Bob Jensen

We All Will Be Founding Members

This parish is blessed to still have with us many of our founding members. Recently, we just lost two, Ray Weidert and Barbara O’Neill.

Our founding members did an incredible job getting this parish started. From practically nothing, they established not only the physical structure but also the identity and feel of this local community. With hopes and dreams, commitment and generosity, and a lot of prayers and sacrifices, they played a major role in who we are today.

In a very real sense, each of you will now become a founding member of our Parish Family that begins July 1. Who this Parish Family will become depends a lot on you: on your hopes and dreams, on your commitment and generosity, and on your prayers and sacrifices. Establishing a parish from scratch takes the active involvement of each person. So too, establishing a Parish Family.

Someday, future generations will look back with gratitude to those who got this Parish Family started. Get involved and stay involved. It will be a benefit for you and your family as well as future parishioners.

The Different Between Exposition and Adoration

On this Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, I would like to focus on prayer in the presence of the Eucharist.

“Exposition” and “adoration” are terms that are often interchanged. However, there is a difference. Exposition gives the opportunity for the community to pray with the Eucharist visible. Adoration is most often praying before the tabernacle, when the Eucharist is present but not visible. Exposition is a liturgy of the Church, which involves communal prayer with periods of silence. Adoration is a private devotion that need not involve any communal prayer. Exposition is not a time just for your own quiet prayer; that is the purpose of Adoration.

The ritual book, Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass, explains: “During the exposition, there should be prayers, songs, and readings to direct the attention of the faithful to the worship of Christ the Lord. To encourage a prayerful spirit, there should be readings from Scripture with a brief homily or exhortations to develop a better understanding of the Eucharistic mystery. It is also desirable for the people to respond to the word of God by singing and to spend some periods of time in religious silence” (95). The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have created a variety of holy hours that focus our prayer to Jesus Christ on peace, life, vocations, and other topics that are at the heart of the life of the Church and the world.

The Rite of Eucharistic Exposition is an extension of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which occurs in every Mass. It states, “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and our unity with the rest of the Church.

Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle is available during office hours (except when a Mass is being celebrated). You may need to enter through the parish office. Exposition is celebrated on the first Friday of each month, following the 9:00 am Mass.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May, honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, or participating in parades.

For Christians, the custom of visiting the cemetery and praying for the dead can be traced to the women who returned to the tomb of Jesus that Easter morning to mourn and complete the preparation of His body for burial. Then and there, they discovered that He had been raised from the dead. Today, Catholic cemeteries are signs of hope that are places of prayer. They witness our faith in the Lord Jesus and the hope we share in his resurrection.

Today, our visits to the cemetery are prompted by our love and faith. We come to remember, to mourn, to give thanks for the life our beloved shared with us, and to strengthen our belief that one day we will be united with our beloved in Eternal Life.