The Twenty Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 15, 2024
In today’s second reading, Saint James in his letter reinforces the importance of demonstrating our faith by our works. In the Gospel of Mark, we hear again Saint Peter’s acknowledgement of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God as we heard just three weeks ago when the readings were from the Gospel of Saint John.
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
from today’s 2nd Reading, James 2:15-18
And Jesus went on with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” And they told Him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Eli′jah; and others one of the prophets. ”And He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to Him in reply, “You are the Christ.”
from today’s Gospel, Mark 8:27-29
Our Lady of Sorrows - September
The month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose memorial the Church celebrates on September 15. It commemorates the profound union of heart that existed between the Mother of the Redeemer and the Savior, through which she experienced many interior sorrows as a consequence of His Mission, particularly during His Passion and Death.
A List of the Seven Sorrows of Mary is published in this week’s bulletin on page 2.
September falls during the liturgical season known as Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. This symbol of hope is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. It is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
The year 2025 will be a special year in the Catholic Church. Every 25 years we have a jubilee year with special indulgences, prayers, and graces. It is also the 75th anniversary of the founding of our parish.
If you are interested in joining a Jubilee Committee to help plan and execute Jubilee events which will be liturgical and social, please email Fr. Brown at mbrown@srdiocese.org.
Religious Education Congress!
Saturday, September 21
Cardinal Newman H.S.
Brochure - Schedule
Registration Form
Welcome to St. Eugene’s
St. Eugene’s is the cathedral church for the Diocese of Santa Rosa, located in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. Our parish community includes more than 1700 registered parishioner households and a school for preschool through eighth grade students. Our parish was founded in 1950 and became the cathedral when the Diocese of Santa Rosa was established in 1962.
Announcements
Please check this week’s bulletin for all current announcements. Only special announcements or ones that didn’t make it into the bulletin are listed here.
September 15, 2024 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Penitential Rite
Dear Father: Why do we almost always use the Confiteor at the beginning of Mass instead of one of the other options for the Penitential Rite?
Dear Reader: Previous to the Second Vatican Council, there were a set of penitential prayers that the priest said before entering into the sanctuary at Mass. These prayers were said inaudibly, but the congregation was invited to reflect at that time.
After the Council, it was decided to create a public penitential rite in which the people of the congregation audibly participated. This has become known as the Penitential Rite. It was divided into three options: A, B, or C. These three options had been in the previous liturgy. Option C, is the most common in many parishes which includes three invocations of Jesus that are meant to say something about Him and how He relates to us. It is followed by: Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. However, many parishes prefer Option A which has the prayer "I confess..." also known as the "Confiteor" which is the first word in Latin of that prayer. It gives people a prayer to say that can be used in other contexts and it gives voice to our communal need for forgiveness. In some ways, it is similar to an Act of Contrition.
There is also an option B for the penitential rite that I have very rarely seen used with a congregation, though I do use it when I say a private Mass. The priest says: "Have mercy on us O Lord," then the people: "For we have sinned against you," then the priest again: "Show us, O Lord, your mercy," and lastly the people say: "And grant us your salvation."
May Our Lord bless you all of your days,
Rev. Samuel Moses Brown JCL
September 8, 2024 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Renew our faith
As we leave John 6, the great Eucharistic Discourse, we come back to the Gospel of Mark in our weekly Sunday readings. It's helpful to refresh our memories as to where we were. The Gospel of Mark is divided by Peter's Confession of Jesus in chapter 8. The material before that point is leading the reader to the conclusion that Jesus is the Messiah which is what Peter says in chapter 8 about Jesus.
The material after Peter's Confession contains a variety of conflicts and doubts about Jesus inviting the reader to ask what he or she thinks about Jesus. This all culminates with Jesus on the Cross in chapter 15 and a Roman centurion stating that truly He was the Son of God.
As we re-enter this story, we are just about to get to the middle of the Gospel, we will then see how people challenge Jesus (like the Pharisees or Sadducees) or get into unnecessary conflicts (like John and James). We should then reflect ourselves in God's Holy Presence to renew our faith in Jesus as the Christ and the Master of our life.
Sincerely,
Fr. Samuel Moses Brown
September 1, 2024 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time bulletin - Kneeling during Mass
Dear Father: When do we kneel in church? I've been wondering since people seem to be kneeling at different times.
Dear Reader: We kneel twice during the Mass. The first time is after the Sanctus because of the august nature of that moment. When the Eucharistic Prayer begins, the congregation kneels out of respect for what is about to happen. The priest will say the words of the Eucharistic Prayer and use the gestures specified in the Roman Missal and accompanying documents given by the Church. The Holy Spirit makes Jesus Christ present in this context for our benefit.
Jesus becomes present uniquely in a special way in the foods of bread and wine at this moment. Their physical characteristics remain the same as the substance changes into the Body and Blood of Jesus. At the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, the congregation rises for the Our Father prayer.
The priest says a few more words before we come to the Agnus Dei and the Fraction of the Bread. This moment is the special moment when the consecrated host is broken for us as was Jesus on the cross. After the Agnus Dei, the congregation again kneels out of respect for Our Lord. The individuals receiving Communion get up in order to receive Eucharist and then returning to their seats, they kneel once again. After the purification of the vessels and before the Prayer after Communion, the congregation rises once again.
The times of kneeling vary in different dioceses or different cultures. In the United States, there are a few dioceses where the people do not kneel after the Agnus Dei. However, I am not aware of any in our area.
May Our Lord bless you all of your days,
Rev. Samuel Moses Brown JCL
Special Feature in the bulletin for August 25, 2024 - Why Do We Venerate Relics?
Last Sunday, St. Eugene’s had the unique honor of hosting the reliquary containing a relic of St. Jude, an Apostle (and 1st cousin) of Our Lord. In our modern day, many people have lost the understanding of why we venerate relics. Simply put, we honor the relics of the saints because we honor their fidelity to Christ, and their imitation of His perfect Sacrifice on the Cross.
Relics are divided into three classifications. A first class relic is a body part of a saint, such as bone, blood, or flesh. Second class relics are possessions that a saint owned, and third class relics are objects that have been touched to a first or second class relic or the saint has touched him or herself.
Going back to the earliest of times: The veneration of relics is seen explicitly as early as the account of Polycarp’s martyrdom written by the Smyrnaeans in A.D. 156. In it, the Christians describe the events following his burning at the stake: “We took up his bones, which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place, where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy and to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom.” In the fourth century the great biblical scholar, Jerome, declared, “We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are” (Ad Riparium, i, P.L., XXII, 907).
If you would like to read further, you can visit https://www.catholic.com/tract/relics
August 18, 2024 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time Bulletin - Sunday is special
Why is Sunday special? First, it is the first day of Creation. Second, it is the day on which Jesus rose from the dead. Third, it is the day on which the Church teaches we need to attend Mass.
We can know that it is the first day of Creation because the ancient Jewish people knew when the Sabbath was. The Sabbath was the last day of Creation and was Saturday, therefore Sunday was the first day of Creation. On this day, God said "let there be light" and there was light. His first act of Creation was to bring light to darkness. According to the Genesis narrative, light is the most primary and fundamental piece of Creation and therefore incredibly special to us as believers.
Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday which we know from reading the Gospels. Interestingly, He was crucified on a Friday which is the very same day on which humans were created by God according to Genesis. Thus humans put God to death on the day on which God gave humans life. He again gave us life by His death on a cross and by His resurrection. Jesus came back to life on a Sunday, showed Himself to His disciples, and they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread. According to Luke's Gospel (chapter 24), they celebrated the 0breaking of the bread without knowing that Jesus was with them and then they recognized Him when they broke the bread. In other words, they conducted a Mass which Jesus has shown them how to do on Holy Thursday and He was present. In John's Gospel (chapter 20) we see the pattern of the disciples meeting every Sunday and it would seem logical that they were gathering for the breaking of the bread.
Lastly, Sunday is the day of the resurrection and thus became the Christian Sabbath. This Sabbath is different from the Jewish Sabbath. The emphasis on this day isn't how much we do or do not do, but rather how much we have spent time with the Lord. The most important way to do that is to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He showed this to us on the night before he was to die. It is literally the way in which He wanted us to remember Him.
May Our Lord bless you all of your days,
Rev. Samuel Moses Brown
August 11, 2024 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time Bulletin - Holy Eucharist => Eternal Life
August 4, 2024 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Signs and Miracles
July 21, 2024 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Ordinary Time
July 14, 2024 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Seek God’s presence
July 7, 2024 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Embrace Jesus
June 30, 2024 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Bulletin - Jesus heals
June 23, 2024 Bulletin 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time Bulletin - Stewardship
June16, 2024 Bulletin - Father’s Day - Special Message: The Head of the Family
May 26, 2024 Trinity Sunday Bulletin - The Mystery of the Trinity
May 19, 2024 Pentecost Bulletin - Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful
Del Pastor: Domingo de Pentecostés
May 12, 2024 Seventh Sunday of Easter - Ascension Bulletin - Follow Him to Eternity
May 5, 2024 Sixth Sunday of Easter Bulletin - Our Relationship with God
April 28, 2024 Fifth Sunday of Easter Bulletin - We are the branches
April 21, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Easter Bulletin - Jesus is Our Shepherd
April 14, 2024 Third Sunday of Easter Bulletin - Resurrection: nice idea or truth?
April 7, 2024 Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday - Bulletin - Several titles - 2nd Sunday of Easter
March 31, 2024 Easter Sunday Bulletin - Christ the Lord is Risen!
March 24, 2024 Bulletin - Welcome the Lord… at all times
March 17, 2024 Bulletin - Countdown to the Passion
March 10, 2024 Bulletin - The Light of God
March 3, 2024 Bulletin - Spiritual & Physical maintenance
February 25, 2024 Bulletin - Transfiguration - God’s Ways
February 18, 2024 Bulletin - All About Lent
February 11, 2024 Bulletin - Jesus Heals a leper - Thanking God
February 4, 2024 Bulletin - Jesus is the Messiah - the Healer
January 28, 2024 Bulletin - The Word of God
January 21, 2024 Bulletin — Time of Fulfillment in the Gospel of Mark
January 14, 2024 Bulletin - Ordinary Time/Gospel of Mark
January 7, 2024 Bulletin — Epiphany
Pastor’s Desk
Mass, Confession, & Adoration Schedule
Weekly Mass Schedule
Weekday Mass
Mon-Fri — 6:45 a.m. & 8 a.m.
Tues — 5:30 p.m. (Latin)
Saturday — 8 a.m.
Saturday Evening Vigil:
4:30 p.m. (English)
6:30 p.m. (Spanish)
Sunday Mass:
7:30 a.m.
9 a.m.
10:30 a.m. *
12 noon
1:30 p.m. (Latin)
5:30 p.m.
Only the Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Mass (*) will continue to be live-streamed on St. Eugene Cathedral YouTube Channel. An outdoor speaker and/or monitor will only be placed outside for special Masses/events that would require outside overflow seating.
Holy Day Mass Schedule
8 a.m., 5:30 p.m. (Latin), and 7 p.m.
9:20 a.m. school Mass during the school year
Adoration Times
24 hours a day. Passcode required.º
º The Adoration Chapel is open for Perpetual Adoration. See the announcement above, the latest bulletin, or the Adoration web page for more information.
Confession
Saturday 3:00-4:30 p.m. or by appointment
First Saturday of every month prior to and during the 8 a.m. Mass
Sunday Masses Confession:
No regular schedule - dependent on priests’ availability.