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June 2021
Saints A Stewardship Parish
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Volume 18, Issue 6
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Serving an Essential Role in Sharing Christ with the Faithful
Inside 2 The Church, a Universal Family The Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
3 Redefining Love Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus
4 All Saints Catholic School Leadership Team: Paving the Way for the Future
6 The Sign of the Cross A Powerful Prayer Tradition in the Catholic Church
7 Congratulations to Our
8th Grade Graduates
Our Parish Newsletter: Spreading the news of Christ at work in our community.
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erving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in All Saints Parish is more than the physical act of helping the priest distribute the Eucharist at Mass, or taking Communion to the sick or homebound. “Theologically, you are assisting in people receiving our Lord — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — and it’s an awesome responsibility and privilege to offer Communion to your brothers and sisters,” says Deacon Michael Bolesta, Director of Pastoral Ministries. There have been 120 Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in our parish, but the pandemic may have caused some to be inactive. Plans are underway to build up the number of active ministers. “We definitely need more,” Deacon Bolesta says. The duties for those serving weekend Masses and weekday Masses vary slightly. During the weekend Masses, two persons from all those serving that Mass prepare the altar for Mass by setting up the needed vessels, making sure the hosts are in place and in good supply. After Mass, the vessels are washed according to protocol and put away. On weekdays, there are only two Extraordinary Ministers, and those two take care of the preparation and cleaning. Those who wish to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion must be at least 16 years of age, practicing his or her faith, and must have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Training is held either on Monday evenings or on Saturdays. “We go over the theology of what the Eucharist is, what happens in the Mass, and their role, the practical aspects of, how do you distribute Communion at Mass,” Deacon Bolesta says. continued on back cover
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The Church, a Universal Family
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The Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
n June 29, Catholics celebrate the feast of two of our Lord’s principal Apostles, foundational human cornerstones of the Church of Rome. The first missal reading of this feast day tells us of the miraculous deliverance of Peter from prison. This illustrates the concrete fact that despite persecutions, Christ and His chosen followers will be triumphant in this world, and in the world to come. The second is of Paul summarizing his own “pouring out” of his life as a libation. The way in which he poured it out is overwhelmingly significant — he gave his life as a missionary to gather all nations into God’s unified Kingdom. The Holy Gospel recounts Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah. After this confession, the “keys to the Kingdom” were conferred onto him. These “keys” became the fundamental building block supporting the ordained priesthood and episcopal government of the Church. In his homily on June 29, 2005, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI shared: “The Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is at the same time a grateful memorial of the great witnesses of Jesus Christ and a solemn confession for the Church — one, holy, catholic and apostolic. It is first and foremost a feast of catholicity.” The celebration of our catholicity is a celebration of our unity in Christ. This unity endures unto the end, as our strength and fortress in the face of evil and the trials of earthly life. Sts. Peter and Paul remind us that our faith is founded on something much higher than ourselves, on an entity which raises horizons beyond our human frailties and imaginings. Our holy faith is founded upon the rock, Jesus Christ. Pope Emeritus Benedict described further: “When Peter and Paul came to Rome, the
Lord on the Cross who had uttered the first line of that Psalm was risen; God’s victory now had to be proclaimed to all the nations...” Let us embrace all of the graces which these beloved saints have won for us. Let us imitate their example, and so follow Christ with unwavering resolution. As did the Blessed Virgin, let us persevere in serving the one holy, catholic, and apostolic church in all that we say and do.
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A Letter from Our Pastoral Administrator
Love
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Redefining Dear Saints,
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Through
ne of the great feasts of the Christian year will occur in June, but it is often overlooked. It doesn’t fall on a Sunday, and it isn’t a Holy Day of Obligation. I am referring to the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which will be on June 11 this year. This wonderful feast provides a great way to begin the summer. However, despite widespread devotion and many parish dedications to the Sacred Heart, many Catholics have only a vague idea of what it’s all about. So, let me try to briefly fill in the picture. Often, when we think of the heart, we think of it as the seat of our emotions and feelings. The heart is often contrasted with the mind, as though our God-given reason were somehow evil or, at best, second-rate. But feelings come and go — we can’t really depend on our emotions to be reliable, steady guides. However, when classical theology refers to the heart, it is considering an aspect of human life that goes beyond our feelings. It includes our will, where we make decisions. The heart can be considered the center of our personhood. In explaining Christian teaching about human nature, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The spiritual tradition of the Church also emphasizes the heart, in the biblical sense of the depths of one’s being, where the person decides for or against God” (368). It is common to mistakenly label love as an emotion. Love often includes feelings, but true love is more than that. Real love is a settled attitude that wants the best for the person being loved. That’s why the Church’s teaching usually uses the term “charity” — to distinguish the
the
Sacred Heart
of
Jesus
Christian virtue from the more superficial popular concept of love. The Catechism tells us, “Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own ‘to the end,’ he makes manifest the Father’s love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive” (CCC, 1822-1823). This sort of love, this charity — demonstrated by Jesus Christ and commanded to His followers — is no lightweight passing emotion. Feelings alone do not bring one to offer oneself to an agonizing death for the sake of someone else. No, that sort of sacrifice can only come from a considered and deliberate decision. Although we sometimes forget that fact, Jesus is fully human as well as fully divine. So, His human heart was involved in His sacrifice on the Cross. Thus, simply put, devotion to the Sacred Heart reminds us of the basic fact that God loves us. It was a costly love, the ultimate act of charity, to give His life on our behalf. We know the kind of love Jesus has for us. What kind of loving response are you going to make? How will that affect your use of your time, talent and treasure? Yours in Christ,
Fr. Alfonse Nazzaro Pastoral Administrator
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All Saints Catholic School
Leadership Team:
Paving the Way for the Future
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very Tuesday around 11 o’clock, you will find the Leadership Team of All Saints Catholic School around the table discussing ideas, looking for opportunities for growth, working on the next big project to differentiate our school from others. At All Saints Catholic School, we believe each child should become the person God intended them to be. We help them
to reach their full potential by focusing on our four pillars — excellence in faith, excellence in academics, excellence in character, and excellence in service. These pillars are at the center of each decision that is made by the school’s leadership team and constitute the Portrait of an All Saints Graduate. Throughout the past four years, the school’s leadership team has met weekly, led by Fr. Alfonse Nazzaro, with Principal Shana Druffner; Director of Admissions Viviana Stanford; and Director of Development Liz Greer (our newest member). As the leader, Fr. Alfonse’s job is to reflect the mission and vision of the school, and through careful reflection he cultivates ideas. The rest of the leadership team dives into the ideas, reconstructs them, and executes them. “The question at the heart of every idea is, ‘How does this differentiate us from other schools?’” Fr. Alfonse explained. It is a question that can be answered many ways, but the most concrete examples are not hard to see. In the last several years, the school has built and utilized a state-ofthe-art Innovation Lab, included Mandarin in the curriculum, started fencing instruction, reinvented the Ambassador Program, focused on growing personal relationships for fundraising and scholarships, and has projects slated for the future that address not only the needs of our immediate community but the world beyond. continued on page 5
“When a student leaves here after eight to 10 years, we want them to have a heart for service and to be able to defend their faith. We want them to know the virtues and be able to put them into practice. We want them to be prepared for what lies beyond. It is not only what we want, but also what we see. In the last five years, we have had eight Valedictorians and Salutatorians at local high schools as well as countless more graduates who have created and participated in projects focused on service and faith. What these kids have done make us all proud to be a part of All Saints.” — Fr. Alfonse Nazzaro
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All Saints Catholic School Leadership Team continued from page 4 “When a student leaves here after eight to 10 years, we want them to have a heart for service and to be able to defend their faith,” Fr. Alfonse says. “We want them to know the virtues and be able to put them into practice. We want them to be prepared for what lies beyond. It is not only what we want, but also what we see. In the last five years, we have had eight Valedictorians and Salutatorians at local high schools as well as countless more graduates who have created and participated in projects focused on service and faith. What these kids have done make us all proud to be a part of All Saints.”
Best of all, through the work of the leadership team, faculty, and staff, the school is thriving. Retention is up, applications are on the rise, fundraising has increased, name recognition through social media and marketing has increased, and once again this year, 100 percent of the eighthgrade students were accepted to their high school of choice. None of the members of the leadership team will rest on their laurels — instead, they will continue to gather around the table every Tuesday to push the limits and create new plans and make All Saints Catholic School the best.
To help spread the word about All Saints Catholic School, tell your friends! Parishioners and parents may also consider volunteering at the school to help keep costs lower. Please visit www.allsaintsdallas.org/school/ for more information on All Saints Catholic School.
All Saints Response to
the CDC
Guidelines Effective: Saturday,
June 5th
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The Sign of the Cross A Powerful Prayer Tradition in the Catholic Church
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s Catholics, we are blessed to be part of a faith tradition that stretches back over 2,000 years to its founding by Jesus Christ. Along with the history of our faith come many customs and sacred rituals that become even more beautiful when we delve a little deeper into their origins and meanings. Certainly, such is the case with one of the most visible outward signs of our Catholic faith — the Sign of the Cross. Since we say and make the Sign of the Cross so often, it may easily become a rote, perhaps even thoughtless, action. However, it is important to remember that the Sign of the Cross is much more than a simple gesture. Even in its most basic form, the Sign of the Cross — accompanied by the spoken or unspoken words “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” — is a prayer, a creed stating our belief in the Holy Trinity, the dual nature of Jesus Christ, and the dependence of our salvation on His crucifixion and resurrection. In addition, making the Sign of the Cross is an indication of a willingness to take up our own cross and suffering for the sake of Christ. The prayer is considered one of the greatest weapons against Satan and all demons, and an added strength against the temptations of the flesh. In the Roman Catholic Church today, the Sign of the Cross is typically made with either three fingers or an open hand touching first the forehead, then the chest, followed by the left shoulder and then the right (in the Eastern Church, the right shoulder is touched before the left). The concept of making a sign, or “setting a seal,” upon the forehead of those who place their faith in the Lord appears in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible — see Ezek. 9:4 and Rev. 7:3, 9:4, and 14:1. Early versions of the Sign of the Cross were traced on just the forehead, using the thumb and forefinger held together in the shape of a tiny cross. We still see this version of the blessing performed during Baptisms (with the cross traced on the infant’s forehead) and on Ash Wednesday (with the cross traced in ashes on the foreheads of the faithful). Similarly, when the Gospel is read during the Liturgy of the Word, the priest or deacon leads the congregation in forming this small cross on the forehead,
mouth, and chest, indicating a willingness to keep the Word of the Lord in our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts. There is no doubt that our early Church fathers were strong believers in the sanctifying power of the Sign of the Cross. A second-century ecclesiastical scholar, Tertullian, and a third century saint, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, both wrote about the necessity of performing the Sign of the Cross at one’s waking and one’s lying down, at entering and leaving a room, at mealtimes, and more. St. Augustine also referenced the importance of marking the cross on the faithful’s forehead during the administration of the sacraments. It is likely that the sign transformed from the tiny cross on the forehead to the larger, full-body cross used today sometime in the fifth century, when heretics began questioning both the dual nature of Jesus Christ — fully human and fully divine — and the unity of the Holy Trinity. Believers in these crucial Church doctrines began forming the cross with three extended fingers (representing the Trinity), keeping the ring finger and little finger pressed down into the palm (representing Christ’s dual nature), and tracing a cross on their entire upper body so there could be no mistaking the gesture. Today, the Sign of the Cross still figures predominantly in our prayer life as Roman Catholics. We commonly perform it upon entering a church (with the holy water as a reminder of our Baptism); at the beginning and end of the Catholic Mass, a Benediction, or the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; when opening and closing our personal prayers; at mealtimes; and when passing by a Catholic Church (in recognition of Christ, present in the tabernacle). As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, the frequent, intentional use of the Sign of the Cross can help the faithful dedicate each day to the glory of God and provide strength in the face of trial and temptation (2157). Now, each time we cross ourselves and proclaim, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” let us do so with an increased awareness of the rich history of the Sign of the Cross and the abundant graces that come to us through this powerful prayer tradition!
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Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion There is also training for the setup preparations and cleaning tasks, and for taking Communion to the homebound or sick in area facilities. Trainees are encouraged to take part in Eucharistic Adoration, attend Mass frequently, and to pray about their planned ministry. Not only will Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion help their fellow parishioners grow in their faith lives, but they will also experience that growth themselves. “Just being close to our Lord Jesus will deepen their faith life, and their awareness of His presence in the Holy
continued from front cover
Eucharist, and His presence when they receive Him,” Deacon Bolesta says. Anyone interested in becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, or who has questions about this ministry, may contact Patricia Haney, ministry coordinator at 972-896-2947, or triciahaney@gmail.com. Deacon Bolesta is also available to answer questions about the ministry at 972-778-0369.
5231 MEADOWCREEK DRIVE ● DALLAS, TX 75248 ● (972) 661-9282 Current Mass Schedule Weekday Liturgy: Monday – Friday, 6:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. | Saturday, 9:00 a.m. Weekend Liturgy: Saturday, 5:00 p.m. | Sunday, 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. | Teen Mass, 5:00 p.m.