Just over year ago our religious order, the Congregation of Holy Cross, elected Brother Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., as our Superior General. This was an historic election and rightly made international news because it was the first time a brother became superior general of a religious community composed of both priests and brothers. Previously only priests could be elected and each superior general since Blessed Father Basil Moreau, our holy founder, was a priest.

Our Holy Cross Constitutions state that 'we are a religious Congregation composed of two distinct societies of religious, one of religious priests and one of religious brothers, bound together in one indivisible brotherhood." Indeed, we pray, work, study and live together as both brothers and priests (and seminarians preparing to be ordained) just as Father Moreau called for. Since our foundation in 1837 we Holy Cross religious have served the Church and the world as teachers, missionaries, and parish priests and myriad jobs within those callings proclaiming the Good News of Jesus everywhere and to all.

Brother Paul is an amazing leader and has served over the years as teacher, residence hall prefect, vocations promoter and administrator. Now he leads us and inspires us around the world, just as Father Moreau did, to be holy and zealous. You'll notice his picture in the vestibule of SJV just below Pope Francis and across the door from Bishops Dolan and Nevares. I hope you will join us in prayer for Brother Paul and all the leaders of Holy Cross (including his assistant, and our very own former parochial vicar, Fr. Drew) each time you pass his picture. His birthday is coming up at the end of July and he assures me he also prays for our parish (especially now during the heat wave!) May God bless him for many, many years to come!

Please be sure to mark your calendars for Tue, Jul 25 at 8:30pm for our next parish Lucernarium prayer service. This is a beautiful night prayer (based on the Church's "office of compline") and will be led by Fr. Andrew and our seminarians Chris and Ben. If you were able to attend the Lucernarium we had in Advent you'll remember it is a very moving evening of song and worship.

Each July 16 we celebrate Our Lady of Mount Carmel, an ancient title of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the patroness of the Carmelites and the brown scapular. In1251 Mary gave this wonderful gift to St. Simon Stock and today many of us wear this scapular as devotion to her and reminder of Jesus' love and protection. All are invited to wear this sacramental and if you ever want one of us priests to bless it for you, just ask!

It's ways off yet, but we can start celebrating now that our dear parishioner and former Pre-Kinder teacher at SJV School, Miss Eli Gama, now Sister Elizabeth of Mary, will profess her final vows on Sat, Nov 11. Sister is a discalced Carmelite nun at the Carmel of St. Teresa in Alhambra, California. Happy feast day to Sr. Elizabeth of Mary and her sisters and congratulations to her family here in Arizona! Please join me in a prayer of thanksgiving for her vocation!

Hopefully this is a week full of blessings for you and your family. Keep in mind... even as we survive the summer heat... that the family that prays together, stays together!

Fr. David Halm, .C.K.
Pastor

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