One Nation Under God
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This Saturday we celebrate Independence Day, a day when patriotism used to be at the front and center of our celebration as a nation. Lately, many of us are left wondering if this notion of love of one’s country is dead and gone. We are witnessing the desecration and tearing down of statues of historical figures, both secular and religious, almost on a daily basis.
How can we, as Catholic Americans, make sense of all this? Let’s turn to Bishop Fulton Sheen and get his take on Patriotism: “The treatise on Patriotism in the writings of the greatest philosopher of all times, St. Thomas Aquinas, is to be found under the subject of “Piety.” This at first may strike as strange those who think of piety as pertaining only to love of God. But once it is remembered that love of neighbor is inseparable from love of God, it is seen that love of our fellow citizens is a form of piety. In these days when so many subversive activities are at work, a reminder of the necessity of loving our country is very much to the point.” So, let us not be too discouraged by what we see happening in our country today. This great chaos is caused by our nation having fallen away from God, thus, we must remember to pray with all the more fervency for a conversion of heart of all Americans to Jesus Christ, and for the virtue of piety to be infused into our hearts, as we show our love for our country unabashedly once again.
Also, just a reminder of our protocol for Holy Communion: When the priest consumes the Eucharist, the ushers will begin to release you to walk to the back of the church where you can receive a squirt of hand sanitizer if you so choose. Please be sure to vigorously rub your hands together so that the sanitizer will dry before you receive. You should then form a single file line up the main aisle, observing the blue tape marks on the carpet, and receive Holy Communion in your hand.
—Fr. Epperson
First Holy Communion
We have received many questions regarding when our First Holy Communion will take place for those who have completed their PSR classes. The wait is over! We will have First Holy Communion for the PSR students who passed their class this year, on Saturday, August 8 at 10:00 a.m. Sr. Mary Emmanuel will contact parents regarding a retreat and other preparations. God bless you and congratulations.
From the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women newsletter:
“While companies and laboratories are working to develop a vaccine, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, along with 20 healthcare, bioethics and pro-life organizations, sent a letter to the United States Food and Drug Administration urging them to ensure that vaccines developed for COVID19 are ethically produced and free from any connection to abortion. Some vaccines currently in development are being produced using old cell lines from the cells of aborted children. YOU can make your voice heard on this issue by contacting Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar II by emailing Secretary@HHS.gov. Let Secretary Azar know that any vaccine approved for use to protect us against COVID-19 should not be produced using old cell lines from the cells of aborted children since other cell lines and processes are available.”
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