Living the Gospel-John 15:9-17
Call to Mission and Ministry
This reading is set in the context of John’s long, Last Supper discourse, which is Jesus’ farewell address to his disciples. It offers support, encouragement, challenge, and direction for continuing the mission once Jesus is no longer physically present. Jesus offers himself as the example upon which ministry is to be modeled, the heart of which consists of reaching out in love and concern to all, giving even to the point of death. “No one has greater love than this” (John 15:13) is the very foundation of ministry. The intimacy with Jesus has to be consistently cultivated if we are ever to go out in mission and be of service to others. We cannot do it on our own. It is the Lord’s work, accomplished in and through the power of the Spirit. How do we accomplish this call to mission? We do it in fidelity to the call to love one another. The intimacy with Jesus has been first offered to us. This intimacy compels us to share the mission with others. The mission of Jesus—and our corresponding mission and ministry—is to love one another. Through baptism we enter a community that publicly commits itself to remain in God’s love and to share that love with all whom we encounter.
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My dear parish family,
This Sunday we shall celebrate Mothers’ Day. I wish a Happy Mothers’ Day to all the mothers of our parish family. Every year, we have the opportunity to express our gratitude to our mothers but also to celebrate the gift of motherhood. We can attest that this day is simply intended to capture the gratitude that we must have for our mothers every day. The strength, resilience and patience demonstrated by mothers are the backbone of every home. It is through them that God is able to sustain human life in the world. Pope John Paul II noted succinctly that:
“Motherhood involves a special communion with the mystery of life, as it develops in the mother’s womb. The mother is filled with wonder at this mystery of life, and ‘understands’ with unique intuition what is happening inside her. In the light of the ‘beginning’, the mother accepts and loves as a person the child she is carrying in her womb. This unique contact with the new human being developing within her gives rise to an attitude towards human beings – not only towards her own child, but every human being – which profoundly marks the woman’s personality.”
This mysterious gift, which is also referred to as the genius of motherhood, is what truly sustains individuals, families and even our entire society. We are deeply grateful to all mothers, for through them, we experience God’s love and grace. I urge you to take a moment to say a prayer for your mother and don’t forget to include their intentions in our Mother’s Day novena.
A Prayer for our Mothers
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of motherhood.
Through it, you reveal to us the beauty and bounty of your Godhead.
Bless our mothers, both living and deceased.
May they continue to radiate the saving grace of your Son.
Bestow upon them the grace of perseverance
in moments of difficulty and pain.
Help us to love and cherish them with the same unconditional love
They graciously share with us each day.
May our Blessed Mother, Mary, be a model and companion
To each mother through this earthly pilgrimage,
So that through the grace of her Son, Jesus Christ,
They too will share the joys of eternal life in heaven.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In addition, Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer has sent out a Pentecost letter which contains new instructions for all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. In this letter, he announced that he is revoking the dispensation from Sunday Mass beginning on Pentecost Sunday (May 22, 2021). This means that, from Pentecost Sunday, he is reinstating the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays. I am deeply grateful to the Archbishop for inviting us back to open up our churches for the regular practice of the faith, and for urging us to recognize that the profound depth of the mystery of the Holy Eucharist cannot be lived away from the church. In addition, he has extended both the canonical and a personal dispensation to those who still cannot genuinely come to Mass due to specific circumstances. These are contained in his letter. After consultation with the staff, I will announce the changes that will ensue here in the parish.
Let us continue to pray for each other during this exciting moment of transition.
God bless you and I’ll see you at Mass or through livestream.
Fr. Henry
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Senior Mass 2021
We look forward to celebrating your graduation with you! We will offer a Senior Blessing at the 10am, 12pm, and 2pm (spanish) Masses on Sunday, May 16.
Please sign up here so that we can be sure to reserve pews for you and your family. Be sure to wear your graduation gown!
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We are Hiring!
We are seeking a part-time Coordinator of Elementary Faith Formation. This position reports to the Pastor and is responsible for coordinating all facets of religious education kindergarten to grade 5. This includes coordinating volunteer catechists, implementing assigned faith formation curriculum and overseeing sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and Eucharist. Position requires excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills. Qualified candidate must be an energetic practicing Catholic in good standing, fully committed to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Other qualifications include proficiency in Microsoft Office, audio and video production experience, knowledge of MediaShout presentation software, and flexible schedule, with ability to work on weekends. Bachelor’s degree and two – three years Elementary Education experience (paid or volunteer) required. If interested, please email your resume and salary requirements to Carol Ranft [email protected]. No phone calls please.
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There will be an Altar Server 'Refresher' training on Tuesday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the church. Father Henry is requesting all current servers attend this training. Please contact Lori Crocker with any questions. |
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Monthly Food Drive
(sponsored by our Respect Life Ministry)
Thank you to everyone that participated in the April 27th food drive benefiting the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry. Our parish collected and donated 910 pounds of food that day! The next food drive will be Tuesday, May 25 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. and we will continue having them the last Tuesday of every month. Volunteers will be available to help take items out of your car. No contribution is too small!
Most Needed Items:
Jelly
Dry Beans
Canned Pasta
Pasta Sauce
Applesauce
Canned Fruit
Shampoo
Toothpaste
Adult Diapers (Large Sizes)
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How can we pray for you?
Your online prayer request is received by members of our clergy, prayer teams, and pastoral ministers who will pray on your behalf. Please know that you are held in prayer by your parish family. Submit prayer intentions here.
Pray for Our Sick: Marcy Adams, Orighoye Binitie, Gregory Blackshear, Linda Bland, Art Brand, David Crocker, Florencia Damian, Mavis Ellis, Monique Eluka, Caroline Finn, Peggy Grannan, Kelley Hardigree, Maressa Herrera, Veronica Lahens, Jemima Lahens, Holly Mercer, Gwen Persichetti, Kathy Phillips, Nancy Piszczek, Mary Root, Jose Trejo, and Mercel White along with their families and caregivers. To add or remove names, contact Alma Martínez, parish secretary, at 770.963.8992 x300 or by email at [email protected].
Pray For Our Men And Women in Uniform: Vallerie Azansou,
Nathan Barrick, John Paul Brassell, Matthew Burke, Donald Clifford, Kildare Coradin, Brandon Crocker, Joseph Crocker, Nathan Crocker, Ryan Crocker, Justin Ellis, Mario Flamenco, Giovanni Gachelin, Alejandro Giles, Mark F. Gonzalez, Simone Hardy, Matthew Herbig, Ian Hill, Brian Hodgson, Mariana Lacuzong, Wesley Phillips, Mary Root, Adam Sanchez, Devon Thomas, Phillip Turner, and Da’Maris Vanzandt. If you have a son or daughter serving in the military and would like for his/her name to be placed on our prayer list, please contact Lori Crocker at [email protected].
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Recent Collections
May 1-2
Mail and In-Pew-$16,203.00
Online Giving-$17,940.20
Total-$34,143.20
Debt Reduction-$3,267.00
The Second Collection this week is for our local Saint Vincent de Paul.
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Easy Ways to Give
Donate electronically by mail: Set up regular donations through your bank and have them mailed to the parish (319 Grayson Hwy. Lawrenceville, GA 30046).
Text to Give (through Vanco): Simply text your donation amount to the number: 770-659-7789, dedicated for our Give Plus Text users.
Prefer to give by cash or check? Collection Boxes are available as you enter and exit the Church for Mass.
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Mass Attendance
Plan to arrive early to ensure that you have a seat as we continue to follow all Social Distancing guidelines. Everyone who attends Mass must wear a mask.
Thanks to our volunteer Stream Team, we are able to continue to offer all Masses and Prayer Services via Livestream. Livestream can be accessed from our website Facebook, and Youtube.
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