St. Joseph the Worker

Dear St. Joseph the Worker Parishioners:

 Welcome to the last week of July.  How do the weeks of summer pass by so quickly?  The summer season seems to be the shortest one of the year. 

This week the Catholic Church in her Eucharistic liturgies celebrates several important Saints.  They had a profound impact on the Church in their time.  Let us look at them—

July 29^th, Obligatory Memorial of SS. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

 These three great Saints were friends of Jesus and siblings of one another.  Martha was the hospitable one, waiting on Jesus when He visited them.  Mary chose to listen at the feet of Jesus to His words.  Lazarus is the one raised from the dead by Jesus, who commanded that he come forth from the tomb where he was buried.  Pope Francis added St. Mary and St. Lazarus to the Obligatory Memorial of St. Martha in 2021.

How do we welcome the Lord Jesus, listen to Him, and believe in His miraculous power?

 July 31^st, Obligatory Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

St. Ignatius is the founder of the Jesuit Order, which was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540.  One of Ignatius’s great works was the Spiritual Exercises.  The Jesuits number almost 15,000 today.  He is the patron saint of retreatants and soldiers, having been one in his early life.  He died in 1556.  Pope Francis was the first Jesuit to be named a pope.

Do we grow in our spirituality daily?

 August 1^st, Obligatory Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

St. Alphonsus founded the Redemptorist Order in 1732, which today has over 4,700 members.  He stressed the love of Christ and opposed the Jansenist heresy.   Alphonsus was a moral theologian and is the patron saint of confessors and moral theologians.  He died in 1787. 

Is the love of Christ seen in us?

Let us have a wonderful week of living our Catholic faith.  May we deepen our resolve to be modern day saints for Jesus Christ!

Your Pastor, Father Joe

P.S.  I will be gone this weekend on a short vacation.  Please welcome Fr. Rick Weltin who will preside at the Masses.  Also, welcome the representatives from Kizito Family Haiti—USA, Inc., our Missionary Co-Op representatives this year, who will be speaking about their ministry in the country of Haiti.   Please be generous.