July 12, 2020 ~ 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

My Dear Friends in Christ,In this Sunday’s Gospel (Mt 13:1-23), Jesus recounts to the crowd the well-known Parable of the Sower. Jesus identifies himself with the sower who scatters the good seed of the Word of God. He sows the seed of the Word everywhere. The question is: Do we hear and receive the Word?The Word obtains different effects in accordance with the way in which people hear the proclamation. Some listen superficially to the Word but do not take it in; others accept it at the time but are unable to persevere and lose it all; there are those who are engrossed by worldly concerns and enticements; and those who listen receptively, like the good soil: here the Word bears an abundance of fruit.

Many people are baptized as Catholics but live the faith in a superficial way. In fact, 50 percent of baptized Catholics under age 30 have no religious affiliation whatsoever. Some  genuinely believe, but when there is a difficult teaching; or scandals; or persecution, they lose heart, and do not persevere. Still others begin to follow Christ and are drawn to Him, yet human respect, wealth, and worldliness deter them from being effective witnesses. Finally, there are those who are committed and who bear fruit. The problem is not with the Word; rather, it is a question of our openness of receptivity to the Word.

The Gospel accentuates Jesus’ preaching “method”: He uses parables. His disciples ask, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus answers that He must proclaim the Gospel in parables to encourage those who have not yet decided to follow Him to make a decision and to be more deeply converted to Him. Parables demand the effort of interpretation. They challenge both our minds and our freedom. Parables want to provoke further thought and reflection, and through this, conversion and healing.

God’s true “Parable” is Jesus himself. In and through His sacred humanity, Jesus reveals His Divinity. He is a sign that will be contradicted, a sign that demands interpretation. Are we attracted to Him and what he offers? He sows the seed of faith, but it is up to us to freely choose to believe in Him.

I invite you to reflect on what type of soil you are. What type of soil is your family? What type of soil is our parish? What type of soil would you like to be? The Sower still sows His grace, but is the soil receptive?

The Parish Office and COVID-19
On July 2nd, Governor DeWine issued further guidelines in light of the recent uptick of COVID-19 cases in the state of Ohio. Some of these guidelines impact our office environment. Our parish staff has worked very hard during the pandemic; however, some members of our staff are “mature” in age and others are immune-suppressed and at risk. For this reason, we would appreciate parishioners dropping off Sunday collection envelopes, tuition payment envelopes, votive candle donation envelopes, and other church paperwork through the window in the entrance hall of the Church Office. If this is the only reason you are stopping at the office, please use the window only.

If you are stopping by the office with regard to Mass intentions, novenas, flowers, etc., I ask that you please call the Office rather than stop by in person. There is a great need to maintain social distance and to protect our staff.

If you do stop by, please remain behind the plexiglass screens that have been installed in the office. The Church Office is happy to help you during the hours of 8am to 4pm M-F and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. We can be reached at 513-661-6565 or via email office@sainti.org. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time of crisis to help limit social contact.

Expressions of Gratitude
I want to thank all who made our Patriotic Concert a success, especially our Jubilee Social Committee. I also want to thank Emily Branscum and our Youth Group for their chalk art and for creating the social distancing circles. For those who came and braved the heat, I am happy that we could enjoy the day together and celebrate the best traditions of our country. Mike Davis is well-known to many of our parishioners, and his presence is always appreciated.

I also want to express to members of the parish Pastoral Council who recently completed their terms of service. Jason Lesko finished his term as President of the Pastoral Council. Barb Hekler, Ric Aielli, and Larry Smith also finished three-year terms. These have not been the easiest of years with the transition between pastors and all the controversy. Their leadership and commitment are greatly appreciated. Three new pastoral council members are beginning their terms of service: Brandon Kramer, Dave Bender, and Carol Pieper. We welcome them aboard as the parish prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary. Finally, Kirk Fischesser has become the new President of the Pastoral Council and Michelle Kroeger the new Vice President; we offer them our prayers, support, and gratitude as they begin this new endeavor.

Buildings and Grounds
Finally, I wanted to make parishioners aware that we have completed the ADA (handicap accessible) bathroom at the back of church. Immediate work is needed on the windows in church to stop the leaking. You may notice work in church throughout the summer. The building of the new kindergarten classroom in the school’s former art lobby is nearly complete, and, if you have been to church, you have enjoyed the posh new kneelers – better for praying! 😊The parish is strongly considering installing a filtering system to prevent the spread of COVID in our facilities and, as you are aware from earlier communications, is beginning to move forward on the major construction project of shifting the pre-school to the main school building. I am grateful to our Buildings and Grounds Committee and our Maintenance Staff for their hard work.

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