Text Box: ALTERNATE MEANS OF DONATING Parishioners have asked about electronic giving through their respective banks. This is a very positive means of donating. A form is included in this week’s bulletin. If you have any questions, please call the rectory. 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! Text Box: PASTORAL COUNCIL The new members of the Pastoral Council will meet on Wednesday, August 6th at 7:30 P.M. in the rectory for an Orientation Session. The new members are: Marianne Bellucci, Kristin Erickson, Alex Gallardo, Mary Macchiarola, and Patrick McEntee. The new members will meet with Mary Kirby, our new President, and Father Carrano. WEEKLY FINANCIAL REPORT Week of July 13, 2008 Weekly Offering: $1,809.00 Fuel $ 667.00 Week of July 20, 2008 Weekly Offering: $2,124.00 Text Box: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Text Box: BVM Text Box: Assumption Text Box: From the Pastor’s Desk Dear Friends: What is the kingdom of heaven like? Jesus pulls out all the stops to find metaphors that will fit into everyday experience, to find down-to-earth images that can give his followers clues about where to glimpse God at work. God’s reign is a treasure. It is a unique pearl. Where would Jesus find images for twenty-first-century parables? Maybe the reign of God is like a new opportunity at school. Or like a new job. It might mean a transfer - a bit scary, but it could be a new start, an adventure. God’s reign was once like a woman who swept out the whole house looking for a coin and had a party when she found it. Its that reign anywhere near her distant cousin, who fears an important file has been erased from her hard drive? God, how am I going to recover all that work? Where does Jesus find images for parables today? When you think about it, the kingdom of God is always likened to simple things because it is usually the simple things in life that mean so much to us. What is the kingdom of heaven like? Better yet, how would you, today, complete the phrase: the kingdom of heaven is like……. Yours in Christ, Rev. Michael A. Carrano