|
TWENTIETH
SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
AUGUST 17, 2003 MASS INTENTIONS Saturday, August 16 Gail Carol Medeiros Martin Sunday, August 17 8 a.m. For the People of the Parish 9:30 a.m. Richard Manning 11 a.m. Gene Dessert Mon. Aug. 18 William Moran Tues. Aug. 19 Raymond Furtado Wed. Aug. 20 Sr. Mary Amadeus, R.S.M. Thurs. Aug. 21 Souls Friday August 22 Souls Sat. August 23 Manuel M. Oliveira Sunday, August 24 8 a.m. Derek Pimental 9:30 a.m. Joseph A. Sylvia, Sr. 11 a.m. Joseph Goulart VISIT ST. JAMES’ WEB SITE CORRECTED Web Site ADDRESS http://www.saintjames-nb.org PRAYER LINE Program a prayer line has been established. Call Alice Lester 508-9978040 with any prayer requests. She will communicate your requests to the other members of the prayer line who will pray for your requests.RENEW The Core Community and leaders of the faith sharing groups will meet in the rectory on Wednesday, September 10 at 7 p.m.
REGISTRATION FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES (CCD) WILL BE HELD IN ST. JAMES’ CHURCH HALL AFTER THE MASSES ON THE WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 13 AND 14 This registration is for all children who have been in our program in the past, new students, the second grade children of Catholic Schools (First Communion) and the students of Grade nine (Confirmation)in Catholic Schools. FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK IMPLEMENTING THE CHANGES NORMS FOR RECEIVING COMMUNION The slight bowing of the head is the recommended gesture before extending one’s hand or opening one’s mouth for the reception of Holy Communion. (Genuflection before receiving is not the norm that the Bishops’ Conference of our country has established.) It is important that this gesture of slightly bowing one’s head be done before extending the hand to receive Communion. Otherwise, the danger of the sacred Host falling from one’s hand could take place. This gesture is an act of devotion is union with the worshipping community joined to celebrate Mass. It is a communal act. We need to keep in mind the communal aspect of each person receiving.
The New Bedford Catholic Guild for the Blind is presently having a membership drive. The Guild was founded to provide social and spiritual services for the blind and visually impaired in our community and meets at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish center six times a year. If you know of any blind or visually impaired individual who may benefit from our services our if you are able to donate a few hours of your time to transport a blind or visually impaired person to our meetings and functions, please contact Bernadette Mendes , the President , at 508-995-2431 or Patricia Mello, the secretary at 508 998-3750 FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK United Interfaith Action (UIA) is a coalition of twenty Protestant and Catholic Churches in the cities of New Bedford and Fall River. St. James has belonged to UIA from the beginning. UIA is a community organizing effort which speaks to people on the grass level to determine the needs, issues and thoughts of the people. This is done by meeting "one on one". It is also done by gathering people together for "house meetings". When certain issues are identified, people meet to discuss what can be done to respond. A great deal of time is spent studying the complete issue that has been presented by the people. Meetings with city officials begin to see what the cities can do. Work and research continue as well as the one on one meetings and house meetings. Refining what part of the issue will be addressed continues until the Action meeting. The Action meeting is when the member congregations call people to come forth in great numbers to meet with the officials involved with the issue to receive from them a commitment to respond. United Interfaith Action members met last week with a representative of the New Bedford Police Department to discuss the robberies, violence, and vandalism that is being done against the Mayan community in New Bedford. This meeting was preceded by a meeting at St. Anthony’s Church on Acushnet Ave. when city officials met with the Mayan Community. One of our regularly scheduled meetings of UIA was used to speak to the Mayan people about these issues. The Mayan community comes from Ecuador in South America. They, as our American Indian, trace their origins to this South American country. As our American Indian, they have their own culture even though they also speak Spanish. The Catholic Church on the local and national level needs to reach out to these people of the Hispanic Community, our brothers and sisters, and include them in every part of parish and Church life. In many ways the Church in the United States will be enriched with the Faith of these people as they use their language and culture to live out their Faith. We at St. James have had the privilege of meeting some priests from South America, Fr. Enan just completed his one month visit wih us. Fr. Oscar will be coming again to visit us during the month of September. His Bishop has given him permission to pursue his doctoral degree in Canon Law. It means more time in Rome. It also means that he can visit us more times as well. Fr. Oscar is presently visiting his family in Columbia. He will be there for two months before his coming to New Bedford. We welcome him. We thank him for giving us another opportunity of getting to know the Hispanic Community through him. PARISH FINANCIAL COUNCIL REPORTS On the collections for the month of July Sunday, July 6 $ 2, 530.60 Maintenance $ 1,183.00 Sunday, July 13 $2,470.83 Sunday, July 20 $ 2,125.12 Sunday, July 29 $ 2,017 FR. SEBASTIAN THANKS YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL GENEROSTY! The collection that was taken last weekend for the work of the Vincentian Fathers of India was $1,362.00 |
