July 3, 2018 Edition
Carissimi,

I offer a 4 th of July reflection from "The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes". Demagoguery, corruption, graft, racism, xenophobia, and destruction of the environment are still with us as they were when he wrote in the 1930’s. The strength of this nation is that those who have been and are being yet excluded from its promise still believe in it.

O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.

O, let America be America again—
The land that never has been yet—
And yet must be—the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine—the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME—
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.
Sure, call me any ugly name you choose—
The steel of freedom does not stain.

From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again, America!
O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath—America will be!

Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain—
All, all the stretch of these great green states— And make America again!

*** To read a summary of "Let America Be America Again," click here
*** To read entire poem, click here

From the Archives
Frederic Edwin Church’s iconic Our Banner in the Sky (above, 1861), marks a critical moment in American art history when Americana is no longer nostalgic or light-hearted. In the throes of a divided nation at the outset of the Civil War, Church paints a sunset that forms an American flag with its colors, depicting Americana in crisis: Church’s rendition of the American flag seems to have faded away, and the rich reds and oranges appear to have lit the American flag on fire.
Two Video Thoughts re: The 4th of July 2018 

The Mindless Menace of Violence.... 
As we lead up to the nation's July 4th celebration, I've thought about what a year it has been with all of the political division, the separation of parents and children at the US/Mexico border, and once again, the gun related tragic killings - the most recent being last week in Annapolis at the Capital/Gazette newspaper. As we celebrate our nation's birthday tomorrow, I thought I'd bring back two videos I posted a couple of years ago. The first is from another time of national turmoil - the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., not so long after the assassination of President Kennedy, and less than a year before the killing of Malcolm X. The video is Robert Kennedy's famous speech,  The Mindless Menace of Violence , given the day after King's killing, and in my mind one of history's great speeches. I believe it to be as relevant on this 4th of July week as it was when it was first given on April 5, 1968. The images of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Santa Fe High School, Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky, and the shootings last week at the Capital/Gazette Newspaper in Annapolis could easily replace images of the fallen MLK and the civil rights atrocities of the mid to late 60's.

Stand By Me...
The second video is certainly less somber. It's the classic Ben E. King hit from 1961, and it has been reproduced by the organization "Playing For Change."  Playing for Change  is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music. The idea for this project came from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. With this past year's tragedies and uprisings, I thought perhaps we could all use a little uplifting and rallying towards unity.
 
Playing for Change  was born in 2002 with a vision to hit the streets of America with a mobile recording studio and cameras in search of inspiration and the heartbeat of the people. This musical journey resulted in the award-winning documentary, A Cinematic Discovery of Street Musicians. The effort spread globally and now features street musicians from around the world - all of them pouring out their hearts and talents towards a common message. Here's hoping that this classic sets your soul a rocking and inspires you to embrace the differences of others in a time of great division and separatism. I hope you enjoy both videos, and that you have a terrific and safe 4th!

In Jesus' magnificent love, 
Director of Communications
Video: Robert Kennedy - "Mindless Menace of Violence" Speech
Video: Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around the World
This 4th of July - An Expanded View
Here's a Reminder...
Refugees Aren't Just from the Border South of Us!

Lauren Ashburn joins a Polish refugee as he revisits the Catholic shelter where he took refuge after escaping a Russian gulag. Julian (JULEK) Plowy, his mother and sister stayed in the Mexican refugee camp for four years before immigrating to the U.S.
Video: Polish Refugee Revisits Catholic Shelter He Called Home as a Child

Addressing An All Too Frequent Tragedy in Our Society
“Suicide” is one of those words that feels jarring to write, to see written, to say. The fact that the word has been in the news so much recently following the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain hasn’t lessened its impact. Just a week ago, The Washington Times reported that The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line  saw surges in traffic  following these high-profile deaths, shortly after a CDC study was released detailing  skyrocketing suicide rates  in all 50 states.

What can be done about the rash of suicides, if anything? One of the first things Christians can do is to combat some of the misconceptions about suicide that exist in the public and within the Church.

THE CAUSES OF SUICIDE ARE WELL UNDERSTOOD. 

What’s confounding researchers about the suicide epidemic is that there are so many unknown factors. The causes of suicide, for instance, aren’t easy to pinpoint. Major psychiatric illnesses are often risk factors, including depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Genetics or a family history of suicide also seem to be indicators, as do aging, physical health, and lower socioeconomic status. Suicide also suffers from a “social contagion” component; that is, it seems to be contagious. This dynamic might explain why suicide is so prevalent among Native American populations. In other words, death by suicide is extremely hard to characterize as “being caused by” a single known factor. READ MORE
Worship with Offerings, Liturgy and Prayers for Others
POOR BOX 
Each weekend St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. This week's support goes to Ignatian Spirituality Project.

MASS MUSIC   
Attached is the listing for the music selections at next Sunday's 10:30 Mass. 
 
PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN REPORT
Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is
happening with your
brothers and sisters! 


Upcoming Events and Meetings
Bishop Madden's Prayer Walk for Peace in the City
Wednesday, June 27 - 5:30 PM
Click here for complete information
Justice & Peace Committee Meeting
Thursday, July 12 - 6:30 PM
Click here for complete information
Prayer Walk with Bishop Madden for Peace in the CIty
Tuesday, July 17 - 5:30 PM
Click here for complete information
Women of the New Testament
Tuesday, July 17 - 6:45 PM
Click here for complete information
Mary Magdalene & the 7 Marys of the New Testament - Why Are They Important?
Saturday, July 21 - 9 AM
See box below for complete information
Respect for Life
Sunday, July 22 - 9:45 AM
Click here for complete information
Embracing God's Gifts
Tuesday, July 24 - 7 PM
Click here for complete information



Ignatian Day Lecture with Bishop George V. Murry, S.J
Sunday, July 29 - 11:45 AM
See box below for complete information
Save the Dates
Mary Magdalene and the Seven Marys in the New Testament - Why Are They Important?
Saturday, July 21, 9 - 11:50 AM
To explore answers to this question, the Women of the New Testament Ministry of St. Ignatius Catholic Community will present a Morning of Reflection in observance of the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles, on Saturday, July 21, in Ignatian Hall.

After a period of readings and discussions, our guest speaker, Dr. Pat Fosarelli, will focus on St. Mary Magdalene: her importance and role in the early church; her being misidentified and maligned through its history; and her honoring by Pope Francis, who in 2016 announced the elevation of her memorial celebrated on July 22 to the status of feast day of the same importance as those of the 12 apostles.

Dr. Fosarelli, a physician and theologian, is the Associate Dean of St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute, where she teaches in the areas of Spirituality and Practical Theology. She was also named a Permanent Distinguished Dunning Lecturer at the school. The author of twelve books, she is a strong advocate for developing women for leadership roles in the church.

Continental breakfast will be served from 9:00-9:30 AM. The program will end at 11:50 AM. Mass of the Solemnity of St. Mary Magdalene will follow at 12:10 PM in the Chapel of Grace.

The program is free and open to all.
Ignatian Day Event: A Video Lecture by Bishop George V. Murry, S.J.
This year we will be celebrating the Feast of St. Ignatius on Sunday, July 29. We will honor the day by having a special reception after the 10:30 AM Mass and a short video lecture given by Bishop George V. Murry, S.J. Chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. On January 27, 2018 he presented at the 18th  Annual Kennedy Lecture at St. Peter Catholic Church in Charlotte, NC. His lecture, entitled  The Times Demand it, the Gospel Demands it: Confronting the Sins of Racism , covers key historical actions perpetuating slavery and racism in the Catholic Church and the United States.

It is our pleasure to offer this lecture – with a brief discussion to follow as we honor our own founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola.

There is no cost for this event.

Spiritual Growth Opportunity
Summer Service Opportunity
Summer Vacations Result in a Shortage of Volunteers and Supplies

My Sister's Place reaches out to St. Ignatius parishioners for help during summer months
My Sister’s Place Women’s Cente r (MSPWC) is a comprehensive resource center that is open from 7 AM until 7 PM for homeless and impoverished women and their children in Baltimore City. Services include housing assistance, health care services, education and life skills opportunities, case management, personal services and links to other community providers. Three meals are provided each day to women and their children.

St. Ignatius has received a plea for help as MSPWC experiences a drop off of volunteers and donations during July and August. If you have some time to volunteer during the summer months, or would like to bring some donations to them, we've attached both a volunteer form for meal service, and a wish list for supplies. If you are interested in helping send your information form to Jackie Reid at jreid@cc-md.org or call her at. 667.600.3702.


In the Media
Tens of thousands of protesters marched in cities across the United States on Saturday to demand the Trump administration reverse an immigration crackdown that has separated children from parents at the U.S-Mexico border and led to plans for military-run detention camps.

Here are some photos from protests across the nation. CLICK HERE
Bishop Delegation Heads to US-Mexico Border Amid Separation of Migrant Families

A delegation of U.S. bishops will head to the nation's southern border Monday as national attention remains focused on the separation of immigrant families who have attempted to enter the country illegally.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, will lead the delegation to the Brownsville Diocese, situated at the southern tip of Texas where it borders central Mexico.

The move comes amid continuing outrage with the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy toward immigrants attempting to enter the country illegally, often in an effort to escape violence or poverty in their homelands, that has resulted in thousands of children separated from their parents.

While President Donald Trump  signed an executive order  June 20 directing an end to the practice of separating families, questions persist regarding his administration's efforts to reunite those families that were split apart, including 2,300 children. READ MORE
Bishop McElroy Says 'Lived Reality' at Heart of Francis' Pastoral Theology, Profound Moment of Renewal

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The "lived reality of men and women and children and families" and their "sufferings and challenges and joys" are at the center of "a moment of explicit theological renewal that will contribute enormously to the spread of the Gospel in this new millennium," said San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy in a June 26 keynote address .

That understanding of the "emerging pastoral theology" delineated and promoted by Pope Francis "both links us to the pastoral action and ethos of the Lord himself" and is "highly attuned to the challenges and culture of the 21st century," McElroy told participants at the annual assembly of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP) held June 25-28* in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

McElroy declared the "see-judge-act methodology" that undergirds this understanding of pastoral theology "is rooted in the world as it is, rather than in the world as it is imagined to be."

"The pastoral theology of Pope Francis," he said, "rejects a notion of law which can be blind to the uniqueness of concrete human situations, human suffering and human limitation." READ MORE