25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are all workers in the vineyard of the Lord. Our work builds a more faith-filled Church where love, peace, and joy will reign. Everyone’s work is important, from the nurse who takes care of a sick patient, to the cloistered nun who prays for the world day in and day out. Everything we do, we do for the greater glory of God. What work are you doing? Are you offering everything you do for the greater glory of God? If we focus on our personal mission that God has given us, we will not compare ourselves to others. In this weekend’s gospel, the workers complained because they thought the owner was not being fair. The owner was just to everyone —they received what was due to them. In the same way, God will give us what is due to us. We are not the owners of the vineyard but rather stewards. We should focus on our own work and God will take care of the rest.

This weekend, Deacon Gregory Lambert and Seminarian Jackson Miller will speak at all Masses and invite us to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. There is a great need for priests and consecrated men and women in most places around the world. Let us support and pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Jackson Miller
I am a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa. My home parish is Immaculate Conception and Saint Wenceslaus in Cedar Rapids. I am in my first year of theology studies at Mundelein Seminary. I enjoy football, baseball, ping pong, ultimate frisbee, running, bicycling, and reading. I am glad to be assigned to St. Catherine Labouré for Mundelein’s Teaching Parish program!

I was born in 2001 and was raised there by my parents, Matt and Corinne Miller, with my two older sisters and younger brother. I grew up Catholic and attended Catholic schools from preschool through high school. Sunday Mass and praying before meals were important to my family, and at school we prayed at the start of every class, but I did not pray much by myself. I was really interested, however, in learning about God and what the Catholic Church teaches, just as I was interested in other subjects like history. In about 3rd grade, I thought that I might like to be a priest because I thought my pastor was the smartest person I knew. But I did not think more about being a priest until several years later.

In high school, I was very active. I enjoyed my classes, played sports, joined nearly every choir I could, and more. I had great experiences at some retreats and Catholic youth conferences, but my personal prayer life did not grow or become consistent until I started to fall in love with the sacred music we sang in choir and at church. The music would get stuck in my head, and as I went about my day, I would think about how wonderful life is and about my relationship with God. In this way, I started to pray.

Because I liked religion and theology classes so much, others asked me if I ever thought about being a priest. I didn’t think about it too much, but even my girlfriend at the time encouraged me to consider it. Beginning at the University of Iowa in 2019, I became more open to discerning my vocation and started to daydream about the priesthood. Eventually, I realized I had to tell others and pray to God about this. It became clear very soon from these conversations that God was calling me to enter seminary. I joined in 2020 and transferred to Loras College. I graduated from Loras in May, and I am now at Mundelein, about 4 years away from being ordained a priest. I am excited to be here at SCL and ask that you pray for me over these next few years!

Deacon Gregory Lambert
I am happy to return to you for the year. As you may remember, I was assigned to St. Catherine Labouré last year. I helped out a great deal with religious education and attended your community events. I attend classes at Mundelein seminary and was ordained just 3 months ago. I’m originally from Florida but I am studying for the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Although I am from Florida, when I'm not studying at Mundelein seminary, I live with my brother's family in Dyersville, Iowa.

I’m very close to my family, and greatly enjoy spending time with them. One of the things I did this summer was put the finishing touches on a book I have been writing with my brother. My brother and I also filmed a mini- series on YouTube called “60 Second Catholic” in which we answer interesting questions about the Catholic faith in a minimal amount of time. I really enjoy being able to do these projects with my family because I get to share my faith, but also because I have the space to be myself while doing it.

I enjoy being outdoors, staying active, and witnessing to others how good God is. My main goal as a newly ordained deacon is to learn how to expand my heart as much as possible. I will be ordained a priest on May 25, 2024. Before that day comes, I have every intention of preparing myself to encounter God’s people by meeting you all. I hope to be able to preach at a few Masses this year, as well as get involved in baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Please continue to pray for me and be assured of my prayers for you.
I look forward to meeting and serving with you all.

Recognize God in Your Oridinary Moments - By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman
The Invitation to the Vineyard
I have been working since I was 17 and in that time, I’ve encountered my fair share of bosses who don’t like being, well, fair.

There was the retail gig that paid me less than the official minimum wage because I was a minor and scheduled me for long shifts because it meant cheaper labor. There was the restaurant manager who tried to convince me to leave seventh period early so I could waitress on a busy dinner shift (totally illegal, by the way). There was the unpaid internship with the editor who had no sense of work/life balance.

Our resumes are all full of these experiences— it’s capitalism, after all. It conditions us to look out for ourselves, because we know no one else will. And it breeds an attitude of suspicion that often blooms into jealousy when we encounter the reckless mercy of God.

Most of us work hard for what we have in this life and so we make the mistake of thinking we deserve the good things that come our way. That’s all right and good when we’re talking about a just wage. But sometimes we get our lines blurred and we begin to think we deserve, or have done something to earn, the salvation offered by Christ.

I am not the laborer who has borne the heat of long hours in the sun. I am the straggler, the lost one, the idler at the marketplace as the day draws to a close.

“As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:9
©LPi

The Holy Father's Intentions for September

For those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser importance.

Honor Our Military

Please take time to give thanks for those who have served and are serving in our military and to pray for the safety of those who may currently be in harm’s way. In a special way, we thank and pray for these parishioners and relatives of parishioners.

He Who Sacrificed His Life
†CHRISTOPHER ZIMNY

Those Still Serving
JAY MARTIN, Nephew of Becky and Tom Brennan
JESSICA CAMERON, Niece of the Cameron Family
JOHN PODCZASKI, Grandson of Genevieve Podczaski
STEVEN TUMBARELLO, Son of Sylvia & Vince Tumbarello
CRAIG BEHRENDT, Grand-nephew of Sister Mary Helen
DANIEL BELZER, Nephew of Dave & Bev Belzer
MICHAEL KELLY, Nephew of Kevin and Kathy Kelly
EUGENE WALL, Nephew of Suzanne Lessner
NAILL SWIDER, Grand-nephew of Alice Swider
BRYAN DUFF, Son of Julie Duff
RYAN BLOCHBERGER, Nephew of Mae Grady
TIMOTHY DWORKIN, Grandson of Barbara Bouska
ALEXIS GONZALES, Great-niece of Eden & Lyle Gonzales-Nemzin
JACK MAHON, JR., Son of Jack, Sr. & Eileen Mahon
MICHAEL FOLEY
JOHN FOLEY
PETER MULLER
DANIEL FRAYNA
JOSEPH GULLO
SANG HOON LEE
ANTHONY PALMERO
MORRIS COREY MCMAHON, SON OF CHRIS & JULIE MCMAHON
RYAN FONTILLAS

To add or remove someone, please send the person’s name and relationship (optional) to bulletin@stcatherinelaboure.com

Please Pray for Ukraine

For our sisters and brothers involved in or affected by the war and devastation in Ukraine-- the deceased, the injured, the frightened, the displaced, the fighters, the protesters, the leaders. May God give them solace, healing, comfort, and hearts and minds directed toward peace.
Donations can be made here:

Knights of Columbus: https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html

Caritas: https://www.caritas.org/

Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philidelphia: https://ukrarcheparchy.us

"May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war" - Pope Francis

Neighbors of other Faiths
The Golden Rule

Excerpted from charterforcompassion.org/the-golden-rule-in-seven-major-religions
We may speak of great differences in religious beliefs and forms of worship around the world. Called by an endless number of names, all, however, recognize and worship a Supreme Being. And all religions, somewhere in their sacred literature, expound the fundamental philosophy of the Golden Rule.

Buddhism: Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
~ Buddha, Undanavarga 5:18

Christianity: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that all men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
~ Matthew 7:12

Confucianism: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
~ Confucius, Analects 15:23

Hinduism: Good people proceed while considering what is best for others is best for themselves.
~ Hitopadesa

Islamism: No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
~ Mohammed, Traditions

Judaism: And thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
~ Leviticus 19:18

Zoroastrianism: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
~ Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29