Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

As I was praying and googling for inspiration…. Opps…did I just admit that I had writers block for my bulletin note this week? Well sure, the words of the Saints are a great start to spot when looking for weekly inspiration! And I have joked a few times that “St. Google told me what to do.”

And so I came across a catechesis that Pope Benedict did on St. Catherine of Bologna back in 2010. In the “Treatise on the Seven Spiritual Weapons,” Catherine teaches that to combat evil it is necessary: (1) to be careful always to do good; (2) to believe that we can never achieve anything truly good by ourselves; (3) to trust in God and, for His love, never to fear the battle against evil, either in the world or in ourselves; (4) to meditate frequently on the events and words of Jesus’ life, especially His passion and death;(5) to remember that we must die;(6) to keep the benefits of heaven firmly in our minds,(7) to be familiar with Holy Scripture, keeping it in our hearts to guide all our thoughts and actions.

That it is good road map for getting to heaven!

Pax ,

Fr. Mosimann

Thursday, Aug 15 is a Holy Day of Obligation

August 11, 2019 St Mary Fred

Thursday, August 15, is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a Holy Day of Obligation. The Mass Schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, August 14: (Confessions canceled) 6pm and 7:30pm Vigil

Thursday, August 15: 6:30am, 9am, 12pm, 6pm, 7:30pm (bilingual)

From Our Pastor

August 10, 2019 St Mary Fred

Dear Folks,

Christmas in July? Amazon Prime Day? Are these just marketing ploys? Yes.

But something else made me think of such marketing this week. The stack of Christmas gifts sitting on the floor in my sitting room. I had stopped noticing they were there, until the housekeeper moved them to another spot in my room.

What Gifts do you have that you take for granted that you only notice when they are moved or gone? Health: rarely noticed except when something is wrong. Friendships, family, even employment? Most any gift can become something we take for granted. The antidote to this is gratitude and giving thanks (or in greek Eucharistein). Gratitude sustains our right relationship to the giver of the gifts, and reminds us to put them to good use!

Think of Simon Peter’s mother in law, and how Jesus healed her as one of his first miracles. She immediately got up and started serving Our Lord. Why does the Gospel tell us that she got up and served? To show that the healing was complete, but also that she was given the strength to get up immediately and serve. She used her gift of health to serve and give glory to God!

Gifts aren’t appreciated unless they are used! Don’t ignore, stifle, or downplay your gifts. That is a recipe for spiritual sickness. Give thanks and put them to good use!

And yes, I’d better read those books on my floor.

pax,
fr mosimann

Bishop Burbidge to Celebrate Mass for Victims of Violence

August 8, 2019 St Mary Fred

Tomorrow, Friday, August 9, Bishop Burbidge will be the celebrant and homilist at a Mass for Victims of Violence at 12:05 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More in Arlington. All are welcomed to attend and pray with our Bishop for the victims of the recent tragedies and for an end to violence.