Grant us peace!

Last Sunday, the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, called for a world wide day of prayer and penance for peace in the Middle East to be observed on Sunday, July 23, 2006.

At the St. Thomas Aquinas 9 a.m. Mass, we joined with the Holy Father and our fellow Catholics throughout the world in asking the Lord to grant us His peace and sang "Da pacem Dómine" as part of the beginning and ending of our worship.

In view of the continuing troubles in the Holy Land, we invite you to join us in praying for peace.

"Da pacem Dómine in diébus nostris : quia non est áli us qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu Deus noster."

"Grant us every day your peace, O Lord, for there is no one else to defend us except You our God."

Amen

Multiplication of the Loaves & Fishes

Who do you think was the hero of today's readings????

In my opinion, it was the little boy who was willing to share his lunch of 5 loaves of bread & two fish. It wasn't a lot of food -- actually it wouldn't be enough to feed the boy, the 12 disciples and Jesus. When the poor disciples despaired of feeding themselves, let alone the crowd of over 5 thousand people -- JESUS encouraged them to share the little that they had and multiplied the loaves and divided the fishes and there was plenty for everyone.

A miracle happened that day. It doesn't matter if the miracle was that 5 loaves & 2 fish turned into enough food for thousands or that when the people realized that a little boy was willing to share, the miracle was that the people who had been hiding the food that they had brought with them, pulled their food out and everyone got to share in the feast.

Whatever really happened, the important thing to remember is that when one little boy was willing to share the little that he had, Jesus blessed the food and there was 12 large baskets of leftovers.

Each of us have something to share, it might not seem like much, but God can do wonderful things with anything we give. When we share with others, maybe we will start something amazing too. Because God can work marvels through ordinary people -- like little boys and you and me.

Reconfiguration

As some of you may have noticed -- our web site has changed:

FROM: The Roman Catholic Community of Saint Thomas Aquinas -- Built with Love - Alive in Christ - 121 years and Growing

TO: The Roman Catholic Community of Saint Thomas Aquinas & Holy Family -- Two churches - Joining as ONE Family - Together in Love.

On April 25th, 2006 the Diocese of Brooklyn approved the reconfiguration of Holy Family parish and Saint Thomas Aquinas parish. Due to the shortage of priests and demographic changes in our neighborhood our two parishes are in the process of merging into one community. Change is always difficult and we pray for the Lord's guidance and blessing on our new community -- that together we will proclaim the good news of Jesus to all in Park Slope.

We ask for God's special blessing on our new community -- especially for the members of Holy Family parish who have just experienced the loss of their beloved Pastor -- Father Thomas E. Fox.

For all of the members of our reconfigured parish community that we will listen to the whispering of the Holy Spirit and unite to build the Kingdom of God in Park Slope!!!

AMEN

Thank you Jesus!!

Thank you Jesus for the gift of electricity -- enabling us to cool off with fans and air conditioning!! :-)

Thank you Jesus for the gift of indoor plumbing -- so we can take a COLD shower on a HOT day! :-) :-)

Thank you Jesus for the gift of community -- that in spite of the hot weather we gather together to celebrate Holy Mass every Sunday! :-) :-) :-)

Vacations

May we all have a blessed and happy vacation!!!

Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher of the Papal Household, on vacations: "Vacations should be that time of year when, through contemplating nature and reading the word of God, people can look inside themselves and get in touch with the most important motivations of their lives. Perhaps the most beautiful meaning of vacation is that of getting back into an intimate, profound contact with the root of our being." Vacations provide an opportunity to spend "...more time dedicated to prayer, reading, and meditation on the deep meaning of life. It is not that vacations should not also be used for enjoyment and amusement, but they are a gift given in order to discover something, they are not a time to lose or waste, but a time to value to the maximum."

Enjoy the GIFT of summer!

It's Summertime!!

Happy Summer!!

To quote a childhood song that used to play every morning while we vacationed at Policecamp -- "Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer -- those days of soda and pretzels and beer!!! "

Summer started at STA with our parish Unity Day in celebration of the Feast day of Corpus Christi was a wonderful, SPIRITFILLED and FUN day for all who attended!!! :-) The prayer, music, talks and food were all inspiring!! Great way to begin the summer!!!

May this time of summer enable all of us to appreciate the beautiful world that we live in!

A Summer Psalm of Freedom by Fr. Ed Hays

O God of all seasons, it's summer -- the season I dreamed about throughout winters long, dreary days.
Now is the time of leisure, time to be out-of-doors-and-walls.
But so often I feel like an over-civilized child of this century of convenience and comfort.

Six months ago, it was snow and ice that screened me in form earth's delights.
Now it's a television screen that too often massages my mind, weary from work, that screens me in from shaman summer's healing touch.

And even if I flick that dead-window off and go outside on the porch, I'm still screened in or carefully protected, lest bugs and flies disturb my comfort by bringing nature far too close.

Grant me, O never-tiring Miracle Worker, the freedom of my childhood to run and play with abandon, without thought of comfort, bugs or flies, in summer's great vacationland.

Amen!