TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

REFLECTION

The theme for this Jubilee Year of Mercy is “Merciful like the Father”. It is inspired by stories like today’s reading from

Exodus and the Gospel parable of the prodigal son. This is the God whom Jesus wants us to know better, whom Pope Francis

wants revealed to the whole world. As we gather today, let us make a prayer of thanksgiving for our merciful God and Father.

“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” This criticism of Jesus is actually unintentional praise. If we are

honest, we know that we are among the sinners with whom Jesus breaks bread. As we listen to God’s holy word today, let us

hear these stories of God’s mercy and love in all three readings and think of the times in our own lives when we were in need

of such mercy. Then let us give thanks for our merciful God.

FINANCES

Last Week’s Offertory 4,974.00

67 Identifiable Donations = 4,014.00

Average Identifiable Donation 59.91

Utility Fund 853.00

Healing Garden 380.00

Other 265.00

LECTOR SCHEDULE

September 17

4:00pm First Reading Bill Russell

Second Reading Olga Russell

September 18

8:30am First Reading Andrew Goddard

Second Reading Michaela Guy

11:00am First Reading Deb Cress

Second Reading David Dudziec

ALTAR SERVER SCHEDULE

4:00 PM 8:30AM 11:00AM

Sep

17/18 L Bateman

J Bateman

O Tippett

M Sachs

A Johnson

S Bilko

F Van Ryswick

J Van Ryswick

Z Van Ryswick

ALTAR SOCIETY

Week of September 17/18 Kathy & Steve Kowalski

(We are in need of folks to help the Altar Society. If you are willing and capable to help, please call the rectory at 301-475-8403.)

CEMETERY NEWS: Please keep in mind that Archdiocesan Cemetery regulations prohibit artificial flowers in the grass during the cutting season.

Choir News: Starting with the new school

year, the 11:00 Mass will focus on the youth choir. Of course, children are always welcome to join the choir whenever they attend Mass. Choir practice for everyone will be held weekly following the 11:00 Mass.

Lighthouse Catholic Media CD and Book Rack

Visit our kiosk and find inspirational CDs, pamphlets and books on our Catholic faith. These items are very

reasonably priced. Some are an amazing savings compared to online ordering. They make great gifts.

Call the Rectory: Please keep us informed at the Rectory Office if someone is sick or hospitalized. We can add their name to the prayer list. They can also have a visit from Fr. John. If someone in the community has died, please call the Rectory so that information can be shared about funeral arrangements.

The next Southern Maryland Mass with Healing Prayers will be on September 19th at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Lexington Park (22375 Three Notch Road). Confessions will begin at 6:30pm, the Mass will begin at 7pm followed by Healing Prayers. All are welcome. Future dates are: Oct 17, Nov 21 and Dec 19. For more info call 301-863-8144.

MASS INTENTION REQUESTS If you would like to request a Mass for a loved one, you may do so by recording their name in the Mass Intention Book on the table near the Sacred Heart

Statue. Just select a date from the monthly list of dates, then complete one of the Mass Intention envelopes and include your stipend. The usual stipend is $10. If this

is a financial hardship for you, just give what you can or simply make the request. Mass cards are also available.

This is a beautiful way to remember our loved ones.

CCD BEGINS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 for grades 1-8 following the 8:30am Mass and ending at

10:45am. We are looking forward to another great

year of CCD at Our Lady’s!

“I will rise and go to my father.” Psalm 51

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 & ITS VIGIL

Blessing of the Fleet at St. Clement's Island Come and see the Fiat 500L car that transported Pope Francis around Washington and support the Southern Maryland Food Bank! The Papal Fiat will make its way to St. Clement’s Island for the Blessing of the Fleet on Saturday, October 1 from 10am-10pm and on Sunday, October 2 from 10am-5pm. Fr. Anthony Lickteig will celebrate 2pm Mass on October 2 on St. Clement’s Island and then bless the boats at the site of Maryland’s first colonial landing in 1634 and the birthplace of religious freedom in America. Tickets for the event are $10, which includes a boat ride to St. Clement’s Island, the Blessing of the Fleet, and admission to the St. Clement’s Island Museum. The Papal Fiat will be at Mother of Light Shrine adjacent to the boat dock at Colton’s Point. Bring a non-perishable dry food item to fill the Papal Fiat and take your photo with the famous Fiat! Purchase tickets at the event. For more information, visit www.blessingofthefleetsomd.net.

Charitable Outreach Committee

The Charitable Outreach Committee is

collecting food for St. Cecilia’s food pantry and for

Helping Hands food pantry. Donations are urgently

needed. Together we can make a real difference for

many people in need. Food can be left by the Sacred

Heart statue.

The Charitable Outreach Committee is looking

for those in our parish who may be in need. We can

provide basic assistance with food, housekeeping, basic

home repairs, landscaping, transportation, etc. If you’re

aware of anyone in our parish who could use this sort of

help, please contact the rectory. As always we will

strictly respect the privacy of those in need; and will

serve the Lord in private and with a discrete nature.

Holy Angels Church Annual Fall Seafood Dinner Sunday, September 11, 2016 from 11:30am until 4:00pm Holy Angels has their Annual Fall Seafood Dinner. The menu includes: Fried Oysters, Steamed Spiced Shrimp, Crab Balls, Fried Chicken, Parsley Potatoes, Cole Slaw, Pickled Beets, Green Beans, and all the trimmings! Dinners are: $27.00 for adults; $25 for carry-outs; $8 for children 6-12; free for children under 6. For more information call 301-769-3332.

Tolerance, Persecution and Property: The Roots and Nature of Maryland Catholic Freedom On Saturday, September 24 at 1pm, St. Ignatius Church in Port Tobacco, MD (8855 Chapel Point Rd.) will host a presentation on this topic by two outstanding experts on religion in the colonial era in Maryland, R. Emmett Curran,

emeritus professor at Georgetown University, and Beatriz Hardy, Dean of Libraries and Instructional Resources at Salisbury University, Maryland. For more information, visit www.chapelpoint.org or call the parish at 301-934-8245.

Angel Wings and Things Thrift Store For the benefit of St. Michael’s School is open Saturday between 9am and 4pm, and Sunday between 10am and 1pm. Donations are accepted between 10am and 2pm on Saturdays. Check out their full selection of clothes

for all ages, toys, baby needs, books, accessories, housewares and more. The store is located beside St.

Michael’s Church, at 16562 Three Notch Road in Ridge. For more information, contact Marti Lloyd 301-872-5454.

Join us the weekend of Oct 8/9 for refreshments in

the Healing Garden after all weekend Masses. We will have cookies and lemonade after 4pm Mass and coffee and donuts after 8:30am and 11am Masses. If you can volunteer to help with this event, please sign up at the St. Joseph Statue or call the rectory at 301-475-8403.

Mass Intentions

Sat Sept 10 8:00 am Those Sick in Our Parish

4:00 pm Sue & Al Gough (L) 50th

Anniv.

Sun Sept 11 8:30 am Judy Conrad

11:00 am Our Lady’s Parishioners

Tue Sept 13 8:00 am Jimmy Gatton

Wed Sept 14 8:00 am Elizabeth & Woodin Oswald

Thu Sept 15 8:00 am Jimmy Gatton

Fri Sept 16 8:00 am Jimmy Gatton

Sat Sept 17 8:00 am Those Sick in our Parish

4:00 pm Lillian Kidd Cowan

Sun Sept 18 8:30 am Sara & Dick Hammett and

George & Frances Wigginton

11:00 am Our Lady’s Parishioners

Please, Pray for the Intentions of Our Sick

Charlie Berzonski, Pete Conrad, Edith McFadden, Eddie Vause, Ann

Duchesne, Chuck Goin, Pat Goin, Karen Russell, Nolan Scully, Beth

Higgs, Peter Van Ryswick, Kimberlee Oaks, Gabriel Sanchez, Philip

Woodburn, King Herbert Norris, David Wood, Charles Mills, Alice

Holly, Jackson Morgan, Gary Rogers, Wayne Norris, John A. Abell,

Lillian Hamilton, Jessica Coss, John Fenwick, Cecelia Knott, Linda

Pilkerton, Stephen B. Quade, Donna Everett, Angelina Prucha, Betty

Bogie, Jimmy Ludwig, David Cook, Millie Norris, Irene Dixon, Bob

Russell, Angel Spalding, Ray Harding, Jr., Kim Sariego, Caroline

Sadler, Bobby Russell, Ellie Vance, Deacon Tom & Rose Spalding,

Marilyn Triantos, John “Wayne” Brubacher, Trish (McWilliams) Guy,

Tyler Gardiner, Lena C. Buckson, Elsie Good, Christina Howe, Ethan

Swayze, Jean Bowles Wathen, Jody Van Ryswick, Joyce Thompson,

Robert Perry, Sr., Timothy Sauler, Curtis Parrigan, Jimmy Morrisette,

Margaret Cheseldine, Pat Weber, Amelia Bean, Jacob Johnson, Shane

Copsey, and Nellie Clayton.

FREEDOM IN CHRIST RETREAT DAY Saturday, October 8 from 11am-7pm

St. Mary’s Church, Bryantown This retreat is presented by UNBOUND Maryland. Presenters will focus on key areas instrumental for healing and restoration of our true identity in Christ. Special focus will be given to identifying the tactics of our enemy, forgiveness, overcoming habitual sins, and removing obstacles to achieving and sustaining freedom. There will be healing prayer, praise and worship. St. Mary’s Church is located at 13715 Notre Dame Place, Bryantown. For more information, call Fr. Conley at 301-870-2220 or frconley@comcast.net.

Field Mass – Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day A special Field Mass and Rosary to commemorate the Church Feast of Our Lady of Sorrow will be held Thursday, September 15th in St. Mary’s Queen of Peace Cemetery in Helen, Maryland at 5:00pm with Father Anthony Lickteig as celebrant. The Cemetery is located at 38888 Dr. Johnson Road, Helen (behind Mother Catherine Academy). The Rosary and Mass is offered for the deceased members of our community. A tent will be erected for everyone’s comfort so the Mass will be held rain or shine. Contact 301-475-5005 for more info.

The St. Ignatius Chapel Point Anniversary Book

is now available for sale!

Sharing God’s Word Since 1641 is the theme of our

375th anniversary year; the book is a beautifully

laid out hard cover with great pictures and plenty of

fascinating history. St. Thomas Manor served as a

Jesuit hub and shares a history with many Southern

Maryland parishes. The book will be sold for $30

in the gift shop after 9:00 and 11:00 Masses, as well

as at Bernie’s Frame Shop and Martin’s in LaPlata.

For additional information contact Julie Mitchell at

juliemitchell120@gmail.com. St. Ignatius is

located at 8855 Chapel Point Road in Port Tobacco.

Apologetics 101: St. George’s Catholic Church in Valley Lee will sponsor Apologetics 101. Catholic Apologetics is the science of explaining the Catholic Faith in a rational and reasonable manner with love and patience. Good Catholics are never sorry for being Catholic - rather they feel blessed to be Catholic. Class begins Thursday, September 8 and run until March 2017. Class times are 6:30-7:30PM. Classes are held in the Annex of Community Center, 19199 St. George’s Church Rd.

Temporary Exhibition on Saint Thomas More

In a new landmark exhibition, God’s Servant

First: The Life and Legacy of Thomas More, the

Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, DC

presents the life, martyrdom, and legacy of the 16th

century English philosopher-statesman whom Pope

John Paul II named the heavenly Patron of Statesmen

and Politicians. The exhibit also explores the

connection between Thomas More, the Carroll Family

of Maryland, and the foundations of religious liberty

in America. It features over 60 artifacts from England

and the United States, including numerous period

objects from Stonyhurst College in the United

Kingdom that have never been exhibited in the United

States.

The exhibition runs from September 16, 2016

through March 31, 2017 and is sponsored by the

Knights of Columbus and The Christian Heritage

Centre at Stonyhurst. The Saint John Paul II Shrine is

located at 3900 Harwood Road, NE, Washington, DC.

Additional info can be found at www.jp2shrine.org.

Father Andrew White School

Collects: Boxtops for Education, Labels for

Education and Tyson A+ Program Labels. These little labels really add up for the school. Last year the

school earned $2,000 from them! You can bring your labels to

the church and put them in the boxes at the doors of the church

and we will give them to the school.

The Southern Maryland Saint Vincent de Paul Societies, are hosting their 9th Annual Friends of the Poor Walk on October 1, 2016. The Walk will take place at Father Andrew White School with registration beginning at 7:00am and the walk will commence at 9:00am (rain or shine). All funds raised locally will be used locally to assist those in need in our community. Following the Walk we will have brunch along with live music, door prizes and face painting for the children. As part of the event, the SVDP Society has also partnered with the Healthy Eating & Active Living (Heal) team of the Health Department to support a “Healthy Food Drive”. Therefore, the day of the walk we will be accepting nonperishable food items such as fruit canned in 100% juice, canned vegetables (low sodium), dried fruit (no added sugar), natural jams and jellies, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, whole-grain crackers, oatmeal, canned tuna, canned salmon, nuts and seeds, dried beans, canned beans (low sodium), canned sardines, low sodium soup broths, etc. All foods collected will be used to support the local food pantries in St. Mary’s County. You may visit www.svdpusa.net/fop for on-line registration or you may register the day of the Walk. For questions call 301-373-5420.