Text Box: PASTORAL COUNCIL Our Pastoral Council will have its first meeting this Tuesday, September 2nd at 6:30 P.M. We ask you to please keep them in your prayers as they begin their important work for our parish. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Soon, our Religious Education Program will begin. This wonderful aspect of our parish life has three components: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; the weekly Religion classes for children from Pre K to 7th Grade; and the Children’s Liturgy of the Word. Each is important. Each is a unique way of expressing, sharing and living our faith. If you know any adult who is interested in the R.C.I.A. or, if you know of any child, who is interested in our weekly program, please contact Mr. Gary Cushing, our Pastoral Associate, at 718-625-1161. Text Box: MASS SCHEDULE We will resume our fall Mass schedule next Sunday, September 7th. Starting that Sunday Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. and 12:15 P.M. SEPTEMBER 11 - MEMORIAL On Thursday, September 11th, our parish will celebrate a special Memorial Mass at 10:00 A.M. The firemen from Middagh Street, along with the family and friends of those who died, have been invited. All are welcome to this special tribute. HOLY HOUR On Saturday, September 6th we will have our monthly Holy Hour after the 8:00 A.M. Mass. Please join us for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Morning Prayer and the Rosary. All are invited to this special monthly devotion. Text Box: Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Text Box: BVM Text Box: Assumption Text Box: From the Pastor’s Desk Dear Friends: Jeremiah is losing his mind. He talks to God in strong language. You duped me! An I let it happen. Fine, you win. I will speak. No, I will not speak. But I’m weary trying to contain your Word. Jeremiah wrestles with God. He is first enticed, then overpowered. He is moved, pushed, pulled. If he refuses to speak the Word of God, it will burn its way out of him anyway. What does this Scripture reading offer us? Is Jeremiah our role model? What does it usually teach? At some time Jesus asks each of us if we are ready to throw our whole life into a decision for him. If this confuses or frightens us, we have no less a companion than Peter. Peter has just broken through with the insight that Jesus is the Messiah. An immediately Peter tries to explain to Jesus what that means. Jesus tells Peter to get behind him. Is Peter lost? We may lose control of our life if we follow Jesus, but we will not be throwing our life away. In Christ we are made new. Saint Paul’s imagery is that of our putting a sacrifice on the altar. Wine and bread become something else in Christ’s hands. So do we. Yours in Christ, Rev. Michael A. Carrano