Special Announcement for Sunday, November 6, 2022

 

YIPPEE, WE GOT THE INTERNET!

 

Welcome this Sunday: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made. 

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community  & John Cade  &  Stack  

Place: Legacy Charter School,  601 Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

 

 

6107 Tulip Lane & helpers.  Early morning.

 

 

Readings:

2 Maccabees 7, 1-2, 9-14,   It happened that 7 brothers with their mother were arrested

Psalm 17,  Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

2 Thessalonians 2, 16-3, 5  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God

Luke 20, 27-38,  If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child…

 

 

Activities:  

ROMEO MEET: Friday, November 8, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.   

 

JULIETS,  November 8, 12;30,  Amoretto's Italian, Suite 734, 101 W. Spring Creek Pkwy, (& Central). 

Reserve with Marilyn, 972-809-6049

 

 

Meyerson Christmas show, December 6, Friday, 7:30.  Let Rosemary know if you want to join the gang.  $35 per ticket.

 

 

 

True?

 

An appeaser  is one who feeds the crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.

Winston Churchill

 

 

What's up in Ye Old Catholic Church?  Like…

Catholic Money https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/editorial-money-shapes-us-catholic-narrative!, NCR, 

 

 

Like a war zone.

 

See you Sunday, J.S.

214-783-0443

 

 

 

 

Tom, Mike, & John, our community to the rescue

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement: 

 Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

 

 

 

 

Mike, the tree surgeon.

 

Mike Carrell's Homily.

 

Readings: Our first reading from Sirach includes the social doctrine of the Church; however, it is yet to be put into practice: ‘The Lord is a God of justice who has no favorites!’   In our reading from Second Timothy Paul gives glory to God for allowing him to bring Christ to the Gentiles.

 

Homily: Our Mass began today with the lighting of the candles by Tori and Zoe [maybe Leo, too]. It was accompanied with a reading given by Buddy from Matthew, who reminds each of us to become a Light of the World; like a city built on a hill top.

 

We then joined together, in a penitential rite, following the example of the humble man in the gospel who asks the Lord to shown him mercy.

 

Recall that the Liturgy of the Word today placed us in a synagogue with two men; the one who was arrogant spent his time bragging to God about how holy he was. This Pharisee journeyed home empty.

 

The humble tax collector chose to open his heart to receive the power of the Holy Spirit; he left the synagogue filled with grace.

 

As we begin our Liturgy of the Eucharist, we celebrate another tradition.  It is an anointing with blessed oil for the sick and the elderly and for those, filled with grace, who prayerfully, journey with them.

 

 

John's brief description of The Sunday Night.

 

It started at 15 minutes before 10:00 P.M. Sunday night.  Aviana & I were already asleep.  Ro woke us up, saying a big storm was coming , and,  in fact, that the wind had already smashed in the bay window in the living room.

We put on our bike helmets, Ro & Aviana scooted into the hall closet.  I was standing with my right hand on the closet door handle, planning to squeeze in, when suddenly CRASH!  Then, quiet.

 

 

Neighboring House.

 

People began coming out of their houses & checking on their neighbors.  Rosemary especially went yelling for Joyce Scott, our 91 year old neighbor just across the street.  Her daughter from San Antonio was in the house with her, along with the daughter’s husband, just out of the hospital.

Joyce’s house was almost demolished and no response was coming out.  The cops were all over, so she told one.  He found them alive and shaken in their hall closet.   They could not get out, so the cop got them out.

 

 

It began to pour, a neighbor couple begged a place to spend the night, and we all went to sleep after putting out about 20 containers to catch ceiling drips.

Then began one of the most touching & humbling days I’ve had in a while.

 

Our friend Chris Phipps was walking Tulip Lane toward our house when two young dads about 35, plus their 3 sons each yelled to Chris, “Know anybody who really needs help?”  “Yes, that house on the corner,” said Chris.

Those dads & their sons, along with others who just walked up, pitched in and worked like beavers. Into the afternoon.  All our trophy trees were stripped of their branches.   They ended up  piled all around the house.

About 9:00 John Bresson & Doug LeBlanc with two of his buddies all showed up with a chain saw.  And did they go to work!  Slowly the branches got pulled away from the house, cut up, and piled on the edge of the property. 

 

Gym, St. Mark's Boys School

 

All of our trophies have been stripped of their branches and look naked.  They will all have to come down.  The house now is covered with a few enormous blue tarps held down with 1 by 4’s nailed down.

People continue to come looking to help.  Kids walk the streets handing out water, sandwiches, and cookies.  Central Market, which got hammered, has supplied free breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for all workers and home owners from food wagons. 

The goodness & generosity of people has again touched my spirit. 

 

 

 

Tons of branches, trees, & refuse created tunnels.

 

 

Jonah 3, 1-5, 10,  Jonah set out for the great city of Nineveh.

Psalm 25, Teach me your ways, O Lord..   

1 Corinthians 7,  29-31, The world in its present form is passing away.

Mark  1, 14-20, Come after me & I will make you fishers of men & women.

 

 

Peace.

 

ROMEOS, Friday, January 22, 1:00,  as usual.    Welcome!    

ROMEOs' Virtual Jason's Deli BYOB lunch
This is a recurring meeting, Friday, 1:00 pm
Link :
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85798571623?pwd=NmFSTW1ocVMzRGdIc0QzUGxKdHM3dz09

Meeting ID: 857 9857 1623
Password: saladbar

 

 

 

Reminder for Sunday, January 24, 2021

Here are the links for Sunday:

Readings:

 Isaiah 66, 18-21,   I come to gather nations of ever language.

Psalm 117,  Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

Hebrews 12, 5-7, 11-13,  Whom the lord loves he disciplines.

Luke 13, 22-30, Depart from me, you evil doers.

 

 Isaiah 66 observations:

Author: Isaiah III.  The book of Isaiah is one of my favorites.  Some beautiful passages.  Remember, 3 primary authors are responsible for the 66 chapters, and we are reading the very last.  Isaiah 1 covers chapters 1-39.  This book is one of the Big 3 O.T. prophets, along with Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  This is because the works are the longest.  There are 12 minor prophets.

Time: ca. 700, before the Assyrians annihilate the northern Jewish kingdom, called Israel, vs the southern kingdom called Judah, where Jerusalem is.  10 tribes were lost in this destruction, the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel. 

Remember, there were 12 tribes.  Why?  Because of the 12 sons of Jacob, who was one of the 3 great patriarchs or founders of the tribe, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, who was also called Israel. 

 Message of Isaiah III: Mostly consolation after the catastrophe.   What is the basic activity of a prophet?  1.  criticism, 2. prediction of dire payment, 3. consolation.

Today’s message: this being the last chapter of the whole work, you might guess.  Yes, consolation and future unity.

Hebrews observation:

 The best thing about today's selection: we have to read Hebrews only one more week.  Awful reading today.

 

Will only a
few be saved?

I would like to speak today about this idea that only a few will be
saved.  In the past few weeks we have
been hearing this from Luke.  Basically,
the message is the same, yes, only a few will be saved.  In fact, you got to be on guard all the time
or the master will return, catch you napping, and off to hell you go.

I would propose that these metaphors about life are all pretty fear
based.  Today I think we are moving from
a fear based life metaphor to a peace based metaphor.   My metaphor is the Hotter ‘N Hell
Hundred.  Three points.  It is a journey, it is characterized by
mutual help, and a final point.

Yesterday as I rode along I thought about these readings and how life is
like a 100 mile bike ride.  First of all
there are people.  The other riders.  But, also, people like Bill who introduced me
to this marvelous ride.  Other friends,
like Doug & Grace, John & Connie make the ride more fun.  And there is the marvelous beauty of the day,
the surroundings, and simple joy of the ability to ride. 

Other riders whom I don’t know are fun. 
I tie a little beanie baby dog to the top of my bike helmet.  I started this at Ragbrai in Iowa, just for
fun and because I see a lot of such décor there.  The dog gets lots of comments, from, “Hey, do
you know you got a dog on your helmet?” to “I love the cute dog on your helmet.”  I tell people that I cannot leave my little
dog at home and she loves to ride.

A second point to this life metaphor. 
Lots of people help me along the ride. 
There are what are called sag wagons. 
These are roving pickups with trailers who collect gassed riders, broken
down riders, and riders with minor injuries. 
There is first aid everywhere. 

And then there are the marvelous rest stops.  These volunteers meet you with pitchers of
cold water and Gatorade, with cold & wet towels, and with tables loaded
with fruit.  But, my favorite rest stop
comes at mile 30. 

 A bunch of elderly women volunteers, many probably younger than I am,
they make cookies, boxes of them, about 5-6 varieties.  Every year I look forward to seeing them and
chatting them up.  I confess I ate 6 of
their cooking this year, a bit much considering the 70 miles I still had ahead
of me.

Finally, the third reason why the HHH is a life metaphor for me: everyone
who arrives at the end gets a medal. 
Everyone is a winner.  And, if you
fell out this year, you can cross the finish line next year.  No fear, peace.

In this life metaphor the ride is a marvel, the supporters are numerous
and beautiful, and everyone wins the medal. 

What is your life metaphor, peaceful or fearful?  Are
you saved?  Are you a winner?

 

 

 

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody," say Emma & her mom, Beth.

 

Readings:  

 Deuteronomy 4, 32-34, 39-40,   The Lord is God in the heavens above.

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

 Romans 8, 14-17,   Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  (??)

 Matthew 28, 16-20,   Go and make disciples of all nations.   

 

 

 

Who let this critter in?  Are there things living in that garden?

 

 

Deuteronomy observations:

What:  This work is the 5th and last book of the Pentateuch/Torah.  The first 4 books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, & Numbers.  Deuteronomy has basically 3 speeches delivered by Moses before the people enter the promised land.  He reviews all they have endured the past 40 years and how Yahweh has shown his care and power to save them.

Author: Moses may have spoken some of the ideas in the speeches, but others have put the work together.  In fact, in chapter 34 the death of Moses is described.  Someone other than Moses probably covered this episode.

 

 

 

 

Welcome Home, Sophia, so nice to see you.

 

 

Date: 700 years before Christ.

Our Selection: the end of the first speech.  Moses is reminding the people of how Yahweh cared for them and why they must honor him for this as their one and only god.

 

 

 

Kevin & Ben, the candle team of the week.

 

 

Best line in all the readings?  Blessed the people the lord has chosen to be his own.

That's us.  Therefore, NO FEAR!

 

 

 

In Memory of Frank Hart

Last Sunday evening I attended a Rosary at Christ the King for my old coach, Boy Scout Master, and friend, Frank Hart.  Monday morning we had a Mass.  In honor of Frank and the Trinity I want to relate 3 moving aspects of Frank’s celebration.

First, Christ the King, a place that witnessed my growing up.  I have not been in the Church in over 15 years, when I did weddings there as a Jesuit.  It felt like coming home a bit and two unique memories hit me.

 

 

 

 

The Offertory team, Bernadette & Gil, Ray & Claire.

 

Right off the bat, where the podium is is where a good friend of mine, Jimmy Gannon, broke my left leg at football practice.  I had never spoken from that podium until that Rosary.  Frank did it.

Next, my dad attended 7:00 A.M. Mass daily.  I knew his pew.   I returned to Dallas to teach at Jesuit after never getting home for 7 years.   3 other Jesuits on their way to Jesuit, El Paso, & myself drove all night.  I arrived at 7:00 and rather than going home I had the guys drop me at Christ the King.  He was there.

 

 

 

The main aisle, Christ the King, podium on the left.

 

The second aspect of the event that touched me was the large number of fellow kids like me who showed up, especially classmates of Frank, jr.   As Don Zimmerman, another classmate of Frank and pastor of Christ the King said, “It was like a reunion of ex-Jesuit students.”  A big one, too.   A tribute, also, to Frank.jr.

The third aspect to the whole celebration was remembering how Frank had touched me into new life and new self-confidence.   Hang on.  You might have heard me talk about this, but it is relevant to all of us.

 

 

 

The main altar, Christ the King.

 

It was the summer after my 6^th year at Christ the King and I signed up to go to a week at Boy Scout camp on Lake Texoma.

Before we even left town some 8th graders let me know that they were going to initiate me.   They scared the poo out of me and as soon as I arrived at Texoma I played sick and came home.

I was humiliated.  I was so ashamed. 

 

 

 

 

A young Frank Hart. 

 

A year goes by and Frank has been hired by Christ the King to coach and be Scout Master.  Texoma again.  “No thanks,” I say.  My dad is now an unofficial assistant to Frank and he tells me he is going up to spend one night at Texoma as a helper to Frank.  “Want to come?” 

I knew I was in a bad place.  So I said I would go and return with him.

 

 

 

Mickey & Frank.

 

I’ll never forget the night we arrived.  It was dark.  Frank was sitting on his cot in the two person, short walled, canvas, Army surplus tent, a Coleman lantern hanging from the ceiling.  Frank did not even get up, but he greeted me with such a sincerely warm and non-judgmental simplicity that I turned a corner in my growing up.  I stayed for the rest of the week.

 

 

 

 

Bill Deor's comic charicture of Frank, the disciplinarian at Christ the King.

 

Who has touched you?

 

 

 

 

Rest in Peace, Dearest Frank and Dearest Mickey.

Community Finances:   

  Expenses: $   220.00

  Outreach: $   130.00

 

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

1 Kings 19:  Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush. Suddenly an angel shook him awake and said, "Get up and eat!"

Ephesians 4:  Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

John 6:  I am the Bread of Life.  Your ancestors ate the manna bread in the desert and died.   But now here is Bread that truly comes down out of heaven. Anyone eating this Bread will not die, ever.