ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC PARISH
Costa Mesa, California
served by the Norbertine Fathers of St. Michael's Abbey
THE HERALD
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Dear Friends in Christ,
Greetings from the Norbertine Fathers and Sisters, and the staff, of St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish.
This issue of THE HERALD highlights our community's gratitude to our pastor, Fr. Augustine Puchner, and our fond farewell as he embarks on his new ministry for St. Michael's Abbey in Illinois, celebrates the installation and blessing of our beautiful statue of Michelangelo's Pieta, contains exciting parish and school news, as well as information on registration for religious education at SJB.
August is the month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and August 15 is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Below is an article about the devotion and the dogma proclaimed by Pope Pius XII.
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THANK YOU . . . FR. AUGUSTINE! |
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The parish community of St. John the Baptist, via a series of gatherings and receptions, came together throughout the month of July to express their gratitude to Fr. Augustine for 13 years of wonderful ministry at St. John the Baptist Parish,
including 11 years as our beloved pastor!
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FATHER AUGUSTINE! We wish you the fondest of farewells as you embark on your new ministry for St. Michael's Abbey in Springfield, Illinois.
You will always be in our prayers here at SJB; please keep us in your prayers . . . and . . . visit often!
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EVERY SATURDAY
11:20 AM
(Pacific Time)
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Pray the Rosary with our Norbertine Sisters
The holy Rosary is a powerful weapon.
Use it with confidence and you'll be amazed at the results.
-St. Josemaria Escriva
Register for Zoom Link:
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IT'S TIME TO SIGN-UP FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
AT ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST!
Religious Education (English)
Classes begin Sep 18, 19, 20
1st Holy Communion Preparation
Post Communion Faith Formation
RCIA-adapted for children
ONLINE REGISTRATION
TEEN CONFIRMATION
English, Spanish, Vietnamese
REGISTRATION & INFORMATION CLICK HERE
VIETNAMESE RELIGOUS ED
for information click HERE
EN ESPAÑOL
REGISTRACIONES para el programa 2022-2023
Los Domingos después de la Misa en Español
comenzando 21 de Agosto.
Traer copia de la fe de bautizo, ó acta de nacimiento si no está bautizado(a)
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Christian Initiation of Adults
Adults inquiring about Baptism and/or becoming a member of the Catholic Church, please call Tom Grebel, 714.540-2214 x120
Adults interested in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation
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MONDAY, AUGUST 15
Solemnity of the Assumption
of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven
(not a Holy Day of Obligation this year)
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MASS SCHEDULE
6:30 AM - English
8:30 AM - English
(also livestreamed)
12 NOON - Latin
(Extraordinary Form) - also livestreamed
5:30 PM - English
Monday evening Triumph
Prayer Service
and
Confessions will take place as scheduled
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YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18
BEACH BONFIRE!
Join us at Huntington State Beach for our LAST Beach Bonfire of the summer. It will be a day filled with fellowship, s'mores, and prayer! The leadership team will arrive early in the day to reserve the firepit. You're encouraged to arrive as early as you would like! The address is 22355 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92646. We will meet at the fire pits near Life Guard Tower 2, which is next to the Huntington Beach Santa Ana River Trail. Look for our E-Z Up and banners.
Free parking can be found in the residential area at the end of Brookhurst Street. It is a short walk to where we will be gathering. Otherwise there is paid parking right on the beach by our fire pit. Please note that you may need to enter via the Magnolia Street beach parking entrance because the Brookhurst Street Beach parking entrance closes at 4pm.
Organized activities and fellowship will begin at 6:00 pm and group prayer will begin at 7:00pm. You are welcome to show up at anytime though (even earlier than 6pm). At 8:00pm we will enjoy the sunset by a bonfire with some s'mores.
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FAMILY MINISTRY
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20
DATE DAY!
Our next Date Day will be on Saturday, August 20th. We encourage you to take advantage of this free opportunity for childcare!
To make sure that we have enough volunteers for the amount of children being dropped off, you must register in advance to participate: CLICK HERE to do so!
The school yard, childcare room, and playground will be used with adult supervision. You are welcome to drop off your kids from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. We will watch your little ones all the way up to your high school aged children. We want you to enjoy time with your spouse, to give you the ability to rest, and/or to get things you otherwise could not do (with kids around), done!
All children that are dropped off need to have eaten a full meal before arrival and be dressed appropriately for the weather.
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FRIDAY, SEP 9
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Bible Sharing
with our
Norbertine Sisters
St. John the Baptist Convent
2960 Mendoza Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Our Norbertine Sisters invite young women to a
Monthly Bible Sharing every 2nd Friday of the month.
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Visit Michelangelo’s Pieta at SJB!
Parish Receives Gift of a Replica of the Famous Artwork in Honor of Norbertines 20-year Service
It is with immense joy that the Norbertine fathers at St. John the Baptist announce that through the generosity of wonderful benefactors, in conjunction with Arte Divine, the parish has been gifted with a replica of Michelangelo's magnificent Pieta in commemoration of the 20-year anniversary of the Norbertine Fathers coming to serve the parish community!
The artwork is faithful in every detail to Michelangelo's original. Cast using a proprietary Carrara marble blend and then painstakingly hand-finished and polished by Arte Divine's master artisans, ensuring that every intricate detail of the original masterpiece is exact.
The statue arrived at the parish in the late morning on July 25th. Then, the Arte Divine team, working with Desy, our parish maintenance director, and with the assistance of Brandon, Youth & Family Ministry Director (who called in two members of the Young Adult ministry to provide some added muscle) – with Fr. Augustine also helping - uncrated and placed the statue in the church.
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The statue was blessed by Fr. Augustine at the 5:30 pm Mass on July 27th, and has already become a focal point for people to stop and offer prayers.
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In the words of Fr. Augustine, “The Pieta is a magnificent legacy gift for St. John the Baptist parish; a gift that will edify and inspire each person who enters our church for generations to come.”
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SAVE THE DATE!
SJB School Fall Gala & Auction!
Saturday, NOVEMBER 12, 2022
5:00 PM
at the incredible Balboa Bay Club, Newport Beach
Plan now to "make a night of it" with your friends!
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Celebrate and Support our Catholic Education Ministry |
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INDEED . . .
Wonderful things continue to happen at
SJB School!
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Parents who would like to learn more about our school are encouraged to click the link below:
or call (714) 557-5060
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THANK YOU . . .
to the 230 people who have signed up for Adoration in our Blessed Sacrament Chapel . . .
and to the 82 people who have made recurring adoration commitments
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Please prayerfully consider signing up.
We are using an electronic sign-up system, called WE ADORE HIM. Signing up, checking in, and finding substitutes is simple and easy.
1) Sign up by going to our SJB website: www.sjboc.org Click the Adoration Chapel Link.
2) Once you are on the SJB Adoration Chapel website, click on SIGN UP at the top of the page to create your account, set your password, and input your information. The activation code is STJOHNCHAPEL.
3) Among the choices you’ll have is how to receive notifications of your adoration time(s) – by text, by email, or by phone.
4) Another choice will be if you are willing to be a substitute.
5) Checking in for adoration will be done on an iPad located just outside the Adoration Chapel. You’ll see your name on the screen, and just check in!
6) Log-in to your account to update your information, see your upcoming adoration commitments, and to request a substitute.
7) If you request a substitute, the system will contact – one by one – those who have indicated they are willing to be a substitute. If the first person declines to be a substitute, the system moves on to the next person, etc. Once a substitute is found, you’ll receive a message telling you your spot is filled.
Contact Tony at the parish office if you have questions or need help signing up. He may be reached at tony@sjboc.org or by calling (714) 540-2214.
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SIGN UP TO HAVE OUR
VOCATION CRUCIFIX
IN YOUR HOME FOR ONE WEEK!
Be a vocation prayer warrior!
Help our parish pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Sign up to take home a beautiful Crucifix from the Holy Land for one week. This commits your family to use it in a daily prayer for vocations.
The Crucifix is received by the family at one of the Vigil or Sunday Masses, and is returned to the parish rectory office by 3PM the following Friday.
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LIKE & FOLLOW ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC CHURCH & SCHOOL
ON FACEBOOK
Keep up with the latest news, and help us spread the word about our magnificent Catholic Faith and important events.
Click the Facebook logo on the right and then LIKE and FOLLOW us!
Our goal is to reach 5,000 Page "Followers"!
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FOLLOW SJB ON INSTAGRAM AS WELL!
Click on the logo on the right.
Our goal is to reach 700 followers in August!
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SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YouTube CHANNEL
Let's get to 1,400 subscribers in August!
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August is the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Solemnity of the Assumption |
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August is the month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It's a month filled with feasts celebrating saints deeply devoted to Our Blessed Lady, including the Feast of St. Dominic, instrumental in the spreading of the Holy Rosary. We also find the Feast of St. Jean Eudes, who, in the eighteenth century, was foremost in disseminating devotion to her Immaculate Heart.
The Feast of St. Bernard, attributed author of the beautiful Memorare prayer to Our Lady, also falls within August. So does that of St. Jean de Chantal, who, along with her dear friend St. Francis de Sales, shared a particular devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. And St. Philip Benizi, to whom she appeared, announcing that he should enter the order of the Servites, wholly devoted to her sorrows.
Towards the end of August, we find three more saints profoundly devoted to the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph Calasanctius, St. Rose of Lima, and St. Raymond Nonnatus.
Venerable Pope Pius XII, who, having consecrated the world to Mary’s Immaculate Heart in 1942, extended the Feast of The Immaculate Heart to the entire Church, two years afterwards.
Most importantly, in August we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
It was Venerable Pope Pius XII who promulgated the dogma of the Assumption.
The truth that Our Lady was assumed into heaven was always believed and celebrated by the Church. From very ancient times, the Church in the east and west solemnly celebrated a liturgical feast in memorial of the “Dormition of Mary” or the “Assumption of Our Lady into heaven”. In the Gregorian Sacramentary which Pope Adrian I sent to Charles the Great between the years 784-790 one finds the following original text: “Venerable to us, O Lord, is the festivity of this day on which the holy Mother of God suffered temporal death, but still could not be kept down by the bonds of death, who has begotten Thy Son Our Lord incarnate from herself.”
On May 1, 1946 Pope Pius XII decided to send an encyclical letter entitled “Deiparae Virginis Mariae” to his venerable brother Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and other Ordinaries at peace and in communion with the Apostolic See regarding the proposal to definitively define the dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. In this letter, the Holy Father asked that they “raise insistent prayers to God so that He might clearly manifest the will of His ever-adorable goodness in this instance” (Pope Pius XII Deiparae Virginis Mariae no 3) To that end, the Holy Father asked His venerable brothers if they believed that the Church could propose and define as a dogma Our Lady’s Assumption into heaven and if this was the belief and the desire of the Priests and members of the Catholic faithful in their communities.
Pius XII called on Sacred Scripture and saints, Fathers, and Doctors of the Church who in one voice always upheld the Assumption of Mary.
He cited Scriptural verses and passages universally believed to be connected with the Assumption. One Psalm says, “Arise, O Lord, into your resting place: you and the ark, which you have sanctified.” Another Psalm (45:10-14ff) includes these words: All glorious is the king’s daughter as she enters, her raiment threaded with gold; In embroidered apparel she is led to the king.”
The “scholastic Doctors recognized the Assumption of the Virgin Mother of God” as something indicated in Old Testament figures and in the “woman clothed with the sun” (Revelation 12:1) that John contemplated.
For Church Fathers and theologians every proof is founded on the Sacred Writings. Pius XII emphasizes, “Consequently it seems impossible to think of her, the one who conceived Christ, brought Him forth, nursed Him with her milk, held Him in her arms, and clasped Him to her breast, as being apart from Him in body, even though not in soul, after this earthly life. Since our Redeemer is the Son of Mary, He could not do otherwise, as the perfect observer of God's law, than to honor, not only His eternal Father, but also His most beloved Mother. And, since it was within His power to grant her this great honor, to preserve her from the corruption of the tomb, we must believe that He really acted in this way.”
Pius XII proclaimed, “Hence the revered Mother of God, from all eternity joined in a hidden way with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a most perfect virgin in her divine motherhood, the noble associate of the divine Redeemer who has won a complete triumph over sin and its consequences, finally obtained, as the supreme culmination of her privileges, that she should be preserved free from the corruption of the tomb and that, like her own Son, having overcome death, she might be taken up body and soul to the glory of heaven where, as Queen, she sits in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages.”
Finally, on November 1, 1950, with the proclamation of the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus Pope Pius XII made the solemn proclamation that “we have poured forth prayers of supplication again and again to God, and have invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, for the glory of Almighty God who has lavished His special affection upon the Virgin Mary, for the honor of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages and the Victor over sin and death, for the increase of the glory of that same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church; by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. (Link to complete Apostolic Constitution on the Vatican website)
He confidently assured the solemn proclamation and definition of the Assumption “will contribute in no small way to the advantage of human society, since it redounds to the glory of the Most Blessed Trinity, to which the Blessed Mother of God is bound by such singular bonds.”
Meditating on this most glorious mystery should help everyone clearly see “to what a lofty goal our bodies and souls are destined . . . that belief in Mary's bodily Assumption into heaven will make our belief in our own resurrection stronger and render it more effective.”
So, in the month of August let us remember that Mary, Mother of God, awaits us always. Her Immaculate Heart forever shines her motherly love upon us.
In the beautiful words attributed to St. Bernard, we pray:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
-compiled from various sources, including
Missionaries of Divine Revelation,
National Catholic Register,
Coming Home Network, The Holy See.
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