Dear Friends,
We hope you are doing well! The coming weeks will afford us the opportunity to offer some in-person religious services such as Baptisms, Funerals, and Weddings as well as possibly the Sacrament of Reconciliation. (If you are in need of one of these services, please contact us at info@standrew.org)
In offering these limited religious services, we will follow the guidelines set by the Archdiocese of Chicago which you can read about on their website by clicking here.
The guidelines point out that it will be several weeks if not months until we are able to celebrate Masses in public for groups of under 10 people. Therefore, we encourage you to continue to pray and deepen your faith through at home and personal devotions such as Your Sunday Connection. Please know that our resident priests are saying Mass daily on your behalf and offering up prayers for your intentions.
If you can, you are urged to join us virtually on Sunday morning, May 17, 2020 at 11:00am for Your Sunday Connection… Live! We will hold a Zoom call for all parishioners to watch the pre-recorded homily for Sunday, have a chance to share and connect with one another, and even have virtual time for “coffee and donuts.” Register to join the call by clicking here.
We also encourage you to utilize the video/streaming opportunities to see Mass provided by the Archdiocese of Chicago at https://radiotv.archchicago.org/television/broadcast-masses.
The remainder of this webpage is the “Your Sunday Connection” for May 17, 2020. As you scroll through, read and pray along. A homily message from Fr. Sergio Romo is included.
Opening Prayer
Grant, almighty God, that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion these days of joy, which we keep in honor of the risen Lord, and that what we relive in remembrance we may always hold to in what we do. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.
The Readings
Reading 1 ACTS 8:5-8, 14-17
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Reading 2 1 PT 3:15-18
Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.
Gospel JN 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
The Homily
Please click on the video link below to watch the homily for this week.
The Prayers of the Faithful
For the Church, that like the early disciples we will boldly proclaim the Christ to others, revealing the movement of the Holy Spirit through our words and actions. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those in public office, that they may respond with assistance and compassion to the difficult situations and issues that confront them. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
That we may carry Christ in our hearts, willing to suffer for doing good in the world today. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For students who are graduating this year, that they may take pride in their success and look forward to using their knowledge and talents in the next chapter of their lives. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For all those who are having difficulty discerning their purpose or calling, that they may recognize the Holy Spirit’s movement in their lives. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For those who are affected by COVID19, that God will help them through this terrible time and for the entire world as we face this pandemic and trust in God’s will. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
For the departed, who remain with us in our prayers and our memories, and for the promise of a joyful reunion, and especially for: +Marissa Marin, +Dick Kopecky, +Jean and Edward Daugherty, +Petra Romo, +Ramon Romo. We pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Sunday Offertory
Stewardship of Saint Andrew Parish is the responsibility of us all. Consistently throughout the year, we remind parishioners about stewarding the gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure to support the mission of Saint Andrew Parish.
During this pandemic, there are many urgent needs, among those needs are caring for the financial obligations of Saint Andrew Parish. If you do not regularly contribute electronically ether weekly or monthly, please consider making a Sunday Offering online through Give Central through the link below.
Spiritual Communion
In many places in the world receiving Holy Communion is not possible. Catholics in these areas are encouraged to make “Spiritual Communion.” St.Teresa of Jesus wrote about this practice:
“When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you”
You can make Spiritual Communion by the bringing this prayer to your heart…
“My Jesus, I believe that you are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.”
Closing Prayer
Almighty ever-living God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, increase in us, we pray, the fruits of this paschal Sacrament and pour into our hearts the strength of this saving food. Through Christ our Lord. AMEN
Announcements
Family Trivia Night
Join us on Zoom tonight, Saturday May 16, 2020 at from 6pm to 7:30pm for Saint Andrew Family Trivia Night. Questions for all ages will allow us to have fun and laughter while social distancing. Participation will require calling in via Zoom and also having an additional internet enabled device such as a smart phone. Trivia will be played over www.kahoot.it Read more…
Please click on the button below to see a copy of the Sunday Bulletin.