June 29, 2020
Click on video above: Pastor's Corner - June 29, 2020
On Our Nation's 244th Birthday
As Protests Against Systemic Racism Erupt in the United States, Harvard Law Professors Weigh in
The May 26th killing of George Floyd and the subsequent waves of demonstrations both at home and abroad, have again brought a sharp focus to longstanding questions involving systemic racial discrimination, the unequal administration of justice in the United States, and use of executive authority in time of national crisis. Professors across Harvard Law School, many of whom have been working on these issues for years, have been sharing their scholarship regarding these urgent legal questions and their perspectives on the events that have roiled the nation in recent weeks. Following is a sampling of the views expressed by Harvard Law faculty.

The George Floyd Moment: Promise & Peril

An Article by Randall Kennedy: Every day in every part of America, people of all backgrounds, but especially people of color, are menaced by poorly regulated police. Absent the fortuity of a video recording, the circumstances of George Floyd’s death would have probably been effectively covered up and buried. Even with the evidence at hand, securing a conviction and appropriate punishment is by no means guaranteed; police caught red-handed abusing civilians have frequently escaped accountability.

At the same time, the response to Floyd’s killing has been extraordinary. People of all races, all ages, all gender identifications, and all party affiliations have raised their voices—as one. Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets braving the risks associated with the pandemic and panicky law enforcement. They act out of grief for Floyd, determined that his killers be punished. They act out of pent-up frustration and fury, keenly aware that despite increased scrutiny of policing over the years, the grisly chronicle of avoidable police killings grows apace. They act out of solidarity with mistreated fellow demonstrators and out of a sense that their dissent is making a real difference. They act out of revulsion for the antics of President Donald Trump, who, far from displaying any compassion, tried to vilify and intimidate protesters and appeal to the nethermost instincts of his electoral base. READ MORE
Next Sunday's Gospel Reading
Editor's Note:

Next Sunday we come to a passage of scripture (Matthew 10:37-42) that is known as one of those “hard sayings of Jesus” passages. Can I just say that  no saying of Jesus in the gospels is “easy”?  The so-called “hard sayings of Jesus” entered Christian vernacular in 1983 with the publication of F.F. Bruce’s book of the same name. But individuals have been grappling with the teachings of Jesus long before the writings of a 20th-century British evangelical biblical scholar. 
Director of Media and Communications
“Welcome the Prophet”

By Debie Thomas

The danger in approaching this week’s Gospel passage is that we’ll dismiss it as straightforward. “Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward,” Jesus tells his disciples in our reading from Matthew. “Whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous, and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple — truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

It would be easy to walk away from these verses thinking, “Sure, no problem! Jesus wants me to be welcoming? Jesus wants my church to give out water bottles? Hey, I’m great at hospitality! Our church donates groceries every week! Been there, done that, Jesus! What’s next?”

But Jesus’s message is not that simple. The instructions he gives his disciples in this passage are not about extending welcome.  READ MORE
“Water Sharing”

By Amy Lindeman Allen

Water is a right, not a privilege. It is not something won for right belief or fortunate circumstances of birth, but rather a gift of sustenance and refreshment that comes from our Living God.
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42)
Water is central to life. Since the beginning of human society, safe drinking water has been essential. The locations of villages, towns, and even our contemporary cities are based, in part, on access to this precious resource. And yet, for some, water remains a scarcity.

Jesus was born into a family that, although it did not have much, at least had access to this most basic human necessity—water. Their access, however, depended upon visiting public wells and drawing water to fill their daily needs.

For those in society who were outcast or vulnerable, this task could be a major undertaking (cf. John 4:4-26). Being cast out from a village could also mean losing access to such public resources. READ MORE
2 Worthy Videos...
"Close to The Ones That We Lost On the Way"
Here's a beautiful thing. Reflecting on the devastating pandemic, the One Voice Children’s Choir   created this song "Memories," built on Canon in D composed by Johann Pachelbel. It is a very moving reflection felt by these young people as they experience both the time of quarantine and the lost lives of those they know.

This group of talented young people (One Voice Children’s Choir) is composed of children, ages 4 through 17, who live in northern Utah. The choir is nondenominational and meets year-round, performing over 50 times each year. One Voice Children’s Choir provides children the opportunity to cultivate an appreciation for music and share their talents while delivering a positive message.

Following the video, we have included the lyrics for your reflection.
Lyrics:

Here's to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here, but you're not '
Cause the dreams bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through

Close to the ones here today
Close to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the dreams bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you

There's a time that I remember, when I did not know no pain
When I believed in forever, and everything would stay the same
Now my heart feel like December when somebody say your name '
Cause I can't reach out to call you, but I know I will one day, yeah
Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ayy ayy
But everything gon' be alright
Go raise your voice and say, ayy

(Chorus repeat)
Doo doo, doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo
Memories bring back, memories bring back you

There's a time that I remember when I never felt so lost
When I felt all of the hatred was too powerful to stop (ooh, yeah)
Now my heart feel like an ember and it's lighting up the dark
I'll carry these torches for ya that you know I'll never drop, yeah
Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ayy ayy
But everything gon' be alright
Go raise your voice and say, ayy (Chorus repeat)
Equally Worthy...From Another Direction...
Parishioner Perspective
Editor's Note: The following article appears in the June 24, 2020 edition of America Magazine and is written by our own parishioner, Firmin DeBrabander. Firmin often teaches within our PREP department, and is the one with the lovely wife, Yara — and kids (several serve as lectors!). Firmin has been a professor of philosophy at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) since 2005. Your can read his bio here.
What we lose when we teach—and learn—online
by Firmin DeBrabander

After  Covid-19 , some things will never be the same. Many parts of society will undergo what the early 20th-century economist  Joseph Schumpeter  called “ creative destruction ,” where sclerotic structures and outdated habits are rudely dispatched. For many in higher education, this means a bold new future: online learning.

In March, the Fox News host Tucker Carlson crowed, “ The charade is exposed .” That is, a university education can be delivered “in an entirely different way. You don’t have to drive to campus, buy textbooks, pay for room and board in order to get an education. You can do the whole thing online.” Mr. Carlson’s optimism was matched by the political scientist Anne-Marie Slaughter, who wrote in The New York Times that universities “will be surprised to discover that  online teaching can actually be better  than physical classrooms.”

They are wrong. Universities must not rush into reforms that dismiss what is unique and essential to the experience they offer—or should offer. They are not mere means to transfer information; they also provide the moral and political training that teaches young people what it means to be part of a democracy and civil society. READ MORE
ZOOM Upcoming Event
Saturday, July 18, 2020 (1:30 PM - 3:30 PM)
Take some time to connect with your story as an
LGBTQ+ Individual or Ally…

Workshop Includes:
*Opportunity to Prayerfully Reflect  *Free Admission
*Writing Prompts & Optional Group Sharing
This will be a ZOOM meeting event so please RSVP to
Embracing God’s Gifts at themissionbridge@yahoo.com
and you will be sent sign-in instructions.
Worship, Offerings, and Prayer
HOW TO GIVE   
How to contribute when we are not gathering together during this season.

POOR BOX 
This weekend's Poor Box support goes to help Vulnerable Families in Crisis
PRAYER LIST
A list of those who have been added to our weekly prayer list..

ROSARY
After online mass at 9:30 AM every Sunday until quarantine is over.

 MASS MUSIC  
Attached is the listing for music selections at next Sunday's Mass.

No listing until
Public Masses
In the Media
In an interview with EWTN, Trump hails ‘tremendous letter of support from the Catholic Church’
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departing on Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, June 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Trump declared himself “totally in favor of the death penalty for heinous crimes” in one breath and described himself as “pro-life” in the next during an interview that aired on the Catholic television station EWTN on Monday night. The interview comes as the president’s re-election campaign courts Catholic and other Christian voters ahead of the November election and in the wake of a recent poll that suggested a  drop in support for the president among white Catholics , a demographic he won in 2016.

The president was asked about claims that his likely opponent in November’s election, former Vice President Joe Biden, is more “pro-life” than Mr. Trump, given Mr. Biden’s opposition to the death penalty and embrace of efforts to confront climate change. Mr. Trump responded by talking about appointments to federal courts.

“The Democrats? Look, who’s he putting on the court? They want to put people on the court. You have no chance. So, I’m pro-life. The Democrats aren’t. Nobody can say that Biden is. Look at his stance over the years,” Mr. Trump said, without clarifying which court or which people he was referring to. READ MORE

by David Crary

NEW YORK (AP) — Black Roman Catholics are hearing their church’s leaders calling for racial justice once again after the killing of George Floyd, but this time they’re demanding not just words but action.

by Luke Janicki

As a gay Catholic teacher, I have spent much of my life in a precarious balance. Growing up in a Catholic family, going to Catholic schools, I know what it is like to balance my deep-seated values as a practicing Catholic with the dictates of being a discerning gay person in potentially averse environments.