Entries for January 2024

Dear Parishioners:

Pope Francis has designated Sunday February 11, (Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes) as World Day for the Sick (Anointing of Sick will take place at Mass).  It is a day to remember, pray for and with those who are ill or infirmed in our world.  Jesus is often found in the Gospels healing the sick in body or mind, as a sign of his of love and compassion for us his children.

Pope Benedict states:

Sickness inevitably brings with it a moment of crisis and sober confrontation with one’s own personal situation. Advances in the health sciences often provide the means necessary to meet this challenge, at least with regard to its physical aspects. Human life, however, has intrinsic limitations, and sooner or later it ends in death. This is an experience to which each human being is called, and one for which he or she must be prepared. Despite the advances of science, a cure cannot be found for every illness, and thus, in hospitals, hospices and homes throughout the world we encounter the sufferings of our many brothers and sisters who are incurably and often terminally ill. In addition, many millions of people in our world still experience unsanitary living conditions and lack access to much-needed medical resources, often of the most basic kind, with the result that the number of human beings considered “incurable” is greatly increased. 

Here I would like to encourage the efforts of those who work daily to ensure that the incurably and terminally ill, together with their families, receive adequate and loving care. The Church, following the example of the Good Samaritan, has always shown particular concern for the infirm. Through her individual members and institutions, she continues to stand alongside the suffering and to attend the dying, striving to preserve their dignity at these significant moments of human existence. Many such individuals – health care professionals, pastoral agents and volunteers – and institutions throughout the world are tirelessly serving the sick, in hospitals and in palliative care units, on city streets, in housing projects and parishes.

Our Church is blessed with two healing sacraments that of Reconciliation and of Anointing of the Sick.  Both are grace encounters with our God and signs of his abundant love and compassion.  We as members of this Catholic faith are called to imitate Christ in word and deed.  Thus we are called to have a special care of the ill and infirmed both in body, mind or spirit.  Visiting the sick is a work of mercy and closely aligns us with Christ.  If you know of anyone who is sick or in poor health please let us know at the rectory and we will be glad to visit them.  I also encourage all of you to also visit the sick whenever possible it is always a great source of comfort.

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will also take place this coming Lenten Season and at all of our Masses on the Fourth Sunday of Lent March 9 & 10.  This celebration of the sacrament is a reminder of our Church’s and our God’s care for all the sick.

Lastly I would ask all of us to pray in a special way today for all the sick of our world and especially for those in our parish. 

Blessings!

Msgr. John Shamleffer

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Dear Parishioners:

Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2) is a relatively ancient celebration. The Church at Jerusalem observed the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier. The feast celebrates the presentation of Christ in the temple at Jerusalem on the 40th day after His birth.

When Christ was presented in the temple, "there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25) When Mary and Joseph brought Christ to the temple, Simeon embraced the Child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon:  Nunc Dimittis "Now thou can dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32).

Inspired by the words of the canticle ("a light to the revelation of the Gentiles"), by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while the Canticle of Simeon was sung. Because of this, the feast also became known as Candlemas. While the procession and blessing of the candles is not often performed in the United States today, Candlemas is still an important feast in many European countries.

The Church thus prays this day, Father, we praise you and we bless you because through your Son, born of woman by the working of the Holy Spirit, born under the law, has ransomed us from the law and you have filled our life with light and new hope. May our families welcome and remain faithful to your designs, may they help and sustain in their children the new dreams and enthusiasm, wrap them in tenderness when they are fragile, educate them in love for you and for all creatures. All honor and glory to you, Father.

The next day February 3 is the Feast of St. Blaise, a day when the Blessing of Throats takes place (Through the intercession of Blessed Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, may you be delivered from all illnesses of the throat and any other ailments. + In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.").  This blessing, a sacramental of the Church, will be celebrated this Saturday at our daily mass. 

Blessings!

Msgr. John Shamleffer

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Dear Parishioners:

Every year the Archdiocese celebrates Catholic Schools. The Archdiocese of St. Louis is abundantly blessed with so many wonderful Catholic schools.  Many areas of our country are not as blessed as we are.  Please consider catholic Schools.  Thanks to all who support Catholic education in our parish and in our Archdiocese.

There are over 105 Catholic grade schools and 27 Catholic high schools to choose from, plus 2 Catholic colleges at Fontbonne and St. Louis University.  In our Archdiocese, there are also over a hundred P.S.R. programs, such as we have here at The Church of the Annunziata. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our teachers both here at our Learning Center School, our PSR school and throughout our Archdiocese for their dedicated ministry to our youth.  The lessons learned at our schools help to enhance the faith that is lived in our homes.  It is with great joy that I commend our student body (these young men and women and all our youth) to you and ask that you keep them in your prayers.

Teachers are members of a vitally important profession.  They teach essential skills and concepts; they nurture curiosity and a sense of wonder; they cultivate abilities and interests and give their students a sense of significance and purpose.

In the context of a Catholic school, however, the work of the teacher (administrator) takes on a new dimension.  At Annunziata, it is often referred to as a vocation – a calling to become part of something of great significance; in this case, to share in the Church’s mission. In their own way, teachers and administrators in Catholic schools follow the example of Jesus to reach out to others and spread the good news about life and its purpose.

I would also like to particularly our principal Ms. Gere Book, our CRE Mrs Julie Reagan, and our parents as first teachers for their leadership and guidance; besides enriching our over 150 students academically, morally, and interpersonally they along with our teachers help to prepare our children for the reception of the sacraments.  This coming spring our eighth graders will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and our second graders will receive their First Communion.  Just last December our Second Graders received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time, as they partook of the healing and forgiving love of our God.

I would like extend an invitation to all for a special mass, this Catholic School Week, at Annunziata on Wednesday Jan 31 at 8:30am, as we celebrate our school community.

Blessings!

Msgr. John Shamleffer

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Dear Parishioners

This Monday our country will celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King.  Race relations have always been a struggle for human kind from Ishmael and Isaac in the Old Testament to our present day, men and women of different races and faiths have struggled to get along.  Most recently we have seen the consequences of this in the conflict in the Holy Land.  We here in Saint Louis have also experienced the pain of people of different races and backgrounds failing to understand and exist with each other.  While we as a people and we as a Church have come a long way, much more understanding and Christian concern needs to be evident in our lives.

Our scriptures remind us that Christ came not just for Israel but for all people.  Let us follow the example of Christ in our thought, word and deed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church spells this out: The equality of women and  men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it: “Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God’s design.

The Church of the Annunziata is a wonderful place, where people from different backgrounds and different races can come and worship together.   Hopefully this will always be a hallmark of our community.  Let us make every effort to make Annunziata a welcoming community for peoples of every race and ethnic background.

God Bless you for all your goodness.

Msgr. John Shamleffer

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