Announcements: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, here are a few annoncements:

Gospel: Below is a copy of the homily for this coming Sunday. The Gospel is about a very short speech that changed the world. The length of the speech is 38 words. Long is not always good. It takes more time and thought to write a short, focused speech with a clear and memorable message that people remember. It is not that difficult to ramble on for fifteen or twenty minutes about everything and anything. By the way, the Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was only 250 words and it changed the history of the United States.

Visitor: The editor of the Catholic Anchor, Joel Davidson, will be at Mass this Sunday. We have a few trips planned, i.e. Ugashik, Koliganek, Clarks Point, Ekuk, and King Salmon. Depending on the weather, we hope to get to at least a couple of these villages.

Potluck: This Sunday is Potluck Sunday. Please bring your favorite dish and visit with the Editor of the Catholic Anchor, Joel Davidson.

AMEN: Amen means, “It is True.” When we go up for communion and say Amen, we are acknowledging that the bread has actually changed to the Body of Christ. Let us start saying Amen with meaning, after all, “IT IS TRUE!”

Have a fantastic week and see you Sunday…Fr. Scott

17th Ord C DLG 2010, Genesis 18:20-32; Colossians 2:12-14; Luke 11:1-13

Homily: Short Speeches

One of the family heirlooms that has been past down from generation to generation to me is an old Rocking Chair. As the story goes my great great-great-great grandpa Shirtcliff was good friends with Abraham Lincoln. That’s right, THE Abe Lincoln. Occasionally Lincoln would visit Great Grandpa Shirtcliff. And guess where his favorite seat was? It was in my old rocking chair.

Lincoln was known for his short, 250 word Gettysburg address. The man before Lincoln spoke over an hour. Today, no one remembers that hour long speech. By contrast, Lincolns two and one half minute speech changed the history of the United States and the mentality of the Western world.

As far as preaching goes, I believe that no matter how good a speaker you are a homily during mass should not be over about seven or eight minutes. I shoot for about 550 words or five minutes.

There is another speech that was only 38 words. I suspect that the impact it had on the world will never be matched, ever. That speech is called the Our Father, or Lord’s Prayer. Jesus spoke it to his disciples to teach them how to pray.

Those 38 words give us a road map to live by. They unite us as one body of Christ. Luke’s Gospel, written fifty years after the death of Jesus, contains six major themes. Most of those themes are contained in the Lord’s Prayer. They are prayer, hospitality, compassion, forgiveness, the common life, and care for the outsider.

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer it is like logging on to the internet. It hotwires us directly to God. The Lord’s Prayer connects us to God. Through this connection we develop our relationship with God and learn to communicate with Him. Do you know what it means to “live as a person of faith?” It means to be connected to Jesus, communicate, and develop a relationship with God. We do that, and we live as people of faith.

The greatest thing about the Lord’s Prayer is that it is the only time Jesus actually taught us how to pray. It came directly from him.

One effective way to combat sin and temptation in our lives is to recite the Our Father. Try making that first thought into your mind in the morning…and the last thought at night…the Our Father. When bad thoughts enter your mind…try interrupting it with that beautiful prayer that Jesus Gave us…It works.

The Our Father is the one prayer that our Lord Jesus gave us and instructed us to pray. Reciting it on a regular bases, really listening to it, and trying to abide by it in our daily lives, makes us a holier people (452 Words).

Readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time:

Genesis 18:20-32
Then the LORD said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out." While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham. Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said: "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty, so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?" The LORD replied, "If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Abraham spoke up again: "See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?" "I will not destroy it," he answered, "if I find forty-five there." But Abraham persisted, saying, "What if only forty are found there?" He replied, "I will forebear doing it for the sake of the forty." Then he said, "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?" He replied, "I will forebear doing it if I can find but thirty there." Still he went on, "Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?" "I will not destroy it," he answered, "for the sake of the twenty." But he still persisted: "Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?" "For the sake of those ten," he replied, "I will not destroy it."

Colossians 2:12-14
You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And even when you were dead (in) transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross;

Luke 11:1-13
He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask hi

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth (250 Words)

Announcements: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, here are a few announcements:

Kiera Katarena Tretikoff gets Confirmed: Kiera was Confirmed into the Catholic Church on Sunday, July 11, 2010. Her Uncle Carl (Bill) flew in from Anchorage. He was her sponsor. Carl is recovering from an airplane accident he had last year. Kiera is ten years old and donated her time to the school district to help younger children learn how to swim.

Kiera, Fr. Scott, and Uncle Bill.





Moose Finally Spotted: I have seen moose tracks all over Holy Rosary but was never able to spot the moose. Finally I saw it July 12, 2010.


Thanx Aileen: After Kiera’s confirmation I had to wait for the 400-500 foot ceiling to raise before I could take off from King Salmon. It did not raise in time so once again Aileen Walsh was called from the bench to celebrate a communion service. Thank you very much Aileen!

Gospel: Benedictine Monks are known for their hospitality. The readings today ask us to be hospitable to others. It is a way to love our neighbor. How have you been hospitable to others this past week? How can you be more hospitable in the weeks to come?

Editor to Arrive late: Editor of the Catholic Anchor postponed his trip to Holy Rosary Mission until Friday, July 23rd. He will be here for Sunday Mass that weekend, weather permitting. Also, that is a potluck Sunday.

Potluck: Our next potluck will be Sunday, July25, 2010. Please bring your favorite dish and welcome the Editor of the Catholic Anchor, Joel Davidson.

Youth Group form Anchorage: Thank you to all who helped the youth feel at home here in Dillingham this last week. I am in the process of making a Blog that I should have posted in the next couple of days. When you drive by the Library, please pray for Grass!

Thank you: Thank you to Seminarian Arthur Roraff for helping me with the youth group. He was a tremendous help to me and made my job much easier. He did a great job connecting with the youth!

Have a wonderful week and see you Sunday…Fr. Scott

Announcements: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, here are few announcements:

Youth Visit: The following is an updated schedule for the youth retreat. All are welcome to join us for any and all events. If you cannot make the potluck please bring a dish on Thursday and leave it on the table in the basement of the church. The church will be open.

Holy Rosary Youth Schedule of Events, July 2010
UPDATED July 5, 2010

Monday, July 5th
1. Youth arrive 9:45 and 1:00 on Penair flight, load gear in truck, walk to Holy Rosary
2. Two Vans from Beaver Bed and Breakfast, Susan, 842-7335
3. Fr. Scott Briefing I, Bush Living
4. Set up basement of church and basement of rectory
5. Dillingham tour
6. Dinner, Holy Rosary
7. Pick up Rota tillers: Vic Belleque and Ron Bowers: (907) 528-3711

Tuesday, July 6th
1. Breakfast
2. Adoration: 8:30
3. 9:00 AM Morning Mass at Holy Rosary
4. Community Service: Rota till front of Dillingham Library, fertilize, plant grass, Janice
5. Call Hank for cones: 843-1336
6. 5:00, Dinner, Holy Rosary

Wednesday, July 7th
1. Breakfast
2. 8:30, Adoration before Travel
3. Fr. Scott Briefing II – Flying with VanAir
4. 9:30 AM Visit to Clarks Point and Ekuk (Kara Ingram)
5. 11:30 AM Mass at Saint Peter Fisherman
6. Lunch at Clarks Point
7. Call and confirm Gramma’s (842-4600), Sr. Center (842-1231)
8. 5:00, Dinner, Holy Rosary
9. Dance Lessons: 6 PM to 8 PM, SAFE

Thursday, July 8th
1. 8:30 AM Adoration
2. 10:00 AM Sr. Center, Mass 11:00 AM , Lunch at noon ($4.50 per person)
3. 2:00 to 3:00, Grammas’ House visit, skit, singing, music.
4. 3:30 to 5:30, Peter Pan tour (Sherry, 842-5415)
5. 6:00 PM Pot Luck by Holy Rosary parishioners at basement of Holy Rosary
6. Bon Fire at Harbor following potluck

Friday, July 9th
1. Breakfast
2. 8:00 AM: Confessions at Holy Rosary
3. 9:00 AM Drive out to Lake, 21 Miles, Mountain climb, Fish.
4. 10:00 AM Outdoor Mass at the Lake
5. Check in at Airport, Youth depart at 1:30 and 5:30 PM flights

Arriving: July 5, 2010, 9:45 and 1PM
Departing: July 9, 2010, 1:30 and 5:35 (only 2 on the later flight)

Gospel: The story of the Good Samaritan is a story that touches us all. We have all been faced with the choice to help another or not. Do we give money to a person who has been drinking? Do we pick up a hitchhiker? Do we give a people money when they ask for it? These are questions that I have struggled with all of my life. The Gospel helps to tell us what to do. Stay tuned this Sunday!

Have a wonderful day and hope to see you all this week during the youth retreat…Fr. Scott

Announcements: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, here are a few important announcements:

POTLUCK WEEKDAY: July 8th Holy Rosary will welcome our youth from Anchorage with a potluck at 5:30 at Holy Rosary. Please bring your favorite dish.

Seminarian Visit: This Sunday at Mass Arthur Roraff one of our two seminarians, will be present. Please pray for vocations to priesthood and religious life. Arthur will be arriving Wednesday, June 30 at 5:00 PM and will leave with the Anchorage Youth group on Friday, July 9th.

Catholic Anchor Editor Visit: Joel Davidson, editor for the Catholic Anchor, will be visiting from Thursday, July 8th, to Sunday, July 11. He will be here to get some information for stories he plans to publish in the Anchor.

Pat Durbin Vacation: Pat will be gone for over a month visiting his relatives in the lower 48 and then having a medical check-up in Anchorage afterwards. Please pray for Pat’s travel and safe return.

Gospel: I am hoping to get the Seminarian, Arthur, to do a theological reflection during Mass this Sunday. If not, I will be talking about boasting in the Lord!

Thanx: Thank you Aileen for the communion service Sunday. She always does a wonderful job and with such little notice, i.e. one hour before Mass I called her and told her I would not be able to make it. I was stuck in King Salmon for two days awaiting the 300 foot ceiling and 2 miles visibility to clear up. When it cleared up in King Salmon, Dillingham’s weather went down. It was aggravating to say the least.

Thank you: Thanx to Pat Durbin for tuning up our lawn mower before he left on vacation. He filed things, refilled things, and tuned "er" up!

Have a fantastic week and see you Sunday, weather permitting.

Announcements: 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, here are a few announcements:

Thank you: Thanx to Monika Scott from the finance office in Anchorage for training us on the Logos accounting software. Angie has been using this software for three years and has never been trained. She was able to pick up some helpful hints on how to make her job easier. Monika went back five years and reconciled all of our accounts. Thank you Angie for donating your time this weekend. Monika told me that Angie was one of the best volunteers she has ever worked with because she does things right and learns quickly. Below, Angie Venua is on the left and Monika Scott is on the right.


Visitors: Joel Davidson, editor for the Catholic Anchor, is planning to visit Bristol Bay in the next couple of weeks. Arthur Roraff, seminarian for the Archdiocese of Anchorage, plans to visit around the 4th of July. Also, several youth from Anchorage will be arriving July 5 for a non-electronic community service retreat.

Gospel: The gospel for this weekend tells us that there is no time like the present to change something in our lives. Elisha in the first reading is procrastination. He does not want to accept his call from God. Finally, Elijah gave Elisha and ultimatum…either accept the role of prophet or reject it. If there is a unhealthy habit or a bad attachment you have to something, now is the time to change!

Thank you: Thank you to Brian for playing a beautiful song on the piano during the preparation of the Altar. The instrumental he played helped us reflect on the great mystery of the Eucharist. Outstanding job Brian V!

Thank you: Thank you to Jane Bennett, Nora Johnson, and Angela Clark who have been planting flowers around Holy Rosary. The place is looking beautiful!

Youth Visit and Weekday Mass: While the youth are here we will have mass every day from Tuesday, July 6 t Friday, July 9. Here is what the schedule looks like so far:

Holy Rosary Youth Schedule of Events, July 2010
UPDATED JUNE 21, 2010

Monday, July 5th
1. 1:00 PM Youth arrive, load gear, walk to Church
2. Two Vans from Beaver B&B, Susan, 842-7335
3. Fr. Scott Briefing I, Bush Living
4. Set up basement of church and basement of rectory
5. Dillingham tour
6. Dinner, Holy Rosary

Tuesday, July 6th
1. Breakfast
2. Adoration: 8:30
3. 9:00 AM Morning Mass at Holy Rosary
4. Community Service: Roto till front of Dillingham Library, fertilize, plant grass, Janice
5. 5:00, Dinner, Holy Rosary

Wednesday, July 7th
1. Breakfast
2. 8:30, Adoration before Travel
3. Fr. Scott Briefing II – Flying with VanAir
4. 9:30 AM Visit to Clarks Point and Ekuk (Kara Ingram)
5. 11:30 AM Mass at Saint Peter Fisherman
6. Lunch at Clarks Point
7. Call and confirm Gramma’s, Sr. Center
8. 5:00, Dinner, Holy Rosary

Thursday, July 8th
1. 8:30 AM Adoration
2. 10:00 AM Sr. Center, Mass 11:00 AM , Lunch at noon ($4.50 per person)
3. 2:00 to 3:00, Grammas’ House visit, skit, singing, music.
4. 3:30 to 5:30, Peter Pan tour (Sherry, 842-5415)
5. 6:00 PM Pot Luck by Holy Rosary parishioners at basement of Holy Rosary
6. Bon Fire Holy Rosary Parking Lot following potluck

Friday, July 9th
1. Breakfast
2. 9:00 AM: Confessions at Holy Rosary
3. 10:00 AM Drive out to Lake, 21 Miles, Mountain climb, Fish.
4. 11:00 Outdoor Mass at the Lake
5. 3:30 Check in at Airport, Youth depart on 5:30 flight

Penair AS3253, Departs ANC 11:30 AM on Monday, June 6, Arrive DLG 1:00 PM
PenairAS3256, Departs DLG 5:30 PM on Friday, June 10

Have a fantastic week and see you Sunday…Fr. Scott

Announcements: 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Parishioners, here are a few announcements:


Congratulations: From left to right, Kara Ingram, Josh Weiland, Golda Weiland, and Jim Ingram. They were confirmed Sunday, July 13th, 2010 by Archbishop Roger L. Schwietz, OMI of the Archdiocese of Anchorage. Thank you Archbishop Schwietz for celebrating with us!


Thank you: Thank you to the Venua family for donating a couch to the Church. It folds out into a bed. We put it in the basement of the church.

Financial Officer to visit: This week-end, Monika Scott, from the chancery, will be here to train Angela Venua on the Logos Accounting system. Holy Rosary has never had any training on the system so this is a first. For not being trained on the Logos system, Angie picked it up rapidly and has done a fantastic job of keeping track of our accounting. Hopefully Monika will show Angie a few more tricks of the trade that will make her job easier.

Youth Visit: The youth from Anchorage will be here Monday, July 5th, 2010, on the 10:00 AM Penair flight. They will be on a non-electronic, community service retreat. We plan to have a potluck for them on Thursday, July 8th, at 5:30 PM. If you can think of any community service jobs, please let me know. If you have any folding cots or small beds, please bring them by the church. There may be 18 youth and three adults visiting this year. We will be celebrating Mass Monday-Friday at different times and locations. All are welcome to join us. The time and location of each mass will be posted in these announcements in the next couple of weeks.

Gospel: We must die with Christ in order to live with him. The readings are about risking what is comfortable to build the Kingdom of God. The Gospel says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. What does this mean to you and I today?

Thank you: Thanx to all who cooked and prepared the excellent food at the Potluck. It was simply an incredible celebration!

Kelly Mountain: The Archbishop and I flew over the mountain that Father Kelly died on. We hope to raise some money to put up a cross and engraved stone. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. In the picture, the white patch of snow on the right is where he crashed.


Have a fantastic week and see you Sunday…Fr. Scott

Announcements: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, here are a few announcements:

Thank you: Thank you to Angela and Robert Clark for a fantastic job organizing the 23rd annual Blessing of the Fleet. It was a grand occasion. Also thank you to Diana Swaim and all others who helped set up and take down. Thank you to Peter Pan for donating the pastries and the musicians. I should have a blog up today or tomorrow of the event.

10:00 AM Mass Sunday: The time of the Mass has been changed for Sunday, June 13th, 2010. Instead of the normal 12:30 Mass, we will be celebrating Mass at 10:00 AM to accommodate the Archbishop’s schedule. Please get the word around. Mass at Saint Theresa in King Salmon will be noon on Saturday instead of Sunday at 9:00 AM.

Confirmation and Potluck: The Archbishop will be baptizing Jim Ingram and Josh Weiland and confirming Jim Ingram, Josh Weiland, Kara Ingram, and Golda Weiland. June Ingram will be preparing a turkey for the potluck and all are asked to bring your favorite dish. All are welcome whether you bring a dish or not.

Gospel: The message in the gospel seems to be about grace and hospitality. We will have to wait and see how the Archbishop interprets it.

Ministries for Confirmation Mass:

Altar Servers: Brian and Josh

Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers: Dan and Dee O’Connell

Lectors:
1st Reading, Michael Swaim
Response, Karen Belleque
2nd Reading Pearl Strub
Intercessions, Aileen Walsh

Music: Spruce Lynch

Gifts: Those to be confirmed and their sponsors

Remember, please spread the word about the time change for this Sunday. See you then…Fr. Scott