PENTECOST SUNDAY
ST. NICHOLAS PARISH From the Pastor’s Desk This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the day of Pentecost in paragraph 1076. “The Church was made manifest to the world on the day of Pentecost by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Spirit ushers in a new era in the ‘dispensation of the mystery’ – the age of the Church, during which Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvations through the liturgy of his Church, ‘until he comes.’ In this age of the Church, Christ now lives and acts in and with this church, in a new way appropriate to this new age. He acts through the sacraments in what the common Tradition of the East and the West calls ‘the sacramental economy’; this is the communication of the fruits of Christ’s Paschal mystery in the celebration of the Church’s ‘sacramental’ liturgy.” In short, the Holy Spirit makes Christ present in the Church as well as within the world. This Holy Spirit is vibrant and dynamic. This is also noted in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles that we have for today’s liturgy. We recall that day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. We know that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love and Truth that proceeds from the Father and the Son. As the purest and absolute Love, the Holy Spirit is the relationship between the Father and the Son. This love is so perfectly actualized that it is a “Person” in itself. Thus the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity: the Holy Spirit is God. We pray in the creed; the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son”. The Triune God comes into the world in the Incarnation and now in the Church. So great is the Love of God that finds every way to draw us into communion with Him. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is physically manifested through the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnate Word through whom all creation comes to be. In the Second Person we have the fullness of Divinity and Humanity in perfect communion. Thus the Holy Spirit animates all creation through the Incarnate Word of God. We are reminded from the beginning of Genesis and the beginning of the Gospel of St. John that all creation came to be through the Word spoken by God. This is wonderfully displayed in humanity. We are called into being, have life and are the pinnacle of creation: created in the image and likeness of God. From the very beginning we were called to share in the very life of God. Since then we are continually invited to enter deeply into the inner life of God which has become difficult because of Original Sin and our free will. The path to the inner life of God (Love) is revealed in and through the Incarnate Son of God: Jesus Christ. “No one can come to the Father but through me.” John 14:6. It is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love and Truth, who descended upon the Blessed Virgin Mary through whom Jesus Christ enters into our world, is also the same Holy Spirit who descends upon the Apostles, the Church, thus becoming the Body of Christ in the world today. Through Jesus Christ and His Church we are drawn by the power of the Holy Spirit into this deep communion of love with God. It is through Jesus Christ and his Church that we find our salvation. We are drawn into greater communion with God in Sacred Scripture, most especially through the Gospels. It is the Holy Spirit who inspires the Scriptures. It is the same Spirit we call upon as we read the Scriptures. It is the same Spirit who assists us in plunging deeper into God’s self-revelation in the Scriptures. The Spirit animates the life of God within us and the Church. We receive life through Christ, we live this life in Christ and we come to the Father through Christ. Christ’s gift to the
world is His abiding presence in the Church and her sacraments. The power of the Holy Spirit, present at the conception of Jesus as he descended upon the Blessed Mother is the same Holy Spirit who descended upon the Apostles in the upper room, who makes Christ presence in the world today. It is in the Church where we encounter Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit our lives continue to be configured by the Incarnate Word of God: Jesus Christ. We can call it our “continuing conversion” to Christ. It is through the Sacramental life of the Church that we are drawn closer to God. We know that the Sacraments are encounters with Christ just as the scriptures are encounters with Christ who is the Word of God made flesh. The Sacraments communicate the saving grace of God: Jesus Christ. As Catholic Christians we know and understand that the Sacraments of the Church are essential for our life in Christ. The Holy Spirit, alive in the sacramental action of the Church assists us in bringing our encounter with Christ to greater maturity. Consider the early life of the Church. The Apostles along with many people encountered Jesus Christ personally. They witnessed many things. Most especially the Apostles were present through Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. The Apostles also witnessed his Ascension. However, they did not fully understand what they were witnessing. It was necessary for them to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for them to come to understand all they were privileged to witness in a new light. If we consider all that we know and understand today about Jesus Christ in comparison with those people of the early church we can appreciate the growth and development of the Christian Faith. This is only possible with the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to the Church and the Baptized for the maturing of the presence of Christ in our lives, our church community and the world. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for our ongoing conversion to Christ. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon Christians are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. These gifts empower the Church and the Christian to enter deeper into our life in Christ. These Gifts complete and perfect the natural virtues for those who are open to receive them, giving them divine insight and empowerment. We know this to be true since the teachings of the Church continue to grow in greater insight and wisdom. The development of the doctrines of the Church has taken place under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We know the greater clarity and articulation of our faith through the history of the Church: As the Catechism referred as “in a new way appropriate to this new age.” The Holy Spirit, the heart and soul of the Church, continues to bring the fullness of Christ’s presence into our lives and the world. As this is true of the Church it is also true for us. Our understanding and insight into the teachings of Jesus have matured and developed over our lifetime. However this does not happen without our cooperation with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We have to spend time in prayer seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit to grow in the knowledge and understanding of our faith. It’s not magic. It has to come from a sincere and honest desire to know, love and trust our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the Church has done over her history and it is what in necessary for us as well. On this feast of Pentecost we recall the beginning of the Church as a mighty wind came down upon the Apostles. Something new is created: The Church. We live in this new creation by virtue of our Baptism. We live in Christ. We are filled with His Holy Spirit. It is with the Holy Spirit of God that we live and move and have our being. We allow the Holy Spirit
JUNE 4, 2017 to guide us trusting that our final destination is that perfect communion of love in God. Have a Joy filled Week. Father Ralko
Church support will not be available this week, due to the early publishing deadline. Thank you and God Bless. This week we pray Week IV of the Liturgy of the hours.
Bishop Rosecrans High School is seeking host families for exchange students for the 2017-2018 school year. The host family is expected to provide a safe home environment, breakfast and dinner. Tuition and other expenses are paid by the student. Young, old, single or married may apply. A monthly stipend is provided. Contact Mark Dosch at 740-452-4762 or
[email protected] or Helen Brooks at 740-704-8681 or
[email protected]
THE CATHOLIC DIVORCE SURVIVAL GUIDE APOLOGY, EXPLANATION AND REBOOT The Catholic Divorce Survival Guide program was scheduled to Start April 28th. However, my mother passed away on April 21st. I decided to postpone the program. I did not realize that the information continued to run in the bulletin. I apologize to anyone who attempted to attend the Catholic Divorce Survival Guide and ask forgiveness. Please do not give up on the program. It is an excellent program and it will continue. If you are interested in the program please call me, Patty Boggs (740) 453-5173. JUBILEE OF ANNIVERSARIES 2017 will take place Sunday, June 25 at St. Matthew Parish in Gahanna. Bishop Campbell will celebrate Mass at 2:30 p.m., and an informal reception will follow. Please notify and encourage your parishioners who are celebrating significant wedding anniversaries (25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 50th, 55th, 60th, and every year thereafter) to attend. More information, including parish bulletin announcements and a flyer, will be mailed to your parish shortly. If you have any questions about this celebration, please call the Marriage & Family Life Office at 614-241-2560. CHINESE AUCTION ITEMS It is that time of the year when the Chinese Auction for St. Nicholas Parish Festival, asks for donations and help for the booth. We have placed the tags in the back of the church on a table to help get it started this year. Please purchase your new items and return them to the parish office by July 24, 2017. Please call 740-297-0823 with questions. PARISH OFFICE SUMMER HOURS The Parish Office began its summer hours on June 2. The office will close at noon on Fridays. Due to our small staff and vacations, please call the office at 740-453-0597 to make sure it is open.
BISHOPS TUITION CREDIT PLAN SCRIP GIFT CARDS Your support of the Zanesville Catholic Schools is valued and appreciated. One method of support beneficial to Bishop Rosecrans High School, Bishop Fenwick School or the student of your choice is the purchase of gift cards from the Scrip Office located at Bishop Rosecrans High school. Scrip is a term meaning “substitute money” which is in the form of gift cards. The gift cards are purchased up front by our school and are sold to our families to help with tuition costs or operating expenses at our school. Our school buys these cards from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount and resells the cards to families for full face value. This discount is revenue used for our schools and tuition assistance for our families. Scrip is a popular fundraiser because families are not required to sell anything. Members buying the gift cards produce revenue by making regular household purchases they would make anyway. Wal-Mart (Sam’s Club), Kohl’s, Chipotle, Panera, Starbucks, Cinemark, Speedway, BP and Riesbeck’s are just a few of the participating retailers. A complete list of participating retailers and local retailers is available by contacting the Scrip Office (740 452-7504 ext. 106). A complete list of retailers is also available at (shopwithscrip.com)
PERRY COUNTY PARISH/CONSORTIUM FESTIVAL The first annual Perry County Consortium Festival will be held June 16th and 17th at St. Rose Parish. The Festival will run from 5:00 p.m. to approximately midnight each night. BISHOP’S ANNUAL APPEAL
We would like to thank all the parishioners who have already pledged their gift to the 2017 Bishop’s Annual Appeal. Pledge envelopes are available in the pews. Every gift is important and no gift is too small. Thank you for your generosity.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Nicholas is a volunteer group of men and women of the parish who provide assistance to families and individuals in need. If you would like to become a part of this group, there will be a meeting Monday, June 12th at 7:00 p.m. in the parish office.
SAINT THOMAS PARISH FESTIVAL The Saint Thomas Parish Festival will be held June 8th from 5:0010:00 p.m., June 9th from 5:00-Midnight and June 10th from 6:00Midnight. The Festival will feature Entertainment, Food, Raffles and Children’s Games. A fun time for the whole Family.
PENTECOST SUNDAY LITURGICAL MINISTERS SCHEDULE It is your responsibility to find a substitute if needed. June 11, 2017- The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
What’s Happening in Our Parish MONDAY, June 5, St. Boniface 8:00 a.m., Mass: Stella Tomson, Church
Saturday, June 10 @ 5:15 p.m. Lector: Sharon Coen, Nancy Susa Server: Bill Altier, Rex Hankinson Eucharistic Minister – Coord: Don Susa Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Jim McKee, Susie Altier Eucharistic Minister: Janis Maziar, Karen Robinson, Alan Burns, Vicki Burns
TUESDAY, June 6, St. Norbert 8:00 a.m., Mass: Judith L. Radigan, Church
WEDNESDAY, June 7 8:00 a.m., Mass: Marjorie Connell, anniversary, Church
THURSDAY, June 8 Sunday, June 11 @7:30 a.m. Lector: Susan Thompson, Sue Hillis Server: Justin Ewart, David Eppley Eucharistic Minister- Coord: Margaret Kronenbitter Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Sandy Black, Judy Hamilton Eucharistic Minister: Jim Hillis
NO MASS
Sunday, June 11 @ 9:30 a.m. Lector: Keena Hansel, George Kopf Server: Thomas Bernath, Will Bernath Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Diana Dunn Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Claire Tiberio, Gerald Tiberio Eucharistic Minister: Chris Drake, Michael Drake, Mary Mirgon, Larry Taylor
SATURDAY, June 10
Sunday, June 11 @ 11:30 a.m. Lector: Bill Sullivan, Bernard Budde Server: Wesley Nestor, Nicholas Hoffer Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Paul Ritchey Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Mike Musselman, Corinne Musselman Eucharistic Minister: Jennifer Bernett, Jim Pottmeyer, Molly Ritchey, Carolyn Arnold
Our thoughts and prayers remain with those serving our country at this time and with their loved ones at home. We pray for a safe homecoming and that the world may one day be at peace. PLEASE REMEMBER ST. NICHOLAS PARISH IN YOUR WILL. CALL THE PARISH OFFICE AT 453-0597 FOR MORE DETAILS. Please join us each Monday at St. Nicholas Church at 2:00 P.M. as we gather to pray the Rosary asking Our Lady’s Intercession for the many needs of our nation, community, and parish.
FRIDAY, June 9, St. Ephrem 8:00 a.m., Mass: Irene Dillon, Church
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity 4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m., Confessions, Church 5:15 p.m., Mass: Marjorie Connell, Church
SUNDAY, June 11 7:30 a.m., Mass: St. Nicholas Parishioners, Church 9:30 a.m., Mass: Camillus Sullivan, Church 11:30 a.m., Mass: Jennie Jalbrzikowski, Church
Readings for Week of June 5, 2017 Mon. . . . . . . . Tues. . . . . . . . Wed . . . . . . . . Thurs. . . . . . . .
Fri. . . . . . . . . . Sat. . . . . . . . . . Sun . . . . . . . .
Tb 1:3; 2:1b-8 Tb 2;9-14 Tb 3:1-11a, 1617a Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 917;8:4-9a Tb 11:5-17 Tb 12:1, 5-15, 20 Ex 34:4b-6, 8-9
Mk 12:1-12 Mk12:13-17 Mk 12:18-27 Mk 12:28-34
Mk 12:35-37 Mk 12:38-44 Jn 3:16-18
