Bulletin for the Week of July 27, 2008

Mission Intention for August
That the human family may learn to respect God’s plan for the world and become ever more aware that Creation is God’s great gift.

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:
Eucharistic Adoration is held every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 6 am to 9 pm at St. John’s Church Adoration Chapel, downstairs. For more information, please call 561-5083 or email Sjohnsadoration@aol.com

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
Jesus' parable of the treasure in the field is a wonderful way to describe the kingdom of heaven. Within each of us, God has planted his word. And as we find it, we are called to give up everything in this worldly life that has no value and no place in heaven, just as the man in the parable who sold everything in order to own the field which contained the treasure. The most beautiful aspect of this treasure is that it can always be shared without ever diminishing itself within you! As faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we are entrusted with passing this treasure on from generation to generation. We do this by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy (Mass) and prayer. Look deeply into your own heart; uncover that treasure of the love of the Lord, and share it with everyone

AN INVITATION:
The St. Paul Event will take place at St. Mary’s Cathedral at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2008. Bishop Cunningham is inviting parishioners of the Diocese to join in the diocesan observance of the Year of St. Paul at the St. Paul Event. He would like to see the Cathedral filled to capacity. No tickets will be issued to the Event. However, due to the limited seating at the Cathedral, parishioners who are interested in participating in this event must indicate this to their Pastor before August 10th. Approximate numbers are needed to help plan for seating and for refreshments following the Event.

MISSIONARY PROJECTS OF THE DIOCESE OF OGDENSBURG:
Each year in July the special collection for the Missionary Projects of the Diocese of Ogdensburg takes place. It is an opportunity for you to support the missionary endeavors of this Diocese. This collection will be taken up this weekend. Sr. Cindy Sullivan, a member of the religious community of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin will be our guest missionary this year. Sr. Cindy is a native of Massena, New York Sr. Cindy has been in Quito, Ecuador, as a volunteer or a Director, for more than 33 years of a very unique program of development for the entire family of working children known as The Working Boy’s Center- A Family of Family . The Center serves over 2000 members of their 400 families six days a week. It is very unique in it’s insistence that the families need to become agents of change through the many educational and social programs offered them. There is not a member so poor that he or she cannot do something for someone else.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: In today's Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus offers us three parables-the sowing of weeds among the wheat, the mustard seed, and the leavened bread. How do these parables affect our lives today? In our secular world, we receive words of "weeds" along with the word of God. Like yeast in bread, it is up to us to allow which ones to grow within us. But like even the tiniest mustard seed, if we nurture God's word in our hearts, it will grow greater than we could imagine. Remember the master's admonition to wait until the time was right to gather the weeds separately from the wheat. So, too, does the Church in practicing penance and renewal with her members. It is not yet the time for our harvest, but we know that if we stand strong to the weeds around us through our faith, we will finally be gathered separately and welcomed into the kingdom of heaven.

THE YEAR OF SAINT PAUL:
Let the gift of your life grow in Christ drawing you from death to faith, hope and love. Listen! For God is calling you unto Himself. St. Paul tells us that all things work for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. For those he calls He justifies; and those He justifies, He glorifies. How wonderful is the thoughtful plan that God has taken for our salvation. The readings of St. Paul in Sacred Scripture can help us understand God’s wonderful plan for all he created. We are all included in God’s plan. God so loved us that he gave His only Son to all mankind....Jesus died on the cross for us so that we might be freed of our sins and enjoy eternal life. Christ is Our Hope! St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, pray for us.