Issue: #09222015
September 22, 2015
ST. IGNATIUS WEBPAGE

You can view or read last Sunday's Homily 
by clicking on the
links below:

View Homily
Read Homily

 

TRUTH SERUM

This week's  
Truth Serum is entitled
What Does Jesus Have 
to do With the Environment?
  
POOR BOX COLLECTION

Each weekend 
St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. This week's support goes to Vulnerable Families 
In Crisis. 

MASS MUSIC

Attached is the listing for the music selections
at next Sunday's
10:30 Mass.
click here
WORLD WATCH

Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is happening with your brothers and sisters! -   click here.

ST. IGNATIUS CALENDAR
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JOIN OUR LIST
All Creation Is Connected 
 
Carissimi
,

Today Pope Francis has landed in Washington. We expectantly follow his pathway to Capitol Hill with an urgent moral call to action on climate, economic, and social justice. Last Sunday, all of our parishioners were offered a pamphlet summarizing Pope Francis' encyclical letter, Laudato S�. The encyclical itself is worthy of a long, slow read. (Read Laudato Si by clicking here).
 
A central point of the letter is the false belief that "ecological problems will solve themselves simply with the application of new technology and without any need for ethical considerations or deep change."
 
For all of us, it is one thing to give notional assent to politically correct notions about recycling or renewable energy. It is another to realize that our personal and communal lifestyle, our choices about consumption, contribute to the complex issues our global village is facing and will profoundly impact our children and grandchildren.
 
This coming weekend, we are cooperating with six Christian denominations in Maryland by participating in Climate Control Weekend. I invite you to sign a postcard that asks our legislators to renew the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2009 before it expires in the the 2016 legislative session. We are also asking, by way of the same postcard, that our legislators expand the the "clean energy standard" for our state. Please take a few minutes after Mass to fill out a postcard.
 
On 30 September, 14 October, and 28 October I invite you to a lecture series on Laudato S� we are co-sponsoring with St. Vincent's Church. The first will treat the science of environmental deterioration; the second, the theology of care for the environment; and the third on the actions we can take as a global and local community. (Click here for more information).
 
The Holy Father is calling all of us to care for one another in a new way that respects human dignity and the interconnectedness of all creation: "We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it."


On another note...

After consulting with the Pastoral Council, I have decided to discontinue the 12:10 Mass Monday through Friday, due to staffing constraints. This change takes effect on Tuesday, 6 October 2015.
 
Daily Masses will continue to be offered in the Chapel of Grace Monday through Friday at 7:25 a.m. and Saturday at 12:10 p.m.
 
I am sorry to inconvenience several parishioners, but I chose to discontinue this lunchtime Mass because the 7:25 is better attended and because six other locations in the downtown area have one. They are:

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption
St. Alphonsus
St. Vincent
St. Jude
Mercy Hospital
Corpus Christi 
12:10 Mon-Fri
12:10 Mon-Sat 
12:00 Mon-Fri
12:00 Mon-Sat 
12:05 Mon-Fri
12:10 Mon-Wed-Fri
 
By your side, in His Service,
  
 
 
 
A DEVOTIONAL SUGGESTION
For Your Spiritual Growth

Here's a great little devotional book entitled Jesus Calling by Sarah Young that might help start your day off right. It's available at Amazon.com. Here's a recent excerpt.  

A man's steps are directed by the LORD.
How then can anyone understand his own way?
-PROVERBS 20: 24 


 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving  for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on
what is seen, but on what is unseen.  
For what is seen is temporary, but what
is
unseen is eternal.  
-2 CORINTHIANS 4: 17- 18
 

TRY TO SEE THINGS more and more from My perspective. Let the Light of My Presence so fully fill your mind that you view the world through Me. When little things don't go as you had hoped, look to Me lightheartedly and say, "Oh, well." This simple discipline can protect you from being burdened with an accumulation of petty cares and frustrations. If you practice this diligently, you will make a life-changing discovery: You realize that most of the things that worry you are not important. If you shrug them off immediately and return your focus to Me, you will walk through your days with lighter steps and a joyful heart. When serious problems come your way, you will have more reserves for dealing with them. You will not have squandered your energy on petty problems. You may even reach the point where you can agree with the apostle Paul that all your troubles are light and momentary, compared with the eternal glory being achieved by them.

If you're interested in obtaining a copy of this devotional book in several formats you can order it from Amazon by clicking here
THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!
Spirit@Work Retreat Followup
Thank you to everyone who came to the Spirit@Work retreat last Saturday the 19th! We had 33 retreatants and 8 team members, a great success! Special thanks for Fr. Spahn for his time spent with the young adults and those that traveled from near and far to spend a day in reflection and community.

The young adults have their next activity this Sunday, September 27th. If you're in your twenties or thirties and love the outdoors, join us on a hike at Patapsco Valley Park! Meet us either outside of St. Ignatius at 11:00 AM, or if you'd rather, at the park. We will be hiking in the Catonsville area. Please RSVP to [email protected] if you would like to come.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Climate Control Weekend - Send A Postcard Campaign
- Saturday & Sunday, September  26 & 27
Every time we say the Lord's Prayer, we are reminded of our duty to strive for a reality "on Earth as it is in Heaven." This imperative was echoed in Pope Francis' recently published encyclical, one of the highest forms of teaching in the Roman Catholic Church. The Central Maryland Ecumenical Council's Ecumenical Leaders Group, representing the six Christian denominations in Maryland, will work to answer the Pope's call to action here in Maryland. One of the ways our Parish has determined to be involved is by participating in Climate Control Weekend. On the weekend of 26-27 September we are inviting our parishioners to sign a postcard that asks our legislators to renew the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2009 that already exists as an Act of Maryland Law but will die as an Act of the Maryland Legislature if it is not renewed in the next legislative session of 2016 which opens this January. We are also asking, by way of the same postcard, that our legislators expand the "clean energy standard" for our state.

How can you participate? Stick around for a few moments after the Mass you attend on Saturday, September 26th or Sunday, September 27th and fill out a postcard!

Young Adults Picnic & Hike 
- Sunday, September 27 
Join the young adults for a hike in beautiful Patapsco Valley State Park! We will be meeting outside of St. Ignatius Sunday, September 27th at 11:00 AM (meet outside because Mass will be going on). Bring a sandwich and a sharable snack for the hike. Email [email protected] with any questions.  

The Young Adult Community at St. Ignatius is a welcoming environment for young adults in their twenties and thirties. We strive to build community by fostering a loving, respectful, faith-seeking and fun atmosphere. We come together to explore our Catholic faith, while opening our doors to all young adults who are open to and respectful of our faith. We gather for social, spiritual, and service-oriented events. These not only help the young adults of St. Ignatius strengthen in community, but also aim to strengthen the community of Baltimore City and beyond.

Papal "Mass in the Grass" 
 - Sunday, September 27 
Watch the Papal Mass at 4 PM. Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, 5200 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21210. The 1:00 PM Ravens-Bengals game
will be shown prior to Mass. Bring chairs and blankets and sit on the grass and watch the Holy Father's Mass. People are encouraged to bring their dinner and stay for a large family picnic afterward. Food trucks have also been invited. To download flyer click here

The Cry of the Earth Speaker Series  
- Wednesday, September 30 (Dr. Stephen Scharper, Ph.D.) 
Climate change science has emerged in the last three decades as one of the most vexed and contentious areas of contemporary research.

From the muzzling of environmental scientists in Canada to the censorship of leading climate change researchers in the United States, politics has tinctured, tethered, and at times eclipsed scientific data on one of the most important issues of our times. In his pioneering encyclical "Laudato Si," Pope Francis takes on the climate change issue, directly utilizing contemporary scientific research on climate change and its effects, such as global warming, rising sea levels, the acidification of oceans, and species lost. This talk explores a series of questions:
  • What role can a Catholic voice play in the science climate change debate?
  • Does Pope Francis have unique credentials for addressing climate change science?
  • Does climate change science challenge people of faith to a deeper understanding of their relationship to and responsibilities for creation?
This lecture will be presented by Stephen Scharper, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, at 7 PM on September 30 at:

St. Vincent de Paul Church
120 North Front Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Phone: 410-962-5078 
 
For full information, click here.
 
Morning of Ignatian Reflection
- Saturday, October 3 
On the first Saturday of the month, Ignatian Mornings of Reflection are held. These mornings are excellent opportunities to pull away from the hustle and bustle of daily life in order to "dial down" and quiet our hearts before God. The Morning of Reflection is under the direction of Father Bob Hamm, S.J., Director of the Xavier House. He will guide us in an experience of Ignatian Spirituality starting at 8:45 AM and concluding at the 12:10 Mass. All are welcome.

Loaves & Fishes Fishes Orientation Meeting
- Sunday, October 4 (after 10:30 and 6:00 Masses) 
Loaves and Fishes Ministry 
Video on Loaves and Fishes Ministry

Sunday October 4th is the kick off meeting for the winter program in which updates and training are provided. This is a vital ministry within our church as we feed the homeless of Baltimore on a weekly basis. We are in great need of Volunteers. Please view the video to learn about Loaves & Fishes, and come join us.
 
When Your Child Comes Out: A Panel Discussion About Parental and Pastoral Support
- Sunday, October 4 
In line with Pope Francis' emphasis on the family and how to provide pastoral support to families in all situations, we extend the following invitation:
To any parent who would like help in adjusting to having a LGBT son or daughter - to any child who would like help in telling his/her parent that he/she is a LGBT person - please attend the panel discussion sponsored by our Embracing God's Gifts ministry. The panel will have as participants gay persons, parents of gay sons/daughters, Deacon Paul Weber and a Professor from Loyola University's Department of Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Care.

There will be an opportunity for audience participation and a question and answer session.

National Coming Out Day is October 11th and continues to promote a safe world for LGBT individuals to live truthfully and openly. Our panel is an effort to support this endeavor and to empower Catholic families to respond to the Gospel call of love with courage and peace.

This event will take place from 1-3 PM in the Chapel of Grace on the lower level of the Church. For more information, contact Gordon Creamer at
[email protected]To download flyer for event,  click here.


Lecture: Providing Hope & Transforming Lives: Serving the Needs of Refugees in Eastern Africa 
      - Monday, October 5
On Monday, October 5th, at 7:00 PM in the Chapel of Grace, Fr. Endashaw Debrework, S.J., the Regional Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service Eastern Africa, will speak on Providing Hope & Transforming Lives: Serving the Needs of Refugees in Eastern Africa. The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organization with a mission to accompany, serve and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons.  JRS began working in Eastern Africa in the early 1980s, providing food, shelter and medical aid to thousands of people displaced by war and famine in Ethiopia. Today, JRS Eastern Africa works across five countries - Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda - with a focus on education, psychosocial counseling and peace building.  
Prayer Walk With Bishop Madden for Peace In The City 
- Tuesday, October 6th 
Please join Bishop Madden for his next prayer walk on Tuesday, October 6th at 5:30 PM at St. Peter Claver Church (1546 N. Fremont Ave). This is at the epicenter of the April uprisings. We can also say that this is now at the epicenter for efforts at rebuilding and reconciliation. The evening will begin with a light meal and end before 7:30 PM.

If you are interested in participating and would like to go with other members of St. Ignatius, we will gather at our church at 740 N. Calvert no later than 5:00 PM and will drive to St. Peter Claver Church. For those who need a ride, we will make the parish van available. So we can have a headcount for driving purposes, if you intend to participate, please notify us by Monday, October 5th by emailing [email protected].

Young Adults - Our Lady of the Rosary Devotion 
- Wednesday, October 7 
Celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary in community with other young adults praying the rosary, talking about the significance of the rosary in our own lives, and exploring questions and non traditional approaches to the prayer. The prayer service will take place in the chapel on Wednesday, October 7th at 6:00 PM. Email [email protected] with any questions.

A Day of Racial Justice Harmony
- Sunday, October 11 
Racial Justice Forum 
Video: Racial Justice Forum

Pope Francis stressed the need to "fight all forms of racism intolerance and anti-Semitism... promoting mutual understanding through training and social commitment." Pope John Paul II believed that we need a culture "in which we recognize, in every man and woman, a brother and a sister with whom we can together walk the path of solidarity and peace". To that end, St. Ignatius Church has created a Racial Justice Forum in order to engage, educate, affirm, discern and advocate our call to racial justice. We will approach our role in racial justice, viewing it through the lens of our Christian faith.
Our opening event will be called A Day of Racial Justice Harmony and will be held on Sunday, October 11th following the 10:30 Mass in Ignatian Hall. It will include:
  • Program and Music to reflect our Christian call to Racial Justice
  • Cultural Foods Reception and Meet & Greet Gathering
  • Gallery Display of our St. Ignatius history in the African American Community
  • Children's Activities
  • Books/Films/Other Resources for Racial Justice learning available
  • Opportunities to engage in positive discussions regarding race
Come join us as we view our historical advocacy efforts since the birth of our church. Explore the ways of moving forward in helping our city heal our fractured racial relationship.
 

The Justice & Peace Committee 
- Thursday, October 15
The Justice & Peace Committee is dedicated to the service of faith and the promotion of justice. We are organized through subcommittees that identify particular programs to more effectually:  serve the poor and our focus on hunger and homelessness in Baltimore City;  support Immigration advocacy and projects - at risk children and families; Economic Justice (legislatively advocate a paid sick leave initiative); support justice issues especially impacting women; and advocate for and develop diversity in our community.  We remain committed to organizations working for domestic and international peace and justice. This meeting will be in Ignatian Hall, beginning at 6:30 PM. For more detailed information click here.
 
IN THE MEDIA
A Changing American Church Awaits Visit From Pope Francis 
 by Jon Schuppe 
 
A Changing American Church Awaits Visit From Pope Francis
A Changing American Church Awaits Visit From Pope Francis

When Pope Francis arrives in the United States on Tuesday, he'll greet a flock in transformation, its future tied to the growing influence of Hispanic immigrants and a generational decline in religious affiliation.

Francis will also encounter an American church that relates less with traditional Catholic stances on marriage and family, from divorce to out-of-wedlock births to same-sex marriage.

In other words, U.S. Catholics are evolving with the modern world more quickly than the church itself. And many are anxious to see how the popular pope will tailor his message to them.

"Catholicism in America today is a more diverse population," said William Dinges, a professor of religious studies at Catholic University. That trend, he said, covers not only who American Catholics are, but what they believe, and how they view themselves in relation to the church. - READ MORE 


America Magazine:

CRUX:

The Jesuit Post:

PBS Newshour:

Sojourners Magazine:
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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                                                                                                              e-zine compiled by John C. Odean