Pentecost

The Solemnity of Pentecost comes ten days after the Ascension of the Lord. The forty days between Easter and the Ascension was a time of preparation. Since God wants us to share in his glory, Jesus showed us his glory by his resurrection and gave us hope in eternal life by his Ascension into heaven. Jesus’ place is at the right hand of the Father, therefore his ascension was necessary. But just before Jesus ascended, he made a promise to his disciples: “You will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This moment came 10 days after the Ascension. The disciples were then prepared to receive the promised Holy Spirit. The Acts of the Apostles tells the story of the disciples’ transformation when they received the Holy Spirit. They received the power to continue Jesus’ mission through the Church.

“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.”

Pentecost is the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and the beginning of the Church on the Jewish celebration called Pentecost. At one time it was a festival of thanksgiving for the first fruits; later it was associated with God’s law given to Moses. Pentecost was related to thanksgiving, celebration, and abundance. When the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, this became the Pentecost of the Church. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church, since the presence of the Holy Spirit gave life to the mission of the apostles. By sending the Holy Spirit upon the apostles God desired for the Church to exist as the body of Christ.

This weekend, we recall that very moment when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles as tongues of fire. The Church was created to continue Jesus’ mission. We, as Church, need to be the witnesses of God’s love in the world. The Solemnity of Pentecost memorializes the beginning of a new age. The church was born on the day of Pentecost through the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ mission had been completed--he had redeemed us--and now the mission of the Holy Spirit continues. The Holy Spirit is sanctifying us. Every Sunday in the profession of faith we recite, “I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.” Well today we celebrate the birth of our unity; we celebrate the birth of that holiness; we celebrate the birth of the catholicity or universality; and we celebrate the birth of the apostolicity of this family that is the Church.

This weekend, the season of Easter comes to a close but the presence of the Holy Spirit remains with the Church. Jesus has redeemed us from the power of sin. Salvation has been made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The Holy Spirit’s mission is to sanctify the people of God. The Holy Spirit showers us with his gifts so that we might come to the life of the blessed in the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit is the strength we need to bear fruit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control--are the result of opening our hearts to him. Invite the Holy Spirit into your life this Pentecost Sunday.

Healing Mass
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was once known as Extreme Unction. Extreme Unction implied that the sacrament was only appropriately given at the end of life. This is not the case; this sacrament is offered to all those who are suffering, who are ill, and who are elderly. So, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick can be given to those who are looking for spiritual healing, peace, and/or physical or spiritual strength. The oil of the sick is a visible sign of the healing touch of Jesus; and the prayers for the sick are the Church’s strength to sustain the suffering.

The Ministers of Care at SCL organize a healing Mass during the spring and again in the fall for those who might want to be anointed. This is an opportunity for all those who come to the parish to pray and be anointed with the oil of the sick. Every person who is anointed hears the words from the priest who asks for God’s grace: “Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in his love and mercy, help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.” Let us ask that God’s loving and healing mercy comfort the suffering, the sick, and the elderly.

Peace
Fr. Lara

Recognize God in Your Oridinary Moments - By Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman
Spirit to Spirit (abridged)
Like any other self-respecting American tween of the early 2000s, I watched a lot of romantic com- edies. I forget how old I was when I realized that romantic comedies are actually really boring. Not because they’re about love—true love is fascinating. I could watch real-life people talk about who they love for hours.

When we say we love someone—truly love them— what we mean is we love their spirit. We love what they are. We love the qualities that escape description. We cannot love a body alone. We cannot love a name or a reputation. We cannot love a story that we’ve built around a relationship.

To be in love with someone you need to know their spirit intimately. And that knowledge cannot help but change everything about you—your goals, your understanding of the world, the amount of courage you have to face the life ahead of you. It changes your ability to be who God wants you to be.

The disciples lived and ate and walked with Jesus for three whole years before they really knew his spirit. They didn’t know it on Good Friday or on Easter Sunday. They thought they loved him, but when push came to shove their love failed.

But by the end of their lives, the disciples knew the kind of love that sustained them even in the face of martyrdom.

What changed? It was the Spirit. They finally knew the Spirit.

“No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” — 1 Corinthians 12:3
©LPi

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of May

For the Formation of Men and Women Religious and Seminarians
Let us pray that men and women religious and seminarians grow in their own vocational journeys through human, pastoral, spiritual, and community formation that leads them to be credible witnesses of the Gospel.

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.
Dear God,
We pray in gratitude for all of those who have defended peace, virtue, and justice with honor. We pray especially for those who have suffered in mind and body from the ravages of war. May Your peace reign in our hearts and in our world. Amen.

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
MATTHEW NEUBAUER, Nephew of Dan & Judy Neubauer 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
JOHN A. STONIS, GRANDSON OF JOHN & DOROTHY STONIS
MICHAEL T. HEHN, GRANDSON OF JOHN & DOROTHY STONIS

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