Deacon Roch’s Communication for May 8 2022

The fourth Sunday of Easter, May 8, 2022

“Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”

~ John 10: 27-30

Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Gospel moves us backward, well before Jesus’ passion and resurrection to wintertime in Jerusalem and the feast of the Dedication, or Hanukkah. Jesus is outside the temple; having just declared himself the “good shepherd,” he is met by a hostile crowd. With rocks in hand, ready for throwing, the Jews ask, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?” If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” After some back and forth, Jesus reveals the power of his guardianship for believers, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” This passage reassures us as God’s sons and daughters of the care we are promised. And that God himself, like a good shepherd, is willing to surrender his life that we, his sheep, might live.

As we continue to experience the excitement of the Easter season and anticipate the celebration of Pentecost on June 5, we, like sheep, require nourishment and guidance to stay healthy. So, with that in mind, I wanted to highlight some planned and anticipated activities the evangelization team has been working on to feed our OLPH flock.

First, the big picture, whether you are a cradle Catholic or a brand-new Catholic like Diane and Jordan, who entered our church at the Easter Vigil, we can all find purpose by following our parish’s discipleship pathway (https://olphparish.org/the-path). Life is messy, and unexpected events can put us on detours away from this pathway of Belong, Believe, Become, and Beyond. So, it is essential to engage in activities that meet us wherever we find ourselves on our unique spiritual journey.

Second, our focus is to design consistent and complementary activities for various parishioner groups. OLPH is blessed with many established and recurring activities like Marriage Enrichment, the Gals of OLPH gatherings, the men’s Cornerstone Saturday faith sharing group, and our ministries that serve those living on the margins, like SALT and St Vincent, and many more. Visit https://olphparish.org/faith-formation and https://olphparish.org/faith-formation/join-a-group to dive deeper. So, as we expand activities, our team will consistently rotate through a quarterly cycle of events designed for women, men, and families, like “The Well” morning retreat for ladies https://olphparish.org/the-well on May 14, our family parish picnic on June 5, and the men’s event (potentially a cornhole tournament) in July. We will return to a women’s specific activity sometime in August. Regardless of participant type, all activities will feed our need for fellowship, spiritual growth, self-discernment, and more. Look for more details on our website and the bulletin as our plans develop.

Lastly, many hands make light work. Please consider getting involved in our efforts to get these activities underway. We are excited about “getting back to normal” and back together with our spiritual family/friends here at OLPH. Contact Becky at BeckyNeedham@archbalt.org or me, Roch.Kallmyer@archbalt.org, with any thoughts, ideas, or needs you would like to share. On behalf of the Evangelization Team at OLPH, we look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event!

Some considerations:

  • THE SHROUD OF TURIN TALK AND EXACT FULL-SIZE REPLICA | Presented by Bill Wingard |Monday, May 16th at 7 pm | St Augustine’s Hall at St. Augustine Church. Considered one of the greatest mysteries of our time, the Shroud of Turin continues to amaze and baffle scientists, doctors, historians, artists, and theologians. Scientists cannot explain the source of the image which contains photographic and 3-D properties on a cloth centuries old. Bill Wingard, is a speaker for the Shroud on both East and West coasts and schools such as M.I.T. He is mentored by scientists who have extensively examined the Shroud, and he will present the history, the science, and the Passion along with the case for authenticity.

  • Individual Unbound Ministry Prayer | June 11 – Many of us are fighting invisible battles with anxieties, negative thoughts, sins, unhealthy relationships, destructive habits, resentments, and bitter wounds that never seem to heal. You can reach out and experience God’s merciful love, healing, and freedom! Unbound Ministry Prayer releases the power of Jesus into wounded lives. On Saturday, June 11th, there will be trained teams available to provide individual prayer using the Unbound Model of prayer in Ellicott City, MD. Unbound Prayer is based on 5 scriptural keys that help you unlock those areas of your life where you want to receive greater freedom, healing & spiritual growth. If you would like to schedule an appointment or want more information, please contact Dan or Peggy Gahagan by Monday, June 6th, at unboundministrymaryland@gmail.com. We ask that you read at least the first 7 chapters of the book Unbound, by Neal Lozano prior to scheduling an appointment to receive Unbound prayer (available at www.Amazon.com OR www.heartofthefather.com).
  • St. Bernadette Relics in Baltimore | May 12th to May 15th The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen is bringing the Lourdes Pilgrimage to you. Everyone is welcome to participate in venerating the Relics, participating in the Masses, Confession, Procession, and Anointing of the Sick. This is an opportunity to obtain a Plenary Indulgence. For the full schedule visit www.stbernadetteusa.org/Baltimore
  • Columbia Pregnancy Center Spring Prayer Service | May 14th at 2 pm Parents who have lost a child are invited to this outdoor garden prayer service to remember the ones we have lost. For more information, please contact the Columbia Pregnancy Center at 410 730 3223,

Peace,

Deacon Roch