Dear Beloved Parishioners,
So, some social/religious activities are heading your way. In order:
TRIVIA night – is mostly full, but call John O’Sullivan if you are interested – it will be held this coming Saturday, March 25th.
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Joy of Spousal Love Retreat–We are hosting a couple’s evening retreat on Sunday, March 26th from 5:30pm-8:00pm. We have Paul and Kay Halfmann from D:6 Ministries leading the retreat. It is open for ALL married couples! Online Registration Link: https://forms.ministryforms.net/viewForm.aspx?formId=54a0b80e-58a7-4000-8392-2302a210b588
Please let Marge Kathalynas (kathalynas@stjustinmartyr.org) know if you have any questions.
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Our LENTEN RECONCILIATION SERVICE will be this Monday, March 27th, from 6:30 until we are done (usually by 7:45/8:00pm at the latest). We will have 6 priests on hand to help out.
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Fr. Chris is hosting “Come to the Table” for SJM families. Learn about the Mass and St. Justin Martyr all at once! The second “TEACHING MASS”, including St. Justin’s writings on the Mass will be next Wednesday, March 29th from 6:30pm-7:30pm. This is a KID-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCE! Contact Marge Kathalynas with any questions.
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Palm bearers are needed for Palm Sunday processions on April 1 and 2.
The task is simple: pick up one of the palm “bundles” in the gathering space; walk single file in a short procession down the main and side aisles to the altar as the Mass begins; place the palm on the top step directly in front of the altar, and return to your pew.
If you are willing to help, please contact Carol Craft at craft.carolann@gmail.com. Thanks so much.
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Our Soul Sisters women’s group is sponsoring a jewelry collection for Monarch, a group which takes old jewelry and makes it into new jewelry and artwork. Then they sell the pieces and use the funds to support girls and young women in our area who are escaping from human trafficking. There is a box in the parish library for you to leave your donations. Jewelry need not be in good condition. Broken pieces are fine. The collection goes through the end of April.
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So, though our school families have seen this already, here was the letter that I sent out on Wednesday this week about Dr. Schroff.
Dear St. Justin Martyr Families,
There are some letters that are easy to write because they contain good news. And others that are hard to write because they share more difficult news. This one is a combination of both – good news for the individual involved and somewhat difficult news for us as a school community.
As you know, Mrs. Schroff became Dr. Schroff this past fall. It was the culmination of 6 years of hard work and learning, which did not go unnoticed. And so, when Bishop DuBourg high school hired a new president, they took that opportunity to restructure their administration needs, making Dr. Schroff an outstanding candidate for one of their new positions. She interviewed over the course of some weeks and was offered a position which she accepted.
I am supportive of this movement in her life, as it is a good discernment made in prayer (she has kept me in the loop this entire process) and will be a great use of her doctoral learning. And I am saddened for our St. Justin community, as we are losing a wonderful human being with all the skills, talents, generosity and care that so helped us navigate a global pandemic. I will miss her deep faith and her ‘weekend homework assignments’ to our kids after the All School Masses on Fridays. Our loss is DuBourg’s gain.
And I am confident that God already is forming and shaping the exact person we need to lead our school community to the next stage of grace and growth He calls us to. I am in the process of forming a small principal search committee and have reached out to the faculty and our school board to ask their input about the skills and talents and gifts we are looking for in our next principal.
In the meantime, I ask for your continued prayers and support for Dr. Schroff as she completes this year, and then gears up for her new ministry at Bishop DuBourg high school, as well as your prayers for the search process already underway.
Sincerely,
Fr. Bill Kempf
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The Deeper Dive into the Sunday Scripture…
So, there are some reflections about the gospel that are just lovely, but don’t quite work in the oral form for use in a homily. This ‘conversation’ between Bartimaeus and the man born blind from John’s gospel is a perfect example of one. It comes to us from Loretta Pehanich at IgnatianSpirituality.com, a service of Loyola Press. I hope you find it as thought provoking as I did.
The Consequences of Seeing By Loretta Pehanich
This story is inspired by John 9:1–41, the healing of the man born blind, and Mark 10:46–52, the healing of Bartimaeus.
Bartimaeus and I talked about it. His healing was immediate. Not mine. I must have looked like a fool stumbling down the road, mud on my eyes.
“What was the first thing you saw?” I asked Bartimaeus.
“The face of Jesus. You?”
“My own reflection in the pool.”
As we sat looking—just looking—at the splendid, ordinary people passing by, we asked each other: What was the most amazing, surprising thing you saw today? What would be different for you today if you couldn’t see?
I’m not sure why Jesus didn’t heal me instantly like he did Bartimaeus. I had to journey to wash.
Bartimaeus said, “I really don’t think I could’ve let him put muddy spit in my eyes. You are brave.”
“Not at all,” I said. “I heard that spit heals, so I dared to hope. Besides, you’re the courageous one—shouting to stop Jesus. I didn’t even ask. Jesus wanted to illustrate a point to his followers about making God’s works visible. I was lucky.”
Bartimaeus shook his head and looked up at the sky. “But you had no hesitation. You acted. You went to the pool.”
He had me there. I was willing to do something a little outrageous. I remember feeling hesitant as I walked. An inner voice taunted, “If you accept the gift of healing, no more begging for you.” What work could I do? I was skilled at nothing except begging. How would I make a living? If I was no longer blind, my parents would have expectations for me. Halfway to the pool my steps slowed. Should I continue?
“Wait!” a stranger had called. There was a pothole ahead. From there on, this fellow guided me and let me voice my doubts. I asked, “Who am I to expect a miracle? Why me? What next?”
The stranger listened—the first person who really ever did. The stranger even held my elbow and was there when I washed. After my own, his was the first face I saw. I had only felt faces before; I was surprised by the colors and this man’s expression. He gaped. What did that expression mean?
“I almost gave up on God. Now I meet you,” the stranger said. It was his turn to pour out his heart.
Bartimaeus said, “I wonder if that man needed to witness your healing. And that’s the reason you were sent to the pool.”
“Hmmm,” I replied. “The stranger was the one telling everyone about the healing.”
I thought some more. “I never expected the consequences of seeing. I didn’t expect to catch the Pharisees’ eyes, to be ridiculed and mistreated by them.”
“Well, my friend, that’s why you and I are on this journey. I didn’t expect the turns my life has taken either.”
“I wasn’t just cured. I was interrogated, mocked, and mistrusted.”
Bartimaeus nodded. “The leaders failed you.” “I don’t fault my parents for staying neutral. This way they didn’t get kicked out of the synagogue too.”
Bartimaeus looked pensive. “If you had to do it again, would you choose to remain blind?”
“And wallow in self-pity?” I said. “It may have been easier. But Jesus saw something in me and knew I could face those Pharisees.”
“Would you go to the pool again?” Bartimaeus asked.
“In a heartbeat. And I pray for the grace to be sent again.”
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Finally, the SONG OF THE DAY, from Chris Tomlin, is a combined hymn – Amazing Grace/My Chains are Gone… You can find it here:
blessings,
fr bill