Parish Retreat 2008 ~ Decide to become a Saint!

Isn't it true that when we decide on a particular career or a specific vocation, we go to a lot of trouble to plan the type of education we will need. We are also willing to prepare ourselves to do whatever it takes to reach that goal. What about deciding to be a saint?

This is a question that Fr. Matthias Lusembo, Parochial Vicar at St. Bridget Church and our retreat facilitator, put to us today. Why is it that we usually don't think that something as fundamental as becoming a saint is something we should decide for ourselves? This was a question that many of us had not thought of before. Of course, we realize that we are all called to holiness; but to be a saint seemed to be so far "above" who we are or who we can become, that we were momentarily at a loss to think that he meant US! Fr. Matthias reminded us that the people canonized by the Church are not the only saints that ever lived!

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After breakfast and a prayer service, Fr. Matthias spoke a little about his own journey to the priesthood and how he came to be in Richmond. He told us about the importance of discovering what God's Will is for ourselves through prayer and meditation on the Scriptures. That surrendering ourselves to God's Will is what will be pleasing to Him.

Fr. Matthias then developed our theme for the day, "How to be a Catholic in our changing times" by comparing what Catholics believe with the beliefs of the many other Christian denominations around us. There are many differences between Catholics and Christians of other denominations. For instance, Catholics believe in the authority of Peter and his successors, the popes, and Fr. Matthias showed us the scriptural basis for this belief; noting that God's Will becomes manifest through the Church.

Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist; whereas most other Christians see the bread and wine they offer as mere symbols and only a remembrance of Jesus' last supper with His friends.

He also cited differences in how we view the Scriptures. Most other Christians use the Bible as the sole authority in their churches. Catholics respect not only the Scriptures, but also Tradition handed down through the centuries of the Church's existence.

Other areas that Fr. Matthias touched on included the Scriptural basis for Penance/Reconciliation, our veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary (not worship, as some Christians believe of us) and the differences in the Catholic belief about abortion and the view of other Christian denominations.

In the afternoon session, Fr. Matthias asked for questions and discussions from those of us attending the retreat. Questions included the following: How do you discern God's Will for yourself? Why don't Catholics use the individual communion cups used by other Christian denominations, especially because of the possibility of catching the flu or other illnesses caused by drinking from the same cup? There was discussion about how to deal with moral issues that seem to be in the gray area, rather than completely right or completely wrong.

We want to thank Fr. Matthias for his presence with us today. Perhaps, after reflecting on his words, we may be able to make that decision to strive to become the saints we are called to be.

Thanksgiving 2008 ~ We Gather to Give Thanks

Our Gospel reading for Thanksgiving relates the story of ten lepers who raised their voices to beg Jesus to have pity on them. In those days lepers were stigmatized and had to stay at a distance from the people. They could not even look directly at them but had to cast their eyes downward even when speaking.

When Jesus saw them, he didn't tell them they were cured. Instead, he ordered them to show themselves to the priests, which was the law for anyone who believed they were cured of leprosy. These lepers didn't hesitate. They trusted in the words of Jesus and they were soon rewarded for their faith.

On their way to the priests, one of the lepers suddenly realized he was cured and he returned to thank Jesus for this life-changing miracle. "Your faith has saved you," Jesus said.

The grateful leper shows us how we too must thank God for all He has done for us. We pray and believe that God will willingly "cure" us; whether we need forgiveness for our sins, deliverance from a painful situation or healing for our bodies. God always meets our needs, though His "miracles" often occur in surprising and unexpected ways; in ways we could never have anticipated.

As we gather together for our Thanksgiving meal, we realize how much God has done for us. We are grateful for all we are and all we can become as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. For our families and our friends; all those we love... we give thanks.


~ Picture by James Christenson ~

St. Elizabeth's Homecoming 2008 ~ Photographs by Ken Soistman

On November 16th, the St. Elizabeth Parish Family celebrated our annual Homecoming Sunday. This is always our biggest parish event of the year and again, we praised and thanked our God during a beautiful Liturgy, complete with spirit filled music by our Gospel Choir. Afterwards, we enjoyed the perfect brunch in the parish hall. The Church and hall were beautifully decorated by our parishioners to enhance this very special day.

Mass begins ~ Fr. Andrew, Celebrant ~ Mary Ann Allen, Lector

St. Elizabeth Gospel Choir ~ Scott Stell, Pianist

Fr. Andrew Proclaims the Gospel

Our Parish Family

The rest of our Parish Family

Barbara Vaughan reads the Prayers of the Faithful

Bringing up the Gifts

The Eucharistic Prayer

"Behold the Lamb of God..."

Larry Williford, Lula Lamb, Fr. Andrew, Frances Pope, Paulette Wright

"The Body of Christ"

Deshawn Murray ~ Scott Stell

Frances Pope

Katherine Lamb, Barbara White, Mary Baker, Margaret Pittman, Joyce Coy

The tables are spread!

Joyce Coy and her Committee who made our brunch so memorable.

"Whatever you do to the least of these...(or don't do). That you do also unto Me" ~ by Ronnie Archer

Today we come to the end of the Church year, celebrating the Kingship of Christ, and are reminded of our judgment.

In the Ezekiel reading, we hear that the Lord was so disappointed in the "shepherds" of Israel who were more concerned for themselves than for those who they were charged with taking care of, that He said: "I myself will look after and tend my sheep."

God will rescue them from every place where they are scattered. He will seek the lost, and bring them back. The sick, He will heal; the injured, He will bind up. The Lord takes no pleasure in the wicked's ruin, but prefers them to reform their ways; but if not, then they will reap eternal punishment.

In St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he reminds us that we must continually try to live our lives in a righteous manner. He speaks of the Resurrection, giving us the order that all shall be brought to life: Christ first, then those who belong to Him; and then comes the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to His God and Father, when every sovereignty and authority and power has been destroyed.

Christ will reign until all His enemies are His footstools. The last enemy, being death. When everything is subjected to Him, then Christ Himself shall be subjected to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear an account of the events that will take place..."all nations shall be assembled before Him." We, again are reminded of the many ways that God expects us to have concern and care for each other. The way that we show our love for God is how we love and care for each other.

When God created us, He meant for us to be a "family." Jesus said that "the Father and I are One." We humans have the tendency to be selfish and divide ourselves. He took great pains to come down to be a model for us. His mission was to unite us all.

Are we disappointing God? Have we been able to love and care for one another? Are we just as concerned for others as we are for ourselves and our families?

"As long as we give...we will be rich. If we have and do not give, we are the beggar."

Let us build a community for Jesus Christ. Amen!


~ Solemnity of Christ the King ~ The Last Sunday in Ordinary Time ~

An Update from the Haiti Committee of St. Elizabeth's ~ by Mary Ann Allen

I wanted to give you an update on the activities of your parish Haiti Committee. You have some very dedicated people involved in this ministry of the church. And that includes all of you who have contributed to our regular monthly Haiti collection; as well as dropping your change into the Pennies from Heaven jar.

Through your generosity, we have been able to help Pastor Kenold and the the New Jerusalem Orphanage with emergency food and supplies after the devastation due to the several hurricanes and storms of last summer. You can see the pictures and thank-you email Pastor Kenold sent us by checking the poster in the vestibule of the church.

Our Pennies from Heaven Jar has been a huge success! Kiyoko Timmons has volunteered to make a special Pennies from Heaven poster that will show a monthly update on the funds collected from the jar. The youth group is completing greeting cards for the children at the orphanage.

Our gospel choir will sing at a special musical program at Pioneer Baptist Church on Sunday, November 30th. Scott Stell's mother attends this church and has arranged for a special collection be taken up for our Haiti project. We are indeed grateful for their participation. We have also received notebooks from one of the VCU professors; and other school supplies from our parishioners.

Long range plans include a program through which parish families would sponsor individual children for a small amount each month. This would help in the education of the children. This kind of sponsorship has been very successful in other parishes.

Our major project in the next year will be to bring Pastor Kenold to Richmond for a short visit. This visit will go a long way to strengthen the relationship between our people and Pastor Kenold, his teachers and the children of the orphanage.

We look forward to his visit in the new year. We will tell you more about this ambitious project as soon as we have received the information needed to put it into action.

Using Your Talents Wisely ~ by Phyllis Booth

In Proverbs, the worthy wife is a model of praise. She is loving and loved because she does all the wifely duties efficiently and finds time to provide for the poor. She does all this because she knows God blesses those who fear the Lord. This fear is not the kind that we feel when we are afraid or lack confidence in doing something new or taking the lead in a project. The fear of the worthy wife is the love of the Lord who knows her needs and provides for them.

We heard the words, "Blessed are those who fear the Lord" in the Responsorial Psalm. The psalm related the blessings given; such as the fruit of your handiwork, the abundance of children, and prosperity. Therefore, those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways have nothing to fear.

The writer of Thessalonians describes what the Day of the Lord's Coming will be like. When we feel secure and peaceful and life seems favorable because we have what we desire, God is not our first priority. We forget to follow the commandments and the values we learned in the Beatitudes. We become children of the darkness instead of children of the light who are ever watchful for the coming of the Lord, who will come like a thief in the night.

The Gospel of Matthew is another parable. It tells how trust, responsibility and reward are viewed in money matters by a giver, boss or manager. The ones given the most money or talents go and deposit it in an institution that doubles the amount. The one who received the least talent buries the talent because he has the fear of the Lord in his mind. This fear is in the form of a punishment. He remembers the personality of the giver and is afraid of the end results.

When the time comes for accountability, THE INDUSTRIOUS ONES ARE PRAISED AND GIVEN MORE RESPONSIBILITY. The one who was given one talent returns the talent as it was given to him. The giver is upset and takes back the talent and gives it to the one who made the most money or doubled the talents. He also has the one (servant) thrown out into the darkness where there is "wailing and grinding of the teeth." In the second reading, the children of darkness are not ready when the Lord comes like a thief in the night and can't escape their fate. Likewise, the servant in the Gospel Reading who is lazy and fearful is thrown into the darkness also. The darkness in this parable is a place outside God's Kingdom.

Fear is mentioned in the first reading as a symbol of God's love and mercy. Fear is indirectly noted in the Gospel through the action of the servant. To be worthy of God's grace when he comes, we must prepare each day through prayer, scripture readings and living the great commandment.


~ Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time ~

~ Image found at Garden of Praise ~

HIV/AIDS Transformation Retreat ~ by Rosemary Overton

I attended the First Time Participant Retreat, September 17-21, at the beautiful, relaxing, peaceful Redemptorist Priests' Holy Family Retreat House in Hampton on the banks of the river.

The retreat was not what I had expected, but I enjoyed it. It was spiritual and fun; but most of all, I learned facts about HIV/AIDS (the virus, the disease) and how individuals accept and live with their diagnosis of HIV/AIDS.

It also made me realize how important it is for people, especially the young and senior citizens to be educated regarding HIV/AIDS. It is a problem most people do not want to talk about, especially in the churches.

St. Elizabeth gave 35 gift toiletry bags to the participants. Wanda Rue felt they were the best of all we have donated. Next year I plan to attend a Return Participant Retreat. If anyone is interested in being a volunteer with the Transformation Retreats or the prison program, see Vivian or me.

I had the opportunity to make a square for this year's quilt in memory of my brother and nephew. I will have a book with a picture of the quilt and retreat grounds in the back of the church for the next couple of Sundays for you to look at.

Thanks to everyone for all your gifts. The next retreat that we will provide gifts for, will probably be June 2009.

Peace and Love,
Rosemary

Congratulations to our Administrator!

Announced at church this morning: Fr. Andrew has been named Administrator of St. Elizabeth Church! Wonderful news for our parish family! Congratulations to our new administrator!

Our grateful thanks go out to Msgr. Walter Barrett of Holy Rosary Church for his administration of our parish during the last couple of years.

News from St. E's Health Ministy ~ Rosemary Overton

Free Seminar:
"Managing Caregiver Stress with Tips for the Holidays"

Thursday, November 20, 2008
4:00 - 4:45 p.m.
Circle Center Adult Day Services
3900 W. Broad St.
Richmond, VA

Presented by the Alzheimer's Association
Greater Richmond Chapter

To Register:
Contact Lynda Gormus
at 355-5717
lgormus@circlecenterads.org

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Women united in the fight against heart disease

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December 1, 2008 is World AIDS Day. Participate in a "Rally to Stop AIDS." We will assemble on Monday, December 1st at 6:45 p.m. at the Peter Paul Development Center, 1719 North 22nd St. to commemorate World AIDS Day. Our purpose is to call attention to the continued infiltration of this disease in our communities through prayer, education, HIV testing and fellowship

African American women between the ages of 24-35 are now the leading group of newly diagnosed HIV infected individuals. Teen HIV infections are on the rise and African American teens lead in that group also.

Do You Know That You Are the Temple of God? ~ by Ronnie Archer

The reading this Sunday from Ezekiel, gives us a vision of water flowing from beneath the threshold of the temple in all directions. This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the salt waters of the sea, which it makes fresh. Wherever this water flows and whatever it touches, life multiplies abundantly. This water represents the love of God and the Holy Spirit touching us, and giving us life.

Paul's letter to the Corinthians tells us that we are the temple of God, because the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us. The wise Master builder laid the foundation, but the construction of the "building" depends on each of us. Our cooperation is necessary to carry out the plans that God has drawn for us. We each must be careful how we build upon it.

We are being called to reflect on the fact, and ask ourselves..."are we really the temple of God?" If there are "loose bricks," the building will fall, but if the building is erected according to God's plan, it will stand and we will be ready, just as the wise maidens who brought extra oil for their lamps were. All of them began the journey, but not all of them, the foolish ones, completed it.

As Christians, we should know what God expects from us. To be a true Christian, we should constantly reflect on the mysteries of Jesus Christ. We should live in the church and experience the joy of God, and we should be striving for the future to be with God forever.

The coming of the Bridegroom will be a time of joy... It is up to us to be ready... "Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."


~ Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome ~

~ Photograph of the Lateran Basilica can be found at Be At Rome Website. ~

~ Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins Reading taken from the RCL,
the Sunday nearest November 9th ~

Commemorating the Faithful Departed ~ Jay Schwermer

The gospel reading for today is so beautiful and comforting when it says, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." Isn't that what we long for in this life? But isn't it our obligation to work for the kingdom here on Earth? Is that our labor and burden? Are we not asked to strive to follow in Jesus' footsteps for justice and peace in the world?

As it said in Romans, "God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." As I heard our priest say during the homily, it is our moral obligation to pray for those who have died. Praying to the souls is saying I love you, as God said to us.

It is human nature to let things pass from memory, but do we let our love pass with time? Even if we didn't feel love for a person for whatever reason, Jesus asks us to love that person and reconcile. What better way than to pray for their souls?

No matter what the state of our relationship with a person who has left this life was, they will be accountable to God for what they have done, and failed to do. Thus, when they reach the heavenly banquet, they will be in full communion with Christ and ready to offer intercessions for us. They have been reconciled. They are now part of that love that is showered down on us.

So we can now more fully understand the Wisdom reading, "Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love; because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect." Praying for and to the departed becomes a joy and a value to us. It is part of God's grace and care as we move toward Christ and the Kingdom. Our labor and burdens seem lighter as our lives move toward God and the rest he offers.


~ All Souls Day ~