Text Box: SUMMER SCHEDULE Our Summer Mass Schedule has begun. For the summer we will have the 5:00 P.M. on Saturday and just the 10:00 A.M. Mass on Sunday. Thank you for your cooperation HELP WANTED We need more group leaders for the Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays which will resume again in the Fall. This is indeed, a very meaningful ministry. For any questions, please call Sister Maria or Father Carrano at 718-625-1161. Text Box: ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL We thank everyone who has made a pledge to the Bishop’s Annual Catholic Appeal. Just a reminder to please fulfill your obligation. Not only does your pledge support the needs of the diocese, it also helps our parish. As we noted, all monies collected after our goal is met will be given back to Assumption. Each year we use these funds to pay our parish assessment to the diocese and our annual insurance. These two bills total $31,000. In the past we were fortunate to be able to pay these bills partially because of your goodness to the Annual Appeal. Please help. Thank you for your generosity! WEEKLY FINANCIAL REPORT The weekly Financial Report for July 13th and 20th will be published in the Bulletin of July 27th. This is due to the fact that Father Carrano and Millie, our Secretary, will be on vacation during this time. Thank you! Text Box: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Text Box: BVM Text Box: Assumption Text Box: From the Pastor’s Desk Dear Friends: Life is messy! In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus acknowledges this mess, but He doesn’t try to sort out which work is from the enemy and which is from God. He suggests taking the good with the bad. Give it time. Work for the good harvest, and let God do the sorting. Saint Paul talks about what our efforts can result in right now. This is too close to home. We see our own weaknesses. We do not even know what to pray for. We groan. We can not put what we need into words. We don’t know where to start. How much of the world is struggling as we are? Paul says that all of creation is groaning. Today’s readings offer power in a deep, realistic way. In the middle of all this struggle, that is where God is. God knows the good seed and the weeds. The Spirit prays for us as we groan. We are not alone in all this. The world is difficult, but struggling here matters. With the grace of the Spirit, God’s ever-present love, and the example of Jesus, things can only get better because all creation belongs to God. Yours in Christ, Rev. Michael A. Carrano