St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church

www.xavierbrunswick.org, 912-265-3249

July 29, 2018

The Bread of Life

What an incredible scene from today's Gospel. Imagine a group of 10,000 people gathered to hear Jesus on the hills of Galilee. The crowds are gathered above Jesus on the hills and his voice carries to them in an am-phitheater setting. They are spellbound by his teaching and spend hours at his feet. How great it must have been to sit at the feet of Jesus. Have you ever read the Scriptures and felt them burning in your heart? That is how it must have felt to listen to Jesus.

The crowds are so entranced that they forget about eating. They want their souls to be fed. What dedi-cation they had! They have walked miles to get here. They give up creature comforts to focus on Jesus. How many of us would skip lunch so that we could go and pray?

Jesus then says a blessing and begins to distribute the food. A strange thing happens. From these five loaves and two fish comes food enough for everyone. After starting with five loaves and two fish Jesus is able to feed over 10,000 people! It is a miracle and a sign of the power and compassion of Jesus.

We must ask ourselves what the real miracle is here? The next morning all these people woke up and guess what? They were hungry! Jesus had met their need for one night but they would still need food the next day and the day after that. Was quenching their hunger for one meal the essence of the miracle? The miracle had a deeper symbolism than just food for the belly. Man cannot live on bread alone.

Jesus was preparing the Apostles, the crowds and us, for the ultimate gift of the Eucharist. The miracle of the fish and loaves was amazing but it had its limits. It was provided to quench physical hunger, but Jesus knew the important hunger was spiritual hunger. The Eucharist would be provided to quench our spiritual hun-ger.

St. John makes this clear as he describes this miracle. He says Jesus took the loaves and "gave thanks." John writes in Greek uses the word eucharistein. There is no doubt that John is connecting this miracle to the Eucharist. We are to look beyond the bread for our stomachs and see the food for our souls. Jesus says later in this chapter, "Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you…I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." When I visit the hospitals and people are seriously ill they don't say, "Father bring me my bank statement", "bring me the TV listings" or "bring me a steak". They say, "Bring me Jesus, the Bread of Life."

Jesus gathers His family around the table of the altar every Sunday and feeds them with His own body and blood. As a priest I often have firsthand knowledge of the burdens people are carrying and as they come for-ward to communion and am blessed to be able to give them Jesus. Here is the Bread of Life, the food of our souls. This Bread of Life will give them sustenance for the coming week. It allows them the grace they need for the joys and trials of the week ahead.

The miracle of the gift of the Eucharist is greater than if Jesus actually gave us enough food for our physical appetites- more than just giving one billion Catholics food for their stomachs Jesus feeds our hungry souls. We come with weary souls, spirits in need of healing and Jesus visits us and gives us grace for the week. Jesus shows his compassion when he desires to give them something to eat. He shows his tender care and how He cares for the whole person, body and soul.

It would have been amazing to be on that hill in Galilee 2,000 years ago and see Jesus feed the crowds with only five loaves and two fish. However, this weekend at mass a far greater miracle will occur. We come into church today with spiritual hunger and Christ offers his own body and blood to satiate it. This is the greatest mir-acle of all.

-Fr. Tim McKeown

Mass Schedule

Saturday

5:00 p.m. SFX

7:00 p.m. (on

Jekyll)

Sunday (SFX)

8:30 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

6:00 p.m. in Spanish

Weekday Masses

St. Joseph Chapel

Mon. - Noon

Tues. Thurs. Fri.

7:00 a.m.

Wednesday

7:00 p.m.

Reconciliation:

Church

Saturdays

4:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Sunday

7:45 - 8:15 a.m.

(Or by appointment)

St. Joseph Chapel

(Please go to the main office for code)

Monday - Friday

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

St Joseph Chapel

First Friday

Adoration

2:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Holy Hour

7:00- 8:00 p.m.

First Saturday

8:45 a.m.

Save the date (with Jesus!)

First Friday Aug 3: Adoration in the Chapel from 2:00 pm until

8:00 pm. Come and spend an hour with Our Lord!

First Saturday Aug 4:

Mass in Chapel at 8:45 a.m.

What's going on with the Narthex? We are excited to be adding two large bathrooms that will be handicap accessible. We will also add a new confessional. We will have meeting space for over 100 people in the Narthex for coffee and donuts and small receptions.

-This week we will continue with the installation of founda-tions and piers. -The concrete-masonry foundation walls will laid on footings that are in place. -On site meetings with Georgia Power and Atlanta Gas & Light have been scheduled with our electrical and plumbing subcontractors to coordinate revisions to each service. -Work will resume next week with the revisions to the sani-tary sewer through Newcastle and Howe streets.

Come out on Wednesday

August 1 at 7:30 pm to the

Social Hall for a

150th Celebration Ice Cream Social and for a

meet and greet with Fr. Chris Hassel. Ice cream

and toppings will be provided. We will also

have available 150th anniversary golf shirts.

The SFX Community extends their prayers and condolences to the families of Kevin Cloonan, Leo Fallstrom, Anita Campbell, Fr George Greenway and Michelle Rocinos. May they rest in the peace of Christ.

Collections for:

July 21 & 22

$ 9,005.00

BAA Total 2018

$ 36,923.00

Sacramental Requirements

Baptism: Parishioners wishing to have a child baptized should be regis-tered in the parish and should contact a member of the clergy as early as three months before the birth of their child.

First Eucharist: Normally received in the 2nd Grade. Parents should contact the Director of Religious Education. Enrollment in Catholic School, qualifying home school, or Parish School of Religion (PSR) is required for at least 2 years leading up to the reception of the sacra-ments.

Confirmation: Normally received in the 8th Grade. Parents should con-tact Director of Religious Education. Enrollment in Catholic School, quali-fying home school, or Parish School of Religion (PSR) is required for at least 2 years leading up to the reception of the sacrament.

RCIA/Adult Confirmation: Adults interested in becoming Catholic or in need of the sacrament of Confirmation should contact a priest or deacon.

Matrimony: A minimum of 6 months preparation is required. Contact a priest or deacon to set up an appointment regarding scheduling and preparation.

Anointing of the Sick: Please contact the pastor or church office to

schedule.

Readings for the Week of July 29, 2018

Sunday Seventeenth Sunday in Ordi-nary Time 2 Kgs 4:42-44; Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18; Eph 4:1-6; Jn 6:1-15

Monday Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Jer 13:1-11; Dt 32:18-19, 20, 21; Mt 13:31-35

Tuesday Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Jer 14:17-22; Ps 79:8, 9, 11 & 13; Mt 13:36-43

Wednesday Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Jer 15:10, 16-21; Ps 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18; Mt 13:44-46

Thursday Saints Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop; Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Priest

Jer 18:1-6; Ps 146:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab; Mt 13:47-53

Friday Jer 26:1-9; Ps 69:5, 8-10, 14; Mt 13:54-58

Saturday Saint John Vianney, Priest

Jer 26:11-16, 24; Ps 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34; Mt 14:1-12

Sunday Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ex 16:2-4, 12-15; Ps 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54; Eph 4:17, 20-24; Jn 6:24-35

150th Anniversary News Save the date! Bishop Hartmayer will join us to cel-ebrate our 150th with a special 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday December 2. We are reaching out to priests who have served here to come back and join us.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School Once again, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School is participating in the Friends of Davis Love Foundation Car Raffle. Tickets are only $20.00 and all ticket sales are given back to our school. Please support this great fundraiser by purchasing tickets at the church or school office!

150th Anniversary We still have golf shirts available in men’s and women’s sizes. We will have a table in front of the church on Sunday. Shirts are $30 each.

Linda Mock Forsyth

Richard Brunegraff

Vera Borkowski

Savannah Jones

Shelby Jones

Jason Runyon

Roman Shaefer

Paul Shaefer

Bill Schellman

Wyatt Kersey

Michael Rafolski

Jane Rafolski

Andrew Robson Jr.

Georgia Burgess-Erwin

Niko Cousins

Jerry Hayward

Brandon Cleghorn

Gertrude Roberts

Peggie Cash

Sr. Kathleen J. McMenamin

Sr. Mary A. Curran

Evelyn Harper

Duke Wilson

Joy Hall

Suzette Allen

Tanner Posey

William Waddell

Patricia Clark

Phillip Hand

Marion Lenz

Lydia Gorman

Betty Blouin

Les Wall

Susan Layman

Mary Steele

Jerry Ehlman

Joyce McPhee

Thomas Clarke

Timothy Tindall

David Higbee

Michael Mleko

Jackie Maassen

Bradley Huffman

Frances & David Nohrden

Kathy Poliwka

Daisy Rodriguez

Lucille Nichols

Judy Perry Majka

Steven Gentzle

Tanner Posey

Margo Harper

Jim & Phyllis Nase

Jennifer Myers

Helen Berry

Jane Allen

Margaret Young

Emory Young

Terry Cox

Arlene McDowell Dixon

Pam Gallagher

David Bailey

Wanda Hand

John & Jan Mistisshen

Charles Krauthammer

Alicia Neu Bailey

Carol Papia

Kathy Rogers

Pierce Rogers

Lisa Panknin

William Panknin

Let us pray for all those in

the military and police force

both active and retired.

Mass Intentions

Saturday, July 28

5:00 p.m. t Wes Hogquist

7 p.m. t Kevin Cloonan

(At Jekyll United Methodist Church)

Sunday, July 29

8:30 a.m. t Yvonne Chambers

11a.m. t Mary, Effie & Preston Blanchard

6:00 p.m. t Bianca Maese

Monday, July 30

Noon t Charlotte Cornelius

Tuesday, July 31

7:00 a.m. t Eugenio Gonzalez

Wednesday, August 1

No morning Mass until August 15

7 p.m. t Midge Kinchen

Thursday, August 2

7:00 a.m. t Jim Ehlman

Friday, August 3

7:00 a.m. t David Kordenbrock

2 - 8 p.m. Adoration

Saturday, August 4

8:45 a.m. t Anita Campbell

5:00 p.m. t L.H. Clements

7 p.m. t Fr. George Greenway

(At Jekyll United Methodist Church)

Sunday, August 5

8:30 a.m. t Maria Aurora Soler

11a.m. t John Ugbe (flowers in memory of)

6:00 p.m. t Michelle Rocinos

July 29, 2018

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School is looking for

a part-time school counselor. If you are interested,

please send your resume to tmermann@sfxcs.org

or call the school office at 265-3249.

“O God, hear our prayer and let our cry come

unto You.

Bless our Diocese of Savannah with many

vocations to the priesthood, diaconate,

and religious life.

Give the men and women You call the light to understand Your gift and

the love to follow always in the footsteps of Your

priestly Son. Amen.”

INQUIRY CLASS FOR NON-CATHOLICS

Do you go to Church with your spouse and are interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith? Do you have ques-tions about what Catholics believe? Is the Catholic Church a right fit for you and your family? Consider joining us for RCIA In-quiry Classes beginning Monday, September 10. We will meet weekly on Mondays from 7 - 8:30pm in the St Anne Room of our Parish Hall. Contact Deacon Larry, 265-3249 ext. 14, to register. There is no pressure to join, just an open fo-

rum to discuss God, Jesus, the Church, and

more.

PARISH SCHOOL OF RELIGION (PSR): We

had a great catechetical year and are now on

summer break. We will begin the 2018-19 year

on Aug 12th. Registrations will begin next

month, so please watch the bulletin. PSR

meets Sunday Mornings during the academic

school year, 9:30 – 10:40am, for children Pre-K -

8thGrade. We could use a few substitutes. You

need not be a theologian, just someone practic-

ing the Faith and willing to share that

Faith. Come join us in spreading the Good News

of Jesus to our young people. Call Deacon Larry-

DRE-265-3249, X14

Just a friendly reminder concerning

Pew Housekeeping!

Please return the missals binder side up and place

them in the book holder also please take your bul-

letin with you as you leave or if you are finished

with the bulletin please place it on the table as you

leave. We appreciate your help leaving the pews

clean and ready for the next Mass.

St Francis Xavier School is asking

for donations of supplies. In the

upcoming weeks and apple tree

will be placed on the main bulletin

board of the Church. If you would

like to donate an item or two, take

an apple and return it with the

items you are donating.

Donation lists will also

be available on the ta-

bles for people who

would like to donate

more than 1 item.

Please place your donations

under the back tables of the

Church or in the boxes designated

“Apple Tree”.

Parish Activity Contacts

Adult Bible Study, Joe & Linda Kirby…………….267-9359

Altar and Environmental Care, Diane Lott……….223-1261

Bereavement, Ann Buebel………………………..265-3249

CCW, Marisol Soler …………………………….264-6805 ext. 12

Culture of Life, Rose Lodise…………….…….…...264-4121

Greeters, Ginger Dorcas…………..……………....275-8492

Knights of Columbus, Bill Schuster……………….266-6779

Religious Ed., Larry Guyer ……………………..…265-3249 ext. 14

Religious Articles Shop, Rose Lodise……..……...264-4121

St. Monica Society, Peggie Cash…………….…....264-5458

St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store…………...….…....262-6027

Parish Council, RoseMary Jones

at rosemarysjones@hotmail.com

Most Rev. Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv.

Bishop of Savannah

Membership

To be a registered member of the

parish is to have a sense of belonging

to a family. Newcomers are requested

to register at the church office soon

after arrival to meet the staff and learn

about your new parish. In the time of

family sickness, death or special need,

parishioners are asked to notify the

Church office. If requested, Holy Com-

munion will e brought o anyone desiring

to receive the Eucharist but are unable

to attend Mass for serious reasons.

Church Office

405 Howe St.,

Brunswick, GA 31520

912-265-3249