Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Good Shepherd Sunday. 2021
Christ, the Good Shepherd, speaks to the world. He speaks to people of this parish, to me, to you. His voice is constant but not superficial. I pray today that the world, you & I will hear his voice and listen to it and respond.
Have you heard his voice? Years ago, at a priest's retreat, the talk was on God's love. The reflection moved me to tears; I was embarrassed. I knew it, believed it, and preached about it 100 times, but at that moment, I experienced it anew. When we listen, when we truly hear his voice, it touches our soul.
Christ speaks to his sheep in all their own life situations, circumstances, suffering, joys, and in all life's messiness in this season of resurrection and renewal. The first thing he says to you is, I love you. Then he gathers us and calls us together. He calls us to gather together: as family, parishioners, a nation, a global community, and as his flock. He feeds his sheep with his word, the Eucharist, and with his presence. It's a relationship of love.
God is here today. He is present tangibly in his people and sacraments. He speaks words of love to us and calls us to be His Church, to gather and to serve. Having found him and known him, we have joyfully shared that faith in every continent and with every generation. In a world searching for God, sometimes in all the wrong places, we have to have the courage to profess that Christ is present in his Church despite its failures!
Some say they are not into organized religion and others say that the Church is ok and I'll use it when I need it. What makes you think we'll be here? The Church is fragile, only as strong as each generation. We are the Church. If we choose not to be the Church, there will not be a church or not what we are used to. The Church is Christ surrounded by disciples, not consumers to be pleased.
Today is Vocation Sunday, and to be blunt, we clergy and laity have our work cut out. Let's be honest, nobody will join a dead organization, or an irrelevant one, or one that says you're not needed or welcome. Consumers only stay for as long as they are served. Disciples serve all the way to Calvary.
Vocations come from vibrant parishes, where worship and the community are alive, relevant, and life-giving and where something is expected of them. This Vocation Sunday, I'm very appreciative of the service that anyone is giving. If you provide assistance in a ministry or organization, invite someone to join you, share your role with them, include them, be responsible, not possessive. People who want to serve find a way to serve and hear his voice today.
With Love and Blessings,
Fr Damian
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Parents Prayer for Vocations
Almighty and eternal God,
in your unfailing love you provide
ministers for your Church.
We pray for those whom you call
to serve the Church
as priests
Inspire in them a generous response.
Grant them courage and vision to
serve your people
May their lives and service call your
people to respond to the presence
of your Spirit among us
that, faithful to the Gospel and
hope of Jesus the Christ, we may:
announce glad tidings to the poor
proclaim liberty to captives,
set prisoners free
and renew the face of the earth.
Almighty and eternal God,
in your unfailing love you provide
ministers for your Church.
We pray for those whom you call
to serve the Church
as priests
Inspire in them a generous response.
Grant them courage and vision to
serve your people
May their lives and service call your
people to respond to the presence
of your Spirit among us
that, faithful to the Gospel and
hope of Jesus the Christ, we may:
announce glad tidings to the poor
proclaim liberty to captives,
set prisoners free
and renew the face of the earth.
As a reminder, our parish has obtained access to Bishop Barron's Word on Fire video library for all parishioners and we can view any of his incredible series. A group of about 70 parishioners has been watching a video a week virtually. We've just started Bishop Barron's first series, Catholicism, a beautifully filmed and powerfully delivered overview of our faith. Please join us by texting the word BARRON to 84576 or go to stcatharinestmargaret.flocknote.com.
Important Info
Live Stream Links
St. Catharine Church https://venue.streamspot.com/93d8764d
St. Margaret Church https://venue.streamspot.com/85b923a3
YouTube channel
Volunteer Info
If you would like to volunteer please click on the link below and put your name in one of the spaces.
MASKS REQUIRED
Please remember that masks are required at all times while on the church grounds. This is not only for the safety of our visitors but also our priests and worship team.
Virtual Prayer Book
Do you know someone that is in need of prayers?
Are they sick and need prayers of healing?
Do they need prayers for strength to get through this crisis?
Do they need prayers for patience while homeschooling their children?
Is someone lonely and could use a little lifting up by the Holy Spirit?
Add their name to our Virtual Prayer Book HERE. During the Prayer of the Faithful we will include them collectively by saying, "all those listed in our virtual prayer book" and they will be included along with all of the intersessions we are praying for during mass.
Mailing address:
215 Essex Avenue
Spring Lake, NJ 07762
215 Essex Avenue
Spring Lake, NJ 07762
Venmo: @stcathstmarg
Zelle: 732-904-3850
Zelle: 732-904-3850
Weekly Collections
Although we are currently hosting a limited number of public masses, we are doing our very best to maintain a community for our parishioners and friends.
If you are able, please maintain your contributions to the parish. Donations can be mailed, given electronically, or dropped off in the free standing mailbox outside the rectory offices.
This will help us continue to pay our staff, who continue to work, and maintain vital programs and operations.
More information on electronic giving can be found HERE or by contacting Lisa Cole at
732-449-5765x169 or
Lcole@stcatharine-stmargaret.org
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