Bulletin for the Week of July 13, 2008

ATTENTION ALL FAMILIES:
Looking for an opportunity to get away and enjoy your family? You are invited to one of three Family Guggenheim sessions (August 14-17, August 21-24 and October 10-12) to be held at the Guggenheim Center in Saranac Lake. Family Fun, prayer, swimming, workshops, mountain climbing, liturgy and more—please contact the rectory for more details and registration forms.

BLESSED KATERI TEKAKWITHA:
July 14, 2008 is the feast of Blessed Kateri Tekawitha. This year marks the 328th anniversary of her death. Known as the “Lily of the Mohawks” Kateri was born in 1656 in Osserenon near what is now Auriesville, NY of a Christian Algonquin mother and a pagan Mohawk chief, and died 24 years later in 1680. She was introduced to the Catholic faith by her mother. However, it was not until Easter Sunday, April 18, 1676, that she was baptized by the Jesuit missionary, Father Jacques de Lamberville. She made her First Communion at Christmas in 1677. Persecuted for abandoning her ancestral beliefs she was abused by her aunts, ridiculed by non-Christian villagers who were willing to have her killed if she did not abandon her new faith. She was forced to flee to Canada. Her Catholic life of only four years was filled with prayers, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and penances for the conversion of the Mohawk Indiana nation. She died on April 17, 1680 and was beatified in 1980, the first American Indian and American lay person so honored. A pamphlet with a Triduum of Prayers in her honor is available at the entrance to the church.

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

SPECIAL COLLECTION:
The increased cost of gasoline and heating fuel has place difficulty on all of you. As you are very well aware from all indications the cost will not decrease in the months and year to come. This increased cost affects your home as well as our parish. Your contribution to the special collection this weekend will assist your parish with the costs of heating the parish buildings. A special envelope for this purpose is in your packet of envelopes.

THE YEAR OF SAINT PAUL:
The world is filled with sorrow, fear and many things unknown. Christ is our Hope! We as Christians have inherited hope. Christ Jesus is our anchor. St. Paul believed that this created world was linked with the future that belongs to those who believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord, Savior and Redeemer. St. Paul tells us that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. We eagerly await this glory with groaning and anticipation. After patient endurance, the full harvest of the Spirit’s presence will be realized. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. Seek the Lord today in your life. It is your hope in Christ that will bring you peace, confidence, and assurance of God’s promises to us. St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, pray for us.

The G.I.F.T. of Prayer
Give thanks
Identify needs
Forgive and Be Forgiven
Think of Others

CREATION VS. EVOLUTION:
A scientist decided to take the initiative and create human life from scratch. He called out to God and said: “God, we no longer need you. Science has developed to the point where we can create human beings without your initiative.” God said, “Oh, is that so? Let’s have a human being making contest, but we have to agree to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam and Eve.” “Sure,” replied the scientist, who then bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt to get started. God interrupted him with a smile and said, “Oh, no, you don’t. You go make you own dirt.”