WEEKDAY MASS INVITATION

The recently retired Robb and Lynne Morin are now able to attend the Wednesday and Friday 9:00am Masses. They are joined with a great group of people. Robb and Lynne enjoy it so much that they would like to invite others to join us.

"One of the highlights of the week for us is the opportunity to get together with fellow parishioners to celebrate the Eucharist in the beautiful chapel on Wednesday and Friday morning.  Then afterwards we enjoy pleasant conversation, along with coffee and treats (that everyone takes turns bringing) in the social hall.

I wish that everyone who has an opportunity to attend Mass on Wednesday and Friday mornings, whether because they are retired like us, or because they are on summer vacation or maybe have a day off, would know about this great opportunity to get to better know their fellow parishioners and enjoy their company.  For most people, attending Mass and stopping for coffee at the social hall involves only 45 minutes to an hour of time, and it is a beautiful way to start the day.  This is just one of the many reasons why we love the St. Edward's community.  God bless them all."  

CONGRATULATIONS SCOUTS

Pope Benedict XVI recognized the blessings offered to the world and the Church by Scouts, in honor of the 100th anniversary of their foundation.

Aug. 1 marks the centenary of the first Scout camp, held on the island of Brownsea, in England, and organized by Sir Baden-Powell (1857-1941), founder of the World Scout Movement.

"For one century, through play, action, adventure, contact with nature, life as a team and in service to others, you offer an integral formation to anyone who joins the Scouts," said the Pope.

He continued: "Inspired by the Gospels, scouting is not only a place for authentic human growth, but also a place of strong Christian values and true moral and spiritual growth, as with any authentic way of holiness.

"The sense of responsibility that permeates Scout education leads to a life of charity and the desire to serve one's neighbor, in the image of Christ the servant, based on the grace offered by Christ, in a special way through the sacraments of the Eucharist and forgiveness."

He encouraged Catholic Scouts to go forward on their path, offering "to boys and girls of today an education that forms them with a strong personality, based on Christ and willing to live for the high ideals of faith and human solidarity."

Benedict XVI's message ends with advice from Baden-Powell: "Be faithful to your Scout promise, even when you are no longer young, and may God help you to do so!

HEIDI BUSSE

Our Director of Adult Faith Formation, Margaret McDowell, is moving out of state and so we have hired Heidi Busse to take over the Adult Faith Formation programs. Heidi, a parishioner, is well known to many of us as she previously was on the staff and has continued to serve as a lay preacher. We are very excited to have her return to the St. Ed’s staff. I am very thankful to Margaret who did excellent work and was much appreciated by me, our staff and the Adult Faith Formation Committee. Blessings to her. Heidi will also become Director of overall faith formation programming and will work with the other staff to coordinate our programs.

REFLECTIONS FROM ARCHBISHOP FLYNN

The priests of the Archdiocese gathered the last week of June for our Presbyteral Assembly meeting. At the conclusion, Archbishop Flynn gave some final reflections. Of course, by this time next year he will likely be officially retired. He first spoke of his concern for the National Guard Troops who are coming home from Iraq, "a war we should never have entered." He wants our parishes to be supportive to these troops and their families.

He then told a story that I had not heard before. I was aware that in March of 2003, shortly before the war began, Pope John Paul who had been publicly speaking against initiating the war, sent his personal representative, Cardinal Pio Laghi, to deliver a letter to President Bush. The letter was a personal plea which stressed that the war would be a disaster for all concerned and for humanity. Laghi spent 40 minutes with the President.

Upon leaving the White House the Cardinal encountered some military and Pentagon officials coming in to brief the President. One of the generals came over to Pio Laghi and said to tell the Pope not to worry, this war will be all over very soon. According to Archbishop Flynn, Pio Laghi, who as a diplomat was well acquainted with the Middle East, responded, "No, I am sorry to say you do not know what you are getting into."

Archbishop Flynn concluded his remarks with a plea that we welcome Archbishop Nienstedt, our new Coadjutor Archbishop. He said we had to welcome—as to welcome is the gospel. "We may not agree with what someone has done in the past, but we must welcome." This too gave me some helpful perspective.

CLERICAL CAREER TRACK

A Catholic priest and a rabbi were chatting one day when the conversation turned to a discussion of job descriptions and promotions.

"What do you have to look forward to in terms of being promoted?" asked the rabbi.

"Well, I'm next in line for the Monsignor's job," replied the priest.

"Yes, and then what?" asked the rabbi.

"Well, next I can become a bishop."

"Yes, and then?"

"If I work real hard and do a good job as bishop, it's possible for me to become an archbishop."

"OK, then what?"

Exasperated, the priest replied, "With some luck and real hard work, maybe I can become a cardinal."

"And then?"

Growing angry, the priest responded, "Well, with lots and lots of luck and some real difficult work, if I'm in the right places at the right times and play my political games just right, maybe, just maybe, I can get elected Pope."

"Yes, and then what?"

"Good grief!" shouted the priest. "What do you expect me to become, the Son of God?"

"Well," responded the rabbi, "One of our boys made it!"

PETER'S PENCE ADDS UP

In this coming weekend's envelope box, there is an envelope for the Peter's Pence collection taken up each year to fund the charitable works of the Pope. This collection began in the Middle Ages when a penny or pence was worth more. Unfortunately it was not indexed for inflation!

Throughout the year we have a number of special collections along with the Annual Catholic Appeal. The ACA actually began in the late 1950's and was to incorporate all the separate "second" collections that were taken up almost on a weekly basis. Since then new collections have sprung up anyway.

A good example of this took place last weekend when we were to hold a "Global Solidarity" Collection to fund the Catholic church's work in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Instead of taking up another collection, our tithing committee made a special contribution. Through our sister parish involvements we certainly already have a very powerful global solidarity. Indeed, we are entering into the 25th anniversary of our relationship with the community of Our Lady of the Angels in Jinotega, Nicaragua. That certainly has added up.

Thank you for your generosity.

BEYOND THE FIREWORKS

The Fourth of July - On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress approved Richard Henry Lee's resolution “that these United Colonies are, and of a right out to be, free and independent States”. On July 4, Congress, without dissent (though New York abstained), passed the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

In 1853, Frederick Douglas, a freed slave and a great orator said this in his Fourth of July address to the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society: "I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you this day rejoice are not enjoyed in common. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. 'What to the slave is the Fourth of July?'"

As we approach this day of celebration, let us pray for the well being and integrity of our country. Let us honor those who contribute to the vision of our forbearers to promote and protect the right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Let us work together to bring these rights to reality for those who, as yet, do not experience them.

VATICAN'S 10 COMMANDMENTS FOR DRIVERS

As traveling increases with the summer vacation season, the Vatican this past week issued a set of "Ten Commandments" for drivers, telling motorists not to drive recklessly, not to drink and drive, and to help fellow travelers in case of accidents.

It warned about the effects of road rage, saying driving can bring out "primitive" behavior in motorists, including "impoliteness, rude gestures, cursing, blasphemy, loss of sense of responsibility or deliberate infringement of the highway code." It urged motorists to obey traffic regulations, drive with a moral sense, and to pray when behind the wheel.

The document, "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road," extols the benefits of driving - family outings, getting the sick to the hospital, allowing people to see other cultures.

But it laments a host of ills associated with automobiles: drivers use their cars to show off; driving "provides an easy opportunity to dominate others" by speeding; drivers can kill themselves and others if they don't get their cars regular tune-ups, if they drink, use drugs or fall asleep at the wheel.

It called for drivers to obey speed limits and to exercise a host of Christian virtues: charity to fellow drivers, prudence on the roads, hope of arriving safely and justice in the event of crashes.

The "Drivers' Ten Commandments," as listed by the document, are:
1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young, and not so young, not to drive when they are not in a fit condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of  forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

I was surprised that there was no environmental focus such as cutting back on driving, using alternative means of transport, and encouraging vehicles that are more fuel efficient. Also missing, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's Porche.