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Weekly Bulletin June 30, 2024
by Terrie Evans
On this Sunday, the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time, our San Antonio Church Community sends best wishes and congratulations to the Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr on his 50th Anniversary in service to the Church. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr was ordained a Priest for the Diocese of Sioux City Iowa on July 20, 1974, and in 1980 he went on to receive his Doctorate Degree in Cannon Law. He served at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington D.C. before being appointed an Associate General Secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference NCCB/USCC in 1989. In 1995, Msgr. Schnurr was elected the General Secretary of the NCCB/USCC supervising a staff of 350 with an annual budget of $50 million. He was ordained Bishop of the Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota on April 2, 2001, and appointed Co-Adjutor Archbishop of Cincinnati by Pope Benedict XVI on October 17, 2008, and Archbishop of Cincinnati on December 21, 2009. We also celebrate seven new priests who were ordained on May 18, 2024, by Archbishop Schnurr at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peters in Chains. They are Fr. Brice Burger, Fr. Adam Berning, Fr. John Grusenmeyer, Fr. Benjamin Mersch, Fr. Matthew Montag, Fr. Anthony Sanitato, and Fr. Jeremy Stubbs. Please keep Archbishop Schnurr and the newly ordained priests in your prayers as they continue to lead our communities of churches into the future.
On Monday, July 1st we honor the life and works of Saint Junipero Serra, Born Miguel Jose Serra Ferrer on November 24, 1713, on the Island of Mallorca off the coast of Spain, a Spanish Priest, and Missionary of the Franciscan Order. As a child, he worked the fields with his parents, cultivating crops of wheat and beans and tending cattle. He would visit the Franciscan Friary near his home and attended the primary school there. In 1730, a few months before his 17th birthday, Serra entered the Franciscan Order at Palma, a branch of the Friars Minor. For the next year, Serra went through the novitiate period to become a member of the Franciscan Order, taking the name Juniper, in honor of Brother Juniper, a companion of Francis of Assisi. Taking a vow of celibacy, giving up comforts, and all property, while practicing a daily routine of prayers, mediation, choir, manual chores, spiritual readings, and instruction. His studies included logic, metaphysics, cosmology, and theology as he devoted his life for the next 7 years to become an ordained Catholic Priest. In 1737, Serra was ordained and a few years later, received an ecclesiastical license to teach philosophy in San Francisco to 60 students for the next three years. By the age of 35, Serra spent most of his time in the classroom as a professor and in 1743, Serra said to his students, “I desire nothing more from you than this, that when the news of my death shall have reached your ears, I ask you to say for the benefit of my soul, “May he rest in peace”. Serra loved teaching but longed to do missionary work in South America and to convert native people in the New World. In 1749, a team of Franciscan Missionaries landed in Veracruz on the Gulf Coast of Mexico. They set out to journey on to Mexico City on the Camino Real (Royal Path) through tropical forests, high plains reaching an altitude of 7,400 feet. They traveled with no one to guide them and no funds walking all the way to Mexico City with generous locals providing hospitality along the journey.
Years later Serra and his Missionary team set sail out of San Blas off the Mexican Coast to travel up the Gulf of California. Two hundred miles later they were welcomed at the Loreto Mission founded in 1697 by the Jesuits. In 1768, the Inspector General of New Spain sent explorers to locate a Mission in northern California with Serra chosen to lead the Missionary team in the California expedition and welcomed the chance to save the large population of pagan souls. The Franciscans saw the Native Americans as children of God who would make good Christians. Seeing that the native Americans were barely surviving in dire conditions, the Friars became their legal guardians giving them shelter at their mission. In 1769, Serra established his headquarters near the Presidio of Monterey and established the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, now Carmel California. Also in 1769, under Serra’s direction, the Franciscan Missionaries planted California’s 1st sustainable vineyard at Mission San Diego. Serra has been called the “Father of California Wine” with the variety of grapes planted now known as the Mission Grape.
On Pentecost in 1769, Serra founded his 1st Mission, San Fernando Rey de Espana de Velicata with a mud hut serving as a church, then in 1770 Serra moved to Monterey and on Pentecost Sunday, Serra and his expedition founded the Mission San Carlos Borromeo a makeshift Chapel next to an oak tree by Monterey Bay. He remained there as Father Presidente of the Alta California Missions. Serra established the Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda, a UNESCO World Heritage site, founded missions in Baja, California and in 1771, relocated to Mission Carmel that served as his headquarters. Under his presidency he founded: Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, Mission San Antonio de Padua, Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and went on to establish 8 of the 21 Missions in California from San Diego to San Francisco. The chapel at the Mission San Juan Capistrano that was built in 1782 is presumed to be the oldest standing building in the state of California. The Chapel is referred to as “Father Serra’s Church” and the only remaining church where Fr. Junipero Serra celebrated the rites of the Catholic Church and on October 12th&13th, 1783, he presided over the Confirmations of 213 people. Juneperio Serra died on August 28,1784, at the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo where his remains are still a place of public veneration. He was beatified by Pope Paul II on September 25, 1988, at St. Peter’s Square and was Canonized by Pope Francis on September 23, 2015, part of the Pope’s first visit to the United States. It was the first Canonization to take place on American soil with Pope Francis stating: “Friar Junipero was one of the founding fathers of the United States, a saintly example of the Church’s universality and special patron of the Hispanic people of the country.” Many cities throughout California have streets, schools and communities named after him and the United States and the country of Spain have honored him with postage stamps.
On Wednesday, July 3rd, we honor Jesus’s disciple, Thomas, called “Didymus” or the twin in the New Testament. One of the twelve Apostles in the Christian World, he is known as “Doubting Thomas” because he was the Disciple who searched for the truth and found it difficult to accept or understand at first, but in the end, he believed. In St. Johns Gospel, Jesus told his disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you. And I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also, And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas asked, “Lord we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way? Jesus replied, “I am the way and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. Henceforth you know him and have seen him.” Thomas was not with the other Apostles when Jesus first appeared to them after his death. After the Resurrection, the Apostles said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord.” Thomas responded, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” When Thomas was with the Apostles eight days later, Jesus came and stood before Thomas saying: “Bring here your finger, and see My hands, and bring here your hand, and put it in my side; and be not unbelieving but believing.” Because you have seen Me, Thomas, you have believed. Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.” Thomas went to India as a Missionary and a builder, erecting many church communities during his missionary journeys. While in India, he established the tradition of Saint Thomas Christians with Indian Christians calling themselves Christians of St. Thomas with July 3rd celebrated as, “Indian Christians Day.” Also, churches in the Middle East and Asia mention Thomas the Apostle, the first evangelist to establish the Assyrian Church of the East and the early Church of Sri Lanka. Thomas was Martyred in India around 27AD with his relics preserved in the crypt of St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica in India behind the altar. St. Thomas was canonized pre congregation and around the 6th century, with the tradition of Saint Thomas Crosses found in churches in Kerala, Mylapore and Goa throughout India with the Cross referred to as the “Cross of Christians”. St. Thomas is the Patron Saint of Architects. A Prayer to St. Thomas: “Almighty God, let us proudly rejoice as we celebrate the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. May we be helped by his patronage and, believing, have life in the Name of Jesus Christ Your Son Whom he confessed to be the Lord. AMEN.”
On July 4th, Thursday our country will celebrate its 248th Fourth of July. This day honors the day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, prepared by the Committee of Five who then asked Thomas Jefferson to authorize its first draft. To honor the first anniversary in 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired in salute, once in the morning and again in the evening in Bristol, Rhode Island on July 4th. Newspapers reported many festivities held to mark this day such as speeches, parades, troop reviews and fireworks with an official dinner held for the Continental Congress. On July 4, 1778, George Washington marked the day with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and from his headquarters at Ross Hall in New Jersey held an artillery salute. In Paris, France, Ambassadors, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin held a special celebration dinner for their fellow Americans. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signatories of the Declaration of Independence, served as Presidents of the United States and died on the same day, July 4, 1826, the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration. Another President and Founding Father, James Monroe also died on the anniversary of the Declaration, on July 4th, 1831. Calvin Coolidge, born July 4, 1872, was the only U.S. President born on Independence Day. On this day, we give thanks for the freedoms and liberties fought by those who came before us. George Bernard Shaw said, “Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.” Brigham Young once said: “True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what is right.”
On July 5th we honor St. Elizabeth of Hungary known for her commitment to helping those in need. Born on January 4, 1271, at the Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza, Spain into a royal family, Father, King Peter III, mother, Constance of Sicily and 3 brothers, who would later become, King Alfonso III, King James II of Aragon, and King Frederick III of Sicily. When she was a young teen, Elizabeth was promised in an arranged marriage to Denis, King of Portugal. The marriage took place in 1288 when Elizabeth was 17 and Denis 26 with a portion of her dowry, the towns of Obidos, Abrantes and Porto de Mos. Denis was considered a statesman and poet and known throughout his country as a Farmer King for planting large pine forests to prevent soil degradation. Even though her marriage was not a happy one, Denis never interfered with her good works as Elizabeth built lodging houses for travelers, a hospital, orphanage, and a home for wayward women. When Denis died in 1325, Elizabeth devoted her life to the Franciscan Order and founded a nunnery in Coimbra, living nearby so she could serve the nuns who resided there. When there was a famine in Coimbra, she donated flour from her cellars to the starving residents. She paid the dowries for poor girls, educated the local poor children, donated to hospitals and religious projects. Elizabeth worked to seek peace and reconciliation among the monarchs in her family, when her son, King Alfonso IV set out to do battle with his son-in-law, she worked to bring peace between them. Even though she was ill, the Dowager Queen journeyed to the site of the two armies who were prepared to do battle, Elizabeth stopped what would have been a bloody conflict. She arranged the terms of a peace treaty but, the exertions were too much for her ailing body and died on July 4, 1336, at the age of 64. Earning the title, Peacemaker, Elizabeth was Beatified in 1516 by Pope Leo X, and Canonized on June 24,1626, by Pope Urban VIII in the Papal States. Saint Elizabeth is the co-patron of the Diocese of San Cristobal de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain and is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove and holding an olive branch.
On July 5th we also honor Anthony Zaccaria, the main founder of the Barnabite Order and referred to as a counter-reformer soldier. He was born in 1502 in Cremona, Italy, and Baptized in the Cremona Cathedral by his uncle Don Tommaso Zaccaria, Canon of the Cathedral. Canons were appointed by the Bishop, reside at the Cathedral, and celebrate liturgical functions at the Cathedral. He came from a noble family and after the death of his father, his mother made Anthony her almoner, appointing him to oversee the distribution of alms to those in need. He attended the school annexed to the Cathedral, studied philosophy at the University of Pavia and went on to study medicine at the University of Padua. In 1524, he returned to Cremona as a practicing physician until 1527 when he moved to Bologna to continue his studies for his new calling, the priesthood. He was ordained in 1529 at the Chapel of St. Jospeh in the Cremona Cathedral and he chose to work in hospitals and institutions to care for the poor. He not only took care of the sick, dying, and the bereaved, but would help them spiritually. During this time, he became a spiritual advisor to Countess Ludovica Torelli and in 1530, Anthony accompanied her to Milan. He then became a member of the Oratory of Eternal Wisdom whose devotions were focused on the teachings of Paul of Tarsus, and a love for the Eucharist and the Crucifixion of Christ. Their Society was formed to revive the love of Divine worship living a true Christian way of life by preaching and faithfully administering the Sacraments. New members joined while instructing others about their faith, preaching in churches and on street corners, establishing missions in cities and parishes, and caring for the sick in hospitals. Pope Clement VII gave the Society the title, the Clerks Regular of St. Paul. Anthony purchased the Church of St. Barnabas in Milan for the Society he founded, at present called the Barnabites. While in Milan, Anthony established three religious institutions, the Clerics Regular of Saint Paul, the Barnabites for men, The Angelic Sisters of Saint Paul, the female branch of uncloistered nuns, and the Laity of Saint Paul for married people. In 1537, Anthony accompanied the first missionaries from the Barnabites, Angelic Sisters and the Laity of Saint Paul to Vicenza to open the second house of their congregation. While on a mission to Guastalla, Anthony became terribly ill and wished to be brought back to Cremona, the home of his birth. On Saturday, July 5, 1539, Anthony died where he was born with his mother by his side at the age of 36. Bishop Luca di Seriate, who had ordained him presided over his funeral with many people from surrounding towns along with aristocrats in attendance. He was Beatified on January 3,1890 by Pope Leo XIII and Canonized on May 27, 1897, in Rome by Pope Leo XIII with his Major Shrine at the San Paolo Convent in Milan, Italy. From the writings of St. Anthony Zaccaria: “That which God commands seems difficult and a burden. The way is rough; you draw back; you have no desire to follow it. Yet you do so, and you will attain glory.”
On Saturday, July 6th, we honor the short life of a beautiful young farm girl who was brutally attacked by a 19-year-old farm worker. Maria Goretti (1890-1902) was nine years old when her father Luigi died of malaria leaving her mother with 7 children to take care of. Maria became the little mother to her siblings doing the cooking, mending, and cleaning while her mother, Assunta, worked in the fields so the family would not starve. In 1902, a young boy Alessandro was helping the Goretti family on the farm when he attacked Maria as she tried to fight him off. While Maria cried out, “Do not touch me. It is a sin Alessandro. You will go to hell!” He took a knife and stabbed her fourteen times in the throat, heart, lungs, and diaphragm. Maria was taken to a hospital where she suffered and died two days later. When the family priest asked if she would forgive her murderer, she said, “Yes, I forgive him for the love of Jesus, and I want him to be with me in heaven. May God forgive him.” Maria died kissing the Crucifix and holding the medal of the Blessed Mother. Her attacker, Alessandro, was arrested, convicted, and imprisoned for 27 years. While imprisoned, he repented when he saw a vision of Maria and when he was released from prison visited her mother to beg forgiveness and later became a lay brother in the Capuchin Monastery. There were many devotions and miracles attributed to the young martyr with Maria Beatified on April 27, 1947, with her 82-year-old mother, two sisters and her brother appearing on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica with Pope Pius XII. On the evening of her Beatification, when Maria’s mother Assunta greeted the Pope, she later reported: “When I saw the Pope coming, I prayed, Madonna, please help me,” as I felt faint. The Pope put his hand on my head and said, “Blessed mother, happy mother, mother of a Blessed!” Three years later on June 24, 1950, St. Maria Goretti was canonized by Pope Pius XII with Assunta, her four of Maria’s siblings and 66-year-old Alessandro Serenelli kneeling among the 500,000 faithful with many sobbing tears of joy.
Held in the Piazza San Pietro because of the large crowd, with many young people coming from around the world for the ceremony. Pope Pius asked them, “Young people, pleasure of the eyes of Jesus, are you determined to resist any attack on your chastity with the help of the grace of God?” A resounding “Yes” filled the air. This was the first time the mother of a saint had ever attended her child’s canonization. St. Maria Goretti’s remains are encased in the crypt of the Passionist basilica of Nostra Signoria delle Grazia e Santa Maria Goretti in Nettuno, south of Rome. She is the patron of chastity, rape victims, teenage girls, poverty, purity, and forgiveness. A prayer to St. Maria Goretti: “O God, Author of innocence and Lover of Chasity, You conferred on St. Maria, Your handmaid the grace of martyrdom at a youthful age. Through her intercession, grant us constancy in Your commandments, You who gave the crown to a virgin who fought for You. Amen.” Assunta Goretti said to Alessandro Serenelli, “Alessandro, God has forgiven you. Maria has forgiven you. How can I not forgive you?”
On the West Side of Cincinnati, there is a Catholic Christian re-entry program, the “Serenelli Project,” for incarcerated or recently released adults to rebuild, repair, and restore their lives. Archbishop Dennis Schnurr dedicated and blessed the St, Maria Goretti Chapel before their grand opening on June 29, 2024, to create Monastery Villages for returning citizens and to provide immediate housing, job placement, recovery, and management services. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati along with many volunteers have been working for over three years to bring a monastic prison recovery program to one of the city’s most neglected neighborhoods. Located at 725 Delhi Avenue their programs consist of weekday morning prayer calls, monthly community Mass and spiritual formation potlucks, breakfast, quarterly gatherings, Catholic in Recovery weekly 12 step program and a mentorship team. The community for atonement for the worst sins, for the worst sinners is always seeking volunteers. There are many ways to help with this project, for info@serenelliproject.org or call 513-240-3466.