I feel like I could say this every month, but this month is full of great feasts and saints to celebrate. Already this month, we’ve celebrated Saint Alphonsus Ligouri, the founder of the Redemptorist Order and great moral theologian; Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests; the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the first church in the West dedicated to the Blessed Mother; and the great feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration. The hits just keep coming this week, as plenty of saints – some modern, some ancient – challenge us to live a more authentic Christian life.
Monday we celebrate Saint Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers, commonly called the Dominicans. Dominic combined clear, systematic teaching of the faith with a life of asceticism, which enabled him to enjoy great success in his missionary work. It is largely through the work of his order that devotion to the Rosary became widespread. From the 13th century we move to the 20th, and on Tuesday we celebrate the feast of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as Dr. Edith Stein. Theresa Benedicta was born into a devout German Jewish family, but had lapsed into agnosticism as a teenager. She went on to obtain a doctorate in philosophy, working under Edmund Husserl. She had a profound conversion experience in the summer of 1921 from reading the autobiography of Saint Teresa of Avila, and was baptized in 1922. In 1933, she entered a Carmelite monastery near Cologne. To avoid the growing Nazi threat, she was moved to a monastery in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, she was arrested on August 2, 1942, and was murdered in a gas chamber at Auschwitz on August 9. In her own words, she offered herself “to the heart of Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement for true peace.”
From the modern to the ancient: Wednesday is the celebration of the deacon and martyr Saint Lawrence. Lawrence was the archdeacon of Rome, and as such was in charge of the Church’s treasury and the distribution of alms to the poor. When Pope Sixtus II was arrested and executed, the prefect of Rome ordered Lawrence to surrender the Church’s treasury to him. Lawrence assembled the treasures of the Church – the poor, the blind, the suffering – and proclaimed to the prefect, “The Church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor!” He was swiftly executed. Thursday, most of the Church will celebrate the feast of Saint Clare, the great collaborator of Saint Francis of Assisi; but we will be celebrating the feast of Saint Susanna, one of our patrons. Susanna is also an early martyr of the Church, dying because she would not renounce her Christianity to marry a pagan relative of the Emperor Diocletian.
I’m starting to run out of room, so I can’t really mention Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (Friday) or Saints Pontian & Hippolytus (Saturday), but it’s a full week of great witnesses to the faith. Some of them literally gave their lives, others gave of their lives, but in every case, they gave. Their faith prompted a deep response of service to God’s people. The Scriptures we hear this weekend – particularly, I think, the Letter to the Hebrews - remind us that faith always prompts a response. Let us prayerfully reflect on what our faith is calling us to do, and then let us beg God to give us the courage necessary to follow through on it.
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Association of Pittsburgh Priests – Over the course of the last several weeks, this group has been placing flyers on cars during our weekend Masses. Please note that this group is not endorsed by, or affiliated with, our parish or diocese in any way. Furthermore, they have never sought, let alone received, permission to distribute their materials on our grounds.
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Feast Day – As mentioned, this Thursday is the feast of Saint Susanna. Mass will be celebrated at St. Susanna Church at 9 AM; and solemn evening prayer with Eucharistic Adoration will be celebrated at 6:00 PM. Remember, you can gain a plenary indulgence for visiting a church on its feast day!
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School Registration – It’s hard to believe that summer is winding down, but here we are. As you begin to make preparations for the coming school year, consider joining the Divine Mercy Academy family. Registration is open for Pre-K through 8th grade. See page 10 of this bulletin for more information.
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CCD Catechists needed – As the new school year fast approaches, so does the new CCD year. We once again find ourselves in need of adults who love their faith and want to help share that fiath with future generations. If interested, please contact Deacon Lee Miles in the Faith Formation office.
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Parish Picnic – Just a reminder to make sure you have the Parish Picnic on your calendar – Sunday, September 11, at Monroeville Community Park, Pavilion 4. Just barely a month away! Plenty more info to be coming soon.
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Oremus pro invicem!
