October 11, 2023October 20, 2023
by in Communications, Uncategorized
17

From the Pastor’s Desk

Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Oct 15, 2023

“Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.”

-Matthew 22:9

Brothers and Sisters,

How do you prefer to RSVP? Nowadays, with technological advances, we receive invitations in so many different ways. We may still receive paper invites via “snail mail” with formal occasions, like weddings, complete with “hard copy” reply cards for the recipient to mail back. Yet, most invites are sent digitally through emails, texts, websites, and apps. These invitations have built-in automatic reminders to ensure we respond and notifications sent just before the event to remind us to attend. Still, with all the reminders and one-click vehicles to respond, I have to admit, some still slip by me. You may feel like me, inundated with electronic forms of communication.

As essential as good manners and proper etiquette are, Jesus’ parable should not be reduced to a lesson on accepted social standards. Today, the Church celebrates St. Teresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church whose intellect has offered unprecedented insight into developing healthy habits and disciplines of prayer. While starting a daily prayer practice may be arduous, particularly at the beginning stages, the fruits of such a practice, including a deeper relationship with God, are a pure gift. As with any relationship, simply accepting the invitation into a relationship does not mark the end of our efforts. God’s invitation is not a one-time celebration but an enduring relationship. Jesus drives home this mindset in today’s parable, inviting us to get the invite and show up prepared.

Striving to live out our relationship with the Lord, I encourage families and individuals to regularly assess their prayer habits and hold themselves accountable by checking in with like-minded “spiritual friends.” Are we striving to grow? Have we tried new ways to pray or sought to increase our mindfulness throughout the days? Is there a particular way the Lord calls us to put aside a distraction so that our time with him may be a proper priority?

For our youth and their families, I encourage you to consider the Vocations the Lord may ask of you. Our Vocation Office is hosting a Vocation Fair in coordination with Our Lady of Victory (4414 Wilkins Avenue, Baltimore 21229) on Saturday, November 4. The event will include live music, vocation talks and testimonies (from priests, religious men and women, 3rd order lay men and women, and seminarians,) activities for kids, and adoration. The day starts at Noon and will conclude with the 4 pm Vigil Mass.

And for those transitioning into the “retirement” phase of life, I encourage you to pray about how the Lord calls you to use this new “freedom.” Like the Jesuit Volunteer Corp that invites young adults into missionary work and ministry, the Ignatian Volunteer Corp provides resources and encouragement to engage in ministry here in Baltimore. You can check out IVCUSA.org/Baltimore for more information and registration for a Zoom Information Session on Tuesday, October 17, at 10 am.

In the Lord,

Rev. Michael S. Triplett

Other Considerations in and around our Community:

  • HEALING MASS – St. Bartholomew Church’s Mass of Healing is scheduled for Sunday, October 29, at 10:00 a.m. in the New Church-2930 Hanover Pike, Manchester, MD 21102; this will be a Sunday Mass followed by praise and prayers for intentional healing with Eucharistic Adoration which will begin around 11:10/11:15 a.m. Please come and bring a friend! They have recently received several good reports of physical healing and spiritual graces from prayer recipients and attendees.
  • EMEKA’s ORPHANAGE CONCERT – Saturday, October 21, from 2-4:30 p.m., starting with Christian Davis and featuring the Erik Christenson Band. Sponsored by the Family Apostolate, this concert benefits their effort to build an orphanage in Nigeria for disabled children whom their families have abandoned. To learn more and order tickets, visit www.familyapostolate.com.
  • MARYLAND CATHOLIC WOMEN’S CONFERENCE – “Holy Women, Holy Lives,” Saturday, Nov 11, 2023, St. John the Evangelist, Severna Park, MD. This day-long conference is an opportunity for up to 600 women from around the state to come together and deepen their faith by engaging in opportunities for confession, adoration, and Mass, as well as listening to dynamic Catholic speakers and enjoying fellowship. The conference is designed for women desiring to learn about their faith at any age or stage of life. This year, we are excited to offer talks in Spanish and limited childcare services to make the conference accessible to even more women.
  • VOCATIONS FAIR Our Lady of Victory Church and The Office of Vocations are hosting a Vocation Fair on November 4 at Our Lady of Victory Church. Everyone is welcome to attend to celebrate the gift of every vocation and to reenkindle zeal for our own vocations. And, of course, it is a great place for those discerning their vocation to meet various Religious and priests and to witness first-hand the joy and peace that is possible in every vocation. Numerous priests, seminarians, and religious and 3rd-order groups will be available. There will be live music by seminarians from St. Mary’s Seminary, vocation talks/testimonies, activities for kids, and adoration.

Going on at OLPH:

The Knights of Columbus October Social Meeting on Monday, October 23 at 7:00 pm in Harrison Hall is open to men, women, and youth as Ryan Maurer will speak about and show slides from his trip to Iceland, where he photographed the eruption of Iceland’s newest volcano, Litli-Hrútur, or “Little Ram,” which was born via a fissure that fractured the ground on July 10 and has been spewing rivers of lava. Ryan captured the world’s newest volcano and will share his experience with us!

ANGEL FRIENDS are needed to help expectant mothers and their families. The Gabriel Network is a church-based ministry that helps expectant mothers in the area and empowers women to choose life. Mothers often need emotional, spiritual, and material support, and the team here at OLPH needs more Angel Friend women volunteers to pair up alongside them to support them. Bi-monthly online training is provided. If interested, please reach out to Benjamin Hung at 315-921-2543 or benjaminwhung@gmail.com.

OLPH FOOD PANTRY – the OLPH Food Pantry serves 158 disadvantaged families yearly with food and household items. In addition to food, each family will also receive a gift card provided through your Poor Box donations. At this time, our pantry supplies are very low. Please consider the following items as you shop and drop them off at the church narthex: pasta and pasta sauce, beef stew canned, instant potatoes, coffee, tea and hot chocolate, granola, breakfast bars, crackers, mac and cheese, soaps, juice. THANK YOU!