Pastor - Fr. Benoit Mukamba, C.S.Sp.
From the Pulpit:
This and Fr. Benoit's prior Sunday reflections are archived on the "The Pastor's Desk" page.
Twenty-sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year-A; Jesus Salvation of the Sinner
SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 18: 25-28; Philippians 2: 1-11; Matthew 21: 28-32
The rain had been pouring nonstop for two days in the town; a sick man who lived there was shivering with cold and couldn’t help himself. He thought, “If I call the priest he will surely come.” So he made the call asking for the anointing of the sick. Indeed, the priest showed up, prayed for the poor man anointing him with oil for healing. At the end, the priest wished him a blessed evening and quick recovery. To which the man responded, “I am not sure father.” He went forward asking, “Father, do you have a cigarette?” The priest responded, “I stopped smoking a long time ago.” Go well father, he said concluding their conversation. Later, the priest returned with a packet of cigarettes to give to the shivering man. The man took it and looked at it twice, looked at the priest and then said, “You are a man of God, father.”
“Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of Israel. The tax collectors and prostitutes were regarded as the most sinful and wretched people in Israel at the time. Tax collectors failed to meet the expected morals because they were instruments of the foreign occupiers and were suspected of extracting more tax than required by Roman officials. Prostitutes were despised on account of their trade failing the requirement of the Ten Commandments. But, when they encountered Jesus of Nazareth, their lives changed. They came to believe in Jesus and his teaching and changed their lifestyles. Consequently, Matthew, a tax collector, became one the close friends of Jesus. He remained faithful to him to the end of his own life. From him, we have received the Gospel according to Matthew. Mary Magdalene, too, came to believe and became a faithful disciple. She followed the Lord all the way to Calvary. From her, came the first news of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. These two stand as examples of the wicked who have changed into virtuous people. To them, belongs the kingdom of God. In them, God’s justice is manifested. Prophet Ezekiel in today’s first reading puts it clearly too.
The chief priests and elders did not change their hearts even after seeing all that was happening with tax collectors and prostitutes. They thought of themselves as righteous before God and looked down on others. They had resisted the message of John Baptist and also rejected Jesus. Indeed, they falsely accused Jesus and condemned him to be crucified. They persisted in their wickedness. Should God be blamed for their eternal death? No. They chose to die in their wickedness.
God’s mercy comes to the soul even at its latest opportunity. It is up to that soul to welcome the mercy of God. God never gives up on the sinner but visits him/her with his mercy always. For what matters before our God is not how many times we fall in sin, but how often we struggle and rise to be reconciled and at peace with him. Like a mother watching her baby trying to walk, she feels consoled by the many times her baby rises again and tries to walk until finally the baby’s knees become strong and walks. So God watches and accompanies us on our way to holiness. Beloved in the Lord, let us, then have in us the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus, humbly regarding others as more important than ourselves, each looking out not for one’s own interests, but also for those of others. (Phil 2: 3-5)
Spiritans:
Interesting facts about the Spiritans in Dayton, the USA, and around the globe on "The Pastor's Desk".
Today's Reading - NAB at USCCB.org
Saint of the Day - AmericanCatholic.org
USCCB on Religious Liberty
Our Lady of Grace Annual Pet Blessing
GROW & GO
GROW & GO
Grow+Go content is designed to help parishioners understand what it means to be an evangelizing disciple of Christ.
Using the Sunday Scriptures as the basis for reflection, Grow+Go offers insight into how we can all more fully GROW as disciples and then GO evangelize, fulfilling Christ's Great Commission to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19)
The concept behind the weekly series is to make discipleship and simple, concrete and relatable.
Look for Grow+Go each week in church, on our parish website, Facebook page, and Twitter.
Pray a Minute
Click anywhere on the picture above to go to the Pray a Minute website.
Radiate Christ - The Pastoral Letter Study Guide
Father Benoit invites Our Lady of Grace parishioners to participate in the "Radiate Christ" Study Guide:
"On June 3, 2020, Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr released “Radiate Christ,” a pastoral
letter to Catholics of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The occasion for this document is the
anticipation of the 200th Anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Cincinnati, which
we will celebrate in 2021."
Click here to read the Study Guide
Facial Masks Required at Mass
Archdiocesan Holy Communion on the Tongue Guidelines
Dear Our Lady of Grace Parishioners
(Mass times and procedures are subject to change)
Archdiocesan COVID-19 Response
Public Mass in Ohio Resume on May 25th
"On May 8, the Bishops of Ohio issued a statement by which we informed Catholics in the State of Ohio that, while making every effort to respect the spirit of the governor’s “Responsible Restart Ohio Plan,” we will begin to make the public celebration of Mass available once again. In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, public Masses will begin on Monday, May 25.." Catholic Bishops of Ohio. May8th, 2020
Please read Archbishop Schnurr's Letter for Details:
http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AbpSchnurrLetter20200508.pdf
Additional COVID-19 information can be found on the archdiocesan website:
http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/communication-office/covid-19-response/
In the interim No Masses will be publicly celebrated at either Our Lady of Grace Locations, Our Lady of Mercy Church or Corpus Christi Church.
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati website at the link above provides opportunities to watch live streaming Mass, including from St. Peter in Chains Cathedral via their Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/CatholicCincinnati/
Also please read Fr. Benoit's reflections "From the Pulpit" on the Pastor's Desk page of the OLOG Website.
We're Still Here!
During the current COVID-19 health crisis, the staff of Our Lady of Grace will follow the directives put forward by our state health department and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Effective immediately the staff will operate primarily on a telework basis, so the physical office will be closed.
Rest assured, we will be monitoring our phone messages, emails and postal mail to keep in touch with our parishioners.
Please keep up-to-date with parish information through the Weekly Bulletin posted on our web page, Facebook, and listen for “One Call Now” telephone notifications. You can send us an email info@ourladyofgracedayton.org call us at 937-274-2107 or drop us a letter.
We're here if you need us!
 
OLOG 2020 Commission Nominations
Nominations for member-at-large positions in Parish Council and Faith Formation Commission are being collected. We are also asking for volunteers for Bereavement Committee.
Please prayerfully consider nominating yourself and/or those members of our community whose talents would benefit these Ministries.
Click Here for the --> Nominations Form Word Document.
Please fill out and use the "Save As" function ("Save" by itself may not work) and email the completed form to info@ourladyofgracedayton.org
Note: You may have to click "Enable Editing" in Word in order to fill out the form.
You may also print out a hardcopy, fill it in by hand, and mail it to the Parish Center.
The parish elections will be held in May 2020.
Our Lady of Grace Parish - Our Lady of Mercy Church + Corpus Christi Church
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5:30 P.M. Sunday Evening Mass at Corpus Christi
Our Lady of Grace Parish 5:30 P.M. Sunday Evening Mass at Corpus Christi
Everyone is welcome to attend. We especially hope that young adults from our parish and the Dayton area will be encouraged to attend. Fr. Ted Cassidy, a Marianist priest, will be presiding over most of the Masses. If you would like to participate in the Sunday evening services as a Eucharistic Minister, Server, Lector, Petition writer, Greeter, or Choir member, please contact our Parish office 937 274-2107 ext 100
SPIRITAN PARISHES IN DAYTON - OHIO
SPIRITAN PARISHES IN DAYTON - OHIO
The Spiritans began working in Ohio (Fr. Steurer in Troy, St Patrick's, 1872, and Fr. Ott in Piqua, St Boniface, with 5 mission stations, 1873) even before the arrival of their 1st Provincial (Fr. Strub in 1874).
- In 1928, they took over the ministry to the African Americans in Cincinnati (St. John the Baptist Church). That same year, the Archbishop asked them to take care of the growing African American Community in Dayton.
- Since then, the Spiritans have dedicated their ministry among African American Catholics and all who joined, and they still are continuing ministering among urban and rural parishes.
- At the moment they serve 5 churches in the Dayton area: Corpus Christi, Our Lady of Mercy (Our Lady of Grace Parish), Queen of Martyrs Parish, St. Benedict the Moor, and St. Mary, striving to be a light that shines to brighten the life of the people they serve in the Archdiocese of the Most Rev. Dennis Marion Schnurr.
https://youtu.be/NlkHvsYWU6I
Assumption Food Pantry Joins CSSMV
For 49 years the Assumption Food Pantry has been a part of many lives: those who have received a helping hand when in need and those who have volunteered with love and dedication. It is with mixed feelings that we are no longer operating independently at the former Assumption Church site.
By God's glory our sorrows are always transformed to new life. Tuesday, March 1, 2016, marked a new beginning as we partner with the Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley (CSSMV) Food Pantry. This partnership allows us to provide expanded services and resources to the Assumption Food Pantry clients. Cindy Rogerson will continue serving our brothers and sisters in need on-site at the CSSMV location, 922 West Riverview Avenue, and she will keep us up to date with news and information.
We would like to express our great appreciation to all who have volunteered their time and talent, and given monetary or food donations over the past 49 years. Our Lady of Grace Parish is committed to the success of this new partnership and we pray that you will continue to help us support this vital community resource as you have in the past. We will continue to provide food chests at each worship site for donations of staples and food pantry donation envelopes, and we encourage continued volunteerism at CSSMV.
Our Lady of Grace is possible because of those who give of their Time, Talent and Treasure.
Click here for more information about the CSSMV Food Pantry Website
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