S a i n t A n n - Celebrations of Eucharist

FR. LOU’S REFLECTION
“In war, it’s always the children”
“Little child,
dry your crying eyes
you were born into this evil world
where man is killing man
and no one knows why…”
When the Children Cry by White Lion, 1987
Jesus was very adamant against any disciple
who would lead or cause “these little ones”
to sin.”
How many times have we seen pictures
in our newspapers,
in our magazines
on our TV screens
where little ones, just kids,
are carrying automatic weapons
ready for kill,
to kill?
What happened in the Houla region of Syria
should cause all of us to cry bloody murder.
108 victims were massacred,
most of them children.
Syria has been crumpling from civil unrest,
war if you want,
because a dictator doesn’t want to quit.
This scene of children
dying in grown-up wars
is just too despicable to even contemplate---
but this author must.
Children are always in the firing range,
as well as mothers and women,
the aged and the crippled
when it comes to war.
Dead children line the roads by the scores
in the Mexican drug war;
in Somali Civil war, many thousands
are buried without their names known;
in Iraq, where internal bitterness continues, and
death by bombing seems to be the weapon of choice;
in Colombia, armed conflict has taken the lives of
some 200,000 in the past fifty years…
And even in our own America,
teens killing teens seems to be an every
night occurrence in the slums of our cities.
But someone had to start it,
be it with hate and envy,
with the cause of nationalism,
with money, drugs, sex---
and nothing would be complete without
the weapons.
Someone is making out
while wars are fought
and our children,
God’s children are paying the price.
copyright, 2012, Lou Ruoff
Pastoral Care
Please Keep in Prayer
Shirley Blotkamp, Cameron Grizzle, Jessica & Taylor Fee,
Kathy Follo, Tom Keesler, Gina Kerr, Corrine Kirkland,
Joan Light, John Medeiros, Maureen O’Brien, Nicholas
Olanick, Teddy Robbins, Marion Savoca, Heather Scott,
Marge Wilusz
PASS IT ON—Thank you to all who were involved with
Pass It On this spring! We opened our doors Saturday
morning, May 12th, with a hall full of organized donations,
ready to serve over 620 children in need (over 280
Families attended). Every volunteer and donor played a
big part in making this a reality. We thank you for all the
clothes & supplies donated, the food provided for the
volunteers, the hours dedicated to planning, moving, organizing
and sorting the donations and serving those in
need. Thank you for a making a difference in the world!
EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE MINISTRY – St. Ann parish
has an ongoing committee dedicated to helping those
within the parish that are seeking employment. If you are
in need of this service, please contact Sr. Ann or Fr. Lou
at 526-2548. If you wish to volunteer for this ministry or
are aware of a job opportunity, please contact Tom
Sokol, 530-0408.
MINISTRY TO THE SICK – Our Eucharistic outreach
ministers look forward to bringing God’s word, the Eucharist
and the love of the community to all those who are ill.
If we can be of service to you or a member of your family,
please call Sr. Ann, 526-2548, Cathy Laskowski, 748-
0527, or Mary Lou Sapko, 526-8534.
HOSPITAL VISITATION REMINDER – If you or a family
member are in the hospital and would like to be visited,
please call the church office (526-2548) and inform Fr.
Lou and/or Sister Ann. We have no other way of knowing
that there is someone in the hospital who would like
to be visited. Thank you.
HAVE YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER BEEN DIAG-
NOSED WITH CANCER? Has your world been turned
upside down and you don’t know where to get accurate
information? Lance Armstrong’s organization has written
a Livestrong Guidebook and a Guidebook Planner and
Journal “to help you not only live, but live life on your
terms”. It takes you from the diagnosis to your treatment
to your aftercare. The book contains 26 pages of resource
information. The response from many cancer
patients has been “I wish I had those books” when I was
first diagnosed. The books may be obtained from Sister
Ann for a small fee of $2.50. If you find these books are
not helpful to you or your family please return them to
Sister Ann and she will refund your money.