Parish Staff Nancy Caro Sacristan Laura Bell Head of School 703-759-4129 Maggie Radzik Head of Pedagogy 703-759-4129 Anson Groves Dir of Catholic Youth Org 703-759-3530 Anson Groves Dir. of Religious Ed. 703-759-3530 Sharon O'Donnell Religious Ed Secretary 703-759-3530 Rick Webb Gen. Mgr. Financial Dir 703-759-4350 Dr. Kimberly Hess Director of Music 703-759-4350 Judy Wood Parish Secretary 703-759-4350 Jackie Fox Bulletin Editor 703-759-4350 Guillermo DeLeon Director of Facilities 703-638-4301 Email address deleonscs@gmail.com Emiro Soto Maintenance Rosa Hernandez Support Staff Stephen Dolenc Web Master stephendolenc @gmail.com Mass Intentions Sunday, May 30 8:00 a.m. Chris Connaughton V 10:00 a.m. Pro Populo 12:00 noon Bryan Cox Monday, May 31 9:00 a.m. Donald Lee V Tuesday, May 25 9:00 a.m. Eibhlin Butler Wednesday, June 1 9:00 a.m. Brian O'Connell Thursday, June 2 9:00 a.m. Connie Mingrone V Friday, June 3 9:00 a.m. Tom Mohawk V Saturday, June 4 9:00 a.m. Gary Hale 5:30 p.m. Joan Mattingly Dean V READINGS AND CELEBRATIONS FOR THE WEEK Sunday, The Most Holy Trinity Prv 8: 22-31, Ps 8, Rom 5: 1-5, Jn 16: 12-15 Monday, Weekday in Ordinary Time Zep 3: 14-18a, (Ps) Is 12, Lk 1: 39-56 Tuesday, Weekday in Ordinary Time 2 Pt 3: 12-15a, 17-18, Ps 90, Mk 12: 13-17 Wednesday, Weekday in Ordinary Time 2 Tm 1: 1-3, 6-12, Ps 123, Mk 12: 18-27 Thursday, Weekday in Ordinary Time 2 Tm 2: 8-15, Ps 25, Mk 12: 28-34 Friday, First Friday 2 Tm 3: 10-17, Ps 119, Mk 12: 35-37 Saturday, First Saturday 2 Tm 4: 1-8, Ps 71, Mk 12: 38-44 Parish Stewardship Thank you for your generous offerings of May 22/23. The regular collection brought in $11,105 and the Poor Box yielded $313. Please note: The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, May 31st in observance of Memorial Day. A Word From Father Drummond There are three different Associations of the Knights of Malta in the United States. In the North East, there is the American Association, the oldest of the three. The South East is covered by the Federal Association; the Mid-West and Western states by the Western Association. I was part of the pilgrimage made by the Federal Association. The Federal Association chartered a plane from North America which flew us directly to the Lourdes-Tarbes Airport in France, about 1/2 hour outside of Lourdes. There were about 260 people in our group, of which roughly one-third were "malades" and their companions. (The whole point of the pilgrimage is to bring the "malades" or sick people to Lourdes to experience the graces there.) The rest of the group consisted of Knights and Dames of Malta (in some cases married couples) as well as volunteers and a number of priests including Bishop Curlin, a retired Bishop from Baltimore. The flight over had a very festive atmosphere, almost like a big party. Arriving early in the morning at Lourdes, we were met by an advance team of Knights and Dames who offered us cups of Lourdes water before ushering us onto the buses which were waiting to take us to our hotel in Lourdes, just outside the religious "Domaine". Our first activity was Mass that afternoon at the Rosary or Lower Basilica in the Domaine. All of the United States Associations were there for Mass including a number of Bishops and at least thirty priests. The next day we were offered the opportunity to go to the baths. The malades and their companions were taken in first. Later we had Mass at the Church of St. Bernadette during which the malades received the Annointing of the Sick, and that evening we took part in the Evening Rosary Procession. Imagine thousands of people of all different nationalities praying the Rosary together. The prayers were led in seven different languages with everyone responding in his own language. The next morning we had Mass at the Grotto where St. Bernadette had her visions of the Blessed Virgin. I had the great honor to be standing right where the miraculous spring was gushing out of the rock. The privilege of concelebrating Mass with such a large number of priests at that holy place where the Mother of our Lord had appeared was very moving. On Sunday the entire Order celebrated Mass at the underground Basilica of St. Pius X. This very ugly building is quite large so as to accommodate crowds which number in the thousands, and indeed there were 30,000 people at this Mass, including at least 20 Bishops and about 200 priests. Here, as at the Evening Rosary, we had a procession with the Blessed Sacrament with all the "malades" wheeled in seated in rickshaw-like contraptions to the very front. Monday morning we had Mass at the parish church of St. Bernadette, after which a visit was made to the impoverished childhood home of St. Bernadette, a stark and dreary place. Throughout the pilgrimage and all of its activities, the malades were the center of attention - it was for them that all of this was taking place. Although the Knights, Dames and volunteers chummed around and had a good time, they never lost sight of the reason they were there. Among the malades were a number of children, and they touched me particularly. There was a small three year old girl whose head was covered in a bandana hiding the fact that she had had two or three brain surgeries. She was cheerful and talkative and charmed everyone. There was an eleven year old girl with cystic fibrosis, who except for tiring easily and sometimes wheezing, was a typical eleven year old girl and I was especially touched by her and her mother and will continue to hold them in my prayers. Taking all our meals together and participating in so many activities together fostered a real sense of community. I don't know that any of the malades experienced a miraculous healing; I hope so and I do know that people have experienced miraculous healings in previous pilgrimages. What I think, however, is that more importantly we all experienced in a special way that miraculous Love that our Lord offers us through His Blessed Mother and in so doing we got a peek at Heaven. Pray for the Sick and Homebound of our Parish Joshua Basile, Dianne Burrell, Tom Case, Bernadette Choo, Bernadette Hong Choo, Catherine Choo, Jonathan Choo, Bryan Cox, Dona Curry, Flora DeLeon, Betsabe deSoto, Marjorie Dolak, Eileen Drennan, Christa Drummond, Marilyn Flynn, Gerald Green, Brian Hack, Ed Kondracki, John Larounis, Carol McCarty, Susan McQuade, Peter Michalski, John Spencer, K.L. Sypal, Chick Wilson, Jan Wouters, Anthony Yantiss Pray for Those Who have Fallen Asleep in Christ James Anthony, Maryann Barron, Philip Calanchini, Joe Cassella, Peter Choo, John Connor, Moira Connor, Bill Corr, Jean Driggers, Br. David Eddy, George Gibson, Bill Hale, Carol Jones, Mary Elizabeth Jones, Joan Keller, Rector Craig Merkel, Gloria Ross Pray for our Armed Forces Personnel Patrick Bouchoux, Jordan Bowren, Brendan Dunne, Mark Falcon, Christopher Frediani, Michael Holtz, Brian Horn, Kathleen Mahoney, Josh Moore, Matthew O'Neil, Mathew Rowell, Justin Smallwood Daily Rosary The Rosary, a "summary of the Gospel", is a wonderful way to have daily contact with Mary, the Mother of the Lord. Visit www.theholyrosary.org to learn how to pray the Holy Rosary. The Blessed Sacrament THIS IS MY BODY - THIS IS MY BLOOD Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Hour A Holy Hour is simply an hour set-aside totally for the Lord; an hour consecrated to God. It is a time to recollect our mind, heart and spirit in order to focus them on God and more specifically our Eucharistic Lord. The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith, and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease. 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration begins after the 9:00 a.m. Mass on Wednesday and ends with reposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:55 a.m. on Thursday. 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration also begins after the 9:00 a.m. Mass on every First Friday of the month and ends with reposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:55 a.m. on Saturday. Holy Hour is every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. An Open Invitation From the Lord - We Need You! Adoration has two openings that need to be filled immediately: one from 11:00 a.m. - Noon and one from 11: p.m. - 12:00 a.m. on Wednesdays. In addition, most of the hours of First Fridays have only one adorer. We would like at least two people. If you have considered attending adoration, consider this God's personal invitation. If you cannot commit to an hour every week, share the time with friends or family. For question and/or to sign up please contact Diane Cieslak 703-678- 3919. Communion and Blessings A very common liturgical abuse of our times happens during the reception of Holy Communion when persons who cannot receive Communion nevertheless line up with their arms crossed over their chest, as a "message" to the priest that they want a blessing instead of Communion. This is liturgically incorrect on a number of levels. First and foremost, the time for Communion is the time for Communion. The Communion line is not, and should not be, the blessing line. Secondly, the liturgical actions of the priest during Mass are highly regulated, and quite specific of what to do and when to do it. The actions of a good liturgist may seem spontaneous, but they are not and should not be. Unfortunately, owing to the confused time in which we live, some people are instructed to present themselves, arms crossed, before the priest at Communion time for a blessing. To make things even more confused, some people present themselves with crossed arms as a sign that they wish to receive on the tongue! Children who have not yet made their first Communion may come up with their parents who are receiving, but should not present themselves individually for a blessing. Others, who cannot receive, for whatever reason, should remain seated. The proper time for the blessing follows the prayer after Communion, which blessing all receive together. The Saint Catherine of Siena Choir Presents The Second Annual Benefit Concert Performing Mozart's Vespers (K.339) In addition, the choir will perform his offertory, Benedictus sit Deus (K. 117) and soprano, Danielle Talamantes will sing his solo motet, Exsultate Jubilate (K. 165). Organist, Kimberly Hess, and members of the United States Army Strings will play several of his church sonatas! Wednesday evening, June 2nd at 7:30 p.m. St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church Tickets will be available in the Narthex for a suggested donation of: Adults: $25.00 - Children: $15.00 Order forms will also be available to pre-order CDs of the concert for a donation of $25.00. Please help us to keep the music program at St. Catherine's a thing of beauty and one which enhances the liturgy and worship of God in an all-worthy and magnificent fashion. Proceeds benefit the Parish Music Program For further information, call 703.759-4350 Siena Academy News Mission Statement Siena Academy is the parish school at St. Catherine of Siena. Its mission is to give glory to God and to assist parents in the role as primary educators of their children by offering specially prepared environments founded upon the principles and discoveries made by Dr. Maria Montessori in regard to the unique spiritual and developmental needs of the child from birth to adulthood. Open Registration Siena Academy is now accepting applications for new students for the 2010-2011 school years. Our Toddler Program is for children ages 18 months to 3 years of age. Our Children's House environment is for children ages 3-6 years old. Our Elementary environment is for children ages 6-12. For more information, please call the Siena Academy office at 703-759-4129. Siena Academy Presents "As You Like It" On Friday, June 4th at 7:30 p.m., in Bishop Justs Hall the Elementary children of Siena Academy will perform Shakespeare's play "As You Like It." All are welcome, and admission is free. Refreshments will be available for a suggested donation to benefit the Montessori United Nations trip for our sixth year students next year. The Women's Association News All women of the parish are cordially invited to join and participate in our monthly activities and fellowship. We have great camaraderie and encourage you to come and be a part of our community. The Women's Association is looking for new members to enjoy the company of like-minded women by serving St. Catherine's of Siena Church in various ways. So, give it some thought and if you are interested in a break from your everyday routine or would like more information please contact Lynn at lhanlon@cox.net. The Padre Pio Council of the Knights of Columbus holds their Business Meetings every first Tuesday and their Social Meetings on every 3rd Tuesday of the month. Membership is open to all Catholic men 18 years or older. Please join us in serving Fr. Drummond and the St. Catherine of Siena Parish. For further information contact Grand Knight, Kevin Trissell at 703-789-4639 or trissellkofc@verizon.net. Office of Religious Education Please Note: The Office of Religious Education is closed on Thursdays and Fridays. Email the office at reoffice@SaintCatherinesChurch.org for any information. Catechist Corner Confraternity of Christian Doctrine CCD Class Calendar September 8,15,22,29 Final Confirmation classes October TBA Confirmation Catholic Youth Organization Please see the CYO bulletin board for all upcoming events Senior CYO - 8th - 12th grades Meetings on the first Sunday of the month 6-8 p.m. Junior CYO - 4th - 7th grades Meetings on the first Friday of the month 6-8 p.m. We Need Your Help! The Week of Graces is scheduled for the week of July 12th. Children between the ages of 5-11 are welcome to participate. We are in need of volunteers to: ? People to purchase, assemble and make crafts before July 12th. ? People (adults & teenagers) to teach in the classrooms ? Someone in charge of purchasing and snacks daily If you can help, please call the Office of Religious Education at 703-759-3530. Adult Bible Study March 24 - May 26 The Apocalypse of St. John the Divine - Wednesday mornings from 10:00 - 11:00 am Join us as we study the last book of the Holy Bible, the mysterious and poetic book of Revelation. Through this Bible study, you will become familiar and comfortable with a book that confuses and frightens many. You will learn more about the Mass. You will learn more about the Holy Spirit and His Holy Church. You will learn about God's messengers to us, and His Holy Angels. And you will learn about the great Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary. Above all, you will learn more about Jesus Christ and the heavenly palace that awaits us. "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth . . . God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more." Book Corner News For Catholics, confession is a most important part of our faith and our lives. But some of still might have some questions about confession. In Russell Shaw's book, Why We Need Confession, we learn that the fallen nature of man and tendency toward sin is a reality that has lost credibility of late. But for John Henry Cardinal Newman "Original sin became to me almost as certain as that the world exists, as the existence of God." Far from being the breaking of arbitrary and external laws, the author shows us that sin damages not only our relationship with God, but affects the deep bonds of charity and grace linking us with others. Because of this, sin prevents us from developing our full humanity and living as true daughters and sons of God. Only through the sacrament of reconciliation can one retain the harmony of life and grace lost by sin. For happiness can be found solely in the struggle against sin. The rewards of true repentance and sorrow are life, but, as St. Paul tells us, "the wages of sin are death." Why We Need Confession is available on the bookshelf for $9.00. Over 50 Club u September 8 -9 Atlantic City overnight staying at the Tropicana Casino. Buffet dinner, breakfast and a bonus package, plus a show if one is scheduled. The 9th is the Resorts Casino with another bonus. The date might be changed to fit the show schedule. $149/dbl - 199/single. u September 11 - The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre in Lancaster. Show is GEORGE M. with wonderful music and a professional cast. $98. u September 20-24 Fall Foliage Rocking Horse Ranch in the Catskill Mountains. This trip will include: Atlantic City welcome party, a full schedule of activities during the day, evening entertainment, side-trips, shopping, a tour of Cape May, and a trip to the Historic Smithville Village. Everything is on one floor. All meals are included in this excellent package $329/dbl. u September 27-39 Wildwood Seafood Feast will includes 3 nights accommodations, 3 full breakfasts and dinners that include a deluxe seafood buffet with an assortment of seafood and roast beef, a trip to Cape May, one day at the Tropicana Casino with bonus package, a visit to the Smithville Village and Washington Street Mall and more.$329. u October 3 - Riverside Theatre in Fredericksburg. This is a beautiful theatre. The show is CHICAGO. A sit-down luncheon is included. $89. u October 16 - 20 Cruise to Bermuda - Leaving from the Baltimore Harbor, on The Enchantment of the Sea. Motor coach from St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church. Only a few openings left. Range: $837.50 - $1,117.30. Membership in the Club is not required to travel with us! Please call the following for more information and/or registration. Mary Ann at 703-404-8677 or Connie at 703-759-2939. The Concept of the Most Holy Trinity The Relationship between the Three Persons in One God Some doctrines perplex us more than others. ? The Most Holy Trinity ? The Virginal Birth (Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the conception and birth of her Son, Jesus) ? Creation ex nihilo (the creation by God of something out of nothing) We assent to these dogmas, (a formally revealed truth) although they remain mysteries, that is to say, they exceed the capacity of reason, while not conflicting with it. No logical contradiction can be adduced to discredit them; they simply lie beyond the province of our natural experience, and the limitations inherent in reason (and reason has limitations: we need only ponder the concepts of infinity, infinite divisibility, and eternity to name a few). Among these dogmas, or revealed truths, however, none quite so perplexes us as the notion of the Most Holy Trinity. That in and of itself it remains a profound mystery is profoundly true. However, because it pertains to the most central aspect of our faith as Catholics and Christians, inasmuch as it pertains to the Person and nature of God, we attempt to apprehend it in some measure, for only in knowing something, in knowing of its nature, can we begin to love it. We do not love what we do not know and our knowing defectively or insufficiently results in our loving defectively or deficiently. We wish to know God. We wish to know Him well. In fact, we are convinced --- and rightly so --- that the more we know about God, the more we will find to love in Him, and the more we love, the greater our own felicity ... especially when that love is requited. Too often, in the minds of Christians, God is reduced to the Father: conceived as an elderly, avuncular figure with a great white beard Who is rather stern and quite distant; one Who is really very little involved in the trivial affairs of men, and so sent His Son instead, and the Son, of course, is less than the Father. What is more, the Son is more compassionate than this remote and rather irascible figure that more resembles Aristotle's Unmoved Mover, than a Father. We like Jesus --- although we fear His Father. In fact, for so many, Christian's and pagan's alike, Jesus was merely a man, perhaps a wise man, maybe even a prophet of sorts --- but not more. Well ... maybe ... but we are not quite sure how. The Holy Spirit ? This faceless Spirit, whatever its nature, clearly cannot be that of a person, although He nevertheless figures largely in this mysterious narrative. Quite a conundrum. St. Augustine literally wrote volumes on the subject (De Trinitate), as did St. Thomas Aquinas and many, many, other great and learned Saints. Even the most modest compendium using the utmost concision will, very likely, avail you little in the way of understanding the most fundamental features of this doctrine, this profound mystery --- and in failing to yield understanding in whatever measure, consequently failing to motivate love for that which is not understood. Perhaps, then, as it is said, "a picture (in this case a diagram) is worth a thousand words". So, for the sake of all for the children, and the rest of us as well, we present a picture --- in the absence of words. Our motivation is simple: if you do not know God, how can you love Him? O Most Holy Trinity, Almighty God, We adore You, Who gives life and vigor to every creature and Who shed light eternal where there is darkness. We offer You our hearts, our souls, and our whole being today and on the days to come, that we may offer perfect praise and love to Your glorious Name. O Father, Almighty, We thank You wholeheartedly for all the blessings and graces You have so generously given us. Amen. O Merciful Christ Jesus, Wash away our sins with Your most precious blood. Feel the beating of our hearts, and make them like Your own. Dear Jesus, wipes away our tears, and pardons us for our sinfulness. Be with us, O Lord, until our dying day, that we may be worthy of Your mercy and forgiveness. Amen. O Holy Spirit, Our guide and inspiration, lead us to the right path on our way. When encounter difficulties and trails do not allow us to fall or lose hope. Grant us the graces we need daily, that we may also share our blessings with our fellowmen. And when the time comes, O Holy Spirit, lead us to the place that is secure, full of joy and eternal peace. Amen.