Adult Initiation & Sacrament Preparation

A very interesting column from Tommy Tighe from today's Angelus News.   This subject of "looking for a parish" is something new to our Catholic culture. I am surprised that many Catholics (particularly those here out West) have no concept of parish boundaries. Go into any rectory back office, and you will find a map with a taped outline of the boundaries of the parish (the parish boarders, if you will). Many families I've met from back East often told stories of how they we re not able to attend the same parish school as their neighbors across the street because the parish boundary passed down the middle of the street. For many years and still in some places today, parish boundaries are strictly enforced. Why is that? You need to think medieval... as in every parish being like a medieval kingdom. If you live within the boundaries of the kingdom, your taxes are paid to that king (or rather, your offering goes in the collection of that paris...

As with last week’s readings, this 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time is usually usurped by other feast days, but since Easter is somewhat late this year, we get to finish out this stretch of Ordinary Time with some readings we rarely get to hear during Sunday Mass… The Word for the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 Luke 6:17, 27-38 Our first reading comes from the book of Sirach, also known as the Wisdom of Ben Sira, a great sage from Jerusalem who embraced the Wisdom tradition.  The work was originally finished around 175 BCE and was later translated into Greek by the author’s grandson sometime after 117 BCE during the Jewish diaspora that flourished in the later Ancient Greek Empire.  Since our earliest manuscripts for this book were found in Greek, it does not hold the same canonical status for Jews and Protestants, but more recent archeological finds have verified it’s Hebrew origins....

It is rare that we hear these readings for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time because our calendar usually has more important celebrations on this particular Sunday, but with Easter falling where it does this year, we have a unique opportunity to study and celebrate the readings selected for this Sunday: The Word for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 Luke 6:17, 27-38 We open with a reading from the 1st Book of Samuel with a rather interesting story about King Saul (the first of the Israelite kings) and his protégé and successor, David.  To understand this story, one needs to understand the relationship between Saul and David.  At the people’s insistence, and God’s acquiescence, Samuel anoints  Saul as the first King of Israel.  But things are not going well for Saul.  After being chosen by God, Saul has turned is back to God and his prophet Samuel.  Because of th...

It is through the fault of the Liturgical calendar that we get to celebrate the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time.  More often than not, we miss these readings due to the timing of Easter (and Lent), but this year we have the opportunity to dive into some of the most important Christian teachings, which we will see have their roots in much older texts. The Word for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, and 6 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20 Luke 6:17, 20-26 Our first reading comes to us from Jeremiah, that prophet who came to prominence under the great King Josiah, only to see the people turn back to idolatry and witness the inevitable destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of the kingdom of Judah.  This Sunday’s passage is from his oracles in the days of King Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son and successor.  Here he decries those who put their faith in men, and praises those who put their faith in God.  Those who trust in man are like a dessert wher...

If there’s an over-arching theme to the readings for these first weeks of Ordinary Time, it would be “a call to mission.”  It starts with Jesus answering the call through is Baptism and the beginning of his ministry.  We see this theme continue in this weeks readings as others answer the call: The Word for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Luke 5:1-11 Our first reading is from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  Most of the stories of the prophets begin, quite logically, with the story of their calling.  The book on Isaiah, however, follows a slightly different construct.  It opens with his great oracle of indictment against the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.  This continues for the first 5 chapters.  Then when we get to Chapter 6, we go from oratory to narrative history.  This is where we begin our first reading, with the story of Isaiah’s calling.  That story is pre...