ST. JOHN’S PARISH NEWSLETTER ePistle at www.creighton.edu\stjohns

Omaha’s Jesuit Parish located at Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178

Cornerstone laid 1887—Established as a Parish 1897—Designated a City Landmark 1981

MASS/RECONCILIATION TIMES 402-280-3030

PARISH OFFICE 402-280-3031

Pastor: Fr. Lorn Snow, S.J. 402-280-3262

Associate Pastor: Fr. Phil Amidon, S.J. 402-280-2206

Eucharist:

Monday- Friday 7:00 a.m. Main Church

No Mass during University Breaks

Monday—Friday 12 noon Main Church

Monday—Friday 5:00 p.m. Fr. Halley Chapel, LSJ

Monday 9:00 p.m. Main Church**

Tuesday 9:00 p.m. Fr. Halley Chapel, LSJ**

Saturday 7:00 a.m. Main Church **

12 Noon Fr. Halley Chapel, LSJ

5:00 p.m. Main Church

(Anticipatory)

Sunday 8:00 a.m. Main Church

10:30 a.m. Main Church

4:30 p.m. Main Church**

8:30 p.m. Main Church**

10:00 p.m. Main Church**

**Academic Year Only—dates @www.creighton.edu\stjohns

Adult Faith Formation (Fall and Lenten Series)

Sunday 9:15 a.m. Conf. Room, LSJ

Youth Religious Education

Sunday 9:15—10:15 a.m. LSJ

Reconciliation:

Mon—Fri 12:30—1:00 p.m.

Saturday 4:00—5:00 p.m.

St. John’s Parish Staff Julie Carlson

Administrative Assistant 402-280-3031

Kathleen Denne

Business Manager 402-280-2975

Molly Mattingly

Music Director 402-280-2203

Sr. Barb Markey

Pastoral Minister 402-280-1499

Tom Everson

RCIA Coordinator kkad25@cox.net

Vivian Amu

Sacristan 402-280-2786

Jonathan Chiacchere st.johnsreligioused@gmail.com

Youth Religious Ed & Sacramental Prep

Scott Quinn

Youth Group scottquinn@creighton.edu

For more detailed information please refer to Parish

Brochure, located at all church entrances.

Even when life appears most bleak, I can almost always discover a kindness within it. I’ve learned that finding kindness takes prayerful practice. Otherwise, I miss what’s there. To help with this detection, I’ve developed an evening prayer that includes looking back over my day for a piece of kindness, something of beauty and goodness that slipped in between the busyness. If I listed these “findings,” they would include such things as the look of contentment on a stranger’s face, being welcomed by an eager puppy at a friends’ door, a green traffic light that kept me from being late, the first flower after a long winter, words of affirmation in an e-mail, the sound of happy wrens in an evergreen tree. These are not big, showy items. That is the wonder of divine love. All sorts of unnoticed motes of kindness float our way every day, but in the rush of life, they glide right past our nonawareness. Perhaps if you look tonight, you will find a kindness hidden in your day.

Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.

Living Faith, July, August, September 2016 Used with Permission

“For steadfast is his kindness toward us…”

(Psalm 117:2)

August 21, 2016 Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Saturday 5:00 p.m. Sunday 8:00 a.m. Sunday 10:30 a.m. Sunday 4:30 p.m.

PRESIDER Fr. Gillick, S.J. Fr. Amidon, S.J. Fr. Snow, S.J. Fr. Snow, S.J.

LITURGICAL ASSISTANT Laraine Conway Dick Cleary Pam Yenko

ALTAR SERVER Katie Hawkins

LECTORS Margaret Mary Hinz Dick Cleary Steve Scherr

Eileen Burke-Sullivan Nancy Brady Jerry Stender

PRAYERS Susan Recker Nancy Brady Ann Cole

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS T. Bartek D. Keane D. Cleary K. Blecha

R. Townley B. Austria J. & F. Berg

E. Burke-Sullivan Volunteer A. Lesiak

J. O’Brien J. & S. Scherr

R. O’Brien K. Tupper

C. Pedersen J. Stender

Liturgical Ministry Schedule— August 27-28, 2016 This schedule can also be accessed at St. John’s website—http://stjohns.creighton.edu

Readings for the week

66:18-21 12:5-7, 11-13 13:22-30

Is Heb Lk

Sunday

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary time

8/21

1:1-5, 11-12 23:13-22

2 Thes Mt

Monday

8/22

2:1-3a, 14-17 23:23-26

2 Thes Mt

Tuesday

8/23

21:9b-14 1:45-51

Rv Jn

Wednesday

8/24

1:1-9 24:42-51

1 Cor Mt

Thursday 8/25

1:17-25 25:1-13

1 Cor Mt

Friday

8/26

1:26-31 25:14-30

1 Cor Mt

Saturday

8/27

3:17-18, 20, 28-29 12:18-19, 22-24a 14:1, 7-14

Sir Heb Lk

Sunday

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary time

8/28

Weekly Offering Report

Mass Intentions August 22—27, 2016

7:00 AM (Main Church)

Monday No Mass, Summer Break

Tuesday No Mass, Summer Break

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

12:00 Noon (Main Church)

Monday Elizabeth & Howard Schutz—deceased

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday (LSJ’s)

5:00 PM (Fr. Halley Chapel, LSJ’s)

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday Colleen Davies—prayers

Colleen Davis

Doug Morris

Richard Grimit

Tyson Candow & family

We prayerfully remember Tyson Candow, nephew of Laraine Conway, who passed away this past week. May Jesus Christ console his family and friends during this difficult time.

Weekly Budget Goal 7,067.31 Annual Budget Goal 367,500.12

Weekend 8/13-14/2016 6,983.34 Fiscal Year-to-Date Goal 49,471.17

Above (below) weekly goal (83.97) Amount Collected YTD 40,444.63

Above (Below) YTD Goal ( 9,026.54)

Pilgrimage to Spain & Portugal Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the

Apparitions at Fatima

St. John’s is offering an exciting opportunity to visit Portugal and Spain. In this unique pilgrim-age we will celebrate the lives of St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis Zavier and St. Theresa of Avila. We begin at the Shrine of our Lady of

Fatima in Portugal, then continue to the sacred sites of Avila, Madrid, San Sebastian, Burgos, Loyola and Barcelona. The pilgrimage will prove to be exciting, joyful and fun! There will be plenty of time to

explore Portugal and Spain and celebrate our faith in the company of fellow travelers.

11 days, March 3—13, 2017 $3,099 per person includes airfare from Omaha, taxes and surcharges,

first class hotels, most meals, all admissions and comprehensive

sightseeing and much more.

Hosted by Fr. Lorn Snow, S.J.

Please contact Julie in the parish office for more information or a

complete itinerary. 402-280-3031 or juliecarlson@creighton.edu

RCIA

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

A Faith Journey for those discerning the call to

become a member of our Catholic Church family.

Please join us on September 11, 2016 @ 11:45 a.m. in Lower St. John’s

Inquiries—please email Tom Everson at Tom@kkad25.org or call 402-334-1391

From the St. John’s Social Justice Committee

Elders for the Earth: A Retreat in the Spirit of Chautauqua is October 3-6, 2016 at Mahoney State Park. Folks 50 years and over are especially encouraged to participate in this multi-disciplinary gathering including fellowship, lectures, music, the arts, being in nature and even some fun in the midst of the climate crisis. Commu-nity and state leaders will address our changing climate and there will be a variety of workshops/playshops including: Nebraska Life magazine's Alan Bartels teaching nature photography, mindful walking on the earth, green business practices and more. Details about registration, costs and schedules are at: Eders4theearth.com

or call 402/431-2338.

Registration is now open for the St. John's Youth Religious Education Program for the 2016-2017 academic year. Youth ages 3-14 are invited to join the program which meets on Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:15 am. Creighton students teach the classes (there are still volunteer openings for the upcoming year) and the core components of the program are religious education, faith formation, sacramental preparation and community building, which seek to educate the mind and heart in the Ignatian tradition. A Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level One Atrium is offered for our 3-6 year olds. Sacramental preparation is offered during 2nd grade for First Reconciliation and Holy Communion and 7th & 8th grades for Confirmation. For more information please contact Jonathan Chiacchere

at StJohnsReligiousEd@gmail.com.

Leadership Night/Pastoral Council

September 13, 2016

6:00 p.m. Lower St. John’s Reminder to all Commission Members that we will have our first meeting of the year on September 13, 2016 @ 6:00 p.m.

Administration, Outreach, Faith formation, Worship, Community Life commissions will meet to dis-cuss the implementation of the goals for the Parish Community.

If you are unable to attend, please contact the chairperson of your commission or Fr. Snow, S.J.

Support for People with Cancer and Their Caregivers A Time to Heal is a non-profit foundation that offers 3 FREE classes for people affected by cancer and their caregivers: 1. A 12 week program for cancer survivors and their loved about

how to regain health and quality of life after treatment. 2. An 8 week class to help learn to improve memory that’s been

affected by cancer treatments. 3. Ongoing support groups for people who have recurrent or

metastatic cancer. New classes start in September. For More info or to enroll, please call 402-401-6083 or visit www.atth.org

Fr. Snow and the parish would like to extend a heartfelt and sincere note of gratitude to Mary Alice Howick for her organizing and coordinating this year’s Parish Picnic. A great time was enjoyed by all, and we could not have done it without her organizing and

orchestrating all of us volunteers!!! Mary Alice we are truly grateful for you and the gift of yourself that you share with all of us here at St. Johns. We are fortunate and blessed to have you as part of our

community.

Do you hear anything different? The last several weeks some reprograming and adjustments have taken place with our sound system. This is the beginning of continued improvements to the system. New Listen devices for those who are hearing impaired are available for use. The devices are located the table by the west confessionals. Stay tuned as we continue to work on

improving the sound quality in our space.

Fr. Larry Gillick, S.J. 2013

Taken from Creighton University’s Online Ministries web site:

www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

Used with Permission

I was seated next to a young woman on a flight recently who was heading with her family for a vacation in San Francisco, California. I remarked about what a tremendous city San Francisco is. She replied in a shy and timorous voice, almost whispering, that she was excited, but afraid of “those Liberals out there”. I nearly swallowed my Boarding Pass. I refrained from telling her I was one of those Jesuits, lest she ask to be reseated.

The readings today are about who belong and who do not. The readings have poignancy for these religious and national times.

We hear from the last chapter of the Prophet Isaiah in our First Reading; there were “Mystery Religions” arising after the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. They were attempting to be separate, special and closer to God than the Jews of the Covenant. The prophet speaks the word from God who knows who and what they are. The Word of God continues by announcing an expansion program of God’s people.

From the remnant, the survivors of the exile, God will send messengers to announce to the “foreigners” that they too belong. These proclaimers will bring into God’s holy family “brothers and sisters”. The real kicker is that some of these, who once did not belong, will be anointed as religious leaders of the people. God’s embrace just got wider. As God recalled Israel from captivity to be a remnant and nucleus of the restored People of God, so there will be gathered-ones, who will see God’s glory and come to Jerusalem as clean offerings. This is very new wine to drink for many of the people of Jerusalem.

The Gospel pictures Jesus in a discussion about just who is on the inside and who will stand weeping and grinding their teeth. Let it be noted that in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is moving constantly up toward Jerusalem for his final presentation of his life. On the way he makes very important displays of his personality and mission. “Somebody” is always asking him a question almost as a set up for his display. So it is with our Gospel today.

“Will only a few people be saved?” The question continues to our day. We, here at Creighton University, are a Roman Catholic educational mission, and we welcome students from all religious traditions. There have been confrontations here between non-Catholic students and practicing Catholic students in which the Catholics are told they are going to hell, because they do not follow the teach-ings of Jesus strictly enough. Who are going to be saved? Various religious groups of our times hold fiercely to a belief that those who do not follow their ways are “infidels” and are not worthy of life. Liberals, Conservatives, various opposing political groups, all struggle to be in the in. It was this way within the Jewish nation as well. They were God’s people and all others were to be avoided as unclean, foreigners. Isaiah, in our First Reading, speaks directly to this issue and so does Jesus in the Gospel, but not with an easy “yes” or “no”.

Jesus presents himself as the “narrow gate” through which entrance is offered, not won, or achieved. The “not strong enough” are those who through their own weakness of faith cannot hear and accept Jesus and his ways of living the human life.

There will be those who will say that they ate and drank with the “master of the house”, who will in turn say simply, “I do not know where you are from.” Literally, there are some inside and others outside.

Jesus uses this image to highlight his basic teaching that “by their fruits you will know them.” Luke is presenting Jesus as offering the Jewish crowd what he has been offering his disciples. The “door”, the “gate”, the “way” is Jesus and not merely by eating with him, drinking with him, and listening to him, will be enough. Those who are with him reflect that relationship of being in the in, by being in the out with Him. What we do in our outward actions will manifest our being in.

People will come from all directions and recline at table with the three founders of the Jewish faith while some will be excluded; because they did not live the faith as did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These, and their followers trusted God, but those who excluded themselves by not believing in Jesus, will remain excluded. The “first” who will be last are those who trusted the revelations of God first, but those who received God’s last revelation in Jesus will be first in the in.

We can define ourselves by who we are not. “We know who we are, because we are different from you. At least we are not like you.” If we follow the way of Jesus we define ourselves by his inclusion of us and our inclusion of others. Not by arguing about who will be saved and who will not, but by our living the fruitful life of belonging to God’s family, by God’s including choice will he know us.

Food For Thought Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 66:18-21 Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 Lk 13:22-30