16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

       READINGS FOR THIS WEEKEND                                   READINGS FOR NEXT WEEKEND
         1^st Reading: Wis 12:13, 16-19                                                    1^st Reading: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12
              Responsorial Psalm                                                                                           Responsorial Psalm
           2^nd Reading: Rom 8:26-27                                                                       2^nd Reading: Rom 8:28-30
              Gospel Reading:  Mt 13:24-43 or 13:24-30                                           Gospel Reading: Mt 13:44-52 or 13:44-46

Sun……July 20……9:00 a.m……….The Henault Family: Henry, Gloria, Lucy & Dorothy

In the collection for Black and Native Americans $1,466 was donated. Thank you for your continued generosity.

SPECIAL COLLECTION for the church in Central and Eastern Europe: Next weekend there will be a special collection for the Central and Eastern churches. Your generous support will help the Church in Central and Eastern Europe to reestablish seminaries and religious education programs throughout the region.

Now that summer is coming and people are away on vacation please remember to continue supporting our parish to help cover expenses which continue to come.

Sr. Rachel had successful surgery last week and is recuperating well. If you would like to send her a card wishing her a speedy recovery you may send it to:

Choir folders need to be returned at this time for summer cleaning and filing of music. Choir members who still have their folders at home are asked to bring them to Mass next Sunday and leave on the organ.

A pair of clip-on sunglasses was left in the choir area after the anniversary Mass in June. Any choir member who is missing sunglasses should check out the pair, which will be left on the organ for the next week.

Mid-summer is a good time to find out more about the parish adult chorale, which will resume in late September. Parishioners who might be interested in singing should stop by after Mass to speak to Henry for more information.

The Middleboro/Lakeville Knghts of Columbus will be holding an all you can eat Spaghetti and home made Meatballs Dinner with salad and dessert of Saturday, July 26^th at their hall on West Grove St. in Middleboro beginning at 5:45 p.m. The dinner is priced at $7 for adults and $4 for children. Following the diner a meat and money raffle will be held. If you are planning at attend, we ask you to call Bob at 508-947-4320.

My name is Christine Dufresne and I am eagerly awaiting a mission trip to Guaimaca, Honduras I will be attending in just 3 weeks. I am going with 10 other young adults but am the sole representative from Sts. Martha and Mary. We don't know our specific project but are very eager to serve in any way we can. We are looking to our parishes to collect some supplies that they are in dire need of for their clinic. The basics that are always needed are over the counter medicines (ex. tylenol, advil, children's vitamins, etc.). I will have a complete list of needed supplies in the back of the church with a basket for any donations. I realize with Catholic Charities and the Missionary visit so recently many of you have given so much already, but anything you could spare would be greatly appreciated. If you cannot make it to the store and want to give a monetary donation you can do so through the parish office by making checks payable to Honduran Mission or putting cash in a marked envelope. Also if you would like to donate to the mission directly or just want to see the amazing work they are doing you can look at their website at http://www.honduranmission.org. Again, I thank you for your time and support and will think and pray for all of you as I journey to follow or Lord's call to serve. I hope you will also keep our group in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Liturgical Publications, Inc., our bulletin publisher, will have a sales representative available within the next few weeks for those interested in placing a new ad. This is your opportunity to secure a space for the new publication year. To place your ad, please contact their office at (800)-888-4574. We would like to thank our present advertisers for renewing their ads. Please keep in mind that our advertising sponsors make this publication possible.

If you are a Catholic man or woman, single, widowed, or divorced, over the age of forty and would like to meet new people who share your values, please join Connected Catholics of the South Shore. Our annual membership drive meeting is to be held on Sunday, September 21^st. The place is Holy Family School Hall, 6 Del Prete Ave., Rockland. It will begin at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served. We are pleased to have Dr. Don Wetmore of the Productivity Institute as speaker. His specialty is balancing time. Come enjoy! Join! Dues of $25 may be paid that day. Call Susan at 781-878-8398 or John at 781-982-6097 for further information.

To the extent that the church reflects the divisions of the world, the church falls short of its God-given ministry of reconciliation. Churches divided by creed, color, class, race, or nationality are symptoms of how far the church has fallen short of its true mission. Christ came to tear down all the walls that divide human beings from God and from one another.

The prophet Jeremiah condemned those religious leaders who had scattered the sheep from the Lord’s pasture. God will send out shepherds to the far corners of the land to find the scattered sheep and bring them together again as one flock. They will live in their meadow, where they will prosper and increase.

Christ Jesus has drawn those who were far off near to God and to one another. He has made peace for those who are in conflict. The “good news of peace” contains the promise of a “new humanity” a humanity no longer torn apart by strife, anger, fear, envy, or suspicion. A church without walls is the world’s pledge of that new humanity.

Jesus welcomed all who sought healing and help from him. People streamed from the villages and followed him and his disciples wherever they went. Even when they tried to find some seclusion for a respite from the crowds, the people managed to follow where they went. They were like scattered sheep who longed to be drawn together in one flock.

The dream of peace is as old as humankind. We have known from the first violent act that we are not made to devour each other. We cherish the dream of living safely and securely with our kind. But we will never have peace between human beings until we have peace within ourselves. The great enemies to peace are within us – avarice, ambition, envy, anger and pride.

How can there be many different churches if there is one God? While God is the author of diversity, he is the opponent of division. Let us celebrate our differences by affirming their unity in God, beginning by breaking down the walls of the Church.

If you have a family member or know of someone who is unable to attend Mass and would like to receive the Sacraments, please notify the office.

If you are new to the area, we welcome you to join our parish family. Please introduce yourself after Mass. To register in the Parish, please stop by the Parish Office or call us at 508-947-2107. We want to know you and serve you.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

508 -947-2107

Monday 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday-Friday 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.