This week I'm giving over my pastor's column to Deacon Gary as he explains an exciting new initiative for men of the parish. (Ladies please read this so you can encourage your husband to give it a try. It will be a blessing to them and, indirectly, to you.)

Saint John Henry Newman selected as his motto, the phrase Cor ad cor loquitur, Heart speaks to heart. That's an awesome motto, because it encompasses the best of communication. The heart of Jesus speaks to His people, His followers, and then the hearts of HIs followers, speak to each other and those that don't know Him. It's all encompassing.  It captures everybody.

I believe that's why it was selected as the motto for a new initiative in Men's Ministry. The Heart of Jesus will speak to the men gathered together to share their lives as they seek to know HIm better, to get a better picture of what Jesus is teaching his followers.  And these men will share their hearts with each other in discussion of the topic selected.  The topic is not set in stone. It doesn't come down to us from some place on high.  We have four men, at present, who have bolunteered to moderate a group at different times during the week: Wednesday morning, Thursday morning and Thursday evening, and Friday morning. The topics are Bible Study, Church History, Eucharist, 4th Quarter, etc., etc.

Should the group gathered togeter decide they would like to delve into a specific topic, away they will go on it.  Has all of this been done before?  Of course.  As Ecclesiates reminds us, there is nothing new under the sun.  But the time in which we are living tells us that past efforts weren't enough. We must renew our efforts to tell each other and the world (our families, friends) the Good News.  We have been commanded to "go forth and spread the gospel".  How are we doing?

As I mentioned above, there is a new initiative in men's ministry, COR. Obviously taken from St Newman's motto.  It is a call to men to get together on a regular basis to pray, study, and get to know each other at a deeper level.  Each man will do all these at the level they choose, but our hope is that "group dynamics" will come into play and all will participate to the max.  That's how the initiative will succeed.  COR meetings are designed to help men build a more intentional relationship with Jesus Christ, through prayer, formation and fraternity.

Straight from Jesus: Hey you, yeah you, COME, FOLLOW ME and GO TELL THE GOOD NEWS.

As I compose this pastor's column, I am preparing for the Mas of Resurrection for Tom Yerina, a longtime and very active parishioner who left hismark in our parish in many ways (look up my pastor's column on our website from December 11, 2022 as he was our VIP that month). I will then start preparations for the Mass of Resurrection for Carol Cruz, our longtime head sacristan who headed up that important ministry for both Msgr. Malone and myself for a total of 17 years. (She was one of our first VIPs along with her husband, Larry). It is these and so many people like them that make this parish so vibrant and so effective in its call to serve the Lord and fellow parish (family) members, as well as, others beyond our faith community. God rest their souls as we lift them up to the Lord and thank the Lord for the various ways they lived their faith in action, including marriages of over 60 years with their spouses (Martha with Tom, and Larry with Carol). I want to use the rest of this column to introduce to you two people who have stepped up to the plate recently in significant ways for our parishionersl Lou Ann Kemper has volunteered to take on theleadership of the faith formation for the youth of our parish. She is a relatively new parishioner who comes to us from Texas and has a degree in theology and a resume that includes being a Religious Education  Coordinator for a large parish. While, admittedly, our numbers of children and young people is small, Lou Ann is looking to get their families more connected to the whole parish in vaious ways that will bless all those involved. She is looking for some good people to help in vaious ways throughout the school year. So please give her a call (501-922-2062 ext 11) and let her know of your desire to help in some way or ways. Thanks to Lou Ann for what she has committed to do for us. Deb Troxel has agreed to be our parish point person for our parish participation in the Eucharist Revival that's going on throughout our country. Deb is a certified spiritual director who has accepted (and still accepts) parishioners who desire spiritual direction. Call her at 515-240-6729 to find out more. She is also an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at  Mass and is currently involved in the effort of CHI St Vincent to provide the Eucharist for Catholic patients. She is a faithful Eucharistic Adorer and covers more than a few hours most weeks as a substitute. Deb is also looking for help as she coordinates the effort to deepen all parishioners' appreciation of the HOly Eucharist, as well as, reaching out in various ways to non-practicing Catholics in our community. 

I am so grateful for both of these women and look forward to working with them and want to encourage all of us to join them and make this a team effort that will bear much fruit in the name of the Lord and for the glory of God!

Have you ever come across a combination prayer book, lectionary (with all Mass readings for each day of the week) and saints book all bound together in an easily handled, bound publication? Some of our parishioners have been blessed to have this in their hands every month of the year through a subscription to "Give Us This Day" which is  delivered to our church as a "bulk subscription" which means a reduced rate compared to having mailed directly to the home by Liturgical Press. Each day of the week it gives a shortened morning and evening prayer based on the format of the "Liturgy of HOurs" that is easy to follow and includes scripture, an antiphon that's foolowed either by the "Canticle of Zachariah" (for morning prayer) or the "Canticle of Mary" (evening prayer) and intercessions all of which can be prayed in less than ten minutes. This is one way to include prayer once (or hopefully) twice a day in one's life. The periodical also gives us a short biography of a saint or holy person who is still living who can inspire us to be more Christ-like, as they were, in our lives. Finally, we are given the readings of the day that are normally proclaimed at Masses on each particular day and gives us the opportunity as we prepare to go to Sunday Mass or go to a daily Mass (or even we don't take advantage of the daily Masses offered here) to read and reflect on those readings and read the commentary or mini-reflection that is given by priests, religious, deacons, or even lay people. Given the cost of having a newspaper subscription (which has to be read almost exclusively online) the "Give Us This Day" booklet is in your hands and easy to reference back to at any time and is only $30 a year when you join in the bulk subscription rate. There is a table in the Narthex where there are envelopes you can use to put in a check made out to Sacred Heart Church or cash for $30 and PRINT YOUR NAME on the outside of the envelope and leave it in the basket on the table. Your subscription will start in November of this year and for those who haven't subscribed before, you will be able to pick up your monthly copies about two weeks before the new month's edition and check off your name on the sheet provided. We also have a bulk subscription offered for "The Word Among Us" another publication that gives the daily readings, a reflection and beautiful articles each month. The cost is $20. Commit on the same table in the Narthex.