Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Welcoming the sinner
Reading I: Wisdom 11:22—12:1 (digression on God’s mercy)
Reading II: 2 Thessalonians 1:11—2:2 (exhortation to faithfulness)
Gospel: Luke 19:1–10 (Zacchaeus the tax collector)

Key Passage: And Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9–10)

Adult: During the next week, what could you do to welcome someone who usually feels excluded?

Child: Is there a child in your class or neighborhood who is left out of games and activities? What can you do?

from: PastoralPlanning.com │ Questions of the Week for Cycle C

Saint of the Day - St. Jude Thaddeus

Patron of Desperate Cases

St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. St. Jude was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus.

Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem.

He is an author of an epistle (letter) to the Churches of the East, particularly the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia. The final conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the third century of our era.

Jude was the one who asked Jesus at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection. Little else is known of his life. Legend claims that he visited Beirut and Edessa; possibly martyred with St. Simon in Persia.

Jude is invoked in desperate situations because his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances, just as their forefathers had done before them. Therefore, he is the patron saint of desperate cases and his feast day is October 28. Saint Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariot who betrayed Our Lord and despaired because of his great sin and lack of trust in God's mercy.

From http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=127

Week of October 28 - November 3

Tuesday, October 29: Women's Prayer Group, 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM in the gathering space; Wednesday, October 30: Religious Education - Grades 1-7, 6:15 PM to 7:30 PM; Grade 9, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM; Thursday, October 31: Happy All Hallow's Eve; Men's Faith Sharing Group, 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM in the parish center; Friday, November 1: All Saint's Day, Mass at 7:00 AM and 6:30 PM; Exposition of the Blessed Sacramentafter the 7:00 AM and closing with Benediction at Noon; Saturday, November 2: All Soul's Day, Mass at 9:00 AM with a reception following; Mission Coop this weekend, 2nd collecton to support the diocesan orphanage in Lima, Peru at all of the weekend Masses; Evening Harvest Fest, social beginning at 6:00 PM; Dinner at 6:45 PM; Presentation by Fr. Joe Hirsch at 7:30 PM, We're Disciples on a Mission; Sunday, November 3: Baptism Prep, 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM in meeting room 4; Sunday School, 10:15 AM to 11:30 AM; 1st Reconciliation Parent/Child Prep Session, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM in the Parish Center

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

The reward of humility Reading I: Sirach 35:12–14, 16–18 (the God of justice) Reading II: 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18 (reward for fidelity) Gospel: Luke 18:9–14 (the Pharisee and the tax collector) Key Passage: All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14) Adult: When have you felt self-satisfied in observing the mistakes of others? What should we remember at such times? Child: Have you ever thought you were better than someone else? What is the problem with such thoughts?

Week of October 21-27

Tuesday, October 22: Women's Faith Sharing, 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM in the Gathering Space; Wednesday, October 23: Religious Education Classes, Grades 1-7, 6:15 PM to 7:30 PM; Grade 8, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM; Thursday, October 24: Men's Faith Sharing, 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM in the Parish Center; The Bible and the Virgin Mary, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Parish Conference Room; Saturday, October 26: Grief Day,9:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the Parish Conference Room; Sunday, October 27: Sunday School 10:15 AM to 11:30 AM

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Taking responsibility: Reading I: Exodus 17:8–13 (battle with Amalek); Reading II: 2 Timothy 3:14—4:2 (apostolic charge); Gospel: Luke 18:1–8 (the corrupt judge); Key Passage: For a while the judge refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out… Adult: Whose needs might you be failing to listen to right now? Child: How often do you put off chores until you are forced to do them? Who is hurt by such a decision? (PastoralPlanning.com │ Questions of the Week for Cycle C)

Week of October 14-20

Tuesday, October 15: Women's Faith Sharing, 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM in the Gathering Space; Wednesday, October 16: Religious Education Classes, Grades 1-7, 6:15 PM to 7:30 PM; Grade 9, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM; Thursday, October 17: Men's Faith Sharing, 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM in the Parish Center; The Bible and the Virgin Mary, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Parish Conference Room; Sunday, October 20: Sunday School 10:15 AM to 11:30 AM

Prayer of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Here is the translation of the prayer of consecration recited by Pope Francis in consecrating the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Holy Mary Virgin of Fatima, with renewed gratitude for your maternal presence we join our voice to that of all the generations who call you blessed. We celebrate in you the works of God, who never tires of looking down with mercy upon humanity, afflicted with the wound of sin, to heal it and save it. Accept with the benevolence of a Mother the act of consecration that we perform today with confidence, before this image of you that is so dear to us. We are certain that each of us is precious in your eyes and that nothing of all that lives in our hearts is unknown to you. We let ourselves be touched by your most sweet regard and we welcome the consoling caress of your smile. Hold our life in your arms: bless and strengthen every desire for good; revive and nourish faith; sustain and enlighten hope; awaken and animate charity; guide all of us along the path of holiness. Teach us your own preferential love for the little and the poor, for the excluded and the suffering, for sinners and the downhearted: bring everyone under your protection and entrust everyone to your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus. Amen. [Translation by Joseph Trabbic]

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Saying thank you Reading I: 2 Kings 5:14–17 (Elisha’s cure of Naaman) Reading II: 2 Timothy 2:8–13 (Paul’s faithfulness to the gospel) Gospel: Luke 17:11–19 (ten lepers) Key Passage: Then one of the lepers, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:15–16) Adult: Whose generosity do you tend to take for granted? How will you change this? Child: When have you failed to say thank you? Why does this matter?

THANKS SO MUCH

For more than twenty five years, the Chippewa Valley Directors of Religious Education have strived to work together to accomplish more than we could through individual or even parish efforts. Any organization needs funds to operate successfully and ours is no different. This year, we have been blessed by generous donations from the Eau Claire Deanery Priests; Catholic Knights, John F. Kennedy Council; and the Deanery Council of Catholic Women. We heartily thank them for their donations to support our goals of providing quality formation for our volunteer catechists and holding a deanery-wide Catholic youth rally in January 2014, among other things.

Week of October 7-13

Tuesday, October 8: Women's Spirituality Group, 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM in the Gathering Space; Grief Support Group, meeting room 3 10:30 AM; Wednesday, October 9: Religious Education; Grades1-7, 6:15 to 7:30; Grade 8, 6:00 to 7:30; Grade 9 small faith groups are scheduled to meet this week; Thursday, October 3: Men's Spirituality Group, 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM in the Parish Center; The Bible and the Virgin Mary, 6:00 PM in the Conference Room

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

The rich and the poor Reading I: Amos 6:1a, 4–7 (third woe) Reading II: 1 Timothy 6:11–16 (the good fight of faith) Gospel: Luke 16:19–31 (the rich man and Lazarus) Key Passage: There was a rich man and at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table. (Luke 16:19–21) Adult: What are the “rewards” of caring for the needs of the poor? Child: What is one thing you and your family could do this week to help those who are poor or sick? (from:PastoralPlanning.com │ Questions of the Week for Cycle C)