Serving as a Eucharistic Minister has influenced

both Diana Rittenhouse’s personal faith life and her relationship with others

in the community, as she assists the priests and

deacons in distributing Holy Communion.

continued on page 5

AUGUST 2016Monthly Newsletter

Eucharistic MinistersSHARING THE REAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST

WITH THE PARISH COMMUNITYAs Catholics, we come together every week to worship at the Eucharistic feast of the

Mass. It is a liturgical celebration where we offer worship to our Heavenly Father and He, in turn, feeds us with the very Body and Blood of Christ. The nourishment of the Eucharist aids us in our spiritual journey as we share our time, talent and treasure with our community.

Parishioner Diana Rittenhouse has been a Eucharistic Minister at Mass for 15 years at St. Hilary’s. Having experienced a deepening in her relationship with Christ through this ministry, she continues to serve faithfully, allowing the presence of Christ in the Eucha-rist to influence her life in the community and the way she views others.

“Each time I serve as Eucharistic Minister, it is the greatest bond that I share with a par-ticular person and the Lord,” Diana says. “The ministry nurtures me. After participating in the liturgy in this way, I always go back to my pew to say ‘thank you’ to God for letting me share in such a beautiful experience with each and every person I encounter.”

Eucharistic Ministers hold a unique role in the Mass as they assist the priest and deacon with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ to the faithful. By serving the parish community in this way, these ministers experience a special closeness to Christ, and it is His presence that impacts their hearts and minds.

“Sharing the Lord with others is a very sacred space for me,” Diana says. “I get to look into the person’s eyes, hold up the Blessed Sacrament, and they accept with the word

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As Christians, it is important that we recognize the difference between right and wrong –

both morally and ethically. Sometimes, though, this line can become blurred.

Many situations we encounter in our lives include variables that can leave us internally conflicted and unsure of how to move forward in accordance with God’s will.

So, how do we work through these moral conun-drums? One way is to develop a solid Christian conscience.

A moral conscience exists in the heart of every individual. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “When he listens to his con-science, the prudent man can hear God speak-ing. Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed” (1777, 1778).

Think of your conscience as the “angelic” ver-sion of yourself sitting on your shoulder, giving you sound advice.

While everyone is blessed with a conscience, each individual has a responsibility to develop this conscience from the time they are young. Parents obviously play an important role in developing their children’s consciences. As the primary educators of their children on ethical issues and the Catholic faith, parents have a re-sponsibility to teach virtue to their children and help them to avoid fear, selfishness and pride.

As we grow older, we take on the lifelong chal-lenge of continually forming our own conscienc-es, and establishing a moral code that enables us to make the proper judgments.

One valuable tool in forming a conscience is the practice of introspection. “It is important for every person to be sufficiently present to himself in order to hear and follow the voice of his con-science” (CCC 1779). In contemporary society, where there are so many distractions and rou-tines, it is extremely important that we take the time to look inward and truly listen to what our inner voice is telling us.

Another way to ensure we are developing a good moral code is by conforming to the mind of Christ. God the Father gave us Christ, physically present on this earth and recorded in Sacred Scripture, as the ultimate example of what to do and how to behave according to God’s will. As Donald Cardinal Wuerl aptly states in The Teach-ing of Christ, “To conform to the mind of Christ is to conform to the mind of the Father” (p. 244). In other words, when we act in loving imitation of Christ, we are certain to make practical judg-ments of conscience.

The next time you are faced with a moral di-lemma, take some quiet time to look inward, weigh the positive and negative outcomes, and listen to the voice of your conscience. Read the Gospels for examples of Christ’s teachings. By making this a regular practice, you will find that the voice of your conscience will come in louder and more clearly than you may have initially expected.

LIVING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILLForming a Conscience and Moral Code

LIVING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILLForming a Conscience and Moral Code

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There is something about the month of August that is glorious. Summer is

still in full force – the lazy, hazy days are upon us, and some still have vacations on the horizon. And, yet, we can also see the end of this wonderful season drawing closer – our vacations may al-ready be over, and we may be sadly an-ticipating the end of this relaxing time, with back-to-school and a return to the busyness of life just around the corner.

We are at that point in the year when things are coming to an end and things are beginning all at once. However, isn’t that the way it always is? The Russian playwright and short-story writer An-ton Chekhov once said, “People don’t notice whether it is winter or summer when they are happy.” There is certainly truth to that statement. You might say it is a stewardship statement.

I am sure you are wondering how to make the connec-tion between Chekhov’s quote and stewardship, but the connection is found quite simply in the word “happy.” I once heard someone say in a presentation about stew-ardship that people who live stewardship as a way of life are almost always happy. There is a reason for that.

Stewardship is a positive way to live. It means feeling grateful and centering your thoughts on gratitude. In other words, your focus is on the good things in life, not the bad. That does not mean you have perfect health or that all is ideal in your family, that you always sleep well at night, or that you enjoy everything that happens to you or around you.

However, it does mean that when the good happens, you thank God. You rec-ognize that good and are filled with feel-ings of joy and gratitude. You and I know people like that, don’t we? We know people who always seem filled with joy, regardless of what may be happening to them or around them personally. To me, these kinds of people are stewardship people – the kind of people we all need to strive to be.

No doubt, you have heard that living a life of stewardship means living with an “attitude of gratitude.” That is not easy, for you or for me. Let us vow to try to be like that nonetheless. As we watch our

summer season dwindle away and the busier time of year begins again, let us concentrate on how God has blessed us. If we do that, I truly believe that we can be those people Chekhov described. If we are happy, it will not matter what time of year it is.

I am grateful for you, your support, your prayers, and – most of all – your presence in my life. Thank you and God bless you.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. William E. BrownPastor

Stewardship:A POSITIVE WAY TO LIVE

Dear Parishioners,

A Letter From Our Pastor

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No Longer Alone CELIA GLENNON

For parishioner Celia Glennon, stewardship has made all the

difference in her life, transforming her from an outsider to an active participant – from feeling isolated to being surrounded by love and sup-port. Blessed to have been raised by a devout Irish Catholic mother, Celia’s faith has always played an important role in her life. Yet, as a divorced woman and mother, she felt misplaced and alone amidst the surrounding couples and families.

“In a small community with lots of young families, I felt isolated socially as a single mom,” Celia says. “Di-vorce was a very painful and lonely time until I became active at St. Hilary’s. I used to go to weekly Mass alone or with my daughters, frequent-ly feeling a bit like an outsider.”

This all changed, however, when Celia became a Religious Education catechist for kindergarten, first and second-grade students. By choosing to give of her time in service of God’s Church, Celia suddenly went from feeling like an outsider in the com-munity to feeling a true sense of be-longing. This feeling only deepened

as she became involved in the par-ish’s Divorced and Separated Catho-lics Support Group, allowing her to connect with individuals undergoing similar experiences.

“While divorce in the Catholic Church has continued to be somewhat taboo, St. Hilary’s has welcomed us, who at times have felt like out-casts, into the Church’s loving arms,” Celia says. “We support each other

in our struggles as single Catholic parents. Sometimes, I attend the group because I’m in a rough spot and need to vent or need inspiration. Other times, I offer support and hope because I have already faced similar challenges and can offer help and suggestions.”

In this way, says Celia, the support group has become a “tangible iden-tity” of St. Hilary’s and ultimately the merciful heart of God. She has felt encouraged in her own faith journey and strengthened by the knowledge that she doesn’t have to go it alone.

This, in turn, has led her to become even more involved, organizing the annual Deck the Halls Christmas celebration and regularly serve as a greeter/usher for the 5 p.m. Sunday

The single parent of her two daughters, Jessica and Jamie, parishioner Celia Glennon has been deeply grateful for the love and support given by her “extended family” here

at St. Hilary’s.

“My involvement at St. Hilary’s has allowed me to connect with families and to make lasting friendships. These days, I always feel welcomed, cared for and loved. My community of friends know they can rely on me when I make a commitment, and this relationship is reciprocal. When I’m in a bind, all I need to do is reach out my hand and someone from St. Hilary’s is nearby.” – Celia Glennon

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No Longer Alone CELIA GLENNON

‘amen.’ They do believe that they are receiving the Body and Blood of Christ.”

Through this ministry, Diana has also noticed that whether at Mass or outside of Mass, she has grown accustomed to holding a special reverence for those she serves, just as she reverences them in the sacrament when she ministers.

If you are looking for a way to get involved at Mass that doesn’t take a lot of “extra” time, but can both enrich and challenge your spiritual life and relationships with others, consider becom-ing a Eucharistic Minister at Mass.

“Each time I serve as Eucharistic Minister, it is the greatest bond that I share with a particular person and the Lord. The ministry nurtures me. After participating in the liturgy in this way, I always go back to my pew to say ‘thank you’ to God for letting me share in such a beautiful experience with each and every person I encounter.” – Diana Rittenhouse

There is a training session for all new ministers – this takes place once a year and as needed. Please contact Diana Rittenhouse at the parish office for more information,

415-435-1122 or dianar@sthilary.org.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS continued from front cover

Mass. She also started an interfaith single parents group in 2009 which works to address the unique chal-lenges and needs that single parents face. In this way, Celia has been able to “give back to the community” that has blessed her so abundantly, working to become that “positive role model” for others.

Celia adds that she has taken on Proverbs 22:6 as a mantra. The pas-sage reads,“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it,” Celia has worked hard to instill that same love for God’s Church in her own

two daughters. She feels blessed to have witnessed them grow in their own stewardship over the years, with 12-year-old Jessica regularly altar serving and 8-year-old Jamie assist-ing her mother in greeting/ushering.

As a single parent, it is a constant juggling act for Celia, balancing the needs of a demanding career, two young daughters, and her own per-sonal and spiritual needs. With all of her family living on the east coast, Celia frequently felt alone during the early years of her separation and divorce. Today, however, Celia feels surrounded by love and

support in the form of dear friends and parishioners who have become her “extended family.”

“My involvement at St. Hilary’s has allowed me to connect with families and to make lasting friendships,” Celia says. “These days, I always feel welcomed, cared for and loved. My community of friends know they can rely on me when I make a com-mitment, and this relationship is reciprocal. When I’m in a bind, all I need to do is reach out my hand and someone from St. Hilary’s is nearby.”

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Can a pile of bones really be that exciting?

Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, eager to glimpse the spot in which the alleged bones of St. Peter, our first pope, remain to this day.

The relics of saints have been venerated throughout the ages in every corner of the world – yet, the bones of the very first Christian, the Mystical Rose, are nowhere to be found.

When it comes to the day, manner or year of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s death, nothing is certain. No account is given in Scripture. The Church turns instead to Tradition for an answer.

Since the birth of the Church, no Marian rel-ics have ever been venerated – nor can they ever be – because her body was assumed, or taken up, into heaven. There exist, there-fore, no remains of the Blessed Virgin’s body on this earth. She lives, right now, body and soul, in heavenly glory.

Although the particular dogma of the As-sumption cannot be found in the writings of Scripture, if we look at many other writings by the early Christians, it is clear that the Church has always held this dogma to be true. Even more, though there is no state-ment of fact in the Bible itself that Mary was assumed body and soul, the truths that we do know about Mary from Scripture simply serve to back up the reality that she was as-sumed into heaven. She gave herself wholly to the Lord and followed His will for her life, perfectly, to the end.

The Assumption of Mary reveals that the promises of the Lord – including the resur-rection of the body – were fulfilled in Mary. She shared most intimately in the life, death and resurrection of her Son, and was free from original sin and its effects – including corruption of the body at death.

Therefore, it was no surprise when, in 1950, Pope Pius XII declared infallibly the Assump-tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a dogma of the Catholic faith with these words: “The Im-maculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heav-enly glory” (Munificentissimus Deus, 44).

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is observed on the liturgical calendar as a so-lemnity – of higher importance than a feast. On Aug. 15, this wonderful celebration is ac-companied by great hope in the resurrection of the body and everlasting union with God in heaven.

In the words of Pope Benedict XVI dur-ing his homily Mass on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary in 2006: “Mary is ‘blessed’ because – totally, in body and soul and forever – she became the Lord’s dwelling place. If this is true, Mary does not merely invite our admiration and veneration, but she guides us, shows us the way of life, shows us how we can become blessed, how to find the path of happiness.”

Alongside Catholics throughout the country, be sure to celebrate the Solemnity of the As-sumption on Aug. 15. This is a declared Holy Day of Obligation in the Church and a great liturgical feast. Mark your calendars!

The Assumption of Mary:A TIME TO CELEBRATE!

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“A Chance to Gather with Friends,to Pray, to Learn, to Laugh...”THE ST. HILARY CATHOLIC CHURCH

MEN’S FAITH SHARING GROUP

Every Wednesday morning, bright and early at 6:30 a.m. a group of some 10 to 20 men gather in Taran-

tino Hall for an hour of fellowship, prayer, sharing faith, and discussing the liturgy readings for the following weekend Masses.

For almost 10 years, parishioner Hardin Abrams has headed the group, and he says he very much appreci-ates and enjoys the weekly meetings.

“For me it is one of the highlights of my week – a chance to gather with friends, to pray, to learn, to laugh, and to feel comfortable in the setting,” Hardin says.

“This ministry was originated by our pastor some years ago,” Hardin continues. “His thought was that men needed an opportunity to get together for spiritual reasons, to share their faith with one another as well as have an enjoyable time. It was a natural to build it around the readings for that particular week.”

As Hardin points out, the agenda for the week is standard.

“I get there real early to put the coffee on so it is ready when the others arrive at 6:30,” he says. “The meetings consist of an opening prayer, followed by a shared read-ing of all the readings for that week, and then an open discussion of the readings as we may understand them. We wrap things up promptly at 7:30 a.m.”

Such an outlet and fellowship opportunity is important. In fact, there is a well-known passage from the Book of Proverbs that reads, “As iron is sharpened by iron, one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Two iron blades, when rubbed together, each becomes sharper and more efficient. Men can reap the same benefits through meeting, prayer, sharing, fellowship, and inter-action. It is of consequence for men to come together in God’s name as brothers in Christ.

In addition, Pope Francis has encouraged this type of study. He said recently to a group of men, “The Bible is not meant to be placed on a shelf, but to be in your hands, to read often – every day, both on your own and with others. Why not read the Bible as a group – two,

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LITURGY SCHEDULEWeekday Mass: 8:30 a.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 7:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 5:00 p.m.

Confessions:Friday: 9:00 a.m.Saturday: 4 - 4:30 p.m.

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MEN’S FAITH SHARING GROUPcontinued from page 7

three, four, or even more? It is a great experience.”

“We have built a significant level of trust among the men and the atmosphere at the sessions is always upbeat and collegial,” Hardin says. “We have a great range of ages among the men as well as quite a cross section of educational and professional backgrounds. We have no officers, no membership requirements. No attendance is taken and there are no dues. The coffee is always ready, hot and good. All the adult men in the parish are welcome to come as they are able. We work very hard to avoid confrontations and arguments. There are bound to be various opinions and interpretations of the readings.”

When Hardin and his wife moved to the area from Iowa, they wanted to become involved in parish life, and Hardin

became part of the Parish Council. Then, he heard about this ministry and decided to give it a try.

“It has become such an important part of my week and my faith,” he says. “The man who was coordinating it moved away, and I sort of became the head, but my major job is to see that the room is set and the coffee is made. The group has discussed doing things collectively in some kind of service, but that is not a major focus. We are, at the core, a prayer group. Some of us may gather and provide service in various ways – those who can and want to serve at a soup kitchen, for example. I would encourage any man who is looking for a way to broaden and enrich his faith to give the group a try.”

If you would like more information on the Men’s Faith Sharing Group, please contact Hardin Abrams at 415-272-6260 or hardinabrams@aol.com.