Thursday, November 17, 2022 |
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PASTORAL REFLECTION Deacon Jim Shanahan |
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The 2nd Vatican Council teaches that if the human being is in the image and likeness of God and since God is a Trinity of Persons, the Trinity must be reflected in human nature. Here is my favorite quote from Gaudium et Spes (GS): Furthermore, the Lord Jesus, when praying to the Father, "that they may all be one…even as we are one" (Jn 17:21-22) has opened up new horizons closed to human reason by implying that there is a certain parallel between the union existing among the divine persons and the union of the sons and daughters of God in truth and love. It follows, then, that if man is the only creature on earth that God has wanted for its own sake, man can fully discover his true self only in a sincere giving of himself (GS 24) |
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| FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE Tomorrow, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18 from 7-9 pm Little Flower Hall The Father Daughter dance is open to girls (all ages!) of the Parish and School. Girls may be escorted by a dad, grandfather, uncle, or other special person. A disc jockey, refreshments, dinner and keepsake photographs will be provided. To make our event special, the dress is "Sunday Best" with jackets required for the men. The cost for the event is $10 per child and $25 per adult. |
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| ANNUAL SHOE BOX PROJECT Join the LF Community this Sunday, November 20, 1pm in LITTLE FLOWER HALL Help us assemble shoe boxes decorated for Christmas and brimming with essential items for homeless or poor children, women and men. The gift boxes will be delivered to SOME who will hand them out during the Christmas Season to all who come to SOME for meals and services. ALL ages are welcome! |
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Please plan to join us for THANKSGIVING DAY MASS Thursday, November 24 at 10 am Musical prelude will begin at 9:45 Principal Celebrant and Homilist: Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio Musical prelude and liturgical music will be performed by full choir, organ, and guest instrumentalists. Selections will include: Edward Elgar's Nimrod, America the Beautiful: For the Beauty of the Earth by Rutter, and Battle Hymn of the Republic. There is also a Mass at 8:15 am. |
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| Please contribute to our annual Gift Collection to benefit children in need in our Archdiocese. Starting next week, please pick up a tag from the tree in the church and bring your UNWRAPPED toys or gift cards to the church or rectory by Dec 15. You may purchase gift cards online by clicking the button below. You may also drop gift cards you purchased in the offertory basket during any Little Flower Mass now thru Dec 15. Thank you for your generosity in this year of great need! |
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| FIRST THURSDAY TALK Msgr. Vaghi continues his First Thursday series of talks on December 1 in the Church. The series title is "The Seven Sacraments Revisited." The December 1 talk is entitled, "Confirmation: Sealed with the Holy Spirit" 7:15 Talk | 7:45 Confessions | 8:15 Mass All are welcome! |
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| CHRISTMAS TREE SALE The 18th Annual Little Flower Boy Scout Troop 15 Christmas tree sale will take place Friday, December 2 from 5-8 pm and Saturday, December 3 from 8 am - 5 pm on the parking lot adjacent to the Monsignor Kane field. 7-8 foot trees are $100 and 8-9 foot trees $115 if pre-ordered. Please see the flyers in the lobby of the church for details, and to pre-order. |
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| THE FEAST OF ST NICHOLAS Saturday December 3, 5 pm Vigil Mass Reception & Gift Drive Principal Celebrant & Homilist: Bishop Mario Dorsonville Concelebrants: Msgr Peter Vaghi & Fr Tom Robertson Reception in Little Flower Parish Hall directly following Mass Families are invited to kick-off the holidays with a special visit from St. Nicholas! Children will enjoy creating holiday ornaments during this festive and holy season. Please contribute to the toy drive by donating an unwrapped toy/gift for a child ages 6-12 or a gift card for teens. The donations will be distributed to children in need. |
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| | AN EVENING OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC Come join the Heights Choral Society for an evening of Christmas music under the direction of Dr. Kevin L. Strother on December 4 at 3 pm. This will be a wonderful concert with selections from John Rutter and many more. Admission is free. |
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| | YOUTH MINISTRY SCHEDULE November 20 - No 6pm MASH as we'd like to encourage everyone to participate in the parish Shoe Box event that day. November 27 - No MASH - Thanksgiving Break December 4 - 6pm Advent MASH- An evening of preparation for Christmas December 11 - 6pm Christmas MASH
December 18 - No MASH - conflict December 25 - Merry Christmas! No MASH-Attend Mass with your family. |
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| COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 Please plan to join us for our annual full day of confessions. Priests will be available to hear confessions from 9 am until 5 pm in the Church. It is a wonderful time to come as a family to make your Christmas confession. |
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| 2022 ANNUAL APPEAL UPDATE Our parish currently stands at 73% 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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| | 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, Dr. Michael Kelly, Mary Lynn Lawler, Gere Lynch, Norbert Max, Richard McBride, Carrie McGreal, Barry Nace, Joan Pike, 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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| With the season of Thanks and Giving upon us, please consider enrolling in our our convenient and secure electronic giving (eGiving) program. Signing up for Faith Direct only takes a few minutes. You may also make a safe and secure one-time gift online. Thank you so much for supporting our parish and God Bless. | |
| | STEWARDSHIP Poor Box – Donations during November will be for Anchor Mental Health, the Catholic Charities organization through which the Archdiocese provides residential, vocational, employment and psychological services to hundreds of mentally and emotionally disabled persons. |
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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. Cecilia (d. 230 or 250) is the patron saint of sacred music and musicians, probably because early images of her include a viola or small organ. St. Augustine wrote, "Every one of us tries to discover how to sing to God." How do I "sing to God?" What gifts and talents do I have to offer to the Lord? Wednesday – St. Columban (d.615), "the greatest Irish missionary," writes one commentator. Columban went to Gaul and Italy, after they had been ravaged by barbarians, to re-evangelize them and establish monasteries. Wednesday - St. Clement I, our third pope, was martyred c. 97. Exhorting the faithful to stewardship, he said,. "Each of us should be subject to his neighbor in accordance with the grace given to each. The stronger should care for the weak…The wealthy should give to the poor...Since, therefore, we have all this from (God), we ought to thank Him for it all." Wednesday - Blessed Miguel Augustin Pro (1927), a Mexican Jesuit who was martyred when he continued his ministry in secret because of the government ban on public worship. What does my discipleship cost me? Am I willing to pay the price? Thursday - St. Andrew Dung-Lac (d. 1839) and 116 other Vietnamese were tortured and martyred for their faith. Unfortunately, persecution of our fellow Catholics again exists in Vietnam. Am I willing to make joyfully whatever small sacrifices of my time, talent and treasure that discipleship requires? Friday –St. Catherine of Alexandria (d. circa 305) was of noble birth and "learned in the sciences." When she was only 18, she presented herself to Emperor Maximinus, who was violently persecuting the Christians, and upbraided him for his cruelty. He detained her and summoned numerous scholars to try to prove the fallaciousness of Christianity. Instead, Catherine converted several of them - who were summarily executed. Then the empress, eager to see so extraordinary a young woman, went to the dungeon with the head of the troops. They too were persuaded by Catherine to become Christians – and were also martyred. Finally, the furious emperor had this troublesome Catherine beheaded. A Thanksgiving Prayer Lord of gifts, from You has come a flood of gifts to us. We are grateful, not only for the gifts of life itself, but for all the gifts we have shared: of friendship, love, devotion and forgiveness. Lord God, we thank you for showing us how to return thanks: by lives of service, by deeds of hospitality, by kindness to strangers, and by concern for each other. We are most grateful for the way You, our invisible God, have become visible to us in one another, in countless daily gifts, and in the marvels of creation. Come, Lord of gifts, and bless us today and all days. Amen |
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