“’For he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.’ So the second reading today describes Abraham, our father in faith. God made an oath to him, that though elderly and without children, he would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Abraham trusted the oath, and acted accordingly – not because what he was told made sense to him, but because he trusted the one who was telling him. He didn’t see the evidence according to our human way of seeing, measuring, and analyzing things. The evidence he had was his faith, ‘the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen,’ as the second reading tells us. . . . 

We, too, are commanded to have that same faith, now rooted in the oaths God has sworn to us through the blood of Christ. We too are to have ‘sure knowledge’ that we will be delivered from all our foes, all that oppresses the human family, all our sins, and death itself. The Culture of Death, no matter how strong it seems, has lost its foundation. . . . 

Every one of the sacraments, in fact, is an oath (which is what the word “sacramentum” means). When, for example, our sins are forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance, God gives us his oath that we are forgiven, and also that his grace is with us to resist temptation in the future. When we are confirmed, the oath of God is that the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to bear witness to Christ and stand faithful to his truth in every circumstance of our interaction with a sometimes hostile world. In the Sacrament of Marriage, the spouses are not the only ones making oaths. God makes an oath, that he will provide every ounce of grace and strength they will need to be faithful. . . . 

On that day, not only will we be called to rejoice in this liberation, but we will be asked to give an account of our trust, and of how that trust shaped our daily lives. Did we live in a way that showed we trusted in ourselves and our worldly security (possessions, reputation, worldly cunning, etc.) rather than in the one who swore an oath that he would set us free? Did we always try to fix things ourselves, even if it meant resorting to lying, cheating, or stealing, or did we do what was right, with trust in God for what we couldn’t fix? The Culture of Death is one in which our society resorts even to the taking of life by abortion and euthanasia in order to fix things in its own eyes, rather than trusting in the God who makes and fulfills promises.” (priestsforlife.org) 

In the United States alone, there have been over 65 million babies killed by abortion since 1973. Ending this holocaust requires the prayers and actions of all the faithful.

Join the Respect Life Ministry.  If you are interested in joining the St. Mary’s Respect Life ministry, please email Deborah Brocato at debbrocato@aol.com. 

Ministry to Families Who Have Miscarried. HOLY INNOCENTS is a ministry of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, facilitated by the Offices of Cemetery Management and Life, Justice and Peace. Its primary mission is to assure every child who is miscarried (dying before birth) has a sacred place to be buried.  If you or someone you know is miscarrying or has miscarried and is in need of having a sacred place to bury the child, please call 410-547-3142. There is no cost to the family for this ministry.   

Please keep this ministry in mind, when in the future someone you know has a miscarriage and wishes to bury the child. Pastoral visitors will arrange to take custody of the child and secure the child until burial.  If the child is born at a hospital arrangements with the hospital will occur.   Burials occurs twice per year at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Anne Arundel County. 

If interested in more information, please contact the helpline 410-547-3142 or email the office at holyinnocents@archbalt.org.  If you are interested in serving in this important ministry, please contact us.    

Burial of Ashes  The Archdiocese of Baltimore provides a final resting place for those who are cremated but not buried.  Since cremation has become a more accepted practice, more families are choosing cremation though many are not choosing burial at the time of cremation.  As years and decades pass, the next generation inherit the urns of their grandparents and great grandparents, increasing the incidents of the urns being misplaced and forgotten.  The ministry is also for the recently deceased.  

The Ministry of the 14th Station of the Cross buries the deceased in sacred ground allowing the deceased to rest in peace.  There is a minimal fee of $350 for the burial.  The burial occurs annually in November (Month of All Souls). The urns are placed in one vault and buried. This opportunity also provides families peace of mind, as they now know where their family member is perpetually buried.   The burial is at Holy Cross Cemetery in Anne Arundel County.   

Please contact the Office of Cemetery Management

Rev Patrick Carrion ** 410-547-5375 ** pcarrion@archbalt.org

World Youth Day July 28 - August 7, 2023 The Archdiocese of Baltimore will be sending a delegation of young adults (ages 18-39) to World Youth Day in Portugal guided by Verso Ministries. 

Archdiocese of Baltimore  World Youth Day pilgrimage series, starts August 20, 2022, 9:00 A.M., Basilica of the Assumption, for all young adults (ages 18-39) in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The local pilgrimage is a half-day spiritual formation event the third Saturday of every month leading up to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. The event will be hosted by a different parish in the Archdiocese each month and will include Mass, adoration, confession, lunch, and an opportunity to meet other young adults. This series will kick off on August 20 at 9:00 AM at the Baltimore Basilica with the Rector, Fr. Brendan Fitzgerald, as the featured speaker.