Fr. Todd Bulletin Article 7/12/26

Dear St. Mary on the Lake and Sacred Heart,

                 Totus Tuus is this week!  Check to see if there are still open slots if you have not already signed up.  It is a great week!  Totus Tuus will include Mass at St. Mary on the Lake every day this week at 11:15am with the kids, and you are welcome to attend.  We will still have our regularly scheduled Masses Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at Sacred Heart this week.

Fr. Paul is covering St. Anthony’s in Hillsdale July 6^th-August 15^th as Fr. David is gone for a combination of annual retreat, vacation time, and drill for the National Guard.  During this extended period of coverage, we will not have the 8am Monday or 8am Thursday Masses at Sacred Heart.  We will still have our usual Thursday morning Adoration/confession followed by 9:15am Mass at St. Mary on the Lake. (Except this week for Totus Tuus when the Mass is moved to 11:15am).  These times of lengthier coverage remind us how blessed we are to have Fr. Paul with us that makes it possible. 

 I have been reflecting on the goodness of God and all the vocations that mark the Church and lives of individual Christians.  Over the past few months we have seen them all- a number of marriages celebrated, a young man being accepted to study as a seminarian, some sisters visiting their families for their annual home visits. Newly ordained priests coming back and celebrating Masses of Thanksgiving in our parishes.  Newly engaged couples beginning the process of preparing for the marriage.  I have loved those Masses where all the vocations were present at one time.

 St. Augustine once described Heaven as God’s Garden that included all the vocations.  He wrote: “I tell you again and again, my brethren, that in the Lord’s garden are to be found not only the roses of his martyrs. In it there are also the lilies of the virgins, the ivy of wedded couples, and the violets of widows. On no account may any class of people despair, thinking that God has not called them.” (Sermo 304, 1-4: PL 38, 1395-1397).

 Lumen Gentium, a dogmatic Constitution from the 2^nd Vatican Council strongly reiterated the universal call of holiness to which every Christian is called. “Thus, it is evident to everyone, that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society. In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ. They must follow in His footsteps and conform themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history.” https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

Thank you for praying for vocations. May we continue to pray for more vocations to marriage, priesthood, and consecrated life and for those already living them.

God Bless, Fr. Todd