Thursday, September 8, 2022 |
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| PASTORAL REFLECTION Msgr. Peter J Vaghi |
A very special welcome to each and every one of you as together we gather for another year of parish activities. Among the many offerings at Little Flower this year, I wish to remind you of my First Thursday meditations, beginning on October 6 at 7:15 am in the Church. This year's focus will be on the seven sacraments "revisited." The importance of the sacraments in the life of a faithful Catholic will be underscored. |
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LITTLE FLOWER CONCERT SERIES presents |
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CHOIRS TO RESUME ON SEPTEMBER 18th All are warmly invited to join one of our three choirs, all of which will resume on Sunday, September 18th. The contemporary choirs sing at the 9 am and 12:00 pm Masses and the traditional choir sings at the 10:30 am Mass. If you are interested in joining, please email Zach Tilkens at ztilkens@gmail.com to arrange a meeting to find the best voice placement for you! We look forward to welcoming back our choir faithful, as well as welcoming new members, and those that have been cautiously waiting to return. |
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| RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Are you interested in becoming a member of our great Catholic Faith? Do you know anyone who may be interested in learning more about becoming a Catholic? Our Parish Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Process (RCIA) meets through a combination of virtual and in-person discussions on Thursday evenings, beginning on September 15. For more information, please contact Deacon Don Longano at deacondonlongano@gmail.com |
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| OUR ALTAR SERVERS ARE BACK Our current servers are being called back to duty, and new servers (rising 4th graders and older) are being recruited. Refresher training will be held for the veterans, the details to be announced. Training for new servers will be held on Monday evenings from 7:00 to 8:15 pm in the church, beginning on 12 September. There will be four or five sessions, depending on the need. Families of new servers should contact Father Stuart at stuartg@adw.org so that we will know how many to expect. We are delighted to welcome our older servers back after two and a half years, and to welcome our new volunteers. |
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| Women's Ministry Program Resuming this Fall Theme: Growing in Discipleship All women of the parish invited to join us for our weekly gatherings on Tuesday mornings from 10:30 to 11:30am in the convent basement classroom beginning September 13th. |
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This year we will read, reflect and share our insights on two books - "Catholic Discipleship" and "The Jesus Women". Other resources will also be offered. We will continue to share Reflections on the upcoming Sunday Gospel. Come and Join Us! Contact Sr. Ann Parker IHM, Facilitator for further information. srannihm@outlook.com |
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| High School M.A.S.H. (Mass And Social Hour) continues weekly! Parish teens are invited to gather this Sunday, Sept 11, from 6-7 pm for a bonfire! We'll celebrate Mass together, have a light dinner, and socialize. All high school age parishioners are welcome. Looking ahead: Sept 18 - Activity, Sept 25 - Service Connect with Fr. Tom or Linda by clicking below. |
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| | 2022 ANNUAL APPEAL UPDATE Our parish currently stands at 70% of our 2022 Annual Appeal goal. If you haven't yet made your gift, please prayerfully consider doing so today by clicking below or by picking up a brochure in the vestibule. Not only will you help us reach our parish goal, but more importantly, you will support more than 70 ministries vital to the life of our local Church, including the tuition cost for our many seminarians. Thank you for your continuing support! |
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| 2022-23 CCD NEW SCHOOL YEAR Classes begin this Sunday, September 11 at 10:15 am for K-5 and Wednesday, September 14 at 7:45 pm for Grades 6-8. All Religious Ed families are invited to join us for our opening liturgy this Sunday, September 11 at 9 am.
LAST CALL for registration, please register today by clicking below. |
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Troop 15, Little Flower's Boy Scout Troop (ages 11-17) will hold its first meeting of the school year on Monday, September 12 at 7:30 pm in the Parish Hall. Join us to learn more! Contact: Noreen Paul at ncpaul8800@hotmail.com |
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| PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED – Please pray for the repose of the souls of Joan Bader, Lawrence Bou, Michael Bradshaw, Bret Brown, Mary Brown, Dr. Robert Dietrich, Cecilia Duke, Don Freeman, Ed and Helen Ann Hanner, Griffin Holland, Kathleen Houlding, Warren P. Howe, Elizabeth Hunton, Hal Hunton, Carlos Jingco, Sargent Caldwell Karch, Mary Lynn Lawler, Gere Lynch, Norbert Max, Richard McBride, Carrie McGreal, 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 in September will go to the Missionaries of Charity. Their ministries include the Gift of Peace (a home in northeast Washington for the homeless and terminally ill) and the Queen of Peace Shelter in Southeast DC (a home for unwed mothers, a soup kitchen and an after-school program for children.) They also have a contemplative convent at St. Teresa's parish. God doesn't require us to succeed, He only requires that we try. (St. Teresa of Calcutta, founder of the Missionaries of Charity) |
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| September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, and who is commemorated on Thursday of this week. Our devotion to Our Lady is appreciated by the great American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. He sensed the intermediary efficacy of Mary when he wrote: "I have always envied Catholics their faith in that sweet, sacred, Virgin Mother who stands between them and the Deity, intercepting somewhat His awful splendor, but permitting His love to stream more intelligibly to human comprehension through the medium of a woman's tenderness." Saints as Model Stewards - Tuesday - St. John Chrysostom (d. 407), Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and eloquent preacher (chrysostom means "golden tongue.") Capable, decisive and very popular, St. John aroused the anger of the imperial court by criticizing the selfishness of the wealthy, resulting in his being forced into exile. Gifted, giving and grateful – the very definition of stewardship. "May we learn from his teaching and gain courage from his patient endurance." Here are a few of St. John's gems: "It is a great thing, this reading of the Scriptures! For it is not possible ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well that has no bottom. "No matter where we happen to be, by prayer we can set up an altar to God in our hearts." Friday - the martyred saints Pope Cornelius (d. 253) and Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (d. 258.) These steadfast men were good stewards of the faith in the turbulent times of the early persecuted and sometimes faction-ridden Church. May their intercession help keep us faithful and give us courage to work for the unity of the Church. (Interesting factoids: According to Cornelius' notes, in the mid-third century there were 46 priests, 7 deacons and about 50,000 Christians in Rome.) Saturday - St. Robert Bellarmine (d. 1621), Jesuit, Doctor of the Church, and defender of the faith during the Counter-Reformation. Pope Clement VIII made him a cardinal because "he has not his equal for learning." Even as a cardinal he would eat only the food available to the poor. |
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