Shalom (Peace)! NEW FEAST OF THE MOTHER OF …. Hilary of Poitiers in his treatise on the Trinity...
2
Dear Visitation Family, Shalom (Peace)! Who is not devastated by the death of a loved one, or dumbfounded and shaken in the face of the sudden and sad demise of someone young or innocent? We all are. My former parishioner Kathy Klock, a 34 year-old mother of three children, aged 5, 3 and 2 months was diagnosed with cancer the week she gave birth to her little daughter this February and died within the next two months. Like her family and friends, I am still in deep shock about her untimely and rapid death. Death breaks our hearts and shatters our dreams. What is worse still, it can shake up our faith. The reason why death is known as the ultimate enemy of the humans is because it separates us permanently from our loved ones here on earth. It is cruel and harsh not to see or hear our dear ones anymore! The Liturgy of the Word for this Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time begins with a very powerful verse in the First reading (Wis 1:13-1`5; 2:23-24): “God did not make death.” When we hear the moving story of Jesus raising the twelve-year old girl from death in today’s gospel (Mk. 5:21-43) it certainly can inspire hope and encouragement. It surely demonstrates Jesus’ power and authority over death. Hopefully, these words from Scripture are comforting and reassuring to all of us, especially to so many people who are hurt and angry with God because of the loss of a loved one. But if Jesus can raise the dead back to life, and that is good news, why would He give strict orders, as He does at the end of today’s gospel, that no one should know this? While as God, Jesus can and does cure people and raise the dead back to life, His greater concern is to save us from the real Death. He wants us to seek deliverance from that Death. For, like the only son of the widow of Nain and Lazarus of Bethany, Jesus’ friend , who according to the gospels were the only other two who were also raised from the dead by Jesus, Jairus’ little girl, raised to life by Jesus had to die, some day. Of course even Jesus who raised these people from the dead died, right? Won’t we all, like every one before us, die one day even if we believe in Jesus? Yes! That’s certainly true. Death will really and physically separate us from our family and friends here on earth. After all, we were not made to live here forever. As much as we may want to never leave this world, we all have to. That is the physical death which is a consequence of the original sin. Bad as it may seem, this death is not the worst, since there is the resurrection of the body. God created us to live with Him forever in a life that is quite different from this present life. Then there is the spiritual death, which many who are physically alive could well be experiencing. There are many things that may have dulled or even seem to have killed the potential in some people for faith, hope, and charity. In many ways we write people off as spiritually or morally dead and conclude there is no hope for them. Like the woman who suffered from hemorrhage for twelve years, having unsuccessfully spent all her savings and time on physicians, finally turned to Jesus and was healed by touching His garment, we who are spiritually dead can find a new life when we reach out and touch Jesus, especially through the Holy Sacraments. Just as Jesus took the hand of the twelve-year old dead child, and brought her back to life from the sleep of death, He can awaken those we have written off as spiritually dead to new life by His grace. Then there is the Death, which the Scripture refers to especially in the first reading, and that is Eternal Death, a separation not only from our human family and friends, but from God and His family; a separation not for some time, but for all eternity. God did not make that Death for us; it is our choice and the work of the devil. “By the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it.”(Wis 2:24). But as St. Paul so eloquently describes in his letters, and as today’s gospel with the two beautiful miracle stories so dramatically illustrates, the only person who can save us from the misery and peril in this world and the Eternal Death is Jesus Christ. And as Jairus, the father of the twelve year old girl who was dying expressed his trust in Jesus by going on his knees begging Him to save her, and as the woman suffering for twelve years with the flow of blood expressed her trust by going into the crowd and daring to touch the garment of Jesus with certain faith, the only thing that can save us from eternal death is to express our trust in Jesus by co-operating with the grace of God through our faithful discipleship, and sing with the psalmist: “I will praise you Lord, you have rescued me!”(Ps 30). Even if our sin separates us from God and community as did the hemorrhage and death in the case of the woman and the girl from their community in the gospel passage, God is willing to touch us and allow us to touch Him, not only for us to be well and alive, but that by proclaiming His salvific action in our lives, and by contributing generously to the needy, as St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to do (2Cor 8:7-13), we can bring others closer to Christ and His Kingdom. Let us be Growing Disciples of Jesus, and for Jesus! God bless and Mary protect you and yours! I’m blessed to be your father in Christ! Fr. Edwin Kagoo THY WILL, LORD! “ENCOUNTERING CHRIST” CAMPAIGN As the diocese of Austin celebrates its platinum jubilee (75 years), our Bishop Joe Vasquez who thanks God for His abundant blessings that help this diocese grow together and stronger as a giving and caring community of faith. He is launching a Capital and Endowment Campaign to secure a vibrant and secure future for this diocese so that we may continue to encounter Christ in our liturgies and ministries. He hopes that this campaign will provide support to our clergy and promote the growth of the Christian laity. He is inviting all of us to support him in this ENCOUNTERING CHRIST campaign. Already 11 parishes chosen as pilot parishes along with the lead gifts obtained by the bishop have raised $20 million of the $85 million goal. Our parish and 59 other parishes are asked to be part of Wave 1 phase of the campaign beginning now through this year. 30 % of the monies collected up to our parish goal of $150,000, and 70% of the monies collected over the goal amount will be returned to the parish for our church projects. We are encouraged to aim at 150% of our goal, to get better returns. You will be glad to know that in 2020, we will be celebrating 125 th year of the dedication of the current edifice (church) of our parish. As we help the diocese, God may be enabling us to be blessed here as a faith-filled community! You will be hearing more about this campaign every week until it is completed. For now, I invite you to say a prayer and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Thank you! HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! LET US PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND ALL OUR LEADERS! SAINT MARIA GORETTI Virgin and Martyr of the Church (1890-1902 A.D), whose optional memorial is on July 6 th was the daughter, the third of seven children of a poor Italian tenant- farmer and with no chance to go to school, never learnt to read or write. When she received her First Communion not long before her death at age 12 as a victim of sexual assault, she was one of the larger and somewhat backward members of the class. She may have had trouble with her catechism, but she had no trouble with her faith. In a complex world, her faith was simple: It is a privilege to be loved by God, and to love Him –at any cost. As the virtue of chastity dies the death of a thousand qualifications, she is a breath of sweet fresh air. The largest crowd ever assembled for a canonization-250,000- symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti. “Even if she had not been a martyr, she would still have been a saint, so holy was her everyday life.” Said Cardinal Salotti. On a hot afternoon in July, Maria was sitting at the top of the stairs of her cottage, mending a shirt, while her family was working the fields. A 18 year old young man from the neighborhood, called Allesandro approached her and attempted to rape her. Maria’s resistance enraged him and he stabbed her multiple times. She died several hours later in the hospital, but not before forgiving her assailant. Alessandro served his prison sentence of 30 years, and later underwent a conversion experience, and spent his old age near a Capuchin Friary. The short life and tragic death of Maria Goretti reminds us that we live in a violent society. We live in a society that has sexualized most areas of life. Movies, entertainment, music, humor, situation comedies, and serious drama all contain highly sexualized content. Apart from triggering the darkest and most powerful desires within human beings, they denigrate human beings. Pornography is a mammoth industry in our time. There is an abundance of pornography on the internet. In this world of prolific exposure to sin against purity, Maria Goretti stands tall as a beautiful example of someone who refused to commit a sin. She was defending her human dignity as made in the image of God, her life as a follower of Jesus, as well as seeking to prevent her assailant from sinning. She died for her effort. But her resistance reminds us that we too must work to restore some sense of decency to our media and to our culture. It will not happen automatically. The alternative is a descent into darkness. Reflection: “Mother, even if my body were to be cut to pieces, I shall never commit sin” (St. Maria Goretti). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ “Unity of life is what we long for. It is the sense that our life is one- not many parts or many compartments, but one living, breathing, ordered life. Unity of life gives birth to inner peace. It is the opposite of the conflicted and divided feeling. Unity of life is the result of aligning our actions with our actions with our beliefs, and it leads to a life of integrity, a life that is whole, a life that is undivided. You cannot leave your ethics and beliefs at the door of your workplace and still hope to live a life of harmony and unity. You cannot set certain values and beliefs aside when you are socializing with certain friends and hope to maintain your inner peace. Character and beliefs are not a light switch to be turned on and off or a coat and hat to be left in the waiting room. They are part of the very fabric of our being. And when we treat them as optional accessories or disposable, we create deep divisions within ourselves.” says Matthew Kelly in his book ‘Perfectly Yourself’ pg.109-111. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Transcript of Shalom (Peace)! NEW FEAST OF THE MOTHER OF …. Hilary of Poitiers in his treatise on the Trinity...
Dear Visitation Family, Shalom (Peace)!
Who is not devastated by the death of a loved one, or dumbfounded and shaken in the face of the sudden and sad demise of someone young or innocent? We all are. My former parishioner Kathy Klock, a 34 year-old mother of three children, aged 5, 3 and 2 months was diagnosed with cancer the week she gave birth to her little daughter this February and died within the next two months. Like her family and friends, I am still in deep shock about her untimely and rapid death. Death breaks our hearts and shatters our dreams. What is worse still, it can shake up our faith. The reason why death is known as the ultimate enemy of the humans is because it separates us permanently from our loved ones here on earth. It is cruel and harsh not to see or hear our dear ones anymore!
The Liturgy of the Word for this Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time begins with a very powerful verse in the First reading (Wis 1:13-1`5; 2:23-24): “God did not make death.” When we hear the moving story of Jesus raising the twelve-year old girl from death in today’s gospel (Mk. 5:21-43) it certainly can inspire hope and encouragement. It surely demonstrates Jesus’ power and authority over death. Hopefully, these words from Scripture are comforting and reassuring to all of us, especially to so many people who are hurt and angry with God because of the loss of a loved one. But if Jesus can raise the dead back to life, and that is good news, why would He give strict orders, as He does at the end of today’s gospel, that no one should know this? While as God, Jesus can and does cure people and raise the dead back to life, His greater concern is to save us from the real Death. He wants us to seek deliverance from that Death.
For, like the only son of the widow of Nain and Lazarus of Bethany, Jesus’ friend , who according to the gospels were the only other two who were also raised from the dead by Jesus, Jairus’ little girl, raised to life by Jesus had to die, some day. Of course even Jesus who raised these people from the dead died, right? Won’t we all, like every one before us, die one day even if we believe in Jesus? Yes! That’s certainly true. Death will really and physically separate us from our family and friends here on earth. After all, we were not made to live here forever. As much as we may want to never leave this world, we all have to. That is the physical death which is a consequence of the original sin. Bad as it may seem, this death is not the worst, since there is the resurrection of the body. God created us to live with Him forever in a life that is quite different from this present life.
Then there is the spiritual death, which many who are physically alive could well be experiencing. There are many things that may have dulled or even seem to have killed the potential in some people for faith, hope, and charity. In many ways we write people off as spiritually or morally dead and conclude there is no hope for them. Like the woman who suffered from hemorrhage for twelve years, having unsuccessfully spent all her savings and time on physicians, finally turned to Jesus and was healed by touching His garment, we who are spiritually dead can find a new life when we reach out and touch Jesus, especially through the Holy Sacraments. Just as Jesus took the hand of the twelve-year old dead child, and brought her back to life from the sleep of death, He can awaken those we have written off as spiritually dead to new life by His grace.
Then there is the Death, which the Scripture refers to especially in the first reading, and that is Eternal Death, a separation not only from our human family and friends, but from God and His family; a separation not for some time, but for all eternity. God did not make that Death for us; it is our choice and the work of the devil. “By the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it.”(Wis 2:24). But as St. Paul so eloquently describes in his letters, and as today’s gospel with the two beautiful miracle stories so dramatically illustrates, the only person who can save us from the misery and peril in this world and the Eternal Death is Jesus Christ. And as Jairus, the father of the twelve year old girl who was dying expressed his trust in Jesus by going on his knees begging Him to save her, and as the woman suffering for twelve years with the flow of blood expressed her trust by going into the crowd and daring to touch the garment of Jesus with certain faith, the only thing that can save us from eternal death is to express our trust in Jesus by co-operating with the grace of God through our faithful discipleship, and sing with the psalmist: “I will praise you Lord, you have rescued me!”(Ps 30).
Even if our sin separates us from God and community as did the hemorrhage and death in the case of the woman and the girl from their community in the gospel passage, God is willing to touch us and allow us to touch Him, not only for us to be well and alive, but that by proclaiming His salvific action in our lives, and by contributing generously to the needy, as St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to do (2Cor 8:7-13), we can bring others closer to Christ and His Kingdom. Let us be Growing Disciples of Jesus, and for Jesus!
God bless and Mary protect you and yours! I’m blessed to be your father in Christ!
Fr. Edwin Kagoo THY WILL, LORD!
“ENCOUNTERING CHRIST” CAMPAIGN
As the diocese of Austin celebrates its platinum jubilee (75 years), our Bishop Joe Vasquez who thanks God for His
abundant blessings that help this diocese grow together and stronger as a giving and caring community of faith. He is
launching a Capital and Endowment Campaign to secure a vibrant and secure future for this diocese so that we may
continue to encounter Christ in our liturgies and ministries. He hopes that this campaign will provide support to our
clergy and promote the growth of the Christian laity. He is inviting all of us to support him in this ENCOUNTERING
CHRIST campaign. Already 11 parishes chosen as pilot parishes along with the lead gifts obtained by the bishop have
raised $20 million of the $85 million goal. Our parish and 59 other parishes are asked to be part of Wave 1 phase of the
campaign beginning now through this year. 30 % of the monies collected up to our parish goal of $150,000, and 70% of
the monies collected over the goal amount will be returned to the parish for our church projects. We are encouraged to
aim at 150% of our goal, to get better returns. You will be glad to know that in 2020, we will be celebrating 125th year of
the dedication of the current edifice (church) of our parish. As we help the diocese, God may be enabling us to be blessed
here as a faith-filled community! You will be hearing more about this campaign every week until it is completed. For
now, I invite you to say a prayer and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Thank you!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! LET US PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND ALL OUR LEADERS!
SAINT MARIA GORETTI Virgin and Martyr of the Church (1890-1902 A.D), whose optional
memorial is on July 6th was the daughter, the third of seven children of a poor Italian tenant-
farmer and with no chance to go to school, never learnt to read or write. When she received her First Communion not long before her death at age 12 as a victim of sexual assault, she was one of the larger and somewhat backward members of the class. She may have had trouble with her catechism, but she had no trouble with her faith. In a complex world, her faith was simple: It is a privilege to be loved by God, and to love Him –at any cost. As the virtue of chastity dies the death of a thousand qualifications, she is a breath of sweet fresh air. The largest crowd ever assembled for a canonization-250,000- symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti. “Even if she had not been a martyr, she would still have been a saint, so holy was her everyday life.” Said Cardinal Salotti. On a hot afternoon in July, Maria was sitting at the top of the stairs of her cottage, mending a shirt, while her family was working the fields. A 18 year old young
man from the neighborhood, called Allesandro approached her and attempted to rape her. Maria’s resistance enraged him and he stabbed her multiple times. She died several hours later in the hospital, but not before forgiving her assailant. Alessandro served his prison sentence of 30 years, and later underwent a conversion experience, and spent his old age near a Capuchin Friary. The short life and tragic death of Maria Goretti reminds us that we live in a violent society. We live in a society that has sexualized most areas of life. Movies, entertainment, music, humor, situation comedies, and serious drama all contain highly sexualized content. Apart from triggering the darkest and most powerful desires within human beings, they denigrate human beings. Pornography is a mammoth industry in our time. There is an abundance of pornography on the internet. In this world of prolific exposure to sin against purity, Maria Goretti stands tall as a beautiful example of someone who refused to commit a sin. She was defending her human dignity as made in the image of God, her life as a follower of Jesus, as well as seeking to prevent her assailant from sinning. She died for her effort. But her resistance reminds us that we too must work to restore some sense of decency to our media and to our culture. It will not happen automatically. The alternative is a descent into darkness.
Reflection: “Mother, even if my body were to be cut to pieces, I shall never commit sin” (St. Maria
Goretti). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Unity of life is what we long for. It is the sense that our life is one- not many parts or many compartments, but one living, breathing, ordered life. Unity of life gives birth to inner peace. It is the opposite of the conflicted and divided feeling. Unity of life is the result of aligning our actions with our actions with our beliefs, and it leads to a life of integrity, a life that is whole, a life that is undivided. You cannot leave your ethics and beliefs at the door of your workplace and still hope to live a life of harmony and unity. You cannot set certain values and beliefs aside when you are
socializing with certain friends and hope to maintain your inner peace. Character and beliefs are not a light switch to be turned on and off or a coat and hat to be left in the waiting room. They are part of the very fabric of our being. And when we treat them as optional accessories or disposable, we create deep divisions within ourselves.” says Matthew Kelly in his book ‘Perfectly Yourself’ pg.109-111.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MASS INTENTIONS & LITURGICAL MINISTRY SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK
Weekend Mass
Intentions
Sat, 06/30 – 6.30pm
Thirteenth Sunday
Sun, -07/01–8:00am
Thirteenth Sunday
Sat, 07//07 – 6.00pm
Fourteenth Sunday
Sun, 07/08-8:00am
Fourteenth Sunday
+Erwin Kahlig
+Gladys Kahlig
+Warren Martin
Parishioners
+Ronnie Ranly
+Alois Ketterman
Parishioners
Altar Servers
Adam Herwald
Bryce Fikes
Jackson Palmer
Mike Lewis
Logan Kleypas
Carter Kleypas
Mike Lewis
Logan Kleypas
Carter Kleypas
Brenden Doskocil
James Lorenz
Addison Wilde
Lector Renae Willberg JoeAnn Kalmbach Pattie Kalmbach Jerry Loden
Gift Bearers Otis Meier Family Kenneth Kahlig Family Johnny Polach Family Gary Ketterman Family
Ushers Calvin Wilde &
Craig Ordner
Johnny Polach &
Charles Moeller
Mike Heise &
Michael Heise
Chris Hrabal &
Lynwood Kleypas
Extra. Min. of HC Geraldine Kahlig Pattie Kalmbach Kolby Kosel Janet Loden
Rosary Leaders Mike & Sylvia Heise James & Jan e Kahlig Elmer &
Geraldine Hoelscher James & Jane Kahlig
Voc.Cross Family James & Jane Kahlig Al & Lou Buckholt
Money Counters David & Mandy Alexander, Paula Niemeyer, Marilyn
Rudloff Neal & Tammy Ryan & Jay & Joyce Wimberley
Church Cleaners 06//30 & 7/07 – Frances Hering, Janet Loden, Joyce Wimberley, Belinda Hering, Kim Hughling, Grace Frei
Weekday Mass Intentions
Tue, 07/03– 8:00am Wed, 07/04– 8:00am Thu, 07/05– 8:00am Fri, 07/06-8:00am
+Lewis Hoelscher
+Olivia Hoelscher
NO MASS +Evelyn Zeig
+Larry R. Hoelscher
+Charlotte Ann Thornton
+Warren Martin
“Peter’s Pence” Special Collection taken up this weekend will be sent through the diocese to the Holy See for the
Pope’s discretionary use towards humanitarian causes and charity. Thank you!
“Building Maintenance Fund” Second Collection will be next weekend. This will help the parish for repairs and
maintenance of the building and facilities, Thank you! Please be generous!
Altar Servers’ Monthly Meeting for July will be on Saturday, July 21st at 10.30 am. Please note the change of date.
Monthly Parish Socials for July will be the pan-cake breakfast sponsored by the Knights of Columbus at the Parish Hall
next Sunday after Mass.
Knights of Columbus Annual Blood Drive and Pancake Breakfast will be on Sunday, July 8th from 9.00am to
12:00pm. All blood donors will receive a voucher for a free pint of Blue Bell ice cream. Sign-up sheet is in church
narthex.
Sanctuary Candle in July, in memoriam: Charlotte Ann Thornton and Marvin Wilde.
The Sick and the Suffering requesting our prayers: Layla Grace Evetts,, Raegan Ray, Carter Ray, Ty Stock, JoeAnn
Kalmbach, Pattie Kalmbach, Terry Frenzel, Louise Engram, Jeff Bernsen, Josie Kleypas, Dennis Fuchs, Beatrice Arnold, Mike
Meyer, Bobby Bulls, Sister Benedict Zimmer, Charles Ordner, Don Drake, Al Buckholt, Gene Kreger, Edwin Green, Craig
Thornton, Grace Hoelscher, Nancy Blanca, Philip Gaspar, Jason Rutkoski, Madeline Phillips. THANK YOU for your spiritual
work of mercy!
Tuesday, July 2nd Knights of Columbus @ 6:30pm Regular $1,568.00
Thursday, July 5th Historical Society @ 7:00pm Children’s $12.00 THANK YOU & GOD BLESS YOU!
Parish of the Visitation
Westphalia, Texas Diocese of Austin
144 County Road 3000, Lott, Texas 76656
254-584-4983
Rev. Edwin Kagoo, Pastor Deacon Bill Smetana
Deacon Charlie Wright Deacon Julian Tyboroski
MASSES: Saturday – 6:00 pm & Sunday – 8:00 am Tuesday- Friday- 8:00 am (Wed. 7:20 am on school days)
RECONCILIATION: Prior to Weekend Masses
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 01, 2018 Encountering Christ leading to Transformation
Our Mission is to:
SEE Jesus in Life and Liturgy & BE Jesus in Family and Community
LISTEN TO CATHOLIC RADIO LOCALLY @ 98.3 FM
When was the last time you invited someone to be a priest or a religious? Do it today!
**************************************************************************************
