...
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Summer has come and is almost gone! PREP begins on Sunday September 21st at 9:30 AM in the Chapel of Grace with a parent meeting. Have you registered your children for PREP (Parish Religious Education Program)? Please do so now. Register by clicking here, or by picking up a registration form from the Narthex or gallery.
 Interested in Catholicism? Do you know a person who might like to become a Catholic? Or do you know someone who would like to find out more about the Catholic Church? Or perhaps you yourself are a Catholic who has never been confirmed? The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) will be starting in September. For more information or to register, contact Ted Wiese at tedwardwiese@gmail.com or Mary Jo at maryjowiese@gmail.com.
This next weekend is the final collection of school supplies for SS. James & John, the Queen of Peace Cluster School on Somerset Street which educates approximately 230 students from pre-K to eighth grade. The children who attend this school are from families of limited means, and after they pay tuition and purchase uniforms, there is little left to buy the necessary school supplies. Hopefully we can help.
We have provided a shopping list of the desired school supplies each student needs. If you are able to assist, please fill a bag with the items and return it to the church by Sunday, August 24. To download a list of the desired items, click here.
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In the Media
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Police patrol a residential neighborhood in east Baltimore minutes after a curfew law took effect Friday in Baltimore. (James Lawler Duggan/Reuters)
Go Home Kids: Baltimore Launches Strict Evening Curfew For Youth
BALTIMORE - As dusk crept over Collington Square Park in east Baltimore, the children's chatter of questions began.
"What time is my curfew?" "What if I'm out with my brother and he's 18?" "If I hide, can I still stay out and play?"
A 23-year-old man with thin, cascading braids who goes by the name Dreads interrupted the chorus of voices: "It's 8:05! You all have 55 minutes left!"
A new youth curfew law, among the strictest in the nation, took effect in Baltimore Friday night. It requires unaccompanied children under the age of 14 to be indoors by 9 p.m. and for 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds to be indoors by 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends and during the summer.
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e-zine compiled by John. C. Odean
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