Faith Formation
Father Prince's Weekly Reflection
Reflection for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
In an old “Peanuts” cartoon, Charlie Brown is pictured on the beach, building a beautiful sandcastle. When the castle is completed, a very self-satisfied Charlie Brown stands back to admire his sand-made masterpiece. A single raindrop falls. Then, in the cartoon’s final frame, the rain is coming down in torrents, and Charlie Brown, looking very pensive, says philosophically, “There is a lesson of some kind in this, someplace!”
In 1987, during my sabbatical studies in Jerusalem, our class had the opportunity to travel to Egypt and visit the pyramids and Egyptian Museum of Antiquity in Cairo. I recall a comment by the guide in the museum: “You could always measure the greatness of an ancient Egyptian ruler by the nature of his burial place. The greater he was, the more elaborate was the preparation of his final resting place.” Actually these burial customs for Egypt’s high and mighty went through an evolutionary process that culminated in the building of the pyramids. Those mighty pyramids are symbolic of the power, prestige and wealth of their dead occupants. Standing before these great wonders of the world, anyone would likely echo Charlie Brown’s comment before his crumbling sand-castle: “There’s a lesson of some kind in this, someplace.”
Whether we are building castles in the air or castles in the sand, or pyramids in the desert, or pyramids in investment portfolios, the old saw, “You can’t take it with you,” is every bit as true for us as for the mighty Egyptian rulers who built the pyramids. The rich man in the gospel indicated to Jesus that he had been living a good life, measured by traditional standards. But Jesus was offering new life. It was a challenge, demanding a new and greater response. The man had responded to the word of God in the history of his people. Now Jesus looks at him lovingly and says, “Follow me, and you will have treasure in heaven.” That is to say, “Follow me, and you will deepen your relationship with God. Follow me, and you will come to know what a fulfilled life is all about.”
The rich man in the gospel story recognized that Jesus was blessed with a profound sense of contentment and fulfillment. He recognized that Jesus possessed something that he too yearned to have. But when Jesus began to instruct the rich man about the number one priority of his life, the conversation came to an abrupt end. Jesus told the rich man that the fulfilled life he was searching for was a matter of priorities. If he wanted to experience wholeness of life, God must be at the center of his life. God must be the love of his life, God, nothing else, not even his possessions.
What do we learn from this? We are being called to reorder our priorities and our values so as to bring them into harmony with the fullness of revelation in Christ. We must ask ourselves whether or not we have been running so hard and fast after certain life goals that have lost sight of the ultimate, true-life goal.
Documents that (still) Matter
Dei Verbum
The phrase "Dei verbum" is
Latin for "Word of God".
Dei verbum was promulgated by Pope Paul VI
on 18 November 1965. It is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council.
It is in hearing the message of Christ that people believe, and in believing, we hope, and through hope, we learn to love more perfectly. As Catholics we believe that Divine Revelation is the Word of God expressed in the words of man. We have access to God through Scripture and that helps us to share in God's nature.
To read the document,
click here. To learn more, join us on October 13, 2021 at 7:30pm for a presentation by Kathi Bonner via zoom. You can
register here.
Kathi Bonner is a life-long Catholic and lover of Sacred Scripture. She is the Director of Faith Formation at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish, West Simsbury, CT (20 years) and holds a BA in Theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary and an Advanced Certificate from the Catholic Biblical School.
Join us once, or join us once-a-month to unpack a new Church document and learn more about the implications for the faithful of today. Every second Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm, we will gather virtually to learn a bit more. Each document will be available in advance online. Future dates are scheduled for: Nov 10, Dec 8, Jan 12, Feb 9, Mar 9, Apr 13, May 11, and Jun 8.
Catechism Corner
Catechism of the Catholic Church450. Why did God "bless the Sabbath day and declare it sacred" (Exodus 20:11)?God did so because on the Sabbath day one remembers
God's rest on the seventh day of creation, and also the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt and the Covenant which God sealed with his people.
Further reading: CCC 2168-2172, 2189451. How did Jesus act in regard to the Sabbath?
Jesus recognized the holiness of the Sabbath day and with divine authority he gave this law its authentic interpretation: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (
Mark 2:27).
Further reading: CCC 2173
These excerpts are from the Compendium of the CCC. Get your own copy
here. Copyright © USCCB - Shared with permission.
Respect Life
Commandments Are Not Suggestions
We human beings seem to have forgotten that God is God. We also have forgotten that His Ten Commandments were not mere suggestions, but His commands. The Fifth Commandment states ‘Thou shalt not kill,’ which means the innocent babies in the womb, the elderly and infirm, and all people in between should be protected. No one has the right to kill the babies in the womb, not surgically, nor by abortioninducing pills dispensed personally or by telemedicine. No earthly being, whether he or she is a doctor, a lawyer, a politician or judge in a courtroom can change God’s laws! One day, we will each stand before God to answer for our actions here on earth. Ruth Weber Davenport, Iowa
In and Around the Diocese
Disciples for Life
Adult Retreat
You are invited to come be part of St. Mary's Parish Retreat. This is a personal retreat, open to all adult men and women. This retreat is the perfect time to grow more deeply in your faith and even closer to our Lord. Friday, October 22 - Sunday October 24. Seton-Neumann Center, Danbury, CT. Contact Maryilyn Kain at
kainma56@gmail.com or call 203-994-7808 with any questions.
Women's Prayer Breakfast
MAGNIFICAT a Ministry to Catholic Women invites you to a prayer breakfast on Saturday November 6th, 9:30-12:30 at Tashua Knolls Golf Club, in Trumbull, CT. Our Guest speaker, Catherine Chomiak, will share how prayer, Trust, and God’s Mercy heals our Hearts. The cost is $25.00 per person, and reservations are required by November 1, 2021. No tickets will be sold at the door. For more information, please call Carol Flynn 203-775-3875 or email magnificatthmi@gmail. The invitation is also available in the Women's Ministry Section of the Diocese of Bridgeport website.
Our Lady Of Fatima
The Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, of the Diocese of Bridgeport, will be at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Church in Brookfield from October 1 - 31st. (Except
Saturday, Oct. 9th).
Join the Public Square Rosary Rally! on Saturday, October 16th beginning at 12 pm at St. Marguerite Church, for the 104th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima and the Miracle of the Sun! St.Marguerite Bourgeoys Church, 138 Candlewood Lake Road, Brookfield, CT.
Notre Dame High School – Fairfield
Open House and Entrance Exam
On Sunday, October 17 at 1:00 pm. Notre Dame High School in Fairfield will host an Open House for prospective students and their families. The Open House will give students a comprehensive look at the academic, athletic and extracurricular programs as well as ND’s partnership with Sacred Heart University.
The Entrance Exam will be offered on October 30 and November 13 at 8:00 a.m. All eighth grade applicants must take an entrance exam at one of the four Diocesan high schools. All applicants must complete an on-line application. Complete information can be found on the school’s web site,
www.notredame.org
Individual tours are available for parents and students. Please contact our Admissions Office at 203-372-6521 to schedule a visit.
Notre Dame is a co-ed high school located in Fairfield that has been educating students since 1956. The student body of 500 students represents 36 area cities and towns.
Are you a Vendor or a Crafter?
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish's 29th Annual Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, November 6th, 9 am-4 pm. Vendor Applications are now available at
stmarguerite.org under “Breaking News”. Questions? Email
fallfestival@stmarguerite.org or call 203-775-5117, x215. St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish is located at 138 Candlewood Lake Road in Brookfield.
News and Views
Thank You!
We wish to thank all of our parishioners who have been mailing in or dropping off their donations, and those who have signed up for Online Giving. We appreciate your generosity and desire to continue to support the parish.
Please note that we have upgraded our Online Giving Platform. It is very user friendly. If you shop or do your banking on-line please consider this format for your donations. You have the option to make a one time gift or set up a recurring cycle that suits your timing and budget You can visit the site by clicking the button below.