St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Newsletter — August 2020

August 2020

ST. VINCENT de PAUL

CATHOLIC PARISH

Imitating the Early Disciples Through Adult Bible Study

I Inside 2

3

4

6

Living According to God’s Will Forming a Conscience and Moral Code Understanding God’s Gift of Time

f we are going to fulfill our calling to become true disciples of Christ, parishioner Rhea Johnson says that Catholics must follow the example of the first disciples. She says they must spend time listening to, learning from, and imitating our Lord. This is why spending time studying and learning from Scripture is crucial to active discipleship.

“The early disciples spent time with Jesus, listening and observing His every word and action, asking questions of Him, drawing together in friendship to learn and support each other, and praying together for the courage to follow Him,” Rhea says. “In the Bible, we have His words, actions and teachings, plus we have been given the Holy Spirit. So in our study groups we, too, are able to learn to be disciples.”

To help facilitate this process, St. Vincent de Paul offers Adult Bible Studies in both the fall and winter and spring that are designed to engage, connect and form Catholics in discipleship. Classes are typically offered Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:15 a.m. and Thursday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. so as to accommodate varied schedules. Childcare is also available upon request.

“Past studies have included everything from a 24-week Bible Timeline course to shorter, eight-week courses on Old and New Testament books,” Rhea says. continued on back cover

A Life Built on Faith and Service: Meet the Rodriguez Family The Faith Journey of St. Genesius

7 Our Children’s Choir

Sharing Talents and Praying Through Song

5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org

For parishioner Rhea Johnson, studying God’s Word is an important way to live out discipleship.

ST. VINCENT de PAUL LIVING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL Forming a Conscience and Moral Code

A

s Christians, it is important that we recognize the difference between right and wrong — both morally and ethically. Sometimes, though, this line can become blurred.

Many situations we encounter in our lives include variables that can leave us internally conflicted and unsure of how to move forward in accordance with God’s will.

So, how do we work through these moral conundrums? One way is to develop a solid Christian conscience.

A moral conscience exists in the heart of every individual. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “When he listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear God speaking. Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed” (1777, 1778).

Think of your conscience as the “angelic” version of yourself sitting on your shoulder, giving you sound advice.

While everyone is blessed with a conscience, each individual has a responsibility to develop this conscience from the time they are young. Parents obviously play an important role in developing their children’s consciences.

As the primary educators of their children on ethical issues and the Catholic faith, parents have a responsibility to teach virtue to their children and help them to avoid fear, selfishness and pride. As we grow older, we take on

the lifelong challenge of continually forming our own consciences, and establishing a moral code that enables us to make the proper judgments.

One valuable tool in forming a conscience is the practice of introspection. “It is important for every person to be sufficiently present to himself in order to hear and follow the voice of his conscience” (CCC 1779). In contemporary society, where there are so many distractions and routines, it is extremely important that we take the time to look inward and truly listen to what our inner voice is telling us.

Another way to ensure we are developing a good moral code is by conforming to the mind of Christ. God the Father gave us Christ, physically present on this earth and recorded in Sacred Scripture, as the ultimate example of what to do and how to behave according to God’s will. In turn, when we act in loving imitation of Christ, we are certain to make practical judgments of conscience.

The next time you are faced with a moral dilemma, take some quiet time to look inward, weigh the positive and negative outcomes, and listen to the voice of your conscience. Read the Gospels for examples of Christ’s teachings. By making this a regular practice, you will find that the voice of your conscience will come in louder and more clearly than you may have initially expected.

The next time you are faced with a moral dilemma, take some quiet time to look inward, weigh the positive and negative outcomes, and listen to the voice of your conscience. Read the Gospels for examples of Christ’s teachings. By making this a regular practice, you will find that the voice of your conscience will come in louder and more clearly than you may have initially expected.

2

A Letter From Our Pastor

Understanding God’s Gift of Time Dear Parishioners,

W

ith the arrival of August, I find it hard to believe that summer is just about over! Of course, some of us are trying to squeeze in that last vacation, or just simply enjoying a “staycation” at home, soaking in the glorious summer season for a few more weeks. But for the most part, we’re starting to transition back into the swing of our fall routines.

I once heard a quote from a psychologist who said time seems to pass more quickly as we get older because we’re experiencing fewer “firsts.” When we’re continually experiencing new things, time tends to stand still while we’re living them. After we’ve repeated those events numerous times, they don’t faze us much anymore — and before we know it, months have passed, seasons have changed, and it’s time to start the annual cycle again.

Yet, we should not allow our time to be something that simply evades our grasp, trickling through our fingers. After all, time itself — every moment on this earth — is a gift from God. We each have 24 hours today and seven days this week to use however we please.

At the end of this summer, we have the opportunity to reflect on how we chose to use our time these last few months. Did we set aside time to pray? Have we allowed for time to serve others? Did we devote time each day to serve God?

When we assess the use of our time, we must make a spiritual examination — “Have I been a good steward of the time given to me?” Maybe now is a good time to make some changes in our lives and get more involved. There is no better time than right now to seek out ways to serve God, our parish, and those around us. This is what it means to be a good steward!

As the lazy days of summer give way to the routine and activity of fall, remember to keep God in your hearts, in your minds, and on your tongue as we continue our stewardship journey as a parish family.

Please pray for me as I continue to pray for you all.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Philip Brembah Pastor

3

ST. VINCENT de PAUL A LIFE BUILT ON FAITH AND SERVICE:

Y

4

ou might say that Erik Rodriguez and Malena Serrano-Rodriguez were already a little closer to God than Earth on the day they met. As flight attendants for American Airlines, they first got to know one another in the sky, from opposite ends of a drink cart. Malena noticed Erik’s servant heart as he warmly smiled and chatted with passengers. As for Erik, he knew immediately that this incredible woman was “the one”!

As Erik and Malena began dating, their shared Catholic faith brought them even closer together. Now, 19 years of marriage and two children later, the couple continues to keep their faith at the very center of family life.

Both Erik and Malena were given a strong foundation in the faith from an early age, with their grandparents as role models.

“My family has always been very involved with the Church,” Erik says. “My grandfather was a Eucharistic Minister for the longest time, and all the priests used to go to my grandparents’ house for lunch. Both my grandparents sacrificed a lot to help build the church in our neighborhood in Puerto Rico.”

Two thousand miles across the water from Erik’s home in Puerto Rico, Malena grew up attending Mass in her native Mexico before moving to Texas at the age of

13. Some of her earliest memories involve helping her great-grandmother tend to the flowers at the church and watching as her grandmothers donned their best Sunday dresses and mantillas for Mass.

“I have all these great memories,” Malena says. “I still think I have to thank them, my great-grandmother and grandmothers, for instilling that in me. They probably never knew how much their faith impacted the young kids at the time. And of course, Erik and I now try to pass that on to our daughters. It’s a joyful thing, I think, that we do in passing that on.”

Indeed, a love of faith and service is truly a family affair for Erik and Malena as their two daughters — Karla, 16, and Frida, 11 — have come to enjoy participating in parish life as well. A move to our area brought the family to St. Vincent de Paul just three years ago, but they already feel very much at home in our parish as they find various ways to serve.

Karla plays the saxophone in the choir, and Frida is an altar server. For both girls, filling these roles has helped with their understanding and focus during Mass.

“It’s easier to keep up with Mass and pay attention and know where we are,” Karla says of playing in the

The Rodriguez family — (from left) Malena, Karla, Frida and Erik.

(From left) Karla and Frida Rodriguez enjoy helping with the Bear Collection Ministry.

Meet the Rodriguez Family choir. “It made me learn how the Mass goes and how to focus.”

“I know more about the Mass when I’m serving,” Frida agrees. “I like ringing the bells the most!”

Karla and Frida also participate in the Bear Collection Ministry with their mother. Malena treasures this special time with her girls.

“When we sort the stuffed animals, we think about the generous arms that put them there and into whose arms those bears will go, and how they will bring a smile and real hope,” she says. “We talk about that and about what a blessing it is that we can go pick them up, sort them out, and take them to the hospital. It’s easy to put things in perspective with this ministry.”

The Rodriguez family also helps our parish with landscaping, tending to the flower beds around the church campus. As they live just two blocks from our church, it’s not unusual for the family to decide to take a walk or bike ride after dinner, and stop in to water and care for the church plantings. Erik and Malena feel they receive so much more than they give in this ministry with the opportunity to bond with their daughters and teach them about gardening.

Recently, Erik was inspired by Karla’s participation in choir and decided to join himself. Though he was only able to sing at Mass a handful of times before the COVID-19 pandemic put the full choir on hiatus, he looks forward to getting back to singing when he can.

While Erik recognizes that it might be intimidating at first to become engaged in parish life, taking that leap of faith is a way to express gratitude for all of God’s gifts.

“For us, it’s important because we’ve been blessed so much,” Erik says. “When I look at the blessings God has bestowed on us, I feel like I still owe so much. If we can do something, that helps to make it a little bit even, though it will never be even! God is way too good to us, and getting involved is a way of saying ‘thanks’ for all of this.”

Erik and Malena both count the warm community here at St. Vincent de Paul among their many blessings,

(From left) Karla and Frida Rodriguez help their parents, Erik and Malena, tend the flower beds around the church.

and they could not imagine a better place to raise their daughters in the faith.

“We feel very blessed to have such good parishioners and community,” Malena says. “Your friends from church become your family, so it’s a blessing. We feel the love here, and the people have embraced us and inspired us to take part in the church and in the ministries. Right now, it’s our daughters, and later on, God willing, it will be later generations.”

5

ST. VINCENT de PAUL The Faith Journey of

B

ST. GENESIUS

eing a performer and a comedian may sound like a fun way to make a living.

St. Genesius, an outstanding actor, playwright and comedian in late Imperial Rome, certainly did have some fun for a while. But his career and life came to an abrupt end when his work ultimately led him to Christ.

Genesius was a comedian of some renown, but in the fourth century, Christians were often discouraged from becoming actors because ancient Roman comedy was highly sexual, crude and offensive.

In the year 303, Emperor Diocletian launched what would be the last great Roman persecution against the Christian Church.

So, Genesius used the persecution as an opportunity to write a comedy about Christianity. He thought it might attract the attention of the Emperor, increase his fame, and make him some money in the process.

Genesius approached leaders of the Christian community in Rome and presented himself as a catechumen seeking Baptism. He was then invited into a period of instruction in the faith, in order to learn the beliefs of the Christians. He was particularly taken by the idea of Baptism. But at the time, he had no plans to convert to the faith – it was all just a part of his plan to research new material to use for his comedy.

But a strange thing happened to Genesius as he began to work on his play, which was to be a comedy on Baptism. As Genesius began teaching the other actors about Baptism, he began to believe, and a desire to be baptized grew within his heart.

The opening night of the play was a great success, with Emperor Diocletian in attendance. But at some

6

point during the play, the Holy Spirit touched Genesius. He was no longer acting.

“You fools, I wish to die a Christian,” Genesius said. When the other actors asked him why, he said, “All my life I have been a fugitive, and only today have I found God.” Everyone, especially Emperor Diocletian, laughed as Genesius spoke. Genesius, standing in a pulpit designed to look like the goddess Venus, began to preach to the audience. He told the crowd how he once hated Christians and enjoyed insulting them. He told the crowd how he deserted his own family as a child because they were Christians.

From there, Genesius addressed Diocletian, stating that he wrote the play to mock Christians, but had been converted on the spot during the course of the play, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“I now know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true God, the Light, the Truth and the Mercy of all who have received His gift of Baptism,” Genesius said. “O great Emperor, believe in these mysteries! I will teach you, and you will know the Lord Jesus Christ is the true God.” Diocletian was furious and stopped the play, having the troupe arrested and beaten, while Genesius was condemned to torture. Through all of his sufferings, he continued to confess that Jesus was God. When this failed to break his spirit, Diocletian ordered Genesius be beheaded. His final words were, “Our Lord Jesus Christ is God and we shall have life in His name.”

St. Genesius is the patron of comedians and actors. His feast day is Aug. 25.

Our Children’s Choir

Sharing Talents and Praying Through Song The Children’s Choir sings on Easter 2019.

W

e might not immediately think of young children and teens as members of a ministry, filling a role in our weekly Mass celebrations. But at St. Vincent de Paul, children and teens in third to eighth grade are welcome to sing in the Children’s Choir, with Director of Liturgy and Music Kevin Keil leading them.

In Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” In turn, it is particularly important to hear our youngest members sing for the glory of God. Kevin says this choir is not just filling a role at Mass — the children and teens are preparing for future ministry involvement in the church. In his 46 years of directing — four of these at our parish — he has seen choir members go on to become priests, cantors and music directors.

“I get great energy and enthusiasm from the children,” Kevin says. “I like to think I had a small part in their embracing ministry.”

The Children’s Choir usually consists of about 10 to 15 members, and they sing four times each year — Thanksgiving Day, the Christmas Concert, Christmas Eve

and Easter Sunday. They practice on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7 p.m.

Kevin enjoys seeing the children and teens build on their music skills, share their musical talents and learn about being a music minister. He composes his own songs and listening to the children perform those is what he enjoys most. “Sing Hallelujah to the Newborn King” is his favorite.

“The children have a joy in their voices that can be infectious,” Kevin says.

When the choir members have truly mastered a song, Kevin enjoys listening and he knows it’s a joy for the congregation. Importantly, Kevin also reminds them they are not there to perform, but to lead the congregation in song.

If you would like more information on the Children’s Choir, please contact Kevin Keil at 817-478-8206, ext. 235, or kkeil@svdpcc.org.

7

ST. VINCENT de PAUL 5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org

MASSES Saturday Vigil: 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

12:30 p.m. suspended Weekdays: (M/T/Th/Fr) 8:45 a.m. in the church

(Wed) 6:00 p.m. in the church

Holy Days: 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Confessions: Saturday: 4-5 p.m. in the chapel

Adult Bible Study

continued from front cover

Sessions include a brief video presentation on the night’s topic, opportunities for small-group discussion, and materials to help guide private reflection at home.

These studies have had a profound effect on Rhea personally, providing her with countless “ah-ha!” moments and showing her the big picture of faith in relation to her own life.

“Studying the Bible draws us into the heart of Jesus and His Church,” Rhea says. “There is a certain amount of information or head knowledge that is acquired and leads to a greater understanding of His teachings. This is good and important, but studying the Bible is more than that. The Bible is the living Word of God, so if we read it prayerfully, we will hear God speaking to us through it. This

ongoing conversation with God then draws us closer to Him and transforms us.”

Adult Bible Studies have also been transformative in Rhea’s motherhood, giving her the tools needed to form and pass on the faith to her own children. This is why Rhea urges other parents, no matter how busy they may be, to make time for faith formation, whether it’s joining an upcoming study or doing some form of self-study at home.

“Please don’t wait until you have time after the kids are grown,” Rhea says. “Make time now, and if the classes don’t work for you, there are other options to do it as self-study, as a couple, or as your own home group. Your faith formation can make a big difference in the faith formation you are able to provide for your children.”

St. Vincent de Paul will be offering two sessions on Romans or Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life this fall.

Classes are tentatively scheduled to begin in early September.

Check the bulletin for future announcements on dates and registration, or contact Rhea Johnson directly at 817-455-7970.