The Gospel for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time is from Matthew (14:13-21). It is the account of the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and the fish. Our Blessed Lord not only fed the multitudes, but there were twelve, full wicker baskets left over.

Just what you need….We all need a day of hope and inspiration!!! Join us next Sunday, August 9, 2020 for The FEST@Home. It’s going to be an amazing day of faith and family, uplifting music and messages of hope and inspiration all from the comfort of your home.

On Saturday, August 15th, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. Although this feast is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year because it falls on a Saturday, we will have a Mass at 8:30 AM for the feast. This Mass will NOT be live-streamed.

"The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”" Solomon answered: “O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong...”

Dear Friends and Fellow Parishioners,  we are urgently but humbly appealing to your generosity to support our newly established NICARAGUA COVID EMERGENCY FUND.   We all know that the Covid-19 crisis has caused stress, disruption and tragedy here at home.  However, the situation is even more frightening in Nicaragua, where suffering is widespread, information is limited and resources are scarce.

Silver Rose Prayer Service will be sponsored by the Knights of Columbus; for Life in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This will be held on Monday, July 20th at 7:00 PM in the Church. This event will be Live-Stream on our Facebook site, www.fb.com/stmarychurchchardon.

This Sunday is the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the shorter form of the Gospel of Matthew (13:1-9), Jesus shares a parable about a sower who went out to sow seed. Of course, we know that the seed is the word of God and Christ is the sower.

This weekend, our nation celebrates its Independence. While the 4th of July falls on a Saturday, the entire weekend offers us an opportunity to reflect on the gift of freedom. From a Catholic perspective, true freedom allows us to do that which is right. Liberty can often be misunderstood for license. We are not free to do whatever we want. Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles that presumed that there is objective right and wrong.

Dear Parish Family, this Sunday is the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time.   St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans (6:3-4, 8-11), states, Brothers and sisters:  Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

A blood drive is scheduled at St. Marys on Sunday July 12 from 8:00am until 2:00pm. The American Red Cross is now testing for COVID-19 antibodies. Appointments are required. To make an appointment, go to RedCrossBlood.org. On the home page, top left corner, enter our sponsor code: stmarychardon.

Dear Parish Family, in the Gospel for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Matthew 10: 26-33), Jesus says, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (i.e. Corpus Christi). As Catholics, we believe that when unleavened bread is consecrated by the Priest in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the substance of the bread becomes the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The theological term is Transubstantiation. In effect, what takes place is the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic elements (i.e. bread and wine) into the Body and Blood of Christ at consecration, with only the appearances of bread and wine still remaining.

This Sunday the Church celebrates The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. This central doctrine of our Catholic faith affirms our belief in one God, Three Divine Persons. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one and the same God. The divine Persons are distinct from one another. The purpose of the divine missions of the Son and the Holy Spirit is to bring us to share in the life, light and love of the Trinity (CCC #’s 238-260).

Firehouse Grille and Pub, based in Willoughby Hills, will be offering curbside pickup in the rear parking lot of St. Mary's. Please see their website or this article for complete ordering and pickup information. A porton of the proceeds to benefit the St. Mary PTU.

I have missed seeing you during this Coronavirus pandemic. As we have been unable to celebrate Mass together in person, we have had to resort to live streaming Mass via the internet. While this will continue into the foreseeable future (i.e the 8:00 a.m. Mass), I am happy to say that Masses will resume at St. Mary’s on Monday, May 25th at 9:00 a.m. On the weekend of May 30/31, we will celebrate Mass publicly on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon. Weekday Masses will resume their normal schedule (7:30 a.m.) on Tuesday, May 26th .

The pandemic, quarantines, and lose of income have all made us frustrated and anxious. Perhaps your St. Vincent de Paul Counsel can help with material needs. Drop by the Parish Office between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. OR, call the office at 285-7051 to speak to someone or leave a message.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the coronavirus pandemic has brought us together in solidarity as we respond with careful focus and deep resolve to take care of one another during these troubled times that challenge us, our families, our communities and the world. As we endure this serious situation, we take comfort in the words of Jesus as he reminds us: “and behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Ohio bishops announce plans for resuming celebration of public Masses and liturgies later this month.

All moms are invited to St. Mary's on Mother's Day, May 10th. I will be handing out carnations and special, Mother's Day blessings from 10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon at the West Entrance (back parking lot) to the Church...

The St. Mary Messenger Newsletter for May 2020 has been released, but will only be available in digital format.