Category: Bulletins and Newsletters

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin December 3, 2023

by Terrie Evans

  Our San Antonio Church community welcomes everyone on this 1^st Sunday of Advent.  In Western Christianity, Advent is the beginning of the Liturgical year as we anticipate the “Coming of Christ.”  In the Catholic and Lutheran Churches, Advent signifies the preparation for the threefold coming of Christ:  First if the Incarnation at Bethlehem, Second, in the perpetual sacramental presence in the Eucharist and Third, at His Second Coming and the Final Judgement.  The readings for Advent relate to Jesus Christ as a Savior and to his Second Coming judge during the weeks in Advent.  The candles on our Advent wreath symbolize the stages of salvation, Creation, the Incarnation, our Redemption from sins, and the Last Judgement as we await the messiah.  As the Candles are lit, we anticipate the Christmas light approaching that will bring us hope and peace while we make the journey through darkness.  The first candle we will light today on our Advent Wreath is the Prophets Candle that symbolizes Hope. The Advent Wreath comes from ancient symbols with the round form symbolizing victory, the greenery a sign of hope and life and the four candles highlight the four Sundays in the season of Advent.  

Also, on this 1^st Sunday in Advent, Mt. St. Joseph University will host the Westside Community Band for a Christmas Concert.  Many talented west side musicians will perform all the popular   holiday favorites at this free event.  They will be collecting new unwrapped toys to bring Christmas Joy to children on the west side.  The performance starts at 2:00 PM with the Nutcracker Suite and ends at 4:00 PM with everyone’s favorite, Sleigh Ride.  This is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit, so bring your family for this enjoyable afternoon. 

On Monday, December 4^th, we celebrate the feast of St. John of Damascus (675-749) venerated in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran Churches born to a Christian Arab family in Syria.  He is considered as one of the Fathers of the Eastern Orthodox Church who was known for his strong defense of icons.  In the Catholic Church, he was given the title Doctor of the Assumption due to his writings on the Assumption of Mary.  He is the patron of theology students and is known as the “Last of the Greek Fathers in Catholic Theology.  John of Damascus was also known to compose hymns for the Byzantine Rite Liturgies.  He was canonized Pre-Congregation and was added to the General Roman Calendar in 1890 when Pope Leo XIII declared John of Damascus a Doctor of the Church. 

On Wednesday, December 6^th, we honor St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (270-343) an early Christian Bishop of Greek descent during the Roman Empire.  St. Nicholas Church was built on the orders of Theodosius II 200 years after his death on the site where he had served as Bishop.  He is the Patron saint of all of Greece and its Hellenic Navy and is also a favorite of all Italians especially sailors, fisherman, sailors, and cities who maintain harbors.  Saint Nicholas is sometimes shown in a boat rescuing drowning sailors.  On his feast day, St. Nicks Day, secret gift giving will take place, and, in some places, coins will be left in the shoes that are left out for him.  He is venerated in many churches:  The Eastern Orthodox Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Finland, with his Major Shrine, the Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, Italy where his relics are enshrined.  In 2000, a bronze statue of St. Nicholas was placed in front of the medieval church dedicated to him by the Russian Government.  A Prayer to St. Nicholas:  We call upon Your mercy, O Lord. Through the intercession of St. Nicholas, keep us safe amid all dangers so that we may go forward without hindrance on the road to salvation. 

On Thursday, December 7^th we honor the 82^nd National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day to recall the surprise military attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.  There were 2,403 Americans killed along with 1,178 wounded on “a date which will live infamy.”  The base was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese Aircraft with all U.S. Navy battleships damaged along with cruisers, destroyers, anti-aircraft training ships and a minelayer.  More than 180 of our aircraft were lost along with the USS Arizona.  We will never forget the attack at 7:48 Hawaiian Time that led the United States to formally enter World War II on the side of the Allies on the following day.   Many 1^sts generation Italian American men from South Fairmount answered the call to duty with those sons, brothers, and husbands fighting overseas for many months or years.  We can never forget the sacrifices they made to defend our great country.     

On December 7^th we also honor St. Ambrose (339-397) known as a theologian and statesman who was the Bishop of Milan from the years 374-397 at the age of 34.  He converted St. Augustine to Christianity by his sermons, Baptizing him in 386.  St. Ambrose wrote important doctrines and is considered one of the greatest Doctors and Defenders of the Church.  The Ambrosian Rite, the rite of the Mass and Divine Office in practice for centuries in the territory of the Archdiocese of Milan is attributed to him.  The Ambrosian Chant, melodies ascribed to St. Ambrose were used by his followers used in the Ambrosian Rite.  St. Ambrose is often depicted holding a Church in his hands. 

December 7^th is also the first day of Hanukah that begins at sundown and continues to Friday December 15^th.  Hanukah is the Jewish feast recalling the rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B.C. and the miracle of the oil when one day’s supply lasted for eight days.  It is custom to eat foods cooked in oil, so many fried foods are prepared for Hanukah, which is also called the “Feast of Lights”.  Families will come together to recite blessings and at sunset, light the first candle in the Menorah, the eight branched candelabrum.  The next night of Hanukah, two candles will be lit until all are aglow for the 8 days of Hanukah.  Many will exchange gifts such as books or games as they prepare dishes for the festival of lights.  Popular recipes are cheese latkes, warm pasta salad, and mint stuffed zucchini with ricotta.   Families will pick an organization to donate to or volunteer their time for a good cause.  They will perform a good deed, a Mitzvah as an individual act of human kindness as “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  A good deed is one of the Torah’s 613 Divine Commandments. 

On Friday December 8^th we honor the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary affirming that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved at her conception by a singular grace and privilege of God free from all stain of Original Sin as stated by Pope Pius IX in his declaration of his Dogma on December 8, 1854.  She who was to bear the Savior of the world should herself be preserved by Him from sin and its consequences and so be the first to benefit from what He would obtain for the whole human race.  In 1847, the Catholic Bishops of the United States petitioned Pope Pius IX to declare the Blessed Mother the Patroness of the United States under the title of the Immaculate Conception.  With the approval of the Holy See, plans were made to erect a monumental church to be named the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. The cornerstone was laid in 1920 and formally dedicated on November 20, 1959.  It is the largest Catholic Church in the United States covering 77,500 square feet raised to the rank of a Basilica in 1979 by Pope John Paul II. 

On Saturday, December 9^th we honor Juan Diego, the first Catholic saint who is indigenous to the Americas.  He was born in 1474 in modern day Mexico who developed a strong dedication to the Virgin Mary while caring for a sick uncle.  When Franciscan Missionaries arrived in Mexico in 1524, and after his baptism was granted apparitions of the Virgin Mary and became regarded as a Marion Visionary.  Mary is said to have appeared in Juan Diego on December 9^th & again on the 15^th in 1531.  When she appeared, Mary requested a Shrine be built on the spot where she appeared to him but, no one would believe him not even the Pope who requested a sign.  On the second visit from Mary on the 15^th of December, he was told to collect roses.  When the Pope had an audience with Juan Diego, when he opened his cloak, the roses fell from his cloak with the image of Mary imprinted on the inside of the cloak.  This image is now venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe where the shrine to the Virgin has existed on the site since 1556.   It is thought she chose Juan Diego as a way to draw the peoples of the New World to faith in Jesus Christ.  The movement for the canonization of Juan Diego became stronger 500 years after his birth in 1974. 

Pope John Paul II opened the Cause for Canonization of Juan Diego in 1987 when he was declared Venerable and was Beatified on May 6, 1990, during Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico city.  He was then declared “Protector and Advocate of the Indigenous Peoples” with December 9^th established as His feast day. Pope John Paul II praised his virtues when he said “His simple faith nourished by catechesis and open to the mysteries; his hope and trust in God and in the Virgin; his love, his moral coherence, his unselfishness, and evangelical poverty.“   In the 1942 movie, Ramon Navarro portrayed Juan Diego in The Saint Who Forged a Country and in 2013, a documentary, The Blood and The Rose portrayed the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a way to bring the story of the apparition to North American audiences. Juan Diego is known as The Messenger of Guadalupe.

San Antonio parishioners have been asked to donate hats, gloves, and socks for children and adults.  We will be collecting these items during the month of December.  Please bring your donations to the hall after Mass.  If you have any questions, please see Janet Reiff or Connie Dalessandro.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 26, 2023

by Terrie Evans

On this last Sunday in Ordinary Time, we honor the Feast of Christ the King, which emphasizes the true Kingship of Christ.  At the 1^st Ecumenical Council in 325, when heresy was becoming prevalent, the Council introduced the dogma to counteract the heresy with: “Christ is God, light from light, true God from true God.” It is celebrated at the end of the liturgical year that was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 for the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.  At that time, there was growing secularism within the church when Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in his encyclical, Quas Primas.  The Pope proclaimed that the best way to defeat injustice was by acknowledging the Kingship of Christ.   In 1926, Pope Pius Xi gave his permission for the first church to be dedicated to Christ the King to the priest of a young parish in the Mount Lookout area of Cincinnati, Ohio.  The first church was built and consecrated in 1927 with a new church constructed for the growing faithful in 1956. 

The Feast of Christ the King was first celebrated on October 31, 1926, with Christ the King of the entire universe “In Him were created all things in heaven on earth.  All things were created through Him and for Him.”  Christ is regarded as the true measure of all creation whether it be governments, states, or societies.  St.  Paul said: “Christ is the head of the body of the Church in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  The feast shows the divine plan of the Christian doctrine that points to the end of time when the kingdom of Jesus will be established in all its fullness to the end of the earth.   The feast highlights that Christ the King is the destination of our earthly pilgrimage.   Pope Paul VI moved the date of Christ the King in 1969 with the highest rank of solemnity with white vestments used for the day.   The feast leads into the liturgical season of Advent when the Church celebrates Christ’s second coming. 

On November 30^th, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Andrew the Apostle who is venerated in all the Christian denominations who honor saints.  Andrew (Andreas) the Apostle was born between 5 and 10 AD in Galilee, with brother, Peter also a fisherman when Jesus called them to be his disciples.  When they became disciples of Christ, they followed Christ as his companions at important events while becoming closely attached to Jesus.  Andrew and Peter are often paired together in several accounts of the Gospels (Mt. 4:18-20and Jn 1:35-42).    Andrew preached along the Black Sea and near the Dnieper river close to Kiev.   Andrew was present at the Last Supper and was one of the four Apostles who came to Jesus on the Mount of Olives.  Andrew is mentioned as being in the Upper Room in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit came on Jesus’s Disciples after the Resurrection and Ascension.   Andrew is thought to have been Martyred by Crucifixion on an X shaped cross in the City of Patras in 60 AD with his relics kept at the Basilica of Saint Andrew in Patras, Greece: in the Amalfi cathedral in Amalfi, in the Cathedral in Sarzana, Italy at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland and also in the Church of St. Andrew and St. Albert in Warsaw, Poland. 

On November 30^th, there will be a special ceremony on his feast day in the Church of St. Andrew at Patras in Greece and in the Church of England, St. Andrew the Apostle is remembered with a Festival.  He has been venerated as the Patron Saint of Scotland, Russia, and Fisherman.  A prayer in memory of St. Andrew: “O Lord, You raised up St. Andrew, Your Apostle to preach and rule in Your Church.  Grant that we may always experience the benefit of his intercession with You.  AMEN.”   

There will be a statue of Sr. Blandina Segale, (1850-1941) Servant of God, dedicated at a date yet to be announced at Seton High School to honor the Sister of Charity.  The school was established in 1854 as Mt. St. Vincent Academy later changed to honor Elizabeth Ann Seton, the foundress of their Order.  Elizabeth Ann Seton was helped on the path to sainthood by Sr. Blandina when she journeyed to Rome in 1931 at the age of 81 to petition Pope Pius XI to Canonize the Foundress of the Sisters of Charity.  This testament of her good works will be the third statue of Sr. Blandina Segale to be erected in her honor.   The 1^st image of the 5ft. 4 in. Sr. Blandina was placed on the grounds of St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico in a grotto in the middle of the statues of Mary and Joseph for the dedication in 2020 after a 15-year project started by the late Deacon Rene Greivel.  

The 2^nd statue dedicated to Sr. Blandina was in 2021 in Trinidad, Colorado located on the Santa Fe Trail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico.   Trinadad is where Sr. Blandina arrived after a difficult journey traveling over 1,200 miles by rail, construction train, and stagecoach to her post where she did her early missionary work assisting Native Americans, Hispanics, and Immigrants from Europe.  She is also lovingly remembered in her place of birth, Cicagna, Italy where in 1998, the town square near the tower of St. John the Baptist Church, was dedicated to Sr. Blandina Segale.  There were 38 of her relatives from America in attendance with members of the Segale, Becker, and Stagge families to see her honored.    Mayors of nearby towns along with Donatella Aurili Ruggiero who spent over 20 years doing research on the life of Sr. Blandina Segale and Carla Casagrande Maschio of the Civic Library in Cicagna were instrumental in having the town square dedicated to her.  The plaque in the Piazza reads:  Maria Rosa Segale, “Suor Blandina” 1850-1941.  We continue to pray for the Canonization of our beloved Sr. Blandina who cared for orphans and outlaws, lived and practiced the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity throughout her life.  Since the founding of San Antonio Italian Parish in 1922, all our parishioners have owed her a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid as we continue to pray for her Canonization.                                  

On Sunday, December 3^rd, our San Antonio Church Community will host the 1^st Annual Childrens Christmas Party in our Hall after our 9:00 AM Mass.  All children 10 years old and younger are invited to attend the fun morning.  Please let JoAnne Lyons 513-574-3495 or Linda Panaro 513-922-0779 know of your plans by November 29^th.  December 3^rd is also the beginning of Advent and the 4 weeks leading up to the birth of Jesus.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 19, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 On this 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Church community thanks all those dedicated volunteer workers who prepared a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner on Tuesday, November 14^th, to serve all those very appreciative guests in our Hall.  This annual event is a prelude to our own holiday dinners that we cook and serve for our own families.  The “Lunch on the House”, kitchen crew looks forward to the opportunity to cook a meal every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the month.  Also, thank you to all the servers and extra kitchen help who were there for the many hours needed to get this special meal ready. 

On Tuesday, November 21^st, we celebrate the Liturgical Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary.  This feast is centered around the event when Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne brought Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem to give thanks for the gift of their daughter and to consecrate her to God.  The feast originated after the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New that was built in 543 near the site of the ruins of the Temple in Jerusalem.  In the Eastern Orthodox Church, this feast is celebrated as The Entry of The Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple and on this day, women named Mary (In Greek, Mapia) celebrate their name day.  On this day in the Roman Catholic Church, “We celebrate that dedication of herself which Mary made to God from her very childhood under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who filled her with grace.” Pope Paul VI wrote in 1974 in his encyclical: “Despite its apocryphal content, it presents lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern Churches.”  St Peters Basilica is home to the Presentation Chapel (Cappella della Presentazione) and in Marshfield, Missouri the Presentation of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Monastery was established before the nuns moved to the Holy Archangel Michael and All Angels Skete in Weatherby, Missouri.  In 1775 the Presentation Sisters founded a religious institute for Roman Catholic women in Cork, Ireland and in France, the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary founded the order to the education of youth in 1796.  The Sisters of Mary of the Presentation was founded in Brons, France in 1828.  It founded schools and hospitals in North America, Europe, and Africa.                                       

On Wednesday, November 22^nd, we celebrate the feast of St. Cecilia also known as Cecilia of Rome who is venerated in the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and in some Lutheran Churches.  She is a Roman Virgin Martyr who was a noble lady of Rome.  In the 3^rd Century, the Santa Cecilia Church in Trastevere, Italy was founded by Pope Urban I on the site of the home where she lived and died.  Her feast day has been celebrated since the 4^th Century with musical concerts and festivals held with St. Cecilia symbolizing the central role of music in the liturgy and is sometimes depicted playing the viola or other musical instruments as the patron saint of musicians and poets.   The name Cecilia is from Cecyliada the name of the festival of the sacred, choral, and contemporary music festival held in Poland since 1994.  A convent of Cistercian nuns in Trastevere dedicated to St. Cecilia shear lambs for the wool to be woven into palliums for the new metropolitan Archbishops.  The Trappists of the Abbey Tre Fontaine raise the lambs which are blessed every January 21^st on the Feast of St. Agnes.  On the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Palia will be then given to the new metropolitan Archbishops by the Pope.  St. Cecilia’s Major Shrine is located in Trastevere in Rome and there are churches in Nebraska, Texas, New York, Germany, Malta, Italy and in Canada dedicated to her.  On Thursday, our San Antonio Church families celebrate Thanksgiving and the feast days of St. Clement I, St. Columban and Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro.  

On November 23^rd, we honor the life of St. Clement of Rome, born in c.35 AD and died in 99AD at the age of 64, a Pope(88AD-99AD) of the Catholic Church after in the late part of the 1^st Century.    He is commemorated as a pope and Martyr in the Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran, Orthodox, Syrian and the Byzantine Rite Catholic Churches and one of the few Roman Popes who have a Russian Orthodox Church in his honor.   In the year 95, St. Clement wrote Old Testament Stories on the evils of jealousy when he said, “Peace must be the aim of all of us who follow Jesus.  We should be obedient unto God, rather than those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy, for Christ is with them that are lowly of mind, not with them that exalt themselves over the flock.” He is the patron saint of Mariners with the St. Clement’s Cross which refers to the way he was martyred by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea.  

Also, on November 23^rd we honor St. Columban Abbot (543-615) born in Ireland, 100 hundred years after St. Patrick brought the Catholic Faith to the southeast coast of his country.  He studied Scripture in what is today, Northern Ireland and went on to the monastery in Bangor where he became a Monk.  St. Columban embraced a life of prayer and study and after his ordination, spent the next 30 years at the Monastery.  He was granted permission by Abbot Comgall to set sail for France with 12 other monks to change the course of pagan practices that were becoming common in Europe.  St. Columban was able to convert King Gontrand who then would gift him an ancient Roman fortress that helped them establish a monastery in Switzerland and in Germany where they founded a school.  He was seen as a holy man with miracles attributed to him during his life and many after his death. Monasteries he founded would expand to over 200 new foundations with St. Columban remembered for his zeal, his monastic life, and his pastoral guide on the celebration of the Sacrament of Confession.  Prayer to St. Columban: “God called you at a young age to enter monastic life so as to form you into a holy man of God. He later called you forth to preach, administer the Sacraments, found new communities, teach, and influence the Church throughout Europe.  Please pray for me, that I will first cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the conversion of my own soul so that God can use me for His greater glory and the salvation of souls.  Saint Columban, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You.  Amen.”

On November 23^rd we honor the legend of Miguel Pro (1891-1927) a Mexican Jesuit Priest who was arrested and executed without a trial under the direction of President Plutarco Elias Calles on November 23, 1927, at the age of 36.  Jose Ramon Miguel Agustin was born into a mining family the 3^rd of 11 children who entered the Jesuit community on August 15, 1911.  He became noted for his speaking on spiritual subjects and his charitable works while devoting many hours to prayer.  After his ordination, on August 31, 1925, his 1^st assignment was to work with the miners in Belgium preaching the Gospel to them.  In 1926 after studying in Rome he traveled to the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes where he celebrated Mass before returning to Mexico.  At that time, a law (Calles Law) was put into effect punishing priests who criticized the government or wore clerical garb outside of their churches. The law went into effect on July 31, 1926, with churches being closed and the execution of many priests.  When he returned to his home country of Mexico, Miguel Pro was forced to go underground to celebrate the Eucharist and to minister the other Sacraments to very small groups of Catholics.  In October 1926, he was arrested, released, and put on surveillance until his execution in 1927. The cause for his canonization began on January 11, 1952, as a Servant of God with his Beatification held at St. Peter’s Square by John Paul II on September 25, 1988.  Pope John Paul stated: “Neither suffering nor serious illness, nor the exhausting ministerial activity, frequently carried out in difficult and dangerous circumstances, could stifle the radiating and contagious joy which he brought to his life for Christ and which nothing could take away.  Indeed, the deepest root of self-sacrifice surrender for the lowly was his passionate love for Jesus Christ and his ardent desire to be conformed to him, even unto death.” 

On Friday, November 24^th the Catholic Church honors the memory of Andrew Dung-Lac (1795-1839) a Vietnamese Roman Catholic Priest martyred during the reign of Minh Mang.  He was a convert to Catholicism and took the name Andrew at his Baptism and went on to become a priest on March 15, 1823, at the age of 28.  He became a missionary and through his efforts, many Vietnamese families would hear the message of the Gospel.  He was one of the 117 people martyred in Vietnam during the years 1820-1839.  St. Andrew Dung-Lac was Beatified on November 1, 1900, and Canonized on June 19, 1988, by Pope John Paul.  In Lansing, Michigan the Parish of St. Andrew Dung-Lac is dedicated to him. 

On Saturday, November 25^th we celebrate the life of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr and one of the 14 Holy Helpers who are called upon when special intentions and is invoked against a sudden death.  She was seen as one of the most important saints in the religious culture of the late Middle Ages and one of the most popular early Christian Martyrs of the 4^th Century.  A vision of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus persuades her to become a Christian.  Devotion to St. Catherine has many pilgrims travelling to her Monastery established in the 6^th Century near the burning bush seen by Moses hoping to receive healing from St. Catherine.  She was Martyred around 305 for not giving up her beliefs and in some areas of France, her feast day is a Holy Day of Obligation.  St. Catherine’s College in Cambridge was founded on St. Catherine’s Day on November 25, 1473.  In 1905, St. Catherine University in St. Paul Minnesota was founded by the Sisters of St. Jospeh of Carondelet and in Oak Lawn, Illinois, St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, and School is named in her honor.  She is the Patron of unmarried girls and in France, unwed women at the age of 25 were called Catherinittes.  A movie was released in 2014 about St. Catherine of Alexandria called Decline of an Empire.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 12, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 

We welcome everyone to San Antonio Church on this 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.  This week we celebrate Francis Xavier Cabrini on Monday, November 13^th.  Her life and work were much like that of our beloved Sr. Blandina Segale, Servant of God.  Maria Francesca Cabrini was born in Italy and journeyed to the United States to aid the Italian Immigrant Population along with six other Sacred Heart Sisters.  She first went to see the Pope for his approval to establish missions in China.  Pope Leo XIII told her “go to the U.S.  my child, there is much work awaiting you there”.   For 28 years she traveled throughout the U.S. establishing 4 hospitals along with 50 orphanages, convents, and schools.  Just as Sr. Blandina did, Francis Xavier Cabrini organized catechism and education classes for those newly arrived Italian Immigrants while caring for the needs of the many orphans under her care.  She founded the Sacred Heart Orphan Asylum in West Park, New York later named Saint Cabrini Home and established Columbus Hospital in Chicago in the heart of the city’s Italian neighborhood.  She went on to found 67 missionary institutions that served the sick and poor before government agencies were developed.  They were in New York, Illinois, Seattle, New Orleans, Denver and Golden Colorado, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, countries in Latin America and Europe.  There are also 30 churches dedicated to her with 2 in Ohio (Conneaut and Lorain).  She died on December 22, 1917, from complications of malaria in Chicago and after her death, her convent room at Columbus Hospital in the Lincoln Park neighborhood became a popular destination for those seeking personal healing and spiritual comfort.  Nine years after her passing in 1926, the Missionary Sisters achieved her goal of becoming missionaries in China.  She was beatified on November 13, 1938, by Pope Pius XI and was Canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 7, 1946.  Pope Pius XII named Frances Xavier Cabrini the Patron Saint of immigrant in 1950 for her work. The Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Samuel Stritch commissioned a large National Shrine in her honor within the hospital complex after her canonization with the dedication taking place in 1955.  Mother Cabrini was the 1^st American citizen to become a Saint. 

On Tuesday, November 14^th we will have our traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for our “Lunch on the House” meal.  A complete turkey dinner with all the sides and deserts will be served starting at 11:30 AM everyone is welcome. 

On Wednesday, November 15^th we honor St. Albert the Great (1206-1200) who joined the Dominican Order when he was a student at the University of Padua.  While at the University he received instruction on the writings of Aristotle while developing a scientist’s natural curiosity and respect for methodical thinking.  He studied the heavens and the earth making observations for astronomers, biologists, botanists, and geologists. He was a student who learned Greek and Arabic and taught Theology to Thomas Aquinas.  Albert molded the curriculum for all Dominican students while introducing Aristotle to the classroom.  Albert died on November 15, 1280, at the Dominican Convent in Cologne Germany and was beatified in 1622.  In 1931 Pope Pius XI canonized him making St. Albert the Great a Doctor of the Church and the Patron saint of Natural Scientists in 1941.  In Santa Paula, California Albertus Magnus Science Hall at Thomas Aquinas College is named after him, and the Academy for Science and Design located in New Hampshire named one of its four houses Magnus House.  There are numerous Catholic elementary and secondary schools named after him located in Toronto, Calgary, Cologne and in Dayton, Ohio.  His Major Shrine is in St. Andrew’s Church in Cologne. 

On Thursday, November 16^th we celebrate two saints, St. Margaret of Scotland, and St. Gertrude the great.  St. Margaret of Scotland was an English Princess and Scottish Queen who was married to Malcolm III of Scotland in 1070.  She was known for her charitable works serving the orphans and the poor in the early morning hours before she took a meal.  She invited the Benedictine Order to find a Monastery in Dunfermline, Fife in 1072.  To assist those pilgrims journeying from south of the Firth of Forth to St. Andrews in Fife, she established ferries at Queensferry and North Berwick.  Margaret lost her husband and son in the Battle of Alnwick in 1093 and suffering from severe grief, died 3 days later.  She was remembered for interceded for the release of fellow English exiles who had been forced into serfdom by the Norman conquest of England.  St, Margaret was canonized by Pope Innocent IV in 1250 for her personal holiness, fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church, her work for ecclesiastical reform and her charity.  One of the oldest churches dedicated to St. Margaret in St. Margarets Chapel in Edinburg Castle in Scotland that was founded by her son King David I.  We also celebrate St. Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) who was an early devotee to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  As a young child Gertrude studied not only Scripture but also the Church Fathers.  She was seen as a Mystic and Visionary who wrote prolifically while spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart.  Her feast day was declared in 1677 although she has not been formally canonized.  There is the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Idaho and at present is the home to a community of 50 professed Benedictine Nuns.  She was declared Patroness of the West Indies due to a petition from King Philip IV of Spain and in New Mexico, the town Santa Gertrudis de lo de Mora was built in her honor.  The parishes dedicated to St. Gertrude are located in Washington, Missouri, Cincinnati, Ohio, Kingsville, Texas, Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada, Franklin Park, Illinois; Vandergriff, Pennsylvania and in Chicago, Illinois. 

On November 17^th we honor the feast day of Elizabeth of Hungary, a princess in the Kingdom of Hungary known as Elisabeth of Thuringia.  Her feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Anglican Communion, Lutheran and Episcopal Churches.  She married Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia in 1221 and became the symbol for Christian charity until her death at the age of 24.  Elizabeth became dedicated to the Franciscan Friars after they arrived in 1223 and followed the life and times of Francis of Assisi.  Because of the support she gave the Friars, St. Francis of Assisi would send her a personal message for all her kindness.  With the death of her husband, Louis from the plague after joining Emperor Frederick II’s Crusade, she felt her life was over.  Elizabeth said, “The world and all that was joyful in the world is now dead to me”.  Following her husbands, she made solemn vows similar to those of a nun and became a member of the Third Order of the Franciscans adopting their religious habit to start her new way of life.  She built a hospital in Marburg to care for the poor and sick where she and her companions cared for them.  Elizabeth died in 1232 the age of 24 with her las words “O, Mary come to help me.”  Elizabeth of Hungary was Canonized on May 27, 1235, by Pope Gregory IX in Perugia, Italy with Major Shrines located in Slovakia and Marburg, Germany.   She is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on November 18^th and in the Episcopal Church on November 19^th.  On the 700^th Anniversary of her death in 1932, Hungary issued a set of four stamps in her honor.  In 1938, Czechoslovakia issued a stamp with the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth in Kosice where in 2019 she would be declared the patron Saint.  In 2007, the City of Marburg declared the year Elizabeth Year to celebrate the 800^th Anniversary of her birth on July 7^th.  The events and festival commemorated her life and works with pilgrims journeying from all over the world with many attending the special service held at the St. Elizabeth Church.  Many of the Third Order of St. Francis, friars, and sisters from the Third Order Regular along with the Secular Franciscan Order joined in the celebration.  There were two programs that studied her life conducted throughout the Order that was held across the globe as many held religious ceremonies to mark this milestone event.  She is considered the Patron Saint of young brides. 

On Saturday, November 18^th we have the liturgical feast day of the Dedication of the Basilicas of the Apostles Peter and Paul which were bult during the 4^th Century by Emperor Constantine the Great.  St. Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls were on the sites that had been visited by pilgrims for many centuries where the apostles were believed to be buried.  When the Basilicas were built, they were joined by a colonnade even though there was a several mile distance between them.  In the Catholic Church, it was an obligation on Catholic Bishops to make a Quinquennial visit ad limina a requirement that they are required to go “To the tombs of the Apostles” in Rome every 5 years to report on status of their Diocese or Prelatures.  This requirement was established in 1585 by Pope Sixtus V in his Papal Bull with the rules for these visits.  In 1909, Pope Pius X set out another decree stating that a Bishop would need to report to the Pope on the state of his diocese once every five years, with this taking effect in 1911.  On Saturday, November 18^th we also have the feast of Rose Philippine Duchesne, a French religious sister and educator, the only fully canonized female Roman Catholic saint to share a feast day with the Dedication of Saints Peter and Paul.  In 1788, she entered the Visitation of Holy Mary religious Order until revolutionaries closed the Monastery in 1792 during the French Revolutions Reign of Terror.  It was not until 1801 when the Catholic Church was allowed to operate openly in France under Napoleon tried to re-establish the Visitation Monastery.  Despite all her work trying to restore the monastery, the living conditions were served and only three companions were left.  In northern France, Madeline Sophie Barat founded the new Society of the Sacred Heart and invited Rose to merge the Visitation Community as both had a similar religious mission to educate young women.  In 1815, Rose Philippine Duchesne would go on to establish a Convent of the Sacred Heart in Paris where she became the Mistress of Novices and also opened a school.  In 1817, the Bishop of Louisiana traveled to Paris seeking a congregation of educators to evangelize the Indian and French children in his diocese.  In 1818, she journeyed to the United States on a voyage that took 10 weeks to arrive in New Orleans.  On her arrival, the Archbishop had no plans for the 5 sisters so, they made plans to travel on to St. Louis, Missouri.  She was an early member of the Society of the Sacred Heart establishing the congregations first communities in the United States along with Madeline Sophie Barat.  She taught and served people in the Midwestern region and also educated Indigenous American survivors during the time of the United States Indian removal programs.  She died on November 18, 1852, at the age of 83 in St. Charles, Missouri where she did most of her work.  Beatified on May 12, 1940, in Vatican City by Pope Pius XII and Canonized on July 3, 1988, in Vatican City by Pope John Paul.

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin November 5, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 

On this Sunday in Ordinary Time, we celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week from November 5-11.  This annual celebration of the Church in the United States promotes vocations to ordained ministry and consecrated life through prayer, invitation, and education.  This week for National Vocations Week was established in 1976 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops who then designated the 28^th Sunday of the year to highlight the need for vocations.  In 2014 the U.S.C.C.B. moved this important call for all those considering entering religious life to the 1^st week in November.  On this Sunday and during the next week, we are asked to offer our prayers and support for all those who are Considering one of these particular vocations for the priesthood, religious life, and diaconate.  Prayer for Vocations: “God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son’s Kingdom as Priests, Deacons, and Consecrated Persons.  Send your Holy Spirit to help others to respond generously and courageously to your call.  May our San Antonio Church community of faith support vocations of sacrificial love in our youth and young adults.  Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.  AMEN.” 

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7^th so as we continue to pray for a good turnout and the right outcome for those crucial issues, do not forget to vote.  A Prayer from Pope John Paul II: “Please God, you may continue, closely united with one another, to be a force of renewal and hope in our society.  May the Lord help you to work ceaselessly to enable all, believers, and non-believers alike, to understand that protection of human life from conception is an essential condition for building a future worthy of the human being.  AMEN.”     

On November 9^th, the Church celebrates the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the oldest and highest ranking of the 4 main Basilicas in Rome.  In 313, Emperor Constantine granted full liberty to Christians, constructing many churches and in ancient Rome, this was the church where all Baptisms took place.    The magnificent Basilica is built over the ancient Lateran Palace, the ancient palace of the prominent Plautii Laterani “Roman Family” and was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324.  It is located on St. John’s Square in Lateran on the Caelian Hill in Rome, Italy and is adjacent to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran and from the 4^th Century was the principal residence of the Popes during the next 1,000 years until the Apostolic residence was moved to the nearby Vatican.   It was considered as the “Mother and Head” of all the churches in the world and is dedicated under the title of the Most Holy Savior, Sanctissimi Redemptoris, and the ecclesiastical seat of the Holy Father, the Bishop of Rome.  It was destroyed several times and always rebuilt with the final re-construction taking place under Pope Benedict XIII.  In 1724, the church was rededicated and at that time, the feast of the Dedication was extended to the Universal Church.  It was dedicated to St. John the Baptist and is known as St. John Lateran.  In World War II the Lateran and surrounding buildings provided a safe shelter for many Jews and other refugees fleeing from the Nazis and Italian Fascists with the grounds being used to house Italian soldiers.  In July 1993, a bomb exploded in front of the Rome Vicariate at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran destroying the façade and was seen as a warning to Pope John Paul II for his statements on the Mafia.  The repairs were completed in 1996.  The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica:  To dedicate or consecrate a place to God is a ritual that is found in every religion.  To reserve a place to God is an act of recognizing His Glory and Home.   

On Friday, November 10^th we honor all Veterans as we remember all those Military Veterans who served in all branches all the United States Armed Forces.  It was established on November 11, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson when he spoke to our nation on the 1^st Armistice Day and the heroism of those who fought during World War I.  In 1926, the United States Congress sent President Calvin Coolidge a request to issue an annual proclamation for appropriate ceremonies to be observed every year on November 11^th.  It was finally approved by a Congressional Act in 1938 making it a legal holiday known as Armistice Day.  By 1945, a Veteran from World War II asked to expand the day not to just honor those who died in World War I.  Veteran Raymond Weeks would lead a delegation to General Dwight Eisenhower who would go on to support the idea for a National Veterans Day. The 1^st National Veterans Day was led by Weeks in his home state of Alabama in 1947.   Raymond Weeks became known as the “Father of Veterans Day” and received the Presidential Citizenship Medal from then President Reagan in 1982.  Parades and other events and celebrations are held throughout our country and on each Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery, an official wreath-laying ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Every, two minutes of silence will be observed at 2:11 PM Eastern Standard Time in many cities and at the Hamilton County Public Library in Cincinnati, the project “Honoring Our Veterans” will be on display from 2:00-3:00 PM on November 11, 2023.  The Veterans History Project is an ongoing effort to capture and share the stories of Veterans of Hamilton County.  Also, on November 10^th we honor St. Leo the Great Pope and Doctor of the Church, a Tuscan who succeeded Pope Sixtus in 440.  He was the first Pope to have been called “The Great” who was known for persuading Attila the Hun (Scourge of God) to withdraw from his invasion of Italy in 452.  St. Leo was devoted to St. Peter and when he called the Council of Chalcedon to condemn the heresies who were attacking the Church and condemned, the Council stated, “Peter has spoken by the mouth of Leo”.  He left many writings of historical value about the person of Jesus Christ (Christology) and his role as, mediator and savior (Soteriology).  Pope Benedict XVI referred to the Papacy of Leo as one of the most important in the history of the Church.  He was the 1^st Pope to be buried within the portico of Old St. Peters Basilica.  Prayer to St. Leo the Great: “O God, You established Your Church on the solid rock of St. Peter and You will never allow the powers of hell to dominate her.  Grant that she may preserve in Your truth and enjoy continual peace through the intercession of Pope St. Leo.”   

On November 11^th we celebrate the feast day of St. Martin of Tours (316-397) born in Hungary, the son of a Roman Officer and was raised in Italy who was serving in the army at age 15.  He was Baptized at age 18 and by 23 just being discharged from service, became a Disciple of St. Hilary of Poiters, France, He was ordained a Priest and while in France, preached throughout the countryside with his disciples.  In 371, he became the Bishop of Tours who went on to order the destruction of pagan temples, altars, and sculptures.  Martin of Tours was seen as a brave fighter, devoted to the poor, who served his military duty and respected all secular authority.  He is depicted as a man on horseback sharing his cloak with a beggar and invoked as the patron saint of France.   In 1870 after the Franco-Prussian war, he became popular with many pilgrims and clergy journeying to the tomb of St. Martin at Tours where his shrine has become a famous stop over for those traveling on the road from Santiago de Compostela in Spain. St Martin of Tours is the patron saint of soldiers and of the United States Army Quartermaster Corps with a medal named in his honor.  A Prayer to St. Martin: “O God, Your Bishop St. Martin glorified You by both his life and his death.  Renew in us Your grace, so that neither death nor life can separate us from Your love.  AMEN.”

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin October 29, 2023

by Terrie Evans

 

Welcome to San Antonio Church on the 30^th Sunday of Ordinary time and the last Sunday in October.  On Wednesday, November 1^st we honor the solemn celebration of All Saints Day to pay homage to all known or unknown saints of the Church.  In the Catholic Church, this day commemorates those who have attained the beatific vision in heaven as we also thank God for the lives of the saints we invoke in our daily prayers. This Liturgical Feast is observed to honor all saints, those canonized and those unknown.  When we recite the Apostles Creed we say, “I believe in the Communion of Saints” meaning the union of the faithful on earth, the blessed in heaven and the souls in purgatory, with Christ as their Head.  Saints are all those in sanctifying grace who are members of the Church Triumphant as the Church honors them on November 1^st.  Since the 4^th Century, there were feasts to commemorate Christian Martyrs held in various places at different times until the 9^th Century when churches in the British Isles held observances for all saints on November 1^st.  During the time of Pope Gregory III, he dedicated an oratory to the relics “Of the Holy Apostles and of All Saints, Martyrs, and Confessors of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world” on the date November 1^st with Pope Gregory then extended this to the whole Catholic Church.  Pope Gregory IV made All Saints Day a day of obligation that is now observed by attending church services.  There is a well-known mural The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs detailing the saints and martyrs by Fra Angelico, a Dominican Friar and Italian Painter of the Early Renaissance who is known for painting the saints closer to the truth than many of the other artists of that time.  Born Guido di Pietra (1395-1455), he is described as a rare and perfect talent of his work of religious subjects and is known for his series of fresco’s he painted for his own Friary in San Marco, Florence, Italy that took him 9 years to finish.  Blessed Fra Angelico was Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1982 and in 1984 was declared the Patron Saint of Catholic Artists. 

Locally we have the Angelico Project, a Nonprofit Lay Catholic Initiative that helps promote the Good, the True and the Beautiful through the Arts and Culture.  They have many events scheduled for fall including Sacred Architecture Tour of St. Peter in Chains on November 11^th (TICKET EVENT) Sacred Art at the Cincinnati Art Museum on November 14^th (TICKET EVENT), the Catholic Writers Group, ask a Dominican Night and on December 1^st, a Candlelight Mass at St. Joseph Crescent Springs, Kentucky.  For more info, please check their informative website Https://Angelicoproject.Org/)  On November 2^nd, we commemorate the Feast of All Souls Day to remember all the souls of the faithful departed.  The faithful refers to Baptized Catholics and in the Church, as we are taught that the purification of the souls in purgatory can be assisted by the actions of all the faithful on earth.  On this Liturgical Observance, we offer Masses and intercessory prayers of the faithful departed.  On this day we offer prayers in honor of all those family members from our San Antonio Church Community we have lost since All Souls Day 2022.  They are Vincent & Juanita Accurso, Joseph Ciambarella, Matthew Cupito, Victoria (Beckman) Currin, Mary (Ambrogne) Denicola, Audrey Rose “Sissy” Ellerhorst, Mary Ann (Hildebrand) Evans, Nancy (Florimonte) Flowers, Deanne “Dee” Gardonio, Christine (Stath) Wong Glenn, Sandra Heitz, Mac Kenzie Marie Mc Carthy, Fr. Harry Meyer, Ramon & Patricia and daughter Gina Minella, Joyce, Sharon & Carol Roberto, Patrick Romelli, Robert Studt, Fern (Bonaventura) Webster.  “Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let Your perpetual light shine on them.  May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. AMEN.”

On November 3^rd we celebrate the feast day of St. Martin de Porres, the patron saint of those of mixed race, aviators, barbers, public health workers and is invoked to by those seeking racial harmony.  Martin de Porres Velazquez was born in Lima, Peru in 1579 and entered the Dominican Order as a “donado” (Gift from God) doing menial tasks in the Monastery in exchange for wearing the habit and living with others in the religious community.  At that time, Peruvian law barred descendants of Africans or Native Americans from taking religious orders.  He worked in the kitchen, laundry, wardrobe room and infirmary as a servant boy.  More duties were assigned, and he was promoted to almoner (social worker), a title he had for 8 years.  He practiced barbering and healing those who sought him out with miracle cures attributed to him.  Martin was permitted to take his vows at the age of 24 to become a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic in 1603.  At the age of 34, Martin was given the religious habit of a Lay Brother and assigned to the infirmary where he dedicated himself to care for the sick.  He served until his death at 59 not only caring for those in the infirmary but outside the walls of the convent healing anyone who needed care from Spanish Nobles to Slaves.  He was deeply devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and was Beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and Canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII.  His major shrine is the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo in Lima, Peru.  A Prayer to St. Martin de Porres: “O, God, You led St. Martin by the way of humility to heavenly glory.  Help us to follow the example of his holiness and so become worthy to be exalted with him in heaven.  Amen.”                                                     

On November 4^th we celebrate the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, patron of Seminarians.  He was born at the Castle of Arona in the Duchy of Milan into a noble family in 1538.  He started his seminary studies at the age of 12, working to prepare himself for a long career promoting the poor in the status of the church and eventually earning a doctorate in canon and civil law in 1559 at 21.  He became Archbishop of Milan when it encompassed the area from Venice to Geneva and compromised 3,000 clergy with thousands of lay men and women.  St. Charles spent many days traveling throughout this huge Diocese visiting the poor. During the Famine of 1570 he supplied food for those in need, sometimes for 3,000 a day.  He was very popular with all the Catholic Sovereigns of Europe along with Henry III of France, Philip II of Spain, and Mary Queen of Scots who respected him and valued his influence.    He established Seminaries and Hospitals and   made Liturgical Reforms when he was appointed a Cardinal and as the Vatican’s Secretary of State. Beatified in 1602 by Pope Clement VIII and Canonized in 1610 by Pope V.  A prayer to St. Charles Borromeo: “O, God, maintain in Your people that spirit with which You inspired Your Bishop, St. Charles, so that Your Church may be constantly renewed, conforming itself to Christ and manifesting Christ to the world.  Amen.”  REMEMBER NEXT SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 5^Th, WE SET OUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR.  FALL BACK!

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin October 22, 2023

by Terrie Evans

  On this 29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time we join Pope Francis as we join together to support his missions.  On World Mission Sunday, the Holy Father invites us to “set out once more, illumined by our encounter by the Risen Lord and prompted by His Spirit.  Let us set out again with burning hearts, with our eyes open and our feet in motion.  Let us set out to make other hearts burn with the word of God, to open the eyes of others to Jesus in the Eucharist, and to invite everyone to walk together on the path of peace and salvation that God in Christ, has bestowed on all humanity.”  The theme for World Mission Sunday 2023 “Hearts on fire, feet on the move” is based on the story of the Disciples who encountered Jesus as they made their way to Emmaus. 

On October 23^rd, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. John of Capistrano (1385-1456).  Born in Capistrano, Abruzzo, Italy in 1385 and entered the Franciscan Community in Perugia in 1416.  While studying Theology near Florence, he was inspired by St. Bernadine of Siena to start the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus and his Mother Mary.  After St. John of Capistrano was ordained, he traveled throughout Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Russia preaching penance and establishing Franciscan Communities.  He was seen as a Franciscan reformer who preached simplicity and on the town square in Brescia, Italy St. John preached to a crowd of 126,000.  He is considered the patron saint of Military Chaplains and Jurists and there are two Spanish Missions in the United States founded by Franciscan Friars dedicated to him; Mission San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, California and Mission San Juan Capistrano in San Antonio, Texas.                                                           

On October 24^th, we honor the feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870), the patron saint of textile workers.  Born in Catalina, Spain in 1807, the son of a weaver, the trade he was also involved in before studying for the priesthood before hoping to become a Jesuit.  Ill health prevented him from entering the Order and he went on to serve as a secular priest who was sometimes called the restless Apostle.  In 1849 he founded the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, known as the Claretians.  He spread devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Immaculate Heart of Mary by his preaching and writing 144 books.    During his life, he performed many miracles and because of his union with God was awarded many favors and cures.  Many educational institutions are named after St. Anthony Mary Claret and run by the Claretians in Europe, South America Africa, and Asia.   He died in a Cistercian Monastery in France on October 24, 1870, and was Beatified in Rome by Pope Pius XI on February 24, 1934, and Canonized by Pope Pius XII on May 7,1950.  A movie was produced by the Claretians, Slaves and Kings starring Antonio Reyes portraying the saint in the 2022 film directed by Pablo Moreno. A Prayer to St. Anthony Mary Claret:  O, God, You strengthened St. Anthony Mary with wonderous and patience in evangelizing the people.  Through his intercession, enable us to seek those things which are Yours, and to labor in Christ for the good of our fellow man. Amen.   

On October 28^th we honor Saints Simon and Jude, both listed among the Twelve whom Jesus names as Apostles in Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13.  These Apostles were instrumental in the early Church as they were among the 1^st Bishops working to celebrate the Sacraments and the teachings of Jesus.   These two first bishops who with Our Lod established His Church and from that time in the history of the Church, every Bishop, Priest, and Deacon is considered a spiritual descendant. St. Jude is considered the patron saint of impossible causes and is said to have cured the King of Edessa from leprosy.  His relics are now honored in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.  Saint Simon is mentioned in all 4 lists of the Apostles with the Gospel naming St. Simon as the 10^th Apostle.  He is called “The Zealot” from the Jewish sect that represented the extreme of Jewish Nationalism.  It is thought that Jesus might have picked Simon because He wanted to reach out to those who were committed to their Jewish heritage.  Jesus felt Simon had those traditions and beliefs and could reach out to those people.  Saint Simon is the patron saint of curriers, woodcutters, and tanners.  Saints Jude and Simon suffered Martyrdom while laboring as missionaries in Persia.  A Prayer to them: “Saint Simon and Jude, you were both privileged to learn from Jesus Himself.  After His Ascension, you were among the first to receive the Holy Spirit and ordination as Bishops.  God used you to go forth and fulfill His command to share the gospel to the ends of the earth.  Please pray for me, that I will more fully understand my mission within the Body of Christ and will fulfill my duties with diligence and love.  Saints Simon and Jude, pray for me.  Jesus, I trust in You. Amen”.                           

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin October 15, 2023

by Terrie Evans

On this 28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our San Antonio Parishioners send their condolences to the Vogelpohl and Meyer Families on the passing of Rev. Harry John Meyer who was in service to our church until his passing.  He was ordained on December 16, 1964, in Rome and was assigned to many parishes within the Archdiocese. Rev. Harry Meyer met his Savior October 5, 2023, at the age of 83, his funeral was held on October 11, 2023, at St. Suzanna Church.  Rev. Harry was a good friend to many within our church community, please keep his family members in your prayers.  

All of us at San Antonio Church thank all those 50+ volunteers who gave up their time and talents to make our 87^th Annual Spaghetti Dinner a huge success.  This large group came together to continue the tradition our ancestors started in 1937.  We appreciate the hard work of Harry Panaro selling all the ad spots for the placemat used for the dinner.  We also thank Mike and Mark LaRosa for donating items  for our 87^th  in memory of their  Matriarch Jo Ann (Augustine) LaRosa, their Great Grandmother Josephine (Palmieri) Panaro, their Grandmothers Anna (Minella) Augustine and Mary (Panaro) LaRosa Frank, and their Great Aunt, Dena (Panaro) Minella who during the history of our church, worked the 1^st festivals, were part of the ”Ladies of the Lot” pizza makers cooked and served at the many annual Spaghetti Dinners.       

We send our congratulations to the Prinzo and Minella Families on the marriage of Cindi (Prinzo) Fitzpatrick and Victor Minella III who were wed on Saturday, October 14, 2023.  Cindi is the daughter of the late Robert “Butch”, and Gladys Prinzo and Victor is the son of Vic and Marilyn Minella.  All your friends at San Antonio Church wish you both much happiness!

On Monday, October 16^th we recall the feast of St. Hedwig of Silesia (1174-1243) born in Bavaria and at a young age married the future Duke of Silesia, Henry.  They welcomed six children living a pious life helping the poor widows and orphans while founding a monastery for the Cistercian Nuns at Trebnitz in Poland, the 1^st women’s convent in the region which had ample space to educate young women.  After the death of her beloved Henry, Hedwig went into the monastery where her daughter Gertrude became the Abbess.  Hedwig died in 1243 and was buried in Trzebnica Abbey next to Henry.   She was canonized on March 26, 1267, by Pope Clement IV who supported the Cistercian Order.  Her Major Shrine, Andechs Abbey and St. Hedwigs Cathedral in Berlin is where her relics are housed and preserved. 

On Monday, October 16^th we also celebrate the life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, (1647-1690) a French Catholic Visitation Nun who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  She attended a convent school run by The Poor Clares, and in her early 20’s entered the Visitation Convent in Paray-le-Monial on May 25, 1671, intending to become a nun.  While a novice, Margaret Mary was described as humble, simple, kind, and patient, finally took her vows on November 6, 1672, assigned to the infirmary.  While doing her assignments, Mary Margaret received three messages from Jesus with 3 specific requests, that will have spiritual repercussions under the royal, imperial and republic regimes.  In 1689, she was requested by Jesus to urge King Louis XIV of France to consecrate the entire nation to the Sacred Heart so he may be “triumphant over all enemies of The Holy Church”.  He never responded, she died on October 17, 1690, was Beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1864 and Canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.  St. Mary Margaret Alacoque’s La Devotion au Sacre – Coeur de Jesus (Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus) was published after her death in 1698 and has become very popular with Catholics ever since.  There are 17 federations of Visitation Nuns with two in the United States and as of 2020, there were 1,529 members.  The Motto of the Order, “Live Jesus”. 

On October 17^th we honor St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop, and Martyr whose letters serve as an example of early Christian Theology.  He is also honored in the Church of England and in the Episcopal Church on this day and was a disciple of John the Apostle. The early Christian writer wrote about important topics such as ecclesiology, the sacraments, and the role of bishops. St. Ignatius loved to express his beliefs with vivid images, when he described the Eucharist, he referred to it as “the medicine of immortality, the antidote against death.”   St. Ignatius called himself Theophorus or “God Bearer” with the tradition stating that he was one of the children whom Jesus Christ took in his arms and blesses.  His Major Shrine is the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome, Italy.  

On Wednesday, October 18^th we honor the author of the Third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.   St. Luke the Evangelist, a Greek born physician (called as the one who heals in the Epistle to the Colossians) is considered a Christian Missionary and Historian who was a Disciple of Paul.  He painted many pictures of Jesus and Mary and is considered as the Patron Saint of artists, physicians, bachelors, surgeons, students, and butchers.  The Reliquary of St. Luke the Evangelist is in his Major Shrine in Padua, Italy. 

On October 19^th, Thursday we have the feast day of Jean de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues both French Jesuit Missionaries who with six other martyred missionaries were Beatified in 1925 and Canonized by the Catholic Church in 1930.  They are known as the Canadian or the North American Martyrs who worked among the Native American Populations such as the Iroquois and Huron learning their language and culture, researching, and writing about them as a tool to aid other missionaries.  The two Jesuit Missionaries were not forgotten for their work helping the early Native Americans. The two priests were killed on March 16, 1649, by the Iroquois after being tortured by them.   In Auriesville, New York there is a shrine dedicated to them and another shrine in Midland, Ontario called the Martyr’s Shrine.  A seasonal chapel on the east shore of Saratoga Lake, New York is also named in their honor.  At Fordham, a Jesuit University a dormitory building at its Rose Hill Campus is named Martyr’s Court.  There is a statue of Jogues in the Village of lake George and the parish municipality of Brebeuf, Quebec named after him.  

On October 19^th we celebrate the feast of Saint Paul of the Cross born Paolo Francesco Danei, in Genoa, Italy in 1694.  He is referred to as an Italian Roman Catholic mystic and is the founder of the Passionists, in honor of the Passion of Jesus Christ.  The first house of the Passionists was opened in Orbitello, Italy and later a larger community was established in Rome at the Church of Sts. John and Paul.  He wore a black habit with the badge of his Order, with a heart with three nails in memory of the suffering of Jesus.  He also founded a monastery of contemplative nuns who led a life of prayer and penance in Corneto, Italy to promote the memory of the Passion of Jesus.  Paul of the Cross was Beatified on October 1, 1852, and Canonized on June 29, 1867, by Pope Pius IX.  The church dedicated to Paul of the Cross, San Paolo dell Croce a Corviale was built in 1983 in Rome.  He considered himself a useless servant and sinner while serving God and died while the Passion was being read to him.  At the time of his death there were 180 fathers and brothers living in 12 Retreats within the Papal States.  There are more than 2,000 letters of Saint Paul of the Cross about spiritual direction that have been preserved.  A prayer: “Lord, may the prayers of St. Paul who loved the Cross with a singular love gain Your grace for us.  May we be inspired by his example and embrace our own cross with courage.  Amen.”

We would like to thank everyone who has continued to contribute to the ongoing expenses of San Antonio Church by mailing in their weekly envelopes or by contributing electronically utilizing WeShare . The buttons at the bottom of this post allow you to make online donations directly to the listed account for San Antonio Church.

Weekly Bulletin October 1, 2023

by Terrie Evans

On this 1^st Sunday of October, we join all Catholics around the country to pray for the protection of all human life from conception to natural death on Respect Life Sunday.  Established   in 1972 by American Catholic Bishops to observe the month of October with prayer and pro-life activities.  As Catholics we are called on to think how deeply we regard the dignity of human life.  Every parish community is encouraged to engage in a pro-life activity to protect and support the life and dignity of every person.  A Prayer for Respect Life Sunday: “Almighty and ever-living God, have mercy on us.  Help us to recognize others as our brothers and sisters in Christ and actively work for their good.  Send us a spirit of hope and generosity of heart so we can be courageously pro-life, promoting action that truly protects, accompanies, and supports the life and dignity of every person.  Amen”. 

The Saint of the Day on this Sunday is Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), known as the Little Flower of Jesus.  She became a Carmelite Nun at an early age following five of her sisters into the Convent in France.  Within the Order, the 26 nuns all from different backgrounds, followed a regiment that allowed only one meal a day with little free time.  Therese took the habit on January 10, 1889, the name Therese of the Child of Jesus wearing the rough homespun and brown scapular, white wimple, and veil, with a leather belt, a rosary, woolen stockings, and rope sandals.  On September 8, 1890, at the age of 17 she made her vows.  Therese’s childhood heroine was Joan of Arc, and she wrote 2 small theatrical pieces performed by the nuns for the rest of the community.  She also wrote the “Story of A Soul”, three separate manuscripts about her life, and “Cantice to the Holy Face”.  In July 1887, being gravely ill with tuberculosis, she was moved to the Monastery Infirmary where she received her last Communion on August 19, 1897, and died at the age of 24 on September 30, 1897.  Beatified on April 29, 1923, and Canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925; she became one of the most popular saints of the 20^th Century.

The city of Lisieux where Therese spent most of her early life has become a pilgrimage center welcoming over a million visitors every year.  The relics of St. Therese have been displayed on an international pilgrimage for almost 30 years, travelling to many stops including Ireland, Canada, England, South Africa, and the United States.  In 2008 the Discovery Shuttle Mission took a relic of St. Therese that was given to Astronaut Ron Garan.  “The Carmelites of New Caney”, Texas gave him the relic, “To preach the gospel on all 5 continents simultaneously and even to the most remote isles”, fulfilling the wish of St. Therese.  She is the patron saint of aviators, florists and missions and has been called the Emily Dickinson of Roman Catholic Sainthood. 

On Monday, October 2^nd we honor the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels the ancient tradition from the 4^th Century when Catholics would set up altars in honor of the Guardian Angels.  On October 2, 1795, Pope Pius VI would grant a partial indulgence every time any of the faithful would recite the Guardian Angel Prayer: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom his love commits me here, Every this day be at my side, To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”  Pope John XXIII wrote a Meditation for the Feast of the Guardian Angels to relay to us “We must remember how admirable was the intention of Divine Providence in entrusting to the angels the mission of watching over all mankind.  And over individual human beings, lest they should fall victims to the grave dangers which they encounter.”  A devotion to the guardian angels is an expression of the faith we have in God’s enduring love and the care from him that is extended to each person every day. 

On Wednesday, October 4^th we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) who started the Franciscans and helped St. Clare establish, the “Poor Clare’s”, and he is also known for his devotion to the Eucharist.  He cared for the poor and always felt he needed to carry out the work of Christ.  He would preach “Your God is of your flesh, he lives in your nearest neighbor, in every man”.  His Order, the Franciscans were divided into provinces, and they were established in Germany, France, Hungary Spain, and on to the east.  He was canonized on July 16, 1228, two years after his death and is considered the Patron Saint of Italy, animals, and the environment with many churches throughout the world dedicated to him.  San Francisco, California is named after him and in 1979, St. Francis of Assisi was declared the patron saint of ecologists. 

On Thursday, October 5^th we have the feast of Faustina Kowalski born in Poland in 1905 who felt the call to religious life at the age of 7 when she attended the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  She started the devotion to the Divine Mercy after apparitions of Jesus Christ inspired her dedication. Jesus would tell her he wanted the image of Devine Mercy to be blessed on the 1^st Sunday after Easter which became Devine Mercy Sunday.  She was Beatified on April 17, 1993, Canonized on April 30, 2000, by Pope John Paul II who held both ceremonies at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.  

On Friday, October 6^th we honor St. Bruno, the priest who became the Patron Saint of Calabria, Italy.  He founded the Monastery of Citeaux, the mother foundation of the Cistercian Order.  Born in 1030 and died in 1101 he was known as a writer who composed commentaries on the Psalms and on the Epistles of Paul, the Apostle.  We also celebrate the Canadian Sister Marie Rose Durocher (1811-1849) who founded the Order The Holy Name of Jesus and Mary, the International Congregation of women religious, dedicated to education in the faith.  She was born near Montreal, Canada and grew up working in the parish house of her Priest brother for 13 years after the death of her mother.  She was beatified in 1982 with her Major Shrine Chapelle Marie Rose the co-Cathedral of St. Anthony of Padua in Quebec, Canada.  The College Durocher St. Lambert Quebec and the Durocher Hall at Holy Name University in Oakland, California is dedicated to her.

On Saturday, October 7^th, we honor the Marian title, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary the feast instituted by Pope Pius V as Our Lady of Victory.   October 7^th is the anniversary of the victory of the Holy League of 1571 under the command of Spain over the Ottoman Navy at the Battle of Lepanto, which was attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the name of this day to the Feast of the Holy Rosary to be celebrated on the 1^st Sunday of October.  In 1913, Pope Pius X changed the feast day to October 7^th and in 1960, Pope John XIII gave the day the title, Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary.