Bulletin for June 23

Dear friends in Christ,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, or as we more commonly call it, Corpus Christi Sunday. The Eucharist is the life of the Church and today we call to mind the great gift of Christ’s own body. When Christ surrendered His spirit on the cross, water and blood flowed from His side and the great outpouring of the Body and Blood was made complete. We celebrate that gift every time we gather at the table of the Lord.

Today is also an opportune time to examine our disposition, both internally and externally, as we come to the table of the Lord. Does the manner of our dress reflect the worthiness of what we are receiving? Yes, even in summertime when it is hot outside we still need to take care that the clothes we wear to Mass are appropriate for coming to the feast of the Lord. Am I participating fully and joyfully, or just going through the motions? Have I reflected on my need of God’s mercy and forgiveness, and have I forgiven others who have trespassed against me? Do I acknowledge the presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament by word, gesture and action? All of these questions are good “food for thought” as we come forward to receive the “food of everlasting life.”

It can become too easy for us to grow slack in our zeal for the Eucharist if we do not keep the power of this sacrament foremost on our mind and in our heart. Remember that what you are doing is receiving the very Body and Blood of your salvation, Jesus Christ. Stop and re-read that sentence. You are receiving the very Body and Blood of Christ. Not a representation of that body and blood, not a likeness of it, or a symbol, but the real presence of Christ. We could discuss that singular point from here to eternity and not even begin to approach the richness of it.

It stands to reason that when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ we should come with joy in our hearts. Too often I see people in the communion line who look like they’d like to be anywhere else but in Church. It appears to me that they are walking to their grave instead of walking to their life! I’m not talking about fake emotion or silliness, but approach the Body and Blood with a deep reverence and joy that radiates from within. Also, please be extra careful should you choose to receive the Body of Christ in your hand when you transfer the consecrated host to your mouth. Take one step to the side and immediately consume the consecrated host. Occasionally I see someone drop the consecrated host and then stare blankly as if not knowing what to do. Pick it up immediately and either consume it or return it to the minister. Should you see someone receive communion and then walk away without consuming it (perhaps they carry it in their hand or put it in their pocket), let a minister know immediately.

Recall as well that our celebration of the Eucharist does not simply end when Mass ends. We carry that Body and Blood in our life throughout the week. When we live as a Eucharistic people it makes a difference in our lives. We are to live as one who has been redeemed. We carry Christ within us so that we can go and be Christ for others. “Become what you receive,” as St. Augustine says.

You might be interested to know that it is a long standing practice of our Archdiocese that the entire weekly offertory collection of Corpus Christi Sunday from every parish is given to St. Mary’s Seminary to support the training of seminarians. Most seminarians are in residence and study at St. Mary’s Seminary on Memorial Drive in Houston, while others are at Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas or St. Joseph College Seminary in Covington, La., and a few others are at the North American College in Rome.

As you can imagine, it is very expensive to maintain a large seminary like St. Mary’s, as well as providing room, board and tuition for men undertaking both university studies and ministerial formation. In order to help meet the financial needs of operating our Archdiocesan seminary and providing for the formation of our seminarians, each year the entire collection of every parish on Corpus Christi Sunday is given to the Archdiocese. I ask you to be generous this weekend in your offertory gift to support the seminary, and since we do not keep any of the collection for ourselves, might I be so bold as to ask that you also be extra generous next weekend in your gift to the parish so that we might make up a bit for what we give this weekend to the Archdiocese? Thank you.

We have two young men from CtR who will begin seminary formation this year. Noah Thompson is a recent graduate of Texas A&M and will begin his pre-theology studies, i.e., post-graduate philosophy, at Holy Trinity Seminary (just as Fr. Ralph and I did in 1992 when we first met). Riley O’Sullivan graduated from St. John XXIII High School this May and will begin his undergraduate studies at St. Joseph Seminary in the fall. We congratulate both Noah and Riley and promise to keep them in our prayers as they discern God’s call.

Peace, Fr. Sean

P.S.: Though it is summer we’re already looking ahead to the fall. At 6:30 p.m. this Wednesday, June 26, our CtR Catholic School is hosting a Summer Open House for prospective families of students entering Pre-K through 8th grade. You’ll have the chance to visit with our principal, Dan Courtney, and several of our teachers and administration, plus tour all of our classrooms, fine arts, and athletic facilities. Come see all that CtR Catholic School has to offer for your children.

Also, next Sunday, June 30 we will say goodbye to Fr. Ralph as he leaves us after five years to begin a new assignment in Kingwood at St. Martha Catholic Church. Please plan on joining us in the Parish Hall after the morning Masses next week to thank him for his ministry with us and to wish him all of God’s blessings. We are truly grateful for his service to our community. We will miss him but we know he’ll be back from time to time to visit. The best part is he’ll be working with Fr. T.J. Dolce at St. Martha, whose parents, Mark and Sandy, are CtR parishioners. So Fr. Ralph will still be part of our big, extended CtR family!