PENTECOST SUNDAY – MAY 23, 2021

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION: Agnes & Lothar Koeberer, by Koeberer Family

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: In the Christian iconography the Pentecost event is depicted with Apostles being seated, and the tongues of fire sitting on their heads, imparted by the Holy Spirit, who is imaged as a dove giving forth rays of light. Until the 12^th century, the images presented only the Apostles. In these earlier images, the central figure was usually St. Peter. But, beginning in the 12^th century, Pentecost images more and more frequently put the Virgin Mary in the center of the image among the Apostles (as our bulletin cover shows). Often the Blessed Mother would even be singled out for special emphasis. Most of the time, St. Peter will be on her right and St. John on her left. Our Lady’s inclusion imitates the pattern set by almost all Ascension images from at least the 6^th century. By the end of the Middle Ages her presence is just about mandatory, especially with the development of the Rosary prayer.

The Acts of the Apostles (1:14) mentions specifically Mary as being present in the Cenacle with the Apostles and praying with them for the coming of the Holy Spirit. She provided a model of true prayer, and showed them how to prepare for the Holy Spirit. It is safe to assume (as the Church does) that Our Lady stayed and was present when the Holy Spirit came. Although she was “full of grace” (Lk 1:28), at the Pentecost she too received the Holy Spirit, but in a new way as with God there is always more and ever-new grace.

It is in her role in the Cenacle that she was endowed with one of the oldest titles, Queen of Apostles. Mary leads all men to the Truth, and to Christ, just as she brought forth the Light of the World. Pope Leo XIII in Adiutricem Populi wrote of Mary in the Cenacle: “With wonderful care she nurtured the first Christians by her holy example, her authoritative counsel, her sweet consolation, her fruitful prayers. She was in very truth, the Mother of the Church, the Teacher and Queen of the Apostles, to whom, besides, she confided no small part of the divine mysteries which she kept in her heart.”

Our Blessed Mother continues this mission. Yes, the Holy Spirit is at the center. From the birth of the Church up to our own day, all the good that has been done is the work of the Holy Spirit. However, Our Lady, as the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, can teach us and help us to abide with the same docility to the Holy Spirit’s action in our soul and bring forth lasting fruit.

IMPORTANT NEWS: with the improving situation concerning the health pandemic, the bishops of Ohio have decided to reinstate the general obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation (Code of Canon Law, c. 1247). This will take effect in each of the Dioceses of Ohio the weekend of June 5-6, 2021. To read the letter with more explanation, please visit: Catholic Conference of Ohio (ohiocathconf.org)

LAST WEEKEND’S COLLECTION: Sunday Offering: $1,743. In loving memory of Piri Beodray: $175; in loving memory of M. Lipovits: $100. Thank you for remembering your church’s needs in these difficult times. Thank you also for sending in your offertory donation when not in attendance at Mass either by mail or on our website using a credit card or the PayPal option: https://stemeric.com/donations/

IN TWO WEEKS (June 6) – THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI: We will hold our traditional outdoor procession, weather permitting. I would like to thank those who had decorated the outdoor altars in the past and would like to ask them, if they can, to continue this beautiful service. If you have flower petals, please bring them for extra decoration on the ground. I also ask the children to participate by wearing their white dresses, and to scatter the flower petals in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the procession.

YOUTH MASS: Next Sunday (May 30), we will have youth Mass. All are welcome to attend.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK, especially for Bev Kimar, Béla Tarmann, Rose Dudevszky, Teréz Kalász, Madeleine B. Smith, and Gerő Kondray.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED.

PLEASE NOTE, significant changes (relaxations) to the COVID 19 directives are coming June 2. More details in the next week’s bulletin.

THIS SUNDAY the 11:15 AM Mass (St. Emeric) is livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintemeric/ and on our website, https://stemeric.com/

Ez a bejegyzés olvasható Magyar (Hungarian) nyelven is.