Announcements: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, here are a few announcements, an update on my travels, and a homily for the 21st week in ordinary time:

Gospel: Finding that narrow gate is not as easy at it seems. The wider gate is much easier to find and enter. What does it take to find and enter the narrow gate? Please see homily and readings below.

Potluck: Our next potluck will be August 29, 2010, i.e. the last Sunday of a month with 31 days in it. Come and join us for a little fellowship and good food after Mass. All are welcome and invited. Bring a dish is not required to attend, so do not be shy!

Prayers: A lot happened while I have been gone. I have been reading up on the Stevens Crash and have been praying for those involved. Please continue to pray for them and for all aviators and their passengers who fly. Saint Theresa is the patron saint for aviation safety.

Mass in North Carolina: Eric (the friend who invited me to the Catholic Church in 1985 when I was a protestant) took a picture of me standing outside the Saint Theresa in Wrightsville Beach, NC (Sunday August 8th, 2010). Pat Walsh’s brother Kevin, who visited Holy Rosary in Dillingham a couple weeks ago, goes to this church

Fun in North Carolina: Eric and I drove out along the beach after Mass on Sunday August 16.


Beach Altar Server: A seagull guards the entrance to the seashore near Carolina Beach.


Have a great week and see you the end of August...Fr. Scott

HOMILY
21 Ord C 2010 Gate Is 66:18-21, Heb 12:5-13; Luke 13:22-30

The Air Force sent me to Iceland for a year. In Iceland all the sheep freely roam the island. There are no fences. At the end of the year, all the shepherds get together on their horses and round up the sheep. The sheep are divided up. Each owner receives an equal number.

In order to divide them, they have to drive them through a narrow gate into a corral. The shepherds whoop and holler to get them through. The might even kick a sheep to keep it going. The sheep bock, bleat loudly, and struggle to avoid going through the gate. After the sheep are divided up, their wool is shaved. The Icelanders make beautiful wool sweaters, hats, and gloves. Then the sheep are set free for another year.

Finding the narrow gate does not mean to take the easy route. It does not always mean doing the popular thing or doing what everyone else is doing. The easy way is normally the wide gate.

We can choose to go through the wide gate, which is easy, or the narrow gate, which is a bit tougher and involves some self-sacrifice and suffering.

The Icelandic sheep sacrificed a few hours of roaming free time to be shaved of their wool. The wool helped the community. The sheep did not have a choice to go threw the narrow gate…but we do. Jesus gives us a choice.

This is how Jesus drives us through the narrow gate: He teaches us about Disciplined self-sacrifice and suffering.

So, Self-Sacrifice means something like this: exercising regularly, so that we can feel better about ourselves, which will in turn enable us to be better ministers, resulting in a more united church. Prioritizing “going to Mass over everything else in our lives.” It might mean giving up a couple hours a week to volunteer your time to the church. Disciplined Sacrifice is a long term giving of ourselves for the good of the church. It will light up the path leading to the narrow gate like the yellow brick road.

The Icelandic sheep were afraid and suffered during the roundup. For us, many things cause us to suffer when approaching the narrow gate. Suffering comes from struggling with issues like wanting something, but not really needing it; loosing a job, feeling like an outcast at work or school, or never having enough money to cover all of the bills.

Suffering is like a seed. A seed, when planted, has to rot first, before growing and bearing fruit. Suffering is a necessary decay or decomposition in each of us. It must take place so a more perfect and complete work might be born. Suffering separates us from self in order to give ourselves to another.

Through suffering, we learn to love effectively; we find God in a more intimate way. That closer relationship with God helps us to find the narrow gate.

The gospel gives us hope and advice for finding the narrow gate. Luke’s account of the narrow gate gives this advice, “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Loving others and being last involves suffering and sacrificing. Those approaching the Narrow Gate know how to love and let others love them. They realize that submitting to the discipline of the Narrow gate leads to eternal life.

Just who will be saved? Jesus does not speculate about who will be saved. He commands us, “Strive to enter the narrow gate.” Don’t focus on who will be saved, but on the discipline of the narrow gate. It is the struggle of resisting the wide gate that leads us into the narrow one.

If we choose to run with the crowd through the wide gate, Jesus is standing there like an aircraft marshal, whooping and hollering, corralling us toward the narrow gate. If we are stumbling toward the narrow gate, Jesus is encouraging us forward with open arms (659 Words).

First Reading
Isaiah 66: 18-21: I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory. I will set a sign among them; from them I will send fugitives to the nations: to Tarshish, Put and Lud, Mosoch, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. They shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, on horses and in chariots, in carts, upon mules and dromedaries, to Jerusalem, my holy mountain, says the LORD, just as the Israelites bring their offering to the house of the LORD in clean vessels. Some of these I will take as priests and Levites, says the LORD.

Second Reading
Hebrew 12: 5-7, 11-13: You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons: "My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges." Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.

Gospel
Luke 13: 22-30: He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from.' And you will say, 'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.' Then he will say to you, 'I do not know where (you) are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!' And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

Announcements: Assumption of Mary

Dear Holy Rosary Mission Parishioners, I will be out of town until August 26. I have just finished my evaluation in Silver Springs, Maryland (they actually let me go so I must be OK) and now I am in Wilminigton, NC visiting my friends, Here is some info about the Assumption. Have a fantastic week. Fr. Scott

Assumption of Mary Aug 15, 2010, Revelations 11: 19; 12:1-6&10; 1 Corinthians 15: 20-27; Luke 1:39-56

August 15 is the day that Catholics have long celebrated what is called the Dormition (falling asleep) or Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Feast of the Assumption celebrates both the happy departure of Mary from this life by her natural death, and her assumption bodily into heaven.

Though it was almost universally believed for more than a thousand years, the Bible contains no mention of the assumption of Mary into heaven. The first Church writer to speak of Mary's being taken up into heaven by God is Saint Gregory of Tours (594).
On May 1, 1946, Pope Pius XII, asked all bishops in the world whether they thought this belief in the assumption of Mary into heaven should be defined as a proposition of faith, and whether they with their clergy and people desired the definition. Almost all the bishops replied in the affirmative.

On November 1, 1950, the Feast of All Saints, Pope Pius XII declared as a dogma revealed by God that "Mary, the immaculate perpetually Virgin Mother of God, after the completion of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into the glory of Heaven".

There is an important difference, of course, between the ascension of Jesus into Heaven after His Resurrection, and the assumption of Mary. To ascend is to rise up under one's own power; while to be assumed means something that is done to one. Jesus, being the Second Person of the Trinity, had no need of assistance; whereas Mary did not have this power (253 Words).

Revelations 11: 19; 12:1-6&10
Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night.

1 Corinthians 15: 20-27
Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for "he subjected everything under his feet." But when it says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it excludes the one who subjected everything to him.

Luke 1:39-56
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Announcements: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Parishioners, here are a few announcements:

Gospel: The theme in the Gospel this Sunday is “Be Prepared!” Be vigilant and watchful because we know not the time or day when the Lord will come. (Please see Homily below).

Tabernacle: The old tabernacle we had at Holy Rosary, which was replaced by the tabernacle I flew over from Clarks Point (Saint Peter the Fisherman), is now safely in the Chapel at the Archdiocese of Anchorage.

Here is a picture of some of our Holy Rosary Parishioners after Mass a couple weeks ago when our Seminarian, Arthur Roraff visisted us.


Thank you: Thanx to Bernie Venua for repairing a major leak in the basement of the rectory last week. He and Pat plan to spend a little more time down there upgrading some of the old plumbing.

Storm Doors: Two storm doors have been installed in the rectory. The idea is to help save heating fuel in the winter and keep a cool breeze blowing through the office in the summer (that is if we get a summer this year)!

Communion: The reason it is a sin for Catholics to miss Mass is because Jesus invites us to partake in His precious Body every Sunday. Not going to Mass sends the signal that “I do not want the Body of Christ.” Whether there is a communion service, where the lay minister offers the pre-consecrated (Body of Christ) bread in the tabernacle or whether the Catholic Priest consecrates the bread during Mass, the idea is the same. Every Sunday we are invited to partake in the Body of Christ. What an honor that is!

Have a fantastic week…Fr. Scott

Homily for the 19th Ord C DLG 2010 Watch & Ready, Wisdom 18:6-9;Hebrews 11:1-2&8-19;Lk 12: 32-48

Ever been caught off guard? I can remember in basic training being a door guard a few times at three in the morning. One tends to get a little bored, sleepy, and well…just plain tired. Nothing ever happened. One morning while on duty I was leaning up against the door, full uniform, canteen, hat, starched pants, the whole nine yards, and something happened. Someone beat on the door and aroused me into a state of immediate attention.

I looked through the little six by six window at an officer, a first lieutenant. All of a sudden he started yelling at me demanding me to open the door. He had an emergency and needed to get in NOW! So there I was, a 17 year old, standing at attention behind a locked door. I was scared because a guy was yelling like a mad man at me. But I had had some instruction about guarding doors. The drill instructor taught us to be alert at all times, to watch, and check for ID.

The officer finally quieted down long enough for me to ask, “Sir, may I please see your ID.” After yelling awhile longer and after I insisted again that he show me some ID, the irate lieutenant finally pulled it out. I was about to let him in and pay the consequences for holding him up, when I noticed something. On his official military ID card was, in place of his picture, a picture of Mickey Mouse.

My dorm guard experience could have been worse. Luckily I paid attention in class and was somewhat alert and ready. But the servants in the gospel were wide-awake. They were ready for their master’s return. Their lamps were lit and shining brightly.

Spiritually it is not easy to be ready all the time. We get tempted and sidetracked. We get bored and distracted. The gospel this weekend tells us that we can only be ready if we are prepared properly. We need instruction. We need experience. We need practice.

What being ready means is this: Faithful obedience to all God’s commands and values.

That means to be consistent in prayer. It means loving our neighbor and enemies. Being ready means doggedly searching for opportunities to help people in need. It means making sacrifices on a regular basis…such as volunteering our time to the church or a good cause. It means being ready for God’s coming by praying every day, going to confession, and getting involved in the church’s ministries. Most importantly, it means prioritizing church by putting it before money, material positions, and well, everything else. Putting Mass First…realizing that one hour a week is a small sacrifice to make for thanking God for our lives and all the blessings he has given us.

Being ready takes practice, determination, and a desire to love God with all of your heart, soul, and strength…everyday. Our Catholic Church is here to help us to be ready.

This week, I challenge all of you to take that next step in your spiritual preparation. Be a little more watchful. Be a little more ready. For, should he come in the second or third watch and find them ready, blessed are those servants (536 Words).

Wisdom 18:6-9
That night was known beforehand to our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage. Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes. For when you punished our adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had summoned. For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution, That your holy ones should share alike the same good things and dangers, having previously sung the praises of the fathers.

Hebrews 11:1-2&8-19
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age--and Sarah herself was sterile--for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name." He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.

Luke 12: 32-48
Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. "Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?" And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master's will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master's will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

Announcements: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Holy Rosary Parishioners, here are a few announcements:

Our Most Recent Visitor: Below Joel Davidson takes a picture of the Reynolds family. (back from left to right) Mark, Hugh, Joan, Anthony and dog. Walter is in the front row. Both Anthony and Walter are altar servers at Holy Rosary. Joan home schools all three boys.

Our Next Visitor: Father Tom Lilly is expected to arrive in Dillingham Friday, the 10th of December. Father Tom and I went to the seminary in Mount Angel together and he has never been to Bristol Bay. He plans to spend a few days here flying around the Great Alaskan Bush and visiting all of you.

First Communion: I would like to start meeting with those who would like to receive First Communion. Let us plan on next week after Mass for the first meeting. All those interested please mark your calendars. We will plan to actually have those receive First Communion sometime in September.

Gospel: (Please see Homily Below) The first line in the Gospel this coming Sunday is, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.” How are you preparing for your retirement? Have you ever thought about investing in the stock market? How about investing in God Stock? God Stock is much more lucrative than the financial markets.

My Evaluation and Vacation: After spending five years in the Alaskan Bush, I have asked the Archdiocese to pay for a thorough evaluation of myself. They accepted and offered to pay. I will be gone three weeks in August. The first week I will spend in DC getting the evaluation. The evaluation consists of a physical examination, clinical interview, psychosocial history interview, spiritual assessment, Psychological evaluation, and Neuropsychological evaluation. It will end with an evaluation feedback session. After, as I do every year, I will spend two weeks at Carolina Beach with Eric and his wife. Eric is the guy who introduced me to the Catholic faith. I will leave August 5th and return to Dillingham August 27. Mass or Communion Service will go on as usual.

Prayers: Please pray for Josh Ingram’s fast recovery. Josh is an altar server at Holy Rosary. He fell off the back of a four-wheeler and cracked his head open. He seems to be stable and doctors think he will recover. He was Medi-vacked out of Dillingham on Saturday to the Alaska Native Hospital in Anchorage.

Have a great week and please also PRAY FOR SOME SUNSHINE! Fr. Scott

HOMILY for the 18th Ord C 114 DLG 2010, Luke 12: 13-21

What I have here is a paper that says I own stock in Global Telecom Inc. It is for my retirement. Ever thought about investing in the stock market?

Stocks in general can be risky. The price of stock depends on the stability of the company, how innovative the manager is, and how good the product is: the better the company, the better the stock. The better the stock, the more valuable it becomes.

As Christians, it is important that we try to make some good investments for our retirement. Having a retirement account helps us to continue God’s work after we stop collecting that monthly paycheck. Stocks are not for everyone. Other great retirement options are mutual funds, real estate, and annuities.

Here are some other pieces of paper: Alter Server, Reader, and Confirmation certificates. Notice I put them in protective covers. I feel these are much more valuable than these stock certificates.

These certificates I received from the Catholic Church show my investment in God. When I invest in the stock market I receive certain benefits. I get dividends. I get more money when the stock increases. I receive some long and short-term capital gains…all help to increase my retirement account. But there is risk.

When I invest in God there are numerous benefits without risk. By investing in God I receive forgiveness of sins, peace, and hope. As for long-term capitol gains…how about eternal life!

Although there is no risk when investing in God, there is a price. The price of God Stock is to love thy neighbor, attend Sunday Mass, forgive others, and obey the 10 commandments.

The price might seem a little high now. But how much do you think God Stock will cost on Judgment day. The more we invest in God, the richer our lives will be, the more peace we will find, and the closer we will be to perfect happiness.

And believe me; our investment in God can increase. It increases when we pray for others, donate our time, talent, and money to a charitable cause, and make good choices based the moral teachings in the bible.

We will always be rich if we trust and invest in what is above. Put another way, if you desire to be truly rich, store up treasure in heaven.

One thing we should all take a good look at is what we have invested in. All of us have invested in possessions. Here is what God is calling us to do with them:

Be good stewards. Use what we have to honor and glorify God. Here are just a few examples: (1) create a relaxing, tasteful home. Use this home to invite others to come over. Show them Christian Love and share the Gospel. (2) Use wealth to buy more time instead of things, in order to serve God and others in some voluntary way. (3) Here is a tough one, go through all of your possessions, thank God for every one of them, and then offer them back to God. This may make us feel we should dispose of something. We may be called to use it in a different way.

Whatever happens, you will be richer in spirit as a result (539 Words).

Luke 12: 13-21
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me." He replied to him, "Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?" Then he said to the crowd, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions." Then he told them a parable. "There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, 'What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?' And he said, 'This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!" But God said to him, 'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?' Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God."

Ecclesiastes 1: 2; 2: 21-23
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! For here is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and to another, who has not labored over it, he must leave his property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune. For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This also is vanity.

Colossians 3: 1-5, 9-11
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and un-circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.

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