MESSAGE FROM FATHER BOB      

 WORLD MISSION SUNDAY – “HERE I AM, SEND ME!”

                Today we respond to our baptismal call to be missionaries.  Let echo the Prophet Isaiah’s response to God’s call:  “Here I am, send me!”  We offer at our Eucharistic celebration our prayers for the mission work of the Catholic Church and our financial support through the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, to continue the mission of Jesus and his Apostles.  As always, your prayers are your most treasured gift to the Missions, and yet your generous gifts provide much needed support for missionary priests, religious sisters and brother, and lay catechists throughout the world to witness to Christ and his Church.  So many people need to hear and learn about Christ’s healing power, his abundant love, and his spiritual peace. 

                If you have not already done so, please use the World Mission Sunday envelope in your monthly packet or pick one up at the church entrances, and return it next week.

OCTOBER - RESPECT LIFE MONTH – FURTHER REFLECTIONS

                As Catholics we often pray for an end to abortions in our society and an increased respect for all human life, as we should.  I would like to add to our prayers the suggestion of also praying for those who have actually experienced an abortion. 

                First, we need to acknowledge the loss of those who had an abortion; no doubt they are filled with ongoing grief and pain.  If this is someone you can talk to, a simple statement like “I’m sorry for your loss” can open hearts.  Remind the person about the boundless mercy of God and encourage them to approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Many wrongly believe that abortion is the only unforgivable sin.  They need to hear that God desires to forgive every sin of those who are sorry and repentant, even the sin of abortion.  Even those associated with the person who has had an abortion need spiritual support from others and mercy from the Lord. 

                If you feel this message is for you, ask the Lord for the strength to seek spiritual and emotional healing.  If you know someone that this might help, please ask the Lord to guide you in approaching this person.  Project Rachel Ministry in our Archdiocese can be a resource to help in these situations at [email protected], or visit www.HopeAfterAbortion.org.  Or you can contact me, Father Bob, at the Parish Office.

STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN AT ST. BERNADETTE

                Just a quick reminder to you if you have not yet returned your annual St. Bernadette Stewardship Covenant Card.  Please take a moment to prayerfully reflect on your stewardship commitment to the Lord and his Church by way of prayer, participation, and generosity.  Then fill out your Stewardship Card and return it in the collection or at the Parish Office.  Thank you for your dedication to share your gifts from God with his Church and our parish.

TIME FOR AN AUTUMN TRIP

                I will be away from St. Bernadette’s for a week and half (Oct. 20-30) with my brother (Fr. John R.) as we will be driving down to the Smokey Mountains to enjoy some quiet time in a cabin in the midst of the Lord’s gorgeous autumn colors (hopefully)!  I will still be praying for all at St. Bernadette’s.

28 th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – “YOU ARE INVITED! PLEASE R.S.V.P.”

In Sacred Scripture, images of abundance and feasting point to the gift of God’s grace. Today’s
gospel reading of the parable of the wedding feast offers an image of the grace made present to us
through the sacraments. In the abundant feast of the Eucharist, God provides food that strengthens
God’s very life in us. Like any wedding banquet that we participate in, the Mass is meant to be an
enjoyable time with family and good friends – a time to celebrate life. Would that we would
consistently approach Sunday Mass with the enthusiasm that we would bring to a wedding banquet!

OCTOBER – RESPECT LIFE MONTH

As Catholics we are called by our Christian heritage and teaching of the Church to cherish,
protect and defend human life in all its stages and conditions, and not just one month of the year but all
year long. Twenty-five years ago St. John Paul II proclaimed his epic encyclical “Evangelium Vitae”, (The
Gospel of Life), as the heart of Jesus’ saving message to the world. In taking on human life, the Son of
God made every human life sacred. By sacrificing his own life on the cross, Jesus has indicated that all
human life was worth his life to save us from our sins. The Church by offering the Sacrament of Baptism
enables the Lord God to dwell in us and thus adding to our human dignity.
Our annual Respect Life observancd during this month before the elections reminds us as
Catholics that we are not just anti-abortion but fully pro-life, that is, pro the mystery of all human life,
pro the wonder and beauty of every human being created in the image and likeness of God, and pro the
joy of being alive with the gift of God’s grace.

“FORMING CONSCIENCES FOR FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP”

The U.S. bishops have re-issued their document concerning political activity for Catholics. For
this election, the document includes a new introduction for 2020. This very thorough and thought-
provoking document seeks to help Catholics form their consciences by applying a consistent moral
framework to issues facing the nation and our communities in light of Catholic Social Teaching. The
threat of abortion to our society remains a preeminent priority. And Pope Francis has continued to
draw attention to such issues as migration, xenophobia, racism, global conflict, and care for the planet
God has created for us. The bishops remind us again that “our Christian call to holiness requires a
passionate defense of the life of the unborn and that equally sacred are lives of the poor, those already
born, the destitute, the abandoned, and the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm and elderly exposed to
covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, and every form of rejection.”
This is a lot to reflect on and pray about as we prepare to vote! May the Holy Spirit grant us
wisdom and courage!
{ To access this document, visit the U.S. Bishops website: usccb.org/resources/forming-consciences-for-
faithful-citizenship.pdf }

ST. BERNADETTE STEWARDSHIP COVENANT CARD – Check your mail!

As we talked about at Mass the last two Sundays, we are always called to good Catholic
Stewardship of our time, our talent, and our treasure. If you have not already, please take a few
prayerful moments to fill out your annual Stewardship Covenant Card and return it in the collection
basket or send to the Parish Office this week. Remember the Lord has given us much! How much are
we giving him in return?

FATHER BOB WILL BE GONE

I will be away from Monday afternoon until Thursday afternoon at a clergy study week on the Gospel of

St. Mark which will be used during the next church cycle. From Tuesday through Thursday our deacons
will conduct a communion service at 8am each morning. Mass will be offered on Friday morning this
week. The parish office will be open during the regular hours.

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27th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – “EFFORT WITHOUT RESULTS IS WASTED EFFORT!”

This is what our high school P.E. teacher would sarcastically tell us when we were trying to do
the minimum number of push-ups to pass, and we would say, “I’m trying, Coach, I’m trying!”
I think the Lord is saying about the same thing about vineyards that do not produce a harvest for
the owner of the vineyard. The vineyard is the Lord’s and he truly expects each of us to contribute to
producing good grapes for a harvest. This fits right in with “Stewardship Awareness Sunday” that we
observed last Sunday.                                                                                                                                        This might be a source of anxiety for us if we thought that the work is ours alone. In faith, however, we know that this not the case. Christ works in us and through us to bring a good harvest in the vineyard of his Church. Offer you labors to God throughout each day this week, knowing that we are not working alone. There are many workers in the vineyard here at St. Bernadette’s Parish and together we will bring in a wonderful harvest when everybody does their part. FOLLOWUP TO STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY.You will be receiving your packet of Stewardship info from the parish soon. Please take time to read through annual financial report, to find out about the status of the parish financially. Then take time to peruse the front part of the new St. Bernadette Phone Directory with all its info about parish ministries and opportunities for good stewardship. Finally and most importantly, take your St. Bernadette Stewardship Covenant Card and offer a prayer to the Lord to help you to commit to the work in his vineyard at St. Bernadette’s. Then indicate how you will respond and “work in the vineyard” in the year ahead with regard to Prayer, Participation, and Generosity. Then you can return the Covenant Card with your commitment in the collection next weekend or send it to the Parish Office. God bless you for being great workers in the vineyard. Your good efforts are not wasted efforts, let me assure you! May the owner of the vineyard share his “profits and produce of the harvest with you”!

ALMOST TIME TO VOTE!
To vote is not just a civic responsibility, it is also a Christian duty – to participate in the process
of electing the leaders of our nation, state, and local community. The Catholic Church teaches us to vote
after mature reflection on the moral principles of the Gospel and the Church magisterium. But the
Church in our country, because of the tradition of “separation of church and state, cannot and will not
tell us which candidate or which political party to support and vote for.
No candidate in American history has held a completely Catholic set of positions. In almost
every election, one candidate gives you one thing and their opponent gives something else that a
conscientious Catholic voter is looking for. So voting requires mature reflection, prayer, and struggle. It
is not something easy to consider all the teachings of the Church and vote with a well-formed
conscience that gives the proper relationship among the many moral goods we are seeking. It’s hard
work, but it’s the work we’re given to do. Pray for the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit as you
prepare to vote!

25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – “SAY WHAT YOU MEAN; AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY!’

Today’s parable from Matthew is part of Jesus’ response to the religious establishment’s
question about his authority. In many ways, the parable repeats a consistent emphasis throughout
Matthew of a change of mind and of heart as well.
The difference between the two sons in the parable is that one fails to do what he say, and the
other ends up doing what he initially refuses to do. What matters is not what you hear and say, but
what you do. Believing in and following Jesus for Matthew is not something we merely agree to in our
head, but rather a change of heart that then involves a change in our actions. So, we are challenged to
live out what we say we believe!

ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY FOR ST. BERNADETTE PARISH
Because of the pandemic limitations and having only about one third of our usual congregation
size, we are not having the report on the parish at the weekend Masses, as we usually do at this time of
year. Instead, our parish Finance Council has decided to mail out the annual stewardship and financial
report to every parish family in the first part of October.

This mailing will include the annual
Stewardship Covenant Card for everyone to fill out and return.Let’s review the basic Catholic teachingabout Stewardship: each follower of Jesus is called to be
a good steward of the gifts and opportunities that the Lord entrusts to each and every one of us.
Stewardship is all about being “Grateful and Generous” to God, knowing that everything we are and
everything we have comes from God. Should we not share back to the Lord a significant portion of his
gifts? This is a spiritual responsibility – to take good care of our gifts from God, including our time, our
talent, and our treasure. We have heard this many times before, and we would do well to renew again
our commitment to live out our Catholic Stewardship here in our parish of St. Bernadette. Perhaps
begin each day with a simple prayer like this: “Lord, how would you like me to be generous with all the
gifts you have given me?”

Again I would like to thank the many St. Bernadette Parish members who have conscientiously
and generously continued to support the parish, even through this pandemic crisis, and for some not
even being able to come to church for Mass. The Lord is grateful! Your parish is grateful! I am grateful!
TODAY – SPECIAL ENVELOPE FOR A COLLECTION FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE WILDFIRES AND
HURRICANES IN OUR COUNTRY.      

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  For a video tutorial visit the St. Bernadette Youtube channel or click the link below:

https://youtu.be/am3MpURk_L4

STARTING THIS WEEK PRINTED WORDS OF THE HYMNS AT MASS

Since it looks like it will be a long while before we can get back to using Missalettes and Hymnals because of Covid19, we will start providing a printed, throwaway sheet with just the words of the Entrance Hymn and theRecessional  Hymn.  Just pick up the sheet at the church entrances, and then after Mass throw it right in the trash can as you leave church. We cannot reuse any music sheet.

Bulletins Available! Something New!!

There will be a plastic box with the most recent Sun- day bulletins inside fixed to a post by the rectory steps leading up to the parish office. If you cannot come to the church or get them online, here's your chance to keep up with the news of the parish. Please alert all those still quarantining so they can come  by  to  get one. New bulletins will be available each week after  the 10:30am Mass on Sunday. Those of you not coming back to Mass yet are not forgotten and we look for- ward to the day when it is safe for everyone to    re- turn.  In the meantime, we hold each other in prayer and keep in touch!

You can click on the link for this on our Parish Website, or type this link in:

      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGfj7nDgJ4vAnL31_c-5Tlg