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Weekly Bulletin October 15, 2023
by Terrie Evans
On this 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, our San Antonio Parishioners send their condolences to the Vogelpohl and Meyer Families on the passing of Rev. Harry John Meyer who was in service to our church until his passing. He was ordained on December 16, 1964, in Rome and was assigned to many parishes within the Archdiocese. Rev. Harry Meyer met his Savior October 5, 2023, at the age of 83, his funeral was held on October 11, 2023, at St. Suzanna Church. Rev. Harry was a good friend to many within our church community, please keep his family members in your prayers.
All of us at San Antonio Church thank all those 50+ volunteers who gave up their time and talents to make our 87th Annual Spaghetti Dinner a huge success. This large group came together to continue the tradition our ancestors started in 1937. We appreciate the hard work of Harry Panaro selling all the ad spots for the placemat used for the dinner. We also thank Mike and Mark LaRosa for donating items for our 87th in memory of their Matriarch Jo Ann (Augustine) LaRosa, their Great Grandmother Josephine (Palmieri) Panaro, their Grandmothers Anna (Minella) Augustine and Mary (Panaro) LaRosa Frank, and their Great Aunt, Dena (Panaro) Minella who during the history of our church, worked the 1st festivals, were part of the ”Ladies of the Lot” pizza makers cooked and served at the many annual Spaghetti Dinners.
We send our congratulations to the Prinzo and Minella Families on the marriage of Cindi (Prinzo) Fitzpatrick and Victor Minella III who were wed on Saturday, October 14, 2023. Cindi is the daughter of the late Robert “Butch”, and Gladys Prinzo and Victor is the son of Vic and Marilyn Minella. All your friends at San Antonio Church wish you both much happiness!
On Monday, October 16th we recall the feast of St. Hedwig of Silesia (1174-1243) born in Bavaria and at a young age married the future Duke of Silesia, Henry. They welcomed six children living a pious life helping the poor widows and orphans while founding a monastery for the Cistercian Nuns at Trebnitz in Poland, the 1st women’s convent in the region which had ample space to educate young women. After the death of her beloved Henry, Hedwig went into the monastery where her daughter Gertrude became the Abbess. Hedwig died in 1243 and was buried in Trzebnica Abbey next to Henry. She was canonized on March 26, 1267, by Pope Clement IV who supported the Cistercian Order. Her Major Shrine, Andechs Abbey and St. Hedwigs Cathedral in Berlin is where her relics are housed and preserved.
On Monday, October 16th we also celebrate the life of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, (1647-1690) a French Catholic Visitation Nun who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She attended a convent school run by The Poor Clares, and in her early 20’s entered the Visitation Convent in Paray-le-Monial on May 25, 1671, intending to become a nun. While a novice, Margaret Mary was described as humble, simple, kind, and patient, finally took her vows on November 6, 1672, assigned to the infirmary. While doing her assignments, Mary Margaret received three messages from Jesus with 3 specific requests, that will have spiritual repercussions under the royal, imperial and republic regimes. In 1689, she was requested by Jesus to urge King Louis XIV of France to consecrate the entire nation to the Sacred Heart so he may be “triumphant over all enemies of The Holy Church”. He never responded, she died on October 17, 1690, was Beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1864 and Canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. St. Mary Margaret Alacoque’s La Devotion au Sacre – Coeur de Jesus (Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus) was published after her death in 1698 and has become very popular with Catholics ever since. There are 17 federations of Visitation Nuns with two in the United States and as of 2020, there were 1,529 members. The Motto of the Order, “Live Jesus”.
On October 17th we honor St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop, and Martyr whose letters serve as an example of early Christian Theology. He is also honored in the Church of England and in the Episcopal Church on this day and was a disciple of John the Apostle. The early Christian writer wrote about important topics such as ecclesiology, the sacraments, and the role of bishops. St. Ignatius loved to express his beliefs with vivid images, when he described the Eucharist, he referred to it as “the medicine of immortality, the antidote against death.” St. Ignatius called himself Theophorus or “God Bearer” with the tradition stating that he was one of the children whom Jesus Christ took in his arms and blesses. His Major Shrine is the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome, Italy.
On Wednesday, October 18th we honor the author of the Third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. St. Luke the Evangelist, a Greek born physician (called as the one who heals in the Epistle to the Colossians) is considered a Christian Missionary and Historian who was a Disciple of Paul. He painted many pictures of Jesus and Mary and is considered as the Patron Saint of artists, physicians, bachelors, surgeons, students, and butchers. The Reliquary of St. Luke the Evangelist is in his Major Shrine in Padua, Italy.
On October 19th, Thursday we have the feast day of Jean de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues both French Jesuit Missionaries who with six other martyred missionaries were Beatified in 1925 and Canonized by the Catholic Church in 1930. They are known as the Canadian or the North American Martyrs who worked among the Native American Populations such as the Iroquois and Huron learning their language and culture, researching, and writing about them as a tool to aid other missionaries. The two Jesuit Missionaries were not forgotten for their work helping the early Native Americans. The two priests were killed on March 16, 1649, by the Iroquois after being tortured by them. In Auriesville, New York there is a shrine dedicated to them and another shrine in Midland, Ontario called the Martyr’s Shrine. A seasonal chapel on the east shore of Saratoga Lake, New York is also named in their honor. At Fordham, a Jesuit University a dormitory building at its Rose Hill Campus is named Martyr’s Court. There is a statue of Jogues in the Village of lake George and the parish municipality of Brebeuf, Quebec named after him.
On October 19th we celebrate the feast of Saint Paul of the Cross born Paolo Francesco Danei, in Genoa, Italy in 1694. He is referred to as an Italian Roman Catholic mystic and is the founder of the Passionists, in honor of the Passion of Jesus Christ. The first house of the Passionists was opened in Orbitello, Italy and later a larger community was established in Rome at the Church of Sts. John and Paul. He wore a black habit with the badge of his Order, with a heart with three nails in memory of the suffering of Jesus. He also founded a monastery of contemplative nuns who led a life of prayer and penance in Corneto, Italy to promote the memory of the Passion of Jesus. Paul of the Cross was Beatified on October 1, 1852, and Canonized on June 29, 1867, by Pope Pius IX. The church dedicated to Paul of the Cross, San Paolo dell Croce a Corviale was built in 1983 in Rome. He considered himself a useless servant and sinner while serving God and died while the Passion was being read to him. At the time of his death there were 180 fathers and brothers living in 12 Retreats within the Papal States. There are more than 2,000 letters of Saint Paul of the Cross about spiritual direction that have been preserved. A prayer: “Lord, may the prayers of St. Paul who loved the Cross with a singular love gain Your grace for us. May we be inspired by his example and embrace our own cross with courage. Amen.”