This coming Thursday, July 19, marks the one year anniversary of the death of former pastor of Sacred Heart Church and beloved servant of God, Monsignor Bernard Malone. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since the Lord called Monsignor Malone home after over 65 years of priestly life and service to God's people here in the Diocese of Little Rock. There is much that I could reflect on when it comes to Monsignor Malone, as I was blessed to know him since I was an altar server for him at St. Mary's in Hot Springs when I was 13 years old. I feel truly blessed to have seen him close-up on so many occasions in the time after he retired (at the age of 86). Even as his body started weakening and eventually failed him, his spirit remained ever strong and ever committed to doing the Lord's work in whatever way he could and was asked of him. He supported, encouraged and was an inspiration (and confessor) to many of our seminarians which I know had an immediate AND I believe, long-term impact on them and their priesthood. His faithfulness to the Lord and longevity in ministry, will hopefully mean that our priests (like me) and like our newly ordained, will be inspired to serve the Lord and His people well past the normal age of retirement for priests (75 years) until we can no longer do it physically, mentally, or both. When we are long gone from this world, many of our young priests will still be administering the Sacraments and bringing Christ's love and mercy to those in need for many years to come; thanks, in part, to the great example given by Monsignor Malone.
While I (and I know many of you) miss him greatly, we are comforted by our confidence that we have an advocate in heaven who is ready to intercede for us. One of the wonderful blessings of being your pastor for the past eight years is the opportunity to see Monsignor Malone so often as he was welcomed back to be with us here at Sacred Heart for ministry and to enjoy social time with us.
On the one-year anniversary of his passing from this world, I ask you to join with me in saying a prayer of Thanksgiving to God for Monsignor Bernard Malone and for all that God did through him in his life, especially in his priestly life in our diocese.
WE MISS YOU, MONSIGNOR MALONE!!!
While I (and I know many of you) miss him greatly, we are comforted by our confidence that we have an advocate in heaven who is ready to intercede for us. One of the wonderful blessings of being your pastor for the past eight years is the opportunity to see Monsignor Malone so often as he was welcomed back to be with us here at Sacred Heart for ministry and to enjoy social time with us.
On the one-year anniversary of his passing from this world, I ask you to join with me in saying a prayer of Thanksgiving to God for Monsignor Bernard Malone and for all that God did through him in his life, especially in his priestly life in our diocese.
WE MISS YOU, MONSIGNOR MALONE!!!
The "dog days of summer" seem to already be here. As I write this pastor's column, the temperature is already 90 degrees outside with a heat index of 99 degrees, and it's not even noon yet!
O course, there are a number of things that occur differently during the summer months at home and at church. One of these has to do with the clothes we wear. Recently, someone handed me a bulletin from another church and pointed out what it said about "proper" dress when coming to church. "Church attire should not distract others and reflect an interior attitude." It goes on to say that our dress, our demeanor, our discipline ought to speak of our recognition of the sacredness of what we do (the Mass) and manifest a genuine respect for Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.
I have heard it said that how we choose to dress for church (in every season) should be likened to how we would dress to meet a great dignitary in the field of religion, politics, entertainment etc., but magnified-because at every Mass we are meeting the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I'm not writing on this subject because of anything someone has said to me about the way people dress when coming to Mass here, nor is it because of anything disrespectful that I have noticed in the way people dress. I write so we can be thoughful about how we dress when coming to church during the summer months (and every month) and be sure that the "interior dress" of our minds and hearts is ready to give attentive and energetic praise and thanks to God, and hospitality to those who are worshiping with us-some of whom are looking for and/or need a friendly and kindly encounter.
O course, there are a number of things that occur differently during the summer months at home and at church. One of these has to do with the clothes we wear. Recently, someone handed me a bulletin from another church and pointed out what it said about "proper" dress when coming to church. "Church attire should not distract others and reflect an interior attitude." It goes on to say that our dress, our demeanor, our discipline ought to speak of our recognition of the sacredness of what we do (the Mass) and manifest a genuine respect for Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.
I have heard it said that how we choose to dress for church (in every season) should be likened to how we would dress to meet a great dignitary in the field of religion, politics, entertainment etc., but magnified-because at every Mass we are meeting the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I'm not writing on this subject because of anything someone has said to me about the way people dress when coming to Mass here, nor is it because of anything disrespectful that I have noticed in the way people dress. I write so we can be thoughful about how we dress when coming to church during the summer months (and every month) and be sure that the "interior dress" of our minds and hearts is ready to give attentive and energetic praise and thanks to God, and hospitality to those who are worshiping with us-some of whom are looking for and/or need a friendly and kindly encounter.
"Try it, you'll like it" is a saying that I believe more than a few would echo when it comes to participating in the "Patriotic Rosary" which is prayed here at Sacred Heart almost once a month, and will be prayed THIS Wednesday, July 4, on Independence Day. If you have never joined us for this unique way of praying the rosary please permit me to describe it, in the hope that you will be led to join us this Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. for this rosary (followed immediately by Mass around 11:15 a.m.).
Firstly, the recitation asks for the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary, for people in every state in the union, state by state, and it asks God's guidance on elected and appointed officials from our President to local government officials. Before beginning each mystery, a quote from a famous American, like George Washington, who speaks of the connection between God and country and the importance of our trusting in God's providence as well as our call to live the religious beliefs and values that have been so important to the blessings our country has enjoyed over the years. After each decade is prayed, we stand and sing some familiar and dear patriotic hymns which speak of God, and call on God to shed his grace on us. We then sing more than one verse of each hymn, especially those that speak of and to God. My favorite is the second verse of the "Star Spangled Banner" in which we "praise the power that has made and preserved us a nation." Our last hymn, "God Bless America" is an appropriate concluding hymn as we pray (in song) that "God bless America, our home, sweet home."
I pray that we will have the largest crowd we have ever had for a patriotic rosary on July 4, and that those who come are eager to ask for the help of the Blessed Mother and God's grace to make our country what God wants it to be. I truly believe that if it is the first time you join us for the patriotic rosary, it will not be your last!
Firstly, the recitation asks for the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary, for people in every state in the union, state by state, and it asks God's guidance on elected and appointed officials from our President to local government officials. Before beginning each mystery, a quote from a famous American, like George Washington, who speaks of the connection between God and country and the importance of our trusting in God's providence as well as our call to live the religious beliefs and values that have been so important to the blessings our country has enjoyed over the years. After each decade is prayed, we stand and sing some familiar and dear patriotic hymns which speak of God, and call on God to shed his grace on us. We then sing more than one verse of each hymn, especially those that speak of and to God. My favorite is the second verse of the "Star Spangled Banner" in which we "praise the power that has made and preserved us a nation." Our last hymn, "God Bless America" is an appropriate concluding hymn as we pray (in song) that "God bless America, our home, sweet home."
I pray that we will have the largest crowd we have ever had for a patriotic rosary on July 4, and that those who come are eager to ask for the help of the Blessed Mother and God's grace to make our country what God wants it to be. I truly believe that if it is the first time you join us for the patriotic rosary, it will not be your last!