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: Doreen Owens

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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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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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FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

November 27

Gospel: (Luke 1:26-38)

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin named Mary. The angel said to her: “Hail full of grace! The Lord is with you…. Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus… The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” Mary said: “ I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

Reflection:

On November 27, 1830 Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity, in Paris. The Blessed Mother was standing on a globe with streams of light coming from her hands. Around her were the words “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” Sister Catherine was told that a medal was to be made of this picture. Soon, because of all the wonderful graces obtained by those who wore the medal, it was called the “Miraculous Medal.” The Vincentian Family has always been rooted in a special devotion to Mary, and the Miraculous Medal is one of our treasured gifts.

Vincentian Meditation:

“I do not know how to find words for what I experienced and perceived, or for the beauty and the splendor of those magnificent rays (coming from the hands of the Blessed Virgin). Mary told me, “They are the symbol of the graces which I shed on those who ask me for them. Have a medal struck according to this model; all those who wear it, especially if they wear it around the neck, will receive great graces, and these graces will be abundant for those who wear it with confidence.” (From St. Catherine Laboure’s account of the apparitions, November 27,1830)

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

How do you share in the Vincentian devotion to Mary?

Closing Prayer:

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal intercede for us as we come
to the foot of the altar with the cries of the world,
-Pray for us who have recourse to you.
In solidarity with those who cannot voice their own cries for
healing, compassion, and strength, we say,
-Pray for us who have recourse to you.
Accompanying the oppressed peoples of the world, we say,
-Pray for us who have recourse to you. Amen

Friday’s Word of the Day

Jonah, Book of
(BØØK uhv DZHO-nuh)

Modern exegetes regard this book not as a historical narrative but as a didactic short story about a reluctant prophet of the same name. The author is anonymous and does not appear in the story. Once upon a time, Jonah was called to take up a prophetic role in Nineveh, the capital of Judah’s fierce enemy, Assyria. He ran away, taking a ship to escape so hopeless a task. Thrown overboard by his shipmates, he was swallowed by a great fish, but after praying to God for three days and three nights he was disgorged. He went to Nineveh, preached his message of repentance and divine justice, and the entire city was speedily converted. The book no doubt has its religious value: One should not shrink from an apostolic task, even when there seem to be insuperable difficulties. Older commentators and preachers assumed the historicity of the story, partly because it was divinely inspired and partly because Jesus used Jonah in the whale as a type of His own resurrection from the grave. On second thought, neither premise justifies the conclusion drawn therefrom. Inspired parables can be a fictional vehicle for conveying a truth, and fictional characters can serve as very striking types or antitypes.

Question of the Day for Friday, November 27, 2009

Worshipping Mary?

Q. Am I right in thinking that the Church does not teach that Mary is to be worshipped as Jesus is? How come, then, the song “Immaculate Mary” sung every Monday in our church says: “She reigns now, in Heaven, with Jesus Our King”?

– Lillian M. Porter, Tallahassee, Fla.

A. Here’s a reply from OSV columnist Msgr. M. Francis Mannion:

You are perfectly correct in thinking that the Catholic Church does not worship Mary, but Mary is venerated. Christ is adored, Mary is venerated. The Church has a long tradition of making distinctions between the various stances Christians take toward Christ and Mary.

While it is in the nature of doctrine to be precise, the same precision need not be expected to hymnody (which is, after all, poetry). This is not to suggest that hymnody should not be doctrinally correct, but that it uses images that are imaginative and free-flowing and are not usefully played off against each other.

To say that Mary “reigns now, in Heaven, with Jesus our King” could be problematic if taken literally. But Mary is not queen in the way that Jesus is King. She is not on the same level as Christ. She is not the spouse of Christ, for instance.

Her relationship to Christ cannot be seen as analogous to the relationship between a human king and queen. Her queenship is of a different order than the kingship of Christ. She is the first among the “kingly people” that is made up of all the holy ones who are with Christ.

Mass Reading & Meditation for November 27, 2009

Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Daniel 7:2-14

If you’ve studied any history, you know that the authority held by a monarch is meant to be passed down from one ruler to the next, not taken by force.

This transfer of power typically happens in a coronation ceremony. In many cultures, the coronation ceremony reflects the belief that the power to rule comes from God—or at least from a source higher than themselves. Here in Daniel, we see the ultimate coronation. The figure of “the son of man” receives “dominion, glory, and kingship” from none other than his heavenly Father (Daniel 7:13,14).

Daniel’s author saw this “son of man” as an apocalyptic ruler who would bring justice to the earth. With Spirit-inspired hindsight, we know him as Jesus, who has power over all creation (Ephesians 1:21-22). Contrast Jesus’ power with that of the four beasts that precede him in Daniel’s vision. These four animals signified the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. In spite of their great might, these dynasties eventually crumbled. Like many governments, they fell because their rulers became greedy and tyrannical, caring more about their influence than about their subjects. Clearly, that’s not how Jesus rules his people!

What about us? As Christians, we are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). That means we share in Jesus’ authority and in his commission to build his kingdom here on earth. It is a high calling, and with it comes a high dignity. We are children of Almighty God! Filled with the power of the Spirit, we can do even greater things than Jesus himself did (John 14:12)!

Today and every day, remember who you are in Christ. United with him, you have enormous potential to transform your family, workplace, and community. You have the mind of Christ to bring wisdom where there is confusion and comfort where there is anxiety. You have the anointing of Christ to bring healing, love, and mercy where there is hatred and division. Put yourself in his hands today, and call on his power to help you live a life pleasing to him. Then, you can accomplish more than you ever thought possible.

“Lord, I thank you that you have made me a little lower than the angels! May I never forget that I carry your name. Help me to shine your light into every situation.”

(Psalm) Daniel 3:75-81; Luke 21:29-33

Friday Inspiration …

Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.
~Jerry Rice

Thursday Inspiration …

Gratitude connects us to others and feeling gratitude allows us to be our best selves. When we are truly grateful, we can count on living the life we want.
~MJ Ryan

A letter from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s national leaders …

November 16, 2009

Dear Friends,

We are blessed at the National Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul to find ourselves in these last months of 2009 stronger than we began, at the start of this demanding year.

We are blessed to have come through a tumultuous on-line debate around the issues of health care reform with a resolution by our membership which reaffirms the Society’s essential Catholic commitment to the sanctity of life; at the same time, we have continued to advocate for health care which cares for the weakest and most vulnerable, our poor.

We are blessed to have completed our signature 2009 national, annual Friends of the Poor® Walk (with a 56% increase in Walk locations and a 50+% increase in revenue over our inaugural Walk in 2008), with over $1,240,000 raised nationwide– to immediately go towards helping the poor. Also, 100 Conferences received grants totaling $160,000 in this first grant year from the National Council’s Friends of the Poor® Fund.

We are blessed that, through the 2009 lifetime gifts of several donors to the National Council, we have been able to accelerate our strategic plan work in the critical areas of Vincentian formation and youth development, among others.

We are very aware that none of these blessings would have occurred without your prayers and your support. We hope that you will join us in making the best of the unknown challenges of serving the poor in this coming year by supporting this 2009-2010 annual appeal.

Yours in Vincent and Frédéric,

Joseph D. Flannigan Roger T. Playwin
National President National Executive Director

Question of the Day for Thursday, November 26, 2009

Communion for a Home Group?

Q. My small group of Cursillo sisters meets weekly. One of the women had hip surgery and is housebound for three more weeks. We are to meet at her house this week, and one of the other women said she would bring Communion for all of us.

It is my understanding that the only people allowed to receive would be the one who is housebound and any caregiver (only on Sunday) who is unable to attend Mass. Is that true, or are we all allowed?

Penny Vaughn, via e-mail

A. Here’s a reply from TCA columnist Father Francis Hoffman, J.C.D.:

You have it just about right. The sick, shut-ins and those who care for them are eligible to receive Holy Communion whenever the minister of Holy Communion visits them, whether on a Sunday or on a weekday.

The others, who are able to attend Mass, should go to Mass and receive at the church.

I suppose you could make a case that the others are “caregivers” to some degree or another; or you could call this event a “Communion service” and justify their reception of Communion that way. But I think either approach (caregiver/Communion service) is a forced adaptation of the law and not in keeping with the spirit.

It would be best, I think, if your Cursillo group attends Mass together and then visits your friend with a duly deputed minister of holy Communion (priest, deacon or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion). The extra care we give to the Eucharist only strengthens our faith and deepens our love for Our Lord.

Mass Reading & Meditation for November 26, 2009

Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Luke 21:20-28

The powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Luke 21:26)

Readings about the Second Coming of Christ can really make our hearts quicken—but not necessarily with excitement. They make us feel as if a dark cloud just entered the room, heralding doom and destruction. Is it because we are hiding something in our hearts that we don’t want to bring into the light? Perhaps, but when you get right down to it, this is a silly way to think. After all, God sees everything!

It’s true that as we give the Holy Spirit access into our hearts, he will begin to show us sinful areas that we need to change—but he won’t do it in a condemning way that beats us down. Rather, he will fill us with hope as he shows us the road to freedom.

Today’s reading is an invitation for us to take stock. If we ask the Lord to come in and purify us, we will find joy and peace, not fear and judgment. We may have some work to do, but it won’t be pointless labor. It will be more like spring-cleaning, resulting in a house that is clean and free of clutter and cobwebs. The closer we get to the Lord, the more we will want to be free of the sins that bind us and keep our eyes focused only on this world.

Our God is not a harsh judge waiting for us to fail so that he can throw us in jail. No, he is our Father and Creator. He longs to form us into a people set apart for him, a people who are ready to welcome Jesus when he returns in glory. Every step that we take toward Jesus is a step toward getting ready. It is one more step out of the old life and into the new life. It is one more step away from hardheartedness and toward the soft heart that loves as fully as he does.

Jesus is coming back one day. He will bring judgment upon the sins of the world. But he will also bring salvation to all who are looking for him. So stay alert, and welcome him in today!

“Holy Spirit, please come into my heart and shed light on the areas that are out of order. Help me to rejoice in Jesus’ Second Coming, not fear it.”

Daniel 6:12-28; (Psalm) Daniel 3:68-74

Take this bread, drink this cup — but peel back plastic first

Sanford company prepackages Holy Communion

By Rachael Jackson, Orlando Sentinel

November 23, 2009

Fresh produce now comes shrink-wrapped, but a Sanford company takes prepackaging to a whole new level.

Make that a holy new level.

Compak Companies’ product looks like a miniature pudding cup. But pulling back the plastic reveals a communion wafer. Under another layer is grape juice. For worshippers, it’s a more convenient, more sanitary way to celebrate Holy Communion at church, company officials say.

Read more, just click anywhere on this article or go to: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/seminole/os-communion-cups-sanford-20091116,0,3229829.story