Sunday Mass Fourth Sunday of Lent
Father Victor Ray, is the Pastor of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community. He is assisted by Deacon Barbara Fichter. The Church is a CACINA parish located at 3803 Haines Road North in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Pinellas County) The church shares space at Allendale United Methodist Church.
Website: https://www.stoccc.org Facebook.com/St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community
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Sunday Mass 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mother Monica Kennedy is the Pastor of Saint Charles of Brazil which is a CACINA parish located at 116 Marydell Road in Linthicum, Maryland (Anne Arundel County). The church shares space with St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church.
Website: https://www.stcharlesofbrazil.org Facebook.com/St. Charles of Brazil Independent Catholic Church
YouTube.com/ St. Charles of Brazil Livestreaming Mass every Sunday at 10:30am on Facebook and YouTube.
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Sunday Mass 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Parish of Saints Francis and Clare is a CACINA parish located at 2300 NW 9th Avenue (Powerline Road) in Wilton Manors, Florida (Broward County) the greater Fort Lauderdale area. Fr. Joseph Spina, OSF is the Pastor and is accompanied by Fr. Vincent Treglio, OSF, Associate Pastor. Assisting clergy are Fr. Peter Sanchez, OSF and Fr. Paul Pfadenhauer. The Franciscan Friars of Fort Lauderdale are the Guardians of the parish. Francis and Clare rents an entire building. Livestreaming Mass every Sunday at 10:30am on Facebook. Homily posted on YouTube.
Website: https://www.stsfrancisandclare.org Facebook.com/stsfrancisandclare Youtube.com/stsfrancisandclare
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9314 Doris Dr.
Oriental, NC 28571
CACINA Welcome video
Video designed by Bishop Tony Green
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A reflection by Bishop Tony Green from Saint John of God Parish
If you would like to have a reflection considered for publication, please send your writing to Bp. Tony Green at revtonygreen@gmail.com
Independence Day – Celebrate or Observe?
A reflection by Bishop Tony Green
I listen to NPR every morning on my drive to work at Ellis. This morning, Thursday, July 2nd, I heard reporter Juana Summers report on how every year on the 4th of July we reflect on the promises of the United States of America. Summers goes on to say, “This year we will reflect on how those promises are not equally fulfilled.” I listened to several Black Americans describe their struggle to reconcile systemic racism with pride in our country.
One interviewee, Trevor Smith, said, “You grow up hearing and saying …one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, and then you realize, oh, wait…it has never really meant liberty and justice for all.” Another interviewee, Timothy Berry, class president of his graduating class at West Point Military Academy, said he finds a lot of contradiction in what the United States says it is and what it actually is. Berry said he feels his role is to do his part to hold the country accountable.
In years past, I have simply thought of Independence Day in too shallow a way. I have known since grade school that it represents the Declaration of Independence from British governance. I have celebrated a lifetime of July 4th’s on the lake, family barbeques, fireworks shows, and cans of Budweiser.
This year I will re-think, hopefully in a deeper way, what has happened, and has not happened that should have happened in this country since July 4th of 1776. This year, I will observe Independence Day rather than celebrate it. It is difficult, if not impossible to celebrate the great ideal of liberty and justice when it has yet to become a reality for all – especially for communities of color.
It is a good thing to know history, or we are doomed to repeat it. I’ll leave you with a paragraph from a speech that Frederick Douglass delivered on July 5, 1852, entitled, What to the Slave is the 4th of July?
“What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.”
If you would like to have a reflection considered for publication, please send your writing to Bp. Tony Green at revtonygreen@gmail.com
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A reflection by Mary Desantis – St. John of God Parish CACINA
If you would like to have a reflection considered for publication, please send your writing to Bp. Tony Green at revtonygreen@gmail.com
Ordinary Time
A reflection by Mary Desantis – St. John of God Parish CACINA
The word TIME can be a topic of reflection all on its own. For example: What is it? How is it used? How does it impact life? How do we view it? All are valid ways of reflecting on time. My reflection today has been influenced by the Liturgical Calendar, which in the Catholic Tradition is used throughout a year to refer to different liturgical periods. Presently the liturgical season being observed is called “Ordinary Time”. Only a few major feasts occur in this liturgical season in contrast to other seasons of the Church Year like Advent, Christmas, Easter, etc. This is what is particular to Ordinary Time.
However, Ordinary Time it is NOT! Not in our society today! Not within our everyday lives currently being reflected in our culture. This is a time of deep division, civil unrest, frustration, deaths occurring in our streets, total disregard for human life, etc. Coupled with this is a health pandemic the wake of which has not been experienced before in our country. And we are told by scientific data that it is not over by any means as others might have us think. Most want to see it contained if not eradicated all together. Too many lives have been lost to death and/or changed forever by this beastly virus. Ordinary Time it is not.
In the midst of all this suffering, where is God? Where God always is: right in the struggle with us. Does God have a message for humanity as we endure the trauma of this time? No matter what takes place in human life God always has a message. No different now, here in this time than in other times. Part of the message always is that God continues to be among us, continually loving us because God is Love. However, another part of the message from God always contains an expectation of us. What might that be in these dark times?
Perhaps it is to be light for the world, to be salt for the earth, to take a stand against evil, to speak out against injustice, to show compassion. LISTEN to one another. Really Listen. Learn from one another. “Work” together, side-by-side sharing your talents and resources in building a future far better than the present for everyone. We are in grave circumstances that threaten the very life of the soul of humankind and this country.
By no means is this Ordinary Time. But we can make it a productive time, a cohesive time. A time we can right the wrongs of history, set a new course that is an all-inclusive one, bury the division among us, quit the blaming and move forward. Not an ordinary nor an easy task but one that is very much doable. The next generation deserves no less a legacy from us.
Amen
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A reflection by Mike Ellis – CACINA Seminarian
If you would like to have a reflection considered for publication, please send your writing to Bp. Tony Green at revtonygreen@gmail.com
A Conversation With Jesus
A reflection by Mike Ellis – CACINA Seminarian
“So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak . . . the man touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled . . .Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God . . .’ ” Genesis 32:24-25,28 (NIV)
It had been one of those conversations that just goes on and on. You think you’re done with it, and then, discovering there’s another piece of it, something left unsaid, unprocessed and unredeemed, it resurfaces, intruding on your day, your mind, your heart, and your relationship.
In my case, it was further complicated because this was a conversation I was having, or at least attempting to have, with Jesus. And it seemed it just wouldn’t end. Either he or I just couldn’t let go of it and move on. Not yet, anyway.
Finally, exhausted and depressed, I gave up. “Ok Lord, I’ll apologize to her.”, I said. “Even though my intentions were good – you’re my witness – and she clearly overreacted, threatening to quit our volunteer group because either what I said or the way I said it hurt her feelings (how childish!), I’ll bite the bullet, be the bigger person, and somehow find some way of apologizing to her that doesn’t offend my own sense of integrity. Now can we just move on?”
But still it didn’t work. He wasn’t having it. And all my sincere pleas for him to quiet my unrest, to grant me peace, and to “return to me the joy of my salvation”, seemed to fall flat. He wouldn’t let it be. He wouldn’t let me be.
I was Christ-haunted.
I had experienced Jesus this way before. It usually started with some realization of vulnerability on my part, and, when that was not easily or readily processed by me, it progressed to anxiety. It was then that I would start talking to Jesus about it, and he would usually relieve me of it pretty quickly, sometimes in ways that seemed quite miraculous, both in their method and timing. (I mean, the stories I could tell! Really!)
But every once in awhile, he would respond differently. We’d go deeper, both into my brokenness and our conversation about my brokenness. And even though I was learning that he would walk with me through it, that we would eventually come out of it (we always had before), and that he would leave me with a deeper sense of belonging to him, I have to say I actually dreaded those times. They were hard on me, mostly because I wasn’t actually sure I would come out of it.
This was one of those times, and it went on and on.
It ended, finally, with this exchange:
Him: “Forget, forgive, love and laugh.”
Me: “I’ll try.”
Him: “Don’t let anything that anybody does to you change the way you treat them. Love everybody I send your way.”
Me: “I honestly don’t know how to do that. I just don’t feel that way towards everybody.”
Him: “Then treat them as you would treat me.”
Me: “Ok. . . That helps. . . (long pause) But they don’t always act like you.”
Him : “I know. . . (equally long pause) Will you just do this for me?”
Me: (heart-pierced) “For you? Yes.”
(then, after a very long pause) . . . “I can be pompous sometimes.”
Him: (silence)
Me: “This apology, it’s . . .”
Him: “ . . .my way of keeping you close to me.”
Me: (suddenly tearful) “. . . your way of keeping me close to you.”
“Israel is the name of everyone who has been made lame by God.” Elie Wiesel
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Reflection by Bp Tony Green Pastor of Saint John of God Mission (near Albany NY)
If you would like to have a reflection considered for publication, please send your writing to Bp. Tony Green at revtonygreen@gmail.com
Dear God,
Thank you for creating all of humanity in your image; all of your creation you have called good – each and every unique, colorful human being. (Genesis 1:27-31)
Humanity has not lived up to the great responsibility you gave us to care for your creation – particularly the care of and for one another, God. We have become arrogant, jealous, egocentric, racist, judgmental, inconsiderate, hateful, sexist, homophobic, and too often only care for ourselves. Yes – God – we know we are our brother’s and our sister’s keeper, but we have failed. (Genesis 4:9-10)
Help us, Lord. Help us to do as the Prophet Micah spoke: “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8)
You sent your son, Jesus, O God, to redeem us through his life, death, and resurrection. We pray we will strive to live out his greatest commandment to love you with all our heart, mind, and soul – and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-38)
Lord, help us to find a way to listen more than we speak – love more than we hate – learn more than we judge – create more than we destroy – and exhibit strength and unity in faith as we face the evil of racism and oppression that has divided. (Galatians 3:27-28)
Dear God – indeed, faith without works is dead. Help us to put our faith into action as we preach the Good News of Jesus, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sigh to the blind, and release to the oppressed. (James 2:17 – Luke 4:18)
Make us instruments of your peace, O Lord, that we will do your will and act in the image of Christ as we seek to end societal prejudice and bigotry, systemic racism, and the horrors inflicted on people of color.
We pray for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and all who have died from inhumane and racist actions from individuals appointed to protect and serve as police officers.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
They kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory now and forever.
Amen.
Prayer written by: Bishop Tony Green
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A reflection from the Saint Charles of Brazil Parish
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Reflection written by Alice Jo Weaver – St. Charles of Brazil Parish
The Gift of Abundance
As this pandemic extends into yet another month, it is easy to slip into boredom, despair, depression, even for the most optimistic among us. Embracing the gift of God’s abundance becomes an intentional exercise in living in an awareness of the present moment. God’s Kingdom is a place of abundance where every generous act overflows its original bounds and becomes part of the unbounded grace of God at work in the World. (Henri JM Nouwen)
In my purpose driven life, it is important for me to look beyond my frustrations and focus instead on the inventive sharing of the gift of my abundance with the greater community. Early on I found purpose and a new “routine” by making masks and offering them to family, friends, and ultimately in weekly donations to a local hospital. Materials for the masks are in great demand and difficult to find. As a quilter I tapped into my abundance of scrap fabric and elastic to produce masks to help keep those in the greater community safe.
Recently, encouraged by an e-mail invitation from Bishop Tony to a Zoom gathering for “praying and sharing”, I tuned in to the session facilitated by Mother Monica Kennedy. She focused our attention on abundance during these unprecedented times. In the days following this Zoom event my thoughts kept returning to the word “abundance”. Prayer and reflection opened my eyes to other resourceful gifts of abundance. For example, the Abundance of thoughtfulness as reflected through the Parish Life Ministry at St. Charles of Brazil. Since the pandemic keeps us physically separated from our faith community, this Ministry actively seeks ways to reach out in ways that serve practical, basic needs; spiritual enrichment; and lighthearted, socially-distanced events. Through a phone tree, we learned of the need for short-term assistance from several of our parishioners. We worked together to assist and empower them towards satisfactory resolutions to these challenges. In addition, St. Charles offers an abundance of outreach via virtual fellowship offered after live-streaming Sunday Mass which enables our parish family to continue to know and stay connected to one another in a different way.
In an abundance of creativity, the Parish Life Ministry offered a Zoom Coronavirus Bingo (complete with white elephant prizes). We also delivered Summer Solstice gift bags to every family, each containing a Blessing Jar. Families were encouraged to fill these jars with written acknowledgements of the abundance of God’s blessings.
An abundance of faithfulness is evident as we continue the Lectio Divina series on the first three Mondays of each month. These evenings encourage us to Read (Lectio) Reflect (Meditatio) Respond (Oratio) and Rest (Contemplatio) using the Sunday Gospel. We pray and reflect on the impact of God’s Words in these Scripture passages and the personal messages each participant hears in his/her heart.
The activities cited go a long way in strengthening our sense of a loving and supportive family community despite pandemic restrictions. These unprecedented times may have turned our lives upside down for right now but the gift of God’s abundance challenges and empowers us to carry on in our mission of service to others and to spread God’s love whenever and wherever we can. God has no hands but ours.
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 1Cor. 9:6-7
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A reflection from CACINA Seminarian Mike Ellis
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Reflection written by Mike Ellis – CACINA Seminarian
“Love is patient, love is kind. . . Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4, 8 (NIV)
When I first entered Helen and Tom’s lives some time ago, it was during a time of crisis. As a chaplain for a local hospice organization, I had received a referral to make a call on them. In keeping with accepted practice, I had familiarized myself with their situation, or “case”, by reading the notes of various medical, social work, and related professionals involved in Helen’s care. I knew, for instance, that Helen had been ill for some time with multiple debilitating diagnoses, and that even with the various services she was receiving, she was still largely dependent for all her daily needs on the constant care and attention of her husband Tom, who was determined to keep her at home. And I knew that Tom was no spring chicken.
And so, as I prepared myself to meet them, driving up to their house, parking in their steep driveway, making sure the emergency brake was on before I got out, and slowly making my way up the steps to their front door, I said a prayer, asking God to help me help this couple who, according to everything I had read, was surely in crisis.
But the notes did not, and could not, prepare me for what I encountered when I entered their home. For within fifteen minutes of meeting them, I realized that what I had actually entered was a love story.
I saw it all around me: in the comfortable, cozy, welcoming informality of their home; in the simple furnishings that reflected a shared lifetime together; and, yes, in the many beautiful and thoughtfully crafted handmade quilts displayed with care on their walls.
But most especially, and unmistakably, in their interactions with each other. For although by the time I met her Helen was largely immobile and nonverbal, she was not relegated to a bedroom, a “sickroom”, in the back of the house. Oh no. Instead, she was established in her recliner in the living room, where she and Tom could share each other’s company. And the really interesting thing about it was, in all the many hours I would subsequently spend with them over the next few months, I don’t think she ever took her eyes off of him. And he, for his part, still clearly delighted in her company.
And sometimes Tom, in telling me about their past exploits on quilting trips, motorcycle rides, and snowmobile adventures, would look at Helen, make a lovingly funny comment about the two of them, and then turn to me and say, “Look, she’s laughing.”
I confess I never quite saw what Tom did. And that’s the whole point.
You see, those were private moments between two people who, despite the intrusiveness of illness and well-intentioned strangers, could still recognize, claim, and celebrate space they reserved for themselves alone. Space only they could see and enter. Intimate space. Holy space.
Where do people learn to love like that? Where did they?
To no one’s surprise, in time, Helen died. Which means I don’t make as many trips as I once did to that house with the steep driveway, taking care that the parking brake is on before I amble up those stairs to the front door.
But that’s ok.
They’re not in crisis anymore.
They never were.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthinas 13:3 (NIV)
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