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Issue # 05172016 May 17, 2016
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1 Peter 2:9 "...you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
Carissimi,
I'm passing on an April 26th article by Cindy Wooden of the Catholic News Service. It is well worth a thoughtful reading:
Clericalism is a danger to the Catholic Church not only because on a practical level it undermines the role of laity in society, but because theologically it "tends to diminish and undervalue the baptismal grace" of all believers, whether they are lay or clergy, Pope Francis said.
"No one is baptized a priest or bishop," the pope said in a letter to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. The fundamental consecration of all Christians occurs at baptism and is what unites all Christians in the call to holiness and witness.
...In the letter, Pope Francis said that in lay Catholics' work for the good of society and for justice, "it is not the pastor who must tell the layperson what to do and say, he already knows this and better than we do."
"It is illogical and even impossible to think that we, as pastors, should have a monopoly on the solutions for the multiple challenges that contemporary life presents. On the contrary, we must stand alongside our people, accompany them in their search and stimulate their imagination in responding to current problems"...
Pope Francis insisted that the discussion on the role of the laity must not fall into the trap of thinking "the committed layperson is one who works for the church or is involved in matters of the parish or diocese"-creating a "lay elite" - but must recognize that most Catholic laypeople live their Christian commitment in their homes, neighborhoods, cities and countries.
... "Pastors must be close to their people, opening doors, working with them, dreaming with them, reflecting and, especially, praying with them."
E così sia, Santo Padre!
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A Tool For A Devotional Life...
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Lectio Divina
Ever wonder if there are some simple practices that you can implement to help you grow deeper in your life in Christ? We suggest adding a little 'Lectio Divina' to your day. In the following video, Fr. James Martin, S.J. gives some doable prompts to help you along the way.
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| | Video: James Martin, S.J. on Lectio Divina |
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This Dude Took a Selfie Every Day from Ages 12 - 20
YouTuber Hugo Cornellier spent the last eight years taking selfies, and has documented his growing from a young boy to full grown man in a single, two-minute video.
The clip is essentially like watching Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" in 120 seconds. Just for fun, we muted the clip and played Family of the Year's "Hero," (remember how great that song is!) in another window and, yes, it vastly improves the emotional depth.
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| | Video: Hugo Takes a Selfie | 8.5 Years |
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The Subtle Sin of Making Excuses
They're not always harmless.
by Bill Purvis
Excuses are present in all of our lives. In fact, making excuses has become so common to everyday life that it's almost routine.
When we experience trials in life-especially early in life-they begin to shape our mindsets. They start to set the tone for who we are and why we do what we do. Used rightly, we can grow through these hardships and use our story to help and inspire others. Used wrongly, we can turn our hardships into an excuse not to grow. If only we hadn't had such a bad childhood-a mean teacher, a slave-driving boss, a cold-hearted spouse-then we would be so much farther along in life.
The Wrong Reasons
One of the greatest leaders in the Bible started out with the wrong attitude.
Moses had a confidence problem. When God came to him and asked him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses immediately made excuses: "I'm not good enough. The people won't believe me. I'm not a good speaker. They won't listen to me." Even after God gave him the ability to do miraculous signs, he kept making excuses. READ MORE
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Worship with Offerings, Liturgy, and Prayer for Others
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POOR BOX
Each weekend St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. This week's support goes to
Vulnerable Families in Crisis
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MASS MUSIC
Here is the listing for the
music selections at next Sunday's10:30 Mass.
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PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN REPORT
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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Tuesday, May 17 - 6:45 PM
The Women of the New Testament group, which meets on the third Tuesday of the month, is currently discussing 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. For more information,click here.
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Thursday, May 19 - 7 PM
Young Adults Paint Night - The young adults are invited to a Paint Night on Thursday, May 19th at 7 PM! Join us for snacks, drinks, and art, where you get to create your own canvas painting. Cost is $10 to attend, to cover art supplies. Please RSVP to Alli Clayton, alliclayton@st-ignatius.net. Location: Gonzaga Hall.
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Sunday, May 22 - 3 PM
Concerto Pastorale: Music of Springtime - On the Feast of the Holy Trinity, Charm City Baroque presents an uplifting program of 18th-century music redolent of the feast day and the delights of Spring. Sacred cantatas by Bach and Telemann commemorate the mystery of the Trinity while instrumental sonatas by Tartini, Pergolesi, Boyce, and Scarlatti evoke the rustic and pastoral life. Join Charm City Baroque for this delightful musical celebration in our church! Concert is free of charge but donations will be gratefully accepted.
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Sunday, May 22 - 5 PM
Loaves & Fishes Volunteer Orientation/Training Meeting - As you may know Loaves & Fishes feeds the hungry of Baltimore on weekends. We are now gearing up for the summer program, and reorganizing so that it will go smoothly this year. We are in great need of more volunteers. If you are interested, or would just like to know more about how Loaves & Fishes works, we would love to have you on May 22nd at 5 PM in Ignatian Hall. For more information contact Amy Petkovsek at amy.petkovsek@gmail.com.
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Monday, May 23 - 2 PM
The Cultural Arts Committee - Meeting will be held on Monday, May 23 at 2:00 PM at the Parish Offices: 110 E. Madison Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. If you are interested in participating in this committee that plans musical events as well as art gallery showings, poetry readings and dramatic presentations, you are welcome!
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Monday, May 23 - 7 PM
Young Adult Movie Night - The Young Adult Ministry is holding its second film showing in its Young Adult Summer Movie Series. This film is Sin Nombre. Sin Nombre is a 2009 Mexican-American adventure thriller film written and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, about a Honduran girl trying to immigrate to the U.S.A., and a boy caught up in the violence of gang life who also needs to escape. Filmed in Spanish (with subtitles), the film's title means "Nameless". It won several awards, including the prizes for directing and cinematography at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. To learn more, click here. Showing begins at 7:00 PM in Ignatian Hall. For the schedule of other young adult ministry movie showings, click here.
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Tuesday, May 31 - 5:30 PM
Bishop Madden's Prayer Walk for Peace in the City - Bishop Madden's next Prayer Walk will be at St. Veronica's (806 Cherry Hill Rd.) in Cherry Hill. This is the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Violence in and around Cherry Hill has been especially bad in recent years, yet the community is rallying. The parish collaborates with a Safe Streets location there and works to help galvanize the community. They need your support on May 31st. This walk can have a strong symbolic effect, as it takes place shortly before summer, which is when violence tends to rise. Time: 5:30 meal, with the walk beginning about 6:00 PM.
Parking: There is ample street parking at the St. Veronica's
Gathering: We'll begin with the meal in the parish hall next to the church.
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Tuesday, May 24 - 7 PM
Embracing God's Gifts - You are invited to join members of our gay and lesbian community at 7:00 PM on the 4th Tuesday of each month.
This month's meeting will be held in Ignatian Hall as we welcome Tom Bonderenko of Moveable Feast who will share his unique story and discuss ways we can become involved with this extraordinary ministry.
This group is open to anyone interested in fostering support, maintaining communications, and encouraging social activities among diverse members of our parish. For more information, click here.
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Wednesday, June 1 - 6:30 PM
The Young Adult Ministry's Summer BBQ will be on Wednesday, June 1st at 6:30 PM in the back patio of 108 E. Madison Street. Burgers and drinks will be provided; please bring a sharable side dish for all to enjoy! For more information contact Alli Clayton.
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Friday, June 3 - 7:30 PM
Friday Night Movie: "Pride" - The Embracing God's Gifts ministry will host the showing of Pride, a 2014 British LGBT-related historical comedy-drama film written by Stephen Beresford and directed by Matthew Warchus. It was screened as part of the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival,where it won the Queer Palm award. Writer Stephen Beresford said a stage musical adaptation involving director Matthew Warchus is being planned. For more information, click here.
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Wednesday, June 8 - 7 PM
Interfaith/Ecumenical Committee Meeting - if you are interested in joining or learning more about the Interfaith Committee, this is the meeting for you. The Interfaith Committee plans our yearly New Year's Eve City Wide Interfaith Prayer Service, and several other interfaith gatherings throughout the city during the year. If you're interested, we'd love to have you. We will meet at the Parish Offices at 110 E. Madison Street. For more information contact Donna Price at dprice4270@gmail.com.
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Thursday, May 12 - 6:30 PM
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 focus on hunger and homelessness in Baltimore City; support Immigration advocacy and projects; advocate for economic justice and legislative initiatives, e.g. paid sick leave and affordable housing; and provide an environment that supports and advocates for racial justice, and develops diversity in our community. Read More
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Tuesday, June 14 - 6:30 PM
The Inigo Book Group will meet on Tuesday, June 14 in the Parish Offices at 110 E. Madison Street to discuss The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers. The meeting begins with social time at 6:30 - 7:00 which is followed by the discussion until 8:30. Any questions? Please contact Catherine Young at pianocate2@gmail.com
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Thursday, June 16 - 7 PM
Young Adult Movie Night - Join the Young Adults for a showing of Pope Joan on Thursday, June 16 at 7:00 PM in Ignatian Hall. Johanna Wokalek, John Goodman, and David Wenham star in director Sönke Wortmann's adaptation of author Donna Woolfolk Cross' novel about a woman who dared to live like no other woman in history, and found herself at the center of a treacherous political conspiracy. Click here for more information. For the schedule of other young adult ministry movie showings, click here.
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Tuesday, June 21, 6:45 PM
The Women of the New Testament group, which meets on the third Tuesday of the month, is currently discussing 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. For more information,
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Wednesday, June 22, 7:30 PM
Prayer Service for Peace in the Middle East - 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. Yara Cheikh will be the main speaker, updating us on the situation in Syria. Mark your calendars now and plan to come and pray for peace in our world!
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Tuesday, June 28, 7 PM
Embracing God's Gifts - You are invited to join members of our gay and lesbian community at 7:00 PM on the 4th Tuesday of each month.
This month's meeting will be held in Ignatian Hall as we welcome Tom Bonderenko of Moveable Feast who will share his unique story and discuss ways we can become involved with this extraordinary ministry.
This group is open to anyone interested in fostering support, maintaining communications, and encouraging social activities among diverse members of our parish. For more information, contact Gordon Creamer at
themissionbridge@yahoo.com. To learn more about the Embracing God's Gifts Ministry click here.
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Thursday, June 30 - 7 PM
Young Adult Movie Night - Join the Young Adults for a showing of The House I Live In on Thursday, June 30th at 7:00 PM in Ignatian Hall. For the past 40 years, the war on drugs has resulted in more than 45 million arrests, $1 trillion dollars in government spending, and America's role as the world's largest jailer. Yet for all that, drugs are cheaper, purer, and more available than ever. Filmed in more than twenty states, The House I Live In captures heart-wrenching stories of those on the front lines - from the dealer to the grieving mother, the narcotics officer to the senator, the inmate to the federal judge - and offers a penetrating look at the profound human rights implications of America's longest war. For more information, click here.
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All Church Parish Picnic - Saturday, August 6
It's a little early...but we want you to place it on your calendars. This year's picnic will be held on Saturday, August 6 at the Bellarmine Retreat Center in the mountains of Blue Ridge Summit, PA.
Come away for a day of hiking, nature walking and swimming. A wonderful time of fun and fellowship awaits you. This is a perfect way for those who don't yet know many people at St. Ignatius to begin new friendships...and for those who do to deepen your already existing relationships. If you'd like to make a weekend of it, some parishioners rent rooms or bring their tents for Friday and Saturday evenings. More information to come.
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Lady Gaga's Mass Pics and Posts on Faith Stir Catholic Reaction
Under this May 8 Instagram post, Lady Gaga wrote: "Thank you Father Duffell for a beautiful homily as always and lunch at my pop's restaurant. I was so moved today when you said.. 'The Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect but the food that God gives us.' - Father Duffell, Blessed Sacrament Church Nourishment."
By Crux Staff
May 11, 2016
ROME- Generally speaking, when the Catholic Church looks around for allies in spreading the Gospel, it tends to look naturally to other Christians, perhaps, or people publicly associated with religious faith and values.
Now, however, the Church is getting a social media boost from a highly unexpected source: Lady Gaga. In between posting pictures of herself attending red-carpet events, singing at the Oscars, and sitting on top of a naked man wearing nothing but her underwear, in recent weeks the American songwriter, singer and actress has also posted two pictures of herself attending a Catholic Mass. The first came on April 24, when she posted a picture of herself entering Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral with the following header: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." As Gaga wrote, this is a quote from John 13:34. Following the Gospel passage, she wrote: "Even the highest powers don't have it all figured out right away. Gotta leave yourself room to discover something new. Even at the last minute. Don't forget to love." Read More
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A Controversial Catholic Conscience
By Father Paul Keller, C.M.F.
What role does conscience play in moral decision-making? The answer to this question may explain much of the controversy surrounding Pope Francis' recently released Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love). Pope Francis writes that the church has "been called to form consciences, not to replace them"; this understanding of the church's role in conscience, ethics, and moral decisions says much about the pope's pastoral approach and challenges many Catholics. The issue of whether some divorced and remarried Catholics might be allowed to receive communion is an example of how Francis' understanding of conscience, mercy, and the Gospel is expressed throughout the exhortation.
The internet is full of reactions to The Joy of Love, some of which are very negative. There are personal attacks on the pope and his character, claims that the pope should stick to pastoral theology, assertions that only canon law can adequately address questions of family and morals, even questions about whether the pope is really Catholic.
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Crux
Pope to Visit Icon of World Without Mercy in Auschwitz - At the infamous German Nazi concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz, among the first things one encounters upon entering is a quotation from the Spanish thinker George Santayana: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
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America Magazine:
Values and Voting:
Pope Francis and our faith-driven responsibility for the common good
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In January, I attended an international gathering of Catholic bishops in Lisbon, Portugal. I was the only American. The majority came from Africa and Latin America.
Upon learning that I was from Iowa, which conducts the first caucuses, the bishops stressed how important U.S. elections are, how they establish a worldwide direction for pursuing peace, grappling with widespread hunger and poverty and the huge migrations of peoples, especially those fleeing Iraq and Syria.
Read More
A Court That Never Says No -
It is exceedingly unlikely that only 0.03 percent of government surveillance requests are unjustified.
Read More
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National Catholic Reporter
Francis' Female Deacon Commission Brings Hope, Caution -
Read More
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Sojourners Magazine
When the Good News of the Gospel Doesn't Feel Good Enough
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More than ten years ago, I took a pilgrimage that changed my life. At its conclusion, I found myself with one haunting question: If I were to share my understanding of the gospel to my ancestors who walked the Cherokee Trail of Tears (according to family oral tradition) and slaved in South Carolina and Virginia (according to Census Slave Schedules), would they receive my simple understanding of Jesus' "good news" as good news? Read More
Living a Life of Mercy Versus Donating to Charity - I don't practice the corporal works of mercy. The realization left me stunned. As I sat in a cluster of retreatants I thought about what that meant. Sure, I donate money to various charities, participate in food drives, and donate clothes that I no longer need, but I do not practice the corporal works of mercy - I have other people or institutions do it for me. Read More
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Catholic News Agency
Whoopi Goldberg Pulls Off Her Own 'Sister Act' With Big Donation to Nuns
Whoopi Goldberg, a co-host of the T.V. show "The View" and of "Sister Act" fame, surprised a group of Harlem nuns with a donation of a new van, a year's worth gas and $10,000 to go towards their order's charities.
Read More
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The Jesuit Post
I Am Not Jesus - I was herded through security like an animal, and eventually entered the harsh, grey jail.
I picked up a list of detainees and made my way to them, visiting people who were locked up and seeking something. This particular night was fairly normal (or, as normal as talking about God in a jail could be), when a guard I had become familiar with asked me to come with him to the first floor. I had never been to the first floor before; it was generally off-limits for chaplains, a place they reserved for people suffering from mental illness and addictions. Read More
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| St. Ignatius offers religious education to the children of the Parish from Kindergarten through the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation. The Parish Religious Education Program ("PREP") is provided from September through April and meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:20. We need catechists for the program beginning in September.
Note: If you are interested in participating in this critically important ministry... please contact the PREP Director, Trudy Bartel, at TrudyBartel@st-ignatius.net or call her at 410-235-1177.
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| | | Video: Faith Direct - Donor Site Tour | |
If St. Ignatius is the church you call home, we ask you to prayerfully consider committing to a regular financial contribution in order to support the ministries of this church. If you're already familiar with the benefits of electronic giving, you know how Faith Direct provides a steady means of budgeting for the ongoing ministries here in our church. Following is a short video that will tell you how it all works.
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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.
- This e-zine was compiled by John C. Odean
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