2024-6-14-eEdition

JUNE 14, 2024 THE CATHOLIC WEEK PAGE 3 JUNE 16 - JUNE 29 DAILY READINGS Sun., June 16 Ez 17:22-24 Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 2 Cor 5:6-10 Mk 4:26-34 Mon., June 17 1 Kgs 21:1-16 Ps 5:2-3ab, 4b-6a, 6b-7 Mt 5:38-42 Tues., June 18 1 Kgs 21:17-29 Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 11 and 16 Mt 5:43-48 Wed., June 19 2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14 Ps 31:20, 21, 24 Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Thurs., June 20 Sir 48:1-14 Ps 97:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7 Mt 6:7-15 Fri., June 21 2 Kgs 11:1-4, 9-18, 20 Ps 132:11, 12, 13-14, 17-18 Mt 6:19-23 Sat., June 22 2 Chr 24:17-25 Ps 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34 Mt 6:24-34 Sun., June 23 Jb 38:1, 8-11 Ps 107:23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31 2 Cor 5:14-17 Mk 4:35-41 Mon., June 24 Is 49:1-6 Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15 Acts 13:22-26 Lk 1:57-66, 80 Tues., June 25 31-35a, 36 Ps 48:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 10-11 Mt 7:6, 12-14 Wed., June 26 2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3 Ps 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40 Mt 7:15-20 Thurs., June 27 2 Kgs 24:8-17 Ps 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9 Mt 7:21-29 Fri., June 28 2 Kgs 25:1-12 Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 Mt 8:1-4 Sat., June 29 Acts 12:1-11 Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18 Mt 16:13-19 Nativity of St. John the Baptist June 24 Archbishop’s Schedule June 15-June 22 Sat Jun 15 8:00 a.m. Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception,Mass for Eucharistic Congress Procession, Procession to St.Mary Parish,Mobile, Follows Mass Sat Jun 22 4:00 p.m. St. James Major Parish, Prichard,Mass and Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver APRIL 14 PROGRAM SCHEDULE www.catholicinamerica.com June 16 ................................................................ Is Congress Telling Us Aliens Exist? June 23 ............................................................................ Is AI a Threat to Christianity? June 30 ..................................................................... The Rise in Demonic Possession WJTC UTV 44 Mobile/Pensacola—6 am Sunday • WTVY CW 3 Dothan—11 am Sundays FROM THE ARCHBISHOP How blessed we are to have our priests our recent things in recent days have prompted me to write this article. First, we honor our fathers and pray for them on Father’s Day, June 16. Dads are im- mensely important. Every societal ill that can be measured is worse for both sons and daughters when the father is absent from the family. Studies show that when the father is absent, sons and daughters are more likely to live in poverty, do poorly in school, use drugs, carry a weapon, get involved in the criminal justice system, drop out of school, be depressed, end up in jail.Many sociologists tell us this is because kids look to their mothers to tell them how to be- have within the home, but kids look to their father to tell them how to behave outside of the home.Without the guidance of the dad, kids can become lost in the outside world. Second, I was blessed to attend the annual archdioc- esan priest retreat with 70 of our wonderful priests.What consistently impresses me at a gathering of our priests is how different they are.There is no one model of being a priest. Our priests have different ages, tem- peraments, talents, outlooks on societal, political and theologi- cal issues, yet God works with and through each one of them. Just as a carpenter needs many different tools to accomplish his tasks, so Jesus, the Carpenter of Nazareth, needs many different types of priests for His work to be accomplished. Third, I recently have had discussions with some young men who wish to enroll in the seminary in order to discern whether God is calling them to be a priest.Their sincerity, openness to God’s will, desire to serve and faith are inspirational to me. Fourth, I celebrated the priesthood ordination of Father Joseph Schultz and the diacon- ate ordination of Deacon Rich Perkins (who, God willing, will be ordained a priest next year.) Their enthusiasm to devote their lives to serving God and His people and their trust in God are inspiring and moving. All of this reminded me once again of how blessed we are to have our priests. Our priests break open the Gospel so our hearts may be nourished with the word of God. Our priests consecrate the Eucharist so that our souls may be nourished by the Real Presence of the Lord. Our priests impart upon us the sacramental forgiveness of the Lord in Confession.They comfort the troubled, serve the poor, share in our joys as well as in our tears.They are there in our hospitals, our baptisms, first Communions, confirmations, weddings and funerals. In all of this, they remind us, just as a good father of the family, how we are to live in the world.They remind us of our worth – that we are loved by God, who loves us so much they we are worth dying for. St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that, “I became Most Reverend Thomas J. Rodi F your Father through the Gospel” (1 Cor 4:14).This is why we call our priests “father.”Our priests share the Gospel message of Christ with us in so many ways. Please pray for our priests and encourage them. Prayer is powerful and words of encour- agement are priceless. Priests certainly have enough happen- ing in their ministry which can challenge them. In small ways, each parishioner can help to re- new their priest in his ministry as they serve us. Also, please pray for voca- tions to the priesthood, espe- cially in our Archdiocese. God hears our prayers. Please pray fervently for more priests to serve the family of God in our Archdiocese and if you know a man whom you think would be a good priest, please tell him so. Please be willing to share with him what you see in him which makes you think that he would be a good priest. May God use you to plant the seed of a voca- tion in that man’s heart. May God continue to send priests into His fields to bring about the harvest which God wishes to reap.