Father Richard J. Rego, Chaplain
Fr. Isaac Fynn and Fr. David Reinders, Weekend Clergy

Saints of the Week
Mon, Jan  8 - - - Feria after the Epiphany (Mass of 1st Sunday after the Epiphany)
Tues, Jan 9 - - - Feria after the Epiphany
Wed, Jan 10 - - -Feria after the Epiphany
Thurs, Jan 11 - - Feria after the Epiphany
Fri, Jan 12 - - - -  Feria after the Epiphany
Sat, Jan 6 - - - - -Commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord

Gospel Words of Jesus Christ Our Divine Lord

1 And he entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. 2 And they watched him whether he would heal on the Sabbath days; that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand: Stand up in the midst. 4 And he saith to them: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy? But they held their peace. 5 And looking round about on them with anger, being grieved for the blindness of their hearts, he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth: and his hand was restored unto him. (Mark 3: 1-5)

 

From the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans  

26 For this cause God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature. 27 And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error. 28 And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers, 30 Detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy. 32 Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them. (1: 26-32)

 

Spiritual Thought Of The Week  

Taken from the Introduction to the Devout Life, by Saint Francis De Sales, written in the year 1609, Part One, CHAPTER V. The First Step (toward holiness) must be purifying the Soul. “THE flowers appear on the earth,” 15 Cant. ii. 12. says the Heavenly Bridegroom, and the time for pruning and cutting is come. And what, my child, are our hearts’ flowers save our good desires? Now, so soon as these begin to appear, we need the pruning-hook to cut off all dead and superfluous works from our conscience.”

 

Book Three The Twentieth-First Chapter: “Lord, I have called You, and have desired You, and have been ready to spurn all things for Your sake. For You first spurred me on to seek You. May You be blessed, therefore, O Lord, for having shown this goodness to Your servant according to the multitude of Your mercies.  What more is there for Your servant to say to You unless, with his iniquity and vileness always in mind, he humbles himself before You? Nothing among all the wonders of heaven and earth is like to You. Your works are exceedingly good, Your judgments true, and Your providence rules the whole universe. May You be praised and glorified, therefore, O Wisdom of the Father. Let my lips and my soul and all created things unite to praise and bless You.”

 

 From The Teachings Of The Second Vatican Council  Dei Verbum

(On the Word of God) Chapter One: 2. In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will (see Eph. 1:9) by which through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature (see Eph. 2:18; 2 Peter 1:4). Through this revelation, therefore, the invisible God (see Col. 1; 15, 1 Tim. 1:17) out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends (see Ex. 33:11; John 15:14-15) and lives among them (see Bar. 3:38), so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself. This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having in inner unity: the deeds wrought by God in the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and realities signified by the words, while the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them. By this revelation then, the deepest truth about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation.

 

From The Code Of Canon Law

Canon 226 §1. According to their own vocation, those who live in the marital state are bound by a special duty to work through marriage and the family to build up the people of God.  §2. Since they have given life to their children, parents have a most grave obligation and possess the right to educate them. Therefore, it is for Christian parents particularly to take care of the Christian education of their children according to the doctrine handed on by the Church.

 

Catechism Of The Catholic Church 

#2322 “From its conception, the child has the right to life.  Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 # 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.”

 

SPECIAL NOTICE

Please be advised that donations to Saint Gianna’s can be made through our website: www.saintgianna.net.  By so doing, one can contribute using their credit card.  We appreciate your financial support and also ask your prayers for our continued success.MASS INTENTIONS  Saint Gianna’s has openings for Mass intentions beginning in February, 2007.

 

Pope Benedict XVI Prayer Intention For January
 


General - - - - General - - - That in our times, sadly marked by quite a few episodes of violence, the Pastors of the Church continue to show the way of peace and understanding to every person’s heart.

Mission - - - -  Mission - - - - That the Church in Africa become ever more the true witness of the Good Word of Christ and promote reconciliation and peace in every nation.

   
    The Holy Season of Christmas is a time of deep significance for families.  It brings them together to celebrate the Birth of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.  At the center of these celebrations is the Holy Family, for these are days of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  It is with a human and a divine wisdom that the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family.
   
    Pope Pius XII said that there is nothing dearer to the Church than the family.  The Second Vatican Council referred to the family as the "Domestic Church."  Children, it taught, are the "supreme gift of marriage and contribute substantially to the welfare of their parents."  Parents "should, by their word and example, be the first preachers of Catholic faith to their children." 
   
    Marriage is not of human institution; rather, it is of divine origin.  Marriage must be holy because God is holy.  It must be filled with love because God is love.  In our day, pagan influences and the scourge of divorce are ravaging the holy state of matrimony.  Far too often, discord and violence have replaced domestic peace and tranquility.  The Second Vatican Council warned that modern man is trying to build a world apart from God; modern man seeks happiness apart from God.  Without God there can never be domestic peace and tranquility. 
   
    In today’s Mass, the Church prays in the opening Collect: "O Lord Jesus Christ, Who being subject to Mary and Joseph did sanctify home life with ineffable virtues: grant that with the aid of both, we may be taught by the example of Thy Holy Family, and attain to eternal fellowship with them.”

    How do we attain this sanctity and fellowship?  Christ must be at the center of the family.  To become a holy family, a Domestic Church, families must begin with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  United as one, the family should approach the table of the Lord to receive Holy Communion.  Remember the admonition of Our Lord: "Without me, you can do nothing!"  Without the graces received in Holy Communion, there can never be the sanctity or the peace of Christ individually or as a family. 
   
    The Sacrament of Confession should also be a family event.  My good Catholic Parents!  Do you want to guard your children from the evil influences of a world ravished by lust, pornography, drugs, violence, greed, etc.?  As a family come to the Holy Sacrament of Confession at least once a month.  By means of frequent confession, the family encounters the forgiving Lord.  Not only will families find the forgiveness of sins but will also undergo a purification of conscience and the strengthening of the will.  The grace of the sacrament fortifies the family to live in Christ's holiness and peace.
   
    Also, family prayer is not to be limited to grace at meals.  As Our Lady asked of us at Fatima, we must pray the Family Rosary every day.  The Rosary is a prayer centered on Our Lord Jesus.  The Rosary brings Our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph into our homes. Our Mother Mary will grant the family many graces.  She will be our mother and our model for virtuous living. Saint Joseph will protect the family from dangers physical and spiritual.  May the Holy Family be the inspiration for our families and make them HOLY in the peace of Christ.
                               
                                    Fr. Richard J. Rego, S.T.L.