array_files=new Array(); array_files[0]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081207.htm","2008-12-10","19K","20081207 ","",""," 20081207 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) December 07, 2008: The Second Sunday of Advent We prepare for the Lord by walking the straight path, the holy path, the path that Jesus walked. Too often people want to walk their own personal path regardless of where it leads even if it leads to death and separation. They don’t want anyone telling them not to follow the paths that lead to destruction and division. They are seriously aggravated if Holy Mother Church or anyone who loves them speaks God’s truth or points the way to his Kingdom with a focus on rightly ordering life and relationship. This weekend in Sacred Scripture we hear in Isaiah, “A voice cries out in the desert!” Hearing this we must take pause and reflect on those areas of our life that cause us to feel dry, empty or abandoned. Recall those sins that result in loneliness and emptiness, what sins have caused you to take the wrong path, a path that has separated you from what you need most, a path that has blurred your vision of heaven, the path that prevents you from receiving God’s love from the path that brings true peace and joy. Bring to mind your sins, those stumbling blocks in the middle of the path that impede you from preparing for the way of the Lord! With sufficient contrition go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and remove those obstacles in your way, open the path into your heart that leads to Jesus, a path that leads to healing and harmony. Each of us is vulnerable and the human condition often throws us curves that knock us off the right path. Here is where we are most vulnerable to si "); array_files[1]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/index.htm","2008-12-10","28K","Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes ","",""," Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes! Thought for Today: December Intentions of the Holy Father (December 2) We welcome you to join our parish community; on this website you will find information about our parish, including Mass Times, how to contact the Parish Office, information about faith formation programs and more. If you have questions about our church that are not answered on this page, you are welcome to contact the parish office at 816.353-2380. You can find maps to the parish on the Our Church page, as well as links to pages about our stained glass windows and other artwork. You will find links to all of the pages on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by clicking Other Pages. There are links to this navigation page in the link bar on the left hand side of every page (it is the second link in the top group on the bar, labeled Table of Contents.) Communal Penance Services All services will be at 7:00 p.m. December 14th - St. Catherine of Siena December 15th - Coronation December 16th - St. Sabina December 17th - OLL with St. Bernadette’s Holiday Mass Schedule Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th-5:00 p.m. & Midnight Christmas Day, Dec. 25th- 9:00 a.m. Jan. 1, 2009 - 9:00 a.m. - Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God Christmas Trees Are Here! The OLL Christmas Tree Sale is going on now! Sales run through Monday, December 22. Please contact the school at 353-7062 if you can volunteer to help sell trees for the school, or go to the website at ollraytown.com/trees for sale information. The students and "); array_files[2]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/letters_from_father_rogers.htm","2008-12-10","90K","Letters from Father Rogers ","",""," Letters from Father Rogers Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Letters from Father... December 14, 2008: The Third Sunday of Advent On the third Sunday of Advent we again hear from John the Baptist. John came to testify to the light, we are told. This light is Jesus Christ. His Spirit enlightens us in the truth. His truth saves us from our sinfulness and from the power of death. His truth enables us to follow him all the way home to heaven. John the Baptist exclaims, I am not the Christ. I am a voice, a voice in the desert.” The desert he is talking of refers to those places where life and relationship are arid and dry, inactive and undeveloped. He says, “Listen! Christ is coming to meet you there!” John calls us to conversion for a reason; he tells us to stop wandering around and to stop wallowing in darkness and emotional devastation. He calls us to focus our time and action by repenting, by changing our lives to prioritize God first and foremost and do whatever is necessary to seek Jesus so that we can find him. “He is coming! This is good news for us. There are times when it is difficult to see Jesus. Many people give their thoughts over to fear and loneliness when they don’t see Jesus. Then something happens to us that opens our eyes to him. They hear his voice and turn back to God. This is called a conversion experience. Circumstances of life often make it difficult for some to see Jesus or to feel his presence. It is up to each of us to help them to see Jesus. We are to bring glad tidings to the poor. We are to heal the brokenhearted and proclaim liberty t "); array_files[3]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/bulletin.htm","2008-12-10","17K","Our Sunday Bulletin ","",""," Our Sunday Bulletin Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Sunday Bulletin... Sunday - December 14, 2008 The Third Sunday of Advent “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” Download as PDF File You can view past Bulletin Letters from Father Rogers by clicking this link. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[4]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/","2008-12-10","28K","Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes ","",""," Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes! Thought for Today: December Intentions of the Holy Father (December 2) We welcome you to join our parish community; on this website you will find information about our parish, including Mass Times, how to contact the Parish Office, information about faith formation programs and more. If you have questions about our church that are not answered on this page, you are welcome to contact the parish office at 816.353-2380. You can find maps to the parish on the Our Church page, as well as links to pages about our stained glass windows and other artwork. You will find links to all of the pages on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by clicking Other Pages. There are links to this navigation page in the link bar on the left hand side of every page (it is the second link in the top group on the bar, labeled Table of Contents.) Communal Penance Services All services will be at 7:00 p.m. December 14th - St. Catherine of Siena December 15th - Coronation December 16th - St. Sabina December 17th - OLL with St. Bernadette’s Holiday Mass Schedule Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th-5:00 p.m. & Midnight Christmas Day, Dec. 25th- 9:00 a.m. Jan. 1, 2009 - 9:00 a.m. - Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God Christmas Trees Are Here! The OLL Christmas Tree Sale is going on now! Sales run through Monday, December 22. Please contact the school at 353-7062 if you can volunteer to help sell trees for the school, or go to the website at ollraytown.com/trees for sale information. The students and "); array_files[5]=new Array(0,4,"http://www.ollraytown.com/files/bulletin.pdf","2008-12-10","33K"," bulletin ","","","DECEMBER 14, 2008 A Letter from Fr. Steven On the third Sunday of Advent we again hear from John the Baptist. John came to testify to the light, we are told. This light is Jesus Christ. His Spirit enlightens us in the truth. His truth saves us from our sinfulness and from the power of death. His truth enables us to follow him all the way home to heaven. John the Baptist exclaims, I am not the Christ. I am a voice, a voice in the desert. The desert he is talking of refers to those places where life and relationship are arid and dry, inactive and undeveloped. He says, Listen! Christ is coming to meet you there! John calls us to conversion for a reason; he tells us to stop wandering around and to stop wallowing in darkness and emotional devastation. He calls us to focus our time and action by repenting, by changing our lives to prioritize God first and foremost and do whatever is necessary to seek Jesus so that we can find him. He is coming! This is good news for us. There are times when it is difficult to see Jesus. Many people give their thoughts over to fear and loneliness when they dont see Jesus. Then something happens to us that opens our eyes to him. They hear his voice and turn back to God. This is called a conversion experience. Circumstances of life often make it difficult for some to see Jesus or to feel his presence. It is up to each of us to help them to see Jesus. We are to bring glad tidings to the poor. We are to heal the brokenhearted and proclaim liberty to those who are held captive in their sins. We are to announce how to be blessed by a close friendship with the Lord. Like John the Baptist, each of us is supposed to be voices crying out loud enough to be heard above the noise of our troubled world. There are many souls who are lost in the wilderness of confusion, hopelessness, pain, heartache, despair and sinfulness. We cannot rightfully ignore their needs. We cannot be silent, they must hear the truth. It is up to us to help them see Jesus. If not, Jesus will ask us why we ignored our baptism "); array_files[6]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081130.htm","2008-12-03","19K","20081130 ","",""," 20081130 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) November 30, 2008: The First Sunday of Advent Our thoughts turn this time of year to expressing our relationships through giving presents. Gifts are important, in how and why we give them and in how we receive them. Each of us desires to show our love for the special people in our lives and we will spend hours selecting the gifts that will be meaningful and impressive to them. So what Christmas gift would you give to someone who already has everything? What present will you choose to give to Jesus on his birthday? With all the hustle and bustle this time of year with our long lists of wishes and worries and wants too often we leave Jesus off our Christmas list. Jesus not only deserves our attention, especially during this season, he deserves more gifts than anyone. As we begin Advent I implore you to spend extra time in prayer and adoration and to consider the gifts that you can give to God. What gift can you give to him who already has everything? Perhaps it will help you to answer this question if you consider what you have not given to God yet? The Lord is our Father and we can ask him to help us turn to him, he will let us know what he desires from us this Christmas. Sacred Scripture calls us to give thanks to God for all that he has done for us. So what gift will you give to God that will express your appreciation for all that he has done for you, for all he has given to you? For the first Sunday of Advent the Gospel calls us to prepare for the coming of Christ. This concerns the Second Coming of Christ and it con "); array_files[7]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/thoughts_from_days_past-2008.htm","2008-12-03","47K","Thoughts from Days Past, 2008 ","",""," Thoughts from Days Past, 2008 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Thoughts, 2008 Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Abortion is NOT a Human Right! This December 10th marks the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, a very fine document praised by the Vatican. However, this year there is a push to include abortion as a fundamental right in the U.N. Declaration, a move that would cause us to withdraw our support for this document. Abortion is not a human right, but rather a fundamental violation of the most basic human right, the right to life. What is more, this new provision would violate an essential tenet of Catholic social teaching: “Nor must one forget the contribution that every nation is required in duty to make towards a true worldwide cooperation for the common good of the whole of humanity and for future generations also.” (Compendium of Social Doctrine, #166). We urge everyone to visit the website listed below and sign the electronic petition that will be delivered to the United Nations requesting that they maintain the Declaration of Human Rights in its integrity and reject the motion to include abortion as part of the declaration. Please do so before December 10th. www.c-fam.org/publications/id.95/default.asp Thursday, October 30, 2008 You say: Its impossible God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27) You say: Im too tired God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30) You say: Nobody really loves me God says: I love you (John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 ) You say: I cant go on God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 "); array_files[8]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/thought_for_today.htm","2008-12-03","19K","Thought for Today ","",""," Thought for Today Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Thought for Today... Wednesday, December 2, 2008 December Intentions of the Holy Father General Intention: That in the face of a spreading culture of violence and death the Church, through her apostolic and missionary activities, may courageously promote a culture of life. Mission Intention: That Christians, especially in mission countries, may show with acts of fraternal love that the Child born in the stable at Bethlehem is the luminous Hope of the world. Links to Past Thoughts 2008 2007 2006 May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[9]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081123.htm","2008-11-26","20K","20081123 ","",""," 20081123 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) November 23, 2008: The Thirty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Complaining is not mere observation; it is a creative act. The more one complains,the more one summons his/her creative energies to attract something to complain about. Complaining may seem fully justified, but whenever one complains, he/she is actually placing an order for more of the same. Complaining is not merely about the past. Whenever you complain you are also setting an intention and a goal for the future. There is absolutely no charity in complaining. Complaining destroys charity. Complaining is the act of reinforcing what you don’t want and bringing down even more of it. Complaining dwells on the negative. People who complain actually trap themselves in a miserable reality that constantly gives them more to complain about. In this mode life will keep on dumping on them. Their luck will always be below average. They will never get any real breaks. Unfortunate circumstances, seemingly beyond their control, will keep manifesting. It seems totally unfair, but it really isn’t. Complainers are merely witnessing the fulfillment of their own requests. Complainers habitually intend what they don’t want, what no one wants. So it makes perfect sense they live in a reality fitting with those thoughts. The complainer may tell you their reality is causing their complaints, but it’s more accurate to say their reality is reflecting their complaints. Complaining is also addictive. The more you do it, even within your own mind, the more it becomes an ingrained habit "); array_files[10]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081116.htm","2008-11-19","19K","20081116 ","",""," 20081116 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) November 16, 2008: The Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time The Gospel reading for this Sunday reminds us not to bury the gifts that God has given us. To hide our gifts and talents and not generously share them with the Church and with others is equivalent to being a wicked, lazy servant. There are many reasons why people hesitate to bring their gifts forward: insecurity, uncertainty, anxiety for being unprepared, and a lack of self-confidence. Sometimes though we make excuses for giving in to laziness: Im not gifted enough or someone else can do it better than I can or I don’t feel God is calling me to do that or I dont have the time, the financial resources, the know-how, or good enough health or Im retired now and Ive been waiting a long time to finally take care of my own desires. No excuse for wasting anything good that God has given us is holy. There is no reason for putting aside our gifts and talents. Putting aside our gifts does not usher in the kingdom of God. There is no way to justify not using our skills to lift up God’s Holy Catholic Church. The only reason would be if we put our own gain ahead of the glory of our Lord and Savior. Each of us is gifted and can make a difference for Gods kingdom. The reason and motivation for this is because our gifts come from God. We are his servants. It really isn’t our decision to make; it is God’s decision of what we are capable of doing for him. Everyone has a divine purpose that can be accomplished regardless of the circumstances and sufferings of the human condition "); array_files[11]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/groups/social_committee.htm","2008-11-19","21K","Social Committee ","",""," Social Committee Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) The Social Committee OLL St. Joseph’s Table planning meeting is Tuesday, December 2 at 6:00 p.m. in Parish Hall. This is a major event. We need volunteers with all skills, no skills; young, old; men, women; girls, boys.Consider this your face to face invitation. Questions? E-mail Lynne or Leonard Conrick at ljljconrick@yahoo.com or call Deacon Sam. Heritage Festival 2008 This was another successful parish FUNraiser! Be sure to see the photo album by clicking this link. Thank you to everyone who made this event a success! Thank You to everyone who made the Chiefs Tailgate Party a success! We will be celebrating in October with a special movie night for the young and the young-at-heart! It was okay by us... We hope it was okay bayou! THANK YOU FOR HELPING US MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS! Visit the Mardi Gras 2007 Photo Album by clicking this link. Visit Mardi Gras 2007 Page Two by clicking this link. Visit Mardi Gras 2007 Page Three by clicking this link. THANK YOU to everyone who made the 2006 Heritage Festival a Success! Visit the 2006 Heritage Festival Photo Album by clicking this link. Since true education must strive for complete formation of the human person that looks to his or her final end as well as to the common good of societies, children and youth are to be nurtured in such a way that they are able to develop their physical, moral, and intellectual talents harmoniously, acquire a more perfect sense of responsibility and right use of freedom, and are formed to participate actively in social life. Canon 7 "); array_files[12]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/groups/friendly_club.htm","2008-11-19","17K","Friendly Club ","",""," Friendly Club Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Friendly Club Our Lady of Lourdes Friendly Club Wednesday, December 3. Catered lunch at 12:00 by Meissens. Cost 7.50. Reservations must be made by Friday, November 28 with Marge Shults at 356-3282. Ms. Meghan Healey, Choir Director, and OLL middle school students will perform at 1:00 p.m. followed by a brief meeting. Please join us! May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[13]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/school.htm","2008-11-15","26K","OLL Parish School ","",""," OLL Parish School Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Enter to Grow and Learn... ...Leave to Lead and Serve Tree Sale Information! Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is the only Catholic school serving Raytown, Missouri . Small class sizes, an experienced staff, and full accreditation by North Central and the National Non-Public School Accrediting Agency with the values given to us by Jesus Christ and his Church, make Our Lady of Lourdes the place for all children to come and grow. Our Lady of Lourdes has served Raytown for 50 plus years and continues to be COMMITTED TO SUCCESS! The Class of 2009 Aluminum Can Drive Pick-up date is the Last Saturday of the Month! The Eighth grade class is collecting aluminum cans to help Save the Planet, and earn funds for their class trip. We would love to give everyone an opportunity to lend a hand in the commitment to “go green” and help the 8th grade at the same time. Can collection will be the last Saturday of every month. You can drop your cans off starting Friday after 3:15 but no later than 9:30 on Saturday morning in the courtyard in front of the school. Please be sure to tie the tops of bags, and if at all possible, crush cans as we will be physically taking these to the recycling center. NOTE: Can collection started in June 2008. Through the efforts of those who have participated, 548 lbs of aluminum have not made it to landfills. PLEASE do not leave any cans before 3:15 on Friday or after 9:30 as we do not want to dirty up our school grounds. If you have questions, please feel free to email snoddy@casstel.net. Thank y "); array_files[14]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/scrip_program.htm","2008-11-15","19K","Scrip Program ","",""," Scrip Program Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Scrip Program New Order Form: 15 November 2008 (Download below) What Is Scrip? Scrip is a term that means “substitute money”. When you purchase scrip, you’re purchasing negotiable gift certificates and prepaid cards that are used just like cash. You can use scrip to purchase everyday expenses like food, clothing, and other essentials, and with every purchase, you earn revenue for our organization. How scrip generates revenue for you The Great Lakes Scrip Center acts on behalf of churches, schools and other non-profit organizations to purchase large amounts of scrip from grocery stores, department stores, and other retailers. Because the scrip is purchased with cash up front, the participating retailers offer a substantial discount. Our organization buys the scrip from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount, and re-sells the certificates to families like yours for full face value. The discount - from two to fifteen percent or more – is our organization’s revenue. Scrip is shopping cart fundraising” Scrip is a popular fundraiser because families don’t have to sell anything. Organization members produce revenue by making regular household purchases they would make anyway. Groceries, clothing, toys, gifts, even gasoline can be purchased with scrip. Order Dates: 2008-7/21,8/11, 8/25, 9/22, 10/20, 11/17, 12/1, 12/11; 2009-1/21, 2/18, 3/23, 4/3, 5/11, 6/15, 7/20 If you are making a large purchase and need a different delivery date, special arrangements can be made. Turn in your completed order form (with your check) to t "); array_files[15]=new Array(0,4,"http://www.ollraytown.com/files/ScripOrderForm.pdf","2008-11-15","67K"," rptOrderForm ","","","Our Lady of Lourdes Scrip Order Form Make checks payable to: Our Lady of Lourdes 7009 Blue Ridge Boulevard Raytown, Missouri 64133-5696 (Long Form) Total Quantity Total Dollars On-line ordering available via shopwithscrip.com List Student Name (if applicable) Your Name Phone Number Address Merchant Profit Gas Stations / Automotive Advanced Auto Parts Auto Zone BP Gas BP Gas BP Gas - Amoco Circle K Jiffy Lube Shell Shell Shell Sinclair Sinclair 7.0% 5.0% 2.5% 2.5% 3.0% 2.0% 8.0% 1.5% 1.5% 1.5% 2.0% 2.0% 6.0% 6.0% 4.0% 15.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 6.0% 6.0% 8.0% 8.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 12.0% 8.0% 8.0% 4.0% 6.0% 6.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% Date E-mail Address City Value Quantity 25.00 25.00 50.00 100.00 250.00 25.00 30.00 25.00 50.00 100.00 25.00 100.00 25.00 100.00 10.00 10.00 25.00 50.00 100.00 25.00 100.00 100.00 250.00 50.00 50.00 25.00 100.00 50.00 100.00 25.00 25.00 100.00 50.00 100.00 50.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 State Total Zip Total Merchant Profit Value Quantity Lodging And Travel Providers Hyatt Hotels Hyatt Hotels MainStay Suites (Comfort Inn) Marcus Resorts Marriott Hotels Marriott Hotels Marriott Hotels Pfister Hotel-Milwaukee, WI (Marc Quality (Comfort Inn) Renaissance (Marriott) Renaissance (Marriott) Residence Inn (Marriott) Residence Inn (Marriott) Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC Sleep Inn (Comfort Inn) Spring Hill Suites (Marriott) Spring Hill Suites (Marriott) Timber Ridge Lodge-Lake Geneva, Towne Place Suites (Marriott) Towne Place Suites (Marriott) Travelocity Incentives Hotel Card Wyndham Milwaukee Center-Milw 9.0% 9.0% 4.0% 5.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 5.0% 4.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 12.0% 4.0% 12.0% 12.0% 5.0% 12.0% 12.0% 9.0% 5.0% 25.00 100.00 25.00 10.00 50.00 100.00 500.00 10.00 25.00 50.00 100.00 50.00 100.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 100.00 10.00 50.00 100.00 100.00 10.00 20.00 9.50 25.00 100.00 200.00 9.50 25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00 2.99 10.00 25.00 25.00 25.00 75.00 10.00 25.00 25.00 5.60 0.35 0.35 5.60 Grocery/Drug Stores CVS Pharmacy CVS Pharm "); array_files[16]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081109.htm","2008-11-12","20K","20081109 ","",""," 20081109 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) November 9, 2008: The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica The Cathedral Church of Rome This Sunday marks the anniversary of the dedication of the cathedral church of Rome, on land owned by the Laterani family, by Pope Sylvester I. Honored as the Episcopal seat of the pope as bishop or Rome, it is the “mother and head of all churches of Rome and the world.” Most Catholics think of St. Peter’s as the pope’s main church, but they are wrong. St. John Lateran is the pope’s church, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome where the Bishop of Rome presides. The first basilica on the site was built in the fourth century when Constantine donated land he had received from the wealthy Lateran family. That structure and its successors suffered fire, earthquake and the ravages of war, but the Lateran remained the church where popes were consecrated until the popes returned from Avignon in the 14th century to find the church and the adjoining palace in ruins. Pope Innocent X commissioned the present structure in 1646. One of Rome’s most imposing churches, the Lateran’s towering facade is crowned with 15 colossal statues of Christ, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and 12 doctors of the Church. Beneath its high altar rest the remains of the small wooden table on which tradition holds St. Peter himself celebrated Mass. Unlike the commemorations of other Roman churches (St. Mary Major, Sts. Peter and Paul), this anniversary is a feast. The dedication of a church is a f "); array_files[17]=new Array(0,4,"http://www.ollraytown.com/files/EtC-school_flier.pdf","2008-11-10","81K"," Microsoft Word - Enjoy the City Coupon Book for Mass Handout ","","","Coupon Book 20 Available November 6th through November 17th We are excited to present the Enjoy the City coupon books feature savings on casual dinning, fast food, entertainment, retail services, travel and recreation in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. Books will only be available at the Spaghetti Dinner, after Mass November 15th & 16th, in the School Office, or through an OLL Student. Restaurants Aris, Baskin Robbins, Beach Bums, Blendz, Blimpie, Blue Nile cafe, Birdies, Callahans, Celebritys Sidewalk Cafe, Chartroose Caboose, Chick-fil-A, Chilaca, China 88, China Town Super Buffet, Ciao! Bella, Coffee Bay, Cupinis, Daily Dose, Dennys, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Farm To Market, Georges Pizza, Go Chicken Go, Golden House Restaurant, Green Mill, Holyland Cafe & bakery, Its a Grind, Jess & Jims Steakhouse, Johnnys Tavern, KC Grill Kabob, Kolache Factory, LA Juice, Lennys, McAlisters, Moes, Mr. Goodcents, Old Town Pizza, Oriental Feast, Panda Cafe, Papas, Patrinkios, Pauls Big Burgers, Parazellis, Pie Lady, Pizza Man, Popeyes, RCs, Robeka, Rosatis, Salty Iguana, Samurai Teriyaki, Santa Fe Cafe, Schlotzskys, Smokin Joes, Smoothie King, Steamin Bean, Steves Delicious Donuts, Stonewall Inn, Sweet Carolines, Taco Uno, Taj Cheat House, Tannahs, Tarahumara, Toreros, Uno Chicken Grill, Western Sizzlin, Westport Flea Market. Entertainment/Recreation AMF Bowling, Comedy City, Heritage Park Golf, Ice Midwest, Mac N Seitz, Paradise Park, Power Play, River Oaks Golf, Sadlers Indoor Racing, Skate World, Smileys Golf, Surreys On the Plaza, Tomahawk Hills Golf. Retail/Services Alamo. Angy Klein, Dicks sporting Goods, Edible Arrangements, Enterprise, Firestone, Galen Boyer Motors, Kidz IDz, National, Paymaster Alliance, Pride Cleaners, Q Cleaners, Time Magazine, Ultimate Hair Salon. Books are ONLY available November 7th through November 17th Offered by the Class of 2009 "); array_files[18]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081102.htm","2008-11-05","19K","20081102 ","",""," 20081102 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) November 2, 2008: The Feast of All Souls; Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day All Souls Day is a Roman Catholic day of remembrance for friends and loved ones who have passed away. It follows All Saint’s Day which commemorates the departed who have attained the beatific vision. All Soul’s Day purposely follows All Saints Day in order to shift the focus from those in heaven to those in purgatory. While the Feast of All Saints is a day to remember the glories of Heaven and those there, the Feast of All Souls reminds us of our obligations to live holy lives and that there will be purification of the souls of those destined for Heaven. All Souls Day pays respect and remembers the souls of all our friends and loved ones who have died and gone to heaven. We pray on behalf of those who are in purgatory, the state in the afterlife where souls are purified before proceeding to heaven. Souls in purgatory must suffer so that they can be purged of their sins. It is a time to pray for their souls that they may be received into heaven. Upon death, it is believed that souls have not yet been cleansed of sin. Praying for souls of loved ones helps to remove the stain of sin, and allow the souls to enter the gates of heaven. Through prayer and good works, living members of the church may help their departed friends and family. Let us remember those who have died in our parish family this past year and for all our beloved dead in our prayers and let us for their families. Let us rejoice in the ble "); array_files[19]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/groups/prolife_ministry.htm","2008-10-29","17K","Pro-Life Ministry ","",""," Pro-Life Ministry Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Prolife Ministry High school students are invited to be a part of “Truth Illuminated”, a Diocesan sponsored pro-life group. We meet from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month in OLL Parish Hall, lower level. Late October, 2008: Want to go to the March for Life in January but cant get away? Send a “Truth Illuminated” activist in your place! Participants in this teen pro-life group will be collecting signatures on their t-shirts of donors who help fund their expenses for the trip to Washington, D.C. in January. Donations will be accepted after various Masses the next three Sundays. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[20]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/committees.htm","2008-10-29","18K","OLL Groups and Committees ","",""," OLL Groups and Committees Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Groups, Committees and Parish Organizations... This page is for links to individual pages for OLL groups and committees, or for links to other parish-related sites maintained by OLL parishioners. Friendly Club OLL Choir (onsite information) OLL Choir (offsite BlogSpot for Choir members) Pro-Life Ministry Social Committee If you maintain a site on behalf of an Our Lady of Lourdes parish group or committee, please contact Richard Gross at webmaster@ollraytown.com to have a link included here. If you would like to see a page on this site for your parish groups information, please contact Richard Gross to discuss setting that up. (The basic procedure is to request a page, which will be set up as part of the site. Then, any information relevant you your groups activities can be e-mailed for inclusion on your page.) May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollray "); array_files[21]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081026.htm","2008-10-29","21K","20081026 ","",""," 20081026 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) October 26, 2008: The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time How are you with establishing priorities? Everyone longs for balance in their life so we can cope with all that the human condition presents, so we can find peace and so we can live a holy, happy and healthy life. It seems today that the world has its priorities out of order. With all the influences and challenges of life and relationships it is difficult to maintain priorities and live a balanced life. The scriptures show us how to establish our priorities and maintain them throughout life. The Gospel reading this weekend reminds us that we cannot love God without loving ourselves and others, but God must always come first. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, teaches that our constant number one priority in life and relationship is God the Almighty Father. When we have difficulty loving God with all our heart, mind and soul all the time, every day, every moment, no matter what’s going on, it is because we spend too much time focused on other people or on ourselves and all our activities. Certainly, we must focus on others in order to love them and we must focus on our own needs so that we can love others as much as we love ourselves. Our own needs are important and we are responsible for seeing that our needs are met; if we don’t we won’t have enough to share with others. However, with the daily shifting of our priorities with the uncertain and difficult times we face each day, we can tend to keep it all to ourselves, to feel secure and hold onto our happiness and to avo "); array_files[22]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/events/heritage_festival_2008.htm","2008-10-29","22K","Heritage Festival 2008 ","",""," Heritage Festival 2008 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Heritage FestivalSunday, October 12, 2008 The Choir Photos from the Parade! Photos by Mary Ann McCuiston This was another parish FUNRAISER! (Download the Mass Bulletin.) May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[23]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/trees","2008-10-29","22K","Tree Sale ","",""," Tree Sale Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Christmas Tree Sale Our Lady of Lourdes has been selling Christmas Trees since 1953 at the corner of Gregory and Blue Ridge. The Men’s Club operated the sale from 1953 to 1998 when it was turned over to the school to continue. This sale has produced tremendous amounts of money for the church and school especially during the period of the 1950’s through the 1980’s as the Raytown area was home to baby boomer families and real Christmas Trees were more widely used. Our Lady of Lourdes has a rich and proud tradition of providing quality Catholic education while preparing young people to lead and serve in the community through its fully accredited pre-school through 8th grade education program. The school is conveniently located at the corner of Blue Ridge Blvd and Gregory Blvd in Raytown and attracts students from throughout the area including Raytown, Kansas City, Grandview, Harrisonville, Greenwood, Pleasant Hill, Independence and Lee’s Summit. For enrollment info please contact the school office at 816-353-7062 or visit www.ollk8.org 2008 Sales start on Tuesday November 25 and runs through Monday December 22 or until the trees sell out. Weekday Hours 4pm-8pm Saturday Hours 9am-8pm Sunday Hours 10am-8pm Special Hours Friday after Thanksgiving: 9am-8pm Closed on Thanksgiving Day Come early for the best selection! Our Trees Fraser Fir The Fraser Fir is an elegant fir tree. This tree has a deep lush green color with soft silvery needles. The Fraser is a great ornamental Christmas tree because of its density and compactness "); array_files[24]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/oll_school_tree_sale.htm","2008-10-29","22K","Tree Sale ","",""," Tree Sale Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Christmas Tree Sale Our Lady of Lourdes has been selling Christmas Trees since 1953 at the corner of Gregory and Blue Ridge. The Men’s Club operated the sale from 1953 to 1998 when it was turned over to the school to continue. This sale has produced tremendous amounts of money for the church and school especially during the period of the 1950’s through the 1980’s as the Raytown area was home to baby boomer families and real Christmas Trees were more widely used. Our Lady of Lourdes has a rich and proud tradition of providing quality Catholic education while preparing young people to lead and serve in the community through its fully accredited pre-school through 8th grade education program. The school is conveniently located at the corner of Blue Ridge Blvd and Gregory Blvd in Raytown and attracts students from throughout the area including Raytown, Kansas City, Grandview, Harrisonville, Greenwood, Pleasant Hill, Independence and Lee’s Summit. For enrollment info please contact the school office at 816-353-7062 or visit www.ollk8.org 2008 Sales start on Tuesday November 25 and runs through Monday December 22 or until the trees sell out. Weekday Hours 4pm-8pm Saturday Hours 9am-8pm Sunday Hours 10am-8pm Special Hours Friday after Thanksgiving: 9am-8pm Closed on Thanksgiving Day Come early for the best selection! Our Trees Fraser Fir The Fraser Fir is an elegant fir tree. This tree has a deep lush green color with soft silvery needles. The Fraser is a great ornamental Christmas tree because of its density and compactness "); array_files[25]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081019.htm","2008-10-22","19K","20081019 ","",""," 20081019 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) October 19, 2008: The Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time In the Gospel message for this weekend, when Jesus asks the Pharisees to tell him whose image was engraved on the coin that pays the census tax, he used it to teach a lesson about the image that should be engraved upon our hearts. The point of his teaching is that our hearts should belong to God and to God alone. In the ancient culture of the Romans it was common to believe that an emperor was divine. To possess a Roman coin with an image engraved of the emperor meant one carried around the graven image of a human god. The Pharisees, glib and arrogant, knew this when they challenged Jesus. They tried to deceive the followers of Jesus with their question because paying the census tax to Caesar indicated more than just submission to a foreign government. It had religious undertones as well. The Pharisees implied that if Jesus was a true prophet, he should speak up against Jews possessing pagan coins. They implied that if he was a true messiah, the one sent from God who loves them, he should deliver them from the oppression and taxes of the foreign government. It is interesting to note thought that it is not clear as to where the Pharisees got the Roman coin that they showed to Jesus. If they pulled it out of their own pockets, which is likely, then it revealed their hypocrisy. In their desire to trap Jesus they revealed more about who they were. Jesus wasnt just interested in exposing their hypocrisy though, he wanted to make a point about the True Messiah. If we "); array_files[26]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081012.htm","2008-10-15","19K","20081012 ","",""," 20081012 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) October 12 2008: The Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time There are a lot of people today who are not true and authentic. They look good on the outside but they are not real. They are not who God created them to be. They are fake and phony to others even to themselves. In the Gospel reading for this Sunday Jesus addresses the problem of fakers and people who try to win friendship by being religious and showing up for the banquet of the Eucharist but refuse to enter into a genuine relationship with God. We have all encountered them. They are friendly or they do good deeds but only for their own advantage. When their faith is challenged by hardship they stop going to church. When a priest says something their limited viewpoint or lifestyle won’t let them agree with or when someone in the hierarchy does something that appears to challenge their limited understanding they leave Catholicism all together. They once professed that they believed and they proclaimed that the people of the parish were their friends and they supported Holy Mother Church. But when their relationship with others required sacrifice or repentance, they abandoned the Church and the people with whom they worshipped. Jesus shows us in the parable this weekend Gods prescription for handling friendships that are not genuinely based on love, understanding and forgiveness. The invitation to join the party is open to everyone, but when people want only the fun and do not accept the hard work that is part of every lasting relationship, God sets up boundaries "); array_files[27]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/other_pages.htm","2008-10-13","25K","Table of Contents ","",""," Table of Contents Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Our Parish Is Vibrant, Alive, and Living Our Catholic Faith Finding our parish. X Joining our parish. X Becoming Catholic Read our parish bulletin X Parish Groups and Committees X Mass Schedule X Baptism Choir Fundraisers & Charitable Giving Christmas Trees from the OLL School Endowment Trust Fund Matching Gift Program Schoolpop Visa Scrip Program for the School Marriage Mass Schedule OLL Parish School Our Stained Glass Window Parish Staff The Social Committee Parish Events Christmas 2006 Church Photos Christmas 2007 Church Photos Easter 2007 Church Photos Easter 2008 Church Photos First Communion, 2008 Heritage Festival 2006 Photo Album Journeys: Photos from Adam Haakes and Deacon Jerrys Journeys Luncheon Mardi Gras 2007 Mardi Gras Page Two Mardi Gras Page Three OLL Turns 60! Our Anniversary Celebration OLL Anniversary DVD OLL Anniversary DVD instructions Puppets! An Evening of Puppetry with Father Rogers Rite of Election, 2008 Heritage Festival 2008 Parade Photos Faith Formation The Apostles Creed The Athanasian Creed Catholic Education Divine Mercy Sunday Gravissimum Educationis Indulgences Lenten Requirements for Catholics Lent: Fast From; Feast On (from the Bulletin) Letters from Father Rogers (weekly, from the Bulletin.) Reconciliation, On the Sacrament of RCIA: Interested in joining the Catholic Church? Spending Time in Adoration: Holy Hour The Stations of the Cross The Trentine Creed The Twelve Days of Christmas Thought for Today Thought from Days Past, 2006 Thought from Days Past, 2007 Thought from Da "); array_files[28]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20081005.htm","2008-10-08","20K","20081005 ","",""," 20081005 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) October 05, 2008: The Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time In the Gospel for this weekend, Jesus teaches that the The kingdom of God is given to those who produce its fruit. Most of the time we think of the kingdom of God as a far away place, something that will eventually happen but something that is not immediate. The kingdom of God, however, is not a far off place. The kingdom of God is immediate in that we can produce its fruit here on earth during our earthly lives. Anything we do in imitation of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is a fruit that has grown as a result of following Christ on our journey toward heaven. The journey takes place one step at a time, even in the small steps we make in following Jesus and bringing others to Jesus. Following Jesus requires active and dynamic participation on our part though. Heaven doesn’t just magically fall out of the sky all of a sudden. It is a journey that requires daily movement on our part step by step. Heaven is not only our destination it can be part of our daily lives. If we love as Jesus loves, forgive as Jesus forgives, minister to others as Jesus ministered to others, teach the truth, live in obedience and reverence to God’s will and help to heal those who are experiencing hurt and pain, we are living in the kingdom of God in the here and now. Our participation in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy each and every day of our lives brings the kingdom of God into our earthly experience. That is precisely what our troubled world desperately needs right now. "); array_files[29]=new Array(0,4,"http://www.ollraytown.com/files/HF-M2008s.pdf","2008-10-08","381K"," HF Mass Program ","","","Closing Prayer Closing Hymn ..........Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (Lob und Dank) Großer Gott, wir loben dich; Herr, wir preisen deine Stärke. Vor dir neigt die Erde sich und bewundert deine Werke. Wie du warst vor aller Zeit, so bleibst du in Ewigkeit. Wie du warst vor aller Zeit, so bleibst du in Ewigkeit. Holy God, we praise thy name! Lord of all, we bow before thee; All on earth thy scepter claim, All in heaven above adore thee; Infinite thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign. Infinity thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign. Our Lady of Lourdes Recessional ......................................................... Let the Son Shine In Joyful hope love of God and smiling faces, Is the heritage we have as sons of GodChrist has risen to new life, Put an end to death and strife, Now we celebrate as one and sons of God Chorus: So let the son shine in, Share Christ with your neighbor, and Happiness will never leave your heart again. So let the son shine in, Shake hands with your neighbor, and Happiness will never leave your heart. On the job, in your home or at a party, People wishing all their friends the peace of ChristHappy feeling in the air Forget your troubles and your cares, and Join all those who share the peace of Christ. Ethnic Mass Heritage Festival 2008 October 12, 2008 10:00am Mass Our thanks to the Musicians and Choir The Ethnic Choir of Kansas City, Kansas Under the direction of Ed Grisnik Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Office: 7009 Blue Ridge Boulevard Raytown MO 64133 816.353.2380 ourladyof@comcast.net www.ollraytown.com Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Prelude: Instrumental ....................................... Na Briga Kuca Mala Choir in Polish & English ....................... Serdeczna Matko Choir............................... Sah ein Knab ein Röslein Stehn Instrumental ........................................................Accordion Hymn:.............................. Chapel in the Valley (Hej Pritatel) Entrance Hymn: We are brothers, we stand together. Lord, wont you come and be w "); array_files[30]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080928.htm","2008-10-01","19K","20080928 ","",""," 20080928 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) September 28, 2008: The Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time This weekend for many people the Gospel message may come as a real shocker. It is easy for us to think that we are doing okay spiritually even if we don’t take the time to examine our spiritual life, to honestly review and update our relationship with God and the Holy Catholic Church. Many people today are too busy to pause in reflection and check and balance how well they do God’s will. They think because they intend to do God’s will that they are doing what is required, they are doing enough. So it isn’t easy to hear Jesus tell us that tax collectors and prostitutes, two of the most vile, vulgar and unholy vocations in life, are going to enter the kingdom of God ahead of those people who consider themselves to be religious enough on the surface. They are afraid to take a close look at their lives. Many people today think they are safe because on the surface they know how to say yes to God and they think they are secure because they can give the right answers some of the time. When it comes to reflecting on their spiritual life and saying yes to God’s will they think they are okay because they intend to do God’s will even though they are too busy to actually do God’s will. Knowing the right answer and actually doing and living the right answer is the dividing line between heaven and hell. Here comes the shock. God doesnt want correct answers; he wants righteous actions. God doesnt want dutiful obedience to rules and regulations; he wants obedience motivated "); array_files[31]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/website.htm","2008-09-24","18K","About This Website ","",""," About This Website Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) About This Website... This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of the Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytown, parish community. If you experience problems with this website, have questions about it or would like to make a suggestion, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Members of the OLL Parish Community are welcome to suggest possible pages for this website. Please e-mail your suggestions to webmaster@ollraytown.com. If you have photographs of parish activities that could be used on this site, please e-mail the photograph and the name of the photographer (so there can be a proper photo credit) to webmaster@ollraytown.com. This site now includes links to parish organizations, groups and committees web pages. You can find those links by clicking here. There is also permanent link (Parish Groups) to the parish organizations page in the link bar on the left of every page. If you are part of a committee at Lourdes, you should have a page on this site to get your information out to the parish! See the links page for more information on setting that up, or contact Richard Gross at webmaster@ollraytown.com to find out more. Lets get 100% parish participation on this website and make it a valuable tool for everyone! May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking thi "); array_files[32]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/catholic_education.htm","2008-09-24","20K","Catholic Education ","",""," Catholic Education Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Catholic Education... Our Lady of Lourdes School The Our Lady of Lourdes parish school offers kindergarten through eighth grade. Find out more at http://www.ollk8.org/ Catholic High Schools Archbishop OHara High School http://oharahs.org/ St. Marys High School http://www.stmhs.org Rockhurst High School http://www.rockhursths.edu/ Catholic Colleges and UniversitiesAvila University http://www.avila.edu Rockhurst University http://www.rockhurst.edu Ave Maria Universitys Institute for Pastoral Theology The IPT offers a Masters in Theological Studies designed for nontraditional students. These classes meet once every four weeks on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday in Independence, Missouri. The Institute for Pastoral Theology (IPT) at Ave Maria University is accepting applications for the Master of Theological Studies degree program that will be offered in the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph beginning August 2008. Classes will be held at the Franciscan Prayer Center in Independence, MO. The IPT is highly regarded as a program that is based on Sacred Scripture, Vatican II, the classics of Catholic spirituality, documents on the liturgy, and the writings of Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Classes meet one weekend per month, ten months each year. For further information, please call the IPT toll-free (866) 866-1100, e-mail us at ipt@avemaria.edu or visit our web site at www.ipt.avemaria.edu. Application deadline is April 1st, 2008. http://www.ipt.avemaria.edu For a more complete list of Catholic schools in "); array_files[33]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/marriages.htm","2008-09-24","17K","Marriages ","",""," Marriages Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Marriage... Arrangements for marriages are to be made at least nine months in advance (a year would be best). You must be a registered, practicing, contributing member of the parish. To make arrangements, contact the parish office during regular business hours at 353-2380. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[34]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/baptisms.htm","2008-09-24","21K","Baptisms ","",""," Baptisms Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Baptisms... Baptisms are conducted on the second Sunday of the month, following the 10:00 am Mass. Please contact the rectory well in advance at 353-2380 for baptism preparation information. Catechism of the Catholic Church PART TWO: THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY SEC. TWO: I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT CH. ONE: THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION ARTICLE 1: THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM IN BRIEF 1275Christian initiation is accomplished by three sacraments together: Baptism which is the beginning of new life; Confirmation which is its strengthening; and the Eucharist which nourishes the disciple with Christs Body and Blood for his transformation in Christ. 1276Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonand of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe allthat I have commanded you (Mt 28:19-20). 1277Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordancewith the Lords will, it is necessary for salvation,as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism. 1278The essential rite of Baptism consists in immersing thecandidate in water or pouring water on his head, whilepronouncing the invocation of the Most Holy Trinity:the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 1279The fruit of Baptism, or baptismal grace, is a rich realitythat includes forgiveness of original sin and all personalsins, birth into the new life by which man becomes anadoptive son of the Father, a member of Christ and atemple of the Holy Spirit. By this very fact the personbaptized is incorporated into the Church, the "); array_files[35]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/new_parishoners.htm","2008-09-24","17K","New Parishoners ","",""," New Parishoners Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Welcome to our parish! Please come in and register at the parish office during regular hours. Registration is a tangible sign of affiliation with the people of Our Lady of Lourdes parish. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[36]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/thoughts_from_days_past.htm","2008-09-24","28K","Thoughts from Days Past, 2006 ","",""," Thoughts from Days Past, 2006 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Thoughts Thursday, January 11, 2007 At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love. --St. John of the Cross Thursday, December 14, 2006 You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in Gods way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil. The thief must no longer steal, but rather labor, doing honest work with his (own) hands, so that he may have something to share with one in need. No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. (And) be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. -- Ephesians 4: 22-32 Thursday, December 07, 2006 The Athanasian Creed Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unit "); array_files[37]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/thoughts_from_days_past-2007.htm","2008-09-24","61K","Thoughts from Days Past, 2007 ","",""," Thoughts from Days Past, 2007 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Thoughts, 2007 Thursday, December 27, 2007 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel. -- Matthew 2: 1-6 Tuesday, December 25, 2007 Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. -- Luke 2: 10-14 Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” -- Matthew 1: 23 Friday, December 14, 2007 All serious and upright human conduct is hope in action. This is so first of all i "); array_files[38]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fundraisers.htm","2008-09-24","19K","Fundraisers ","",""," Fundraisers Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Charitable Giving... Matching Gift Programs Our Lady of Lourdes welcomes and sincerely appreciates donations.Many employers have a “matching gift program” that will match donations to charitable organizations. These matches are often dollar for dollar, which double your charitable-donation power. Find out more by clicking here! Printery House Affiliate Fundraiser Program Give us a free donation! The Printery House is a department of Conception Abbey that manufactures and sells Christian greeting cards and gifts. If you click on the Printery House link below, we will automatically receive a donation of 7% of whatever you purchase. Or, just be sure to use our special promotion code, AF1241 if you call or mail in your order to them. Plus, by patronizing the Printery House, you help to support Conception Seminary College at the Abbey, where our future priests begin their training School Fundraisers TheEndowment Trust Fund for Catholic Education Tree Sale Scrip Program Schoolpop Online Shopping May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained "); array_files[39]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/location.htm","2008-09-24","17K","Our Church ","",""," Our Church Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Finding Our Lady of Lourdes... Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church is located at the corner of Blue Ridge Boulevard and East Gregory Boulevard in Raytown, Missouri. Our physical address is: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish 7009 Blue Ridge Boulevard Raytown, MO 64133. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[40]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/rcia.htm","2008-09-24","20K","R.C.I.A. ","",""," R.C.I.A. Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Our Lady of Lourdes, RaytownRite of Christian Initiation for Adults Welcome. The RCIA is the first step for those considering membership in the Catholic Church and for those who are currently Catholic and seeking a deeper understanding of the Church and its traditions because it enables the individual to learn about the Church as it lives, prays, serves and worships in today’s world. Those who are not Catholic and are entering the Church begin the process as either a catechumen or a candidate. The word catechumen refers to a person who has never been baptized. A person who has already been baptized in another Christian denomination, either Protestant or Eastern Orthodox, is called a candidate. At Our Lady of Lourdes, the RCIA class process begins in September and lasts through the Easter Vigil. We meet weekly on Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The RCIA process includes these stages: The inquiry period, from September through November, consists of presentations that explain the process and answer questions about the Roman Catholic Church. This is a time for inquirers to decide whether they wish to continue with the process. The Catechumenate (instruction period) begins on the First Sunday in Advent; inquirers are formally welcomed by the parish community and enter a period of more structured preparation the includes listening to presentations and joining in discussions based on scripture readings and other topics of importance, such as the Sacraments, the meaning of the Mass, Catholic morality and social actions "); array_files[41]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/staff.htm","2008-09-24","19K","OLL Parish Staff ","",""," OLL Parish Staff Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Parish Staff... Father Steven Rogers Staff Members Fr. Steven Rogers Pastor Deacon Sam Adams Pastoral Associate Mrs. Pam Reichardt Business Manager Mrs. Donna Morales Sacramental Secretary PSR Coordinator Rectory Email: ourladyof@comcast.net Rectory Telephone: 816.353-2380 Rectory Fax: 816.353-5737 Education Center 8812 East Gregory Boulevard Raytown, MO 64133 Mr. Steve Messerschmidt School Principal School Telephone:816.353-7062 School Fax: 816.353-7650 May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[42]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/mass.htm","2008-09-24","19K","OLL Mass Schedule ","",""," OLL Mass Schedule Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Sunday Mass Schedule Saturday Evening: 5:00 pm Sunday Morning: 8:00 am 10:00 am Daily Mass Schedule Monday through Thursday: 8:00 am Wednesday during Summer: 8:00 am Wednesday During School Year: 8:30 am Adoration: Friday 8:30 am -- 4:00 pm Holy Days as Announced Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday, 4:00 - 4:30 pm or by appointment (for more information...) Please join us! Parish Office Hours Monday through Thursday: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm Friday: 8:30 am - noon 816.353-2380 May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[43]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/schoolpop.htm","2008-09-24","20K","SchoolPop ","",""," SchoolPop Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) SchoolPop Online Shopping Program Note: You do not need a SchoolPop Visa to participate in on-line shopping. Two easy ways to help: Shop on-line at schoolpop.com and specified percentages go to Lourdes! If you charge purchases to your Schoolpop Via, you get credit for both! Apply for a Schoolpop Visa Credit Card and ONE percent of every dollar you spend is returned to Lourdes. To sign up: Go to www.schoolpop.com and click Join Now button. Be sure to apply for Our Lady of Lourdes in Raytown {our id is 130219} to receive credit for your purchases. Or apply by phone by calling (800) 297-1286 and mention card code 6CMN. Choose “Profile” on the left hand side. Fill out your Profile Information. Friends and family can sign up too. You can Opt-in to receive emails about new merchants, special promotions, and extra bonuses. Be sure to add schoolpop@schoolpop.com to your address book. You can register other credit cards on Schoolpops secure server so that your purchases are credited. Choose “My Cards” and add your other credit cards. It’s a good idea to download the “shopping buddy” too, just in case you forget to make purchases through schoolpop.com. START SHOPPING! Parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends can all participate! Supporters simply enter Our Lady of Lourdes in Raytown. New supporters can do this when they sign up for the first time. Existing Supporters can go into their profiles under My Account and add Our Lady of Lourdes in Raytown as beneficiary. If you are interested in applying for the Schoolpop Visa Ca "); array_files[44]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/twelve_days_of_christmas.htm","2008-09-24","31K","Twelve Days of Christmas ","",""," Twelve Days of Christmas Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) The Twelve Days of Christmas. It may come as a surprise to you to learn that The Twelve Days of Christmas was written by Jesuits as a way to pass on the Catholic faith to young Catholics in England during a time of oppression that lasted from 1558 until 1829, during which Catholics were not allowed to practice their faith. In the year 1558, Elizabeth I of England reinstated a series of decrees and began a reign of oppression against Catholics. Though Pope Pius V (to put it in the terms used by modern language for this situation) called for regime change in England, this rogue nation and its dictators would continue its oppression for years to come. The items listed as gifts in The Twelve Days of Christmas are allegory. Each one has religious significance and each one is, of course, given by my true love, who is God. On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree. This is a reference to Christ, who died on the Cross to redeem man. On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two turtle doves. The two turtle doves are the Old Testament and the New Testament, which are gifts from God On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Three French hens. The three French hens are faith, hope and love -- the three gifts of the Spirit. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13) On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Four calling birds. The four calling birds are the four Gospels, that tell th "); array_files[45]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/trentine_creed.htm","2008-09-24","20K","The Trentine Creed ","",""," The Trentine Creed Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) The Trentine Creed -- or -- The Creed of Pius IV. , A.D. 1564. I most steadfastly admit and embrace Apostolical and ecclesiastical traditions, and all other observances and constitutions of the Church. I also admit the Holy Scripture according to that sense which our holy mother the Church has held, and does hold, to which it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretations of the Scriptures. Neither will I ever take and interpret them otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers. I also profess that there are truly and properly seven Sacraments of the New Law, instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord, and necessary for the salvation of mankind, though not all for every one; to wit, Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Orders, and Matrimony; and that they confer grace; and that of these, Baptism, Confirmation, and Orders cannot be reiterated without sacrilege. I also receive and admit the received and approved ceremonies of the Catholic Church in the solemn administration of the aforesaid Sacraments. I embrace and receive all and every one of the things which have been defined and declared in the holy Council of Trent concerning Original Sin and justification. I profess, likewise, that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead; and that in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially, the Body and Blood, together with the Soul and Divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ "); array_files[46]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/via_crucis.htm","2008-09-24","22K","Via Crucis ","",""," Via Crucis Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) The Stations of the Cross The Way of the Cross Via Crucis The Stations of the Cross are a series of (usually) fourteen scenes that remember the Passion of Jesus Christ -- His suffering, crucifixion and death. The term can refer to the physical representations of these scenes, as in Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytowns, Stations of the Cross are pictured below, but it is more commonly used to refer to the devotional act of praying the Stations, as in At seven p.m. on Fridays during Lent, the faithful can pray the Stations of the Cross at Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytown.The Stations have evolved from a very early tradition in the Catholic Church by which pilgrims would follow the actual Via Dolorosa, or Way of Sorrows, stopping at the Stations to contemplate the events that tradition holds took place there. This tradition had spread from the Holy Land to Europe as early as the fourth century, which of course necessitated putting together visual representations of the Stations. The Stations of the Cross are: Station One: Jesus is Condemned to Death Station Two: Jesus Carries His Cross Station Three: Jesus Falls the First Time Station Four: Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother Station Five: Simon Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross Station Six: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus Station Seven: Jesus Falls the Second Time Station Eight: Jesus Meets the Women Station Nine: Jesus Falls the Third Time Station Ten: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments Station Eleven: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross Station Twelve: Jesus Dies on the Cross Station Thirteen "); array_files[47]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/spending_time_in_adoration.htm","2008-09-24","21K","Spending Time in Adoration ","",""," Spending Time in Adoration Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Adoration Twelve Reasons From The Teachings Of The Church For Wanting To Spend One Hour With Jesus In The Blessed Sacrament 1. You are greatly needed! The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic Adoration. 2. This is a personal invitation to you from Jesus. Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love. 3. Jesus is counting on you because the Eucharist is the center of life. Every member of the Church must be vigilant in seeing that the sacrament of Love shall be at the center of the life of the people of God so that through all the manifestations of worship due Him shall be given back ‘love for love’ and truly become the life of our souls. 4. Your hour with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament will repair for evils of the world and bring about peace on earth. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Jesus and ready to make reparation for the great evils of the world. Let your adoration never cease. 5. Day and night Jesus dwells in the Blessed Sacrament because you are the most important person in the world to Him! Christ is reserved in our churches as the spiritual center of the heart of the community, the universal Church and all humanity, since within the veil of the species, Christ is contained, the Invisible Heart of the Church, the Redeemer of the world, the center of all hearts, by Him all things are and of whom we exist. 6. Jesus wants you to do more than to go to Mass on Sunday. Our communal worship at Mass must go together with our personal worship of Jesus in Eucharistic ado "); array_files[48]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/lent_fast_from_feast_on.htm","2008-09-24","22K","LENT: Fast From; Feast On ","",""," LENT: Fast From; Feast On Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Fast From Feast On Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ dwelling in them. Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of life. Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of life. Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God. Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify. Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude. Fast from anger; feast on patience. Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism. Fast from worry; feast on divine order. Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation. Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives. Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer. Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance. Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness. Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others. Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth. Fast from discouragements; feast on hope. Fast from facts that depress; feast on verities that uplift. Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm. Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire. Fast from shadows of sorrow, feast on the sunlight of serenity. Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence. Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that under girds. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking th "); array_files[49]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/lenten_requirements.htm","2008-09-24","28K","Lenten requirements for Catholics ","",""," Lenten requirements for Catholics Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Lenten Requirements LENTEN REGULATIONS • Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence from meat and days of fast; that is, only one full meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals may be taken but together should not equal another full meal. • All Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence from meat. • The obligation to abstain from meat commences at 14 years of age. • The obligation to fast commences at 18 years of age and ends at 59 years of age. • The obligation to do penance is a serious one and no Catholic should lightly excuse him/herself from this obligation during the Lenten season. Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day season of Lent that calls the faithful to a spiritual journey with the suffering Christ. The Code of Canon Law (see below) indicates that at least once during the year Catholics in serious sin should receive the sacrament of reconciliation. A member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience. §2. It is recommended to the Christian faithful that they also confess venial sins. (CCL 988) After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is obliged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year. (CCL 989) Other requirements of the season include fasting and abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Go "); array_files[50]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/indulgences.htm","2008-09-24","72K","Indulgences ","",""," Indulgences Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) What Are Indulgences? Catechism of the Catholic Church X.INDULGENCES 1471The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance. What is an indulgence? An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin. The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead. The punishments of sin 1472To understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable ofeternal life, the privation of which is called the eternal punishment of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the temporal punishment of sin. These two punishments mustnot be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent ch "); array_files[51]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/athanasian_creed.htm","2008-09-24","20K","The Athanasian Creed ","",""," The Athanasian Creed Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Athanasian Creed Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-Eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost Uncreate. The Father Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost Etneral and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal. As also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One Uncreated, and One Uncomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not Three Gods, but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord. For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholi "); array_files[52]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/apostles_creed.htm","2008-09-24","17K","The Apostles Creed ","",""," The Apostles Creed Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Apostles Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, Gods only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven; he is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. AMEN. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[53]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/events/puppetry.htm","2008-09-24","19K","An Evening of Puppetry ","",""," An Evening of Puppetry Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) A Night of Puppets... On August 18th, 2007, Father Rogers introduced the Parish family to his puppet and marionette family. Father discussed how to make and animate your own puppet. This was a very special evening for children of all ages! May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[54]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/mardi_gras_3.htm","2008-09-24","20K","Mardi Gras Page Three ","",""," Mardi Gras Page Three Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Mardi Gras Thank you to Mary Ann McCuiston and family for these pictures!Mardi Gras Page One Mardi Gras Page Two Social Committee May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[55]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/mardi_gras_2.htm","2008-09-24","19K","Mardi Gras, Page Two ","",""," Mardi Gras, Page Two Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) More photos from OLLs Mardi Gras 2007 Photographs on this page are by Jane Hunley. Back to Page One of Mardi Gras 2007. On to Page Three of Mardi Gras 2007. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[56]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/mardi_gras_2007.htm","2008-09-24","22K","Mardi Gras 2007 ","",""," Mardi Gras 2007 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Mardi Gras Photographs After setup, the event volunteers got to enjoy authentic Cajun food. Thanks to everyone who helped in the kitchen; it wouldnt have been possible without you!!! Mmmm.... A special thank you to all the volunteers who made desserts! (Ask not for whom the Beerman pours... he pours for YOU.) Face painting, a mask making area, and a fish pond were all part of the Childrens Area! PARADE!!! Al and Dee Dee Allen were selected King and Queen of the Krewe. At the end of the parade, the king and queen were enthroned with the Krewe. The Solid Chicken Dancers Photographs on this page are by Richard Gross. Go to Page Two of Mardi Gras 2007. Go on to Page Three of Mardi Gras 2007. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[57]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/heritage2006.htm","2008-09-24","23K","Heritage Feastival 2006 ","",""," Heritage Feastival 2006 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Heritage Festival 2006 Photographs by Father Powers The annual Our Lady of Lourdes Heritage Festival is a celebration of our cultural diversity and our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ. At the 2006 Heritage Festival, attendees were able to sample foods from ethnic traditions from around the world. Parishioners hosted booths that represented: Americana Hispanic Native America Scotch/Irish African Union German Italian Mediterranean Vietnamese Download the Heritage Festival 2006 Program 2006 Entertainment Schedule 3:00pm Opening: Father Powers Native American Lord’s Prayer 3:10pm Native American Story Telling and Flute Demonstration 3:30pm Eric Mongers – Scottish Bagpipe 4:00pm Juan and Raul, Mexican Music & Song 4:30pm Virginia from African Union – Scarf Demonstration 5:00pm The All American Cloggers Mike & Aike – K9 Patrol 5:30pm Prescilla Nowak – Spanish Guitar 6:00pm African Drums 6:45pm Closing: Mozaic – Irish Blessing/Auld Lang Syne All are invited to be a part of the annual Heritage Festival. For more information, contact to OLL Social Committee. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm M "); array_files[58]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/groups/choir.htm","2008-09-24","25K","Choir ","",""," Choir Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) OLL Choir Everyone is welcome to join the choir. The Choir rehearses on Monday evenings at 7pm in the church and usually sings about 2 Sundays a month at various mass times. We generally practice the Monday evening before our scheduled mass. We also provide music for midnight mass at Christmas Eve and during Holy Week services. Please contact Joe Bonello at 816-313-6208 for information on joining this important ministry.We welcome you to join us. Our current members are: Jay Bergman Katie Bergman Elizabeth Bonello Josh Bonello Pete Bonello Marge Campbell Angelina DeFeo Connie Deuschle Gisselle Dube Monica Hancock Dorothy Hayes Joann Johnson Madalen Kadlic Marge Kennedy Virginia McMillin Harriett Minor Lance Morrison Ellen Newman Monica Stephens Donna Swift Mary Warren Christy Weber Cathy Thiel Accompanist Gina Cook Flute Joe Bonello Director For other music ministry opportunities such as cantoring or piano or organ, please contact the rectory. Choir members: you can reach the OLL choir BlogSpot by clicking here... May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This web "); array_files[59]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/penance.htm","2008-09-24","25K","On The Sacrament of Reconciliation ","",""," On The Sacrament of Reconciliation Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday, 4:00 - 4:30 pm or by appointment To speak of reconciliation and penance is for the men and women of our time an invitation to rediscover, translated into their own way of speaking, the very words with which our savior and teacher Jesus Christ began his preaching: Repent, and believe in the Gospel, that is to say, accept the good news of love, of adoption as children of God and hence of brotherhood. --Pope John Paul II from his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Reconciliation & Penance, 1984 CCC ARTICLE 4 THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION 1422 Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from Gods mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion. I. What Is This Sacrament Called? 1423 It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin. It is called the sacrament of penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinners personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction. 1424 It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a confession—acknowledgment and praise—of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward s "); array_files[60]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/schoolpop_visa.htm","2008-09-24","19K","Schoolpop Visa ","",""," Schoolpop Visa Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) SchoolPop Visa Apply for a SchoolPop Visa Credit Card and ONE percent of every dollar you spend is credited to OLL. Apply at www.schoolpop.com . Our school number is 130219 In a nutshell, you can apply for a SchoolPop Visa Credit Card and ONE percent of every dollar you spend is credited back to OLL. There are no hidden charges - no annual fee & 0 percent APR for the first six months and as low as 8.9 percent APR after that. As you can see, the cash can really add up! If you already have a credit card, please consider switching to the SchoolPop Visa Card. This is FREE MONEY to be used against your tuition. Use your card to pay for all your expenditures and make one payment a month and rack up your credits! Apply for the SchoolPop Visa Card now! Its easy, its free and it only takes a few minutes. Go to http://visa.schoolpop.com and click the Apply Now! button. Or apply by phone by calling (800) 297-1286 and mention card code 6CMN. Remember to do your on-line shopping www.schoolpop.com -and reduce your tuition too! Be sure to charge your on-line shopping to your SchoolPop Visa and get credit for both! Go to www.schoolpop.com and click Join. Choose our school to receive credit for your purchases. Fill out your Profile Information and choose your Preferences. Remember to register your debit and credit cards on SchoolPops secure server so that your purchases are credited. Opt-in to receive emails about new merchants, special promotions, and extra bonuses. Be sure to add schoolpop@schoolpop.p0.com to your address book. "); array_files[61]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/events/2008_rite_of_election.htm","2008-09-24","18K","2008 Rite of Election ","",""," 2008 Rite of Election Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) 2008 Rite of Election Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytown, was pleased to send six candidates and four catechumens to the Cathedral on Saturday, 9 February 2008, for the Rite of Election. These ten people will be welcomed into full communion with Holy Mother Church at the celebration of the Easter Vigil Mass later this year. Congratulations to all of our Candidates and Elect! May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[62]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/easter_2007_photos.htm","2008-09-24","17K","Easter 2007 Photos ","",""," Easter 2007 Photos Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Easter 2007 Photos Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytown Easter 2007 She thought it was the gardener and said to him, Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him. Jesus said to her, Mary! She turned and said to him in Hebrew, Rabbouni, which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, I have seen the Lord. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[63]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/christmas_2007.htm","2008-09-24","17K","Christmas 2007 ","",""," Christmas 2007 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Christmas 2007 Photographs Thank you to Rick Conway and the Art & Environment Committee for the beautiful Christmas decorations! May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[64]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/christmas_2006_photos.htm","2008-09-24","17K","Christmas 2006 Photos ","",""," Christmas 2006 Photos Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Christmas 2006 Photos Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytown Christmas 2006 Thank you to everyone who works so hard in decorating the church for our Christmas celebration. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[65]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/stained_glass_windows.htm","2008-09-24","22K","Stained Glass ","",""," Stained Glass Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) The Stained Glass Windows ofOur Lady of Lourdes, Raytown Creation of the Universe Garden of Eden Covenant with Noah Covenant with Noah Covenant with Moses Psalm 23 The Birth of Our Lord Baptism of Christ Wedding at Cana Loaves and Fishes The Last Supper - Eucharist The Crucifixion of Christ The Empty Tomb The Resurrection of Christ Pentecost Some of these photographs were featured in an article entitled Stained Glass as a Vehicle for Spiritual Growth in the Post-Vatican II Catholic Church, which appeared in the Winter 2006 Issue of The Stained Glass Quarterly. The article can be downloaded by clicking this link. The stained glass windows in Our Lady of Lourdes are of a style called dalle de verre; they were made by Hopcroft Stained Glass Studios of Kansas City. Dalle de verre windows are made from slabs of glass that are typically an inch thick and eight inches wide by twelve inches long. Once the design for the window is made, these slabs are scored like regular glass and broken along the scoreline by using a special triangular anvil. Once the slabs are broken to size, they can be faceted along the edges with a hammer and are then laid out according to the design. The slabs are then joined by pouring epoxy (or, in older windows, concrete) between the slabs to hold them together. The individual panels that make up a dalle de verre window are quite heavy and sturdy. Hopcroft Stained Glass Studio was established here in Kansas City in 1914 by Hugh Hopcroft. The studio has many installations around the metro area and "); array_files[66]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/matching_gift_program.htm","2008-09-24","36K","Matching Gift Program ","",""," Matching Gift Program Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Matching Gifts As with any non-profit organization, Our Lady of Lourdes welcomes and sincerely appreciates donations.Many employers have a “matching gift program” that will match donations to charitable organizations. These matches are often dollar for dollar, which double your charitable-donation power. Check with your companys human resources or payroll department to see whether it offers a matching gift program and guidelines. A listing of Matching Companies is provided below. (If your company is a Matching Company and is not listed below, please e-mail the companys name to webmaster@ollraytown.com so that it can be recognized in this list!) Matching CompaniesAAAAA Auto ClubAbbott LaboratoriesACE InsuranceAdams Harkness & Hill Inc.ADC TelecommunicationsAddison Wesley LongmanAdobe Systems IncADPAdvanced Micro Devices Inc.AEGON USA Inc.Aetna Inc.AIM InvestmentsAkzo Nobel Inc.Akzona, Inc.Alaska AirlinesAlco Standard FoundationAlexander & Baldwin Inc.Alexander Haas Martin & PartnersAllegro Micro Systems Inc.Allendale InsuranceAlliance Capital Management, LPAlliant Energy Corp.Allied Chemical Corp.Allied Signal FoundationAltria Group Inc.AMCAmerada Hess Corp.American Express CompanyAmerican General Corp.American Honda Motor Co., Inc.American International Group, Inc.American National BankAmerican Standard Inc.American Stock ExchangeAmerican United Life Insurance Co.Ameriprise FinancialAmerisure Mutual Insurance Co.Amgen Inc.AmSouth BanCopr. FoundationAMSTED Industries Inc. Anadarko Petroleum Corp.Analog Devi "); array_files[67]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/endowment_trust_fund_for_catholi.htm","2008-09-24","18K","Endowment Trust Fund ","",""," Endowment Trust Fund Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Endowment Trust Fund for Catholic Education If any Catholic school is going to exist into the next century it must have a healthy endowment fund to support it! Our Lady of Lourdes has an established endowment fund to provide a continuing source of revenue and support for the grade school and other religious education at Lourdes. The interest is used to help offset school expenses and supports programs that help instill sound core values in the youth participating and help adults reinforce their beliefs. The fund principal remains intact and continues earning interest.Gifts of cash, life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, stocks, bonds and real estate would be appreciated. All gifts are tax deductible. This fund is independently managed by the Trust Department of the United Missouri Bank. Contributions remain in the fund as an income producing investment with the investment income from the fund distributed to support the programs noted above. A donation may be made directly to Our Lady of Lourdes School for this purpose by sending it to the parish and noting that it is for the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Endowment Trust Fund for Religious Education. The correct legal language for bequests is: To the Endowment Trust Fund for Catholic Education, 300 East 36th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111-1410, for the specific purpose of the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish - Raytown, MO Endowment Trust Fund for Religious Education. If you want more information, contact Steve Messerschmidt in the School office. May the Peace "); array_files[68]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/box_tops_for_education.htm","2008-09-24","17K","Box Tops ","",""," Box Tops Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Box Tops for Education Best Choice Labels & Tyson Food Labels The following labels may be turned in at any time in the container located in the school lobby or in the container in the vestibule at the front door of the church.This helps earn money for the school! If you have a child in school, please be sure to put your childs name and grade on the envelope. Box Tops for Education Best Choice Labels Project A+ Labels on Tyson Products Be sure to save the UPS portion as a proof of purchase! Cut on the dotted line and send in the entire panel! May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[69]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/events/oll_turns_60.htm","2008-09-24","20K","OLL Turns 60!!! ","",""," OLL Turns 60!!! Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) 60th Anniversary Celebration a Resounding Success! Father Rogers Takes the Cake. Of course, he shared it with about 500 of his closest friends -- the people of Our Lady of Lourdes parish. OLLs 60th Anniversary Celebration was a resounding success due in no small part to the capable leadership of our pastor, Father Steven Rogers, and the many volunteers from the parish who worked to make the event fun for our entire parish family. Photographs from the Anniversary Mass... May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[70]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080921.htm","2008-09-24","21K","20080921 ","",""," 20080921 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) September 21, 2008: The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time With all the turmoil and extreme disasters occurring daily in our world mixed with pending financial ruin and devastation it becomes routine to think and act like God is not fair and nothing matters anymore. It appears that God favors some and forgets the others. We hold God accountable to our standards and often we think he has failed or that we are being punished because of who we are and what we have done. With all that the world imposes on us it is difficult for us to grasp that God loves each of us the same. We struggle with issues of fairness and justice but God’s justice is a matter of love and mercy. God shows love and mercy to the saint and sinner alike. He does not show favoritism to just a select few. His love flows in abundance to anyone who will open their eyes and ears and their hearts and minds to his will and follow him. We find an example of this in the parable in the Gospel from this Sunday. Here we see that the landowner seems very unfair and if we compare him to parenthood we see a similarity. In an ideal world with ideal parents we think a loving father and a mother is someone who cares about each of his children equally. Although he/she gives more attention to the child who needs it more, he loves the rest of them just as much. A fruitful comparison would be God the Father is like a vineyard and landowner who makes it a practice to give equally to all. We know that we cannot earn our way into heaven. Yes, God shows favoritism to those wh "); array_files[71]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080914.htm","2008-09-17","20K","20080914 ","",""," 20080914 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) September 14, 2008: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Jesus was an exceptionally humble man. Jesus is not only the son of God he is God and he is owed our humility; we must humble ourselves before him. Being that Jesus is God this should be reason enough for each of us to humble ourselves to him and the fact that Jesus humbled himself for each of us inspires us to humble ourselves without question. How did Jesus humble himself to us? The Gospel teaches us that Jesus came down from heaven. Jesus left the comforts and luxury of heaven to enter into our troubled and often cruel world to unite him self to people who can be selfish, hateful and immoral and scandalous. That is humility! St. Augustine said that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. We have a natural longing for heaven. Heaven is not only a wonderful secure place, it is our true home. Each of us is hardwired to know this instinctively. Comparing heaven to our troubled world gives cause to protest loudly when we experience something un-heavenly and unholy here on earth. Each and every day of our lives here on earth we could cry out, God, Im tired of this cruelty. I am fed-up with this inhumanity. Make it go away, Lord! Make it end! Take this pain and trouble away from us. Sometimes we even give our words and actions over to complaining, God, you dont understand how bad this problem really is.” Often we blame God personally for all the bad that happens in our lives and relationships. This is the sin that got the Israelites into deep trouble. This is the "); array_files[72]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080907.htm","2008-09-10","21K","20080907 ","",""," 20080907 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) September 7, 2008: Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary TimeSacred Scripture constantly speaks to the need for conversion and reconciliation. Conversion and reconciliation always involve the need to stand up for what is holy and right and true in a way that not only helps us turn from sin and destructive behavior but involves the need for us to stand up and help others turn away from sin as well. This is difficult work. No one wants to go public with their conversion much less confront someone else with the truth. There is an unavoidable fact related to avoiding this necessary aspect of conversion and reconciliation; if we don’t confront others we are as guilty as the sinner for the sins he commits. If we don’t confront them we will be held accountable for their sins as well. Taking a stand against our sins and the sins that others commit doesn’t mean we stand on the street corner and shout, “Repent!” to the traffic that passes by, although if the Holy Spirit worked this way in you it would be acceptable. Taking a stand against sin requires compassion and mercy and unconditional love. Jesus shows us in and through the Gospel that it is vital for our well-being and the well-being of others to rely on our community for advocacy and prayer support. The first course of action is to speak up to the sinner. Go to the source and talk to them not about them. When we know that someone is harming himself and others (and all sin is harmful even if we don’t experience it first hand), we must communicate with charity our knowledge of Go "); array_files[73]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080831.htm","2008-09-03","21K","20080831 ","",""," 20080831 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) August 31, 2008: Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary TimeHave you ever felt the way Jeremiah sometimes felt, feeling woe at every turn and weary with every breath you take? Have you ever yelled at God because you feel avoided or ignored or worse, that he somehow duped you because he let you dupe yourself? That he allows this to happen over and over, again and again? With all that goes on in our troubled world, with all the misery and suffering in the human condition, it is easy to give our time and thoughts over griping and grumbling. Life and relationships often produce conflict and discord and it becomes easy for us to actively engage in pity parties with everyone and anyone with whom we come into contact. It seems that wherever we go these days, whether we are at work or play, in the home, school, supermarket, drug store, doctor’s office, or gas station, whether we are sitting or standing, everyone has a grievance to air out loud. Does misery really love company as the old adage goes? Chronic complaining to anyone who will listen is actually misdirected bellyaching and leads to more difficulty for us according to sacred scripture. Those who constantly complain never really resolve anything they just revolve around their wretchedness. Jeremiah went to God directly. Jeremiah appears to be exception. Most people like to moan and groan to others because when they feel bad they somehow feel better. Why do we do this? Why do we not trust God when he leads us into difficult situations, where giving help and love to others wil "); array_files[74]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080824.htm","2008-08-28","21K","20080824 ","",""," 20080824 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) August 24, 2008: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Some people seem to be born with the gift of enthusiasm. All their lives they regard first that which is positive and exciting and possible. They live in the moment and give thanks and praise to God for all their gifts and blessings. They lift up all God’s creation. Their attitude is upbeat, optimistic and affirmative. They smile. They rejoice. They help others to smile. They lovingly remove obstacles that get in the way of progress. They bring joy and peace forward. They accept God’s will for their lives. Enthusiasm carries them through all of life’s difficulties. Then there are some people who seem to have been born with the curse of pessimism. They see only the negative and emphasize only the impossible. They navigate their life and relationship under the critical nose of imposition. They live in the disasters and disappointments of the past and bring forward only hostility and apprehension. They rarely smile and the only time they do is when it is at the expense of others. They refuse to rejoice. They oppose everything and everyone. They are obstacles against the rejoicing of others. They emphasize their will over and above God’s will. They carry negativity and disapproval everywhere they go and the impose it on others. No matter what happens in life and in the human condition there is reason to have hope and there are reasons to rejoice always. Each of us is called to conversion. Peter acquiesced to the conversion process. The love and mercy of God through Jesu "); array_files[75]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080817.htm","2008-08-21","21K","20080817 ","",""," 20080817 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) August 17, 2008: Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time This weekend we are reminded of the challenge to examine our tendency to judge others. We experience a Canaanite woman who had two strikes against her born out of prejudice and injustice. She was discriminated for gender and her nationality. This was the way of the world over 2,000 years ago and many people still suffer from the world’s way yet today. We know better though, we have come to realize that the person of Jesus Christ is Savior of the whole world, but the disciples and the people of the world didnt know that yet. To help them to stretch their minds and their hearts (and ours), Jesus waited for the faith of the Canaanite woman to become so obvious that it would overshadow every limitation that had been imposed upon her. Her challenge was not with Jesus who recognized her as a child of God and accepted her but with the world where misunderstanding, fear and prejudice reside. For Jesus, the only outsider in the world and in the Church is someone who refuses to come into the kingdom of God. Even though each of us knows this because we encounter it frequently in the Christian life, we still sometimes behave badly and judge others unfairly and treat them like social outcasts and unwelcome in the Church. Our Church is full of people who have been misjudged. Many people feel locked out. They know they are sinners just like you and me but they feel locked out because of other issues in life and relationship. It is easy for us to jump to wrong conclusions about them. "); array_files[76]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/gravissimum_educationis.htm","2008-08-18","58K","GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS ","",""," GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) DECLARATION ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS PROCLAIMED BY HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI ON OCTOBER 28, 1965 INTRODUCTION The Sacred Ecumenical Council has considered with care how extremely important education is in the life of man and how its influence ever grows in the social progress of this age.(1) Indeed, the circumstances of our time have made it easier and at once more urgent to educate young people and, what is more, to continue the education of adults. Men are more aware of their own dignity and position; more and more they want to take an active part in social and especially in economic and political life.(2) Enjoying more leisure, as they sometimes do, men find that the remarkable development of technology and scientific investigation and the new means of communication offer them an opportunity of attaining more easily their cultural and spiritual inheritance and of fulfilling one another in the closer ties between groups and even between peoples. Consequently, attempts are being made everywhere to promote more education. The rights of men to an education, particularly the primary rights of children and parents, are being proclaimed and recognized in public documents.(3) As the number of pupils rapidly increases, schools are multiplied and expanded far and wide and other educational institutions are established. New experiments are conducted in methods of education and teaching. Mighty attempts are being made to obtain education for all, even though vast numbers of children and youn "); array_files[77]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080810.htm","2008-08-14","21K","20080810 ","",""," 20080810 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) August 10, 2008: Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time In last week’s Gospel we saw that when Jesus finishes with the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish for thousands of people he then goes off by himself to pray. Jesus always stays close to the Almighty Father in prayer and after spending time with his Father he is made ready for whatever comes his way. Jesus always made time to listen to the Father and to express his personal needs and concerns. He even prayed a lot more often than what is accounted for in scripture. Immediately after praying to the Father, Jesus walked on water to comfort his disciples who feared the storm and rough waters. He made time for God first and then he had the strength to perform yet another miracle. Once again this weekend the Gospel message illustrates for us Jesus praying intently to the Father. Jesus is showing us how to achieve a well-balanced faith. He is teaching us that we need to incorporate prayer in everything we do, each and everyday of our lives and in all relationships. Each of us needs periods of prayer in order to restore our energies and renew our vision of what God is inspiring us to do with our lives and in our families, in our workplaces and even during those times of recreation and leisure, in our parish, in the good times and in the bad, in the hard times and easy times as well and in every problem and success that occurs. Unless we pray and connect with God and with what Jesus is doing for us through the working of the Holy Spirit, we will be drained of our ener "); array_files[78]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080803.htm","2008-08-06","21K","20080803 ","",""," 20080803 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) August 3, 2008: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time For the refrain of the responsorial Psalm 145 we sing, The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs! Even though we sing and say this refrain, often in the human condition we feel like we never have enough of everything that we need. It seems we always want more even when we don’t recognize and actually receive what we have been given. Most people today are not content with what they have. Even when things go well, when we have plenty of everything, we are not fully satisfied. We want more. We need more. This attitude is even operative in relationships. We desire more affection, we crave more attention and we gripe and grumble over not getting enough support and help or approval from those we feel should be giving it to us. We give our thoughts and actions over to manipulation and coercion or anger and hostility. Our desire for affection and attention becomes so exaggerated, so highly competitive that it distorts our ability to see all that we do have, much less receive all that is gifted to us by God. Rather than giving thanks and praise to Almighty God for the many blessings we have received we become selfish and sinful and hoard the emotional and material elements of the sins of envy, jealously, pride, greed and resentment, even spite and hostility. Each person has been called by God to be a giver of love, affection and attention. But no one loves perfectly, and some simply do not understand this calling and others reject this calling outright. A person c "); array_files[79]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080727.htm","2008-08-01","20K","20080727 ","",""," 20080727 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) July 27, 2008: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is like a buried treasure and a pearl purchased at all cost. He says his kingdom is like a net from which the bad catch will be tossed away or thrown back but the catch that is good will be highly valued. In other words, our lives and relationships contain a huge reserve of that which is most valuable and highly prized but also some of it is worthless trash and needs to be tossed away. Some of the human condition is only temporary or earthly and it is ultimately worthless unless it is used for and directed to the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches that all things work together for the good of those who love God. As we purge our lives and relationships of those false pearls and dead fish that interfere with living rightly ordered lives in rightly ordered relationships, as we eliminate those things that do not and cannot bring glory to God, we become more like Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. In purging and purifying our lives and relationships we are redeemed and become useful to the kingdom of God. Even the bad things that happen to us, under the creative hand of our all-powerful, mercifully loving God, get put to good use when we give our thoughts and actions over to the glory of God by living a rightly ordered life. The unfortunate and bad things that happen in life and in relationship can actually become the cloth that polishes and brightens the pearls, those things we most value in life and bring out from us a better shine. We can "); array_files[80]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080720.htm","2008-07-23","20K","20080720 ","",""," 20080720 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) July 20, 2008: Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time The Church is in need of evangelization. We are all called to conversion and we share in the mission of Jesus Christ to evangelize to all with whom we come into contact. In the document “Go and Make Disciples”, the United States Bishops have outlined a basic strategy for Catholic evangelization in America. In this document are listed three necessary goals of evangelization: (1) Nurture your own faith growth, (2) invite others to conversion, and (3) transform the world through true Christian living. Through his use of parables, Jesus teaches us these same three goals of evangelization. Jesus teaches us that in the kingdom of God the Almighty Father each of us is like good wheat growing amongst weeds. There is a constant tug of war between the weeds and the wheat. We are to imitate our Lord in our lives and in our relationships to prevent these weeds from taking over our lives and strangling out holiness. This is hard work, constant and draining. Even though the human condition produces difficulty and challenges for each of us our faith can grow strong when we stay focused on the end prize. Overcoming this earthly struggle results in communion with God in the Heavenly Kingdom, it takes effort to receive this benefit. The weeds will take over if we do not work daily at growing in holiness, if we are not open to evangelization. Jesus teaches that in the kingdom of God each of us is like a tiny seed that grows into a tree so large that others benefit from the abundance of our "); array_files[81]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080706.htm","2008-07-10","20K","20080706 ","",""," 20080706 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) July 06, 2008: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time It seems like today more and more people are having personal struggles and troubles. It is all we read about. It is all we hear on the news. It happens next door to us, it happens down the street, it happens in our own back yard. It happens everywhere all the time. There are many crosses to carry. Many people need our attention; they need our prayers and our help. Sometimes we feel weighed down and exhausted. And then in Sundays Gospel, we hear Jesus tell us that his yoke is easy and that the burdens he asks us to carry are not heavy. When we hear this, on the surface, we want to tune everything out and wallow in our own trouble and the misery of the world. Instead, we are to tune in to Jesus because he has something important for us to hear and to apply to our lives and relationships. When the burdens of life wear us down and tire us out, it is usually because we have taken on more responsibility than God has given to us. Or it is because we are expending energy trying to get rid of a cross after Jesus has yoked us to it. If the burden leads to burnout and we get tired it is because God is warning us. God says, “Slow down! Simplify your life! Make a change! Spend more time in prayer!” When the weight of our yoke leads to anger and resentment, God shows us that our selfish desire for an easier life is making our lives actually more difficult. We must take care of our own needs before we can be useful to Jesus while yoked to his ministry. The yoke of Christ is burdensome "); array_files[82]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080629.htm","2008-07-02","19K","20080629 ","",""," 20080629 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) June 29, 2008: Saints Peter and Paul The focus of the Gospel reading this Sunday is on shepherding and the responsibility that is required of those who are a Christian and serve in leadership roles. We see that immediately after Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah, he was called and commissioned to shepherd others into the same realization. As a follower of Christ and a leader in his community, Peter was called to utilize his identity as a Christian as a means to help others see and recognize Jesus in the lives and relationships. Today, every follower of Christ who is in any kind of leadership role, whether in business, education, in the Church, as caregivers, parents and even volunteers, along with many others, has the same calling and responsibility as Peter to shepherd others into recognizing our Savior Jesus Christ. We are to show those in our care who Jesus really is and what he is really like. So as Catholics, being in charge of meetings or serving on committees, whether directing clubs or choirs, whether teaching math, science or religious education, or having any position of leadership both small and large, these are merely means to bring forth the mission of Jesus Christ in the here and now. Each of us has been called and commissioned to shepherd as Jesus himself shepherds God’s people. Just like Jesus Paul suffered in his ministry as shepherd and we will too if we are involved enough to really make a difference for the kingdom of God. The good news is that the gates of the hell cannot prevail against our ef "); array_files[83]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080622.htm","2008-06-26","22K","20080622 ","",""," 20080622 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) June 22, 2008: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time There isn’t a day that goes by that someone comes to me for guidance and direction, for clarity and for God’s truth. I preach a lot about conversion and reconciliation. I preach more on relationship; a relationship first and foremost with God the Almighty Father and how our love for him is manifest in our relationships with others. Everyone has difficulty with conversion and growing in God’s truth. Everyone has difficulty in relationships. Lack of conversion to the truth and dishonesty in relationships causes serious trouble all around and robs us and others of peace and joy. Often, in the human condition, distrust and misunderstanding seize our ability to think and behave rationally. When we exchange truth for deception and deceit we lose our peace and put ourselves and others directly into harm’s way. We are in harm’s way when we give into vicious gossip and cheap hearsay and spread rumors. The truth is right of front of our face but we exchange it for distortions and lies. We can exchange decency and honesty for defamation and desecration. God wants to help each of us live the way of true charity. He sends the Holy Spirit to help guide us to live his truth. We have to recognize and embrace the truth not tear it down and deny it. To help us recognize the truth God speaks to us in the Gospel message this Sunday. First, recall those times when the darkness of gossip and sin hurt you or someone you love. Remember how pain, loneliness and deep hurt triggered feelings of aban "); array_files[84]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080615.htm","2008-06-18","21K","20080615 ","",""," 20080615 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) June 15, 2008: Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time The Gospel message this Sunday is especially moving and emotional. We see other human beings overwhelmed with heartache and personal pain because they were troubled and felt that Jesus had abandoned them. Jesus felt their pain from deep within and his heart was heavy because of their suffering. We expect this from Jesus but what is surprising to us is how he responded in this situation. Jesus likened the people to sheep without a shepherd. We know Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Here Jesus doesn’t act as the people’s immediate shepherd. Instead he turned to his disciples and called them to do the work; he called each of them into service and sacrifice. Today, there are many who are troubled and suffer immensely, they feel abandoned because not enough is being done to help them. There are enough people who care, who have committed their lives to walk with them like Jesus in their hour of need. There aren’t enough priests, deacons, lay ministers, gentle care-givers, devoted teachers and catechists or qualified leaders. More and more parishes today are without a full-time Pastor or shepherd. Sure we read about those people without a Priest but most of us do not come into direct contact with their situation. Our fear is diminished because we are not in proximity to their heartache and pain because God has always provided a shepherd for our parish family. We trust that he will always provide. What else can we do? What does Jesus tells us to do. He tells us to “beg the master of th "); array_files[85]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080608.htm","2008-06-11","21K","20080608 ","",""," 20080608 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) June 08, 2008: Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Each of us is called to be like Jesus. Each of us is called to reach out to those whom others have rejected but often have become so complacent to our business and over-wrought lifestyles that we simply do not notice those who are marginalized or neglected. Sometimes we do not notice them because we are so consumed with our own desires and needs that we unintentionally shut them out of existence. As we listen to the Gospel message for this week, we are reminded that we are to imitate our Lord and reach out to others, not just the obvious but also the obscure. Even though Jesus was an outcast in society he reached out to those who were rejected, shunned, disregarded and neglected. Jesus took notice of others wherever he would go; he went out specifically to serve them. He opened his mind and heart, his eyes and ears and hands to all of them. He is open to all of us. He reaches out to all of us to bring us into communion with God the Almighty Father. Jesus actively looked for those who needed help but would have otherwise gone unnoticed. It is through awareness of others that we can pray specifically for them and direct our resources to best help them. Matthew was a Jew and a tax collector. He was considered to be the worst of outcasts; he was despised and reviled everyone with whom he came into contact. He was also quick to respond to Jesus when he heard him say, “Follow me!” Here a true outcast commits his life to reaching out to others who are in need of healing and reconci "); array_files[86]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/Journeys.htm","2008-06-11","20K","Journeys ","",""," Journeys Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Journeys... The Altar Society celebrated Journeys at its 11 June 2008 meeting. Three men who are very important to the OLL parish family were recognized for the journeys that they are experiencing. Deacon Jerry Williams, who has served the people of Our Lady of Lourdes for ten years as the Pastoral Associate, will be retiring in July and beginning that journey. Seminarian Adam Haake will be journeying for Rome to continue his formation and education. Father Steven Rogers recently celebrated the second year of his journey as a priest. Congratulations to all three! May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[87]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080601.htm","2008-06-04","21K","20080601 ","",""," 20080601 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) June 01, 2008: Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time A couple years before I entered the seminary a mentor friend of mine recommended that I spend time in Adoration of the Holy Eucharist. I was aware of a perpetual adoration chapel that was nearby at St. Agnes parish in Fairway, Kansas. Always eager to grow spiritually in knowledge and practice he cautioned me to take it slowly, one step at a time, he said, and suggested I start by remaining in silence with our Lord after Mass to pray in his holy presence in the Tabernacle. At first I felt a little awkward that others who stayed would notice me kneeling there. But then all of a sudden the presence of Jesus became strong, not only in the Sacred Host that was hidden behind the closed Tabernacle door, but in Spirit in front of the Tabernacle. Now I am not a visionary nor am I a mystic but I experienced a deep awareness of his real presence. Here Jesus showed me his Sacred Heart. I expected to see an image of the Sacred Heart similar to what artists have painted for holy cards or depicted in statues. I did not see or experience anything like that. What I experienced was a tremendous love, a powerful presence of Christ within me and around me, both personal and intimate and communal and mutual. How sacred his love truly is for you and me and for everyone! The Sacred Heart of Jesus expresses a love that is complete and all-consuming. His heart suffers for us when we sin. His heart suffers with us when we are hurt by the sins of others. Holy Mother Church gives us this special feast "); array_files[88]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080525.htm","2008-05-28","20K","20080525 ","",""," 20080525 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) May 25, 2008: The Most Holy Body and Blood of ChristThe Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is the perfect time to reflect upon the Holy Eucharist and its importance in our lives and relationships. It is a good time to look at the Holy Catholic Church throughout the world and realize how lucky we are here at home. This Solemnity used to be celebrated on Thursday and was called Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ) and was transferred to Sunday because of its great importance to our lives as Catholics, and the “Blood of Christ” was added to the name because both food and drink are necessary to sustain the life of a Christian. We are so used to being able to go to Mass every week (or every day if we wish) and to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament every day that there is the danger that it might become only the “wallpaper of our life.” In order to appreciate how lucky we are, try to imagine what it must be like to live in a country where a government appoints the priests and restricts the liturgical life of the church as opposed to a country where the Catholic Church follows our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. Which church would you like to attend? What would you do if you grew up in a country where Catholics are considered second-class citizens? In either case, you would long for the real Body and Blood of Christ that gives true life and for the freedom to worship. This week we give thanks to Almighty God for the great gift of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Holy Eucharist, the real presence of our Lo "); array_files[89]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080518.htm","2008-05-21","21K","20080518 ","",""," 20080518 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) May 18, 2008: Most Holy Trinity SundayAs Catholics we are baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit but we are not baptized in three separate names, for there is only one God, the almighty Father, His only Son, and the Holy Spirit: the Most Holy Trinity. The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Catholic faith and life. It is the mystery of God in Himself. The Trinity is the source of all other mysteries of faith. The Trinity is the light that enlightens them. It is the most fundamental and essential teaching in the hierarchy of the truths of faith. The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reveals Himself to men and reconciles and unites with Himself those who turn away from Him. In the Trinity we experience the grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, the love of God the Almighty Father and a friendly partnership with the Holy Spirit. In this and because of this, we are to rejoice, mend our ways, and live in peace with one another. In other words, because Jesus bore our sins as he died on the cross and then conquered death, he provides us with grace so that we can resist sin, and he provides us with the Fathers love so that we can love one another no matter what, and he provides us with the Holy Spirit, who is with us always and empowers us so that we can continually live holy, happy and healthy lives. “The Trinity is a mystery of faith in the strict sense, one of "); array_files[90]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080511.htm","2008-05-14","21K","20080511 ","",""," 20080511 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) May 14, 2008: Pentecost SundayDuring Pentecost we sing, Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. We live in an age where we are desperate for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and renewal. Pentecost is the reason the Catholic Church exists and continues to exist today. We live in the age of the Holy Spirit. Without the power and presence of the Holy Spirit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church would have been unable to change the world and sustain itself for over 2000 years. On Pentecost Sunday we relive the birthday of the Catholic Church. We also relive our own spiritual birthdays through the Sacrament of Baptism and initiation as members of the Church. Pentecost is a church-wide celebration of the effect that our baptisms have had on our lives and relationships. It reaffirms the Sacrament of Confirmation when the Bishop confirmed that we truly received the Holy Spirit during our baptism. Pentecost reminds us that through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, we received Gods power and presence so that we can overcome sin, live in holiness, and change the world around us; in other words, to live happy, holy and healthy lives by spreading the Gospel message. Through the Holy Spirit living and working in each of us God will renew the face of the earth. God the Almighty Father gave the Holy Spirit to Jesus so that he could successfully fulfill his calling on earth. Now, God the Father has given his Spirit to us, so that we can continue the work of renewal that Jesus "); array_files[91]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080504.htm","2008-05-07","21K","20080504 ","",""," 20080504 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) May 04, 2008: the Seventh Sunday in EasterI think the responsorial psalm this weekend helps us to say it best, “I believe I shall see the good things of the Lord in the Land of the living!” Too often we give our thoughts and time over to worrying about all the threatening gloom and doom that seems to be happening everywhere in our troubled world. With gasoline prices skyrocketing and potential food shortages on the horizon, to the ill-timed mortgage crisis working against the American dream and with the controversial upcoming presidential campaign and election, added with various health issues and conflicts around the world, we can lose our peace and hope. As Catholics we don’t want to give into the pressures and stresses of the world but sometimes we are surrounded by so much negativity that we have no choice but to turn our life over to worry. God knows our situation and he reaffirms our life and hope in him through his only son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We should post this responsorial psalm, “I believe I shall see the good things of the Lord in the Land of the living,” on every desk and refrigerator, on all our mirrors, on doors and dashboards, as we come and go throughout our day and anywhere we will see it often. This psalm has the power to uplift us when we are experiencing the darkest of times and the most hopeless of situations. Here, God uses this psalm to reaffirm that we can trust in his promises. God lets us know that he has not abandoned us and that he will prevail in this life and in the life to "); array_files[92]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080427.htm","2008-04-30","21K","20080427 ","",""," 20080427 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) April 27, 2008: the Sixth Sunday in EasterThe word advocate is often translated as counselor. A counselor is a person who cares and listens, a person who sorts through the confusion and chaos of life and helps us to better understand relationships. A counselor [advocate] is someone who walks with us. In the original Greek it means “called alongside”. It is closely related to a legal assistant or a courtroom advocate. No matter whether you are rich or poor, popular or unknown, successful or unsuccessful, everyone needs an advocate throughout their life and in their relationships. Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is our Advocate. He says the Holy Spirit is our counselor or legal assistant who speaks up for us when we are accused, judged, or wrongly condemned. The Holy Spirit is our advocate, the Spirit of truth, Jesus says. God always knows the truth about us, despite what people think of us. The world is prone to gossip, prone to accusation and scandal. Gossip is always ugly, vicious, cruel, and counterproductive to the unity to which Jesus, our advocate, calls us. It is vital that we remember that its only his opinion of us in the end that really matters. His opinion of us is always better than we think it is. We judge ourselves harshly which is why we worry so much about what others say about us and how they might judge us. If we honestly examine ourselves, confess our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and if we genuinely desire to improve, then we will hear Jesus say to us, I do not condemn you; go and sin "); array_files[93]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080420.htm","2008-04-25","21K","20080420 ","",""," 20080420 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) April 20, 2008: the Fifth Sunday in EasterIn our troubled world today it isn’t easy being Catholic. Holding fast to the Catholic faith often means we will stand out in a crowd and sometimes it means that we will stand alone. Sadly, instead of holding on to our faith we ignore and disregard the principles of our faith to give into the societal pressures and cultural influences of our day. Throughout the world today, more and more people are questioning why the standards that were once in play now seem to have deteriorated to a new low or at best seem to be weakening at a rapid pace. The moral fiber of our country seems to have decayed; we have reached an all time low standard in how we love, in how we live with one another, in how we practice our Catholic faith. Many people wonder what can be done. Is it too late? No! In order to change this downward spiral we must listen to the words and wisdom of Jesus. On the Fifth Sunday of Easter we hear something from Jesus that will astound us. Jesus clearly defines the “standard” for Catholics to live by. Jesus says, Whoever believes in me will do the works I do, and greater far than these. What a powerful imperative. We are not only to do what Jesus did but we are to do it better he says. It isn’t supposed to be easy to be a Catholic; it isn’t supposed to be popular. Out of great love Jesus set a higher standard for each of us to reach. Eternal life is contingent upon meeting this high standard. As beloved children of God, we are to love others as he loves. We are to teach what "); array_files[94]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080413.htm","2008-04-16","21K","20080413 ","",""," 20080413 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) April 13, 2008: Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday in EasterSometimes we reach an impasse in life and in some of our relationships. During these times we might doubt that emotional healing is possible. We might presume that we are flawed or unable to grow spiritually because of past sins and failures. When we give our thoughts and actions over to these feelings we become trapped behind a wall or enclosed behind a barrier that distorts our fears and keeps us from experiencing peace and joy, satisfaction and true healing. The Gospel reading for the 4th Sunday of Easter assures us that Jesus is the doorway to the walls and he is gateway to all the barriers and fences in the human condition. Jesus, the bread of life, can help each of us to reach the other side of our troubles and pain, sins and failures, outside of earthly restrictions and limitations, so we can experience here and now true peace and joy. He opens the heavenly gate so that we might always have life and have it more abundantly. When our path seems blocked, we can only make progress by receiving forgiveness and healing from Jesus who will shepherd us over, through and around the obstacles of life and relationship. Those doors painfully shut by someone that we counted on can be opened by Jesus. Those barriers erected because of confusion and condemnation that confine us because of fear can be released by Jesus. Jesus is our open gate, with him there are not walls, and no one can close him out of our lives. He will lead us into a new opportunity for accom "); array_files[95]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080406.htm","2008-04-13","21K","20080406 ","",""," 20080406 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) April 06, 2008: Third Sunday in Easter Often we do not readily recognize Jesus in our daily walk in life and the human condition. We are like the two disciples Emmaus in the Gospel reading that did not recognize Jesus until after they heard him explain the scriptures and then broke bread with him. The disciples were preoccupied with thoughts of personal needs and wants along with gloom and doom. Because of their disposition and anxiety they were unable to connect with who and what was happening in their presence in the here and now. They didn’t know how to open their eyes and ears or their hearts and minds to the possibility of the Lord’s promise and presence. They failed to accept that the kind of awareness to which Jesus called them involves a two part process. It is important that we learn from observing what happened to the disciples. It is the same process that brings us into communion with God. When the disciples listened with opened ears to Jesus, the Word of God, teach the sacred scriptures, it was in their hearts that they came to recognize him. We see that their eyes and their minds opened to his true identity when Jesus took the bread of a shared meal, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them to eat. This two part process is the same for each of us. When we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we are on a similar journey with Jesus. First, we have the Liturgy of the Word, during which we hear the scriptures and a homily that explains them. This is a time for us to open our ears and listen to Jesus to r "); array_files[96]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/first_communion_2008.htm","2008-04-07","19K","First Communion 2008 ","",""," First Communion 2008 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) First Communion, 2008 Our Lady of Lourdes 2008 First Communion Class Tylor Brocker John Cary Morgan Decker Frankie Gonzalez Alex Herndon Paul Lawless Damien Marquez Karis Marquez Jessica Masoner Nicole Masoner Amos Meek Kitana Nowak Angel Pena Gage Pierson Jhovany Sanchez Dawson Schmutzler Dominic Sester KayLynn Simmons May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[97]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080330.htm","2008-04-02","21K","20080330 ","",""," 20080330 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) March 30, 2008: Second Sunday in Easter Feast of the Annunciation Monday, March 31st On the Feast of the Annunciation we celebrate when Mary became the mother of Jesus Christ and carried the future of the world for nine months of pregnancy. Mary’s fiat to the special vocation to serve the kingdom of God as the mother of the Messiah is quite a “yes” to behold. Her role in salvation history did not end when her Son died on the cross, for that is when she became Mother to the whole Church.To get a deeper understanding of what Mary’s fiat, her yes necessitated, we must look at how we say yes to God and what happens to us. First, we look at the word handmaid and what Mary intended when she said she was the handmaid of the Lord. The definition of handmaid is someone whose essential function is to assist. To assist does not mean to take charge, to take over or to control others and the process. To an employer a good assistant is often called his right hand.” Mary was God’s “right hand,” his faithful assistant. Too often when we offer our talents or time to assist with someone or something important we really offer them as a way to take over, to lead and control the process and force everyone to do what we want done. Somehow the magnitude and importance of serving becomes personal and we supplant our own desires and egos over and above what was needed and truly important in the first place. None of this is being an extension of Gods hand. It is “me” being more concerned with “me” rather than offering subordinate service and un "); array_files[98]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080323.htm","2008-03-26","19K","20080323 ","",""," 20080323 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) March 23, 2008: Easter Sunday The Greatest Event in the History of the WorldIt is only in the light of the resurrection and our Lord’s Glory that we can make sense of why the human condition is what it is. Why in the human condition we experience pain and sorrow, why there is difficulty and strife. We were created in the image and likeness of God the Almighty Father; we were created for him, we belong to him. He sent his only Son to bring the Good News of salvation to the whole world and to show us the way, the truth, and the life through Jesus Christ. Jesus transcended the human condition and was resurrected for our sakes. We are to proclaim the Good News about how Jesus has helped us and has shown us the way to enter the Kingdom of God, even though we struggle, sacrifice and experience pain and death. We hesitate because we do not understand what it means to be resurrected into new life or how pain, sorrow and difficulties can lead us to victory and great blessings. We are like the disciples on the first Easter morning; we are confused and bewildered. Only we experience something quite different from them how out of their sadness and confusion they discovered their true calling, their vocation. They directly realized that they had been commissioned to testify and to teach that Jesus is the Savior of the world. The difference between us and them is they fully embraced their vocation even in the face of all that had happened. To “testify” means to share the truth based on your own experiences. We will not understand ho "); array_files[99]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/divine_mercy_sunday.htm","2008-03-26","23K","Divine Mercy Sunday ","",""," Divine Mercy Sunday Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Divine Mercy Sunday There are many Catholics that are away from the Church and out of practice of their faith. There is a great need for evangelization. Not only are we all called to actively evangelize to all peoples, as a priority we are called to bring home our lost and alienated brothers and sisters. Our Lord has given us a great gift in Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus gave us many parables that would set the standard for us to follow. He told us how the Good Shepherd rejoiced at finding His lost sheep. There are many lost sheep that need to be found today. Not only does He rejoice when the sheep are found, but He is very much saddened when even just one is lost. In His revelations to Saint Faustina, which He gave for the world, Jesus remarked that “The loss of each soul plunges me into mortal sadness” and that “The flames of mercy are burning me, clamoring to be spent” (from the Saint Faustina’s diary, entry #1397, 50). If we love Jesus, then we must do everything that we can, to find His lost sheep. Our Lord has given us a very simple way to bring our lost sheep back home. It is called the “Feast of Mercy” or “Divine Mercy Sunday.” This great feast, which the Church has been celebrating universally since Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Faustina in the year 2000, has everything in it that we need to restore our Church. Jesus requested that a Feast of Mercy be established in the Church on the Sunday after Easter. It is quite clear that Jesus wants this particular Sunday to be set apart. Our Lord said, “I de "); array_files[100]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/subpage/easter_2008.htm","2008-03-24","17K","Easter 2008 ","",""," Easter 2008 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) Easter 2008 May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table of Contents Mass Schedule Location "); array_files[101]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080316.htm","2008-03-18","20K","20080316 ","",""," 20080316 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) March 16, 2008: Palm Sunday There is No Greater LoveWhen we hear or speak the word “passion” this time of year most likely we experience a visceral consequence; we feel something powerful and extraordinary, even incredulous, swell from deep within our soul and rise to the surface of our ordinary existence. The word passion has great implications for Christians. Holy Mother Church uses the word passion to describe the suffering love that Jesus experienced for each of us. Passion describes the profound love that Jesus expressed when he was beaten, scourged, mocked, crucified and died. We use it to explain the intense motivation Jesus felt to lay down his life for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus cared passionately about us while he endured these unspeakable crimes against his humanity and his divinity. The incredible love that Jesus demonstrated throughout his life, in his ministry and especially for us on Good Friday, shows us what it means to have compassion for others. By his life, passion and death, Jesus teaches us that to have compassion for others means we walk with them in their sufferings. It is passionate love in the holiest form. There is no greater love. Sadly, too often we lack the motivation necessary to respond with passion to the sufferings of others. We know we should but we don’t. It isn’t easy for us. We don’t want to feel bad or experience any pain, physical or emotional. We invoke all sorts of excuses why we cannot, why we aren’t capable, why there isn’t enough time with all that we have to do in l "); array_files[102]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/events/oll_anniversary_dvd.htm","2008-03-13","18K","OLL Anniversary DVD ","",""," OLL Anniversary DVD Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) 60th Anniversary DVD Now Available! 10 The OLL Diamond Jubilee DVD is now available in the vestibule after mass. This DVD contains three parts: The First 60 Years: A history of the Our Lady of Lourdes, Raytown, Parish from 1948 to 2008. This history, prepared by Stan Griggs, focuses both on the parish and the people who make up the parish family. Interviews with OLL Charter Members: This half-hour interview lets some of the people who have lived OLLs history talk about their memories of the early years of the parish. The Anniversary Mass: Video taped from the choir loft by special permission, this special celebration of the Mass will long be remembered as the highlight of the celebration of the parishs anniversary. Get your copy in the vestibule this weekend! Click here for DVD Instructions. May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus ChristBe with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish7009 Blue Ridge BoulevardRaytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of thepeople of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown.If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. Home Page Table "); array_files[103]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080113.htm","2008-03-13","20K","20080113 ","",""," 20080113 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) January 13, 2008: The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord The Celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord marks a turning point: a turning-point in the Lords life, a turning pointing in our lives as members of His Body the Church and a turning point in the lives of our parish catechumen and candidates, who will enter the Church at the Easter Vigil. When St. John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan, Jesus formally committed himself to begin his public life, his ministry and mission as the beloved son of the Father and the Savior of all peoples. His was a ministry of preaching and healing, proclaiming that Gods kingdom has come. His was the mission to invite all people to union with God, to authentic holiness, in a word, to salvation. Our observance of Jesus baptism reminds us of our baptism, that turning point in each of our lives whereby we become disciples of the Lord and members of His Body the Church. Whether it was many years ago or only recently, whether we were infants or adults, through the Sacrament of Baptism, we were born again through water and the Holy Spirit. We were born into a new way of life, a life of worship and of unconditional service. Before baptism we were creatures of God and after baptism we became adopted sons and daughters of God, sharing his very life with sanctifying grace. Once baptized, we call God our Father in the community of the Church, with both the privilege and the responsibility to worship him through daily prayer and through the celebration of the sacraments, especially "); array_files[104]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080120.htm","2008-03-13","20K","20080120 ","",""," 20080120 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) January 20, 2008: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time With the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, we began what is called Ordinary time in the Church calendar. Ordinary does not mean plain or simple. It means numbered as in first, second, etc, the ordinal numbers. This was the original sense of the word. Since we are not celebrating major feasts like Christmas or Easter, this title has come to represent a less spectacular or more average period in Church celebrations. Because of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we do not hold a specific 1st Sunday in Ordinary time. It is used for the weekday Masses where no feast or memorial is observed. The numbers are meant to remind us that we are working toward a goal. It reminds us that our life has a purpose and meaning. All that we do is helping us to move toward an ultimate Sunday that will be observed in heaven when we are joined with the whole company of the saints and angels. Until then, there are many events forthcoming during the first weeks of Ordinary time that are worthy of a major celebration. On February 9th, our parish family will celebrate our 60th Anniversary. This is an important milestone for every member of our parish. Our celebration will take place near the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, a time Holy Mother Church has set aside for reflection and rejoicing and will represent a convergence of our past, present and future. Everyone who has helped to make our parish what it is today will have the opportunity to take part in this most extraordinary day. As we prepare "); array_files[105]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080127.htm","2008-03-13","19K","20080127 ","",""," 20080127 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) January 27, 2008: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time If you were to look in a common dictionary for the definition of the word repentance, you would probably find that it means deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin or wrongdoing. It would also include mention of regret for any past action. On the surface all this appears to work but too often it does not. True repentance involves going below the surface of our lives and relationships and taking a close look at what lies deep within us, into that which causes darkness in our lives. This is hard work. It is emotional and difficult but it is necessary work if we are going to allow the light of Christ to shine deep from within us for others to encounter and experience. Authentic conversion to which we are all called requires deep reflection and contemplation. The good news is that we do not have to do this important work alone. Our Lord is truly with us and through the Holy Spirit we can experience his abundant love, mercy and forgiveness. Today we hear Jesus repeat John the Baptist’s call of repentance. This call from Jesus means to make a change in the direction we are heading by making an authentic change of heart, mind, understanding and practice. The love of Christ is so real and so profound that he calls each of us to repentance and conversion.Each of us has been called by Jesus, I have called you by name, you are mine…you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you. (Is 43) Jesus calls and loves us so much that we too must walk away from less i "); array_files[106]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080203.htm","2008-03-13","19K","20080203 ","",""," 20080203 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) February 3, 2008: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Give light and people will find the way! In addition to all the normative activities happening daily at our fabulous school, this past week there was an extra buzz of excitement because of the special activities for our parish and school families and future families in celebration of Catholic Schools Week. The theme for the week was, “Give light and people will find the way.” Everyone experienced the joy and delight of this celebration but the faces of our students expressed pride and pleasure mixed with fun and satisfaction. This was not only a week of celebration. It was also a week of recognition.The administration and faculty of our school bring personal dedication and devotion to provide a quality education. Their years of tried and true teaching methods greatly assist in the development of our children especially in the areas of character, spiritual and academic formation. More than their expertise, they bring personal gifts of humor, joy and enthusiasm for life, for education and for the Holy Catholic Church. More importantly, they share them abundantly. Truly, the Holy Spirit has united a team of God-centered individuals who work for the betterment of the common good and the well being of all children, all for the glory of God. This makes Our Lady of Lourdes school an ideal place to nurture, educate and build up our children. As a community of God-centered people, we each have a role to play in the education of our children and we each must make sacrifices. We of "); array_files[107]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080210.htm","2008-03-13","20K","20080210 ","",""," 20080210 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) February 10, 2008: First Sunday of Lent Lent — Week One: Temptation The temptations of Jesus in the desert probably reveal his human side as much as any other Gospel story. Even though Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition tell us that Jesus was “like” us in all things except sin, too often we only focus on how Jesus is “unlike” us. When we look closely at Jesus in the desert we can better connect Jesus to being like us. Jesus was greatly tempted in the desert. We see that he was weary and vulnerable. He struggled to secure his way in a dangerous and uncertain land. If we look closely at his life on earth we see that his life was really like ours. Look at all the demands people made on him. The blind man who shouted from the roadside for help, the paralytic lowered from the roof by his friends and the woman pleading for her daughter who was ill, these were just some of the many people who pressed their cares on Jesus at every turn. Jesus was pressured by the political and religious establishments of his day. They threatened his life in order to force him to conform to their low standards. He was threatened to comply with their corrupt customs and to join the status quo. They wanted to him to endorse their futile practices and rituals. They even promised him a place of honor if he complied. We see that his own disciples tempted him. They implored him to abandon his mission and use his supernatural power and authority to become a world-wide success. Looking closely, we see that Jesus was just like us in his daily life. T "); array_files[108]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080217.htm","2008-03-13","19K","20080217 ","",""," 20080217 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) February 17, 2008: Second Sunday of Lent Today God says, “Listen.” Effective communication is a true art form. It is easy for us to think that communication just involves talking. We spend our time talking but it is clear we are not communicating. Communication requires that someone speaks and someone listens. Effectiveness comes when their roles reverse and they hear what the other has to say. The essential component here is listening. During the second week of Lent God calls each of us to listen. He has something important he wants each of us to hear. When the pure light of Christ was revealed on the mountaintop, God said, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” The transfiguration of Christ is repeated every time we listen to him and allow our faith to be strengthened. When we listen to God it is we who are transfigured. During Lent, as we repent of our sinfulness, we let the light of Christ consume the darkness within us. Each of us was made in the image and likeness of God and in Christ’s transfiguration we are transformed into our true identity. Before we are transformed we have to go to the mountaintop with Jesus like Peter, James and John. We have to stay there long enough to spend some quality time with Jesus, to pray and receive the strength that comes from God. On the mountaintop we are prepared, encouraged and restored so that we can deal with the hardships in the human condition. Jesus left the mountaintop to enter into his ministry of suffering. When we are transformed by the "); array_files[109]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080224.htm","2008-03-13","20K","20080224 ","",""," 20080224 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) February 24, 2008: Third Sunday of Lent The Gospel message this week calls us to continue our Lenten journey and to turn up the steam as we dig deeper and more sincerely into the dark places of our lives and relationships. We have looked closely so far this Lent at temptation and prayer and this week we encounter the Samaritan woman at the well. We see that the Samaritan woman went to draw water at the well when the sun was at the highest point in the sky. Most women came during the early hours of the day; some would come later in the evening. On this day though, she came at noon when it was the hottest and unbearable. There are many reasons why she came during this time of day. Perhaps there was something in her life and relationships that she was hiding from, something of which she was embarrassed or shameful. Possibly there was some unattended business that she had not resolved; something that she was supposed to have done but had failed to do. Maybe she avoided contact with others because she feared being treated badly or she feared rejection if they knew the truth. It could have been that she felt ugly or undesirable, unworthy or unlovable. Whatever her excuses or problems were, by her coming to the well at noon when no one else would have been there is a clear indication that something was wrong in her life, something was missing. Instead of reaching out to another person for help, support and understanding she withdrew into herself, into her guilt and avoided receiving what she needed most. When she arrived at t "); array_files[110]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080302.htm","2008-03-13","21K","20080302 ","",""," 20080302 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) March 02, 2008: Fourth Sunday of Lent During the fourth week of Lent the Gospel of John calls each of us to focus our attention and action on true conversion to Christ. Conversion is a process not a project. Conversion can take place when we accept our struggles and suffering as a way to align our life and relationships to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Popular culture promises we should not have to struggle or suffer and that we have the capacity to fulfill all our desires, any wish or want, no matter how misaligned, wrong or unhealthy they may be. Contemporary opinion says suffering can be avoided by following the standards of society and by hiring the right professional to help us manage our life and relationships. We think once we reduce everything to a project with a goal and a timeline our life will be simplified and free. We even look at our spiritual life as a project that can be condensed and pasteurized according to these “instant” and “new and improved” standards. Accordingly, it is easy to think that wishing or wanting something bad enough we can magically circumvent the process of true conversion so we can be satisfied with our self. The focus of true conversion is about God being satisfied with us. True conversion is a matter of the heart not the mind. Conversion is a way of life and love, not an attitude. Conversion is not a project to be managed and manipulated. Conversion is not something we make happen for ourselves simply by wishing or wanting it badly enough. True conversion comes from God and is "); array_files[111]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/fathersletters/20080309.htm","2008-03-13","20K","20080309 ","",""," 20080309 Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) March 09, 2008: Fifth Sunday of Lent It seems we encounter pain and suffering wherever we go these days. It is hard for us not to focus on the suffering that goes on in all our relationships and everywhere we go. Too often though we give all our time and focus over to suffering and the sacrifices we experience in the human condition. It is easy for us to become jaded and look at suffering as something unfair and unjust and not look at suffering through the eyes of our Lord. Through our Lord we can experience suffering and sacrifice as a corridor to new life. Our focus the 5th Week of Lent now turns from suffering and sacrifice to peace and joy. Lent is an adventure of faith that leads us to Easter Joy in the Resurrection. But before we can experience the elation and excitement of Easter we must experience the sadness and desolation of Good Friday. However, we must remind ourselves that Good Friday is not just about evil and pain and death. It is the door that Jesus opens to invite us into new life with him in the Kingdom of Heaven. Certainly, suffering and dying is a big part of our Lenten journey and it includes the sacrifices of fasting and abstinence, alms-giving and spending extra time in church in prayer and devotion. These are just tools God gives us to help us on our journey. God uses our daily suffering and dying to self to help us grow in compassion, endurance, and in serving others. Sacrifice is necessary to help us learn discipline, which is at the foundation of discipleship so that we can purify our will an "); array_files[112]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/events/oll_turns_60_dvd_instructions.htm","2008-03-13","21K","DVD Instructions ","",""," DVD Instructions Home Page Table of Contents About this Website Mass Schedule Location Sunday Bulletin Thought for the Day Fathers Letters Charitable Giving Parish Staff Parish Groups New Parishioners Baptism Marriage R.C.I.A. OLL Parish School Catholic Education Diamond Jubilee DVD DVD Instructions Order Scrip after Mass and Help Support the School with the Shopping you Already Do! (Click to learn more) For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts.(Hosea 6:6) 60th Anniversary DVD Instructions This DVD will play automatically in most DVD players. Simply put the DVD into the DVD player and the DVD will start automatically. If the DVD does not start automatically, make sure: The television is on the right channel for the DVD player. The DVD function is selected on the player. (This is usually automatic when a DVD is inserted.) IF YOU SEE DVD ERROR: If the DVD player says DVD error, your DVD player may be too old to play this type of DVD. (This is most common in players that are at least eight years old.) If this is the case, you will not be able to play this DVD on your DVD player. If you have a newer player, it is possible to have a bad DVD -- somewhere around one in ten thousand just dont work. Youre welcome to trade in your copy for a new one to try if you think you might have a bad DVD. Once the DVD starts, you will see a video clip that lasts approximately 45 seconds that is from the Interviews portion of the DVD. At the end of this segment, you will go automatically to the DVD menu. You can also get to the DVD menu at any time by pressing the DVD Menu button on your DVD remote. At the DVD menu, you will have three choices. Anniversary Mass OLL History Interviews Use the navigation buttons on your DVD remote to make a selection, and press the selection button on your remote to start that portion of the DVD. (On a lot of remotes, there will be four directional buttons with a fifth button in the center labeled Enter The up and down buttons will scroll between select "); array_files[113]=new Array(0,1,"http://www.ollraytown.com/html/social_committee.htm","2008-01-16","15K","Social Committee ","",""," Social Committee Thank You to everyone who made the Chiefs Tailgate Party a success! We will be celebrating in October with a special movie night for the young and the young-at-heart! It was okay by us... We hope it was okay bayou! THANK YOU FOR HELPING US MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS! Visit the Mardi Gras 2007 Photo Album by clicking this link. Visit Mardi Gras 2007 Page Two by clicking this link. Visit Mardi Gras 2007 Page Three by clicking this link. THANK YOU to everyone who made the 2006 Heritage Festival a Success! Visit the 2006 Heritage Festival Photo Album by clicking this link. Since true education must strive for complete formation of the human person that looks to his or her final end as well as to the common good of societies, children and youth are to be nurtured in such a way that they are able to develop their physical, moral, and intellectual talents harmoniously, acquire a more perfect sense of responsibility and right use of freedom, and are formed to participate actively in social life. Canon 795 Code of Canon Law May the Peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ Be with You Always. Off-Site Links Visit These Sites : The Holy See USCCB Our Diocese You can find links to every page on the Our Lady of Lourdes site by going to Other Pages. (Find out how your Printery House orders benefit Our Lady of Lourdes by clicking this link.) Our Lady of Lourdes Parish 7009 Blue Ridge Boulevard Raytown, MO 64133 ourladyof@comcast.net 816.353-2380 Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday. This website is maintained by Richard Gross on behalf of the people of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown. If you experience any problems with this website, please contact webmaster@ollraytown.com. "); array_files[114]=new Array(0,4,"http://www.ollraytown.com/files/Spe_Salvi_ing.pdf","2007-12-24","360K"," 3B2 HTML from 3230_ing._htm 1..77 ","","","1 ENCYCLICAL LETTER SPE SALVI OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL ON CHRISTIAN HOPE LIBRERIA EDITRICE VATICANA VATICAN CITY Introduction 1. SPE SALVI facti sumus--in hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the Romans, and likewise to us (Rom 8:24). According to the Christian faith, redemption--salvation--is not simply a given. Redemption is offered to us in the sense that we have been given hope, trustworthy hope, by virtue of which we can face our present: the present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey. Now the question immediately arises: what sort of hope could ever justify the statement that, on the basis of that hope and simply because it exists, we are redeemed? And what sort of certainty is involved here? Faith is Hope 2. Before turning our attention to these timely questions, we must listen a little more closely to the Bibles testimony on hope. Hope, in fact, is a key word in Biblical faith--so much so that in several passages the words faith and hope seem interchangeable. Thus the Letter to the Hebrews closely links the fullness of faith (10:22) to the confession of our hope without wavering (10:23). Likewise, when the First Letter of Peter exhorts Christians to be always ready to give an answer concerning the logos--the meaning and the reason--of their hope (cf. 3:15), hope is equivalent to faith. We see how decisively the self-understanding of the early Christians was shaped by their having received the gift of a trustworthy hope, when we compare the Christian life with life prior to faith, or with the situation of the followers of other religions. Paul reminds the Ephesians that before their encounter with Christ they were without hope and without God in the world (Eph 2:12). Of course he knew they had had gods, he knew they had had a religion, but their gods had proved quest "); array_files[115]=new Array(0,4,"http://www.ollraytown.com/files/HF2006_program.pdf","2006-09-22","41K"," Heritage Festival 2006 Booklet ","","","06 20 Our Lady of Lourdes Heritage Festival w w w . o l l r a y t o w n . c o m Schedule of Events All Day Events: · Displays at Cultural Booths · Moonwalk & Mini-Golf · Face Painting in the Childrens Area · Food is available at the individual booths · Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks are available E n t e r t a i n m e n t Time 3:00 3:10 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:45 Event Opening: Father Powers Native American Lords Prayer Native American Story Telling and Flute Demonstration Eric Mongers -- Scottish Bagpipe John Joe Reyes -- Native American Regalia Virginia from African Union -- Scarf Demonstration The All American Cloggers Mike & Aike -- K9 Patrol Prescilla -- Spanish Guitar African Drums Closing: Mozaic -- Irish Blessing/Auld Lang Syne 3 - 7 pm · Sunday, 24 September 2006 in the church parking lot. (We will move to the school gym if it rains.) 06 20 Our Lady of Lourdes Heritage Festival w w w . o l l r a y t o w n . c o m Our Thanks to Festival Sponsors McCray Lumber Sinh Hornbeck The Williams Family West African Groceries Inc. African Café African Market HyVee at 67th and Blue Ridge John Joe Reyes Eric Mongers Belfonte Ice Cream Sysco Foods Inc. Stained Glass Association of America Please support our sponsors! "); file_count=116;