27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY October 3/4, 2009      In God’s wondrous plan for Creation, we find built into its design incredibly magnificient forces that hold the whole of the Universe together.    There is the force that propelled matter and energy outward from that primal center which some scientists call the Big Bang. Were it not for that force, we would be bumping into other celestial bodies and no life could survive. Another created foce pulls matter together. It’s called gravity, and if it didn’t exist, there would be no stars or planets. There would be no home for us either. A third force in the Universe is called electromagneticism. Were it not for the protective shield created by the earth’s electromagnetism, we would be friend to a cinder by the sun’s rays.    But there’s another foce that, while being more subtle and inconspicuous, is still quite powerful. It is the power of love, and it too was created by God. The force of love holds us together.    In today’s gospel Jesus speaks of the force that holds a marriage together. A similar process of love happens between parents and children, between friends and wherever humans love each other in an altruistic way. The word used in the New Testament is the Greek word, agape. It includes not only helping the other, but involves the offering of the self to the other. Love, rightly understood and lived, combines with God’s divine glue forever holding all of us together as one family in God.    If love holds us together, then it would seem a lack of love separates us. How could you love more in those situations where you find yourself angry at those you love? --National Conference for Catechetical Leadership MASSES FOR THE WEEK SATURDAY          5:15 pm     Peggi Seiber - Billie Jo & Joe Essman SUNDAY               8:30 am     Joan McDowell - Connie & Doug Woodruff                             10:30 am     Katie Hart - Natalie Chieffe                               6:15 pm     People of Our Parish MONDAY            12:15 pm     Tony Udvardy TUESDAY             5:15 pm      Religious Education Children WEDNESDAY      12:15 pm     Beulah Udvardy THURSDAY          5:15 pm      R.C.I.A. Candidates FRIDAY               12:15 pm     Sick & Shut-ins of Our Parish SATURDAY          5:15 pm      Helen Rose Sturm (Carole Schloss's mother) SUNDAY               8:30 am      People of Our Parish  28th Sunday                 10:30 am      Madge Kiener - Pauline Rodgers    in Ordinary Time          6:15 pm      Newman Community Members Vocation Awareness Sunday OCTOBER IS RESPECT LIFE MONTH PARISH CALENDAR: October 4 - 11 Sunday                       Respect Life Sunday                              27th Sunday in Ordinary Time                               9:45 am     Rosary                             11:30 am     Prayers for Peace                             12:15 pm     RE classes & Jr. High Youth Gr.                             12:15 pm     Sacraments meeting @ St.P.                               5:15 pm     Reconciliation                               7:00 pm     Knights of Columbus (Hall) Tuesday                               6:30 pm     RE classes & Jr. High Youth Gr.                               6:30 pm     Sacraments meeting @ CTK Wednesday                               7:00 pm     St. Vincent de Paul Society                               7:15 pm     Newman Community Thursday                               1:00 pm     Faith Sharing Group                               7:00 pm     R.C.I.A. Saturday                               4:15 pm     Reconciliation Sunday                        Vocation Awareness Sunday                              28th Sunday in Ordinary Time                               9:45 am     Rosary                             11:30 am     Prayers for Peace                             12:15 pm     RE classes                             12:15 pm     High School Youth Group @ St. P.                               5:15 pm     Reconciliation
Sunday Scripture Readings      Reflection on the Scriptures has become more and more a part of basic Christian spirituality. At times we would like to return to the Sunday Scriptures at home, but we do not have the missalette with us. At other times we may be interested in seeing just what came before or immediately after the reading for the day to gain more insights.      To encourage this encounter with the Scriptures, we will be including in the bulletin the scripture reading references for the current Sunday and the following Sunday. In addition, in our on-line bulletin we will have the actual links to the readings.	New American Bible 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Genesis 2:18-24 Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 Hebrews 2:9-11 Mark 10:2-16 or 10:2-12 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 7:7-11 Psalm 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 Hebrews 4:12-13 Mark 10:17-30 or 10:17-27
QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time      Many people see marriage -- an institution and a communion of life -- as being under siege. For example, the economic pressures on families today and casual attitudes about commitment exert powerful negative forces on marriages and families. Adults: What do I do to promote, protest, and nurture marriage? Children: How have my parents helped me understand how much God loves me? RESPECT LIFE MONTH    “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Gen 2:18) God has made us in his own image and likeness, allowing us to reflect certain attributes of our Creator. Although in an infinitely limited way, we mirror the nature of God through out intellect, will and social nature. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’” (Gen 1:260 God, One and Triune, has allowed us to reflect his spiritual, divine and Trinitarian nature.    The reciprocal love between the Father and the Son is so great that a third Person results from it: the Holy Spirit. By analogy, when husband and wife are united in love, they are able to produce a third person: a child, a fruit of their love. The conception of a child is a reflection of the Holy Trinity, of God himself.    Today life is being attacked from every angle: abortion robs children of their fundamental right to life; embryonic stem cell research involves destroying living human beings for speculative medical research; legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia arise out of the false view that some lives are not worth living, that some people are not worth protecting; and the attempt to redefine marriage is undermining the sacred institution that God established at the very beginning of creation. “What God has joined together, no human being must separate.” (Mk 10:9) No human being has the authority to separate husband from wife, nor procreation from marriage. --Respect Life materials from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2009 CARDBOARD CITY -- Over 40 people from St. Paul’s and CTK were involved either as part of the committee or as a participant. Cardboard City is a fund-raiser for Athens County Habitat for Humanity. Over $1500 was raised by our High School and Junior High School Youth Groups -- resulting in a trophy being awarded to our group. Overall, $7000 was raised. Check out the trophy and picture in the Gathering Space. YOUTH GROUP HAPPENINGS *Next Meeting –Sun. Oct. 11 @ 12:15 St. Paul Parish Center. *Youth Rally – Sun. Oct. 18 12:30-7:00 at St. Ambrose, Belpre. *Flag Football – 12:15 at Southside Park (Corner of Richland and Dairy Lane) Wear old clothes! NEWMAN COMMUNITY    This coming Wednesday in the Newman Community we will have an educational meeting on the theology of the body. Come to the parish center at 7:15! Also, this coming weekend is the fall retreat. Be sure to sign up! ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY -- The October meeting is this Wednesday, October 7, at 7:00 PM at the CTK Parish Center. All members are asked to attend. CATHOLIC LADIES OF COLUMBIA -- The next meeting for CLC members is Monday, October 12, 6:30 PM at the CTK Parish Center. Regrets only to Margaret Kostival, 593-3297, or Rita Settle, 592-1826. Get ready for Halloween! MARK YOUR CALENDARS...... *Parents Night Out is Saturday, October 24. *Pancake Breakfast is Sunday, October 25. LITURGY BITS AND BYTES Lectors    “How can God’s word be practiced, if it is not known? And how can it be known, if it is not heard? And how can it be heard, if it is not proclaimed? And how can it be proclaimed, if there is no one to proclaim it?” That’s a rough translation of St. Paul. We all appreciate the experience of being able to understand the word of God when it is proclaimed well. It’s a treat. We seem to listen with a new kind of attention. Not all of us might be able to recognize why, but all of us know automatically when the person who is speaking has that kind of special quality: a voice that speaks from the heart to witness to God’s word. If that is your gift, why not put it at the service of God’s people? Training in techniques of proclaiming and using a microphone can be provided by the parish. Copyright © 2009 Resource Publications, San Jose, CA	...”So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES October 5 - 11 Birthdays: Veronica Bagnole, Nancy Bain, Grace Bell-Moran, Robert Bray, Paul Carey, Grace Corrigan, Sharon Frame, Rosie Hayes, Jim Herpy, Lauren Herpy, Karen Howard, Paul Kostival, Joung Hee Krzic, David Lopez, Nathan Margavich, Audrey Mulholland, Ann Mulligan, Doug Partusch, Daniel Rankin, Greg Scharer, Kiah Smith, Anthony Sylvester, and Connie Woodruff. Students: Kelly Brennan & Stephanie Velo   Anniversaries: Chris & Rich Neumann (24th), Marty & Jerry Bayha (43rd), Liz & Bill Luehrman (21st), Sandy & George Eberts (33rd), Barb & Ralph Moran (33rd), and Teresa & Kevin Doughty (27th). Congratulations! PRAYERS FOR THE SICK - Please pray for Parker Moden, Kathi Hahn, Mary Ann Gorman and Bill Rader. (Remembered in the petitions) October -- month of the Holy Rosary    Copies of “The Rosary of the Virgin Mary: Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter” (in condensed form) and booklets on praying the Rosary are available at the bulletin boards. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7. 10:30 MASS MUSIC - Are you a fundamentalist?There’s a space in our group for a bass! If interested, call Nancy Beebe at the church office, 592-2711. ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI is known as the patron saint of animals, the environment and Italy, and it is customary for Catholic churches to hold ceremonies honoring animals around his feast day of October 4. While we won’t be having a special pet blessing this year, we do have unblessed pet medals available at the bulletin boards in church! PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER - Become a partner in the PRC’s life-affirming ministry by attending the Beauty from Ashes fundraising banquet which will be held on Thursday evening, October 8, at 7:00 PM at Ballroom A at Baker Center at O.U. For more information, contact the PRC at 592-4700. HOSPICE HAS AN URGENT NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS    If you have a big heart and a level head, Hospice volunteering could be for you!  You can make a tremendous difference in just 2-3 hours a week.  Please come to an information session on October 14 at the Hospice offices at 30 Herrold Avenue from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.  You will be able to get more details about the training and talk to current volunteers.     If you have questions, please call Christie at 594-8226. PEACE AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE -- Join the Peace and Justice Committee and 117 million people world wide on October 17-18 as we celebrate with Jubilee USA Network to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION against debt and global poverty. Look for the display table before or after Mass that day and the Jubilee USA postcards. MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND - October 16-18 at the Best Western Hotel in Austintown, Ohio. Reservations are limited. For information or to register, call 330-305-9963 or email worldwideME@sbcglobal.net OR go to our website www.wwme.org Make this year’s Sweetest Day one your spouse will long treasure. THE COMING HOME NETWORK CONFERENCE    The Coming Home Network International is hosting their seventh annual conference in Columbus, October 23-25, entitled “Pillar and Bulwark of Truth.” This is an event not to be missed.    For more information,contact the Coming Home Network International by phone at 800-664-5110 or 740-450-1175. Information is also available on the websites: www.chnetwork.org or www.pillarandbulwark.com Make October 23-25 another weekend given to God.