Synod of Bishops

Synod of Bishops
Today begins a three week Synod of Bishops. Let us keep the bishops and our Church in our prayers especially as our bishops discuss the Eucharist, who can receive the Eucharist, our clergy shortage - which includes the celibacy issue - and so much more.

Perhaps we can all make a personal commitment to add a prayer at noon each day for the Synod and pray that the bishops remain grounded in the Gospel and that the Holy Spirit will bring to the bishops the gifts of wisdom, courage and strength.
~a fellow parishioner

Respect Life Sunday
I was glancing through this week's Holy Spirit Parish bulletin and remembering how it used to be. It used to be quite varied, with notices of the 100+ ministries that we used to have, diverse parish activities, a Peace & Justice thought for the week, and Fr. Jerry's excellent reflections on the Bible readings for Sunday, among other jewels. I looked forward to reading the bulletin.

Now the bulletin is so banal and homogeneous, which is understandable because every word must be approved by our thoroughly banal pastor. It is now basically about trite prayers and not much else, as if rote prayer is all that Jesus did and wants us to do. Make no mistake about it, if Jesus had only prayed and not acted we would not be saved.

One thing caught my eye this week, and I wish to comment on it. We are asked to collect items for soldiers overseas. The items are quite basic: food, soap, toothpaste, and insect repellant. In the gathering space are set up two baskets for these items. There is also a basket for the poor, but it is not mentioned in the bulletin. When I saw it, the military baskets contained about twice as much as the poor basket.

I am all for supporting the troops, having a son who was in Iraq for the better part of a year, but I wonder why the military cannot provide these items? Over half of our income taxes go to the military; why must we beg on their behalf? I would much rather see a petition in the gathering space addressed to the president and signed by all parishioners demanding that our troops come home now, and collect more food and other items for the poor who are being neglected by our government!

As Fr. Rene said today at the 12:30 mass, the Church does not support the war in Iraq and good Catholics must oppose it. It is a violation of the right to life that we are concentrating on today, "Respect Life Sunday." But what are we doing about it? Hail Marys are great, but God wants us to act also and demand an end to this war!
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-A good Catholic parishioner who prays and supports all Right to Life efforts in the Catholic Church and supports the troops by wanting them home now!



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