June 3, 2023
Dear Friends in Christ,
As we return to Ordinary Time this week in our Church, we celebrate on Sunday the Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity – the commemoration of this central mystery of our faith that God is three distinct persons. This notion of God the Father, Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit remains a concept for our logical brains to fully grasp – and this is why the Blessed Trinity is a belief to which we surrender our logic and simply know it as truth in our minds and hearts.
In Sunday’s Gospel Reading from John 3:16-18, we receive the author’s interpretation of an encounter Jesus Christ had with Nicodemus, a Pharisee who is trying to understand the Lord’s teachings. In passages preceding the Gospel Reading, Jesus attempts to explain that no one can have eternal life without being “born of water and spirit,” that is, baptized. Nicodemus is unable to comprehend this, so the Gospel’s author attempts to clarify with this:
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”
In God’s enduring love for us, he sent us his Son, who died for our sins so we might one day live with them in Heaven. After Jesus Christ’s ascension, he sent the Holy Spirit who is a daily inspiration and guide to us as we live out our earthly lives, loving all our brothers and sisters and ministering to those in need. This is a central article of our faith and one of which we are steadfastly assured: God loves us and is always with us.
Today, let us be reassured of God’s presence with us always – in the Eucharist, in all creation, and in every person in whom his likeness is.
I’d like to offer best wishes to new Deacon Matt Konieczny, who was ordained this morning at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. I will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at the 5 pm Mass on Sunday, June 4, at our church; the liturgy will be concelebrated by Fr. William Foley, the retired, former pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Rockville, Fr. Grzegorz Okulewicz, and Fr. Denis O’Sullivan of the Diocese of Santa Rosa (CA). Deacon Matt will be the principal deacon at the Mass and will preach the Homily; his family members will contribute to music for the Mass, serve as lectors, and bring up the gifts. Please join me in congratulating Deacon Matt and his family!
I wish you all a blessed and wonderful week.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. John
Sunday, June 4:
- Morning Prayer at 7:30 am. Hosted by parishioner Lois James.
- Mass at 8 am in the church. Celebrated by Fr. Tom Weinandy. Mass readings
- Mass at 9:30 am in the church. Celebrated by Fr. William Brailsford. Mass readings
- Mass at 11:15 am in the church. Celebrated by Fr. Grzegorz Okulewicz. Mass readings
- Mass in Spanish at 1 pm in the church. Celebrated by Fr. Grzegorz Okulewicz. Mass readings
- Mass at 5 pm in the church. Celebrated by Fr. John Dillon, Fr. William Foley, Fr. Grzegorz Okulewicz, and Fr. Denis O’Sullivan. Mass readings
- Evening Prayer at 7:30 pm. Hosted by parishioner Lois James.
Monday, June 5:
- Morning Prayer at 7:30 am. Hosted by parishioner Lois James.
- Mass at 9 am in church. Celebrated by Fr. John Dillon.
- Virtual parish Rosary at 4 pm. Led by a member of the Rosary group.
- Evening Prayer at 7:30 pm. Hosted by Lois James.
Tuesday, June 6:
- Morning Prayer at 7:30 am. Hosted by parishioner Lois James.
- Mass at 9 am in church. Celebrated by Fr. John Dillon.
- Evening Prayer at 7:30 pm. Hosted by parishioner Lois James.
Parish Resources:
St. Martin Food Pantry Needs
The St. Martin Food Pantry has an urgent need for the following items:
- Dry unsweetened cereal
- Canned soup
- Pasta sauce
- Canned fruit
- Macaroni and cheese
- Pasta
- Stew, canned pasta, and chili
- Similac Blue and Similac Orange formula and/or domestic or foreign equivalents/substitutes
- Size 3 and 6 diapers
- Baby wipes
- Pediasure
- Adult unisex pullups in sizes small, medium, and large
- Plastic grocery bags and plastic newspaper bags
Please place all donations in the St. Martin Food Pantry box in the Gathering Space or in the bin on the Rectory porch. Thanks for your support!
You’re Invited to a “A Communal Conversation with Fr. John”
Please join us at “A Communal Conversation with Fr. John” at 9 am Saturday, June 10, in the church. During this hour-long dialogue, Communications Coordinator Melissa Egan will interview Fr. John on the altar about his 25 years in priestly service to the Archdiocese of Washington (DC); afterward, attendees are invited to enjoy some light refreshments in the Gathering Space.
Come to "The Exodus Story"!
Looking for some faith-based entertainment for your teens, tweens, and young children this summer? Fr. G recommends attending "The Exodus Story," featuring youth and young adults from across the archdiocese. The proceeds from the live play raise funds for archdiocesan youth to attend the vocational pilgrimage World Youth Day this August in Lisbon, Portugal. Please pre-purchase your tickets at the e-mail address on the flyer or by using the QR code below. Thank you for your support!
