Current Bulletin

View this bulletin with graphics: August 1, 2010.

To view bulletins for the past few months, CLICK HERE.

If you missed Fr. Pavlik’s past bulletin articles, CLICK HERE.

If you would like to have the St. Olaf parish bulletin emailed to your computer at work and/or home, just send your name, address and email address to: pmoses@SaintOlaf.org.  (Note: parish members who sign up for emailed bulletins will no longer have paper bulletins mailed to them.)

August 1, 2010
18TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Welcome Fr. Laszlo Simon, OSB
by Fr. Mark Pavlik

This year we have welcomed numerous priests and a bishop who have stayed with us for various lengths of time here in downtown Minneapolis. The guest rooms are getting much use and there seems perpetually to be another plate set at the dinner table which continues a long tradition of welcoming priests to St. Olaf.

We are now welcoming a new priest who will be living with us for a couple of months this summer. His name is Fr. László Simon, a Benedictine priest who has come to Minnesota to teach at St. John’s University for a month and then will be living here in Minneapolis for two months before returning to Europe. He is presently a professor of Sacred Scripture at Pontificio Ateneo Sant’Anselmo in Rome.

Fr. Simon was born in Győr, Hungary and was ordained a Benedictine priest in 1989. He has studied the Hungarian and English languages and literature as well as biblical theology and has taught extensive courses in scripture. We are hoping he will be able to share his knowledge of scripture with us here at St. Olaf.

This will be Father’s first trip to the United States and he is looking forward to some pastoral experience in a parish here. Fr. Simon will be celebrating Mass both on weekends as well as week days and helping out with other sacramental duties around the parish. Please join me in welcoming Fr. Simon to St. Olaf.

Food and Cash for the Poor Weekend
July 31 & August 1
Baskets will be in the vestibule for your contributions. Thank you again for your sharing and praying for those who struggle with meeting their basic needs. If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to share about the food pantry or Social Outreach, please contact Joan Miltenberger at 612-767-6211.

St. Olaf Pastoral Care Ministers — We Need You!
We are recruiting and interviewing parishioners throughout the summer for our Pastoral Care Team. A training program is provided following the interview including: Our Baptismal Call, listening skills, confidentiality, mutuality, praying with others, and loss and grief. Don’t delay! Call Mary Brady today for more information, at 612-767-6202 or email her at mbrady@saintolaf.org.

First Reconciliation and First Eucharist — Register Now!
St. Olaf will begin our home faith-based Sacramental Program with monthly classes in early September. If you have a child, 8 years or older, and would like them to prepare for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, please let me know as soon as possible. The mandatory parent meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 11 from 9:30 – 11:30 am in the Gathering Room. Sunday, September 12, is the first class for students from 9:30 -10:30 am in the Education Room. You must be registered to attend. Call Mary Brady 612-767-6202 or email her at mbrady@saintolaf.org to register.

St. Olaf Senior Bus Service
Each Saturday St. Olaf offers bus pickup from various downtown facilities to our Saturday 4:00PM Mass. These locations include Augustana, Andrew Residence, Elliot Twins, River Gate, Maryland Apartments, Kenwood, Nicollet Towers and 215 Oak Grove. If you live in these facilities and are in need of a ride to Mass or know someone who is, please call Mary Brady at 612-767-6202 or mbrady@saintolaf.org.

School Supplies Are Needed for St. Olaf Social Outreach Families
and Risen Christ Catholic School Students
Please help a family with school supplies for the coming academic year. This is a good time to get great sales on supplies. The following items are most needed:
~ Pocket folders
~ Rulers
~ Subject notebooks (70 pages, wide-lined)
~ 3-ring binders with wide-lined notebook paper
~ #2 pencils, red ballpoint pens, blue/black pens and erasable pens
~ Zippered pencil holders
~ 4 x 6 index cards
~ Calculators
~ Erasers and small pencil sharpeners
~ Washable markers and paints
~ Crayons and colored pencils
~ School scissors for young children
~ Lunchboxes
~ Backpacks
~ Kleenex and wet wipes
Please bring your donations to the parish office Monday through Friday between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm before August 27. Items marked “School Supplies” can also be given to an usher after weekend Masses. For more information contact Joan Miltenberger at 612-332-7471, ext. 247.

Panhandling:
A Community Response with zAmya Theater Project
Why do people panhandle? How can I best respond?
How are community organizations impacted by panhandling?
Monday, August 23, 6:00 – 8:00 pm, Basilica of St. Mary in Teresa of Calcutta Hall under the main church. Free and open to the public. Do not miss this important and timely zAmya Theater presentation and community discussion about panhandling in Minneapolis. This interactive dialogue will include perspectives from: previous panhandlers, persons who have experienced homelessness, downtown neighborhoods, businesses, police and leaders of the faith community. Monica Nilsson, Director of St. Stephen’s Street Outreach and Community Education will also share her perspective and experience of the community impact and solutions. For more information, contact Joan Miltenberger at 612-767-6211 or the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness at 612-242-4670 or visit www.dceh.org. Sponsored by the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness (DCEH) in collaboration with St. Stephen’s Human Services and zAmya Theater.

Calling All Parents, Teachers and Grandparents!

YOU COULD BE A CATECHIST!
You are invited to become a catechist in our Sacramental Program, assisting children, 8 years and older, who are preparing to receive First Eucharist and First Reconciliation. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to receive training and teach our children. For more information, please call Mary Brady at 612-767-6202 or mbrady@saintolaf.org.

Ministry Renewal Day for Volunteer Ministers and Staff
Thursday, August 5 from 9:30 am – 3:00 pm.
The Benedictine Center at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, St. Paul, MN 55109
Cost $30 for lunch and refreshments provided
Facilitator: Jackie Witter, Director of the iLLUMINARE Program at Benedictine Center. To register, call Sam at 651-777-7251or contact benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org.

iLLUMINARE Ministry Renewal Days are days of reflection for full-time and volunteer ministers. We provide the time and space for rest and renewal in the welcoming and prayerful environment of The Benedictine Center at St. Paul’s Monastery. We draw on Scripture and the wisdom of our Tradition to reflect on themes related to ministry. There will be time for quiet personal prayer and reflection, a presentation or two, theological reflection and conversation with other ministers.

Downtown Coalition for Grief Support
Excellent speakers, trained facilitators and a group of others who have experienced loss make these sessions a place of healing. It’s possible to walk the path of grief alone, however the companionship of others who are also wounded by loss is tremendously consoling and powerfully healing. Meetings every Saturday from 9:45 – 11:30 am. From May 1 through August 28, meetings will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove Street, Minneapolis. A small weekly donation is gratefully accepted.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION ON FRIDAYS
Intention for Friday, August 6
For lay Catholics in mission lands, may they serve their country with ever-greater commitment in every field, including politics and social assistance.

Simply Stewardship
Seeing Jesus transfigured made Peter want to do something to mark the event. But the Voice from the cloud said clearly that the first task of those who recognize Jesus as Lord is to listen to Jesus — and then act!

Preparing for Next Sunday’s Liturgy
August 8
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
FIRST READING: Wisdom 18:6–9
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 33:1, 12, 18–19, 20–22
SECOND READING: Hebrews 11:1–2, 8–19 [1–2, 8–12]
GOSPEL: Luke 12:32–48 [35–40]

Discussion Questions:
Many great things come from a combination of God’s help and our toil, the result of a working relationship between God and us. God provides the seed, but it’s up to us to make something of the seed. If we want God to give us a blessing, we have to take advantage of the resources God has already provided. Today’s Gospel challenges us with the verse, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.” If we want God to give us the world, we have to be willing to work along with God. We can’t be the one to whom much is given without being the one of whom much is expected.

1. What would you list as some expectations that God has of us?

2. What are some of the seeds that God might provide? What fruit might we be expected to bear?

3. What do you see as some of our obligations in return for blessings from God?