The Memorare

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 by this confidence I fly to thee O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother. To thee 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parent's Prayer to St. Joseph

O glorious St. Joseph,
to you God committed the care
of His only begotten Son
amid the many dangers of this world.
We come to you
and ask you to take under your special protection
the children God has given us.
Through holy baptism
they became children of God
and members of His holy Church.
We consecrate them to you today,
that through this consecration
they may become your foster children.
Guard them,
guide their steps in life,
form their hearts
after the hearts of Jesus and Mary.

St. Joseph,
who felt the tribulation and worry of a parent
when the child jesus was lost,
protect our dear children for time and eternity.
May you be their father and counsellor.
Let them, like Jesus,
grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace
before God and men.
Preserve them from the corruption of his world,
and give us the grace one day to be united
with them in Heaven forever.

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pastor’s Note:

Welcome Sister Margaret Paul

The new principal at Saint Laurence School,
Sister Margaret Paul, I. H. M., belongs to the
Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and now lives in the convent with the sisters who minister to Saint Laurence Parish.

Sister Margaret was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, and is the oldest of three children.  Sister attended Bishop O’ Connell High School when the family moved to Arlington, Virginia.  It was there that Sister Margaret was inspired to enter religious life.  She entered the convent after graduating high school.  After professing her vows,
she was missioned at several schools in Philadelphia, in Delaware County, and in the states of Virginia and Florida, totaling a eaching career of over 38 years and 5 years of administration.  Most recently, sister was the Vice-Principal of the grade school that was her home parish in Virginia.

Sister Margaret finds joy in the smiling faces of children and looks forward to her years of service to the children here at Saint Laurence.  She welcomes the challenge of being a Catholic Elementary school principal and “looks forward to meeting new people and sharing the Good News of Jesus on a daily basis.” Welcome, Sister Margaret Paul.

 

 

FAITH BASICS IN CHURCH
Kneeling
We kneel in church as a sign of reverence for God. 
At Mass, it is our deep seated respect for the Eucharist. 
Little ones are encouraged to place their wrist over the
pew in front of them to keep their balance.  Kneeling is a surrender of our natural instinct to self-defense.  Kneeling is radical trust expressed to the person in front of us.

 

FAITH BASICS AT HOME
Kneeling
Early morning and late night we kneel beside our beds to acknowledge our radical trust in God’s plan and purpose
for our lives. Kneeling is also a sign of repentance:
I beg your mercy O Lord!
As a young man asks for his sweetheart’s hand in marriage,
he knows as sacred scripture says: she is a sure friend, a companion to the death.  To drop to his knee is total trust,
total surrender.  When we do this in Christ, a three-ply
cord has been established, a cord that cannot be broken.

 

Pastor’s Note:

        Oh, the real joy of praying!


I love to pray.
I pray that a time will come when I can
pray for longer periods of time.
That day will come:
In heaven I will praise God forever for
all his wonders of mercy and kindness.
OR
In purgatory, I will be praising God
and begging for just one more chance.
OR
In hell, I will finally realize all the thousands of miracles
from nature, kindnesses from people, family, health, food,
shelter, clothing, education, heat in the winter, laughter,
music, art, singing, space travel, were all conversation
starters initiated BY GOD to get our attention. 
He is asking for a simple response:
“thank you will do, please walk gently on the earth.”
When someone goes to HELL it will be for one essential reason: the refusal to acknowledge God.  Which means, I have insisted throughout my adult life, that “I am the center.”
How sad.  How very, very sad.
So sad, it’s silly.
Here’s my personal opinion: Hell is painful.
It is painful because we come to realize beyond any doubt
that God exists.  God is Love.  God loves you.
Therefore, love God. 
Hell is waking up and realizing Not that I missed the train. 
Hell is realizing that I refused to get on. 
This is how we get on the train:  “Go to your room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret and your Father who sees what
is hidden will reward you.”  Matthew 6:6

Pastor’s Note

Welcome Cardinal Rigali

 

 

 

 

We are delighted to welcome His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali to Saint Laurence Parish
for a Pastoral Visit on Sunday, July 25, 2010. 
The Cardinal will celebrate the 10:30 Mass and deliver the homily.  Immediately after Mass, he will greet all the parishioners in our social hall. 


For many, his pastoral visits have the effect of bringing the Holy Spirit’s sense of renewed courage and the tender compassion of Our Lady into the lives of the searching.  May such a blessing be yours. 


From 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 24th there will be a rehearsal for ALL our Altar Servers.  In a particular way, I invite all our newly graduated 8th Grade Altar Servers
to come and be a part of this wonderful event. 


Though Cardinal Rigali lives so close, please pray for his safe arrival:


 “Our Lady Queen of the highway,
be with him on his journey,
for all your roads are beautiful,
and all your paths are peace.”
 

FAITH BASICS IN CHURCH
Silence
When we are preparing to receive Communion, we are most silent.  In line, we gesture, rather than speak, When we return to our pew, we speak to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, with a profound exterior silence, listening for the Lord.

FAITH BASICS AT HOME
Silence
There are moments when we bow our heads in silent prayer and there are moments everyone is silent listening to Mom or Dad or an important story
from school.  Silence has its place.

FAITH BASICS IN CHURCH
Gathering for Supper
How good it is to come to church together,
gather the family, work out your schedules. 
“Where there are two or three gathered in my name, the Lord is there in our midst.”  Matthew 18:19-20. 
A big growth comes for ‘the children’ when we can start going to Church with ease with Mom and Dad.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
FAITH BASICS AT HOME
Gathering for Supper
In my parents’ home, we had a small (12" x 14" or so) picture of the Last Supper over the kitchen table. 
A reminder of how the Lord gathered the Apostles
to prepare them for future ministry.

 

FAITH BASICS IN CHURCH
Our Blessed Lady
Every time the priest prays the Mass, Mary,
Our Lady, is included in the Eucharistic Prayer. 
Yet another reminder, as Mary said yes to God, we, strengthened by the Eucharist, say yes to God as well.

FAITH BASICS AT HOME
Our Blessed Lady
The Blessed Mother, Our Lady, is a sure sign of love in the world.  Despite all her trials, she remained faithful.  With a Rosary on your night stand, remember Mary’s powerful intercession for us,
that we will remain faithful to our calling.

Pastor’s Note

The Gift of Leadership
This note of Gratitude is a public acknowledgment of
a job well done, a vocation from the Lord.
Dear Sister Helen Thomas, I.H.M.,
Greetings in Our Lord!
May we express to you our sincere appreciation
for your every accomplishment. 
The children of Saint Laurence Catholic Grade School
are successful because of your leadership.
You have empowered parents, staff, faculty and volunteers
to be and do their very best. 
You have challenged us to be reverent at Mass
and attentive in the classroom. 
You live the proclamation:
Hard Work, Faith in God.

In your role as Principal: A+
In your role as teacher: A+
For promoting mutual respect: A+
For insisting on family participation: A+
May the Lord Bless and protect you. 
May Our Lady wrap her mantle about you. 
Thank you Sister Helen.

 

 

Pastor’s Note

 JFK Airport: New York,
New York
I’ll never forget my first trip out of JFK Airport to Europe.  My heartfelt impression: They’re all here. 
The world is here.  Every race, language, creed, profession, style; every height, facial expression, and manner of humanity, they’re all here. 
I’ll never forget my own self-imposed question: “Why do they come?”  I came to my own conclusion when I witnessed the thousands coming through the immigration lines.  America!  America! 
We are the Land of the Free. 
They come, everyday, by the thousands.  
Just for the chance, everyday! 
Just like all my ancestors from Europe. 
Freedom, health, mutual respect, education property, advancement on merit, prosperity, creativity and justice to pursue thugs of every sort are just a few of the values of “why we came and why I stay.” 
America!

An Independence Day Prayer

Dear Lord,
There is no greater feeling of liberation than to experience this freedom from sin and death that you have provided for me through Jesus Christ.  Today my heart and my soul are free to praise you.  For this I am very thankful.

On this Independence Day, I am reminded of all those who have sacrificed for my freedom, following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ.  Let me not take my freedom, both physical and spiritual, for granted.  May I always remember that my freedom was purchased with a very high price.  My freedom cost others their very lives. 

Lord, today, bless those who have served and continue to give their lives for my freedom.  With favor and bounty meet their needs and watch over their families.

Help me to live my life in a way that glorifies you, Lord.  Give me the strength to be a blessing in someone else’s life today, and grant me the opportunity to lead others into the freedom that can be found in knowing Christ.   Amen.
(This prayer came from an e-mail from WMIT-FM Radio, the station in North Carolina owned by
Dr. Rev. Billy Graham,
 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.)

Pastor’s Note:


 Prayer to the Holy Trinity
O Holy Trinity, Almighty God
we adore you,
who gives life and vigor to every creature
and who sheds light eternal where
there is darkness.
We offer you our hearts, our souls,
and our whole being,
today and on the days to come,
that we may offer perfect praise and
love to your glorious Name.  Amen.

                Even though the Easter season has drawn to a close, today’s feast basks in the glow of Easter’s twilight.  To believe that we are made in the image and likeness of God, a God whose inner life is described in terms of community, is to recognize that we are in relationship with one another.  In the language of the liturgy, we do not each stand alone before God, but constantly affirm this truth in the very words of our prayers. 
“We believe, we offer, we ask you,” or “have mercy on us,
hear us, listen to our prayer,” and in preparation for communion, we pray the perfect prayer to “Our Father.” 
To be baptized is to enter into a community of faith.  Nowhere is this sense of community more focused than at Sunday Mass.  We respond to the love of the Father by being together in Christ, embraced by the Spirit, for the sake of the world.  Today’s feast is impossible to fully grasp.  Yet, as the scripture readings today explore, the Trinity is not a concept traced like a triangle
on a blackboard.  It is the air we breathe, the sign we trace on our bodies as a pledge and promise of God’s eternal love. 
The Trinity is God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

An Invitation from the Pastor

128 Years of Service to God and Church
The Knights of Columbus will be celebrating
Founders Day, March 29, 2010
As a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus I have continually found good men willing to extend themselves as disciples, stewards of God’s many graces for the good of others.  For some 25 years I have had the fortune of working side by side with Brother Knights.  We serve the poor, the youth
and the family.

I am honored now to invite the men of Saint Laurence who are practicing Catholics to consider a commitment to becoming a Knight of Columbus.  We are the largest volunteer group of Catholic men in the world.  Membership Representatives will be at Mass Saturday & Sunday, March 20th & 21st.  In Jesus Christ, we find the victory of the cross and the joy of the resurrection.

 Peace and all good to you, Fr. Gerlach