16th Sunday In Ordinary Time - July 21, 2019

THIS WEEK’S REFLECTION

Choosing the Better Part

 “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”  Luke 10:41-42

 It’s only normal for each of us to desire the “better part.”  Though this may be the result of a certain selfishness within us, it may also come from a holy desire when the “better part” is identified as the will of God in our lives.  Conversely, sometimes we can tend to choose what we perceive as better for us when, in fact, it’s not better at all. 

 This passage reveals that Mary chose something we should all desire in life.  She chose to sit at the feet of Jesus and simply be with Him.  Martha was doing a lovely service by preparing the meal and working hard, but Mary was focused in on one thing, her Lord.

 It’s important to acknowledge the fact that we will all have times in life when we must be more like Martha.  Work must be accomplished, chores completed, and various forms of labor will be a normal part of daily life.  But we must also daily remind ourselves that there is one thing we must never lose sight of: Being with Jesus, in silence and prayerful adoration is the most important thing we can do.  This doesn’t undermine any other tasks we have to complete each day, but it does reveal that we should never neglect that which is most important.

 By identifying Mary’s choice to sit at His feet, Jesus reminds us all of the importance of simply being with Him.  This is the call to the contemplative life given not only to cloistered monks and nuns, but is an invitation to us all.  We must all seek out moments of rest with Jesus throughout our busy days.

 Reflect, today, upon the image of Mary sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus.  Use this image as a symbolic invitation to do the same this day.  Have you prayed yet today?  Have you sat silently with our Lord?  Have you tried to enter into a deep adoration of Him through prayer and meditation?  Choose the “better part” this day and you will find that all else falls in place to a much better degree.

 -MyCathloicLife.com

MISSION COOPERTIVE APPEAL

Last Sunday we welcomed Sister Emiliana Ntanguye of the Congregation of Bene Maria Sisters, a community of The Immaculate Heart of Mary, from the Diocese of Kigoma Tanzania, as part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore's Mission Cooperative Plan. She spoke of her community’s efforts to build a new school for the education of vulnerable children in East Africa and we ask that you prayerfully make a generous contribution, of any size, to help assist the Bene Maria Sisters in this project. Thank you!

ST. ANN’S FEAST DAY AND NOVENA

Yesterday began our annual Novena service in honor of St. Ann in anticipation of our feast day celebration next Sunday, July 28. This year’s theme is “Serving God In The Midst Of Our Struggles.”

 Each evening begins at 6:30 pm in the Anchorage. The hour leads off with the Novena Prayer led by the hosting group and continues with brief reflections by our presenters, and testimonies from participants. Light refreshments will be provided and the evening concludes at 8 pm.

 In lieu of tomorrow evening’s Joint Conference Jubilarian Liturgy Mass at St. Francis Xavier Church at 7:00 pm, the Novena Prayer service scheduled for tomorrow will begin at 6:00 pm. No Guest Speaker is scheduled for the Monday evening Prayer Service.

 OUTREACH

Members of our Outreach Committee will conduct our monthly Food Pantry this Tuesday, July 23 to help assist those in the neighborhood who are in most need.

Members of St. Ann’s Outreach Committee conduct our Food Pantry on the fourth Tuesday of every month.

 ECUMENICAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

The St. Ann’s Sista Circle will host an Annual Ecumenical Women’s Retreat, “Sistas, Open Your Heart and Let the Son Shine In.” Saturday, September 14, 2019 8:30 am – 3:00 pm; Mission Helpers Center 1001 W. Joppa Road, Towson, MD. 21204. Donations are $35 and include a Continental Breakfast, Hot Lunch and T-Shirt. For information and details see Eloise Jackson.

KPC-LADIES AUXILIARY

Come join the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary St. Ann Court #331 for a Casino Trip to Delaware Park and Fisherman’s Crab Deck Saturday, August 24, 2019. Donations $95 Per Person, Rebate: $30. Bus Departs from St. Ann Church at 9:30 am and Returns at 10:30 pm. For questions please see Dorothy Horton Brown – 443-621-0846, Claudia Waters – 410-486-5032, Barbara Mason – 410-889-9377 or Cynthia Johnson – 443-854-8094

 THANK YOU ST. ANN’S

Charles and Claudia Waters would like to thank their St. Ann's family for all the cards, prayers and love extended to them as they mourn the passing of their grandson , Darren Waters, Jr. We are deeply touched by your words of condolence and are thankful that you are there for us at this difficult time.”

-Charles and Claudia Waters.

Within the Pastorate…

St. Wenceslaus -CRAB FEAST

The Annual Lucielle Fitzgerald Outreach Center Crab Feast to benefit the Food Pantry, will be held on Saturday, August 10th from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. at Rosedale Gardens on Philadelphia Rd. For more information flyers are on the table in the back of the church. Ticket donation is $60 per person or $550 for a table of ten. ADVANCE TICKET SALES ONLY Tickets may be purchased now either at the church office or contact Alicia Champlin at 443-722-6652. NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please also continue to pray for all of our sick and homebound, especially Msgr. Lloyd Aiken (Sacred Heart Glyndon), Cornelia Bailey, Florence Barber, Shrene Burnette (St. Wenceslaus), James Butts, Elaine Cousin, Elaine Edmonds, Gregory Epps, John Frederick, Pat Haley, Rita Hardy, Tom Lutz, Nelson Outlaw, Penny Palmer, Larry Sewell, Bernadette Wallace, Sharon Johnson-Stewart, Rita Watkins and ask that God grant them strength, comfort and healing.

JULY 2019            

Sun., July 21     16th Sunday In Ordinary Time 11 am Mass, St. Ann’s 10:45 am Novena Prayer

Mon., July 22    St. Ann’s Novena, Anchorage

                           6 PM, Host by St. Ann Ushers 

                           No Guest Speaker

                             Joint Conference Jubilarian

                            Liturgy Mass at St. Francis  Xavier Church at 7:00 pm

Tues., July 23     St. Ann’s, Novena, Anchorage  Guest Speaker, Myrtle Stanley

                            7 pm, Hosted by Sista Circle

Wed., July 24     St. Ann’s Novena, Anchorage  Guest Speaker, Fr. Bill Watters

                            7pm, Hosted by St. Ann’s Choir

Thurs., July 25   St. Ann’s Novena, Anchorage    Guest Speaker, Fr. Sam Lupico

                            7pm, Hosted by Bible Study

Fri., July 26        St. Ann’s Novena, Anchorage   Guest Speaker, Fr. Sterling          

     7pm, Hosted by SAMM’s Club

Sat., July 27        St. Ann’s Novena, Anchorage

                             Open Reflectio   12pm, Hosted by KPC-Ladies  Auxiliary  

Sun., July 28        St. Ann’ Feast Day

                              Celebration and Reception

                              11 am Fr. Donald Sterling

                              Hosted by Pastoral Council

                              Feast Day Reception after

                              Mass, Mother Seton Academy

                              Hall

                        ************

READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY

1st Reading                                     Genesis 18:20-32         

2nd Reading                                  Colossians 2:12-14

Gospel                                                   Luke 11:1-13