Divine Mercy Catholic Church

2231 Club Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95835

Tel: (916) 256-3134 www.divinemercynatomas.com

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 am-4:00 pm

MISSION STATEMENT ~ To establish a faith-filled community bonded by love. To

proclaim the good news, foster personal encounters with the living Christ and strengthen the

family by witnessing the gospel values of love, mercy, justice, forgiveness and service to all.

Mass Schedule

Sacrament of Penance

Please call the Parish Office Anointing of the Sick

Please call the Parish Office. Rosary

English: 30 mins before every Mass Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Immediately after every Mass

Father Eric Flores ihorderic_56@yahoo.com

Deacon Rick Morales deacon@divinemercynatomas.com

Deacon James Ogbonna deaconjames@divinemercynatomas.com

Sacraments and Rosaries

Saturday Vigil Mass 5:00 PM

Sunday Mass 7:30 AM

10:00 AM

12:30 PM

Youth Mass 5:00 PM

Every 1st Sunday of the Month Spanish Mass 5:00 PM

Every 2nd Sunday of the Month

Filipino Mass 5:00 PM Every 3rd Sunday of the month

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WEEKDAY MASSES

Mon - Wed - Fri 6:30 PM

Tue - Thur - Sat 8:30 AM

Every Friday Holy Hour 3 - 6 PM

(Blessed Sacrament Exposed)

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am meek and humble of heart;

and you will find rest for yourselves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Matthew 11:29-30

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 5, 2020

Look inside for a change of

process after the Mass.

Confessions at

Divine Mercy are on

Saturdays From 3:45-4:45 pm

Holy Hour

Fridays

at 3:00 pm

Welcome

Father Eric Flores

Page 2 A Word From...

SAINTS AND READINGS OF THE WEEK

Sunday, July 5 St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

ZEC 9:9-10; PS 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14; ROM 8:9, 11-13; CF. MT 11:25;

MT 11:25-30

Monday, July 6 St. Maria Goretti

HOS 2:16, 17C-18, 21-22; PS 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 2 TM 1:10; MT 9:18-26

Tuesday, July 7 Bl. Ralph Milner

HOS 8:4-7, 11-13; PS 115:3-4, 5-6, 7AB-8, 9-10; JN 10:14; MT 9:32-38

Wednesday, July 8 St. Grimbald

HOS 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; PS 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7; MK 1:15; MT 10:1-7

Thursday, July 9 St. Veronica Giuliani

HOS 11:1-4, 8E-9; PS 80:2AC AND 3B, 15-16; MK 1:15; MT 10:7-15

Friday, July 10 Bl. Emmanuel Ruiz

HOS 14:2-10; PS 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14 AND 17; JN 16:13A; 14:26D;

MT 10:16-23

Saturday, July 11 St. Benedict of Nursia

IS 6:1-8; PS 93:1AB, 1CD-2, 5; 1 PT 4:14; MT 10:24-33

Humility is the foundation of

the spiritual life. In Sunday’s

Gospel Reading Jesus teach-

es us how to lay this founda-

tion. Jesus shows us that

humility is at the heart of of all

progress in the spiritual

life. Note that this is more

than just saying that humility

is the first lesson learned by spiritual beginners. Jesus is going further,

insisting that humility is at the heart of the progress made each day by the

most spiritually advanced saints.

In the portraits of Jesus painted by the four evangelists, Jesus rarely

speaks out loud to God the Father. Yet in today’s Gospel Reading, Jesus

not only speaks to the Father, but exclaims, saying: “I give praise to you,

Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these

things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little

ones.”

No matter how old you are, no matter how far you have already pro-

gressed in the spiritual life, humility is the soil needed for further growth. If

you are a farmer, or even if you garden, you know that when it comes to

growing things from the earth, there’s good soil and there’s bad

soil. There’s soil that’s rich in nutrients and moisture, and then there’s soil

that’s dry and depleted of nutrients.

If we want to say, then, that the soil of humility is meant to be rich in spir-

itual nutrients and moisture, what are we saying? Why does humility

make for rich spiritual soil? Saint Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite reformer

who lived in the sixteenth century, stated:

“While we are on this earth nothing is more important to us than humility.

… In my opinion we shall never completely know ourselves if we don’t

strive to know God. By gazing at His grandeur, we get in touch with our

own lowliness… by pondering His humility, we shall see how far we are

from being humble” [The Interior Castle I,2,9].

St. Teresa makes plain that focusing upon God rather than upon oneself is

key to fostering humility. Yet St. Paul in Sunday’s Second Reading

speaks about another key way of shifting one’s attention in the spiritual life

from what is less important to what is greater. St. Paul explains the im-

portance of focusing upon the human spirit rather than upon human flesh.

What does St. Paul mean in the Second Reading when he states to the

Romans: “You are not in the flesh”? Obviously, no one would deny that

each Christian making his way through life on this earth journeys within a

human body. We all live with flesh and blood. The human body is an

essential part of making one’s pilgrimage through life.

But when St. Paul insists that “You are not in the flesh”, he’s shifting atten-

tion to the principle by which the pilgrim can bring focus to his earthly

life. That is to ask the following: is gratification of the flesh’s five senses

the motivating principle for the pilgrim’s choices? Or does that pilgrim

live “in the spirit”, meaning that his choices seek to allow the Holy Spirit to

rule—to give order and aim—to the pilgrim’s journey?

Throughout the Church’s history, this contrast between the flesh and the

spirit has led to many heresies. St. Augustine of Hippo, a fifth-century

bishop in northern Africa, spent many years before his baptism as a mem-

ber of a sect based upon one such heresy. This group believed that the

difference between flesh and spirit was not only a contrast, but a sharp

division between evil and good. To grow in holiness meant to reject not

only the flesh, but everything material.

“… for although you

have hidden these

things from the wise

and the learned you

have revealed them to

little ones. “

What that heresy ignores is that “in the beginning”, God created the heav-

ens and the earth and everything within them, both visible and invisi-

ble. Within the first chapter of Genesis, we hear that God “looked at every-

thing He had made, and found it very good” [Gn 1:31]. Material things

cannot be made evil. Only persons and their actions can be evil, by putting

last things first. Material things are among the last that matter in life, be-

cause they will not last. Knowing this truth and ordering one’s choices

according to it foster humility, disposing oneself to abiding more fully in

God.+

Fr. Thomas Hoisington

https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/reflections/2020-07-05/

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:25-30: Jesus prays in thanks to God, who

has revealed himself to the lowly.

Background on the Gospel Reading: Today’s reading from Matthew’s Gos-

pel comes after a discourse in which Jesus reproaches people who have

witnessed his mighty deeds yet still lack belief. In this context, today’s Gospel

explains the reason for this unbelief and reveals what is necessary for faith.

Today’s Gospel also continues to enhance our understanding of discipleship

as last week’s Gospel did. Jesus first prays in thanksgiving to God who has

made himself known to Jesus’ disciples. He praises God who has made him-

self known to the “little ones” and not to the wise and learned. As in other

recent readings from Matthew’s Gospel, a contrast is made here between the

unbelieving Pharisees, who are wise and learned, and the faithful disciples,

tax collectors, and sinners with whom Jesus keeps company.

The second part of this reading calls to our attention the unity between the

Father and the Son. God has made himself known through Jesus, and in

knowing Jesus, we come to know the Father. In Jesus’ life and in his person,

God reveals himself to us.

In the concluding sentences of today’s Gospel, Jesus’ teaching is again con-

trasted to the teaching of the Pharisees. This common theme of Matthew’s

Gospel probably reflects tension that existed between Jesus and the Phari-

sees and between the Pharisees and the community of Christians for whom

Matthew wrote. Pharisaic Judaism became the predominant form of Judaism

after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem about 70 A.D. Here that ten-

sion is expressed as alternative paths of holiness. The careful observance of

the Mosaic law taught by the Pharisees could be experienced by some as

difficult and burdensome. In contrast, Jesus’ way of holiness is presented as

uncomplicated and even restful.

Sunday Connection-Loyola Press-

www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/sundayconnection/

Page 3 “Pray without ceasing-”...I Thessalonians 5:17

Prayers of the Faithful, July 5, 2020 Stewardship Bulletin Reflection — July 5, 2020

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

ZEC 9:9-10; PS 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14; ROM 8:9, 11-13; MT 11:25-30

The theme of humility is central to our readings today. God Himself is a humble

God, so if we wish to follow Him as

Christian stewards, we too, must

be humble. In fact, humility is key

to the stewardship way of life, and

to a peaceful and fulfilling life.

In our Gospel passage from Mat-

thew, Jesus Himself speaks to the

Father of the privileged role that

humble souls play in God’s plan of

salvation. “I give praise to you,

Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

for although you have hidden these

things from the wise and the

learned you have revealed them to

little ones.”

What does it mean to be a “little

one”? It means that we acknowledge we don’t have it all figured out, but that we

are very much in need of a savior. It means we recognize that all we are and all

we have been given is a gift from God. It means we embrace the stewardship way

of life.

It is not easy, but deep peace and consola-

tion come with this way of life. Jesus offers

these warm and encouraging words to

entice us to embrace it. “Come to me, all

you who labor and are burdened, and I will

give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and

learn from me, for I am meek and humble of

heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Let us resolve to follow in the footsteps of our Savior, embracing the humble path

of stewardship. It is the path that leads to peace here and now, and ultimately

leads us to heaven.— Stewardship Reflections by Catholic Stewardship Con-

sultants

As we praise the goodness of the Lord, we present our petitions to our

heavenly Father.

For the Holy Father and all Bishops, that they will be strengthened and

guided by the Holy Spirit in their leadership of the Church.

For the priests serving in this Diocese, that the Lord will strengthen,

protect and encourage them in their service.

For all those called to the priesthood or consecrated life in this Diocese,

that they will enthusiastically answer the call.

For unity and healing for our nation on this Independence Day week-

end.

For an end to abortion and respect for life from conception to natural

death.

For all those that have been recently Initiated into the Church, that their

joy will be complete as they live the faith in its fullness.

For a cure for the coronavirus, healing for the sick, strength for their

families and courage and protection for those who care for them.

That God will have mercy on all those that have died and console those

that mourn their passing.

Prayers for the Sick

Samuel Walden

Fr. Cesar Ageas Divine Mercy Catholic Church is not liable to users of

the data or information provided herein, or to any

other party, for any loss or damage, consequential or

otherwise, including but not limited to time, money or

goodwill, arising from the use, operation or modifica-

tion of the data or information

Prayers for the military

Allen Jay Cayabyab, USAF

Chad Cayabyab, US Marines PO2

TSTT Jesse R. Bose, USAF

Jose Robledo, US Army

LCpl Alex Penick, US Marines

Deven Aguiar-Frank, USAF

Jonah Edward Pagala, US Navy

Vincent Santos, US Air Force

Capt Jessica G. Dacpano ,USAF

Christopher Robledo, Navy

Veronica Santos, Air Force

Peter Mibach, Navy

Ricardo Perez Jr. U.S. Army

Page 4 Mark Your Calendars

MASS INTENTIONS

dmprayerwarriors@yahoo.com

Sunday, July 5

7:30 am Fr. Eric

*10:00 am Bess Dagcasin + Fr. Eric

Cora Belen +

*12:30 pm Oscar Penaloza + Fr. Eric

*5:00 pm Rosalia & Gerardo Rosario + Fr Eric

Monday, July 6

6:30 pm Oscar Penaloza + Fr. Eric

Regina Ruport (Serious Illness)

Alicia De Leon Guerrero +

Cora Belen +

Tuesday, July 7

8:30 am Angel Escarcha + Fr. Eric

Eusebio Naniong, Sr. + (Death Anniversary)

Florentina & Johnny Edwards +

Bertha Ned +

Cora Belen +

Wednesday, July 8

6:30 pm Bertha Ned + Fr Eric

Cora Belen +

Thursday, July 9

8:30 am Bertha Ned + Fr. Eric

Cora Belen +

Friday, July 10

6:30 pm Fr. Eric

Saturday, July 11

8:30 am Fr Eric

5:00 pm Fr Eric

Sunday, July 12

7:30 am Fr. Eric

*10:00 am Bess Dagcasin + Fr. Eric

*12:30 pm Fr. Eric

*5:00 pm SPANISH MASS Fr Eric

Confessions at

Divine Mercy

Catholic Church

Saturdays

at

3:45 pm –4:45 pm

Holy Hour

Fridays

at 3:00 pm

Come and

adore him!

A “practical” change has been made to our pandemic

processes in the church. THIS APPLIES TO MASSES

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ONLY! We will be sanitiz-

ing behind ourselves at the conclusion of the Mass. On-

ly takes a minute. We’ve made it as easy and conven-

ient as possible.

This applies to Mass,

Monday through Friday only!

Sign a declaration form.

Use the hand sanitizer.

Take a spray bottle.

Take a paper towel.

Go into the Church for seating.

At the conclusion of Mass, please spray the area

where you have been seated, wipe it down with the

paper towel.

Please return the bottle to the box at the Font.

Please leave your paper towel in the receptacle

(Masks are always required. Declarations must always be signed.

The cleaning service will continue to disinfect the Church on the

weekends.)

Page 5 Giving is Worship

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR PARISH

SHARING OUR TREASURE Fiscal Year July 2018- June 2019

The Mortgage Reduction Offering is THIS Weekend!

Please prayerfully consider what you can give to help

the Church’s efforts in reducing the balance on the

mortgage.

For Week Ending June 28, 2020

OFFERTORY REQUIREMENTS (July 2019 - June 2020)

Average 4 week Month Requirement $ 60,000

Weekly Average Requirements $ 15,000

Week of: 7-Jun wk 1 $ 6,620

Week of: 14-Jun wk 2 $ 17,191

Week of: 21-Jun wk 3 $ 7,292

Week of: 28-Jun wk 4 $ 9,816

Total Collections This Month $ 40,919

Note: The Above Amounts Do Not Include Fundraising Donations.

CHURCH MORTGAGE Mortgage Loan Balance 6/26/2020 $ 1,947,310

This Week:

Weekend Mass Attendance = 285

Weekend Offertory Collection = $5,099

Offertory Donations From Connect Now Giving = $1,533

Mortgage Reduction Donations From Offertory = $2,184 Mortgage Reduction From Connect Now Giving = $1,000

Peter's Pence Diocesan Collection = $392

Plan ahead, sign up for Connect Now Giving

God Bless You for Your Continuing Generosity

Have your gift recorded by using envelopes. We will provide you with a record of your tax-deductible donations every year. Don’t have enve-

lopes? Call Parish office to request – it’s easy!

Page 6 Divine Mercy Catholic Church Ministries

Pope Francis at Mass: ‘Generosity enlarges the heart’

In his homily at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Monday, Pope Francis says

Christians need to be generous towards the poor, and warns against the

“disease of consumerism”.

Pope Francis invited Christians to be generous towards the poor, saying a chari-

table attitude opens the heart and helps us to be kinder. He also warned that the

enemy of generosity is consumerism, where we buy more than we need.

The Holy Father said there are many places in the Gospels in which Jesus con-

trasts the rich and the poor. He said we can think of Jesus’ comment to the rich

young man: “It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heav-

en” (Mt 19:23).

Pope Francis said some would call Christ “a communist”. “The Lord, when he

said these things, knew that behind riches there always lurks the evil spirit: the

spirit of the world,” he said. But, the Pope noted, Jesus also said: “No one can

serve two masters” (Mt 6:24).

Generosity comes from faith in God: In the day’s Gospel (Lk 21:1-4), the

wealthy “who were putting their offerings in the treasury” are contrasted with the

poor widow “who put in two small coins”.

Pope Francis said the rich in this episode “are not evil” but “are good people

who go to the Temple and make their offering.”

“Widows, orphans, migrants, and foreigners were the poorest people in Israel,”

he said. The widow “had offered her whole livelihood”, because she trusted in

the Lord. “She gives everything,” the Pope said, “because the Lord is greater

than all else. The message of this Gospel passage is an invitation to generosi-

ty.”

Try to do good: Turning to statistics about the amount of poverty in today’s

world, Pope Francis said the many children who die of hunger or lack medicine

are an invitation to ask ourselves: “But how can I resolve this situation?” This

question, he said, comes from the desire to do good.

“An appeal to generosity. Generosity belongs to everyday life; it’s something we

should think: ‘How can I be more generous, with the poor, the needy… How can

I help more?’ ‘But Father, you know that we can barely get through the month.’

‘But surely you have at least a couple of coins left over? Think about it: you can

be generous with those…’ Consider the little things. For example, look through

your room or your wardrobe. How many pairs of shoes do I have? One, two,

three, four, fifteen, twenty… Each of us knows. Maybe too many… I knew a

monsignor who had 40… But if you have many pairs of shoes, give away half.

How many clothes do I not use or use only once a year? This is one way to be

generous, to give what we have, and to share.”

Disease of consumerism: Pope Francis then told a story about a lady he met

who, when she went grocery shopping, spent 10% on buying food for the poor.

He said she gave her “tithe” to the poor.

“We can do miracles through generosity. Generosity in little things. Maybe we

don’t do it because we just don’t think about it. The Gospel message makes us

reflect: How can I be more generous? Just a little more, not much… ‘It’s true,

Father, you’re right but… I don’t know why, but I’m always afraid…’ But nowa-

days there is another disease, which works against generosity: The disease of

consumerism.”

Pope Francis said consumerism consists in always buying things. He recalled

that, when he lived in Buenos Aires, “every weekend there was a TV show

about retail-tourism”. They would hop on an airplane on Friday evening, fly to a

country about 10 hours away, and then spend all Saturday shopping before

returning home on Sunday.

“It’s a terrible disease nowadays, consumerism. I’m not saying all of us do it, no.

But consumerism – excessive spending to buy more than we need – is a lack of

austerity in life. This is the enemy of generosity. And material generosity

– thinking about the poor: ‘I can give this so that they can eat or have

clothes’ – has an ulterior result: It enlarges the heart and helps us be

magnanimous.”

Generosity makes us magnanimous

Pope Francis said we need to have a magnanimous heart, where all can

enter. “Those wealthy people who gave money were good; that elderly

lady was a saint,” the Pope said.

Finally, the Holy Father invited us to be generous and to start by inspect-

ing our houses to discover “what we don’t need and could be useful for

someone else.” We should ask God, he said, “to free us” from that dan-

gerous disease of consumerism, which makes us slaves and creates

dependence on spending money. “Let us ask the Lord for the grace of

being generous, so that our hearts may be opened and we may become

kinder.” + https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope-francis/mass-casa-santa-

marta/2018-11/pope-francis-mass-generosity-enlarges-heart.html

A big THANK YOU to everyone who made

Father Soane’s Video Retirement a success!

IT TEAM:

JOHNELI IGNACIO – LEAD, Zoom Meeting

MALOU SANCHEZ- Backup, Zoom Expert, Video Clips

PHIL SERRANO – Lead, YouTube Live Stream

DENA SERRANO, Back-up, YouTube Live Stream

ARIEL PEREZ, Back-up, Zoom Meeting

ALBERT PLANTILLA – Zoom Expert

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Cynthia Laramie

Ron Wright

ADMINISTRATIVE HELP

Mayet Reina – Mosaic Picture Organizer; Created program handout

Julie Aninzo – helped to locate and reach out to previous parishioners

and speakers to the program

SUM MINISTRY HELP

Cynthia Laramie

NARTHEX DECORATIONS

Alison Leahy

Annie Reyes

SPEAKERS: Thank you all to those who participated and spoke during

the program. joined and viewed the program from their homes.

Bishop Jaime Soto

Antonette Agustin

Father Octavio Ventura

Father Michael Kiernan

Father Nicholas Ho

Sister Dolly Brophy

Sister Luz Manriquez

Deacon James Ogbonna

Deacon Rick Morales

Annie Reyes

Frank Cuzzo

Children’s Choir: Ainah & Levi Suva

Adult Choir: Marcia Pesek, Gwen and Bill Carlos

Youth Choir: Ethan Sanchez, Alaine Blasé, and Arielle Fisher

Tri-Council: Betty Abacan, Jeff Obrecht, Susan Wright

Maria Goretti Church Video Contribution

Malou Sanchez for Parishioners Video Clips showed during the program

Viewers: At the beginning of

the program, the viewers

count was logged at 113

then, it went down to 92 by

closing time.

Organizer: Cora Espanol – organized

Father Soane’s Zoom Retirement Pro-

gram, put together a group of IT Ex-

perts, selected the program participants

and prepared the program sequence

and invited the special guest speaker.

Page 7 Divine Mercy Catholic Church Ministries

Father Soane’s

Retirement Lunch

with the staff.

This is a picture of Father Soane made out of over 600 pictures of Father

Soane and the 10 years that he spent with us. This was his retirement gift

from the parish. Nice job done by everyone who worked to make this happen!

Call the

Church Office

at 916-256-3134

for a quote!