The Great Commission

Dear Friends of our Pastorate of the Visitation,

This weekend, we finally return to the celebration of Sundays in Ordinary Time as we celebrate the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our Gospel this weekend is the commissioning of the twelve apostles to go out and minister to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They are to proclaim the kingdom of God is at hand and bring God’s message of healing and freedom and peace to all they encounter. The Church today continues this mission as well by our service to the people of God throughout the world, but especially in our local community. We, too, are called forth and sent out to proclaim healing and freedom to our neighbors and invite them into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Deacon Phil will be taking over the O.C.I.A. process from Fr. John. O.C.I.A. stands for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, and it is open to anyone who would like to enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus by becoming a member of the Catholic Church. This would include anyone who has never been baptized, was baptized in a non-Catholic Church, or was even baptized Catholic but never completed the Sacraments of Initiation (Eucharist and/or Confirmation). Classes will begin in September, but if you would to begin the inquiry process now, please contact Deacon Phil at Phil.Synder@archbalt.org.

Please keep our pastorate youth and chaperones in your prayers this week as they head out for Catholic Heart Work Camp in Dover, DE. They will be working in the Dover area on service projects during the day and then spending time in prayer and reflection in the evenings. This has been a very successful program over the past few years, so thanks to Carrie and to all who have helped to organize and lead our participation in CHWC.

This Sunday is Flag Day. It was on June 14, 1777 that the Continental Congress authorized the design of the US flag. It was this “star spangled banner” that flew over Ft. McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812 that inspired Francis Scott Key to write our National Anthem. Last week, the U.S. Bishops consecrated our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in preparation for the semiquincentennial of our independence. As we prepare as a nation to celebrate our 250th Anniversary on the Fourth of July, let us pray for our country, that we may continue to live in peace and freedom.

There is still time to sign up for VBS this summer at both St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake. Vacation Bible Camp at SJF runs from July 13–17 in the evenings from 5:00pm to 8:00pm and at OLC from July 20–24 in the mornings from 9:00am to 12:00pm. I hope your children will be able to join us for either (or both!) this summer. Registration information is included in the bulletin.

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation—St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—in your daily prayers!

God Bless,
Father Steve

“Encore! Encore!”

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Encore! Encore!”

Last Sunday’s Feast of the Holy Trinity and this Sunday’s Feast of Corpus Christi the great “encore” after the big show of the Easter season—two additional Sundays of special jubilation. The Catechism #221 teaches about the Trinity: “God has revealed his innermost secret: God himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us to share in that exchange.”

Where is this innermost secret more broadcast than in the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus? What greater access do we have to this love than in every Mass and in every tabernacle where we encounter Christ who has opened His heart to us (literally having his heart pierced) that we might enter in and find life, rest, hope, peace, and joy? The Eucharist is how we share in God’s innermost secret.

The spiritual writer Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene beautifully unites the two encores of the Trinity and the Eucharist when he says, “Jesus came to us from the bosom of the Father to bring us to the Trinity; this was the purpose of the Incarnation and it is also that of the Eucharist, which prolongs the mystery of the Incarnation in time.”

Receiving, sharing in, and witnessing to this love is what we are made for. I hope that this Corpus Christi Sunday inspires in us greater love of Jesus in the Eucharist, that our hearts are open to spending more time with Him in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and that the many effects of Holy Communion and Adoration bear fruit in our lives of discipleship. Become WHO you receive!

June 7 – All are invited to the Eucharistic Procession Sunday 06/07 after the 11:30 Mass at SJF. There will be adoration after the procession until 6pm. Songs of worship at 5pm, Evening Prayer at 5:30pm, Benediction at 6pm.

June 12 – Join us for 6pm evening Mass at St. Jane Frances followed immediately by a cookout in honor of the Sacred Heart. There will be simple grilled foods and lawn games. Bring a friend!

Thank you to all our volunteers for your presence with us at Friday’s volunteer dinner. We wouldn’t be here without you! We will always take more help! And thank you to our generous staff for taking the lead making this event happen.

As has been announced, I have been assigned by our Archbishop Lori to serve as the full-time chaplain at Mount St. Joe. I am grateful to the Archbishop’s confidence in me with such an important ministry. It is also terrifying. I am eager to see what the Lord will be doing there as I serve there full-time. I am equally sorrowful to conclude my time at the Pastorate. What a gift it has been! Thank you for your prayers and support for me, for the new associate Fr. Kevin Farmer, and for our staff as we navigate this transition. No farewells yet! Know of my prayers and gratitude for you.

In Christ,
Fr. John

Most Holy Trinity

Dear Friends of our Pastorate of the Visitation,

This weekend we celebrate the great Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 234, “The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself. It is therefore the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the “hierarchy of the truths of faith.” As we say in the Creed, we believe in one God, but our one God has revealed himself to us in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By the Father’s plan, in Jesus Christ his son, through the Holy Spirit, we are invited to participate in this divine mystery and offered the opportunity “to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity” (Roman Missal). Just remember, ‘mystery’ doesn’t mean unknowable, but infinitely knowable. One can never fully “know” the Trinity, but we can every day come to know more personally the Trinitarian love God has for each and every one of us.

Our Pastorate Volunteer dinner is this Friday, June 5th, at 5:30pm at Our Lady of the Chesapeake. We look forward to welcoming you and thanking you for all that you do for our Pastorate. If you are unable to attend, please know of our gratitude for you and your service to our pastorate community.

There may still be some tickets available to join us on our bus trip to Sight and Sound Theater to see Joshua. We will be meeting at St Jane Frances at 9:00am and departing soon after for a buffet lunch at Miller’s Smorgasbord before attending the 3:00pm performance. Our plan is arrive back to St. Jane’s by 8:30pm. Tickets are $165 each and include transportation, lunch, and the show. Please contact Tracey at St. Jane’s if you have any questions or would like to check on availability of tickets.

We will be welcoming two seminarians to our pastorate this summer: Alex Sohm and Andrew Cogswell. Alex is studying at the Saint John Paul II College Seminary in Washington, DC and Andrew has just completed his Propaedeutic year at the Blessed Father Michael McGivney House of Propaedeutic Formation in Baltimore. Alex will be joining us this coming weekend and Andrew will begin next weekend. Both will be here until July and will be assisting with our Summer Mission and VBS programs as their schedules allow. Welcome Alex and Andrew!

Finally, after many years of faithful service to St. Jane Frances, Gina Bujanowski has informed me of her plans to retire. Her final day of work will be August 27th. I would like to thank Gina for her many years of serving our parish, and more recently to our pastorate. She will be missed! Thank you Gina and God bless you in retirement!

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation—St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—in your daily prayers!

God Bless,
Fr. Steve

You Have Your Mission

Dear Friends of our Pastorate of the Visitation,

This weekend, we celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost and the conclusion of the Easter Season. As we have journeyed through the Easter Season, we have been reading through the Acts of the Apostles, which recalls all of the miraculous events that occurred in the early days of the Church following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was received on that first Pentecost. This was not just a one-time event. The Holy Spirit continues to be poured out upon us, constantly renewing the face of the earth and drawing us deeper into the divine life of the Trinity (which we will celebrate next Sunday). The Holy Spirit is in us right now, prompting us to take on the apostolic mission that has been given to all of us who make up the Body of Christ. Today and every day, may we say ‘Yes’ to the Holy Spirit and allow the Spirit of God to guide our words and actions so that we too may continue the mission entrusted to the disciples on that first Pentecost… to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the whole world.

I would like to congratulate all of our parishioners who are graduating from school this year. From kindergarten to college, may the Lord bless our youth and young adults as they prepare for the next stages in their lives. This Sunday at the 10:45am Mass at OLC, we will be honoring our high school graduates who have blessed the parish with their service.

I am happy to announce that newly ordained Deacon Phil Snyder has been assigned to our pastorate! His official start date is June 1st. Please join me in officially welcoming Deacon Phil and his wife, Cathy, to our pastorate.

Attention all pastorate volunteers!!! Please take a moment and RSVP to our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner being held on Friday, June 5th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm at Our Lady of the Chesapeake in the Gathering Place. All volunteers and spouses are invited to attend. To RSVP, please call Tracey at St. Jane’s (410-255-4646). Thank you all for your service to our pastorate!

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has submitted to the court a proposed plan of Chapter 11 reorganization. As part of this proposal, our parishes may choose to enter into a simplified Chapter 11 for a short period of time later in the process. This would be a legal step intended to help bring about a just and unified resolution… and bring an end to this Chapter 11 process. This will not affect what we do. Our parish/pastorate life continues. Our Masses, ministries, staff, and service to our community remain unchanged. This is just a proposal. Mediation and conversations are ongoing, and the plan will continue to develop. We will keep you informed as we are able. Please continue to pray for all survivors and for the healing and unity of our Church.

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation—St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—in your daily prayers!

God Bless,
Fr. Steve

The Great Commission

Brothers and Sisters,

This week, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord which is when Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after Easter. It is a celebration that I think sometimes we tend to downplay or think as less significant. But it is at the Ascension when Jesus gives His final words to His disciples. So, if these are His parting words, they must have significant importance for us, right? They should form how we act and give purpose to our life. Jesus said, “go and make disciples.” This was a command from Jesus not a suggestion. This is called “The Great Commission”, not “The Great Suggestion.” It’s not an option for us. It is the very reason for the Church’s existence.

And those words were not only said to His first disciples but to each of us too. These words are the mission statement for the Church and for every disciple. This should be what we are about as a Church which is trying to create an environment of kindness and welcome and compassion and challenge in which people can meet with Jesus and make a decision to follow him. Knowing that they will be loved and supported and not judged as we all walk forward on our spiritual journey together. We have been given the responsibility of caring for one another, encouraging one another, and nurturing one another as we journey towards God as disciples. But we must be taking this responsibility seriously, so ask yourself as I ask myself often, what are we doing to encourage other people in their Catholic faith? What role are we initiating to support discipleship? Are we being that willing open vessel for the Lord to work through? People will be attracted by how we genuinely love and care for each other. Are we prepared to step out in faith and trust God to do the work through us? After all, He is the one who converts hearts, not us.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

The Secret Of Sanctity

Dear Parishioners,

Greetings in Christ! He is truly risen, truly alive! Alleluia!

Happy Mother’s Day to Mary and to our mothers, grandmothers, mother-figures and spiritual mothers!

This Sunday marks a turning point in our Easter season. We set our faces toward the great climax of the Easter Season, Pentecost, which is on May 24. Please put Pentecost on your calendar; write it in red for the Holy Spirit. It’s a big deal; it’s the birthday of the Church! Celebrate birthdays! (And speaking of which, happy birthday, Fr Steve! Thank you for all you do for us!!!)

In Sunday’s Gospel Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the first reading, we see the Holy Spirit given by God through the prayer and the laying on of hands by our first pope, St. Peter, and by his fellow bishop, St. John. In your own heart and daily prayer, I encourage you to begin to prepare yourself for Pentecost. You might find this work of spiritual guidance of Désiré Félicien François Joseph Cardinal Mercier helpful. The 20th century bishop writes: “I am going to reveal to you the secret of sanctity and happiness. Every day for five minutes control your imagination and close your eyes to all the noises of the world in order to enter into yourself. Then, in the sanctuary of your baptized soul (which is the temple of the Holy Spirit) speak to that Divine Spirit, saying to Him:

O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do; give me Your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know Your Will.

Mercier goes on: “If you do this, your life will flow along happily, serenely, and full of consolation, even in the midst of trials. Grace will be proportioned to the trial, giving you the strength to carry it and you will arrive at the Gate of Paradise, laden with merit. This submission to the Holy Spirit is the secret of sanctity.”

Holy Mass in honor of St. Dymphna, the patroness of mental health and those who care for the afflicted, will be celebrated on Friday May 15 at 8:30am at St. Jane Frances. Our St. Dymphna Mental Health Ministry extends a special invitation to parishioners of the pastorate to participate in Mass, especially during May which is Mental Health Awareness Month.

June 7 we will celebrate Corpus Christi with a Eucharistic Procession after the 11:30am Mass at St. Jane followed by an afternoon of adoration and evening benediction. All are encouraged to come!

June 12 we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart with evening Mass at St. Jane followed by a cookout and games.

We are thankful to God for the gift of Holy Orders in these weeks, especially of the ordination of Deacon Phil! Congrats to you and to your wife, Cathy. We are proud of you and thankful for you!

May Mary our Mother intercede for our Pastorate in this, her month, and as we approach the Feast of the Visitation on May 31! Like her may we have joyful haste in our love of God and neighbor!

In Christ,
Father John

I AM

Dear Friends of our Pastorate of the Visitation,

This weekend, we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Our Gospel this weekend gives us another example of the seven “I AM” statements that Jesus makes in John’s Gospel. This weekend, Jesus tells us: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Just as last weekend, Jesus told his we was the Gate for the Sheep, today he reminds us once again that we must pass through Jesus in order to enter into eternal life. The Lord desires for us to be with Him in heaven for all eternity so much so that He has prepared a place for us there. We only need to hear His voice and follow Him. How have you heard the voice of the Lord in your life? Are you able to still hear Him call you by name? May the Lord bless us with the grace to know and love and serve Him in this life so that we may dwell with Him in His heavenly kingdom.

Congratulations to everyone who received First Communion last weekend at St. Jane Frances. This weekend, we are celebrating First Communions at the 4:00pm and 10:45am Masses at Our Lady of the Chesapeake. Please continue to pray for all of our young disciples receiving Jesus for the first time in the Eucharist at our Pastorate.

This Sunday, May 3rd after the 10:00am Mass at St. Jane Frances, we will honoring our Blessed Mother with our annual May Crowning. At OLC, our May crowning will take place next Sunday, Mother’s Day, following the 10:45am Mass. The Knights of Columbus at OLC will be hosting a Mother’s Day breakfast following the 8:30am and 10:45am Masses for a nominal fee.

Our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner is scheduled for Friday, June 5th from 5:30pm until 8:00pm at Our Lady of the Chesapeake. Volunteers and their spouses are welcome to join us; however, we are asking for an RSVP so that we can plan accordingly. To RSVP, please contact Tracey at St Jane’s at 410-255-4646. Thank you to all of our volunteers who assist us at our Pastorate.

Phil Snyder, who was with us during his Deacon Pastoral Formation year, will be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate this Saturday, May 9th, at 10:00am at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. Our Archdiocesan Transitional Deacon Ordination (for men studying to become priests) will be Saturday, May 16th at 10am at the Cathedral. Both Masses should be livestreamed on the Cathedral website if you would like to watch. (You are also invited to attend in person as well.) Please keep all of these men in your prayers as they prepare for ordination over the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation—St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—in your daily prayers!

God Bless,
Fr. Steve