Holy Redeemer Church- Warren recently issued the following announcement.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

To My Spiritual Family of Holy Redeemer and St. Anthony,

Mission Sunday:

Today we celebrate Mission Sunday, remembering that the Church doesn’t have a mission, the Church is a mission. And that mission is to announce to all of the world the good news that Jesus Christ saves! He is our hope and healing! He is risen from the dead and is alive! He is the true source of purpose, fulfilment, and love!

Pope Francis makes clear that no Christian is exempt from this responsibility: “This missionary mandate touches us personally: I am a mission, always; you are a mission, always; every baptized man and woman is a mission.” The Holy Father reminds us that the proclamation of salvation in Christ is essential, and that when it is rejected, there are consequences: “Today’s rampant secularism, when it becomes an aggressive cultural rejection of God’s active fatherhood in our history, is an obstacle to authentic human fraternity, which finds expression in reciprocal respect for the life of each person. Without the God of Jesus Christ, every difference is reduced to a baneful threat, making impossible any real fraternal acceptance and fruitful unity within the human race.” And Francis proclaims anew the necessity of sending workers into the vineyard of God’s kingdom: “Today too, the Church needs men and women, who, by virtue of their baptism, respond generously to the call to leave be-hind home, family, country, language, and local Church, and to be sent forth to the nations, to a world not yet transformed by the sacraments of Jesus Christ and his holy Church.”

As Catholics, we have spent far too much time over the past 50 years or so, arguing over unimportant things that have sapped our evangelical energy. The world is in desperate need of conversion. People maybe our own family and friends need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ proclaimed. Let’s allow the spirit of this mission Sunday to move our hearts to action. What if we make it a point this week to tell another about what Jesus has done in our life? What if we invite a fallen away Catholic to join us for Mass? What if we go to confession so that the image of Christ shines more clearly through our own life? What if we pray that young men from our parish will accept God’s call to the priesthood? All of this is our mission. To conclude with the words of Pope Francis once more: “As far as God’s love is concerned, no one is useless or insignificant. Each of us is a mission to the world, for each of us is the fruit of God’s love.” Amen! Month of the Rosary: I mentioned last week that October is Respect Life month, but it’s also the month of the rosary. What a powerful weapon against evil are these simple beads and repeated prayers! I began to pray the rosary while still in the military and as I discerned the call to the priesthood. Now, so many years later, it remains an essential part of my daily prayer routine. I like to offer each decade for a particular intention or need. Often those intentions are made for the parish at large or for individual parishioners who are experiencing a difficult life challenge or an important life moment. To be able to join with the Blessed Mother Mary in the rosary is a privilege and a joy. And our own love for Jesus is deepened as we meditate on the mysteries of his life. I cannot encourage you enough to pray the rosary. You will be blessed and you will find yourself a blessing to others! Mary, Mother of the Redeemer

Pray for us!

St. Anthony

Pray for us!

God bless you all,

Fr. Steve

Original source can be found here.