Calendar of Events

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference at All Souls Catholic Church
is a Registered 501c3
Mailing Address:
301 West 8th Street
Sanford, FL 32771
Phone: 407.330.4400
E-mail: svdpallsouls@yahoo.com
Blog: svdpallsouls.wordpress.com

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Case Manager on call the week of November 23: Judy Collum

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The Christmas Angel Trees are back: Please take note of the trees in each All Souls church. Just pick a tag, bring back an unwrapped gift by December 13 and you’ll be delivering Christmas smiles to a child in our community. Know a family who may need some special St. Vincent de Paul Santas? Call us at 407.330.4400.

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SACSON Meeting – Tuesday, November 24 at 630 pm – Knights of Columbus Hall

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Annunciation’s 5th Annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner
Located in the Family Life Center, Annunciation Catholic Church
1020 Montgomery Road, Altamonte Springs
Thursday, November 26th 12pm-2pm
All are welcome! Bring yourself or bring your family! Free Service to the Community!
RSVP’s are helpful, To RSVP or any questions
Please call 407-215-7669

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SVDP Night at Grace ‘n Grits – Wednesday, December 2 – SVDP is preparing and serving the meal. Dinner begins at 530 pm. Our team will be on site beginning at 2 pm to prepare dinner. Volunteers can begin arriving at 2 pm. Please RSVP to svdpallsouls@yahoo.com if you plan to attend.

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Something to think about …

Just one person taking action can inspire others to do the same.
~Leslie C. Aguilar

Monday’s Word of the Day

Acts of the Saints
(AKTS uhv thuh SAYNTS)

An extensive collection of the saints’ lives compiled by the Bollandists.

Question of the Day for Monday, November 23, 2009

Fasting on Sundays?

Q. Is it acceptable in the Catholic faith to fast on Sundays? I understand it is special to move away from things that lead us away from God, and a Sunday may be the perfect day to do so. I also believe to fast in nourishment would leave us sad and weak, and may not be the best for our family, thus leading us away from goodness and God.

– Paula Timpson

A. Here’s a reply from Father Reginald Martin:

A preface for Masses in Lent expresses the value of fasting (and other penitential practices) very succinctly: “You ask us to express our thanks by self-denial. We are to master our sinfulness and conquer our pride.” The Old Testament prescribed fasting, and it has been recommended (together with prayer and almsgiving) since the Church’s earliest days.

However, the extent and time of a fast must be governed by circumstances and common sense. The Church makes exceptions for those who are elderly, or for individuals whose work would suffer if fasting diminished their strength.

Likewise, a fast should take place at an appropriate time. The Church recommends fasting during Lent, and we fast before Communion to avoid approaching the Eucharistic meal immediately after finishing another meal. However, Sundays and other important liturgical feast days are, by their nature, times to recall God’s generosity and love.

The Old Testament heroine, Judith, fasted every day, “except the day before the Sabbath and the Sabbath itself,” and Jesus tells His critics that His disciples will fast when he is no longer among them. Sunday is the day that especially recalls Christ’s presence among us, so fasting is less appropriate on Sundays than on other days.

Mass Reading & Meditation for November 23, 2009

Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Daniel 1:1-6,8-20

The Book of Daniel is a compelling story of a young man taken from Jerusalem during the Babylonian exile and forced to adapt to a strange new land.

Though set in the sixth century b.c., most biblical scholars believe the book came into its final form around 165 b.c. during the reign of the oppressive Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Daniel is likely a compilation of several authors’ works, as the language, writing style, and cultural and historical references shift throughout the book. There is also a lack of cohesion to the book as a whole: The first six chapters relate the events of Daniel’s life during the reigns of several kings of Babylon, while the second six chapters describe visions and dreams Daniel had concerning world events. Then, the final two chapters—included only in Catholic Bibles—offer further edifying stories from the lives of Daniel and Susanna.

Though the Book of Daniel tells stories rooted in actual events, it is not a historical document according to the way “history” is defined today. Rather, it is made up of “inspired stories” intended to help readers stand up to a time of persecution and testing.

In today’s reading, Daniel and his friends confront the challenge of how to keep true to their Hebrew culture and beliefs while in an alien land. This is similar to the challenge we face as Christians trying to hold on to God’s ways in a culture that is becoming increasingly ungodly and dismissive of Christian values. It encourages us to see that Daniel’s resolve to not defile himself with the king’s food left him stronger and wiser than all of the other young men in the land. This has great practical application for us, as we must choose each day the proper balance of how much time we spend consuming the world’s philosophies, attitudes, and values, versus how much time we spend consuming God’s word in Scripture.

As we meditate on the Book of Daniel over the next several days, let’s ask God to make us stronger and wiser as we choose to feast on him. Then we too will have the strength and wisdom of this great Old Testament hero!

“Holy Spirit, open my mind and heart to understand the dreams and visions you gave Daniel and to apply them to my life in these present times.”

(Psalm) Daniel 3:52-56; Luke 21:1-4

Sunday’s Word of the Day

Doctor Universalis
(DAHK-tor ÖÖ-nee-vehr-SAH-lihs)

(Latin: Universal Doctor) Title granted to St. Albert the Great (1206-1280), the Dominican theologian, teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, and Archbishop of Cologne, Germany, known for the breadth of his theological and philosophical treatises.

Mass Reading & Meditation for November 22, 2009

Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Revelation 1:5-8

Christ the King

I am the Alpha and the Omega. (Revelation 1:8)

Today begins the last week of the liturgical year. And what a difficult year it has been! Wars continue in the Middle East. There seems to be no end to abortion. Church attendance continues to decline, and the worldwide financial crisis has hurt millions of families.

Yet in the midst of these very real problems, God wants us to know that he is still the “Alpha and the Omega.” He hasn’t abandoned us. He knows what is going on in the world, and he is still with us to comfort us and guide us.

Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, and the use of these names symbolizes our belief that God has always existed and that he will always exist. As the beginning and the end of all things, God will bring all things to a conclusion that is both just and merciful. He will resolve every conflict and heal every wound.

How will this happen? We really don’t know. But we do know that when the time is fulfilled, God the Father will send Jesus back to earth. He will come not as a little baby but as a powerful judge. He will overthrow every evil empire and establish his kingdom of peace and justice. Our faith in him will be vindicated. Sin will be no more. Jesus will usher in a new heaven and a new earth, and he will reign over us all.

As this year comes to a close and another one begins—another year that will have its own set of challenges—remember that you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ reigns in your life, and he is ready to pour his love on you all year long. Even in the midst of trials and disturbances, he will show you his love and his power. So rejoice in your King! He, the Alpha and the Omega, will always be close to you!

“Blessed are you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory! You are the beginning and end of my life—and all the world!”

Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 93:1-2,5; John 18: 33-37

This week’s Vincentian Reflection …

THE SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE KING
November 22, 2009
Gospel: (John 18:33-37)

Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a King. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Reflection:

Living the paschal mystery means that we see the victorious Christ even in the everyday trials and difficulties that we face. Living the paschal mystery means that we are ever faithful to the rhythm of dying and rising as it unfolds every day—in our prayer, work, leisure. Living the paschal mystery means that we are mediators for those whom we meet—that we are the body of Christ leading other to holier and happier lives. If someone should then ask us, “ What have you done?” our answer would come quickly and surely—we have served our King. (Living Liturgy, p. 250)

Vincentian Meditation:

As you serve Christ your King be an open door that is fully open to others, especially the poor. Be an open door to the members in your Conference, that is be honest, truthful and simple in your relationships with one another. Be an open door to all: allow people to use you, to pass through you. Allow people to take you for granted. Be an open door by being humble. An open door does not discriminate, allowing some to pass and some not. Open the door of your heart widely to those who claim a little more understanding from you. Open the door of your heart so widely that you can belong to the truth and listen the voice of Jesus. (McCullen, Deep Down Things, p.113)

Discussion: (Share thoughts on the readings after a moment of silence)

How can you become more of an “open door”?

Closing Prayer:

Let us pray to Christ our King, source of compassion and love,
- may we bring peace to all who have lost hope.
For the wisdom to listen to God’s voice,
-may we become open doors to all .
For the courage to work untiringly for peace and justice,
-may your kingdom come! Amen

Mass Reading & Meditation for November 21, 2009

Catholic Meditations
Meditation: 1 Maccabees 6:1-13

How peculiar that Antiochus said to himself, “I was kindly and beloved in my rule”?(1 Maccabees 6:12)!

From the information here, we know that he thoroughly plundered Jerusalem, tortured and destroyed its inhabitants, was in the process of attacking Judah again, and was proposing to capture and pillage nearby Elymais. Torture, murder, destruction, theft, and forcible restraint do not paint the picture of a generous and compassionate ruler.

Clearly, Antiochus had no real or accurate idea about his life—at least, not until he stopped and thought things over. Then he recognized the terribly wicked way he had lived.

Maybe not to the extent of King Antiochus, but we all run the risk of becoming so preoccupied with ourselves that we don’t take the time to examine what we are doing and the effect our actions may have on other people.

So let’s get in the habit of asking: “How have I acted today toward the people I encountered?” Let’s also ask: “What has God been saying to me about the way I act toward them in general?” “Why is it that I can be so kind and generous at times, but then so sharp and critical at other times?” Asking questions like these can give the Holy Spirit a chance to show us some of our deeper drives and motivations—the good ones as well as the bad ones.

The last thing any of us wants is to die “in bitter grief, in a foreign land” as Antiochus did (1 Maccabees 6:13). The “foreign land” for us is any place where Christ doesn’t reign in our lives. It’s any world that we have constructed that feeds our selfish inclinations instead of honoring the Lord and his people.

The Holy Spirit wants to help us see ourselves as we really are. He wants to show us how to get out of any foreign land that we have fallen into. He’s just waiting for us to ask him to build up our virtues and to change any of our “foreign” ways. A simple daily examination is one of the best ways we can learn more about ourselves. It’s also one of the best ways we can ask the Spirit to show us how to live in God’s way of love.

“Holy Spirit, help me to begin to see myself truthfully, rejoicing in your life in me and facing what needs to change.”

Psalm 9:2-4,6,16,19; Luke 20:27-40

Saturday’s Word of the Day

Music Coordinator
(MYÖÖ-zihk ko-OR-dih-nay-ter)

The person responsible for all music in a parish. This person must have a competence in both music and liturgy.

Friday’s Word of the Day

Ideology
(ih-dee-AHL-uh-dzhee)

(Greek idea + logia: voicing ideas) A set of ideas, whether true or false, that influences individuals, a certain group, or a whole society, motivating them to some action.