Around the Parish – June 29, 2025

Solemnity of Sts. Peter & Paul

This Sunday we celebrate the great Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, two pillars of the Church. Though very different—Peter the humble fisherman, and Paul the brilliant scholar and missionary—both gave their lives to proclaim Christ and build up His Church. Peter reminds us of the importance of unity and steadfastness; Paul reminds us of the urgency of evangelization and boldness in faith. May their witness inspire us to be courageous disciples in our own time.

Parish Directory – Family Portrait Sign-Ups

We’re getting ready to create a brand-new parish photo directory, and we want you to be part of it! You can sign up for your family portrait online Monday through Friday, or stop by the main vestibule of the church after Mass to sign up in person. This is a wonderful way to celebrate our parish family and mark our 70th anniversary year.

Submit Your Recipes – 70th Anniversary Cookbook

Our parish cookbook is in the works, and we’re off to a delicious start with 17 recipes submitted so far! But we know there are many more great cooks in our parish. Directions for submitting recipes online are included in this weekend’s bulletin. Please help us make this a beautiful and tasty keepsake—just in time for Christmas!

Spaghetti Dinner & Theme Basket Raffle – Save the Date!

We’re just four months away from our annual Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday, October 26. As always, we’ll be holding our Theme Basket Raffle alongside the dinner. Last year we were blessed with 28 baskets—this year, let’s aim for 60! Your creativity and generosity are what make this such a fun and successful event. Thank you!

300 Club – Final Days to Get Your Ticket!

Time is running out! We’re down to the wire for 300 Club ticket sales, with just a few days left before our first drawing. If you haven’t purchased your ticket yet, don’t delay! Your support helps fund important projects and ministries in our parish.

Sacred Saturday – Sign Up Today!

Our next Sacred Saturday is just around the corner on July 12. Last time, we reflected on Mary, our Blessed Mother. This time, we welcome Ed Condon of The Pillar Catholic News Agency, who will speak about the papacy and the conclave—a timely and fascinating topic. We’ll begin with 9:00 AM Mass, followed by breakfast and the talk. Be sure to sign up—details are in the bulletin and on our website!

A few thoughts for your week:

Life will often throw us a curve ball; it is up to us to swing the bat. A friend is one who overlooks the broken fence and instead, admires the flowers in your garden. There is no exercise better for the heart than to reach down and lift up someone who is struggling.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

The Power and Tradition of Mass Intentions

The Mass is considered the greatest prayer of intercession in the Church. This is because it is the perfect offering of Christ to the Father, making present the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection. Traditionally, a Priest may be requested to offer a Mass for a specific intention, even if the requester cannot be physically present.

Offering Masses for the Deceased:

Having a Mass offered for a deceased person is an ancient and commendable practice. A Mass is offered to pray for the departed, that they may find peace in heaven. Since each Mass holds infinite value, requesting one or several Masses is of tremendous benefit to the person prayed for, as well as their family, who can take comfort in knowing that their intention is united with the prayers of the Church.

The Mass: Center of Christian Life:

Every Mass is a precious gift from God. It is the center of the Church’s life, known as “the source and summit of the Christian life,” because in the celebration of the Mass, we are brought back to Jesus’ Last Supper, the first Mass. We consciously recall the love of God poured out for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ. At each Mass, all the intentions of God’s people, both living and deceased, are included. As Pope Paul VI noted in his motu proprio “Firma in Traditione,” the faithful, moved by an ecclesial and religious sense, join their own sacrifices to the Eucharistic sacrifice, participating more intensely and supporting the Church’s needs, especially its ministers.

Requesting a Mass Intention:

Anyone may request a Mass Intention for a living person, a deceased person, members of a family, or a special intention appropriate to the celebration of the Eucharist, such as World Peace, Vocations, or Respect for Life. The Church allows only one intention per Mass.

Offering a Mass Stipend:

The normal stipend offering for a Mass is $10. However, a Mass Offering can be more or less than the suggested amount, depending on the financial position of the person requesting the Mass. Envelopes for Mass intention requests are available at the entrances of the church. These envelopes can be placed in the collection basket or returned to the parish office. The requester may also ask for a card to be sent to notify someone that a Mass Intention has been requested (one card per intention). Please note that the name of the person(s) requesting the Mass is not announced.