From the Pulpit
Fr. Benoit Mukamba, CSSp. | Pastor
REFLECTION: THE REVELATION OF THE SPIRIT.
SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST SUNDAY
SCRIPTURE: JOHN 20: 19-23; Acts 2: 1-11; 1 Cor 12: 3b-7, 12-13
Jesus, before ascending to the Father, promised the disciples that they were to receive the Power of the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost, the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came to be known to our senses. The disciples’ eyes perceived tongues as of fire resting on their heads. Their ears heard a noise like a strong wind. They felt the house filled with the power of the Spirit and manifesting the fire of God’s love. The Spirit of the Father and the Son filled the disciples enabling them to proclaim God’s wondrous love without hindrance of languages’ limitations. All present that day were astounded and amazed. The Holy Spirit has chosen a body to live in, the Church is born. And a new age has begun, the age of the Spirit.
What the disciples had heard and seen on that day, Pentecost day, became prophetic signals of what the Church will go forth witnessing in her life. The newly baptized through water and imposition of hands, receive the Holy Spirit. The community at Corinth testified to the presence of the Holy Spirit dispensing different spiritual gifts to the members, the Body of Christ. The Church is powered up by divine energy that needs just a spark to ignite in with life and joy, just a spark to change your life and my life. It is the Holy Spirit that leads the disciples into missionary trips; it is the Spirit that builds the Church; it is the Spirit that empowers any person to confess that Christ is Lord; it is the Spirit that forgives sins.
Some members of the Church today say that they were baptized and confirmed but never had any experience of the presence of the Holy Spirit. If you, brother or sister in the Lord, share in this question, then it is the time for you to open up your heart to welcome the divine Spirit. Examine your conscience before the Lord, make a sincere confession and pray for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your life. Remember the Lord Jesus saying that his father will give the Holy Spirit to whoever asks him.(Luke 11:13). Trust in the Lord and stay constant in your love for Jesus. At the appropriate moment of God, the gift will be granted you for the building of the Church.
On a note of testimony, 317 years ago, a young seminarian at a Jesuit college in Paris, France, together with some friends of his, prayed on that Pentecost day for the Spirit’s gifts. The little group soon formed into a community that will receive the mission of Jesus to minister to the less fortunate members of their cities. This community was put under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Through the three centuries, the Holy Spirit has led them and those who followed them to the ends of the earth. So, the Congregation of the Holy Spirit was born, spread and reached to you. These are the Spiritans to whom I belong as a religious-missionary in the Church. Let us all celebrate with rejoicing and gladness the outpouring of the Spirit, the birth of the Church and the birth of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
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.
May the Month of Mary
A collection of Holy Mary images from around our parish.
Take this month, dedicated to Holy Mary, to pray the Rosary.
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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