Diocesan Chronicle All Saints Day Celebration 2021 St. Katherine Parish, Enterprise
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Diocesan Chronicle
The
News of the Diocese of Baker December 5, 2021 • Vol. 12, No. 15
All Saints Day Celebration 2021
St. Katherine Parish, Enterprise
Submitted by Dale & Kim McGriff TOP: Students from left: Ignatius Coddington (St. Francis of
Assisi), Katherine Coddington (St Bernadette), Claire Coddington
The Faith Formation Classes at St. Katherine in Enterprise, (St. Perpetua), Quinn Stangel (St. Elizabeth of Hungary), Lily
Oregon, celebrated All Saints Day at Coffee Hour. The Stangel (St. Agnes), Anthony Muniz Mendez (St. Anthony of
Padua), Jose Muniz Mendez (St. Christopher), TJ Birkmaier (St.
students hosted it with their parents after the Sunday Mass
Anthony of Padua), and Joseph Birkmaier (St. John Leonardi).
on October 31 in the Parish Hall. They, along with teachers,
shared their favorite saints’ lives with the parishioners BOTTOM: Teachers from left: Mrs. Sue Barcik, Faith Formation
present to recognize who that saint would be. Most of the Coordinator, introducing the participating students and teachers
saints’ names were identified by the parishioners. It was to the parishioners; Mr. Bill Kost (St. Michael the Archangel), Mrs.
also notable that the students and teachers dressed up as Kim McGriff (St. Katherine of Sienna), and Mr. Dale McGriff (St.
their favorite saints. Padre Pio).
Thoughts Along the Way
Last June hundreds of us throughout the diocese came to hear and as inconspicuously as I could, I touched the nearest
Father Carlos Martins explain why Catholics have such high reliquary for comparison; nope, it was cool as a cucumber.
regard for holy relics—hundreds of which he brought with him for I checked the one in question again: still warm! I stuffed
our veneration afterwards. my hands into my pockets. I didn’t really know this saint,
not well. I felt like I was set up on a blind date and my first
It was an unforgettable evening; but when I tried to write about it,
words wouldn’t come—until the mail from Hermiston brought the
impression was, “But we have nothing in common!” Like
following reflection that captured the evening perfectly. an old matchmaker, I imagine God laughed.
Many thanks to the author for permitting us to publish it here. My new prayer partner’s name is Charles Lwanga. He
served as a page in the court of the 19th century Ugandan
King Mwanga, who lusted after him and the other boys.
Charles valiantly protected them as best he could.2 Their
An Encounter with a Saint Baptism and dedication to Christ and the moral teachings
of the Church infuriated Mwanga and he gave them a
by Theresa Pihl
choice: denounce your faith or die. They had before them
On June 3, 2021, my parish hosted a “Treasures of the life and death; they chose life.3
Church Exposition”1 which displayed over 150 relics of
saints and blesseds for veneration. Talk about a family As they burned his body, Charles said, “You are burning
reunion! People mingled with their favorite saints, oohs me, but it is as if you are pouring water over my body.”
and awes of recognition: pausing, touching, pleading for Fire and water prepared the soil for the seeds of the
their intercessory prayers. Word. Today, there are over 400,000,000 Christians in
Africa, giving testimony to Tertillian, who prophesied in
Fr. Carlos Martins, the priest accompanying the exhibit, the second century, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of
encouraged us to be open to the grace available to recognize Christians.”4
a particular saint who will accompany us in our walk with
Christ. God wants his children to pray together. Some Charles and his companions were martyred on the feast of
people experienced healings, others a profound sense of a the Ascension, June 3, 1886. As I stood there in front of
saint’s presence, even reliquaries hot to the touch, he said. his relic, still warm from his martyrdom, I realized with a
With some trepidation, I made my way around the room. start (and more goosebumps); it was June 3, his feast day,
One hundred and fifty is quite a crowd (not counting the that very day.
pilgrims). There were also fragments from the Crown of
Thorns and the True Cross (St. Helena was there to affirm
her witness). It seemed surreal, the Communion of Saints 1
Treasures of the Church. https://treasuresofthechurch.com/
in real time. The lines blurred between heaven and earth,
Access 18 August 2021.
just as in Mass, only this was more like Coffee Hour; we
were in the parish hall after all. Though we have Jesus 2
“St. Charles Lwanga and Companions: Martyrs of Uganda.” XV
living in-the-flesh present in the tabernacle (not some Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. http://
dried fragment of Him) it’s pretty cool to meet his closest www.synod.va/content/synod2018/en/youth-testimonies/st-
friends. -charles-lwanga-and-companions--martyrs-of-uganda.html
Accessed 18 August 2021.
I relaxed, which is no small thing; I struggle with social
anxiety. Crowds make me feel extremely claustrophobic
3
Deuteronomy 30:19. “I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and
and given the just-lifted pandemic restrictions, doubly so;
your descendants may live.” https://bible.usccb.org/bible/
yet, I was calm, no panic attack to steal my breath. God
deuteronomy/30 Accessed 18 August 2021.
poured out His amazing grace.
“Bishop Barron on St. Charles Lwanga.” YouTube, uploaded by
4
Then, it happened. I was standing in line to view the Word on Fire, 14 June 2010, https://youtu.be/O7WlYcr0EU0
relic of Mary’s veil, nodding silent greetings to the saints
on the table nearest me when I touched a small golden
reliquary and it was warm, almost hot to the touch. The
hair on the back of my neck stood up. I leaned over,
Pensamientos A Lo Largo Del Camino
En el pasado Junio, cientos de nosotros en toda la diócesis venimos
a escuchar al padre Carlos Martins explicar por qué los Católicos
tienen tanto respeto por las reliquias sagradas, cientos de las
cuales trajo consigo para nuestra veneración después.
Fue una velada inolvidable; pero cuando traté de escribir sobre
eso, las palabras no salieron, hasta que el correo de Hermiston
trajo la siguiente reflexión que capturó la noche a la perfección.
Muchas gracias al autor por permitirnos publicarlo aquí.
Un Encuentro con un Santo
por Theresa Pihl
El 3 de Junio, 2021, mi parroquia organizó una Entonces sucedió. Estaba haciendo fila para ver la reliquia
“Exposición de los Tesoros de la Iglesia” que exhibió del Velo de María, saludando silenciosamente a los santos
más de 150 reliquias de santos y beatos para veneración. en la mesa más cercana a mí cuando toqué un pequeño
¡Hablar de una reunión familiar! La gente se mezclaba con relicario dorado y estaba tibio, casi caliente al tacto. Se
sus santos favoritos, ooh y asombro de reconocimiento: me enchinó el pelo de la parte posterior de mi cuello. Me
deteniéndose, tocando, suplicando por sus oraciones de incliné y, tan discretamente como pude, toqué el relicario
intercesión. más cercano para compararlo; no, estaba fresco como un
pepino. Volví a comprobar con el relicario en cuestión:
El Padre Carlos Martins, el sacerdote que acompaña ¡todavía caliente! Metí mis manos en mis bolsillos.
la exposición, nos animó a estar abiertos a la gracia Realmente no conocía a este santo, no muy bien. Me sentí
disponible para reconocer a un santo en particular que como si tuviera una cita a ciegas y mi primera impresión
nos acompañará en nuestro caminar con Cristo. Dios fue: “¡Pero no tenemos nada en común!” Como un viejo
quiere que sus hijos oren juntos. Algunas personas intermediario, imagino que Dios se rió.
experimentaron curaciones, otras un sentido profundo
de la presencia de un santo, incluso relicarios calientes al El nombre de mi nuevo compañero de oración es Carlos
tacto, dijo él. Lwanga. Sirvió como paje en la corte del Rey Ugandés
del siglo XIX, Mwanga, quien lo deseaba a él y a los otros
Con cierta inquietud, recorrí la habitación. Ciento niños. Carlos los protegió valientemente lo mejor que
cincuenta es una gran multitud (sin contar a los pudo. Su bautismo y dedicación a Cristo y las enseñanzas
peregrinos). También había fragmentos de la Corona de morales de la Iglesia enfurecieron a Mwanga y les dio una
Espinas y la Verdadera Cruz (Santa Elena estaba allí para opción: denunciar su fe o morir. Tenían ante sí la vida y la
afirmar su testimonio). Parecía surrealista, la Comunión muerte; eligieron la vida.
de los Santos en tiempo real. Las líneas se hacían borrosas
entre el cielo y la tierra, al igual que en la Misa, solo que Mientras quemaban su cuerpo, Carlos dijo: “Me estás
esto se parecía más a la hora del café; después de todo quemando, pero es como si estuvieras vertiendo agua
estábamos en el salón parroquial. Aunque tenemos a Jesús sobre mi cuerpo”. El fuego y el agua prepararon el suelo
viviendo en la carne presente en el tabernáculo (no un para las semillas de la Palabra. Hoy en día, hay más de
fragmento seco de Él), es genial conocer a sus amigos más 400,000,000 Cristianos en África, dando testimonio de
cercanos. Tertillian, quien profetizó en el siglo II: “La sangre de los
mártires es semilla de Cristianos”.
Me relajé, que no es poca cosa; Lucho con la ansiedad
social. Las multitudes me hacen sentir extremadamente Carlos y sus compañeros fueron martirizados en la fiesta
claustrofóbica y dadas las restricciones de la pandemia de la Ascensión, el 3 de Junio de 1886. Mientras estaba allí
recién levantadas, doblemente; sin embargo, estaba frente a su reliquia, todavía caliente por su martirio, me di
tranquila, sin un ataque de pánico que me robara el cuenta con un sobresalto (y más piel de gallina); era el 3 de
aliento. Dios derramó Su asombrosa gracia. Junio, su fiesta, ese mismo día.
Religious Retirement Collection
Pope Francis often highlights the role older adults play in
conveying faith from one generation to the next. Recently,
he noted that “there is no retirement age from the work Bishop Cary’s Schedule
of proclaiming the Gospel.”1 As we approach the annual
Religious Retirement Collection, we are all reminded that Lakeview, St. Patrick
senior religious never retire from their vows. Instead, the
prayer and ministry of older priests are an ongoing witness to
December 5
9:00 a.m. Mass
the Gospel.
10:00 a.m. Breakfast
11:00 a.m. St. Joseph Retreat
Our Diocesan priests have served the Church and they have
2:00 p.m. Visitation of the Sick
done so for relatively little material reward. These dedicated
priests deserve a just retirement for their committed years of Klamath Falls, St. Pius X
service to the diocese. While we understand the importance Dec. 6 - 6:30 p.m. Sanctuary Architect Meeting
of supporting the national collection, we too must take care of December 7
our own priests who have served so faithfully in the Diocese of 8:30 a.m. Mass
Baker. Over the last 33 years, parishioners in our diocese have 9:30 a.m. Light Breakfast
donated a total of $1,314,305 to this collection. 10:00 a.m. St. Joseph Retreat #1
5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Soup Supper
The priests of the Diocese of Baker have their own Health 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. St. Joseph Retreat #1
and Retirement Association. When a priest of the diocese
retires, he receives payments from the association of $1,423.50 Klamath Falls, Sacred Heart
per month. Additionally, our priests also receive Medicare December 7
supplement insurance. The Health and Retirement Association 12:30 p.m. Parent Meeting (Invitation Only)
also makes payments to the Dioceses of our foreign-born
Klamath Falls, St. Pius X
priests based on a years of service schedule after they have
served in our Diocese. December 8
8:30 a.m. Mass
The Health and Retirement Association currently has about 9:30 a.m. Light Breakfast
$2,106,700 in assets, most of which is invested in the Legacy 10:00 a.m. St. Joseph Retreat #2
of Faith Catholic Community Foundation of Oregon for the 12:30 p.m. Parent Meeting (Invitation Only)
priests of the Diocese of Baker. Even though our retirement 5:30 p.m. Soup Supper
fund has been greatly blessed in the last year with gifts from 6:00 p.m. St. Joseph Retreat #2
the estates of Fr. Gerry Condon and Fr. Charles Dreisbach, we 7:00 p.m. Holy Day Mass
still need to keep funding the program through collections December 12
such as this and our own Bishop’s Annual Appeal to meet the 6:00 a.m. Our Lady of Guadalupe
annual operating budget needs. Spanish Mass, Redmond
8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, Redmond
The annual collection for the Retirement Fund will be 3:00 p.m. Our Lady of Guadalupe
conducted in our diocese on the weekend of December 11-12 Spanish Mass, Bend
to correspond with all other dioceses across the nation as we Dec. 14 - 6:00 p.m. Penance Service, Prineville
have typically done in years past. Last year our diocese collected
$109,288 during this collection, and religious institutes, as well Dec. 15 - 6:00 p.m. Penance Service, Madras
as our own diocesan priests who have served our diocese, Dec. 16 - 6:00 p.m. Penance Service, La Pine
benefited from it. We will continue to support the religious
sisters and brothers who have served in our diocese December 19
by sending a significant gift to the national office. I 9:00 a.m. Mass, Prineville
urge you to continue to support this important 12:00 p.m. Spanish Mass, Prineville
and necessary collection. Please pray for the
Dec. 20 - 6:00 p.m. Penance Service, Redmond
success of the collection.
Dec. 21 - 6:00 p.m. Penance Service, Bend
Thank you for your generosity and support!
Dec. 22 - 6:00 p.m. Penance Service, Sisters
You can also read
