Author: kredig

Pray For

/ kredig

Dear Friends,

Parishioner, Michael Maher,  called today and asked for prayers for his daughter, Becky Maher who is having major surgery on Thursday, August 6, 2020 for a gastric by-pass.  This surgery is a 4-8 hour operation and in talking with Michael, he asked that we pray for a successful surgery and a quick healing time.  We might also pray for her patience in this whole process.

We wish her every blessing at this time.

Additionally, Michael will have to seclude himself for the next 5 days in preparation so that he can be with Becky in the hospital during this pandemic time.  We pray for them both–peace and love to all–Pastor Kathy

Bulletin – 18th Sunday in [Extra] Ordinary Time during a Pandemic

/ kredig

Dear Friends,

NO PHYSICAL MASS THIS SUNDAY–but mark your calendars for our next Zoom Mass, August 30, 2020 at 10 A.M.  Pastor Dick Dahl is preparing this week’s homily–thank you Dick!

As we prepare for Sunday’s reflections, the Scriptures are suggestive of how we should be in our world.  The prophet Isaiah instructs us to listen well, that we may have life and to not spend [our efforts] on things that do not bring life.  The psalmist reminds us that our God is merciful and Paul insists that, “nothing can separate us from the love of  [this gracious] God” because of Jesus.  And finally, just as Jesus multiplied his goodness among many; we too must share Jesus’ love among us.

Peace and love–stay well and safe, Pastor Kathy

P.S. If I can be of any help in this time of pandemic, or you just want to chat, please call 507-429-3616 or write, aaorcc2008@gmail.com.

Readings:

  • Isaiah 55: 1-3
  • Romans 8: 35, 37-39
  • Matthew 14: 13-21

 

Homily – Mary of Magdala – First Zoom Mass!

/ kredig

Dear Friends, about 30 people participated in our first ever Zoom liturgy yesterday–it was so great to see each other again through a bit of technology.  My great thanks to all our technicians, readers, musicians and our wonderful community for making this joy-filled opportunity available to those who were able to join.  Hopefully, by our next Zoom Mass scheduled for August 30, 2020; we can get some problems worked out for some who couldn’t get on for one reason or another. I have sent the mass script from yesterday already and now today, the homily is included. I do have a taped copy of the mass from yesterday that I can send on line–if you would like to view it–please request that and I will send it out.  For now then, hoping this finds you staying well and peace-filled–love to all of you, Pastor Kathy

Homily

My friends, if my view of history is correct, this is our 10th Mary of Magdala celebration—since we began in 2010 with this annual celebration of Mary and all women, missing only the year that Robert and I journeyed to Alaska after my retirement.

Mary of Magdala is a wonderful model for women and for men—I add the men for it seems that if the hierarchy within our Church and its priests could be more like her and by extension—all men—our Church would truly flourish.

What do I mean by that? Mary of Magdala knew her heart and because of knowing her heart, which in the end, is all about love; she found her voice to share the Good News of her brother in faith, and her friend, Jesus.

Those who are apt to bypass the condemnation of Mary in the first centuries of the Church, as a prostitute and look deeper, have discovered that she probably suffered from a mental illness and in the past, this was called, “being possessed by devils,” of which Jesus freed her.  Only those among us who have in fact suffered a mental illness, or depression that is debilitating, or still do, can truly understand the gratitude she would have felt in being finally freed of such a torment.

And we cannot truly remember Mary of Magdala without also remembering the attempt by past Church fathers to lump all the Marys in Scripture into a composite with the stand-out characteristic being, that she was a prostitute.  In this way, she would not be remembered until very recent times for who she truly was; prophet, priest and apostle to the apostles.

Mary of Magdala is someone who calls each of us as Jesus’ followers to our best selves—to knowing our hearts, which means we will always present to our world and its people the face of love, instead of our heads and the rule of law.  As we have always said in this community; we need laws to guide our path, but not at the expense of love.  If love fails to be served in any situation of law, then there is something wrong with the law.

A current example of this is my invitation to you, today, if you wish, and I underscore that, if you wish, to have bread and wine with you for our Mass, through the Zoom technology and as we pray the words together at the Consecration, as we always do when we can physically be together, from our “collective altars,” Jesus will be present in a tangible way from my altar to yours through our collective eyes of faith.

This will be “different” yes, than when we are together—but in these extraordinary times that show no let-up any time in the future, it came to me, through my thought and prayer, that this was the most loving thing to do, albeit against  the laws that say it can’t be done. If we on this side of the screen were to receive the physical body and blood of Christ in the form of bread and wine, I wanted you to have that opportunity as well.  And please know that if you choose not to accept this invitation for whatever reason; that is perfectly OK.

A final word on this invitation is to reiterate that this is for a special time while we can’t be together, or in other words, the Zoom Masses and this invitation are only for this extraordinary time.

Now back to Mary of Magdala…In Jesus’ time, women were expected to keep silence and their opinions were generally not thought much of in public.  When Mary reported to the male apostles that, “She had seen the Lord!—had seen the Teacher,” their response was pathetic—they didn’t believe her and had to go and see for themselves!  And today, like this ages’ old response in Jesus’ time, the hierarchical response of men in positions of power in our beloved Church is to, not believe as well—not believe that the God they purport to follow could actually call a woman to be a priest or to lead in any significant way!

So my friends; we meet today to remember a valiant woman—one who led with her heart—with courage and truth, always keeping the path clear that followed in her friend, mentor and savior’s footsteps. That is all, really, that any of us need do in our world of 2020 to be able to say with conviction that we follow Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ—lead with our heart.

In conclusion, as we have already shared Sister Joan Chittister’s Litany of Women for the Church—who by the way, is a prophet in her own right—I wanted to include in my ending, her assessment of who Mary of Magdala is for our Church:

“Mary Magdalene is, no doubt about it, an important icon for the twenty-first century. 

She calls women to listen to the call of the Christ over the call of the church.

She calls men to listen for the call of the Christ in the messages of women.

She calls women to courage and men to humility.

She calls all of us to faith and fortitude, to unity and universalism, to a Christianity that rises above sexism, a religion that transcends the idolatry of maleness, a commitment to the things of God that surmount every obstacle and surpasses every system. 

 Mary Magdalene is a shining light of hope, a disciple of Christ, a model of the wholeness of life, in a world whose name is despair and in a church whose vision is yet, still, even now, partial.”  When we reflect on these words, I think you can see why Mary of Magdala is a wonderful model for all, men as well as women.

Finally then my friends, you, as I, have probably reflected on some of the public broadcasting material remembering this year as the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote.  Some younger women today, who don’t know the story of how our great “grandmothers” in history fought, to get the vote, show that they don’t fully appreciate the gift these valiant women gave to us, when they don’t exercise this wonderful right and vote.

In one of the PBS presentations that I watched, a statement is made, “Women were given the vote!” to which a woman responds, “We were given nothing; we took it!”  This truth, spoken out loud, like Mary of Magdala’s truth, spoken out loud, “I have seen the Lord, I have seen the Teacher,” whether that truth is accepted or not, does not diminish the importance of it being said.

Change that makes us all more equal, free, heard and appreciated is worth pursuing, like our country’s struggle now to address systemic racism.  We all have a part to play in these great causes; for women, for all those used and  abused in any way and Mary of Magdala is a great model to follow—for us, like her, “We have seen the Lord” and must respond! Amen? Amen!

 

Action Item – Mass Script for July 26, 2020 Zoom Liturgy

/ kredig

Mary of Magdala Celebration—a feast for all women and men!

GATHERING SONG

All Are Welcome by Marty Haugen

 Verse 1:  Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live, a place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive. Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace; here the love of Christ shall end divisions:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

Verse 2:  Let us build a house where prophets speak, and words are strong and true, where all God’s children dare to seek—to dream God’s reign a new.  Here the cross shall stand as witness—and as symbol of God’s grace; here as one we claim the faith of Jesus:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

 GREETING

 Presider:  In the name of God, our mother and father, and of Jesus our savior and healer, and of the Holy Spirit, our wisdom and guide.

ALL:  Amen.

Presider:  May God, the Blessed Holy Three, be with us, as we work together for partnership, justice and equality for women in church and society!

ALL:  And also with you.

 PENITENTIAL RITE

Presider:  O God, may we see your feminine face in our female ancestors and in all women.

ALL:  May we open our hearts, like Mary of Magdala to the Risen Christ.

Presider:  Jesus the Christ, may we see the divine reality in the person of a woman especially in women who are called to serve you.

ALL:  May we, like Mary of Magdala, proclaim the Good News with courage.  

 Presider:  May the God of love, forgive us our lack of trust in your Spirit Sophia moving with us, in us, and through us, leading us to guidance, courage, healing and empowerment.

ALL: Amen.

 LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading:  Romans 16:1-7, 16

 Litany of Women for the Church

Presider:  Dear God, creator of women in your own image, born of a woman in the midst of a world half women, carried by women to mission fields around the globe, made known by women to all the children of the earth, give to the women of our time the strength to persevere, the courage to speak out, the faith to believe in you beyond all systems and institutions so that your face on earth may be seen in all its beauty,  so that men and women become whole, so that the church may be converted to your will in everything and in all ways. We call on the holy women who went before us and who stand beside us, channels of Your Word in testaments old and new, to intercede for us so that we might be given the grace to become what they are and have been for the honor and glory of God.

Please have people respond with, “pray for us” after each petition

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our Church

  • Saint Esther, who pleaded against power for the liberation of the people, pray for us.
  • Saint Judith, who routed the plans of men and saved the community, pray for us.
  • Saint Deborah, laywoman and judge, who led the people of God, pray for us.
  • Saint Elizabeth of Judea, who recognized the value of another woman, pray for us.
  • Saint Mary Magdalene, minister of Jesus, first evangelist of the Christ, pray for us.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our Church

2.

  • Saint Scholastica, who taught her brother Benedict to honor the spirit above the system, pray for us.
  • Saint Hildegard, who suffered interdict for the doing of right, pray for us.
  • Saint Joan of Arc, who put no law above the law of God, pray for us.
  • Saint Clare of Assisi, who confronted the pope with the image of woman as equal, pray for us.
  • Saint Julian of Norwich, who proclaimed for all of us the motherhood of God, pray for us.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our church

3.

  • Saint Therese of Lisieux, who knew the call to priesthood in herself, pray for us.
  • Saint Catherine of Siena, to whom the pope listened, pray for us.
  • Saint Teresa of Avila, who brought women’s gifts to the reform of the church, pray for us.
  • Saint Edith Stein, who brought fearlessness to faith, pray for us.
  • Saint Elizabeth Seton, who broke down boundaries between lay women and religious by wedding motherhood and religious life, pray for us.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our Church

4.

  • Saint Dorothy Day, who led the church to a new sense of justice, pray for us.
  • Sr. Joan Chittister, who is passionate for change and challenges us to take the leap, pray for us.
  • Sr. Simone Campbell, who brings commitment and humor to the serious business of social justice, pray for us.
  • Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, who leads Catholic women everywhere to honor their call to Ordination, pray for us.  
  • Mary, Mother of Jesus, who turned the Spirit of God into the body and blood of Christ, pray for us. Amen.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your spirit, renew the face of our Church

Joan Chittister, OSB, Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania; amendments by G. Mog

Gospel Acclamation:  ALLELUIA!    (sung)

Reader:  A reading from the Gospel according to John 20:1-2, 11-18

ALL:  Glory to you O God.

Reader:  The good news of Jesus, the Christ!

ALL:  Glory and praise to you, Jesus the Christ!

HOMILY

PROFESSION OF FAITH

ALL:  We believe in God who is creator and nurturer of all. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who is our love, our hope, and our light. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia, who energizes and guides us to build caring communities and to challenge oppression, exploitation and injustices. 

 We believe that God loves us passionately and forgives us everything.  We believe that we are radiant images of God who calls us to live fully, love tenderly, and serve generously.  We believe in the communion of saints our heavenly friends, who support us on life’s journey.  We believe in the partnership and equality of women and men in our church and world.  We believe that all are one in the Heart of God.  We believe that women’s liberation is human liberation.  Here we dwell in loving relationships.  Here we live our prophetic call of Gospel equality.

PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL

Lector:  Jesus healed St. Mary of Magdala of a very serious illness and then she chose to follow him, supporting his mission with all of her resources.  Thank you O Christ, for all the ways you heal us.  Open our hearts to receive your healing grace and let us, like St. Mary of Magdala, put all we have at your service.  For this we pray.

 Response:  Loving God, hear our prayer.

 Lector:  Mary and the other women and men disciples persevered with Jesus, even when he was persecuted by his own religious leadership and government authorities.  God of Strength, help us stand in Jesus’ truth and healing love especially when we experience persecution for justice’ sake.  For this we pray.

Response:  Loving God, hear our prayer.

 Lector:  Because of her witness and fidelity, St. Mary of Magdala is known as the Apostle to the Apostles.  Help us, O God of Righteousness, to accept your apostolic call “to go and tell our brothers and sisters of Jesus’ power to heal… even wounded structures which exclude.” For this we pray.

Response:   Loving God, hear our prayer.

 Lector:  Women were faithful disciples of Jesus and significant leaders in the early Christian communities.  Help us Most Inclusive One, to reclaim our baptismal call to leadership.  For this we pray.

 Response:  Loving God, hear our prayer. 

ALL: Amen

Liturgy of the Eucharist

 Preparation of the Gifts—(Reminder to the people—here we bring and offer all that we are along with the bread and wine)

 (Presider lifts the bread)

Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.

All: Blessed be God forever.

 (Presider prays alone—pouring a few drops of water into the chalice along with the wine)

(By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity).

 (Presider lifts the chalice)

Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.

All: Blessed be God forever.

 Presider:  My sisters and brothers; let us pray that these our gifts may be acceptable to God, our Creator.

Prayer over the Gifts [all stand]

 All: Holy One, accept these gifts from our hands for the praise and glory of your name, for our good and the good of all your people.

Presider:  God dwells in you.

ALL:  And also in you.  

 Presider:  Lift up your hearts and pursue justice.

ALL:  We lift them up to God, Pursuer of Justice.  

 Presider: Let us give thanks to the Creator of all.

ALL: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

 Part One:  Presider: O loving God, O blessed Holy Three, who brings to birth the world of our dreams for mutual respect and partnership, we do well always and everywhere to give you praise.  Give us courage to act justly and work collaboratively to change systems that keep people poor and marginalized in our society. We thank you for the women and men who are working for justice and equality in our church and world. Your gift of the Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, gives us hope that one day all will be one at the eternal banquet of heaven. With thankful hearts in the company of the angels and saints, we praise you, God of Abundance and Welcome.

ALL:

Holy, holy, holy, Christ Sophia.

Gentle pow’r, merciful might, your glory fills heaven and earth.

Blessed are you who comes in God’s holy name.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest. 

Part Two:  Presider: You are holy indeed O Mothering God. You are the Heart of Love. You affirm women’s bodies as holy and women’s stories as sacred.  Pour out your Spirit upon all who work for justice and equality.  Pour out your spirit upon this bread and wine so that we may become the body and blood of Jesus, the Christ, in whom we have all become your daughters and sons.

(please all extend hands as we recite the consecration)

Presider:  On the night before he died, Jesus came to table with the women and men he loved.  Jesus took bread and praised you, God of compassion. He blessed and broke the bread, gave it to all his friends and said:

ALL:  “Take, eat, this is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 

Presider:  After supper, Jesus poured the final cup of wine and blessed you, God the Creator.  Jesus shared the cup with his friends, and said:

ALL:  This is the cup of the covenant of my love poured out for you.  As often as you drink of it, remember me.

Presider:  Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.

ALL:    Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

Part Three:  Presider: In memory of Jesus, who showed us the path to liberation and empowerment, we offer you, Loving Creator, the bread of life, this saving cup. We give thanks that we live in your Enfolding Presence and serve you with grateful hearts.  May all of us who share in this sacred banquet of Christ be brought together as one in the Holy Spirit and be filled with courage to live Gospel equality in inclusive communities working for justice and peace in our church and world.

Part Four: Presider:  God, remember your holy people throughout the world, make us one in love, together with Francis, our pope, our female and male bishops, and all God’s people. Remember our sisters and brothers, who face oppression, discrimination and joblessness, who have lost homes, partners, and hope.  Remember all those who work for justice. Remember those who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again, bring them and all the departed into your everlasting arms.

Part Five:  Presider: Have mercy on us all; make us one with Mary, Mother of Jesus, our sister and champion of the oppressed, and the apostles through the ages, especially Mary of Magdala, Junia and Andronicus, and all the holy women and men who have done your will throughout the ages.  May their courage inspire us to confront patriarchal systems that discriminate against women.  God, may we be free at last from all bondage and injustice, and give you glory through Jesus the Christ.

ALL:  Through Christ, With Christ and In Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, may our work for justice, peace and equality give You glory and honor, Holy God forever and ever.  Amen.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS

Join hands all around and across the isles and continue holding hands until the concluding prayer.

 ALL:  Our Father and Mother, who art in heaven…

Presider:  Protect us, God, from all evil and dismiss all anxiety from our minds.  May a thousand angels guide our steps to live justice, partnership and equality now as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of God in our time where all can say “thank God we are free at last!”

 ALL:  For the kindom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

 THE SIGN OF PEACE

 LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD—(Lamb of God)

Loving God, you call us to speak truth to power.

ALL:  Have mercy on us.

Loving God, you call us to live the gospel of justice and peace.

ALL:  Have mercy on us.

Loving God, you call us to be your presence in the world.

ALL:  Grant us your peace.

 Presider:   This is Jesus, who called women and men to be partners and equals, and who liberates, heals and transforms us and our world. All are invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love.

ALL:  Jesus you make us worthy to receive you and become you for others.  We are the Body of Christ.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Our God of love and compassion, just as you called Mary of Magdala, you also call us to go forth and to tell the Good News.  We answer you as people who are often unsure of our desire to be so embraced.  Guide us closer to You and to each other.  Strengthen us in our walks of life and build us into the Reign of God and seal us with the Spirit of your promise.  We ask this through our Holy Sophia.  Amen.

CONCLUDING RITE

BLESSING

Presider:   Our God is with you.

ALL:  and also with you.

 (extend your hands over one another)

ALL:  May the fire of God’s love warm our hearts.  May God grant our prayers for justice and equality in our church and world.  May the love of Christ fill us and radiate through us forever.

 DISMISSAL

Presider:   Go in the peace of Christ.  May Mary of Magdala be our model of courage and faithful service.  By her example may we delight in the presence of Jesus and shout with joy:  “I have seen the Lord!”

ALL:   Thanks be to God.

CONCLUDING HYMN

All Are Welcome by Marty Haugen

Verse 4:  Let us build a house where hands can reach beyond the wood and stone—to heal and strengthen, serve and teach—and live the Word they’ve known.  Here the outcast and the stranger—bear the image of God’s face; let us bring an end to fear and danger:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

Verse 5:  Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard—and loved and treasured, taught and claimed—as words within the Word.  Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace—let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

Bridget Mary Meehan Association of Roman Catholic Woman Priests

http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/

www.arcwp.org

 

News Item – Zoom Link for Mass on July 26, 2020

/ kredig

Dear Friends,

As you know, we are now on ZOOM! All Are One Catholic church will be hosting our first ZOOM liturgy on Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. CDT.  Instructions are given below to allow you to participate. In addition this mass will be a celebration of Mary of Magdala, apostle to the apostles and a celebration of all women too and their rightful place in our Church.

Some of you have already participated in Zoom meetings so are familiar with how to do it. If you have not participated in a Zoom meeting before, it is really quite easy—this comes from someone who is not the most technically adept person. (:  Follow the instructions below and you should be able to participate. If you have any problems or questions before the day of our first live Mass on Zoom, my son-in-law, Adam is willing to walk you through your concerns: adamqp@gmail.com.

I hope you can be with us! Jump on early, at 9:45 A.M. CDT that day and we can have a bit of fellowship before Mass as it has been so long since we have been together! We will also be able to have some fellowship time afterward!

Hopefully, this is finding you well and relatively at peace in these trying times.

Love to all–hope to see many of you on Sunday!

Pastor Kathy

P.S. I will be putting out materials for your participation in a later mailing.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­If you would like to join us on your computer, or other device using Zoom, simply click on this address:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85189455528?pwd=eml2RE5URTdjaXpJRWp1dXdmbkZBUT09

If you need to join us via phone call, dial this number: +1 312 626 6799 and, when prompted, enter this information:

Meeting ID: 851 8945 5528

Password: 407545