Neumann News-Weekly Bulletin
March 7 , 2010 --
Water the sage
A great teacher was renowned for his wisdom and insight. People would travel great distances to meet and talk with him. He was most generous in sharing what he had discerned from his many years of prayer and learning. One of his students asked him who had been his greatest teacher.
The old Sage’s surprising response: Water. Water, he explained, is yielding but all-conquering. Water extinguishes fire, or, finding itself defeated by flame, escapes as steam and re-forms as Water. Water washes away soft Earth, or, when confronted by Rock, seeks a way around it. Water corrodes Iron till it crumbles to dust; it saturates the atmosphere so that Wind dies. Water gives way to obstacles with deceptive humility, for no power can prevent it following its destined course to the sea. Water conquers by yielding; it never attacks but always wins the last battle.
The Sage said to the student that whoever makes himself like Water is distinguished for his humility; the student of Water embraces the power of righteousness and the way of peace; the discipline of Water acts from a place of thoughtful stillness and conquers the world. (Adapted from Tao Cheng.)
Water is a parable for those who would be a disciple of Jesus: humble in service to others and giving one’s self totally and completely to nurture and sustain the tiniest spark of life, we ultimately triumph in our conviction of the certainty of the reign of God.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of himself as “life-giving water . . . a fountain welling up (within you) to eternal life.” May we drink from the “water” that is Christ, satisfying our thirst for meaning and purpose, for hope and resurrection—and may we become water for those thirsting for those same things and for a world parched by strife and division and drained of compassion and justice.
Please keep me in your prayers and be assured of my prayers for all of you and your family.
Peace,
Fr. Steve
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 We offer our sympathy to the family of Jerome L. Bauer, Jr. who recently went to be with the Lord. He is the brother of Mary Pat Stahl. Please remember to keep the Bauer and Stahl families in your prayers.
St. Vincent DePaul Bundle Sunday
Please mark your calendars for March 20 and 21. On that weekend, we will have a truck from St. Vincent de Paul to collect household items and gently-used clothing at all the Masses. This is one way that we can use the gifts and fruits of the Spirit to build up the kingdom of God here on earth and help make a difference in our community. Thank you for your generosity.
Lenten Fish Fry
 All Fridays during Lent, we invite you to stop by Daniel Hall between 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for our Fish Fry. Come and break bread with us before or after the 6:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross. Our Fish Fry is sponsored by the St. John Neumann Men’s Society. Carry out is available.
Chris and Janeen from WGRR will be broadcasting live from the fish fry on March 12th from 5 to 6:30. Please come and show your support for our fish fry, and for St. John Neumann.
Scouting For Food – The SJN chartered Cub Scouts of Pack 929 will be conducting their Scouting For Food drive this March. Please pick up a grocery bag after any Mass this weekend and bring it back full of items to any Mass next weekend. All donations will be going to the Corpus Christi food pantry. In these tough economic times the need is greater than ever. Your support is much appreciated.
Pastoral Area Lenten Almsgiving Collection
Almsgiving means to give to those in need from what is saved through the discipline of fasting and abstinence, or from one’s surplus. This year our pastoral area has agreed that we will collect “alms” to share with those in need in our parish communities. The funds collected at our soup suppers and from what you set aside during Lent will be shared equally with the outreach ministries at St. John the Baptist, Corpus Christi and St. John Neumann. With these funds we hope to bring Christ to those in our community and build up the kingdom of God here on earth. For St. John Neumann: The funds collected during Lent will be used to support our Outreach Ministries. Please write a check to St. John Neumann and write “Lenten Almsgiving” in the memo portion for the alms collected during Lent and turn it in to the office on Palm Sunday or during Holy Week. Thank you for your support and generosity.
Lunch with the Lord
On Thursdays during Lent, we are having “Lunch with the Lord” in the Youth Room. Our topic for these lunches will be a bible study on the Book of Job. Please bring a sack lunch, drinks will be provided.
Lenten Soup Supper & Prayer
The Pastoral Area invites everyone to celebrate with us this Wednesday, March 10 at 6:00 p.m. for a Soup Supper in Daniel Hall. This simple meal will be followed by a wonderful Lenten evening of song, prayer and reflection in the Nave at 7:00 p.m. The theme for the evening is salvation and covenant. Nick Cardilino, a campus minister at the University of Dayton, will be leading our evening. We hope you can celebrate with us.
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Stations of the Cross
Traditionally, the Lenten devotions in parish churches have drawn attention to the suffering and death of Jesus. The most popular one is known as the Stations of the Cross. In the history of the church pilgrims would journey to the Holy Land to walk in the footsteps of Jesus to Calvary. When this became too dangerous, a substitute pilgrimage, the Stations of the Cross, became a popular outdoor devotion throughout Europe. In the 18th century Pope Clement XII fixed the number of stations at 14 and in the mid-18th century Stations were allowed inside churches. In the mid-20th century, it became popular to add a fifteenth Station representing the end of the journey: the resurrection of Jesus. During Lent we will pray the Stations on Friday at 6:00 p.m. We invite you to come and pray with us as we walk with Jesus on the way to Calvary.
LITURGICAL LIFE
Tuesday, March 9
8:30 a.m. + Robert Hudepohl
Wednesday, March 10
8:30 a.m. + Bill Mason
Thursday, March 11
8:30 a.m. + Ed Lemming
Friday, March 12
8:30 a.m. + Rose McBride
Saturday, March 13
5:00 p.m. For the Parish
Sunday, March 14
9:00 a.m. + Frank Arszman
11:00 a.m.+ Matta Nguyen
Readings for the
Weekend of March 13 & 14
First Reading: Samuel 16:1b,6-7,10-13a
Second Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14
Gospel: John 9:1-41
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Upcoming Sacramental Preparation
March 8 First Communion Preparation 6:00 – 7:00 pm
March 13 First Communion Pictures 9:30 am - Individual Pictures
March 15 First Communion Preparation 6:00 – 7:00 pm
March 20 Confirmation Retreat 10:30 am – 3:30 pm Corpus Christi Undercroft
(Confirmation candidate only needs to attend one of these retreat days.)
CALLING ALL BAKERS!
BAKED GOODS NEEDED FOR THE FISH FRIES!
 We need kind people to help youth ministry by making and donating baked goods for each of the six Fish Fries. The money raised at the Fish Fry Bake Sale goes towards youth ministry programs such as retreats and mission trip. Call (742-0953 x 11) or email Elizabeth (emontgomery@isoc.net) if you can help in any way.
A THOUGHT FOR ALL TEENS:
We gather together in worship, not to "refuel" lives devoid of grace, but because we need to celebrate all the grace-filled moments in our lives.
Our liturgies — our acts of worship — are symbolic expressions of what theologian Karl Rahner called "the liturgy of the world." The experience of God is primarily to be found in the midst of ordinary life — in our experiences of hope and doubt, responsibility, love and death. We gather at Eucharist to be challenged to deeper awareness of what God is doing in our lives, in this world, all week long.
ARE YOU ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT INTERESTED IN
GOING ON A MISSION TRIP?
We will have an Informational Meeting for our Young Neighbors In Action Mission Trip this summer. The meeting will be offered at two different times. The first time will be on Monday March 22nd at 7:00 pm in the Youth Room. The second will be on Sunday Mar. 28th at 10:00 am in the Youth Room. The trip is to Detroit from June 20-26th. Any high school youth and a parent are invited to attend to hear more details about this wonderful experience.
Opportunities for Prayer and Growth During Lent
On the Wednesdays during Lent we will gather for a soup supper and prayer.
The schedule is as follows:
March 10 St. John Neumann Lenten Evening of Prayer,
Reflection and Song
March 17 St. John the Baptist Evening Prayer
We hope to see you there as we receive nourishment for body and soul. Soup supper starts at 6:00 p.m. and prayer starts at 7:00 p.m.
Grateful to God for many blessings
Eager to care for our parish
Aware of our responsibilities to
Needy neighbors everywhere
Our Sunday Offering
OUTREACH TO THE NEEDY
(5% of every Sunday collection)
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CATHOLIC MINISTRIES APPEAL
This is Catholic Ministries Appeal Commitment Weekend. We, like all parishes throughout our Archdiocese, will be asking parishioners to return the pledge card they received in the mail this week. We are asking every household to participate by making a pledge. Please know that your participation matters and will make a difference. St. John Neumann's goal for 2010 is $24,988.
CMA is a once-a-year request fir your help in supporting six specific ministries in the Archdiocese. Please see the pledge packets in the poster displays in the Gathering Space to learn more and to obtain a pledge form if you did not receive one in the mail. Also, for more information, please visit www.catholicappeal.info.
If you would like to receive a statement of your 2009 contributions to St. John Neumann Parish please call the parish office at 742-0953.
2010 Lenten Reconciliation Services
Our Lady of the Rosary Monday, March 8, 7:00 p.m.
St. Bartholomew Tuesday, March 16, 7:00 p.m.
St John Neumann, Corpus Christi, and St. John the Baptist
Saturday, March 20, 10:00 a.m. @ SJN
Wednesday, March 24, 7:00 p.m. @ SJB
WEEKLY CALENDAR
Monday, March 8
3:00 p.m. RCIC- YR
6:00 p.m. First Communion Prep - DH
7:00 p.m. RCIA - YR
Tuesday, March 9
8:10a.m. Recitation of the Rosary – OLC
7:00 p.m. Baptism Prep - OLC
Wednesday, March 10
8:10 a.m. Recitation of the Rosary – OLC
6:00 p.m. Soup Supper – DH
7:00 p.m. Evening of Song, Prayer, Reflection - Nave
Thursday, March 11
8:10 a.m. Recitation of the Rosary – OLC
Noon - Lunch with the Lord - YR
6:00 p.m. Holy Hour – OLC
6:30 p.m. Men’s Society - DH
Friday, March 12
8:10 a.m. Recitation of the Rosary - OLC
5:00 p.m. Lenten Fish Fry – DH
6:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross - Nave
Saturday, March 13
10:00 a.m. First Communion Pictures - Nave
11:00 a.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry – Ed Cntr & Aud.
3:00 p.m. Music Ministry - Nave
4:00 p.m. Reconciliation
Scouting for Food Collection
Sunday, March 14
Scouting For Food Collection
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PRIMETIMERS AND ST. PATRICK
“When Irish Eyes are Smiling”
The Primetimers will be gathering on March 17 at 11:30 a.m. in Daniel Hall for a special lunch from the Emerald Isle. Cost is $11.00. Please make your paid reservations by Monday, March 15 to Billie E. Top o the morning to ya! (-and the rest of the day too!)
2010 Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass
Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 2:00 p.m., Archbishop Schnurr will be the principal celebrant at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral for our annual Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass.
Couples celebrating their Golden or Silver Wedding Anniversary during 2010 should notify the parish office by March 5, 2010. Please call Rosie at 742-0953.
Pastoral Counseling Services are available through St. John the Baptist and Corpus Christi parishes by a certified degreed Pastoral Counselor, Sr. Jane Frey, OSF, LPC. Call 923-4241, Monday – Friday between 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Hours are by appointment.
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY NEWS
AN OPEN INVITATION TO ALL TEENS!!!!!! We’d love to have you join our group and help to make Prayer Shawls. If you want to learn how to knit or crochet I will be glad to help you. Please call me, Cetta Romer, at 860-3757.
Our next meeting is March 12, 11 a.m. in the Auditorium (behind Daniel Hall) and the collection of yarn and money for our ministry is also the second weekend of March. Two black mesh hampers will be in the atrium for your donations. Thank you all for helping us!!!!!
Merch Booth 2010
March-Spring Fling-anything spring, this includes kitchen textiles (bright tablecloths, place mats, towels/oven mitts, kids games-kites, kids dvd's/cd's preschool/elementary, "Easter basket items" jump ropes, small toys, no candy please), baby items, dolls, infant toys, etc.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL DONATION ITEMS MUST BE TURNED IN BY FRIDAY JULY 30, 2010. ANY ITEMS DONATED AFTER WILL BE HELD OVER FOR FESTIVAL 2011. THIS WILL ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME TO PREPARE THE GIFT BOXES FOR THE FESTIVAL. YOUR COOPERATION ON THIS MATTER IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU, GAIL U.
St. John Neumann Women’s Organization Mystery Trip
Saturday, April 17
All Women are invited - Dinner and Transportation Included
Members - $23.00 Non-members - $28.00
RSVP by March 17 with Shelly W or Linda S
Meet in the south lot St. John Neumann Church at 4:16 p.m.
Shopping Cent$ News - We are back to our schedule of following the Coffee and Donuts schedule. Mark your calendars for upcoming Shopping Cent$ dates: March 20 & 21. On Saturdays after 5:00 mass, you can find us in the Usher’s Room, at the back of church and on Sundays you can find us near the donuts in Daniel Hall.
Parish Mission Trip - Space is still available for our parish mission trip to Mexico with Back2Back Ministries. All adults, and children with adult chaperones, are invited to join us from July 10th – 17th. For more information please contact Neal G or visit the Back2Back website @ www.backwbackministries.org.
Triple Creek Retirement Community will have an Educational Series for Senior Living, on Thursday, March 11th from 2:00 to 3:30. Dan Matevia with Mass Mutual will speak on "Long Term Care Myths and Realities." Desserts will be provided following the presentation. For more information about the event and to RSVP please contact Donna Reenan at 284-5759.
Thank you!!!
Donna
Please join us!
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