Sixth Sunday of Easter

~ · On this Memorial Day weekend, we remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. In the back of our Church, we have a statue of the Blessed Mother holding her dead Son, Jesus, a statue usually referred to as the Pieta. We have designated this shrine as the Altar of Mourning and Remembering Lives Lost. Each month, members of our community gather around this altar to pray for those killed by gun violence, and a book of those killed by gun violence is kept and updated regularly there. To the left of the Pieta is a plaque honoring those priests who died during their service at St. Margaret of Scotland, including our founding pastor, Fr. John J. O’Brien. To the right of the Pieta is a plaque honoring the men of the parish who gave their lives in service to our nation. Might I suggest that you visit the Pieta this weekend, praying for all those who have died, especially those who died in service to our nation? Let us pray for their souls this weekend, and ask God to keep safe all the men and women who protect and serve us. Mass on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, will be at 8:00am.  

· Some great feasts are coming up in the next few weeks as the Easter season comes to a close. Next Sunday, June 1 is the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, which celebrates both Jesus’ return to the Father at the end of his earthly life and his commission to his disciples, and us, to go out to all the world to preach the Good News. Sunday, June 8, is the Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit, the fiftieth and final day of the Easter season, the birthday of the Church. Red is the color of the day for Pentecost, a visible sign of the fire of the Holy Spirit who enlivens the Church. Wear something red to Mass the weekend of June 7-8 to show that we are a community on fire with the Holy Spirit!  Sunday, June 15 is Trinity Sunday, as we acclaim our one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. Sunday, June 22 is the feast of the Body & Blood of Christ, which is a joyful celebration of Jesus present in the Eucharist under the forms of bread and wine, a foundation of our faith. Let us celebrate and receive the Eucharist with great joy that weekend, as every weekend!  Friday, June 27 is the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which recalls Christ’s great love for us, especially shown by the shedding of his blood and dying for our sins. Since Easter was a bit later than usual this year, these feasts will take us through the end of June, then the long months of Ordinary Time will commence.  

· The Annual Catholic Appeal continues. To date, only about 12% of our parishioners have made a pledge or returned their card. We need to do better than that, St. Margaret! Your pledge card was mailed to your home after Easter, so check your mail pile and make your pledge. Or go online to the parish or Archdiocesan website to make your gift electronically. The Annual Catholic Appeal funds the ministries and charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, including Catholic schools, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, the Respect Life Apostolate, our Immigrant & Refugee Ministry housed at St. Pius V, and many others. Please give generously to the ACA!

· Finally, I am happy to share that another priest is coming to live at St. Margaret of Scotland Rectory this summer. Msgr. Mike Turek will be retired and in residence at St. Margaret of Scotland Rectory as of this coming July 1. Msgr. Turek is currently the Pastor of Christ the King Parish (and St. Rita, and St. Roch, and St. Joseph, Clayton) and will be retiring this summer after nearly 50 years of service to the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Since Msgr. Turek is retired, he will have no duties at St. Margaret of Scotland, but I’m sure he will sometimes preside at Mass, join us for parish events, and be another priest presence around St. Margaret of Scotland. Msgr. Turek is a fine priest who has been very helpful to me over the years, and I am happy to call him a friend. I’m happy to welcome him to St. Margaret of Scotland, as well!