T oday’s readings describe the Ascension of the Lord Jesus into his Heavenly glory after promising the Holy Spirit as the source of Heavenly power for his disciples and after commanding them to bear

witness to him by their lives and preaching throughout the world. Ascension is both an ending and a beginning.

Unfinished Work – Fr. Bosco Padamattummal –

THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD MAY 24, 2020

!The Good News The Holy Mass & Sacramental Confession: Sunday Masses (and Saturday vigil Masses) will resume next weekend, May 30/31! Please read the Diocesan guidelines for resumption of Mass in parishes

www.dioceseoflansing.org/news/return-mass-guidelines-published-diocese-lansing,

noting especially the link at the bottom of that page for detailed information. (There is a summary on p. 2 of this bulletin). ALSO, Fr Bosco is resuming confession time on Saturdays from 3:30-4:30pm. However in order to observe social distancing, he will be hearing confessions on the rectory front porch rather than inside the church. There will be a chair for those wishing to sit.

O ur Blessed Mother continues to be

honored throughout the month of May! Here Luke and Hannah Kominars bring flowers to honor the Holy Mother of God at the Mary altar in their home… “Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May…”

The physical appearances of Jesus are at an END; his revelation of the “Good News” is complete; the promise of the Messiah is fulfilled. Now BEGINS the work of the disciples to teach what they have learned and to share what they have witnessed.

The first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, describes the scene of Jesus’ Ascension, his promise of the Holy Spirit, and his missionary command to bear witness to him throughout the world.

Consider: “The Ascension of Christ is his liberation from all restrictions of time and space. It does not represent his removal from earth, but his constant presence everywhere on earth.” Christ now fills and sanctifies all time and space. The grace of the Ascension is that “Christ is all in all!” (Col. 3:11).

The unity of humanity and divinity revealed in the incarnation is brought to fullness in the Ascension. Jesus disappears in his Ascension beyond the clouds, not into some geographical location, but into the heart

of all creation where he dwells in his glorified humanity. The Ascension reveals that in Christ’s humanity, all humanity has been enthroned next to God. It is our “eternalization,” and from that moment on our homeland is in heaven. Through the Ascension Christ is still present but in a different way – an interiorized way. He is no longer physically in front of his disciples but rather within them.

In the finished work of Christ with his Ascension, we face here that very evident reality that Jesus only began something. He began to teach and preach the Good News. The rest of the book of Acts tells the story in part, and the story is still being told today: of finishing the work that Jesus began.

We are in the process right now of finishing the work which Jesus began before he returns. In Acts chapter 20, for example, the apostle — continued on p. 3

Sancta Maria, Ora Pro Nobis Sancta Maria, Ora Pro Nobis

What to know (and do) before coming to Mass:

What you may find “different”

when attending Mass: • Please, do not come to Mass if you are vulnerable to the coronavirus

because of age or other health issues or feel sick. (The Bishop’s dispensation from Sunday Mass obligation continues thru July 31, 2020.)

• When possible, parents are encouraged to leave small children at home. • You are asked to wear a face covering at Mass if possible (even if you

feel this is unnecessary, please consider the peace of mind and safety of your fellow Catholics).

• It is recommended that you bring and use hand-sanitizer, before and after Mass, and also before receiving Holy Communion.

• Likewise, you may want to bring sanitizing wipes to use in those places where you sit and kneel.

• Note: A small quantity of masks, hand-sanitizer and wipes will be available at the church for those needing them.

• We will not sing during the Mass, and our usual spoken responses during the Mass should be expressed in a soft voice.

• Place your envelope in the collection basket near the entrance when you arrive or leave. (Ushers will not be taking the collection during Mass.)

• Please use the restroom before coming to Mass (rather than needing to use the restroom downstairs).

• Some pews will be blocked off so as to maintain at least six-feet of distance between families.

• There will be no holy water and no hymnals. (Only the music director will be singing.)

• There will be no entrance or exit processional.

• Before Holy Communion, Fr. Bosco will explain the process we will follow: Communion will be distributed by Fr. Bosco moving down the center aisle and stopping at each pew to bring Communion to those in that pew.

• Before distributing Holy Communion, Fr. Bosco will put on a face mask.

• At the end of Mass, we will be dismissed by rows.

!Thanks be to God

At the direction of the Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing, Earl Boyea, the number of people who may be present in the church for any Mass or other liturgy is:

from Monday, May 18 thru Fri, May 29

Weekday Masses only (Monday thru Friday at 8:30am)

5% of the seating capacity – or 12 people

from Sat, May 30 until further notice

Both weekday and weekend Masses (no Monday Masses from June 1 thru Sept 7)

25% of the seating capacity – or 58 people

O n May 13, Bishop Earl Boyea, our bishop, announced that Masses may resume in the parishes of the Diocese of Lansing beginning Monday, May 18. However, because of the Executive Order

issued by the governor of Michigan and concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we are asked to follow specific health-safety guidelines.

• These Diocesan guidelines are summarized below for our parish. • To read the Bishop’s guidelines in full, please visit the website for the Diocese of Lansing.

This will give you an understanding of the REASONING behind these guidelines.

The resumption of the Holy Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church, Manchester, MI

A

* If necessary, an additional Sunday Mass at 7:30am will be added to our parish schedule. * (Please note: Our parish Mass will no longer be recorded and posted to the parish website, Facebook page, and

on YouTube. For those unable to attend Mass, please watch it on EWTN or other online Mass streaming websites.)

St. Mary Catholic Church, Manchester, MI The Ascension of the Lord May 24, 2020 • p. 3

0 St. Mary Roman Catholic Church

Stewardship WEEKLY COLLECTION:

Sunday, May 10, 2020 Sunday Env (47) .............. $ 8,120.14 Easter .................................. $ 30.00 Easter Decorations .............. $ 20.00 Ascension ............................ $ 95.00 E-Giving ............................. $ 797.44

Combined toward budget: $ 9,062.58 Budget goal: ..................... $5,300.00 Amt ABOVE goal: ....... + $ 3,762.58

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS: Bldg & Maint env ................. $ 425.00 E-Giving Bldg & Maint ..... $ 100.00 Worldwide Evang ................. $ 5.00 Black & Indian .................... $ 10.00 Catholic Relief Services ...... $ 10.00 Poor Box .............................. $ 74.00

Votive candles ................. $ 37.00

Please Pray for…

!Birthday Blessings May 24… ... Peter Kueffner May 25… ... Mary McGoff

…Ricardo Villarreal May 26… ... Nancy Gross

…Monica Kominars May 28… ... Heather Dahl May 29… ... James Landini May 30… ... Benjamin Dahl

Paul was on his way to Jerusalem, and on the trip he was constantly being warned that when he got to Jerusalem he was going to run into a lot of trouble and that the trouble was going to be extremely serious. Paul said, “Look, I only have one thing I’m concerned about. My life doesn’t matter to me; all I want to do is finish my part of the unfinished work of Christ.”

That’s what the whole book of Acts is all about: finishing the unfinished work of Christ, picking up where Jesus left off, picking up the chisel and the hammer and finishing the sculpture, picking up the brush and finishing the canvas. That’s what you and I are called to do.

Now in order for us to do that, we have to have some tools, some ingredients, and I want to share some of them with you briefly.

First of all we must know the proper message. You can never finish the work of Christ unless you know what the content of His message was. And your effectiveness and my effectiveness in finishing the unfinished work of Christ is directly related to our understanding of the Word. The credibility factor comes with practicing what we preach.

Secondly, the proper manifestation. “…by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days” the apostles knew that he was alive. Paul says, “He made appearances to the apostles and even to me.” In order to carry the work of Christ, we have to have a vital relationship with the living Christ and

have confidence that he is alive. We cannot finish the unfinished work of Christ unless it flows out of a vital reality of Christ in our lives. We should know and fellowship with him.

Thirdly, proper might. That is essentially what Christ is saying to the disciples: “I want you to finish my work. I’ll give you all the tools you need. And just to make it possible, I’m going to put my Holy Spirit inside of you, and he’ll do

it through you. You’ll yield to him.” The power to accomplish, the power to fulfill, the power to do the thing that God has given us to do is the energy of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Let us not forget that so many Christians died giving testimony that it became synonymous with dying: a martyr. But Christianity gave that word a definition. So many of them were slaughtered for their testimony.

Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus’ Ascension reshapes our understanding of an ascended life. Jesus’ Ascension is not about his absence but about his presence. It is not about his

leaving but about “the fullness of him who fills all in all.” It is not about a location but about a relationship.

Presence, fullness, and relationship must surely be what lie behind the question of the men in white, “Why do you stand looking up to heaven?” It is as if they are saying to us, “Don’t misunderstand and disfigure this moment. Don’t deny yourselves the gift that is being given you.” Our participation in Jesus’ Ascension begins not by looking up but by looking within.

— Fr. Bosco’s article con’t from p. 1

1) In loving memory of +Roger Brooks

(Jim & Marja Warner) 2) In loving memory of

+Bob Laskowski (Bill & Astirda Punches)

The SANCTUARY LAMPS are burning this week for the following intentions: PLEASE PRAY THIS WEEK…

“In order to carry the work of Christ, we have to have a vital relationship

with the living Christ and have

confidence that he is alive. We cannot

finish the unfinished work of

Christ unless it flows out of a vital reality of Christ in

our lives. We should know and fellowship

with him. ”

“Faithful Christian, pray at this Mass

as if it were your FIRST Mass, your LAST Mass, your ONLY Mass.”

• Lynn Doyle (and her parents)

• Ray Seghers • Baby Bryson

Corker & his parents

• Dcn David Pellican as he approaches priestly ordination on May 30

• Ron Dillingham

• Tom Burch

• Leon Ball • Calvin J.

Miller • Virginia

Strong • Walter

Radisovich • Paula Saft • Tom Kladzyk • Bruce

Sommers • Connie and

Frank Stancato

• Eddie Walz

St. Mary’s Parish Weekly Calendar ◆ May 30-31, 2020 Mass Intention [requested by], & parish activities

SAT. MAY 30 Vigil of Pentecost

3:30-4:30pm Confessions [on the rectory front porch] 5:00pm Vigil MASS for The Solemnity of Pentecost:

Ed Haller [Gerald & Mary Shaw]

SUN. MAY 31 Solemnity: Pentecost Sunday 8:30am MASS: Christine Marie Hessling

[The Hessling Family] 10:30am MASS: For the people

Gn 11:1-9 (or Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ez 37:1-14 or Jl 3:1-5) Rom 8:22-27 Jn 7:37-39

Acts 2:1-11 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 Jn 20:19-23