st. ferdinand church may 6, 2012 fifth sunday of easter - Parafia św ...

May 6, 2012 Fifth Sunday of Easter Page ThirteenON THE NEW TRANLATION, AND THE VINE AND BRANCHESCopyright 2012 by John B. Reynolds (john@jrwrites.com)I had an email exchange just before Easter with a guy I used towork with. Now retired, James is a very spiritual man, but he’salso a bit of a hell‐raiser. In a good way, though. Like the timehe yelled at a priest for having the church locked up whenJames wanted to go inside to pray. Anyway, he sent me anemail prior to the Great Sunday to wish my family and me wellas we celebrated the risen Christ. Knowing that James wouldunderstand, I emailed back, “And with your spirit.” He respondedin turn that he’d spent the last fifty years learning theprayers of the Mass and he didn’t know if he’d ever get the newwords right. Can I get a witness?It’s been months now since the new translation, but Istill have a way to go. Especially when I put the missalettedown. In truth, I don’t like using it because it takes my attentionaway from the altar, but I haven’t committed all of the newwords to memory yet, and I get in trouble without those wordsright in front of me. I’ve thanked my choir director more thanonce for helping me keep on target, especially with the “andalso with you” / “and with your spirit” transition. Marie was allover this one from the get‐go, and I think I’ve finally nailed it,too. The “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you” / “Lord, I am notworthy that you should enter under my roof” transition? Not somuch.Another transition I struggle with is the verbiage shiftin the Creed. Most people I know have had issues with the “onein being with the Father” / “consubstantial with the Father”transition. Also with the “he was born of the Virgin Mary” /“was incarnate of the Virgin Mary” shift. For me, these havebeen non‐problematic, probably because the changes are sopronounced that they stuck with me early on. No, the part stilltripping me up is the “We believe” / “I believe” change. Oldhabits die hard, certainly, but also, I just didn’t embrace thisparticular verbiage itself. I like being part of the community ofbelievers. I like being part of the universal‐‐the Catholic‐‐we.Per Paul Turner in Understanding the Revised MassTexts regarding this, “The Creed is still the faith of the entireChurch, but each of us proclaim it to assert our personal faithtogether with other believers…” OK. I’m getting it now. So weare the Church, true, but each one of us is elemental‐‐and integral‐‐tothe Church’s mission of building up the Kingdom. Similarly,I guess, when Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel, “I am thevine, you are the branches,” he is directing the “you” at all of uscollectively, yes, but he is more specifically directing it at eachof us‐‐you, me, James‐‐one disciple at a time. Before all of uscan be in Christ collectively, after all, each of us must be inChrist individually. Hence, Jesus is the vine and I am a branch,and you are a branch, and my friend James is a branch, andtogether, along with everyone else who says “I believe,” we areWe, bearing fruit‐‐on our best days, anyway‐‐for the good ofthe Kingdom. With James as my witness. Amen.Support StaffMrs. Dorota Gołda, Parish SecretarySr. Bernadetta Gościniak, Administrative AssistantMs. Elizabeth Ceisel-Mikowska, Bulletin EditorLiturgicalMrs. Betty Hotcaveg, Lector CoordinatorDeacon Irv Hotcaveg, Coordinator of Eucharistic Ministers &Ministers of CareMs. Jane Lohrmann, Homebound Ministers of Care SchedulerParish CouncilMrs. Sophie Kass—President, Mrs. Mary Bucaro, Mr. Stan Mastalerz,Mr. Antonio Supan, Violet Del Vecchio, Tony Mangiaracina, HerbertMarros, Elzbieta Kata, Jan Bobek, and Rob Heidelbauer .ExOfficio Members: Dr. Lucine Mastalerz , Sr. Anna StrycharzParish Finance CommitteeMr. Tom Bucaro-Chairperson, Fr. Jason Torba, Mrs. Mary Ann Barnhart,Mr. Gene Szaben, ExOfficio Members: Mr. Martin Wojtulewicz-Parish Accountant, Sr. Bernadetta Gościniak, Dr. Lucine MastalerzParish Organizations and Prayer GroupsBoy Scout: Mr. Vince Clemente, CoordinatorFish Fry: Mrs. Pat Wenzl, CoordinatorFriendship Club: Mrs. Patricia Flynn, PresidentGirl Scout: Mrs. Joyce McGinniss, CoordinatorKnights of Columbus—Mater Christi Council:Mr. Tom Young, Grand KnightKnights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary: Jenny HartnettLadies of St. Anne: Mrs. Violet DelVecchio, PresidentSt. Ferdinand ParishLegion of Mary: Mr. Thomas Sobczak & Miss Aurora Almeida,Co-PresidentsLegion of Mary, Juniors: Mrs. Emma Camara, PresidentIrving Park Catholic Woman’s Club: Mrs. Dolores SchoeweMarket Day: Mrs. Connie Glorioso, CoordinatorPolish Altar Servers — Fr. Michael Rosa, ModeratorEnglish Altar Servers: Fr. Robert Pajor, ModeratorPolish Club of the Good Shepherd: Mr. Andrzej Parada, PresidentPolish Rosary Group: Mrs. Helena Lesak, PresidentPolish Saturday School: Sr. Genowefa Potaczała, DirectorPolish School Parents’ Assn.: Mrs. Władysława Mitoraj, Pres.Radość: Miss Marzena Kulesza, Music TeacherKropeczki: Sr. Anna StrycharzZawaternik: Bernadetta i Jan BobekSt. Ferdinand Athletic: Mrs. Linda WardSt. Ferdinand Polish Highlanders Club:Mr. Tadeusz Kulasik, PresidentSt. Ferdinand School Board:Mrs. Mary Ann Barnhart, ChairpersonSt. Vincent DePaul Society: Mr. Stanley Mastalerz, PresidentTeens of Our Church (TORCH):Fr. Michael Rosa—Youth MinisterThe “Faustinum” Association of Apostles of the Divine Mercy:Fr. Jason Torba, ModeratorUshers Club: Mr. Peter Holod, PresidentPro-Life Coordinators: Tony Mangiaracina, Helena LasakChapel Choir – Conductor Julie Kania 773-742-2611Word of Life — Dito Camara 773-344-8514Holy Spirit Missionary Association: Sr. Elwira DziukNotre Dame Athletics: Mr. Nicholas MarzecNotre Dame Board of Directors: Mrs. Dia Weil, Chairperson