FATHER'S TWO-CENTS WORTH

Well, I hope that you had a very happy and nice Fourth of July.  As I write this column on Wednesday, I am not sure what the weather will be.  They have been predicting rain, and the lawns and flowers have been asking for a good soaking but no rain has developed.  I am sure we all have been watering our flowers.  And the farmers could use rain for the beans to get started, and the corn to mature.  So, whatever the weather brings before now and this week-end, I hope that all of us can accept whatever God sends us and be happy about it.  Just think of those who have had their homes and fields flooded, and count your blessings.  As far as that goes, count your blessings no matter what happens.  It could be worse—we are not here to count!

During this summer vacation, I wonder what we are teaching our children by our actions.  I saw so many of our kids at the Vacation Bible School involved with Youth activities.  But I do not see them at Sunday Mass.  In fact, I have missed many families at Saturday or Sunday Mass.  I hope that you are going somewhere for Mass even though you are away on vacation.  We are responsible for our own lives. Parents are responsible for the lives of their children.  All of us are responsible for the spiritual lives of one another.  We must let our faith show itself to others—we are called to be the light of the world—a lamp placed on a lamp stand, and not hidden under a basket.

I wish to thank Mark Schanz, and all of the persons that he recruited to mow the grass out along the highway at the “Old Cemetery”.  It sure looks nice and makes the cemetery a sight that shows respect for the persons buried there.  Since the State of Illinois has cut back on its highway mowing, I am sure that we will have to do this several more times during the summer.  However, it was much tougher this time since we let it get a big head start on us.  A sincere thanks to all of you involved in this mowing project.

I visited with David Haas in the hospital today (Wednesday), and he asked me to thank all of the parishioners who have been praying for him.  He is going to have surgery on his leg today or tomorrow for some sort of infection.  David still has to have some future surgeries and would appreciate your continued prayers for his health and recovery.  I really believe that we do not appreciate the health that we have each day—we take it for granted—until we get sick.  Then we wonder why it happened to me!  How many times do we ever thank God for the health that we have on any given day?  Do we ever think how fast we can lose it?  Do we ever consider that something may be happening inside of us that is destroying us, and we will not find out about it until it becomes a life-threatening problem?  Do we thank God for the health we think that we have?

This week, I will be taking Communion to the sick.  I will be spreading it out over several days, to make it easier for myself, and to fit it in with other obligations.  Pray for the sick every day!  Pray for our sick priests and nuns!  Pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life!  Pray for peace, the end of wars, the return of our military persons deployed, respect for life from the unborn to all stages of life!  There is much to pray for, and no reason not to take time to pray.  When we pray, we become Christ’s concern for others

Keep praying for the sick of our parish, our families, and our friends.  Pray for Msgr. Bernard Voss, Msgr. Tom Flack, and all of the others.  There are several others including Fr. Dan Jurek, Fr. Gary Gummersheimer, Fr. Ed. Schaeffer, Fr. Leo Reinhart, and several others including myself.

Picnic is coming up soon—sell your raffle tickets so that the picnic can be successful.  Managers, start making plans and preparations, and lining up your help! All parishioners, be there to help—both at the Homecoming and at our Picnic.

Tuesday, July 8,

  8:00 AM  Mass followed by Adoration until  7 PM

  9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Quilting

  6:00 - 9:00 PM Quilting

Wednesday, July 9, 

  8:00 AM  Mass

THURSDAY, July 10,

  8:00 AM    Mass

  9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Quilting

  8:00 PM - Knights of Columbus - pc

 FRIDAY, July 11,

  8:00 AM Mass

  9:00 - 10:00 AM CYO Church Cleaning

12:00 PM HC Golf Scramble

SATURDAY, July 12,

  8:30 AM  Mass of Anointing

10:30 AM  Funeral Mass for

                   Eleanor Brendel

  4:30 PM  Confessions

  5:30 PM  Mass

SUNDAY, July 13

  8:00 AM  Mass

10:30 AM  Mass

BOTW - pc

Making Memories

WILL WE  EAT  SOON? 

I'M GETTING  HUNGRY!

             Are you hungry?  Well, where would you like to eat?  Vacations often mean eating out, and our options are plentiful!  If you've driven to a vacation spot, there's a good chance that you've made several stops at fast-food restaurants.  If you're camping, you'll almost certainly be eating out--eating outside!  God is so good in making sure we have food to eat in our various circumstances.  Sometimes it might not be a lot, but He still provides it for us.

            God put many stories in the Bible about hungry people.  When the Lord led his people out of Egypt toward the Promised Land, he fed them with manna from heaven.  But the people complained and wanted meat, too, so God provided them with quail to eat (Numbers 11).  In Elijah's time, there was a great famine in the land, but God had ravens bring him bread and meat every morning and night.  Sometime later, Elijah stayed in a house that was just about to run out of food, but God performed a miracle and made sure that the jar of flour and a jug of oil would never run out (1 Kings 17).  Can you think of other times God provided food for his people?

            Do you know the story of the time Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus the women and children with them, using just five small loaves of barley bread and two fish?  You can read about it in John 6:1-15.  Jesus fed everyone, yet they had so much food left over.  What a miracle!

            Hungry?  Jesus hears when your stomach growls and wants to help.  He knows what we need and has plenty of answers for us.  Let's give thanks to the Lord! (Making Memories, Tim Wesemann)

Bible Verse:  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever (Psalm 118:1)

Youth Group calendars for June through September have been sent out.

 We apologize if anyone wanting to participate was left off the mailing list.

If you or your child did not receive a calendar, but would like to be on the list, please contact Kathy Renth at 588-4018.

 All high school students who are members of Holy Childhood Parish are part of the group and are always welcome.

THEATRE CAMP:  The Leu Civic Center presents Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; book and lyrics by Judith Viorst and music by Shelly Markham.  The theatre camp will be directed by Kati Riess and Emily Schmidt July 7-18 from 10 AM to 2 PM for ages 6th - 9th grade.  For more information call 566-2175

ST TERESA'S EUCHRE TOURNAMENT:   The Men's Club is sponsoring a euchre tournament on Monday, July 7 at 7:30 PM in the parish center.  Cost is $5.00 a person and you do not need to have a partner.

FRENCH BOY'S CHOIR:  St. Dominic Church, Breeze, IL will be hosting the internationally acclaimed boys choir on Saturday July 12 at 7:30 PM at St. Dominic's Church, 493 North Second Street.

ST. DAMIAN'S ANNUAL PICNIC:  Saturday, July 12, 2008 starting at 3:30 PM with  a cafeteria style supper in the parish hall.  Mass will start at 4:00 & 5:30 PM.  A quilt and cash bingo starts at 6:30 PM.

CORPUS CHRISTI PARISH SHILOH:  "An all You Can Eat Breakfast Buffet", Sunday, July 13, 2008, serving from 8 - 11 AM at the Corpus Christi Parish Center.  

POWER TO WITNESS:  In celebration with World Youth Day, A Day of Faith will take place on Saturday, July 19 at 1:00 PM  with music, keynotes and breakout sessions.  Mass will begin at 5:00 PM followed by the evening concert starting at 7:00 PM at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.  This is a day of faith, joy and music for the whole family, youth groups or individuals.  The celebration will feature Vallimar Jansen, Sarah Hart, Tom Booth and Oddwalk Ministries.

HEALING DAYS OF REFLECTION:  The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows will be hosting the Annual Healing and Hope Novena from July 28 through August 5.  Each evening's Mass will begin at 7:30 PM, and will focus on a different aspect of healing:  emotional, spiritual, financial, etc.