Entries for 'ZBeckwith'

Dear Parishioners:

This Friday we celebrate All Saints' Day in honor of all the saints, both known and unknown. It is the day after the feast of All Hallows' Evening (also known as Halloween). This solemnity comes from Christian tradition of celebrating the martyrdom of saints on the anniversary of their death. The current date of November 1 was instituted by Pope Gregory III (731-741), when he consecrated a chapel to all the martyrs in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and ordered an annual celebration. This celebration was originally confined to the diocese of Rome, but Pope Gregory IV (827-844) extended the feast to the entire Church and ordered it to be celebrated on November 1.

The following day, November 2nd, the Church in an ancient feast celebrates All Souls Day where we gather and remember and pray for the faithful departed. We as Christians believe that if we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we will have eternal life. Jesus has that great desire that we are one with him, and this day commemorates our oneness with Jesus both those here on earth and those who have passed before us.

Another practice on this feast day is to attend Mass to pray for the faithful departed in our families, in our Church and all who have died in Christ. Saint Odilo, Abbot of Cluny, established All Souls' Day in the eleventh century. The day purposely follows the Feast of All Saints, in order to shift the focus from those in heaven to those in purgatory.

Our parish family we will celebrate mass for all the Faithful Departed of our parish and of our families (especially those during this past year). This mass will be on Saturday Nov. 2 at 7am .

Please see our bulletin for a listing of those who were buried from our Church this past year and please keep them and their families in your prayers. Finally, during the month of November a Book of Remembrance will be placed before our baptismal font as a reminder of our dying and rising with our Lord, first in Baptism and then into eternal life.

Blessings!

Msgr. John Shamleffer

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Dear Parishioners:

The month of October is dedicated to the praying of the Rosary. The Rosary (from Latin rosarium, meaning "rose garden") or "garland of roses “is a popular and traditional catholic devotion.

How to Pray the Rosary - The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events or mysteries in the history of our salvation, and to thank and praise God for them. The prayers consist of repeated sequences of the Lord’s Prayer followed by ten recitations of the Hail Mary and a single praying of "Glory be to the father” each of these sequences is known as a decade. The praying of each decade is accompanied by meditation on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall the life of Jesus Christ. There are twenty mysteries reflected upon in the Rosary, and these are divided into the five Joyful Mysteries, the five Sorrowful Mysteries, the five Glorious Mysteries, and the five Luminous Mysteries.

The Pope has always had a great devotion to Mary and the rosary. During this month of October, we pray the rosary many different times in our Church. A number of years ago Pope John Paul II included new mysteries named the Luminous Mysteries, which reflect upon the public life of Jesus. During this month, you might gather with your families and pray the Rosary together as a sign of solidarity with our Pope. Perhaps you could also add the intention of all those who have fallen away from the practice of the faith, that they might be welcomed back home to the Church.

In a particular way as we pray the rosary we can also pray for religious liberty. This liberty is not only about our ability to go to Mass on Sunday or pray the Rosary at home. It is about whether we can make our contribution to the common good of all Americans. Can we do the good works our faith calls us to do, without having to compromise that very same faith?

Lastly this is also Pro-Life month let us continue to pray for all life from the unborn to those near death. With the Election close at hand, we could also pray for the end to abortions and all that harms life.

Blessings!

Msgr. John Shamleffer

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Dear Parishioners:

October is Respect Life Month, when Catholics around the nation highlight their witness to the dignity of every human life. Parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis will begin their observation with Respect Life Sunday at Masses the weekend of Oct. 5-6 and continue with events throughout the month.

Amendment 3 proposes to create a right to reproductive freedom, “which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care and respectful birthing conditions.” If passed, the measure would allow abortions until viability (typically around 22-24 weeks of pregnancy), with an exception for the “life and physical or mental health” of the mother.

The Missouri Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops, has opposed the measure, arguing in an August statement it would “effectively repeal long-standing health and safety standards for women.” Among the laws potentially affected by Amendment 3, it said, were “basic health and safety requirements for clinics where abortions are performed, requiring that abortions be performed only by a physician, informed consent requirements, laws prohibiting public funding of abortion and parental consent requirements before a minor’s abortion.”

“We urge all Missourians of good will to stand for the health and safety of women and their preborn children and oppose Amendment 3,” the statement said.

Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, has said that he strongly opposes the amendment and that the Church is speaking out on the issue “to look out for the common good of mothers and children. Destroying life — particularly innocent, vulnerable, human life — is not what humanity was created for.”

“Leading up to the election we will work to inform the faithful, and the public, of Amendment 3’s deceptions and dangers,” he said in a social media post. “Please join me — through prayer, education, and action — as we urge all Missourians of good will to vote ‘no’ on Amendment 3.”

The gift of life is our most precious gift and needs to be defended at all times we lessen ourselves as a society if we say we can not care for life both born and unborn. I would invite you to pray a rosary with your family and or partake of our Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays in this month of October as we support life in all its forms.

God Bless!

Msgr John Shamleffer

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Dear Parishioners:

I am blessed as I finish my first year as pastor here at the Church of the Annunziata many thanks for all your kind words and prayers of support. This past year I have been blessed to join in prayer with you and to share and support our faith together.

The Church has also blessed us with a number of Saints that continue to influence us these past ten days. On July 31st we had St. Ignatius of Loyola who founded the Jesuits, August 1st we had St. Alphonsus Ligouri who founded the Redemptorists, and on August 8th we had St. Dominic who founded the Dominicans. Each was unique in themselves and in their orders, but also all were united in striving to bring people to Christ.

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) founded the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. Wounded in battle as a Spanish soldier he had a spiritual conversion and decided to devote his life to God. Spending a year in extreme ascetic practices he had mystical experiences that would be the basis for his book Spiritual Exercises that would become the foundational guide for the Jesuits and used by many in leading retreats. Studying at the University of Paris he would gather other students who would go with him to Rome to found the Jesuits. They would soon found many universities, go out to the world as missionaries, and are recognized as leaders in the Counter-Reformation, spreading the faithful teachings of the Catholic faith.

St. Alphonsus Ligouri (1696-1787), founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, or the Redemptorists. He was a lawyer at the age of 17, practiced without losing a case for eight years, and then when he lost a case by an oversight on his part he took it as a sign from God that he was to leave that profession to become a priest. In his book Moral Theology, in his preaching, and in his modest life he strived to seek a balance in life.

St. Dominic (1170-1221) founded the Order of Preachers, or the Dominicans. Unlike Ignatius and Alphonsus, Dominic was raised to dedicate his life to the Church and to be a priest. Pope Innocent III would approve the founding of the Dominican order to preach throughout various territories in opposition to heresies.

Also this past August 4th we celebrated St. John Vianney (1786-1859), the patron saint of parish priests. A man renown as a confessor, a pastor and for his sanctity.

As we remember these saints and the gift of faith they shared with us let us also strive as a community to bring Christ to those who meet. Let pray for one another as we all seek to grow in Holiness. Let us also be ambassadors and evangelizers of our faith community, spreading the good news of Jesus and Ste Genevieve by inviting men and women to join us in prayer.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS—RCIA

This September we will again start the process for men and women who are inquiring about the Catholic Faith. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process through which adults enter into the Catholic faith. RCIA is a spiritual journey designed in phases and implemented through various rites. The participants' spiritual growth is encouraged and enhanced through weekly reflection on God's Word and the teachings of Catholic doctrine and traditions. Please contact the Parish Office if interested in joining the Church 314.993.4422.

Becoming a Catholic is one of the most profound and joyous experiences of life. Some are blessed enough to receive this great gift while they are still infants, and over the course of time they grow into a recognition of the enormous grace that has been bestowed upon them, of the dignity and wonder of their identity as Catholics. Others come into the Catholic fold while they are older children or adults. In these cases it is important for people to have a grasp of the joyful process by which one becomes a Catholic.

If you know someone who might be interested in joining the Church, be that family member, fellow worker, or neighbor, please contact the parish office with their name and phone number. Our parishioners are always the best evangelists. Your faith and how you live it will speak volumes to those around you.

Let us pray for those who are contemplating joining the Catholic faith and encourage them through our words, actions and prayers. God bless you for sharing your faith!

Msgr. John Shamleffer
Pastor

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Church of Annunziata

Sunday Masses 9:00 and 11:00 am

PLEASE NOTE: 2 Sunday Masses at 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.

NO Sunday Mass at 7 a.m.

Mass 7:00 am Monday-Saturday

Saturday Confessions 3:30-4:45pm

Saturday Mass 5:00 pm (Vigil)

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ANNUNZIATA PARISH LISTENING SESSIONS

Please choose either Tuesday, October 25 from 6-8 p.m. OR Thursday, October 27 from 6-8 p.m. to participate in a listening session for our Parish. Basically, the program will have a pre-recorded message from Archbishop Rozanski and one from Father Chris Martin, the Vicar for

Strategic Planning for the Archdiocese, with an overview of the process called “All Things New”. Next on the agenda will be a planning area overview. There are 15 of these areas, and Annunziata is in Area 6. Next, multiple DRAFT MODEL options will be considered.

Please understand that a Model is an option as to how parishes in our planning area could be structured. The Models are “unfinished” because they need your insight and feedback. We need the input of the parishioners of

Annunziata so that a recommendation can be presented to the Archbishop.

To register go to: allthingsnew.archstl.org

To obtain the Parish Workbook with pertinent data about the Archdiocese, our local planning area, and our specific Church of the Annunziata go to: allthingsnew.archstl.org

Should you have any difficulties registering for our Listening Session, please contact the Rectory at 314-993-4422 during regular office hours.

RESPECT LIFE MONTH and THE MONTH OF THE ROSARY

To pray the rosary daily during this month of October offers the opportunity to intercede through our Blessed Mother to protect all human life. The essence of our identity is that we are created in God’s image and likeness and are loved unconditionally! Nothing can diminish the priceless worth of any human life. Every person is cherished.

God calls each of us to be messengers of Christ’s love, treating one another as sacred and chosen by God. In doing so, we can help build a culture that respects all human life. Every person is needed to create a community that guards and protects the unborn, the elderly, the infirm, and the challenged.

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