NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINAY TIME – August 7, 2022

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION: James L. Toth, by Lenny Toth

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK:

FROM THE DESK OF FR. BONA: If someone would ask us how many creeds we have, what would be our answer? Most of us would probably say that one. After all, St. Paul said in his letter to Ephesians that there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (4:5). It is true that we have one faith, but creeds, formal statements about our faith, can differ in how they describe this one true faith. They never contradict one another, but they display different depth and focus. There are several creeds, but three of them stand out since we use them the most: Baptismal Promises, Apostles’ Creed, and Nicene Creed.

Every year on Easter Sunday (in place of the creed) we renew our Baptismal Promises. Three questions on renunciation of devil, sin and evil and three question in believing in the Triune God and His saving actions in our midst. These baptismal promises date back to the very beginning of organized Christian worship and many ancient authors mention them. If we were baptized as infants our parents and godparents made these baptismal promises on our behalf. Later in life when we are receiving the First Communion or the Sacrament of Confirmation we renew our faith through these same baptismal promises. When we are baptized as adults, we make these promises ourselves. These baptismal promises are like a little profession of faith.

The Apostles’ Creed is widely used for both liturgical and catechetical purposes in our Catholic faith. Liturgically, it is mostly used when we pray different devotional prayers such as Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet. The name of the Creed comes from the probably fifth-century legend that, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, each of the Twelve Apostles dictated part of it. However, the roots of this creed can be traced to the second century. It is traditionally divided into twelve articles.

The Nicene Creed is the creed that is used on Sundays and solemnities at Mass. The more precise name should be Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. The reason is that this profession of faith was first approved at the Council of Nicea in 325 and later an augmented version was approved at the Council of Constantinople in 381. The need for this fuller version of the creed was necessitated by new phrases in Arian heresy which denied the divinity of Christ. 

When we recite these creeds publicly at Mass or privately in our devotional prayers let us always be aware of their ancient roots.

SUNDAY COLLECTION FIGURES: (7/31): Sunday Collection: $587. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY in supporting our parish. Thank you for sending in your offertory donation through the mail, or through the PayPal option found on the website: https://www.stelizabethcleveland.org/donations/

9 NIGHTS OF NIGHT PRAYERS (AUGUST 7-15): Each evening, during the 9 Nights of Night Prayer, nine churches in the Diocese of Cleveland will open their doors at 8:00pm to offer a time of Night Prayer beginning at 8:15pm. St. Emeric will be one of those nine churches. Join us during these nights to be nurtured with Sacred Scripture and refreshed by the loving presence of God. The last night (8/15) there will be an ice cream social as well.

ST. STEPHEN DAY PICNIC at ST. EMERIC: St. Stephen Day Picnic will be held at St. Emeric church on August 21. Mass of St. Stephen will be at 11:15AM, Picnic food from 12:30-4PM (Debrecen sausage, staffed cabbage, gyulás, bread, lángos (elephant ear), cookies, coffee; children menu: hotdogs). A blessing of giant bread at 1PM, music throughout. No need to RSVP.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK, especially, Jay Kovács, Kathy Szabó, Kamilla Szabó and Anna Melega, Dorothy Fromhercz, and Alex Szaday.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DECEASED.   

THIS SUNDAY the 11:15 AM Mass from St. Emeric church will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/saintemeric/ and on the website, https://stemeric.com/

This post is also available in: Hungarian