October 18, 2020

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Blessings in Jesus,Blessings in Jesus,Blessings in Jesus,Blessings in Jesus, Fr. David R. Wagner, Pastor

Fr. Rafal A. Duda, Parochial Vicar

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Then they handed him the Roman coin. He

said to them, “Whose image is this and whose

inscription? They replied, “Caesar’s.”

At that he said to them, “Then repay to

Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God

what belongs to God.”

Matthew 22: 20-21

MESSAGE FROM FR . DAVID

Loving God and Loving Your Neighbor—Part 2

Jesus’ answer to the Pharisee lawyer is a summary or condensing of the Law so that its very essence is made clear. All of the Law is really one Law: to love God with all you’ve got. The problem is, how do we do that? How does one love God with every fiber of one’s being? We can’t put our arms around him and give him a hug. We can’t buy him a present – God literally already has everything. He’s got the whole world in his hands! In other Gospels, Jesus seems to make loving God even harder to achieve. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Whoever has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.” So now it seems that to love God means to keep His commandments. But what exactly are His commandments? Aren’t these the same as the Law? And if the Law is summed up by the commandment that we are to love God with everything we’ve got, then aren’t we caught in some kind of circular argument? If we love the Lord, we’ll keep His commandments and his commandment is that we love Him. How are we to understand? It is the second commandment of Jesus’ commandments that provides the key. We show our love for God by loving each other. Again in John’s Gospel Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” By loving our neighbors as ourselves, we are keeping God’s commandments and the law. Paul echoes this in his letter to the Romans when he says, “Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” So there is our answer, to love God and keep His commandments all we need to do is to love our neighbors as ourselves. What could be more clear and simple than that? Except that we seem to continuously fail to do it. We fail to do so every day. Each time we come to Church and we make our confession we say, “We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.” Moments ago it seemed we were getting somewhere. Now this. We know that we are to love God with all we’ve got and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. And we know that we fail on both counts. Is it even possible for us to keep these two commandments perfectly? What is to become of us? What would the Lord have us do under these circumstances? For one thing, we are to believe in Jesus Christ. In John’s Gospel the disciples ask Jesus what they must do in order to be doing the work of God and Jesus tells them, “this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” A great part of keeping the Lord’s commandments and loving him with all we’ve got and loving our neighbors as ourselves begins with believing in Jesus Christ. If we’re not doing that, the rest surely isn’t going to follow. If we believe that Jesus is God’s Son, and that He came to save us from our sins through His atoning death on the Cross, and that God raised Him from the dead on the third day, we are doing the work God would have us do. In so doing we are set or poised to keep His commandments.

To be continued . . .Blessings In Jesus, Fr. DavidBlessings In Jesus, Fr. DavidBlessings In Jesus, Fr. DavidBlessings In Jesus, Fr. David

Amar a Dios y amar a tu prójimo — 2ª Parte

La respuesta de Jesús al abogado Fariseo es un resumen o una condensación de la Ley para aclarar su esencia. Todo mandamiento es realmente una Ley: amar a Dios con todo lo que tienes. El problema es, ¿cómo lo hacemos? ¿Cómo podremos amar a Dios con cada fibra de nuestro ser? No podemos rodearlo con nuestros brazos y darle un abrazo. No podemos comprarle un regalo: Dios, literalmente, ya lo tiene todo. ¡Tiene el mundo entero en sus manos! En otros Evangelios, Jesús parece hacer que amar a Dios sea aún más difícil de lograrlo. En el Evangelio de San Juan, Jesús dice: “Si me amas, guardarás mis mandamientos. El que tiene mis mandamientos y los guarda, ése es el que me ama; y el que me ama, será amado por mi Padre, y yo lo amaré y me manifestaré a él”. Entonces ahora parece que amar a Dios significa guardar sus mandamientos. Pero, ¿cuáles son exactamente sus mandamientos? ¿No son estos lo mismo que la ley? Y si la Ley se resume en el mandamiento de que debemos amar a Dios con todo lo que tenemos, ¿no estamos atrapados en algún tipo de argumento circular? Si amamos al Señor, guardaremos Sus mandamientos y su mandamiento es que lo amemos. ¿Cómo vamos a entender? Es el segundo mandato de los mandamientos de Jesús nos proporciona la clave. Demostramos nuestro amor por Dios amándonos unos a otros. Nuevamente, en el Evangelio de San Juan, Jesús dice: “Un mandamiento nuevo les doy: que se amen unos a otros; así como yo los he amado, que también se amen unos a otros. En esto todos sabrán que son mis discípulos, si se aman los unos a los otros". Al amar a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos, guardamos los mandamientos de Dios y la Ley. San Pablo hace eco de esto en su Carta a los Romanos cuando dice: "No debáis a nadie nada, sino amaros unos a otros; porque el que ama a su prójimo, ha cumplido la ley". Entonces, ahí está nuestra respuesta, amar a Dios y guardar Sus mandamientos, todo lo que tenemos que hacer es amar a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos. ¿Qué podría ser más claro y simple que eso? Excepto que parece que continuamente fallamos en hacerlo. No lo hacemos todos los días. Cada vez que venimos a la Iglesia y hacemos nuestra confesión, decimos: “No te hemos amado con todo nuestro corazón; no hemos amado a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos". Hace unos momentos parecía que estábamos llegando a alguna parte. Ahora esto. Sabemos que debemos amar a Dios con todo lo que tenemos y debemos amar a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos. Y sabemos que fallamos en ambos aspectos. ¿Es posible que guardemos estos dos mandamientos a la perfección? ¿Qué será de nosotros? ¿Qué quiere el Señor que hagamos en estas circunstancias? Por un lado, debemos creer en Jesucristo. En el Evangelio de San Juan, los discípulos le preguntan a Jesús qué deben hacer para estar haciendo la obra de Dios y Jesús les dice: "esta es la obra de Dios: que crean en el que Él ha enviado". Una gran parte de guardar los mandamientos del Señor y amarlo con todo lo que tenemos y amar a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos comienza con creer en Jesucristo. Si no hacemos eso, el resto seguramente no sucederá. Si creemos que Jesús es el Hijo de Dios, y que vino a salvarnos de nuestros pecados mediante Su muerte expiatoria en la Cruz, y que Dios lo resucitó de entre los muertos al tercer día, estamos haciendo la obra que Dios quiere que hagamos. Al hacerlo, estamos listos o preparados para guardar Sus mandamientos.

Continuará . . .¡Bendiciones En Jesús! Padre David¡Bendiciones En Jesús! Padre David¡Bendiciones En Jesús! Padre David¡Bendiciones En Jesús! Padre David

Sunday, October 18, 2020—29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 45:1, 4-6, 1 Thes 1:1-5b, Mt 22:15-21 (145) World Mission Sunday 7:45am (Fr. David) †Adolfo Lopez

9:15 am (Fr. David) †Ursula & Pedro Moreno

11:00am (Fr. Rafal) †Ellie Trigo

5:00 pm (Fr. Rafal) People of the Parish Monday, October 19, 2020-Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests and Companions, Martyrs Eph 2:1-10/Lk 12:13-21(473)

12:00 pm (Fr. David) †Lilia Castillo Tuesday, October 20, 2020-Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest Eph 2:12-22, Lk 12:35-38(474)

7:00 am (Fr. Rafal) †Lorenzo Lopez Wednesday, October 21, 2020 Eph 3:2-12, Lk 12:39-48(475)

12:00 pm (Fr. David) †David Villanueva Thursday, October 22, 2020-Saint John Paul II, Pope Eph 3:14-21, Lk 12:49-53(476)

12:00 pm (Fr. Rafal) †C.J. & Rosemary Dombeck Friday, October 23, 2020-Saint John of Capistrano, Priest Eph 4:1-6, Lk 12:54-59(477)

8:00 am (Fr. David) †Celia Gardea Saturday, October 24, 2020-Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop; BVM Ex 22:20-26, 1 Thes 1:5c-10, Mt 22:34-40(148)

1:00 pm (Fr. Alberto) Wedding of Brenda Castanon/Antonio Lopez Parra

5:00 pm (Fr. Rafal) †Johnnie & Connie Gillio Sunday, October 25, 2020-30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Ex 22:20-26, 1 Thes 1:5c-10, Mt 22:34-40(148)

7:45 am (Fr. Rafal) †Hilario Flores

9:15 am (Fr. Rafal) †Francisco Moreno

11:00 am (Fr. David) People of the Parish

5:00 pm (Fr. David) †Pete Vargas

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

HERO OF THE WEEK

Mass Schedule

During the homily at the Mass where he was installed as pope in

1978, he urged: Open wide the doors to Christ.

Karol Jozef Wojtyla (May 18, 1920 - April 2, 2005) was born in Wadowice, Poland. He had lost his mother, father, and older brother before his 21st birthday. Karol’s promising academic career at Krakow’s Jagiellonian University (he showed an interest in theater and poetry) was cut short by the outbreak of World War II. While working in a quarry and a chemical factory, he enrolled in an “underground” seminary in Kraków. Ordained in 1946, he was immediately sent to Rome where he earned a doctorate in theology. Back in Poland, a short assignment as assistant pastor in a rural parish preceded his very fruitful chaplaincy for university students. Soon Fr. Wojtyla earned a doctorate in philosophy and began teaching that subject at Poland’s University of Lublin. Communist officials allowed Wojtyla to be appointed auxiliary bishop of Kraków in 1958.

Bishop Wojtyla attended all four sessions of Vatican II and contributed especially to its Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. Appointed as archbishop of Kraków in 1964, he was named a cardinal three years later.

Elected pope in October 1978, he took the name of his short-lived, immediate predecessor. Pope John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. In time, he made pastoral visits to 124 countries.

John Paul II promoted ecumenical and interfaith initiatives, especially the 1986 Day of Prayer for World Peace in Assisi. He visited Rome’s main synagogue and the Western Wall in Jerusalem; he also established diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Israel. He improved Catholic-Muslim relations, and in 2001 visited a mosque in Damascus, Syria.

John Paul II began World Youth Day and traveled to several countries for those celebrations. He very much wanted to visit China and the Soviet Union, but the governments in those countries prevented that.

One of the most well-remembered photos of John Paul II’s pontificate was his one-on-one conversation in 1983, with Mehmet Ali Agca, who had attempted to assassinate him two years earlier. The attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II took place on Wednesday, 13 May 1981, in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. The Pope was shot and wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca while he was entering the square. The Pope was struck four times and suffered severe blood loss.

In his 27 years of papal ministry, John Paul II wrote 14 encyclicals and five books, canonized 482 saints and beatified 1,338 people. In the last years of his life, he suffered from Parkinson’s disease.

Pope Benedict XVI beatified John Paul II in 2011, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2014.

Corner of Water and Washington Street, Kerrville, TX 78028• Pastoral Center: 909 Main St.

Office Hours: 8:00 am-5:00 pm, Closed 12:00 noon-1:00 pm 830-257-5961 • Fax: 830-895-9771

Faith Formation 830-896-4233 School: 830-257-6707

The Sanctuary Lamp will burn this week in memory

of Warren & Teresa Sells

by Jeanette Cafferty

The Second Collection on

October 24 & 25, 2020

will be for

Notre Dame Building Repair

Thank you for your generosity!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, October 20, 2020—RCIA—6:00 p.m. in the Social Center.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020—INGLES TAMBÍEN, 5:30 p.m. in the Fireplace RM. ¡Todos Bienvenidos!

Thursday, October 22, 2020—CATHOLIC WAY BIBLE STUDY, 8:30 a.m. in the Fireplace RM. All are Welcome!

Friday, October 23 2020, - LA DANZA, 7:00 p.m. in the Gym parking lot.

Saturday, October 24, 2020—Reconciliation 3:00-4:30 p.m. in the Church. All are Welcome!

Monday, October 19, 2020—CURSILLOS/ULTREYA, 7:00 p.m. in the Social Center. All are Welcome! Lunes, 19 de octubre—CURSILLOS/ULTREYA a las 7:00 p.m. en el Centro Social. Todos Bienvenidos!

Monday, October 19, 2020—Boy Scouts, 7:00 p.m. in the Gymnasium.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020—Good Shepherd, 5:00 p.m. in Kemper Hall Wednesday, October 21, 2020—EDGE, 5:30 p.m.in Kemper Hall Youth Room

The Daughters of Notre Dame are currently accepting All Souls Memorials. A special Memorial Mass will be

said on Sunday, November 15, 2020 at the 11:00am Mass;

names will be published in the weekly bulletin. Envelopes

for donations are located in the back of the church in the

Narthex. Donations may be placed in the collection

basket or dropped off at the Pastoral Center. Deadline for

intentions is Sunday, November 8, 2020.

The Guadalupanas will have a garage sale on Saturday, October 31, 2020 in the Notre Dame Gym from 8:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Please come help support the Guadalupanas.

Las Guadalupanas tendrán una venta de garage el sábado 31 de octubre en el gimnasio de Notre Dame de 8:00 a.m. a 1:00 p.m. Por favor, venga apoyar a las Guadalupanas.

Notre Dame School Festival Online Auction Please remember to visit the Notre Dame website and browse thru the auction items which are available to bid on. Visit the link https://www.32auctions.com/NDSFestival.

Beginning On Friday, October 23rd at 8:00 a.m. is Mass with Notre Dame School children followed by the raffle drawing at 9:00 a.m. which will be livestreamed. At 4:00 p.m. is the Soccer game in the field; all are welcome.

The auction closes on Saturday, the 24th at 3:00 p.m., followed by the 5:00 p.m. Mass in which thanks will be given for all your help with our virtual online festival auction.

Roy Ybarra, William Etchison, Bill Gib-son, Ariana Lambdin, Steve Erickson, MaKenna Erickson, Mark B. Anderson, Maria Acosta, Marissa Hernandez, Deacon Sonny Kaufhold, Marci Den-ton.

We have the following Gift Cards in stock. Please stop by the school office to purchase yours today. Entrance to the school office is now located through the doors at the front of the gym. Please ring the bell and someone will meet you. Due to the

current pandemic we are limiting entrance into the school for everyone’s safety. Thank you for your continued support of our little school. HEB $100 HEB $200 Bath & Body $25 Belk’s $25 Clair’s $10 CVS $100 JC Penny’s $25 Walgreens $25 Walgreens $100

Please pray for those who have died, and have gone to their eternal rest with the Lord, especially for Jean Lidiak. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.

October is the month of the Rosary. During the

month of October, the Rosary will be prayed

before the weekday masses on Monday,

Wednesday & Thursday beginning at 11:25 a.m.

in the Church. All are welcome!

RCIA NEWS We appreciate your continued prayers for our RCIA group. They meet every Tuesday at 6:00pm to study about God and the Catholic faith and to deepen their relationship with God.

Anyone who is seeking to become Catholic is still welcome to join us.

Please call Gail Stauder, coordinator of adult RCIA, at 830-257-5961 or 830-377-8716 for more information.

K of C Council 6409 Ladies Auxiliary 3rd Annual Baby Blanket Drive

The Knights of Columbus Council 6409 Ladies Auxiliary will be accepting baby blankets for the Pregnancy Resource Center from October 3rd to November 8th.

Boxes in the Narthex are available for drop off. Donations for the PRC require new blankets only. Fleece or new extra soft yarn for handmade blankets are appreciated.

Cash donations should be made payable to: Council 6409 Ladies Auxiliary with a Memo: PRC Blanket Drive and mailed to: Council 6409 Ladies Auxiliary, P.O. Box 290165, Kerrville, Texas 78029

Thank you in advance.

A Prayer for Our Country

O Most Blessed Virgin Mary,

Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time, we entrust the United States to your loving care.

Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son.

Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the great worth of human life and to the responsibilities that accompany human freedom.

Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and threaten the sanctity of family life. Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God’s law is the foundation on which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

O Mother of Mercy, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer us. Amen.

POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTION FOR OCTOBER

The Laity’s Mission in the Church We pray that by the virtue of baptism, the laity, especially women, may participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church.

NOTRE DAME

PARISH GOAL—-$78,500.00.

Pledged Up to Date—60.30%

Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood and Consecrated Life

Almighty and merciful Father, you inspire and bring to fulfillment every good intention. Guide your people in the way of salvation and watch over those who shepherd your flock and those who have left all things to follow you. Raise up worthy ministers for your altars, ardent but gentle servants of the Gospel, and generous souls who renounce worldly power and profit to serve you and their brothers and sisters faithfully in the spirit of poverty and humility. Inspire our young men and women to respond to your call so that your Church might always rejoice in plentiful servants for your harvest. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

OFFERTORY COLLECTIONOFFERTORY COLLECTIONOFFERTORY COLLECTIONOFFERTORY COLLECTION

October 10-11, 2020

CHURCH Envelopes/Checks $ 12,872.50

Currency/Coin 1,313.00

Capital Improvement 186.00

TOTAL $14,371.50 Hope for the Future (2nd Collection) $ 903.00

Peter’s Pence 25.00

TOTAL $ 928.00 Oct. 5—Oct. 11, 2020 On-line Giving Church $ 3,010.00

School 450.00

Guardian Angel 25.00

Bldg. Fund 100.00 TOTAL $ 3,585.00 SCHOOL School Envelopes $ 551.00 TOTAL $ 551.00

Online giving for your benefit and convenience. If you appreciate the ease of online banking, you will be happy to know that you can easily offer a regular tithe with automatic online donations. Please visit notredamechurch.cc/online-giving to learn more. Make a one-time gift, or create a personal recurring gift account. It is quick, easy and convenient.

THANK YOU to all who help sponsor our Notre Dame bulletin. Spaces are available; please call DIOCESAN for advertising information at 1-800-633-1122 or online at Diocesan.com/Business.

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we

put into giving.” Mother Teresa