St. John Neumann Catholic Community
Staffed by Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
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Office Hours:
9:00am-7:00pm Monday-Thursday*
9:00am-5:00pm Friday*
*most weeks
Main Office: 703-860-8510
11900 Lawyers Rd
Reston, VA 20191
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Mass Schedule:
Saturday Vigil: 5:00pm
Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm (Spanish), 5:00pm
Weekday Mass: Monday-Friday: 9:00am; Wednesday: 7:00pm
Reconciliation (Confessions)
Saturday: 10:00-10:30am (English), or by appointment
Sunday: 12:00pm (Spanish), most Sundays
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Dear Friends,
I am delighted to introduce the inaugural St. John Neumann e-newsletter. We hope that this monthly communication will be an opportunity to learn more about the parish, the staff, and to highlight perhaps some relative spiritual and church related topics. For me as Pastor, I hope it will be an opportunity to share some spiritual and/or everyday thoughts that I might not do through the bulletin. From time to time, perhaps there will be a guest writer in my place.
“
Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set out to remedying them. Every day begin the task anew.”
– St. Francis de Sales
As many of us may have recently made New Year Resolutions, I find the above quote from Francis de Sales helpful. The purpose of resolutions are often to make us better people. Whether the intention of the resolution is to make us healthier, to become more charitable and kinder toward others, whatever it might be, past experiences tells us that often our resolutions quickly lose steam, falter or eventually cease. One of the biggest obstacles for me in achieving my resolutions has been a lack of patience. I want positive results quickly and often when this doesn’t happen, I get discouraged. It is at these times, that I need to remind myself, like St. Paul when we fall, we need to get back up again! It is a chance to stand up and start again. I have learned over time to start with small steps in approaching my resolutions. I also wonder if it is more helpful if we make daily resolutions and daily examinations of conscience. We live one day at a time, not one year at a time. This will allow us to progress “one step at a time and to pick ourselves up after each fall.” This is where St. Francis de Sales advice comes into play.
My good friend, Kevin Nadolski, OSFS wrote a number of years ago, “…for us in the Salesian family, resolutions are not just for January 1st. St. Francis de Sales believed that the disciple has the ability each day to turn more closely to God, to Live Jesus, and to embrace the Gospel with vigor. He suggests that your resolutions can come from your daily prayer and meditation. In fact, he suggests that you conclude your prayer each morning with some sort of resolution.
Fr. Kevin goes on to write, “This practice helps the disciple ensure that the prayer event is not merely some lofty, ethereal activity. Instead, prayer impacts daily life, brings the heart closer to Jesus’, and changes the world!”
In my own life especially around determining resolutions and then keeping them, I need to bring them to prayer if I am going to have any chance in experiencing success. Just as important for me especially when I am struggling with a resolution or with something else like a bad habit, I find it helpful to focus on the blessings that God has gifted me and on how I use them. This gives me perspective and then I am able to approach my resolutions with better resolve.
Live Jesus,
Fr. Joe
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Salesian Theme of the Month: Community
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COMMUNITY: A GROUP OF PERSONS UNITED BY THE BOND OF LOVE
Fr. Don Heet, OSFS
When St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal were establishing the Sisters of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the original intention was that the sisters would take only one vow, a vow of charity, rather than the three traditional vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. The founders’ belief was that if the sisters practiced charity, the other virtues would naturally follow. As Francis de Sales put it, “We have no bond but the bond of love, which is the bond of perfection.”
The success of any community, religious or secular, relies on various aspects of that bond of love. Members need to respect each other, for their differences as well as for their talents. Members need to be compassionate and understanding with each other in times of personal trials. Members need to be generous, when appropriate putting the good of the community ahead of their own convenience and agendas. Members need to forgive one another for the painful incidents that are inevitable in any community.
In the Christian tradition, the ultimate model of community is the Blessed Trinity: three individual Persons perfectly united by the bond of love. While the best of human communities will be a pale reflection of that divine community, Father, Son and Holy Spirit remain the ideal towards which a successful community will always strive
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Catechesis Corner
Did You Know?
The Liturgical New Year with the Gospel of Matthew
Mickie Abatemarco
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The new Liturgical Year began with the first Sunday of Advent. This year most of our Gospels will come from Matthew. Like Mark and Luke, many of the readings have the same base, but are presented to different audiences. Matthew writes to the Jews around 70AD. His main focus is to show that Jesus is the Messiah. Matthew often references the Old Testament readings, especially Isaiah, to connect the prophetic message of who the Messiah will be. He is also dealing with a patriarchal society, therefore most of his writings are through a male lens. The best example is that in Matthew’s gospel the Angel appears to Joseph to announce the birth of Jesus, while in Luke’s gospel the Angel appears to Mary. As you hear the readings throughout this Liturgical Year listen for the messages that Matthew offers to a people who are open to welcoming the Messiah into the world that they know and have lived for centuries. How do we respond to Matthew’s in our own lives?
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Catholic Mass Explained
The Introductory Rite
Fr Don Heet, OSFS
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I would like to begin with one of the first things we do at Mass: the entrance hymn. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal – affectionately called the GIRM – says “The Christian faithful who come together as one in expectation of the Lord’s coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together Psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles (cf. Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus St. Augustine says rightly, ‘Singing is for one who loves,’ and there is also an ancient proverb: ‘Whoever sings well prays twice over.” The specific purpose of the entrance hymn “is to open the celebration, foster the unity of those who have been gathered, introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical time or festivity, and accompany the procession of the Priest and ministers.” It seems to me that one of the ways the hymn fosters unity is by not only focusing our minds on the words of the hymn, but also bringing the whole congregation – or at least those who are singing – into common rhythm of breathing; when we sing together as the people of God, we are breathing as the body of Christ.
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Mickie is the Director of Faith Formation at SJN. She has been in this role for three and a half years, but has been a parishioner for seven years.
Why she loves being Catholic...
"I love the traditions and the ritual that have been apart of my life since I was a child. The fact that I have that in common with others in the community supports and sustains me. Also, the challenge to live Catholic Social Teaching every day keeps me grounded and connected."
Something that always makes her smile...
"The faces of the children and their parents working together on an activity at Family Nights always makes me smile."
Something you might not have known...
"I had the privilege of doing my graduate work at Maryknoll, a missionary Religious Institution. I met people from China, Latin America and Eastern Europe, they put their life’s on the line to be a Catholic. It broadened my perspective and has shaped who I am today."
How to contact Mickie:
mabatemarco@saintjn.org or (703) 390-2340
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5 - Knights of Columbus Charity Breakfast for Fatima Community
9 - Exposition & Adoration
10 - Movie Night (for adults)
10 & 17 - First Reconciliation Service
11 - Family Program
11 - Family Mass
14 - Taize Prayer Service
19-25 - Hypothermia Prevention Shelter
24 - March for Life
24 - Feast of St. Francis de Sales Celebration
25 & 26 - Cornerstone Van Collections
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Event Highlight:
Hypothermia Prevention Shelter & Bro. Mickey McGrath Mural
During the third week of January each year St. John Neumann opens its doors and invites the homeless to hot meals and a clean bed during our Hypothermia Prevention Shelter. For the second year in a row a special guest will be joining us: artist and fellow Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, Brother Mickey McGrath. This year, a mural will be painted by Bro. Mickey outside the Faith Formation office, and it will be blessed on the Feast of St. Francis de Sales, January 24.
If you are interested in learning more about the Hypothermia Prevention Shelter and how you can help, visit the
parish website
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Scripture verse of the month:
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The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!
”
(Numbers 6:24-26)
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