Newark Companions Host Feast Day Gathering

Jul 15, 2016

On July 3, 2016, the Newark Companions hosted a feast day/Fourth of July gathering for the Precious Blood community from northern California. The picture is of the C.PP.S. priests and candidate who were in attendance. (Click photo for a larger version with everyone’s name)

Vietnam Mission Update – July 11, 2016

Jul 15, 2016

by Br. Daryl Charron, C.PP.S.
This past week was a busy week in the Vietnam Mission. Nhan visited all our candidates in formation in the Highlands while I taught our remaining students English at Xavier Mission House. During Nhan’s absence I asked Truc and Loi to come celebrate Eucharist at Xavier Mission House. The two of them have back to back birthdays, so we also had that to celebrate at dinner after Mass was over. We also celebrated in the presence of Ton Sison and Sr. Hung Pham displaying our two resident artists, Ky and Diep’s paintings throughout the Xavier Mission House. They both are truly talented.
20160709_103105 On the weekend, Nhan and Daryl went to the Mekong Delta to help Hung Pham with her social work ministry. She works with Mr. Duong of Ai Tam. It is a social work business that does outreach to poor children in remote areas of Vietnam to provide education. We went to a remote island called Cu Lao Dung in the Soc Trang Province to deliver books and school supplies to students in all twelve grades. Mr. Duong said he would like to learn English from me. 20160709_105947He hoped that our missionaries could work with him and Hung in the future in their outreach programs to poor children, the handicapped and elderly.

Lectionary Catechesis: OT 17C, July 24, 2016

Jul 15, 2016

Prayer organizes our readings mostly. Paul teaches us profound truths of our Baptism and subsequent life in Christ. Sometimes it seems facile just to say “I’ll pray for you.” What does that really mean? What do these readings teach us about authentic prayer and petition and praise. They really do go together.
OT 17 C Lectionary Catechesis

You're Invited!

Jul 13, 2016

DSC06636All Members and Companions are invited to celebrate the Month of the Precious Blood on Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 4:00 pm with a Prayer Service followed by ice cream social and foods at St. Francis Xavier Church in St. Joseph, at 2618 Seneca Street.  This celebration will continue the parish’s 125th Anniversary Celebration.

Who is My Neighbor?

Jul 5, 2016

by Gabino Zavala, Director of Peace & Justice Ministry
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Rembrandt-The Good Samaritan

Rembrandt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus gives us an insight into a question that is often asked: Who is my neighbor? In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus sets aside society’s expectations. It is not the social definitions such as class, religion, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity that determines who is our neighbor. A neighbor is a person who acts with compassion. What determines if I am a loving disciple of Christ and thus a neighbor to others is if I am a person who treats others with compassion.
As a country we are often given the opportunity to ask the question —Who is our neighbor? We are given the opportunity to be a compassionate and loving neighbor to others. So it is with profound sadness that we received the news on June 23 that the Supreme Court issued a 4-4 decision in U.S. v .Texas, thus denying peace of mind to millions who now are at risk of having their families torn apart due to our broken immigration system. It has been decided that they aren’t our neighbors. And yet, as a people of faith we are called to compassion and love. We are called to welcome the stranger and protect families. We are called to keep families united.
This “no decision” by the Supreme Court means that Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) families who have lived in our communities for years continue to live in fear of having their families torn apart. This had been an opportunity for our courts to give guidance to our nation. Instead it turned its back on our immigrant sisters and brothers.
As a Precious Blood family we took a corporate stance for Comprehensive Reform of the Immigration System at our Annual Assembly. One of the points of our corporate stance is to: Preserve family unity as a cornerstone for our national immigration system. This 4-4 ruling by the Supreme Court shows that our work is far from done. We need to find ways to raise our voices for comprehensive reform of our broken immigration system. One way we can all do that is by calling our members of congress to remind them, in light of this recent ruling, that the solution lies in comprehensive immigration reform.
Like the Good samaritan, may we be disciples of Christ who have the courage to live with an abundance of compassion, and see the dignity in all our neighbors.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]