Contents 3 A Letter From Our Pastor: Celebrating Christ’s Resurrection 4 Children’s Religious Education Building a Strong Faith Foundation for Our Youngest Parishioners 6
Teaching By Example The Importance of Prayer in a Child’s Life
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The Wednesday Afternoon Faith Group: Going Deeper into God’s Word APRIL/May 2021
St.John
Before the Latin Gate Roman Catholic Church
Parish Rosarians Blessed by Weekly Devotion to
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Mother Mary
s Catholics, we are blessed to be able to cultivate a special relationship with the Blessed Mother — sharing with her our times of joy and sorrow, finding inspiration in her graceful obedience, and placing our trust in her intercessory prayer on our behalf. One of the simplest, yet most fulfilling ways to show our devotion to Mary and bring our intentions to her and our Father in heaven is by praying the Rosary — and this prayer experience is truly rewarding when it is shared in a group! Here at St. John Before the Latin Gate, our Rosarian Ministry invites people to gather each Wednesday at 10 a.m. to pray the Rosary. Johanna Tayrien and her late husband, Bob, began the tradition of hosting a group Rosary here in 2005. In the beginning, about four people would meet at the couple’s home each week. Over the years, this ministry has truly blossomed. Today, there are over 20 “regulars” who come to the Wednesday Rosary each week! Johanna’s devotion to Mother Mary goes back to 1991 when she and Bob made their first of eight pilgrimages to Medjugorje. That trip led them to quit their jobs and start a business making and selling rosaries and scapulars. With their great love for the Blessed Mother, forming a Rosarian Ministry came naturally to the Tayriens. “I’ve seen many miracles happen through the Rosary,” Johanna says. “Mary continued on page 2
Parish Rosarians — and God — are calling us to pray the Rosary daily because of the many miracles that have happened. Recently, the prayer that was sent to our group was for the grandson of a parishioner. He is doing well now, and the doctor said it was like a miracle. Of course, I like to say it’s all of our prayers. There are many stories of these miracles in our Catholic faith.” Sandy Pickett is the current coordinator of the Wednesday Rosary. The group now adds the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy — another Catholic devotion prayed on rosary beads — to their time together. Each time they meet, the group keeps in mind the prayer intentions of those present and those on the parish prayer list. Among the many graces that come with gathering in prayer are the strong friendships that are formed. “I had a friend come for the first time recently,” Johanna says. “She felt like she already knew everyone because it’s such a welcoming group. You could be there for just one day, and anybody there would do anything for you.” Having experienced firsthand the immense spiritual benefits of group prayer, Johanna is quick to encourage all parishioners to come to give it a try. There is no need to know how to pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet before coming. For anyone new to these prayers, following along with CDs or YouTube videos is helpful at home, and the Rosarians provide printed resources at their gatherings. With May, the month of Mary, just around the corner, this is the perfect time to try a new devotion to the Blessed Mother. “We have new people all the time and we know
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people don’t know everything we say, especially with the Divine Mercy, so we have information that we give them,” Johanna says. “I didn’t know how to pray the Rosary until I was an adult. I was in my 30s, and I had to learn it because my son was leading it at the church! For anyone who comes on Wednesday that doesn’t know the Rosary, we give them a pamphlet. Everyone is super welcome.” Grateful for the gift of our Rosarian Ministry, Johanna hopes that this group will continue to grow in love and faith for years to come. “This is something parishes need,” she says. “We want everyone to come. Prayer is absolutely answered.”
“I’ve seen many miracles happen through the Rosary. Mary — and God — are calling us to pray the Rosary daily because of the many miracles that have happened. Recently, the prayer that was sent to our group was for the grandson of a parishioner. He is doing really well now, and the doctor said it was like a miracle. Of course, I like to say it’s all of our prayers. There are many stories of these miracles in our Catholic faith.” — JOHANNA TAYRIEN
Are you interested in praying the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy as a group? The Rosarians meet in the church at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. All are welcome to come, listen and participate as they are able. We hope you will consider spending some time together in prayer to our Blessed Mother and her Son! For more information, please contact Sandy Pickett at 918-766-5844 or skpickett@yahoo.com. 2
A Letter From Our Pastor
Celebrating Christ’s Resurrection Dear Parishioners, ow did you feel at the end of the Palm Sunday Mass? You may not have noticed, but there was an abrupt shift of tone in that liturgy. It began with great joy, as we celebrated Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the acclamation of the crowds. But then the mood shifted to sorrow, despair even, when the Passion Gospel was read, for we heard the shouts of “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” from those same crowds a few days later. Palm Sunday, of course, was the beginning of Holy Week, the most important week in the Christian year. The confusion of conflicting moods is spread through the week, especially during the Easter Triduum — from sundown Holy Thursday to sundown Easter Sunday. Holy Thursday offers us the glorious Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrating the institution of the Eucharist before we pass to the sadness of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The next day brings us the Good Friday Liturgy of the Passion with our recognition of what our sins did to the Incarnate Son of God. Then, after a day of waiting as we mourn Jesus’ burial and repose in the tomb, we celebrate His victory over sin, Satan and death at the Easter Vigil on Saturday night or at the Masses the next day. If we have participated in all the main services of the Triduum, we arrive at Sunday evening exhausted but joyful. This year, Palm Sunday fell on the final Sunday of March, and we observe Holy Week and Easter Sunday early in April. That means we will spend most of April in the Easter Season, a period filled with joy and thanksgiving. Our gladness comes not only because Christ rose from the dead, but also because we benefit from it. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (§654) puts it, “The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life.”
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In other words, Christ’s Resurrection is the source of our own future resurrection. St. Paul wrote about it to the Romans in the following words (Rom 6:5): “For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.” Eternal life in union with Christ — a hope for a new life beginning now and extending on into heaven — is the result of Jesus’ Resurrection. What greater grounds for thanksgiving can there be than this Easter hope? We should sing with joy about this promise from God! What’s more, Paul also wrote (Col 3:1-2): “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” Jesus’ Resurrection and His promise of a new life for us mean that we need to live in conformity with our status as adopted children of God. And how do we show our joy and our gratitude to God for this amazing gift He has given us? We join in worship and praise God by word and song. We share the Good News of Jesus’ victory over death with our family, friends and neighbors. And we offer back to the Lord a portion of the time, talent and treasure He has entrusted to us. Yes, the Easter message that we share in the benefits of Christ’s Resurrection is the ultimate foundation for all Christian stewardship. The Lord is risen, alleluia. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. John O’Neill Pastor 3
CHILDREN’S RELIG
BUILDING A STRONG FAITH FOUNDATIO
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ast Christmas, our parish Children’s Religious Education (CRE) students and their families made memories to last a lifetime. “We had a Christmas ice skating party for the kids, and they were so excited about it!” says CRE Coordinator Carey Auschwitz. “Over 50 students and their families came, and we had hot chocolate and cookies together. They were able to ice skate for two hours, and Santa came. I even had some of the children ask if we could do it again next year. It was a huge success! It was a perfect night and so much fun for the kids.” Importantly, the event was a beautiful reflection of one of the most important aspects of the CRE program, which is fostering fellowship among its students. “It is important that we are starting to do more activities outside the classroom,” Carey says. “This shows the children we can have fun with our religion. Both parish and public school children are encouraged to come to our CRE program and events, which gives them a great way to get to know each other and form good Catholic friendships.” Despite the pandemic, the CRE program also found other ways to persevere in its mission to bring our parish children the joy, truth, and beauty of the Catholic faith. By taking precautions, they were able to work around the COVID-19 situation during most of their activities. “I am grateful we were still able to have our monthly Middle School Youth Group meetings, and even had a ‘pizza with the priest’ evening during which Father answered some questions for us,” Carey says. “We also enjoyed an amazing race night, during which the kids got to race around the parish buildings to find clues and solve puzzles.” Furthermore, there have been other wonderful things in the works at CRE this year. “I am really excited about the new curriculum we have,” Carey says. “We worked hard to obtain it, 4
GIOUS EDUCATION
ON FOR OUR YOUNGEST PARISHIONERS but it is worth it because CRE is at the core of the Catholic faith. We want to give our children a really good foundation so that they continue to live out their faith into adulthood.” During Lent, CRE students of all ages gathered to pray the Stations of the Cross together, and members of the Youth Group have been able to go to Confession about twice per year. “I am proud of the fact that we have been able to invite priests to come during our Youth Group meetings to hear Confessions,” Carey says. “Every time we arrange for Confession for our students, we see more and more kids receiving it. It is helping them become more comfortable with the sacrament.” Earlier this year, the CRE program put on a First Reconciliation retreat for its students, and towards the end of April, they will be offering a First Holy Communion retreat. Both of these events prepare the hearts and souls of the students in a profound way for the sacraments they are to receive. Looking at next year, Carey has some high hopes for what God has planned. “Enrollment has been down, so we are really looking forward to more children signing up to come back,” she says. “The CRE program provides critical opportunities for children to learn about their faith, and interact with other like-minded Catholic kids in a supportive environment. We are also hoping that parents will continue to support what we are doing in CRE as we educate their children because we only see them one or two hours a week. It helps when our efforts are reinforced at home, as well.” For more information about the CRE program, or to register your child for next year, please refer to future parish bulletins or email Carey Auschwitz at crebartlesville@gmail.com. CRE is offered on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at St. James Catholic Church. 5
Teaching By Example The Importance of Prayer in a Child’s Life
“I
want to be just like Mom!” “I want to be just like Dad!” Perhaps nothing lifts a parent’s heart like hearing these words. While certainly affirming, such words also remind us of the great responsibility that comes with parenthood. Children often examine the lives of their parents when making decisions that will affect their own lives. For example, a young boy may dream of becoming a physician one day, just like his father. Or a young girl may hope to become a veterinarian, just like her mother. Could the same be said about their parents’ faith lives? Just as children learn traits and values from their parents, they should also learn the importance and great joy of developing a personal relationship with Christ. And the foundation of such a relationship is prayer — conversation with God. How should we go about teaching our children to pray? There are several methods, but none works as well as teaching by example. Begin teaching the importance of prayer by praying openly with your spouse. This teaches children that prayer is meaningful and important, and not just a ritual. Also, pray with your children — in the morning and in the evening. Show your sons and daughters the importance of beginning and ending each day in prayer. While a fortunate dilemma, it’s a dilemma nonetheless — Catholics face the challenge of discerning which prayers to use, considering the thousands available. A good rule of thumb is to start simple — maybe an Our Father or Hail Mary, and then move into something more complex — Hail, Holy Queen
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or Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, among others. Begin with prayers your children can pick up fairly quickly. Not only will this show them that praying can be fun and easy, but shorter prayers are also usually easier to understand. Teach your children the importance of spontaneous prayer, rather than just prescribed prayers. Spontaneous prayer is any prayer that is created at the same time it is offered. Another way to think of spontaneous prayer is “praying in your own words.” Structure spontaneous prayers according to the ACTS acronym — Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. In layman’s terms, this means beginning each prayer with words of adoration, such as “You are the Lord God Almighty. I love you.” Move into a period of contrition, asking God’s forgiveness for the sins you have committed. Then, give words of thanksgiving, thanking God for the gifts He has given. Finally, spend time sharing with God your heart’s desires. These intentions can be personal or on another’s behalf. Following this format ensures that spontaneous prayer “covers all the bases,” and doesn’t become just a mental wish list. While God wants to hear and grant our wishes, He also expects words of adoration, contrition and thankfulness. The best time to begin praying with your children is right now. The sooner they learn about prayer, the sooner they can begin cultivating their own relationship with Jesus. Many parents even pray with their children before birth, hoping their unborn son or daughter can hear their words in utero. Remember, there is no better way to teach one’s children about the value of prayer than by example.
The Wednesday Afternoon Faith Group: Going Deeper into God’s Word
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e often hear phrases that emphasize the importance of becoming a “lifelong learner.” It’s a concept that we can take to heart in different areas of our lives. But do we apply this idea to grow in our faith? As Catholics, our faith journey lasts our entire lives, with each day being an opportunity to grow closer to God, and to deepen our understanding of His Word and the faith that He’s given us. Here at St. John Before the Latin Gate, a group of women gathers each week to do just that. “The Wednesday Afternoon Faith Group was a result of a conversation I had with a quilting friend who was a recent convert about whether, after RCIA, she would still be interested in continued study,” says Nancy Dykstra, who coordinates the group. The group typically spends time every Wednesday afternoon reading and reflecting on the Mass readings for the upcoming Sunday. According to the women
Each week, a group of women gather to read and reflect on the upcoming Sunday’s Mass readings.
who are involved, it’s a great way to deepen your understanding of and love for Scripture. “What I have found is that even as I reread the same Scripture, I have a deepened understanding of its meaning and how it applies in my life,” Nancy says. “I am continually finding something new in the Gospels I have heard for decades.”
“I’m better prepared for Sunday Mass as we’ve studied the weekly Gospel,” adds group member Julie Health. Of course, one can certainly read Scripture at home. However, for the members of this group, there is something special about the social dynamic of studying Scripture together, even when limited to a socially continued on back cover
“What I have found is that even as I reread the same Scripture, I have a deepened understanding of its meaning and how it applies in my life. I am continually finding something new in the Gospels I have heard for decades.” — NANCY DYKSTRA 7
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The Wednesday Afternoon Faith Group distanced Zoom meeting. “Connecting every week with this group of ladies has been a blessing,” says group member Belinda Sandoval. “It is nice to get others’ views.” “I enjoy the other women’s viewpoints on the Gospel, and also on the other things we get a chance to discuss,” says Regina Kennedy, another member of the group. In addition to growing in their faith, the group has also
become a place of support and sisterhood, as the women share their lives. “Sometimes we are able to help each other through normal life struggles — whether it’s dealing with adult children, sickness and death of loved ones, or just a regular stressful day,” Regina says. “These women have inspired me to be a better Catholic with their wisdom and very amazing insights into the faith,” says
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member Vicki Piccirillo. The women encourage others to consider joining the group each week. “I would encourage others to join if they are looking for a deeper understanding of the Sunday readings, and therefore, getting the most out of their Mass experience,” Regina says. “It is a wonderful way to study Scripture,” Belinda adds. “Hearing God’s word brings me peace in this chaotic world.”
For more information on the Wednesday Afternoon Faith Group, please contact Nancy Dykstra at Ndykstra@cableone.net or 918-440-2593. The group is currently meeting via the Zoom videoconference platform, at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays.
LITURGY SCHEDULE
Saturday: 5 p.m. | Sunday: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. (en Español) Tuesday: 7 a.m. | Wednesday: 5:15 p.m. | Thursday: 7 a.m., 11 a.m. (vulnerable population),, 7 p.m. (en Español) Friday: 8:15 a.m. (School only Mass), St. James at 8:30 a.m., Our Lady of Guadalupe in Dewey at noon Reconciliation: Saturday: 4-4:45 p.m. | Sunday: 12:30-1:15 p.m.