WHEAT AND WEEDS

The disciples want to pull all of the weeds out of the Kingdom. That means everyone who doesn’t agree with them, of course. Every group has to set some limits on membership in order to maintain identity, but some members just like a neat garden. The scribes did not like Jesus letting prostitutes and tax collectors into their perfect little kingdom. But if they eliminated taxes, there would be no roads or bridges. Everyone wants to do away with all lawyers, but without law, society would plunge into chaos.

Through the centuries, different Christians have wanted to eliminate members for their heretical views. That sounds like a great way to keep the faith pure. But the word “heresy” means “choice,” and one person’s truth is another person’s error. Many heretics have later been proven correct. Differing opinions help keep the orthodox honest.

If the church and world are too intertwined to weed, let’s see what weeds might be pulled out of our secular world. How about members of the Democratic Party who support abortion and gay rights? But if we throw the rascals out, we would lose their passion for civil rights, welfare and education. So, why not throw some Republicans out? Because we might lose their sense of private responsibility and common decency. Politics is blue and red only on a map; in real life, it is a blend of purple.

Our own modern church is unpleasantly divided between conservative and liberal factions. We could go back to Latin in order to save our linguistic heritage, but it is nice to know what we are praying for. We could make the sanctuary holy with a Communion rail, but that would separate the church between us and them. Let’s ask the bishops what to do. They are our ordained leaders. Except that many people want to weed some of them out for lack of oversight and accountability.

So, maybe Jesus was right in letting the weeds grow along with the wheat. That doesn’t mean that he approved of weeds or preferred a messy plot. It is just that he understood the difficulty of telling an unhealthy person from a healthy person. He also had that idealist’s hope that even a weed might evolve into a wheat stalk, given enough time. So, let’s go with tax collectors and prostitutes. Not just because they are more fun, but because Jesus told us that they would enter the Kingdom first.

PARISH MEMBERSHIPS

Sick: Michael Fedorak, Michael McCaughey, Phyllis Fulton, Andrew McCaughey, Melanie Solano, Quinn Michael, Janet Paroo, Cara Powell, Daniel Sullivan, June Platz, Francis Walsh, Barbara Watson, Mary Sheridan, Sandra Shippen, Christopher Toth, Mary Barone, Anthony Mercanti, May Boyes, Dorothy Kenny, Emma P. Stigliano, Phil Falcone, Delores Morchulski, Bernard Morchulski, Jim McCaskey, Sharon Fedak, Michael McGee, Sr., Tracey Fearow, Elizabeth Sutton, John Mulqueen and Rita Ryder.

Deceased: We pray for the happy repose of the souls of Mary Ann Hughes, George Francis Moesel and all the faithful departed and for the consolation of their families.

H.O.P.E.

If you need a trip to the doctor, Mass, shopping, etc., call Marie Malloy at 610-525-8805 or Mary Downie at 610-527-1726.

SENIOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Our Senior Community members will meet once again of Friday, July 25 at 12 noon in the Social Center of the school building. Please bring a sandwich with you or whatever you eat for lunch. Beverages and desserts will be provided. Today, we will enjoy a variety of mind-challenging games, such as Scrabble, Pinochle or Bingo.

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE for July 13, 2008

Good stewards in a parish are like the yeast in today’s Gospel. Their selfless gifts of time and talent help the parish grow and thrive, and their example inspires others to become good stewards, too.

Registered Households..........................................1055 
Envelope Contributions.................................$8,653.00 
Loose Contributions..........................................$729.00 
Mailed in.........................................................$4,146.00 
Total Offertory Collection............................$13,528.00 
Offering this time last year............................$12,761.00

R.C.I.A. TEAM MEETING

The RCIA Team will meet on Wednesday evening, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Center to being planning for our parish’s welcoming of new candidates into the process of coming to a deeper relationship with Christ and a fuller knowledge of the Catholic Church.

EVENING OF RETREAT

The Bridge of Faith Committee of Our Mother of Good Counsel, St. Thomas of Villanova and Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is sponsoring an Evening of Retreat to which our parishioners are invited.

ROOM NEEDED

A 20-year old female second year student at Villanova University needs free housing from Monday through Friday near campus. She is Catholic and fluent in English. She is attending Villanova on a scholarship but housing is not included. At present, she commutes 30 miles each way to Glenmoore, PA where her family is residing. If she lived closer to campus or near the Villanova Krapf bus route (Wayne to Haverford), she would be able to participate more fully in campus life.

Her presence in your household will enrich your family’s cultural experience. It will also give you the opportunity to assist a member of the Catholic Iraqi population which has been so persecuted and affected by the violence between extremist members of conflictual sects. The Catholic population in Middle-Eastern war-torn areas has suffered immeasurable losses. Providing housing for an Iraqi asylee is a much needed answer to the call to discipleship to provide hospitality and solidarity to those displaced by war and violence.

Please contact Joe Betz at 610-525-4499 or Sr. Anne at 610-525-0147 if you want more information or feel that you are being called to offer this hospitality.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE 
Training Session at St. Thomas Parish

Become a Volunteer Tutor of English. Join us for an Information night Thursday, August 7 at 7:00 p.m. St. Thomas of Villanova Parish Center In Rosemont

What is required of a tutor? A 3-hour training course and a 3-hour per week tutoring session with a client at a location convenient for both parties. Questions? Call Anne Murphy at STV Parish Center -610-525-4801 or email stvservice@verizon.net .

Flyers with more information are available on the table in the back of Church.

CRAFT SHOW

A craft show will be held here at OMGC in the gym on Sat., July 26^th from 9AM to 2PM. Tickets are $5.00 and proceeds will benefit the Interfaith Hospitality Network. Win a Phila. Soul Helmet autographed by Jon Bon Jovi and a football autographed by the Soul players. Free prizes and great crafts. Spaces are still available. Call 215-878-5223. Come! Have fun!

REL. ED. REGISTRATION

To receive registration forms for our Sunday Religious Education Program and for Sacrament preparation, call Pat Currie at the Parish Office at 610-525-0147, ext. 229. THE TIME IS NOW so that we have enough catechists and materials when classes begin in mid-September.

ST. KATHERINE DAY SCHOOL Job Opening

Secretary needed to start at the end of August, 2008. Qualified person needed to work in the office at St. Katherine Day School from mid-August until the end of June. Responsibilities include, but not limited to, answering phones, greeting visitors, scheduling appointments, doing school reports including attendance and busing reports, financial reports, etc. The hours are Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

THANK YOU

On behalf of the Patrician Society Board of Directors, staff and volunteers, I thank you and the parishioners at Our Mother of Good Counsel for your ongoing food donations to the Patrician Society Emergency Food Cupboard, located in St. Patrick’s Church in Norristown. Your kindness and generosity makes a difference in our being able to assist those who are less fortunate.

EUCHARISTIC HEALING MASS

This Healing Mass will take place at St. Katharine of Siena Church in Wayne on Thursday, July 24 at 7:30 p.m. Fr. Rayford Emmons will be the presider. Come with an openness to receive God’s special blessings. For more information, call Paul Hayes at 610-687-8835.

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION

For centuries, the only Eucharistic Prayer we heard as Western Catholics was the old Roman Canon, usually recited in a low voice by the priest, in Latin. By the 1940s, many Catholics were learning to follow along with the actions of the priest by means of a bilingual missal, with Latin on one side and English on the other. Drawings of the priest’s position at the altar, moving from one side to the other, or bowing or standing with uplifted hands at the center, helped the readers stay on track.

The Roman Canon is a long prayer, and since it was done every day for every occasion, priests had a way of galloping through it. Even though long, its structure is fairly simple, with the consecration and sacrifice clearly marked out. Sadly, this surviving prayer had triumphed over many treasures of our tradition that emphasized other dimensions of Eucharist. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy in 1963 did not call directly for new Eucharistic Prayers, but that direction was inevitable. Discussion began almost immediately, and by 1967 the Vatican approved three new Eucharistic Prayers. In 1974, the Congregation for Worship unveiled the experiment of two Eucharistic Prayers for Masses of Reconciliation, and three for Masses with Children. At last, a period of creativity and enrichment had begun.

—Rev. James Field, © Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.

SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES

Sunday: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Monday: St. Lawrence of Brindisi Tuesday: St. Mary Magdalene Wednesday: St. Bridget of Sweden Thursday: St. Sharbel Makhluf Friday: St. James Saturday: Ss. Joachim and Anne

 Mass Intentions