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Issue: #16062015
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June 16, 2015
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ST. IGNATIUS WEBPAGE
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TRUTH SERUM
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We don't have to figure out the purpose for our pain, but we do follow a God who meets us in it.
This week's Truth
Serum is entitled
No, Everything Does Not Happen for a Reason
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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's support goes to
Tahirih Justice Center, a work that protects courageous immigrant women and girls refusing to be victims of violence, by providing holistic legal services and advocacy in courts, communities, and Congress To learn more, click here.
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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. click here
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WORLD WATCH
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Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is happening with your brothers and sisters! - click here.
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ST. IGNATIUS CALENDAR
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JOIN OUR LIST
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Thank You For a Grand Celebration!
My Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Faith,
This past Sunday's 10:30 Mass at Saint Ignatius Church was a grand celebration of my 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood. It was a very joyful gathering of family, friends and parishioners that shared in Word and Sacrament the presence of the Risen Jesus who is the model of all that "servant priesthood" truly means. I am deeply grateful to all who came and to all who made the celebration such an up-lifitng experience.
Mark's Gospel about the man scattering the seed on the ground set the theme and focus for preaching the Word. As the homilist for the Mass, I wanted to be guided by the Gospel of the day in my effort to speak about what the priesthood has meant to me during my fifty-year journey as a Jesuit priest. Mark 4:26-34 provided the perfect message for reflecting on the core of my life and mission as a priest.
The metaphor of the seed being spread across the land exemplifies the ministry of the priest who spreads God's word everywhere. Just as the seed, when it is full grown and harvested, becomes food for our nourishment, so also the word becomes our bread that fills us with Christ's own life. It is that very bread that the priest feeds his people Sunday after Sunday in both Word and Sacrament.
To hear the full message of the homily and the incredibly beautiful music of our choir, please check the left side of today's e-zine and click on the Mass. You can also read the homily by clicking on the sermon.
On a completely different note, be sure to take time to read the long-anticipated Encyclical on the Environment by Pope Francis, which will be published this Thursday. One gets the impression from the media that the whole world community is eagerly awaiting the words of Francis on a topic that relates to every human being on earth. Surely he will have many important insights and challenges for all of us that will demand a change in our thinking and in our life style. In the meantime, and in anticipation of it, you might enjoy this article: "Leaked Encyclical Text Puts Climate Change on Humans."
May God's peace and joy continue to strengthen all of us.
Gratefully in the Risen Jesus,
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And What A Celebration It Was...
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 What a wonderful experience we all had this weekend as we gathered to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Father Watters' Ordination. The tributes and gratitude keep pouring in. This from today's Facebook page of St. Ignatius Loyola Academy: "Saint Ignatius Loyola Academy literally would not exist if it were not for Father Bill Watters, SJ, founder and former president of our school. This weekend, St. Ignatius Church Baltimore, MD held a special mass to honor Fr. Watters in recognition of 50 years of ministry. The number of individual lives Fr. Watters has impacted is tr
uly remarkable - no doubt that our school, our students, Baltimore City, and the Jesuit community would not be the same without him. Thank you, Father Watters, from the bottom of our hearts!"
For those of you where not able to make it, or perhaps just want to linger  longer over this past weekend's events, here are links to a beautiful celebration.
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Bread For the World Update
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 Thank You For Your Letter Writing Efforts
Two weeks ago, an Offering of Letters, with the objective of preventing cuts to child nutrition programs, was conducted at the parish. Here is an update on the outcome of the event. In total, 100 letters were composed, with a final tally as follows - Rep. Andy Harris M.D. (R-1st) 52, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) 7, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-3rd) 5, Rep. C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-2nd) 19, Rep. John Delaney (D-6th) 12, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-7th) 2, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-3) 3.
All letters were delivered by hand on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. during Bread for the World's Lobby Day on Tuesday, June 9th. Positive exchanges were held with staffers representing Senators Mikulski and Cardin, as well as aides from Representatives Ruppersberger and Sarbanes. All legislative aides of these respective Congressional members underscored the lawmakers' support for funding child nutrition programs and their commitment to the policy objectives advocated by Bread for the World. A legislative associate for Rep. Andy Harris seemed empathetic and receptive to concerns regarding re-authorization of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act but did not offer a commitment indicating how the Congressman would vote on the issue.
Earlier this month, in an address to the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, emphasized that ending hunger is a human rights priority, stating: "Our tendency to 'go missing' in the face of difficult issues is human; yet we do not miss a meeting, or a conference, or the drafting of a document. On the contrary, we must respond to the imperative of ensuring access to basic food as a right of all people. Rights do not admit exclusions."
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Waddyathink?
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Are All Sins Really the Same? Why we need to see sin as part of God's bigger story.
10 Things You Can't SAY While Following Jesus
by Mark Sandlin
If any list has been overdone in the Christian blogging world, it's this list.
Just about every Christian blogger has done one, and if they haven't, they've thought about it and then thought better of it -because just about every Christian blogger has done one. (See what I did there?)
And yet, here we are.
You. Me. And my list of things Christians shouldn't say. Hmmmm - must be God's will. (And I just realized this list should have had 11 things on it. Oh, well. I have no doubt that it's on one of the lists out there!)
Before starting my list, the editors in my head need me to say a few things, i.e., the requisite disclaimers. I do not consider this to be an exhaustive list. It's just the list of sayings I most want to talk about right now. Also, as I've explained in other posts, in this "10 Things You Can't Do While Following Jesus" series, I'm not saying that people who follow Jesus don't do these things; I'm saying that you can't say you are following Jesus' example when you do them. Finally, specific to this list, I think people who say these things are mostly trying to be kind, grateful, and even humble when they say some of them. But if we really do want to be kind, grateful, and humble we need to think about these sayings a little more - and then stop saying them. - READ MORE
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| Upcoming Events |
Women of the New Testament
 - Tuesday, June 16
On June 16th we will begin our discussion of Reading the Women of the Bible: A New Interpretation of Their Stories by Tikva Frymer-Kensky. This book addresses two of the most significant intellectual and religious issues of our day: the experiences of women in a patriarchal society and the relevance of the Bible to modern life. Both men and women are invited to participate in these fascinating discussions. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in Ignatian Hall. If you are interested in joining the group, you may order the book from Candra Healy at chealy@loyola.edu.
St. Ignatius Movie Night - "Anyone and Everyone"
- Friday, June 19
 Anyone and Everyone is a moving and beautiful portrayal of the love between parents and children, and the work some parents are willing to do for the sake of that love. Connected by having a son or daughter who is gay, parents across the country discuss their experiences in this documentary.
Filmmaker Susan Polis Schutz depicts families from all walks of life. Individuals from such diverse backgrounds as Japanese, Bolivian, and Cherokee, as well as from various religious denominations such as Mormon, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Hindu, and Southern Baptist, share intimate accounts of how their children revealed their sexual orientation and discuss their responses. The parents also talk about struggling with the pain of their sons and daughters dealing with not being accepted by relatives or friends, and being ostracized by religious congregations.
The showing of Anyone and Everyone is hosted by Embracing God's Gifts, the gay and lesbian ministry of St. Ignatius Catholic Community. This group is open to anyone interested in creating opportunities for spiritual growth, fostering support, maintaining communications, and encouraging social activities among diverse members of our parish. For Flyer, click here.
Prayer Walk With Bishop Madden For Peace in the City
- Monday, June 22
 Before coming to the prayer service at St. Ignatius on June 22 (see next event), you are invited to go with us to St, Francis Xavier Church, 1501 E. Oliver Street (at Caroline) to join Bishop Denis Madden on a prayer walk through the East Baltimore neighborhood surrounding that church, which is the first African-American Catholic Church in the USA. Quite a few parishioners participated in Bishop Madden's most recent prayer walk in West Baltimore and reported that it was an inspiring time of prayer and unity for a most critical cause. We will leave from St. Ignatius at 5:15 PM and return in time for the Prayer Service in the Chapel of Grace. Let us know if you need a ride in our van. Pray for Peace Service - Monday, June 22  On the 22nd of every month somewhere in the Baltimore area, people of all faiths gather in a church, mosque or synagogue to pray for peace in the world, particularly in the most troubled areas including the Middle East. On June 22, the interfaith prayer service will take place in the Chapel of Grace at St. Ignatius Church at 7:30 PM.Sylvie Nkere will be the main speaker, updating us on the situation in the Congo. Mark your calendars now and plan to come and pray for peace in our world!
 Miracle Healing Service - Sunday, June 28 Dr Bob Sawyer and the Healing Team will conduct a Miracle Healing Service at St Joseph Monastery Church, 3801 Old Frederick Road, on Sunday, June 28 from 2-5 pm. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available. Come and bring those who need Jesus to heal them. For Details and flyer, click here.
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| In the Media |
Irish Bishop Seeks to Discuss Possibility of Ordaining Married Men  Bishop Leo O'Reilly of Kilmore, Ireland (Photo: CNS)
DUBLIN (CNS) -- An Irish bishop urged his colleagues to establish a commission to discuss the possibility of ordaining married men.
Bishop Leo O'Reilly of Kilmore also wants the Irish bishops' conference to empower the commission to further study female deacons.
The proposal stemmed from a 10-month listening process that Bishop O'Reilly led in the Kilmore Diocese, which led to a diocesan assembly and a new diocesan pastoral plan to tackle challenges facing the Catholic Church, including the declining number of priests.
Bishop O'Reilly told The Irish Catholic newspaper he plans to ask that the idea of the new commission be discussed at the next meeting of the bishops' conference in October and "take it from there."
"I think the other bishops would be open to the idea of a discussion and we are reaching a situation where we have to look at all the options possible," he said.
Bishop O'Reilly told the newspaper that his proposal came in response to Pope Francis.
"Pope Francis has encouraged individual bishops and bishops' conferences to be creative in looking at ways to do ministry in the future, so I think we have to consider all options," he said.
The proposed commission would be similar to one in Brazil under the leadership of Cardinal Claudio Hummes, former prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy and retired archbishop of Sao Paulo, and Bishop Erwin Krautler of Xingu to study the possibility of ordaining married men in response to the shortage of priests.
Mandatory celibacy for priests in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church is a matter of law and tradition, not doctrine or dogma. Church authorities have at times given permission for married clerics of other Christian traditions who become Catholic to be ordained as priests.
Currently, the Catholic Church permits only men to be ordained as deacons. Permanent deacons can preach and preside at baptisms, funerals and weddings, but may not celebrate Mass or hear confessions.
Some historians say women deacons existed as a special category in the early history of the church. However, a 2002 study by the International Theological Commission concluded that the role of female deacons in the early church cannot be considered equivalent to that of ordained male deacons. It also concluded that the permanent diaconate belongs to the sacrament of orders, which the church believes is limited to men alone.
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READER NOTIFICATION:
"Parish: the thought" is a publication of St. Ignatius Catholic Community, Baltimore. Each edition contains articles and news feeds that are included for awareness of current topics in our world today. The positions expressed by outside authors and news feeds are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of St. Ignatius Catholic Community or its staff.
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