September 2021
St. John Neumann Catholic Community
Staffed by Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
Current Mass Times
Saturday: 5 p.m.
Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. (español), 5:00pm
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 12:10pm (Starting September 13)

Confession
Saturday: 10-10:30 a.m. (English)
Sunday: 3-4 p.m. (español)
Pastor's Perspective
Fr. Michael Vannicola on
Anointing of the Sick

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I thank Father Joe for inviting me to serve as his guest writer for the Pastor’s letter this month.

In my more than fifteen years as a priest, I have been truly privileged to be able to walk with hundreds of my brothers and sisters in times of illness. This has been primarily done in the administration of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, a beautiful experience of God’s grace not only for the individual who receives the sacrament but for the minister and for all present.

Why is the Anointing of the Sick important? We know that Jesus came into a world of sickness. He himself experienced suffering, and therefore, we know that he understands the burdens that we carry. In this knowledge, Jesus healed. He still does. Through this sacrament of healing, the Church carries on this work in Christ’s name. It has as its goal a strengthening that only the Lord can provide, a kind of healing even and especially available to those who will not experience a physical cure. Jesus taught us in word and action that our suffering can be transformed into a love and trust that unites us more fully to God. The grace that comes with this sacrament allows us to experience that transformation.  

That grace is always present when the sacrament is celebrated, but sometimes after being called to someone’s bedside minutes before they die, after he or she has already suffered a long illness, I am sorrowful to have not been able to be of greater help. I wish in those moments we had been called sooner so that we might have had the opportunity to talk and pray with the sick person while he or she is conscious, when receiving the sacrament may have helped them to experience some peace and assurance of God’s love. Even when this consciousness is not present, calling earlier may have allowed for more family to be present or the prayer to be less hurried.  

Of course, this is not always possible. However, in many cases of severe illness, the priest could have been sent for much earlier. Why does this often not happen?

This answer rests largely, I believe, in a misunderstanding of this sacrament of anointing. Sometimes, it is erroneously held that if someone calls for a priest to anoint, they have given up, that all hope is lost. Recently, a well-known person told a story in an interview, explaining that at the illness of her husband, a priest had arrived at the hospital to give, in her words, the “last rites,” and she kicked the priest out of the room saying: “My husband is not dying!” I do not believe the priest had time to offer an explanation before being sent
on his way. It’s a response I, too, have been given in a less severe way. “But why would I need that, Father? I’m not dying!”

The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is known by other names. Some of them are accurate and some are not. Anointing is sometimes referred to as the “last rites.” That is an inaccurate description. The true “last rite” is what we call Viaticum. Viaticum (meaning “food for the journey”) is the last time that a dying person receives Holy Communion. Unfortunately, because we are often not called earlier to the sick, the administration of Viaticum becomes impossible. When a person is conscious and able to swallow, Viaticum (as well as the sacrament of Reconciliation) can be administered at
the same time as the Anointing of the Sick. Another more traditional name for the sacrament is Extreme Unction, a term in regular use from the Middle Ages up until Vatican II. This name is still
technically accurate because the word “extreme” here does not necessarily imply “dire.” Extreme in this case means “final”,
meaning it is normally the last received of the anointings of life (including those during the Catechumenate, at Baptism,
Confirmation and if applicable, Holy Orders). Over time, the word “extreme” came to be associated with the dire situation that the last minutes of life can present and the Sacrament came to be largely perceived that way.  

That is why, in its retrieval of the tradition, the Second Vatican Council clarified the matter. As the Church examined the history of this sacrament, she realized that it had become too narrowly interpreted over time. “‘Extreme Unction,’ which may also and more fittingly be called ‘Anointing of the Sick,’ is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as any one of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the appropriate time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.” (Second Vatican Council-Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Chapter III, para. 73). In fact, the mandate for the sacrament can be found in Scripture itself. In the Letter of Saint James, it is written: “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the Church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord….” (5:14, NABRE)

With this rediscovered understanding, the Church’s ministry to the sick was revived and renewed. Vatican II helped us to collectively recall and re-embrace that this sacrament is not only for those who
are imminently dying but for those who are facing any serious illness (physical or mental), those preparing for serious surgery and those debilitated by advanced age. If you or a loved one falls into one of these categories, I encourage you to be open to the graces of this sacrament. If someone you love is dying, call us now so that we might celebrate the sacrament while your loved one is aware, can pray with us, go to Confession (if they so choose), and receive Communion.  

Of course, if an accident or sudden medical incident requires an immediate response, a priest is on-call here at the parish 24 hours a day. If you are in a hospital, there is likely a Catholic chaplain or other priest nearby that the Pastoral Care team can contact for you quickly. However, if this urgency does not exist and you face serious illness, surgery, or the challenges of aging, please consider the following:

-If you or your loved one is still able to travel from the home and can do so safely, consider coming to the Church either during one of the Masses when anointing is offered (usually on select Masses twice per year) or make an appointment with one of the parish priests. This
will allow the anointing to take place in the beauty of the sacred space that is the parish Church and will allow you some time for peaceful prayer and reflection.

-If you or a loved one is homebound, in a nursing home, or sick in
the hospital, contact the parish and ask if a priest can visit you for an anointing. When speaking with a priest, let him know the circumstances and if the person he is visiting might want to go to Confession and receive Communion. Often, when called out for an anointing, a priest will not travel with the Eucharist unless they
know the person that they are visiting is able to and desirous of receiving Communion.  

-Finally, perhaps a friend or neighbor is a “fallen away” Catholic
who feels either unworthy of or too distant from the Church to
request the visit of a priest for this sacrament. It is in these very moments that people can find the peace and reconciliation that they have longed for but thought would never be possible. They can be reminded of how much God and His Church love and value them. Encourage those individuals or their families to call upon us.
Arrange to be there with the priest when he comes calling so that
you can pray with the one you love. This is an example of the evangelization we are all called to practice.

There were so many valuable reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
I truly believe that the retrieval of the earliest understandings of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is a true blessing and perhaps the one from Vatican II that is the most unknown. I pray that we might open ourselves up to the graces and goodness this sacrament offers and invite others to do so as well.

May God bless you always!

Sincerely yours,
Father Michael
Catechetical Corner
Welcome to the 2021-2022
Faith Formation Year!

By Mickie Abatemarco
 
As your child participates in faith formation this year, we want to make it clear that we, the SJN Church Community, including the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, continue to emphasize the safety and well being of our children. 
 
It is imperative that each of us is aware of the steps that we are taking to keep our children safe. All employees and volunteers at SJN are required to be Child Protection Compliant, which is a background check done through the Office for the Protection of Children and Young People (OPCYP) through the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. All adults are required to take VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children which is a
4-hour training course through OPCYP. This program instructs and allows individuals to provide a safe environment for children and other vulnerable populations by making it clear that abuse is not tolerated and providing tools to responsible adults to know how to respond to abusive situations and eliminate them from occurring in the first place. 
 
At SJN, we're fortunate to have an ACTION group which was formed in response to the summer 2018 revelations about the clerical sexual abuse and the listening session held at SJN on September 27, 2018. ACTION stands for the following goals: Advocacy, Change, Transparency, Inclusion, and ONgoing reform. Being supported by our Oblate priests, ACTION is in constant motion working toward these goals.
 
If you would like to learn more about the ways we can protect our vulnerable populations, please contact the SJN ACTION group at SJNAction@gmail.com or our parish's Child Protection Liaisons, Betsy Puzzanghero and Silvia Bustamante
Catholic Mass Explained

The Intercessions, Doxology, and
Great Amen

By Fr. Don Heet, OSFS


Father Heet continues his monthly series with discussion of - The Intercessions, Doxology and Great Amen.

We are all familiar with the General Intercessions or Prayers of the Faithful that follow the homily and creed at Mass; technically, in the new translation of the missal, these prayers for various intentions are now called the Universal Prayer. However, they are not the only time we pray for specific intentions at Mass. In the latter part of the Eucharistic prayer, the presider prays first for the universal Church with a specific mention of the Pope and the bishop of the diocese. He then prays for those who have died (our brothers and sisters who share our faith as well as, interestingly, “all who have died in your mercy,” which clearly includes non-Christians and unbelievers); and finally those who are present in the assembly. There are special intercessions that are inserted at a wedding mass (for the bride and groom) and at funerals (for the deceased). 

The final intercession always ends with a reference to Jesus Christ, and thus it sets the stage for the doxology, i.e. the Church’s prayer of praise and adoration. This is the prayer that is sung or proclaimed, “Through Him, With Him and in Him, O God almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours forever and ever.” Stop and think what that means. The only praise that is worthy of God is that which Jesus, His Son, gave Him by his passion, death and resurrection. We recall Christ’s loving sacrifice in the Eucharistic prayer, and our “Amen!” to the doxology incorporates us, as the worshipping Body of Christ, in that great act of worship. Little wonder we refer to our response as “The Great Amen!”
Staff Spotlight
Thomas Patchan Joins Us

We have a new staff member in the Faith Formation Office this fall. Thomas Patchan's first day here was August 23, and he will be running our Children's Faith Formation, Pre-K - 5th Grade, program.

What brings you to St. John Neumann? After graduating college, I first came to St. John Neumann, looking for a vibrant parish life like my college’s campus ministry offered. I quickly fell in love with St. John Neumann’s lively community and dedication to service. After moving away from the area for a few years, I realized during the pandemic how important it is to live in a place you love and can share with family and community. I was blessed that St. John Neumann had an exciting opportunity available when I was looking to move home.

What is your life “story?” I’ve lived in Herndon for most of my
life except for a few years, first attending Virginia Tech and later
living in Rockville, Maryland, as Director of Religious Education at
St. Mary’s Church. My “life story” focuses on the fact that our Infinitely Good and Merciful God lovingly created me, bestows
graces on me, and continually forgives me for my sins. I’ve realized this reality of God’s goodness as I’ve grown up thanks to my family, Virginia Tech Catholic campus ministry, young adult communities, and countless others. Whatever I do and wherever I go, I hope to somehow share God’s love with others throughout my life.

What do you like most about Children’s Faith Formation? Children’s Faith Formation helps even adults to view God with
wonder and awe, thanks to the fresh eyes of children learning about God’s goodness for the first time. As an adult and lifelong Catholic, it can sometimes be easy to forget how amazing our God and our Faith are. To see a child first learn of God’s infinite love, joyfully receive the Eucharist, or humbly pray for a loved one teaches us of the childlike element that we always need to keep in our relationship with God
Our Father.

Why is Children’s Faith Formation so important to the parish? Children’s Faith Formation is critical to our parish because
it provides a foundation for a lifetime of Faith for families. If
children and parents can learn about, grow, and participate in our Faith together at St. John Neumann, then the fruits will multiply
both in our parish and their lives at home. Children are not just the future of the Church, but the PRESENT of the Church! I hope
families can realize this and find opportunities to fully participate
and offer their many gifts to the Church at St. John Neumann.

What do you spend time doing out of work? Outside of work,
I love spending time outside, whether hiking, bicycling, playing softball or flag football, grilling, or being on the water. In addition,
I am an avid D.C. sports fan and especially love going to Washington Nationals games. Currently, I’m also trying to learn guitar and Spanish, although not at the same time!

Who is your favorite Saint? And why? Saint Joseph! When I
was younger, I chose St. Joseph as my Confirmation saint because I had always wanted to be a father. Joseph is one of the most
impressive saints to me because he took on the daunting task of raising Jesus and protecting Our Blessed Mother Mary chastely while trusting God in the most daunting circumstances. St. Joseph is my model for how every man should follow God faithfully, humbly, and wholly.

We are glad to have Thomas with us. If you see him around the parish, be sure to give him a big St. John Neumann welcome!
Parish Events and Announcements
COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on September 12
For FIRST and SECOND doses ONLY (no Booster Shots)
 
(SECOND DOSE RECIPIENTS PLEASE BRING YOUR VACCINATION CARD WITH YOU)
 
As the Delta variant continues to spread, positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising in our area.
St. John Neumann is partnering with the Fairfax County Health Department and Safeway to offer
a FREE Vaccination Clinic here at SJN.*

Registration is requested to ensure we have enough vaccine. Proof of residency is not required. PROOF OF NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH IS REQUIRED.
 
NOTE: If you received your first dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine at SJN on 8/15 you do NOT need to re-register.
 
 NEW REGISTRATIONS ONLY PLEASE CONTACT:
 
ENGLISH: Susan Infeld at sinfeld@saintjn.org

*(If you do have health insurance, you are requested to bring your card with you).
 
You can find the electronic SJN weekly bulletin on our website, both on the homepage and on the bulletin webpage. Or, sign up to have it delivered directly to your email inbox. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @sjnreston or on Twitter at @RestonSt
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.”
John 15:1-2