Trinity Sunday, June 15, 2025

Proverbs 8:   "The LORD possessed me, the beginning of his ways,  the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; from of old I was poured forth,  at the first, before the earth." 

Romans 5:  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.

John 16:  But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.  He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.

 


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David reads from the Book of Provers

 

Thanks…     

Music,   Ben 

Readers,  David & Dana

Homily,   

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,  Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing,  Rosemary

 

 

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Dana reads from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans

 

 

Remember these special people:

For our new Pope, Leo XIV;  For John Stack;    For Adam, that the doctors may find a remedy for his seizures; For Meredith ;   For Tom  Quinn;   For Warren Wittek; For Becky and Tom Good; For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Allen Stryker;   For Mike and Judy Carrell ; For Hue; For Jackie;   For Mary Hall's family and friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie;  For Ron ;  For Teresa Quinn's niece, Maddie who has a brain tumor;  

                                       

 

Jackie's sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;    from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation,  the families of Annie and Michael and her neighbor, Marie and the family;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

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Willow is baptized

 

 

Birthdays:   Mary Esparza 6/12, Bernadette Delgado 6/19

Anniversaries:   

 

Expenses: 1,025.00

Outreach: $   200.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

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Mary and Bernadette, the birthday girls

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

O God, we thank you for the fact that you have inspired men and women in all nations and in all cultures.

We call you different names: some call you Allah; some call you Elohim; some call you Jehovah; some call you Brahma; some call you the Unmoved Mover.  But we know that these are all names for one and the same God.

Grant that we will follow you and become so committed to your way and your kingdom that we will be able to establish in our lives and in this world a brother and sisterhood, that we will be able to establish here a kingdom of understanding, where men and women will live together as brothers and sisters and respect the dignity and worth of every human being. In the name and spirit of Jesus. Amen.

 

Taken from The prayers of Martin Luther King Jr.  by John Dear appearing in the National Catholic Reporter, January 15, 2013

 
 
 
John Stack Ministries meets on Sunday for Mass at 9:30 at The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano, Texas.
 

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

 Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

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  • Sunday Homily May 5, 2013, 6th Easter C

    Readings:

    Acts 15, 1-2, 22-29,  Unless you are circumcised, you cannot be saved.   

    Psalm 67,  Oh, God, let all the nations praise you

    Revelation 21, 10-14, 22-23,  The angel took me in spirit to a great, high mountain.

    John 14, 23-29,  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

    John 5-5-13

    John Cade celebrates.

     WHAT: Acts

    WHO: same as author of Gospel of Luke

    WHEN: late 60’s, before 70

    WHY: To further Paul’s desire to make “The Way” of Jesus’ followers acceptable to people in the Greco-Roman world of his time.

    Today’s reading from Chapter 15 of Acts gives us another example of how the followers of Jesus at that time were originally Jewish. We have no documents from the 20 years following Jesus’ death. Scholars conjecture that there were writings from that time that became sources for the authors of the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

    Chloe 5-5-13

    Chloe.

    Whether or not there were such documents, the focus of the Jesus movement was on the “kingdom of God.” The movement gathered around the belief that Jesus preached with urgency and intensity the need to establish God’s reign on earth. The movement was a way of life and was radical in its embrace of Jesus’ preaching.

    It is highly likely that in this 20 year period Jesus was considered by members of the movement to be a Jewish prophetical figure. The movement’s concern was to change this world. The focus was on Jesus’ preaching a way of life that would express the Divine Presence in human living and loving.

    Buddy 5-5-13

    Buddy with his momma, Michelle.

    It is also important to acknowledge that this was a Jewish movement rather than a new religion. There is no evidence to suggest that any members of the Jesus movement thought they were part of a new religion.

    Then, beginning mid-century with Paul’s writings and culminating in John’s Gospel at the end of the century, a monumental shift in thinking occurred. The short answer is that Paul, himself a Jew, embraced the idea that Jesus’ preaching and message was intended for Jews and Gentiles alike. So, in his letters, Paul wrote about Jesus in a way that could be heard and would be acceptable to the Greco-Roman world of his time.

    This raises many other questions for us, for another time.

     

    Torri 5-5-13

    Torri with her granddad, Gil.

     Homily: 

    When Lambrini left for Baton Rouge 2 weeks ago for a week of business training, I thought my home job would be watching after and preparing meals for my mother-in-law, Kalliopi. That changes when we discovered on Wednesday morning she had some serious bleeding. I took her to the ER. Eventually she was transferred to a room in the hospital,  given 2 units of blood by transfusion, and several tests ordered.

    Patricia 5-5-13

    Cupcake of the Week, Patricia.

    A colonoscopy indicated that diverticulosis was the likely culprit. Kalliopi was in hospital till Friday, still in a lot of pain from the broken arm. I was moved by the peace with which she accepted all the questioning and poking and testing she endured along with the pain of her broken arm. She shared her gratitude for the treatment she received from the doctors and nurses and techs. She did not whine or demand special treatment.

     

    Cole 5-5-13

    Cole getting ready to be…

    When Kalliopi was moved from the ER to the room I met her roommate, Margaret. I spoke with Margaret off and on and actually asked about her story. About 5 years ago Margaret was bitten by a dog in the abdomen and she developed sepsis, a dangerous blood infection that is often fatal. In her case it led to the amputation of both legs and about half of her right hand. Her lungs were seriously affected. She is on oxygen all the time. Before we left Margaret told me she was to have a rib removed to facilitate being able to treat her lungs that need drainage and other treatment.

    Cupcake 5-5-13

    Cupcake of the Week, Cole.

    In talking with Margaret I observed how calm she seemed to be and how she did not complain about being in the hospital again for more surgery. The only time she complained was when we met her. She had been taken for tests and had not been given a meal. I offered to get food for her down on the 1st floor, but she kept asking nurse at station for a meal and eventually got it. When they brought her food, it wasn’t great. When she heard me say I was going down to eat, she asked me for a favor, to bring her a Hershey bar with almonds, which I did.  

    EMMA 5-5-13

    Emma Checking out the altar.

    Eventually I asked Margaret how she was able to have peace in the midst of all her trauma.  Margaret replied, “I pray a lot.” She added that when she woke each morning, she gave thanks for her life. I told her she was an inspiration to me in the way she accepted her life just as it came to her, and in the way she received peace and shared that peace with others.

    Emma B 5-5-13

    Emma with her mom, Beth, and her favorite train.

    This past Sunday Lambrini and I were at Joey’s home for the 70th birthday celebration of my former wife, Kay. Joey, as a surprise gift for her mom, had flown Kay’s granddaughter, Chyna, and Chyna’s 10 month old daughter, Catrina, from Florida for the weekend.

     

    Cowboy Cole & Emma 5-5-13

    Buddies, Emma and Cowboy Cole.

     

    I mention this because I got to experience again the peace that Chyna, the new mother in our family, has. I won’t go into details, but Chyna has had plenty of trauma in her young life. Yet she displays so much peace in her life, in her mothering and in her relationships.

    Sienna 5-5-13

    Sienna and her mom, Erin.

    A few words about peace, inner peace. Although some people may live in a more-or-less constant state of peace, most of us experience moments of peace in our lives. For me it is most often close contact with nature and in special relationships that I experience peace. Sometimes we are surrounded by nature (trips to mountains or oceans eg) and sometimes we are struck by nature in our urban lives (sunset, cloud formation eg). Peace received in relationships sometimes comes with those we are closest to, and sometimes it is a chance moment like my meeting Margaret.

    Offertory 5-5-13

    Offertory, Donna, Jim, Sydney and Hue.

    My question is how do you receive and experience peace? And how do you share this peace with others?

     

     

     

  • Sunday Homily, March 9, 2008, 5th Lent

    Readings: Ezekiel 37, 12-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8, 8-11; John 11, 1-45.

    Ezekiel: Again we make a big jump, from Samuel & David to the prophet Ezekiel. The time is ca. 580 B.C, the time of the defeat of the Hebrews and the Babylonian captivity.  Ezekiel is warning the people of the calamities that come and ends eventually envisioning a new Jerusalem.

    Blair

    How Many More Years You Got to Appreciate?

    We hear it said all the time that we have around 75 years of life in us.  That means we got 75 Christmases to enjoy, 75 springs and summers, and 75 Thanksgivings.  And that is from the age of Cameron & Reid, Brady & Trey.  Now you kids who are 10 or 15 only have 65 or 60 more birthdays and Easters.  Those of you 50 have only 25 more Christmases.  I have, guess, only 7 more according to the profile. 

    Marriage at 25 means 50 years of fun & companionship.  I got married at 65.  Not much time to experience the fun & companionship. 

    Over the past 5 weeks I have talked about some secrets to making marriage work.

     

    ·       Stay away from divorce, but play,

    ·       don’t expect a perfect marriage, but work for perfect moments,

    ·       plan fun and date regularly,

    ·       empty out the back pack of my junk and keep communicating,

    ·       give with words, listening, and touch & hugs.

    Frank

    This final discussion is both a summary of the five previous weeks and also a focus on appreciation.  Appreciation for the person who agreed to marry me.  The temptation is to rattle off the Spanish saying, "El amor es Ciego," love is blind.  The response to the temptation is appreciation.  Appreciate the perfect moments, the companionship, and the anniversaries.  Celebrate the appreciation.

    We only have a limited number of Christmases & Easters, perfect moments and anniversaries.  Let’s not blow it.  Appreciate each one.

    How many more do you have to celebrate?

                   

    AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-03-09.mp3 

  • Sunday Homily, August 23, 21st Ordinary Time

    Readings:

     Joshua 24, 1-2, 15-18, Far be it from us to forsake the Lord.

    Psalm 34,    Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

    Ephesians 5, 21-32,   Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.

    John 6, 60-69, There are some of you who do not believe.

     

      Vivian 5

    "Good Morning, Dear Vivian, and welcome to your community that loves you."  Vivian makes her debut.

     

    Joshua:

    Who is Joshua and what is this booklet about:  Joshua was Moses' assistant, his lieutenant when the the Israelites wandered in the desert.  The booklet is the story of the Israelite invasion of Canaan under Joshua's leadership. 

    Author: somewhat amusingly, the fundamentalists say that Joshua wrote most of the booklet.  More scientific scholars say the work is a compilation of a number of sources.

     

    Genevieve 2

    Genevieve says, "Welcome, Everybody, Nice to be seeing you all.

     

    Date of composition: again fundamentalists state that the booklet was composed 1400-1370, i.e., while Joshua lived.  Scholars of a broader vision suggest that even if a Joshua existed the work was put together 800-700 BCE. 

    The work combines a number of traditions about battles & destruction of cities to create a nationalistic narrative that justifies the Israelites' taking another peoples' land for their own.

    Ethical Question: genocide.  This is a bloody book.  Yahweh commands that the Israelites exterminate every breathing thing, including women & children & livestock. 

     

    Sienna 2

    Sienna, too, says, "Hi, Folks, it is fun to be back and see you."

     

    The battle of Jericho is characteristic.  For 6 days the Israelites marched around the city, blowing horns and menacing the people.  On day 7 they marched around 7 times and the walls came tumbling down, as in the spiritual.  Then every person except one woman & her family were slaughtered.  Lots of debate and rationalization over these events.

    Our Selection: The last chapter of the booklet.  Joshua, who is dying, calls the people together at a place called Sechem and puts it to them.  Stick with Yahweh who has done all these things for you (which are mentioned in the text but are long & tedious) or choose another path of your own.

    Sources: Good News Bible, Got Questions.org, Wikipedia

     

      Brooklyn 2

    Brooklyn says, "This is super, I'm not the youngest around here anymore.  Where are those two little girls?"

     

    Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord

    Sounds good to me, Folks.   However, when I bring this up to Rosemary, what do I get?  “Want to start sleeping in the back yard dog kennel tonight?  Even my mom was not impressed with this little statement of Paul.  Just ask my poor dad. 

    And guess what: I married my mom.  So much for the joy of being a married priest.

     

    Twosome

    "Anybody planning a race over here?"  "No thank you.  We would rather sleep while that old geezer goes on talking."

     

    Some years ago while I was waiting in a line to ride the roller coaster at 6 Flags I overheard a husband telling his wife to obey him because of this passage, he was the head of the house and the Bible says it.  I almost dropped my teeth. 

    The family, mom, dad, and two young girls were trying to decide something.  Finally, even the wife says to the girls that they have to obey the man.  He is the head.

    So, how do we handle this, especially when we are repelled by the idea?

     

    Vivian & Mom

    Teamwork.  Vivian's mommy, Bethany taking care of Genevieve.  Does it get any more beautiful?

     

    Perspective!   Traditionally there are three types of family relationships.  This is fairly simple.

        1.  Matriarchal: the woman/wife is the head of the family.  Culturally this has been established occasionally and in some places.

        2.  Patriarchal: the husband is the head. 

        3.  Equality: both are partners, husband and wife. 

     

    Brandon & Candle

             Brandon, the Ace Candle Lighter with his mom, Mary.

     

    Paul's place:  guess which paradigm Paul comes from?  Paul lives in a culture which considered women & children little more than domestic animals.  In Tanzania I found the same paradigm among the ordinary people.  This paradigm has been followed more probably  because men are physically stronger and don’t hesitate to maintain control with physical violence.

    Even though today Paul can sound wako & chauvanistic, what he says about husbands loving their wives as they love their own bodies, this was pretty radical.

     

    Payton & girls

               Cupcake of The Week Time: Payton and The Girls.

     

    Today: all three of the paradigms are valid.  Among most educated people, however, equality between husband & wife, men & women is the more healthy.    Besides, as we know, women just won’t let us guys get away with it. 

    Certainly with education for both men and women, there is equality.  And just this week, two women passed the Army Ranger training program. 

     

    Zoe 2

    "Zoe, You look even prettier without those teeth."

     

    So, again, beware of taking the Bible literally.  Check our blog from last Thursday to find some other interesting biblical statements.   Like beating your kids.

    What paradigm do you prefer???

     

      Music

     

              And keeping us all together, Mary, Bethany, and Ray.

  • Sunday Homily 6-3-12, Trinity

    Readings:  

    Deuteronomy 4, 32-34, 39-40, Ask from one end of the sky to the other, did anything so great ever happen?

    Psalm 33, Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

    Romans 8, 14-17, The Spirit bears witness to our spirit. 

    Matthew 28, 16-20, Behold, I am with all days until the end of the ages.

      Leo & Choir 6-3-12

    Observations on the Readings:

    1st reading from Book of Deuteronomy (Chapter 4)

    Deuteronomy is the 5th  book of Bible and of Jewish Torah or Pentateuch. Though traditionally attributed entirely to Moses, modern scholars agree that it is a collection of Jewish traditions, later adapted to nationalistic reform and its final form coming after the Babylonian captivity in late 6th century BC.

    It is written as if from the mouth of Moses, who was considered the greatest of the prophets, for the authority his name gave the book. See last verses of final chapter 34. The most famous verses are Ch 6:4-5: “Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, our God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

      Joan 6-3-12

    3rd  reading from the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 28)

    This book is the second  gospel chronologically, and was written with the Jewish people in mind, to show  a direct connection between the Jewish Law and the Prophets and the teachings
    of Jesus.

    Carol & Gil 6-3-12

    Homily

    This  year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the
    Second Vatican Council in 1962. I recommend the article in the blog by Giovanni Franzone, a former Italian Benedictine Abbot. As an Abbot, he attended the Second Vatican Council as one of the ‘Fathers’ of the council. He is now 86, and his article gives a fresh “I was there” perspective. I want to talk a little today about Vatican II, which has been called the most significant event in the life of the Catholic Church in modern times.

     Pope  John XXIII became Pope following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958. Less than a year later, John 23rd announced that he would call an ecumenical council. You may remember his story of how he had a dream one night in which the church was coming together in a council to renew itself. He awoke thinking what a great idea that was and thinking “I must tell the pope about it.” And then he realized, “Wait a minute, I am the Pope.”

    Group 6-3-12

    Some of The Jesuit Class of '58, reunion, New Orleans. 2 still active as S.J. priests, one in NY, one in Peru.

     

    So he called the council to  bring together representatives of the church all over the world, including many great minds of the time, and including representatives of other Christian faiths and non-Christian faiths. The two main purposes were “aggiornamento”, a bringing-up-to-date of the Church, and a striving for Christian unity. In answer to someone’s question about the purpose of the council, Pope John once said:
    ‘to let some fresh air into the Church”. 

    I didn’t just honor and give respect to Pope John 23rd; I loved him—for who he was as a man, and what he did for the church’s world
    community. And we also shared the same birth day of November 25th.

     

    Vatican II continued for a couple more years and eventually

    Cathy 6-3-12

    Trinity Sunday Mass at Bob Baxter's house in New Orleans. Cathy Lichliter reading with her husband, Bill, on the left.

    documents were approved by the council. Perhaps the five most significant were: The Constitution on the Church, The Decree on Ecumenism, The Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops, The Declaration on Religious Liberty, and the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Contemporary World. I will say just a little about the first three, and I hope we can look at more of them, and in more detail, during this 50th anniversary year.

     

    In the Constitution on the Church, the significant updating was, as
    Mike said last week, a new (yet old) vision of the church primarily as the
    ‘People of God’, equal through Baptism, rather than primarily as a hierarchical and clerical structure. 

    Gab Session 6-3-12

    Gab Session after Mass. A uniquely moving class reunion of 20 plus men who spent many of their early years as Jesuit classmates. Now meeting with their wives.

     

    The Decree on Ecumenism reached out to people of all
    faiths and erased the old belief that you had to be Catholic to ‘be saved’—to be with God. Remember we read a lot from some Acts of some Apostles during the Easter Season.

    In Chap.10 of Acts Peter said: ‘I can see now that God is no respecter of persons, but that in every nation anyone who reverences him and
    does what is right, is acceptable to him.’ In other words, every human being who reaches moral adulthood chooses between what his conscience judges to be right and what his conscience judges to be wrong. If a person makes the basic choice for right as he knows it, he is in fact choosing God.

    The Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops included the notion of ‘collegiality’ among bishops with the Pope, that bishops are not just advisors to the Pope, but co-deciders with him and the People of God. The Decree encouraged the formation of regional councils and, all the way down to the parish community level, councils were to be formed to allow participation in decision making by the community from the ground level up. How many of you ever served on a parish community council?

    Brunch 6-3-12

    Sunday brunch after Mass

    We have good reason to remember the aggiornamento begun by Pope John 23rd. I remember following the sessions of the council closely with enthusiasm and optimism. My 50th was last year, so I was ordained the year before the council opened. Stack was just a few years from ordination and no doubt also following it equally closely. Pope John died in 1963 less than a year after he opened the council, and was followed by Pope Paul VI. The article by Abbot Franzone in the blog provides a lot more information about Vatican II and about the role of Paul VI during and after the Council. 

     

    Vatican II is the most significant event in the life of the Catholic Church in modern times. My question today is: how much do we know about it? and how are we living out its updated teachings and its spirit?

     

     

     

  • Sunday Homily, April 21, 2019, Easter

     

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    Welcome, Betsy.  We have been awaiting your debut.  Your big sister Harper has been telling us that you were coming.  And doubly nice, with your dad, Brian.

     

    Readings: 

    Acts of the Apostles, 10, 37-43,  Peter said, "we are witnesses of all."

    Psalm 118,  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad.  (an excellent first stanza)

    1 Corinthians 5, 6-8, A little yeast leavens all.

    John 20, 1-9, On the first day of the week, Mary Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning.

     

    IMG_3257

     

    Congratulations, Leo, you have not lost your touch as the candle lighter.  Thanks.

     

    A little Yeast Leavens a Whole Loaf

    This morning I would like to talk about that line that says a little yeast leavens a whole loaf of bread.  For me that idea is translated into the idea that a little act on my part may make an enormous difference.  Little resurrections take place, which I would propose happen every day in lots of ways.

     

    IMG_6799

     

    Will somebody please go sit with Sir Charlie.

     

    For instance, there is this girl.  She is probably in her mid twenties, average height, average size, brown hair.  I first noticed her when I realized she was suddenly becoming a regular at the gym of the Jewish Community Center, where I work out mornings Monday through Friday.

    I know most of the people who work out at the same time as I, namely about 5:00 A.M.  The hour is the result of long years of Jesuit training.  I noticed the girl because she went about her work out pretty seriously.  Moreover, she seemed to know nobody and never talked with anybody.  My heart went out to her.

     

    IMG_6811

     

    Welcome Home, Doug, and thanks for introducing us all to Kim.

     

    So one morning I just walked over to a machine where she was working out and where I intended to work a bit.  I waited for her to finish up, then said to her, “Hi, I’m John.  I see you here most mornings and I admire you.”

     

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    Washing of the hands Holy Thursday evening.

     

    Well, suddenly all the lights on the downtown Dallas Omni Hotel flashed on.  The girl broke out this glorious smile and her blue eyes shone.  Her serious face was transformed.  “I’m Molly,” she said.  And now every morning that we are at the gym together we greet each other and she flashes her delightful smile.

     

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    Good Friday.

     

    A resurrection event.  Just add a little yeast and watch the results.

    What is your latest Resurrection event?

     

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    The Hostesses with the Mostesses,  Marlene & Cindy.

     

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    What a surprise gift Friday evening, Rose was back in town from CO and showed up.

  • 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 2, 2020

     

    Readings:

    Isaiah 55, 1-5, All you who are thirsty, come to the water.  (Ever wonder why I love Isaiah so much!!)

    Psalm 145,  The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.           

    Romans  8, 35, 37- 39,  What will separate us from the love of Christ?

    Matthew 14, 13-21,   They all ate and were satisfied and they picked up the fragments left over.  (Terrifically positive readings this Sunday!  Wow!)

     

     

    CB 4

     

     

    Thanks to the Team

    Music,  Ben & Shonda

    Readers,    Mary Jane & John, & Buddy, the candle blesser

    Gospel & Homily,  Deacon Mike & Stack

    Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

    The Magic Zoom makers, Mike & Richard, Ben & Hue (welcome Hue!)

    Final Blessing, Rosemary

     

     

    IMG_1838

     

    The Best Music, Ben & Shonda.

     

    Please Remember these special people:

    For our Bill & his family, Patty, Bobby & Lisa, Melinda, Amy & Bret;  For Becky's dad just discovered with the virus;  For Cindy recuperating from a procedure some weeks ago;    For Carrie Bieda's son;   For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for Michelle;

     

    IMG_1939

    John Schanot reads Romans today.

     

     

    For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;    For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini;  for Virginia Mattingly.

     

     

    Download Readiongs Week 8-2

     

     

    Birthdays:  Linda Beavers, Eric Wittek, Lynda Fleming 60, Souls Harbor's birth (Brent wants a cupcake), born 1956 (64 years ago!)

    Anniversary: Mike & Judy, 56th

    Brian Bambaneck & Kendall, 15th (parents of  Harper & Betsy)   

            

     

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    Today Mary Jane reads from Isaiah.

     

    John's Homily, In Memory of Bill

    Matthew has presented to us this morning one of my favorite Bible stories.  The point is usually made that Jesus just multiplied the bread.  As I’ve said all the times I have spoken on this little vignette over the years, my read is that Jesus created such a spirit among the people that they shared what they had with each other.  That was the miracle of sharing.  

     I saw this in Tanzania the ten years I lived there.  I would be riding my motorcycle down a hot, dusty road, & come across a half a dozen Tanzanian women waiting for a country bus.  They all wore robes from their heads to their sandals.  Under those robes they had food.  And they did not reveal a crumb. 

     

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    The brain trust.

     

    What did Jesus do?  He created a spirit of trust and invited them to share.  Imagine you are there.  You are provident and conceal your rations.  Suddenly, after having a good meeting with these people, Jesus takes a  loaf of bread, breaks it, takes a piece, and passes it to you.  In the spirit of sharing, you take a piece of the bread and you put some of your bread into the basket. 

    Can’t you see Bill Hammond doing this!  It is September and Bill is standing up here inviting us all to help with the Love for Kids special picnic day at the Circle K Farm in Flower Mound one Saturday in October.   20-30-40 members of our community would show up every year.

     

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    The Brain Trust?

     

    Initially I found it difficult to spend Saturday morning at the picnic because I used Saturday to get my ideas sorted out for our Sunday Masses.  Little did I need those ideas because I came home and devoted all my homily time to how I was touched by the kids, by our community, and by Bill for touching my heart again.

    Because of Bill & Bona Responds, Bill and I spent a week in Galveston helping to clean up after the hurricane.   Bill frequently relayed opportunities to community members to join him and other Bona Responds kids in tornado clean up.  Bill got us into these sharing events and we were incredibly richer.

     

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    Hey, Mike, we got audio this morning.  Hooray!  In fact, if you missed it the first time, it even repeats.

     

    The second event that showed me how special Bill was came with our early September 8-9 day back packing trips to Yosemite.  8-9 campers loaded up and came along.  Bill was one camper & hiker that I knew I could rely on to help me out if someone was having trouble with the altitude or weight of a back pack.  We had 8 dinners & deserts, like freeze dried peach cobbler,  which Rose Banzhaf prepared & freeze dried.  This meant 1 bear canister for each camper. We ate well and we had to tote all that up the trail.  Bill always generously offered to help out with the load, especially the pint of Jack Daniel we all carried for the evening feast. 

     

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    Sacra Couer, Paris

     

    The third way that Bill touched me was the famous Hotter ‘N Hell Bike Ride out of Wichita Falls, the last week end of August, yes, usually the hottest week end  of the calendar.  The year was probably 2011.  

    So along comes Bill inviting me to ride.  Trouble was, I was a runner, not a biker.   No problem.  He had everything I needed, Helmet, shorts, shirt, and even a bike (which I discovered later was Bobby’s bike).   I must have hesitated, to say the least.  But you know how hard it was to turn Bill down. 

     

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    Chain Bridge, Budapest

     

    So I agree and ride up with Bill to Wichita Falls.  We camp out on the college campus.  There are thousands of these crazy people. We get up in the dark about 5:00.  Bill wants to leave before the huge crowd takes off all together.  I get into these clothes in the dim light of the parking lot.  We take off.  It does not take long for Bill & his buddies to speed off down the road.  I trail along. Yes, I did finish but Bill never let me forget that I spent the first 20 miles with my bike pants on backward. 

     

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    Sunset, At Sea

     

    Thank you, Bill, for blessing my life and the lives of so many.  You have been and still are a very special gift.

    Using John Lewis' Blessing,  So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers & sisters, and let the spirit of peace & the power of everlasting love be your guide.  

     

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    Is City of Dallas giving us a little hint?  

     

    Cindy Cramer:

    John has been in touch with Cindy Cramer’s son and daughter.  Cindy has healed from the heart surgery. 

    She is presently in Encompass Health Rehab Hospital, 3351 Waterview Parkway, Richardson, TX 75080, Room 110.  Cindy needs physical therapy to learn to walk again due to Guillain-Barre.

    She is not allowed any visitors but would LOVE to receive some cards and notes.  Also, since she is on the  first floor you can window visit.  The windows are numbered with the room numbers, so you should be able to find #110.  Also you can make her a home-made dinner and deliver it to the front desk! She is currently on a special diet due to her blood thinner which requires that she not go crazy on Vitamin K. It's not that she can't have any at all; she just shouldn't have large amounts. Check out the Mayo Clinic's list of foods to avoid. If you include any of those items mixed into a casserole or something, be sure to include a note with how much is in there.

    She’s very busy between three meals a day, and physical therapy twice a day at times that change daily, scheduling your visit may be a challenge. Rather than set a particular time for all window visits, it will probably be easiest if you just sign up for a day, and then contact her about when would be a good time to come by. Here is the signup sheet if you want to do that.