Parish Newsletter Winter/Spring 2016
Message From Father Ron
On the Pages of This Issue Father Armstrong to Lead Parish Mission 2
Dear Parishioners: As we begin our Lenten Journey on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2016, we do so during the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy inaugurated by Pope Francis on December 8, 2015. While preaching on Friday, January 8, 2016, Pope Francis shared the following: “When we have something on our mind and we want to ask God to forgive us, it’s He who is waiting for us—to forgive us. This Jubilee Year of Mercy, to some extent, is also this: that we may know that our Lord is waiting for us, each one of us. Why? To embrace us. Nothing more. To say to us: ‘Son, daughter, I love you. I let my Son be crucified for you: this is the price of my love, this is the gift of my love.’ ” Pope Francis goes on to stress, “We must go to the Lord and say: ‘You know Lord how much I love you.’ Or, if you don’t feel able to say it in that way: ‘You know Lord that I would like to love you, but I am such a bad sinner.’ And He will do the same as He did with the prodigal son who squandered all his money on vices: He won’t let you finish your speech, and with an embrace will silence you, the embrace of God’s love.” This season of Lent is an opportunity to open the doors of our hearts to Jesus. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the world around us and its focus on “self” and the empty pursuits of power, prestige, and “things” that do not bring fulfillment, true peace, or joy in our lives. Through the
disciplines of Lent: prayer, solitude, forgiveness through the Sacrament of Penance, fasting, abstinence, and acts of charity based on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, Jesus draws us closer to Him. In return, we experience His mercy, compassion, peace, and His presence. There are many opportunities to enrich your Lenten journey this year. I encourage you to attend Daily Mass; spend some time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament during the week, Monday through Friday from 3 to 5:15 p.m.; participate in the Stations of the Cross on the Fridays of Lent at the conclusion of the 5:30 p.m. Mass; and participate in the confessions that will be offered every Wednesday evening from February 17 to March 23—“The Light is ON For You” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Our Lenten Parish Mission will be directed by Father Regis Armstrong, OFM, Cap. beginning Monday, February 22, through Wednesday, February 24, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thank you for all you do for our parish. Please pray for our young people who are preparing to be confirmed by Bishop Holley on Saturday, February 20, and for those among us preparing to enter the Church at the Easter Vigil. Be assured of my daily prayers, especially at the altar, for you and your families.
Snapshots and a Briefing From Blessed Sacrament’s Young Families Ministry 2 Communication Workshop: Perspectives From a Husband and a Wife 3 All Those First Witnesses: A Poem 4 Getting to Know a Benefactor of the Parish Library 5 Set Sail for a Starlit Affair 5
Peace,
Father Ron Artwork by George Meyers First Grade
Father Regis Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap. to Lead Parish Mission Although his Catholic University title is “Ordinary Professor of Spirituality and Hubbard Professor of Religious Studies, Father Regis Armstrong, O.F.M. Cap. is far from ordinary. Indeed, many parishioners are drawn to Blessed Sacrament’s 9 a.m. Sunday Mass by his thoughtful and powerful sermons, and know Father as the author of nine books and many journal and encyclopedia articles. Father is a Capuchin Friar Minor. Hailing from Long Island, Father has traveled and lived around the world. Before joining the theology department at Catholic University, Father taught and served as Vice Rector at the Pontifical University Antonia-
num in Rome, and taught at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY, and in Canterbury, England. He was a co-founder of the Franciscan Institute of Asia. Father Armstrong brings charisma, a rich knowledge of historical theology, a deep spirituality, and wraps it all with a practical application for life in the everyday world.
Source of photo: www.cua.edu
At Catholic University, students wait in line to sign up early for his course; you can learn from him for free at the Blessed Sacrament Mission during the first full week in Lent.
Blessed Sacrament’s Young Family Ministry
Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Angelo
By Elizabeth Angelo The Blessed Sacrament Young Family Ministry (BSYFM) is a new group that brings together the families in the community with young children between the ages of newborn and 5 years old who share a common faith, schedule, and demands on their attention. The goal of the group is to share ways to raise young children in the Catholic Church and build a strong and supportive community of friends. BSYFM began in September 2015 with a planning meeting asking interested families to help form the group’s mission. Members were surveyed to find out how they would like to participate and what they would like to gain from this ministry. Since then, the group has met almost every month for an array of activities. In October, BSYFM organized a Trunk-or-Treat to provide the youngest members of the parish a fun way to participate in Halloween. Families decorated their cars and handed out treats from their trunks to the costumed trick-or-treaters. Along with Editor: Pat Watson Layout: Delphine Clegg
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their goodies, the kids received the Pumpkin Prayer to have while carving their jack-o-lanterns and an All Saints Day packet. In December, the members joined the Blessed Sacrament Senior Activities Program for their St. Nicolas party. The children, along with their parents, gathered with the seniors to hear the story of St. Nicolas. Dressed as St. Nicolas, Father O distributed gold coins to each little one. The kids decorated Christmas cookies and then found their shoes filled with treats courtesy of St. Nicolas. BSYFM wrapped up the year with a Christmas cookie exchange where members shared delicious, holiday goodies. As a special treat, the kids had story time where they read Crystal Bowman’s “J Is for Jesus: The Sweetest Story Ever Told.” The story shares how the candy cane represents Jesus’ birth and each child received a candy cane ornament to take home to serve as a reminder.
Parish Logo Designs: Ellen Smyth Artwork: Blessed Sacrament School students under the guidance of their art teacher, Yves Clark
Lenten Communication Workshop for Couples Perspectives From a Husband and a Wife
Good communication helps us to grow closer, to know one another better, and ultimately, to grow in unity. Pope Francis
Artwork by Jack Fabiano First Grade
Artwork by Evan Chaban First Grade
A Husband’s Perspective
A Wife’s Perspective
When my wife told me two years ago that she signed us up for Blessed Sacrament’s Communication Workshop, I knew nothing about it other than my wife thought it would be a good idea for Lent. As the first session approached, I felt some trepidation; I’m a private person and I was concerned that I’d somehow be put on the spot or made to feel uncomfortable, perhaps by having to share details about our personal life in front of a group of strangers. I was also concerned that learning a communication skill was really just a pretense for couples’ counseling and that whoever was running it would pick a side (my wife’s) and tell me what a lousy husband I was.
After 11 years of a fulfilling marriage, my husband and I were searching for ways to deepen our relationship. Soon after, we saw the notice in the church bulletin about the Lenten Communication Workshop. We thought this might be the perfect opportunity to take some time for ourselves to focus on our relationship and invest in a skill set that would enrich our marriage. We were not disappointed.
These fears disappeared almost instantly upon beginning the first class as I heard several couples who had previously been through the workshop share their experiences using the Active Listening skill to resolve differences and make decisions together as a couple. I had often told my wife that there’s nothing we can’t accomplish when we work together as a united team, and after seeing one of the couples model the skill, I started to get really optimistic about learning a practical, realistic technique that would help us clearly understand our differences, identify steps to resolve them, and reach a solution together as a couple. My wife and I ended up loving the workshop, and we continue to use the technique today, especially to frame major decisions or address issues that are likely to involve deep feelings. The technique isn’t magic, and it won’t ensure that there are never disagreements in our marriage, but it does significantly decrease the likelihood of poor communication (i.e., what you said wasn’t what your spouse heard) which can cause problems. I also find that simply going through the exercise of using the Active Listening skill brings me a lot closer to my wife. Taking a few moments to really listen is a tangible way I can show her that I care about her and our lives together. I’d also like to think that it plays a part in honoring my vows to God and commitment to the Sacrament of Matrimony.
That was two years ago and, since then, we have successfully used the Active Listening method that we mastered in the workshop to tackle difficult life problems. We have learned to break down truly complicated, emotion-laden issues into more manageable fragments. We are able to incorporate our partner’s perspective and feelings into our understanding of the issue and are more equipped to solve any situation as a unified force. In addition, we have learned to identify and name our feelings, thereby becoming more emotionally in tune with each other. Recently we used the method that we learned to discuss some disruptive behaviors our son has exhibited at school. Rather than become defensive or blame each other for his behavior, we worked together to achieve a workable solution. This Lenten season, we’d encourage all married and engaged couples looking to strengthen their relationship, and reaffirm their commitment to the Sacrament of Matrimony to discover the value of this workshop for themselves. The workshop will be held in the parish center on four consecutive Tuesdays, starting February 16, ending March 8. For more information about this workshop or future workshops, contact Jim & Ann Hoffman at 202.362.4510/202.486.8291 or
[email protected], or go online to register by February 12: www.blessedsacramentdc.org and click on the tabs Parish Ministries/Faith Formation/Communication Workshop. Article by The Communication Workshop Team
Winter/Spring 2016
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All Those First Witnesses It was a Friday, In A.D. thirty-three, In Jerusalem – A city cast in gloom.
Some said to crucify Him, But many did not condemn. In fact thousands knew, He was THE prophet Jew.
I saw it all so clearly, As did crowds around me. As sure as I write here, As witness, I was there.
It was only a few men, Who said crucify Him. It was many, many more, Who saw what He stood for.
I asked one woman friend, Tell me how it began. In detail, as she described, Each step, then paused and cried.
Artwork by Will Keating Seventh Grade
“He was in front of me, At market just recently. Only getting some old bread, Then turned to me and said.”
And then another guard, Just threw down his sword – “What have we now done, To this innocent one?”
“’Remember me on this day, And think peace as you go your way.’” He was all about love – How our hearts he would move.
He landed on his knees Weeping in broken pleas “All He did was love us, This man they called Jesus.” Artwork by Tommy Jacobs Seventh Grade
Yes, and I need to say this He put my hand on His, And looked me in the eye, Then pointed to the sky –
A young man told me this – “With His arm around his, I will tell my children’s children, Never will I forget what I have seen.”
“Salvation is now at hand Your worries will soon end, For I am here to reveal, One true God, like me, so real.”
This Jesus said it so right – “Put on love and do not fight. Love your neighbor and you’ll see, How so joyous your heart will be.” Yet many, many were so blind, Failing to see He was so kind. Another young woman cried, That so hard He lovingly tried.
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That poor Roman guard, Who nailed Him so hard. I saw guard say aloud, “Forgive me my true Lord.”
Artwork by Gavin Bond Seventh Grade
Such a remarkable story So significant in history, For truly we cannot dismiss, All those first witnesses. Written by Joe Bozik, as if he was among those persons who actually saw Jesus when he was living.
Wilson Dizard, A Benefactor of the Parish Library By Ellen Roth, Parish Librarian This year marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death; it’s also ten years since parishioner Wilson Dizard gave the library a Shakespearean collection started in his student days at Fordham University. When he died in 2009 his wife, Lynn, added a substantial number of books, films and tapes to the original gift. It’s not surprising that Wilson, a specialist in communications and public affairs, who traveled the world while at the State Department, loved and studied Shakespeare. The Bard set his plays in twelve countries including Africa and the Middle East, and there have been at least seven productions in Arabic. “Romeo and Juliet” was produced in twenty-four countries in the last ten years, while “Hamlet” has played in more than seventy-five languages. Links between Ireland and Shakespeare, one of Wilson’s gifts, is a fascinating study of legend, topography, and colorful personalities: could Shakespeare have visited Ireland with his players? People speculate about Shakespeare’s Catholic faith and roots. “Shadowplay: the Hidden Belief and Coded Politics of William Shakespeare,” by Clare Asquith, pries open allusions in the plays that clearly refer to “the Catholic underground,” the grass-roots support for Catholic doctrine in England in the face of brutal repression
Photo courtesy of Lynn Dizard
Mr Dizard specialized in public affairs and communications; his career in the State Department took him to many continents and this led to one of his earliest books “Television: A World View” in which he argued that American broadcasters should provide higher quality entertainment: “an overseas viewer would be hard put to believe that America is a leader in the lovely arts…or to understand our current struggle to build a truly democratic multiracial society.” by the monarch, Queen Elizabeth. Moreover, this book tells how Shakespeare’s family was penalized for adherence to their faith. The plays are full of biblical allusions, often not noticed by audiences, although
the Puritans of the Bard’s time tried to “remove the Bible from all contact with the secular stage.”Two of Wilson’s gifts expand on this subject. The first is “Biblical Influences in Shakespeare’s Great Tragedies”; in this ‘Shakespeare shows the universal relevance of the Bible both to the reality of human life “in this harsh world” and to its ideal in the heart of God.’ The other, “Biblical References in Shakespeare’s History Plays,” gives an overview of the Bard’s sources and how he used them in addition to explaining which translations of the Bible were familiar to him. How many words has Shakespeare added to the English language? A realistic count attributes between one and two thousand; the Renaissance period saw a huge growth in vocabulary and Shakespeare used about 20,000 words in his plays and poems. “Speak the Speech: the Shakespeare Quotation Book,” another of Wilson’s gifts, together with “Coined” by Shakespeare, will amuse and surprise you with unexpected humor and wit. In his first book, “Television: a World View” (1966) Wilson Dizard argued that America, as a “leader in the lovely arts” should strive to create more than ephemeral entertainment. His interests and generosity helped to make that wish a reality.
BSS Sets Sail for a Starlit Affair By Meg Knight The Blessed Sacrament School Annual Spring Benefit, Set Sail for a Starlit Affair, hosted by the Home and School Association is the biggest fundraiser and best party of the year. It will be held in the school gymnasium on March 12, 2016. The Spring Benefit includes a silent and live auction, dinner and dancing. The funds raised assist the school with “the extras” that tuition does not cover. This helps keep the tuition affordable for the many families that value a high quality Catholic education. Over the years, we have been able to improve school facilities, provide more student activities, fulfill teacher wish lists, provide tuition assistance to existing families that need temporary help, and implement state of the art technology. These improvements not only benefit the school families, but also those parishioners that use the school—gym improvements enhance the Gym Mass, CYO basketball, and the Special Olympics; classroom and technology improvements also benefit children in School of Religion. We strongly encourage all parishioners to attend the Spring Benefit and enjoy our wonderful community together. Tickets may be purchased at bss.maestroweb.com. Questions can be directed to
[email protected]. Winter/Spring 2016
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3630 Quesada Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20015 202.966.6575 www.blessedsacramentdc.org
