| On behalf of the clergy, religious, and staff of Little Flower Parish, we wish all fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and those who love with a paternal heart, a Blessed and Holy Father's Day. |
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| PASTORAL REFLECTION Deacon Jim Shanahan |
On June 7, Little Flower School celebrated its sixty seventh graduation; 27 students received their diplomas. It was a glorious celebration for the graduates, their families and our parish. In the Gospel chosen for the Mass, Jesus calls each of the graduates to be the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world" (Mk 5:13-16). In these challenging days, I am thrilled to see these well-formed children go forward into the world and be a source of clear moral vision and effective action. I call this class of 2022 a community of salt and light. |
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| RECEPTION FOR FR. KEITH BURNEY All are welcome to join us on Saturday, June 25 following the 5 pm Mass in Little Flower Hall to wish Father Keith well on his new assignment. Cardinal Gregory has reassigned Father Keith to be the administrator of two parishes in Charles County: St. Catherine of Alexandria in McConchie, and St. Ignatius in Hilltop so he will be leaving Little Flower after three years of service. |
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| SUMMER LECTURE SERIES What is Good Medicine?
A Summer of Bodily and Spiritual Self-Care Our summer seminarian Benjamin Bralove will be giving a series of 5 talks on Tuesday evenings at 7 pm in Little Flower Hall. Ben, who worked for six years as an emergency room physician, will focus his talks on taking care of the body and soul. The talks will be on June 28, July 5, July 12, July 26, and August 2. All are welcome! |
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| 2022-23 CCD REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Little Flower Parish offers religious education classes for children in Grades K- 8. Classes for the 2022-23 school year will begin on Sunday, September 11, 2022. Classes for Kindergarten through 5th Grade are held on Sunday mornings in Little Flower School from 10:15 am to 11:30 am. Grades 6, 7, and 8 have class on Wednesday evenings in Little Flower School from 7:30 pm to 8:45 pm. |
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If you have not already done so, I ask you prayerfully to consider enrolling in Faith Direct, our eGiving system, which allows you to support our parish weekly and our ministries when you are unable to join us for Mass. Through Faith Direct you can make all of your contributions to Little Flower via automatic payment from your checking account or credit card. Sign up is easy, and can be done in just a minute by clicking below. I hope you have a safe summer full of fun and faith and that you return well rested and ready for another great Little Flower year. We will be here waiting for you. -Msgr Peter J Vaghi, Pastor |
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| PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED – Please pray for the repose of the souls of Michael Bradshaw, Bret Brown, Mary Brown, Don Freeman, Ed and Helen Ann Hanner, Griffin Holland, Kathleen Houlding, Warren P. Howe, Elizabeth Hunton, Hal Hunton, Carlos Jingco, Mary Lynn Lawler, Gere Lynch, Norbert Max, Richard McBride, Barry Nace, Terry Radigan, Richard Skoff, Mark Uhar, Robert Walsh. FOR THE SICK – Please pray for the sick members of our parish and for all who are in need. Keep these and all the intentions of our parish in your prayers. |
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| STEWARDSHIP Poor Box – Donations during June will go to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul which, in a spirit of justice and charity, seeks to help the "least among us" through direct personal involvement. We are all familiar with the great work done by the Society at the grass-roots level. What should we give? Christ's answer was echoed by St. Vincent de Paul in one word – more. He was referring not only to Treasure but also to our Time and Talents – to do more, more than we thought we could do. |
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Fathers Day - Today we honor fathers, who are entrusted by God with the loving care and stewardship of their children. The Little Flower parish community offers them our prayers and best wishes. May St. Joseph, the perfect paternal model, intercede for our fathers. Saints as Model Stewards - May the saints whom we commemorate next week inspire us to use our own God-given talents and opportunities as He would have us do. Tuesday - St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born into a noble family but gave away his inheritance and became a Jesuit. While nursing poor patients during the plague of 1591, he contracted the disease and died in 1591 at age 23. He is the patron saint of youth and students. In "Journal of a Soul" Pope John Paul XXIII wrote, "God wants us to follow the examples of the saints by absorbing the vital sap of their virtues and turning it into our own lifeblood, adapting it to our own individual capacities and particular circumstances. If St. Aloysius had been as I am, he would have become holy in a different way." Wednesday - Saints John Fisher and Thomas More were beheaded in 1535 for refusing to recognize the validity of King Henry VIII's divorce and re-marriage. May their example give us the courage to proclaim our faith by the witness of our lives. On the way to his execution, John Fisher opened his bible and his eyes fell on John 17, 3-4: "I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do." What a perfect thought at the end of an earthly life! On this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ we call to mind the words of St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church "The Savior Himself declares, 'Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me and I in him.'….Christ does not say He will be in us only after the fashion of something solely intellectual, but truly according to nature. Just as if someone were to entwine two pieces of wax together and melt them with a fire, so that both are made one, so too through participation in the Body of Christ and in His Precious Blood, He is united in us and we to Him." |
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There are two ways to donate:
- Bring non-perishable items to the rear of the church the first weekend of the month. The next collection is the weekend of July 2-3.
- Make a secure online donation to purchase Giant gift cards HERE.
The donations will be distributed to the food pantry of Queen of Peace parish, where the need is great. Thank you for your generosity. |
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