The Ascension of the Lord - May 24, 2020
He was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. — Acts 1:9
Dear St. James Community -
On Friday we announced that St. James is implementing our “Enduring Faith Re-Opening Plan,” beginning today. We re-opened our church for private prayer and for celebrations of Reconciliation, Funerals, Baptisms, and Weddings. You are asked to register for a time slot to come into the church to pray or go to confession. We have separate times for private prayer and confession based upon age. Please register below.
Private Worship Registration
Confession Registration
Until we move onto the next phase, I encourage you all to continue virtually attending either our Saturday 5:00 PM mass (traditional) or our Sunday 10:00 AM mass (contemporary). As we continue to worship apart, our staff has worked hard to use our technology to make sure you can attend mass in the safety of your homes. Thanks be to God.
We invite you to join us for our daily masses at 9:03 AM Monday through Saturday. They are livestreamed through the St. James website, Facebook Live, YouTube Live and Twitch. Also join us on Saturdays for our 5:00 PM Traditional Mass.
Every Wednesday our 9:03 AM mass will be our weekly children’s mass. Wednesday would normally serve as the day for our all-school mass, and we are delighted to continue this weekly tradition. All parish children, especially those in Religious Education, are welcome to worship together virtually.
Please remember that offertory collections are vital even if we cannot be physically together in church. Please don’t forget your weekly offering: http://bit.ly/StJamesOnlineGiving
“PUSHED” OUT ON MISSION
There is a delightful character in the original Dr. Dolittle Tales called the “Pushmi-Pullyu.” It is a beast with two identical halves, with a head at each end. No matter which direction the beast walks, one end is the “push me” and the other is the “pull you.” Today’s feast is a bit like that in the life of the church. In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, it is the ascension of Christ that calls for the Holy Spirit, which consequently sends or “pushes” the church out on its mission. This is the message that we hear from the angels today as they tell the friends of Jesus not to look up into the clouds, but to get busy. It is the message of Jesus himself in Matthew’s Gospel, as he sends them out to baptize. He also tells them, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). And it is this message, confident in faith that Jesus has ascended to shouts of joy, that “pulls” us along to our final destiny. The life of the faithful disciple, sent into the world on mission, will one day know the same risen, ascended glory.
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TODAY’S READINGS
First Reading — Jesus tells the disciples that they will be witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:1-11).
Psalm — God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord (Psalm 47).
Second Reading — May the Father of glory give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17-23).
Gospel — Jesus instructs the Eleven to baptize and teach people of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20).
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READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: Acts 19:1-8; Ps 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab; Jn 16:29-33
Tuesday: Acts 20:17-27; Ps 68:10-11, 20-21; Jn 17:1-11a
Wednesday: Acts 20:28-38; Ps 68:29-30, 33-36ab; Jn 17:11b-19 Jn 17:20-26
Friday: Acts 25:13b-21; Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab; Jn 21:15-19
Saturday: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Ps 11:4, 5, 7; Jn 21:20-25
Sunday: Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13; Jn 20:19-23
SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
Sunday: The Ascension of the Lord; World Communications Day
Monday: St. Bede the Venerable; St. Gregory VII; St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi; Memorial Day
Tuesday: St. Philip Neri
Wednesday: St. Augustine of Canterbury; Shavuot (Jewish observance) begins at sunset
Thursday: Julian Calendar Ascension
Friday: St. Paul VI
SAINT PHILIP NERI (1515-1595)
In a shop near the Vatican, a group of Americans laughed as the shopkeeper showed off his fluent English and latest souvenir, a key ring whose papal portrait, when pressed, activated a recorded blessing. Through the shop window, two clerics scowled disapproval. The shopkeeper grunted, “They’re a very somber order who’ve left the Church. I recognize them.” “By their long robes?” an American asked. “Many in Rome wear robes,” replied the shopkeeper. “It’s their long faces!” When Philip Neri arrived in sixteenth-century Rome, there was reason to be somber. Swiss Guards had been massacred on Saint Peter’s steps defending the pope. Parts of Europe were abandoning the Church. But Philip resolved to be an “apostle of joy,” drawing especially the young to Christ—and frequent confession and Communion—by his sincere interest in their problems, prayerful example, and gentle humor. His “Oratory,” a movement as well as a place, provided recreation and devotion in a joyful atmosphere of companionship, service, and liturgy. Philip Neri challenges each of us to begin improving Church and world by changing ourselves with unfailing joy.
HEAVEN
The world is only peopled to people heaven.
—St. Francis de Sales
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Weekly Intentions and Remembrances
Please pray for our sick...
Kenneth Anderson Sr., Martha Wrobel, Ray Czajkowski, Dave McCauley, Katie Leonard
Rose For Life
This week’s Rose for Life is donated by Julia and Robert Bruett, in loving memory of their moms, Josephine Chierici and Dorothy Bruett.
Remembrances
Saturday Evening/Sunday May 23rd/24th, 2020
Dr. Alejandro Aidana, Charles D. Spagnoli, Margaret Trampf, John Glueckert Sr., Corinne E. James
Monday, May 25th
Donald Seiler, Sharon L Seiler Scanlan, Andrew Turner Sr., Major Gary Howe, Luis Espinoza
Tuesday, May 26th
Piotr Chrzan (1st Anniv), Marion McDermott, Jeff Moroney
Wednesday, May 27th
Mary Ann Davies
Thursday, May 28th
Salvatore Cecala (1st Anniv)
Friday, May 29th
Agape Dineff, John Conley, John Glasstetter, Jozef Dobek
Saturday, May 30th
Helen Bailitz
In Loving Memory
Christians celebrate the funeral rites to offer worship, praise, and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now returned to God, the author of life and the hope of the just. The Mass, the memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection, is the principal celebration of the Christian funeral. St. James encourages all our families to schedule a memorial Mass or funeral Mass when we are free to worship in our Church. We want to pray for your beloved family member that has passed away and offer thanksgiving for the gift of life with the family.
Christine Wjst is survived by her children, Thomas (Gloria) Navarro and Michael (Heather) Navarro; Grandchildren, Jennifer Navarro, Thomas (Melissa) Navarro, Jr., Sandra Navarro, and Shelby Navarro; 4 great-grandchildren; siblings; Hans (Edith) Wjst. Helga (Manfred) Schuster, Ursula (Erwin) Wolfinger.
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St. James Welcomes You Back
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St. James Rosary Challenge
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The month of May is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Unite with our community by praying the rosary and asking for the intercession of our Blessed Mother! St. James' goal is to reach 2,020 rosaries before the end of May. Share your prayer here and help us reach our goal: www.tinyurl.com/2020rosary
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St. James Good News Report
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On Wednesdays we send out our "Midweek Good News Report." During the shelter-in-place order, we are delighted to share good news with our parishioners and community. To view the report, click here.
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St. James Parish Edge and LIFE TEEN Update
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This week's EDGE video dives deep into the relationship of the great king David and Jesus. Grab your bibles and your family and gather round for EDGE. The reflection questions can be found here: https://bit.ly/3axM75h
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St. James Parish Religious Education Update
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As a culture, we tend not to talk about the Holy Spirit often. We’re coming up on Pentecost, and Kevin discusses how important the Holy Spirit is in our lives and how real His presence actually is.
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While it has been a great disappointment to see summer plans or goals be postponed or cancelled, we hope Family Connection will make your summer a little better. St. James Family Connection aims to help your family enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ by walking through the life of Jesus in scripture. We always want to strengthen the domestic Church, the family, and the Church as a whole.
Family Connection is a simple, consistent walk through the Gospel of Mark. We start at the beginning of the gospel and have a reading for each day. Along with the gospel reading, we have short readings from the Old and New Testaments. In total, the daily reading will be 12-14 verses. After the readings, we have a short reflection and a challenge for your children. The challenge is usually to do something nice, to serve, or to pray. It is meant to be doable but help them grow in virtue. Our hope is that these readings will help your family learn more about the word of God and grow closer to Him this summer. The reading plan will begin June 1st and the necessary material will be provided before then.
If you have any questions please reach out to Kevin Byrnes the Coordinator of Children's Formation.
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St. James Vacation Bible School
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Join us June 15th-19th (Monday - Friday) as St. James goes virtual for a fun & faith-filled week of Vacation Bible School! The theme is Rocky Railway - Jesus' Power Pulls us Through. We hope you and your child(ren) can experience God's Word together through VBS at home! Registration ends TOMORROW, Monday, May 25! Learn more and register your child(ren) here: https://bit.ly/StJamesVBS2020
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St. James Parish Music and Liturgy
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St. James prayers continue for all of you. While this time seems long and riddled with uncertainty, remember that your faith family is with you. We created this video with images of our beautiful church to remind us that we can press on together, remembering that God is holding us close! With the Lord you never walk alone.
When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high!
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm is a golden sky,
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind.
Walk on through the rain.
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on. Walk on, with hope in your heart.
For you'll never walk alone.
You’ll never walk alone.
Oscar Hammerstein II & Richard Rodgers, 1945
You’ll Never Walk Alone, Carousel
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Fr. Ryan and Jon are back for another episode of "Coffee With Fr. Ryan!" Grab a cup of your favorite brew, sit back and enjoy them discuss questions related to baptism! Do you have a question for Fr. Ryan? Please send them to jblevins@stjamesah.org
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Another month in quarantine deserves another round of Trivia! Get the team back together, start a new team, or get one together for the first time and save the date for another fun Friday night!!! May 29th, 8:30pm! Register your team here.
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Join us on Thursday evenings at 7:00pm for ADORE: www.stjamesah.org.
Come for Eucharistic Adoration, witness talk, silent prayer, and meditative praise and worship music. More about ADORE: https://bit.ly/2CAISus
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St. James Parish Ministries
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This past Wednesday 5/20 the RCIA team prayed the Rosary virtually together as part of the St. James Rosary Challenge. Have you accepted the challenge yet?
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Good news about healing after an abortion…
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Fr. Matt Foley Spiritual Motivational Fitness Challenge #FrMattChallenge
Click the image below to view videos on YouTube
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Stay Connected With St. James Parish
There are multiple ways you can stay connected with St. James Parish during the shelter-in-place order. In addition to www.stjamesah.org - follow us on our social media pages for daily mass recordings, church news, video messages, and more! Click on the icon below to follow us!
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