Our Pastor’s Message
The Bread of Life
By Father Jim
In this Sunday’s gospel (John 6:24-35), Jesus responds to questions from a crowd that follows him to Capernaum. They ask him three questions: How did you get here? How do we serve God’s will? What sign can you offer to help us believe in you? Jesus admonishes them not to worry about his journey or his miracles. These things are momentary and passing. Instead, Jesus tells them to strive for what is eternal and to have faith in him because hewas sent by God himself. Finally, Jesus says to the crowd: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst (John 6:35).”
In this passage, Jesus offers one of the so-called seven “I am” statements. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says: “I am the bread of life (6:35-48); I am the light of the world (8:12); I am the gate (10:7); I am the good shepherd (10:11-14); I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6); I am the true vine (15:1-5); and I am the bread of life (6:35).” Each of these profoundly symbolic statements serve as declarations of the Lord’s divinity and messiahship. And each ofthem offers us much food for thought and prayer. For example, as Catholics, we know thatour theology of the Eucharist is based in part on our understanding of the Lord’s “ Bread of Life” discourse. But we also know that many of our brothers and sisters do hunger and thirst and suffer at the hands of the corrupt, dishonest, and powerful.
In the end, we believe that when we approach Jesus with open and sincere hearts, he alone suffices. He feeds our hunger, quenches our thirst, and satisfies our every need. We believe that the Lord alone blesses us with all that we have, all that we are, and all that we might someday become. We believe that no person, no matter who we are or what we have done, will be rejected by the Lord when we ask him for his friendship, love, and mercy. At the same time, we are called to be accomplices in the Lord’s mission and ministry. We are called to clothe the poor, feed the hungry, and welcome the stranger. We are called to love. We are called to give. We are called to forgive. We are called to do so without bitterness, without ulterior motive, and without counting the cost. And we are called to do so again and again and again. This is our small part in sharing the Bread of Life on earth.
Pope Francis recently offered a powerful homily during which he challenges us to identify one person in our lives (friend, colleague, relative, or even a long-time adversary) who has hurt us or offended us. He begs us to look deeply into our hearts, examine our consciences, pray for that person, forgive them, and love them. Finally, the pope says: “The Christian’s prayer should be: Lord, give them your blessing. Teach me to love them. Help me to pray for them. Let us think of one adversary and pray for them. May the Lord give us the grace to love!” As we reflect on this weekend’s gospel and gather around God’s holy altar, let usremember to do our part in sharing the Bread of Life with everyone in our lives. Peace and blessings to all!
Reverend James M. Achadinha, Pastor
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: frjim@ccgronline.com
CCGR Weekly Newsletter (8-5-18)
Bringing Home the Word (8-5-18)
__________
Our Lady of Good Voyage
Special Second Collection
Weekend of August 11th & 12th
On Saturday, August 11th and Sunday, August 12th, a special second collection will be taken up at all Masses in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church to supplement the costs of repairing and repointing the front steps of our church and the stone wall in our rectory parking lot. This special project is essential to preserve the structural integrity of our historic property and to ensure the safety of our most important asset: our dedicated parishioners. Our hope is that work on this project will begin before the end of the summer season. As always, the success of every fundraising campaign depends on the generosity of our parishioners. Every donation, whetherit’s $1 or $10 or $100, will go a long way toward ensuring that we can complete thisvery necessary project. For more information, please contact me at frjim@ccgronline.com. Peace, blessings, and sincere thanks to all! — Father Jim
__________
Summer Carillon Recitals
An Our Lady of Good Voyage Tradition
Begins Saturday, August 4th
An annual tradition returns this summer to Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish! Our Summer Carillon Recitals are scheduled to begin next Saturday, August 4th at 5:15pm (rain or shine). Once again, LuAnn Pallazola, our very talented keyboardist has prepared programs that include familiar classical music, popular hymns, patriotic melodies, and children’s tunes! Installed in 1922, the carillon bells in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church were the first toned set of carillon bells in the United States. Although our bells can be heard from blocks away, the sound is best near the church. This summer, other carillon recitals are scheduled for the following Saturday afternoons at 5:15pm: August 4th, August 11th, August 18th, August 25th, and September 1st. These recitals are free and open to the public! So, bring a cold drink or coffee! Bring your family! Bring a friend! Enjoy this wonderful summer tradition! And don’t forget that Mass begins at 6:00pm! Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome! For more information, please contact LuAnn Pallazola at lpallazola@gmail.com.
Watch: LuAnn Pallazola, Carillonneur
__________
Solemnity of the Assumption
Holy Day of Obligation
Wednesday, August 15th
Since the fifth century, God’s faithful people have believed that upon her death, the Blessed Virgin Mary was raised body and soul into heaven. But this ancient tradition was not defined as an official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church until 1950. In celebration of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport will celebrate Masses according to the following schedule:
- Tuesday, August 14th: Saint Joachim Church at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, August 15th: Our Lady of Good Voyage Church at 8:00am
- Wednesday, August 15th: Saint Ann Church at 12:00pm
For more information about our celebration of this Holy Day of Obligation for all Roman Catholics, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome! Saint Ann, pray for us! Saint Joachim, pray for us! Our Lady of Good Voyage, pray for us! Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us!
Learn More: Solemnity of the Assumption
__________
Catholic Kids Camp
The Holy Angels of God
Begins Tuesday, August 21st
The Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport is pleased to announce that all children (ages 5 through 11) are invited to participate in our next “Catholic Kids Camp: The Holy Angels of God” from Tuesday, August 21st through Friday, August 24th from 8:00am until 12:00pm in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. During this exciting week of prayer and fellowship, our children will learn about the Holy Angels of God and their ministry to God’s people through active and engaged participation games, music, skits, and craft projects. Here’s our schedule for the week:
- Day I: Tuesday, August 21st The Guardian Angels
- Day II: Wednesday, August 22nd Saint Michael the Archangel
- Day III: Thursday, August 23rd Saint Gabriel the Archangel
- Day IV: Friday, August 24th Saint Raphael the Archangel
Each day of our Catholic Kids Camp will begin with Mass at 8:00am in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. All parents, grandparents, and guardians are invited and encouraged to join us! After Mass, Betsy Works and a team of dedicated volunteers will lead the children to Our Lady’s School for a faith-filled and fun-filled morning of activities, hands-on learning, and good times with friends both old and new! Catholic Kids Camp is a fun, exciting, and educational program that your children and grandchildren will surely love!
The requested tuition for this innovative youth faith formation program is just $30 per child for the entire week! Scholarships are available for those families who cannot afford tuition. Also, adults and older children (ages 12 and up) are welcome to join us as volunteers and will be most appreciated! For more information about our next Catholic Kids Camp, please contact Betsy Works at bworks@ccgronline.com. Registration forms are available via the link below. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome!
Catholic Kids Camp Registration Form
__________
Fifth Annual Summer Retreat
Everone’s Vocation to Everyday Holiness
Begins Monday, August 27th
The summer season is a great time of year for stepping back from the business and busy-ness of daily life in order to focus on our personal relationship with Christ, with each other, and with the Church. Unfortunately, few among us are able to leave behind work, family, and friends for a real retreat from the world. For this reason, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport is pleased to announce our Fifth Annual Summer Retreat, On Retreat with Pope Francis: Everyone’s Vocation to Everyday Holiness!
From Monday, August 27th through Friday, August 31st, all are invited to join Father Jim and Cliff Garvey for a unique opportunity to experience the spiritual peace and renewal of a week-long retreat without leaving home! Each evening of our summer retreat will begin at 7:00pm in Saint Anthony Chapel with Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. After our shared prayer, Father Jim and Cliff will lead our community in a period of reflection, discussion, and faith sharing. Evening evening will conclude at 8:30pm with Night Prayer. During each day of the retreat, the chapel will open at 12:00pm for silent personal prayer and reflection.
This year, we will explore the universal vocation to holiness that is described by Pope Francis in his book: “Rejoice And Be Glad: On the Call to Holiness in the Contemporary World.” In this heartfelt and beautifully written apostolic exhortation, the Holy Father challenges everyone, regardless of their vocation, to live an everyday holiness characterized by humility, kindness, love, and mercy. And he offers practical advice for living out the vocation to holiness regardless of our age, gender, background, and overall life experience.
Between each night of the summer retreat, participants will be asked to read brief selections from “Rejoice And Be Glad” and reflect on a few study questions. If you would like to join us for all or even just part of our Fifth Annual Summer Retreat, please be sure to contact Cliff Garvey at cgarvey@ccgronline.com by Sunday, August 26th. A donation of $30 is requested from those who can afford it. Copies of the book and cold drinks will be provided. Please join us! Bring a friend! All are invited! All are welcome!
Learn More: Rejoice And Be Glad
__________
About Us
Established in 2014, the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport is a collaborative of two historic parishes: Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. Working together as a Roman Catholic community united in prayer, fellowship, and service, we are committed to living the Gospel of Christ, sharing God’s love and mercy with all people, and rebuilding the Church in Gloucester & Rockport. All are invited! All are welcome! Always!
Follow us on Twitter: @CCGRonline