We have had three consecutive weeks of significant Solemnities—Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and now the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, better known by the name of Corpus Christi which translates from the Latin as the “Body of Christ.”
Clearly this is a celebration which brings our focus on the Eucharist, which is at the absolute center of our liturgy, and at the core of our Catholic faith. We have mentioned many times that all revolves around the Eucharist when we receive the real Body and Blood of the Lord.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#1324), “The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’ The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself.”
The Eucharist should be the high point of our week, or even of our day. The author J.R.R. Tolkien (author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy), who was a devout Catholic, once stated, “The only cure for sagging or fainting faith is Communion. Though always itself, perfect and complete and inviolate, the Blessed Sacrament does not operate completely and once for all in any of us. Like the act of Faith it must be continuous and grow by exercise. Frequency is of the highest effect. Seven times a week is more nourishing than seven times at intervals.” Taken from Stewardship Bulletin Reflections
High School and College Graduates
Class of 2018 The St. Valentine community wishes to congratulate you on your graduation; and would like to recognize your accomplishment at our Noon Mass on Sunday, June 10th, 2018.
We invite you and members of your immediate family to attend the Mass; and join us afterwards, for light refreshments in the School Meeting Room.
Please R.S.V.P. to the parish office (313-532-4394) by June 6th, if you plan on attending. Include the number of people who will be joining you; and, if you would like to participate in the Mass (as either a Eucharistic Minister or Lector), let the office staff know when you call.
Summer Daily Mass Schedule Change
Monday, June 11 – Friday, August 24, 2018
Our Summer Daily Mass schedule will begin on June 11th. Please, note the change in this year’s schedule. Mass will be offered at 8:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Loretto on Tuesdays and at St. Valentine on Thursdays. Mass will be in the Church.
The host parish will offer the opportunity for fellowship immediately following the celebration of the Eucharist.
Stewardship Thoughts
Today’s Scripture readings emphasize the old and new covenants. In the Book of Exodus, Moses brings the ancient Israelites to an agreement with God through the sacrificial blood of young bulls. This action prefigures Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and the opportunity for eternal salvation. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews contrasts Old Testament sacrifices of goats and calves with the new covenant sealed in the very Blood of Christ. In St. Mark’s Gospel, the evangelist tells of Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist at our Lord’s Last Supper. This action begins the new covenant with His disciples and us — a covenant that continues today. As faithful stewards, we believe in Christ’s true presence: Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, in Holy Communion. By receiving this tremendous gift, we become what we consume, finding strength to live virtuous and holy lives. As a result, with heart-felt gratitude, we deepen our love for God and neighbor in need. Check to see when Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction are scheduled in your parish and spend some quiet time with our Lord and Savior.
Fr. Henry’s Farewell Party is June 16th after the 5 pm Mass.
Please be sure to let us know if you are attending. All ages are welcome!