July Work Day at Catholic Charities/LifeHouse

Gardeners from area parishes will continue maintaining the grounds and raised vegetable beds at Catholic Charities/Lifehouse on Thursday, July 22, from 8:30 - 10:30. We have plenty of work to go around, and we would love for you to join us! Your favorite garden gloves and tools will be needed. We also need volunteers to help harvest produce on Mondays and Thursdays, beginning at 8:15 to about 9:30. Contact Jana Hukriede at 417-840-4109 or janahukriede@gmail.com for more information or to volunteer. Our August group workday will be Thursday, August 26, from 8:30 - 10:30.

PARISH HEALTH MINISTRY

The Westside Clinic with the Springfield-Greene County Health Dept. is offering COVID-19 vaccinations every Wednesday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at 660 S. Scenic. Pfizer(approved for ages 12-17 with parental consent), Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available. Walk-ins are welcome. You can pre-register at www.covidvaccine.mo.gov.

Go to www.cosmo.maps.arcgis.com to access a map of locations for COVID vaccines. Click on a symbol on the map of Springfield to find out when, where, what vaccines are available at that location. Many sites accept walk-ins.

SENIOR LUNCH

There will be a luncheon for St. Agnes Seniors on July 14th at 11:30 am in the dining room of St. Agnes. The meal will include pecan chicken with roasted potato trio, salad, rolls and tea. A $5 donation will be requested to be used for the fund to build the parish center which we so desperately need. Because of the increase in Covid cases, I am still requesting that you only come if vaccinated for Covid. Looking forward to seeing you.

~Sr. Elizabeth Ann

From the Pastor’s Desk:

This weekend we celebrate our country’s birthday. It’s a country built upon the freedom to worship God as we believe, or to choose not to worship. Our country’s freedoms have been paid for in the blood of countless numbers of men, women and children. The freedoms to live “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” is a reality that the majority of the people of the world can only dream about. However our democracy, our freedoms have been tested over and over throughout the short history of our country.

My grandparents came from a small village outside of the capital, Prague. They came to the US for a variety of reasons; first and foremost to be able to marry. They fled before WWI and most of my uncles, as well as my father, fought in WWII. My grandparents lived to see their homeland fall behind the iron curtain and under the dictates of communism. In 1948, after the Communist regime seized power, all property owned by the churches (Catholic and non-Catholic) was confiscated. Bishops, priests, monks, and sisters were arrested and many were imprisoned. Churches were only allowed to function under the state’s strict control and supervision. Priest and minister salaries were paid by the state, and they could only preach what the government allowed them to preach. The Soviet plan was to create one of the most atheist states as an example coming from one of the most Catholic of countries. Stalin became the “god” of the Soviet Union, he was always right and his word was law.

Today the Czech Republic is basically non-Christian; there are high divorce rates, and both legalized prostitution and pornography are big business. The great majority of the Czech people (69%) see no need for churches. That is the legacy left from Stalin and the Soviet plan to form the atheist state.

So, as we celebrate this 4th of July this weekend, let us thank God for all the freedoms we enjoy. Thank God that we live in a land that can feed itself and provide jobs for her people. The food may not always be what we like, but it’s always better than what two thirds of the people of the world could even dream about. There are jobs here, even if some of those jobs are not what people would like to do or for the salary they want. On an average we spend more money on entertainment (movies, cable, internet, sports, and vacations) during the year than the great majority of people in the world even make.

Take time this weekend to THANK GOD for all that you/we have been given. So many people of the world are giving everything they have to be able to come to this country, WHY? They are looking for a place to work in safety from the fear of gangs, to work for a wage that will allow them to raise their families, for a right to education for their sons and DAUGHTERS, for the right to worship God. Those were many of the same reasons my grandparents came to this country over a hundred years ago. Those freedoms were what my Uncle Lewis died fighting for in WWII so that this country would be free and a place where immigrants like us would be welcomed. Immigrants are the workers in our produce fields, building trades, medical field, our military, the meat packing plants. Our immigrants of the past and today are what helps to make our country strong.

WELL OF LIFE

The Well of Life food pantry may soon be opening on Tuesdays (not Mon and Wed as before) from 10-2 pm. They will be in need of volunteers to staff that day, as several who had volunteered have discontinued due to COVID. . Please consider volunteering. You may choose to work only in the morning or the afternoon. If you are interested let me know: 831-3565, ext 103.

Sr. Elizabeth Ann

DDF

To date our parish has pledged $90,263.00 toward our $77,227.00 goal. Thank you! If you have not yet made your pledge, please add your gift, whatever the amount, in unity with those who have already given by returning a pledge card. Across the Diocese $2,197,864.00 has been pledged toward the $2,650,000.00, that is 83% of their goal.

The Diocese thanks you for considering a gift to support ministries which also support your parish.

PARISH HEALTH MINISTRY

The Westside Clinic with the Springfield-Greene County Health Dept. is offering COVID-19 vaccinations every Wednesday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at 660 S. Scenic. Pfizer (approved for ages 12-17 with parental consent), Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available. Walk-ins are welcome. You can pre-register at www.covidvaccine.mo.gov. Call (417)874-1211 or e-mail coronavirus@springfieldmo.gov for questions about vaccine or an event.

From the Pastor’s Desk:

As we begin to gather once again around the Eucharistic Table at the Sunday liturgies I am going to spend some time writing about the development of the Mass. Since I am a history person, I many times ask how, where from, why? Our Catholic celebration of the Mass is traceable all the way to the early church, of the first century. Christian worship was modeled after, or alongside the worship in Israel. Many of the prayers and songs used in the early church came from the synagogue, the Temple and Jewish home prayers. Some are still in use today. The Holy, Holy, Holy, is based on Isaiah 6:3 and was used in the synagogue service every Sabbath. The Alleluia from the Hallel Psalms was recited in the Passover meal, and many of our common refrains, such as Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, comes from Psalms or synagogue worship. Remember Jesus, the twelve apostles, and the majority of the first Christians were all Jews.

The Mass had its roots in the “worship” of Israel, whether in the Temple or synagogue. Christ clearly established it as something new. The essential difference between Christian liturgy and Jewish worship was that in the synagogue, salvation is hoped for, in the Mass it is announced as already accomplished. With the early Christians, the Mass was the source of life and strength itself, and life was unthinkable without it. That was what gave the early Christians the strength to suffer martyrdom. The Martyrs of Abitina, in North Africa, were sentenced to death for their refusal to renounce the Eucharist during the reign of Emperor Diocletian who ordered the last official persecution of the Christians in the Roman Empire. The Mass for the early Christians was the meeting of heaven and earth. From St. Paul and the Didache (a Christian treatise of the early 2nd century) the Christians preached the unifying power of the Eucharist with the Church community. By the 3rd century, Bishop Firmilian from Cappadocia, wrote of differences in the liturgy from difference areas of the Roman Empire. However he spoke about common prayers used universally. Clement of Alexandria wrote about rules or “canons” for the proper celebration of the Mass. By the middle of the 3rd century, there were disciplinary manuals which concerned the celebrating of the Mass. One of those manuals was Didascalia. Prayers such as the “Holy, Holy, Holy” and the dialogue proceeding from “Lift up your Hearts” were standard by the middle of the 3rd century, perhaps even earlier, but there are no records.

Christ’s Presence in the Eucharist as Real and not symbolic, was held from the early Christians of the 1st and 2nd century. It was considered heretical by St. Ignatius and Justin Martyr to not accept the Real Presence. They also taught and wrote that Christ’s presence in the Eucharist was lasting and not confined to the time of the liturgy only. Tertullian and Justin wrote about the role of the early deacons who would carry the Eucharistic bread to the sick who were homebound. A side note which we might find a little humorous from Hippolytus, urges Christians to take care to reserve the Body of Christ where no mouse could nibble at it: “For it is the Body of Christ and not to be treated lightly.” The early Fathers of the Church such as Justin, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen give us a view of the Mass and the understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist from the 1st century of Christianity. (I will continue next week.)

Youth Activities

Youth who are planning to attend Steubenville in July

should plan on attending a session on Wed, July 23rd at

7:00pm. We will meet under the tent by the parking lot.

We will provide snacks and lots of information about our

upcoming Steubenville Conference. We will end the

evening with outdoor games. Please contact Iris at

ibounds@sta-cathedral.org

FINAL GARAGE SALE NUMBERS:

The final numbers are in and the St. Agnes Garage Sale

made a profit of $5,290.46. This is great profit and we

could not have done it without the help of so many.

Thanks to all who donated items, bought items, priced

items, sorted items and helped to clean up! THANK YOU!

We were able to make contributions to Grace United

Methodist, Thrift Haven and Connecting Grounds. We

also made donations to the Friends of the Library and

Missouri Council for the Blind. We also were able to

recycle metals as well. Thanks for all who came together

to make this a great sale! Blessings to you all!

Iris Bounds

ST AGNES PARISH PICNIC

Sunday June 27th after the 5 pm Mass

St. Agnes will provide hamburgers, hotdogs &

catered side dishes!

In the air conditioned comfort of the

cafeteria!

Just enjoy a relaxing time with your fellow

parishioners.

‘St. Agnes Dinner Club info will be availablea

chance to sign up for our new small group

dinner club!’

Bring family, friends and loved ones!

From the Pastor’s Desk:

This year as we honor and celebrate St. Joseph the foster father of Jesus, we are celebrating a man who said yes in a very difficult situation. Joseph (take Mary as your wife even though she is carrying a child which is not yours, care for the child as if he is yours, he is the Son of God, oh and by the way leave everything and run for your life with your family because the king wants to kill him). Joseph said yes to be that loving and caring father. He is an example for all fathers today.

This weekend we celebrate Father’s Day. It is a day set aside to honor and show respect to our dads or to any man who has guided and cared for us as a father, whether they are here or no longer with us. Father’s Day was first proposed in 1909 by a Mrs. Dodd who wanted a special day to honor her father, a Civil War veteran. He was a widower who raised his newborn and five other children on a rural farm in the state of Washington.

Being a father means facing many struggles and difficulties. It means going to work, even when you prefer to stay in bed, because you know that your family depends on you. It means disciplining your children so that they might grow up to be mature men and women. It means constantly looking out for your family, making every effort to ensure that they are protected.

Thank God we have a Heavenly Father who does all this and helps the fathers here on earth to do the same. Not a single sparrow falls to the earth without the Heavenly Father’s consent, says the Gospel; thus, our earthly fathers are under our Heavenly Father’s care and support. God our Father protects and nurtures His children, and makes His family a house of love.

Take some time this weekend to remember your dad, whether living or deceased. Thank him for all that he has done for you–for all the time he spent on your projects, being with you in many of your school activities, and for providing the examples of faith and love.

Also I ask you to remember in prayer all the different priests and parishes which will be effected because of the priest changes this next month. I have been asked, “Why does the Bishop transfer pastors around?” There are several reasons, but one of strongest is that it is healthy for parishes and priests, as we each have our gifts and talents and they may not be the best in one parish, whereas they would be good in another parish. The bishop and his advisors look to the good of the Diocese and need of the people.

ST AGNES PARISH PICNIC

Sunday June 27th after the 5 pm Mass

St. Agnes will provide hamburgers and hotdogs.

Please bring a potluck dish to share!

Last names A-M bring desserts

N-Z bring a side dish

Bring a ball or lawn game to play!

'St. Agnes Dinner Club info - chance to sign up for our new small group dinner club!'

Bring family, friends and loved ones!

See you there!

FAREWELL, AND MAY WE MEET AGAIN!

I am Fr. Patrick M Mac Tran, C.R.M., Chaplain of Vietnamese Catholic Community Church of St. Agnes Parish would like to express my deepest gratitude and a sincere thanks to all of you. I am so grateful, first to our loving God, who has given me an opportunity to serve and to be here with you in the past three years (July 2018-June 2021) Secondly, I would like to express my heartfelt and sincere gratitude to Fr. Lewis, Fr. Allen, all of the parishioners of St. Agnes Parish for all of your kindnesses and prayers. Last but not least I also want to say sorry for any of the inconveniences that I have caused and mistakes made due to my human nature during my service at St. Agnes Cathedral . Please continue to keep me in your prayers.

May the Blessed Mary, Mother of God and Jesus Christ bless and remain within each of you always. Sincerely,

Fr. Patrick M. Mac Tran, C.R.M.

Youth Meeting

Youth who are planning to attend Steubenville in July should plan on attending a session on Wed, July 23rd at 7:00 PM. We will meet under the tent by the parking lot. We will provide snacks and lots of information about our upcoming Steubenville Conference. We will end the evening with outdoor games. Please contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org.

Garage Sale News:

A HUGE thank you to all who helped with our parish garage sale. Whether or not you donated items, worked for a single hour (or many, many hours) pricing and sorting items: WE APPRECIATE YOU! We could not do all of this without you. We will have exact profit total within the next week or two. We would especially like to thank Pat Rues, who has been working at the sale for the last 20 plus years. The last 15 years, Pat has been in charge and spends endless hours coordinating and organizing. Pat has also brought her family in to help with the garage sale. Her husband, Allen, helps in so many ways. Their children and now grandchildren also help! Thank you Pat for your dedication to our parish and to serving the needs of so many in this area!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Michael Emmaus, son of Gary and Kelly Herman was baptized on Saturday, June 6th here at St. Agnes Cathedral. Michael was born on June 17th, 2020. Fr. Michael McDevitt officiated at Baptism. Congratulations and welcome to our St. Agnes Cathedral family.

From the Pastor’s Desk:

The transfer of priests next month was front page news in the mirror. I hope people can see and understand how few of us there are and how stretched we have become. I know this is God’s Church and He has asked us to pray that the harvest master would send more for the harvest. It is not good for a priest to celebrate multiple, multiple Masses and that comes from Canon Law as well as from my own experience. When I celebrate the 3rd mass in a row without a clear break it becomes very draining physically as well as emotionally and spiritually. As celebrant I put my whole self into leading the congregation in worship. I do not want to be a robot going through the motions.

Since the Mirror came I have been having questions concerning the titles of the different priests, so I will try and explain the three different titles. A Parochial Administrator is a priest that has the Administrative Authority in the parish. He is not a pastor, he is only the administrator. He has the same duties and authority as a pastor, however the bishop may place him under a neighboring pastor as he becomes accustomed to the dioceses and parish life. (Many of our foreign priests have been parochial administrators and have been named pastor this year).

Fr. Allen is a Parochial Victor. He is assigned to St. Agnes as my co-worker with all the sacramental authority under my guidance. In our Diocese newly ordained priests are usually given two assignments under the direction of two different pastors to experience two different styles of ministry.

It is hard emotionally and spiritually for priests to transfer to a different parish. After years of service, getting to know people, building a support group; a priest leaves all behind to begin all over again. It is hard for a parish to watch their pastor move to a different parish. Transfers take place to meet the needs of parishes and of the diocese.

I ask that you please keep all of the priests of our Diocese, along with our Bishop in prayer as we strive to meet the Sacramental needs of the people and still take the time to care for our own spiritual and physical needs. Masses of convenience, or parishes with masses of low attendance need to be consolidated to better meet the needs of all the people as well as presenting the best liturgies as possible without burning priests out.

UPDATING CHURCH MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

It is time to update our database with any changes, additions, or deletions that may have occurred in your family over the past year. If you have not already informed our office of phone number changes, address changes, and e-mail address changes (will not be published in the book), please do so by June 15, 2021. You may call 417-831-3565 or send an e-mail to eschatz@sta-cathedral.org. We would also like to know about children who are no longer living at home.

Also, if you have been coming to church here and have not registered in the parish, please call the office for a registration form. Or you may complete a request on-line at www.sta-cathedral.org and we will send you a registration form. There is also a small form on the inside cover of the bulletin that can be used to update our parish database or request a registration form.

SENIOR LUNCHEON

On Tuesday June 15th we will have a lunch in the Dining Room, catered by As You Like it. Cost is $5 which will be donated to the Building Fund. We will seat fewer people at the tables than usual. We plan to do this once a month during the summer. You must sign up in the parish office so we know how much food to order. 831-3565.

We ask that you come only if you are vaccinated. ~ Sr. Elizabeth Ann