CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF CHILDREN:
Is a step-by-step process by which children (ages 8 – 17) are led to
full membership in the Catholic Church through
the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. It is for a)
children not baptized as infants; b) children who have been
baptized in other Christian communities; c) children baptized Catholic
as infants who have not had religious instruction. These children either
at the direction of their parents or on their own initiative seek full
membership into the church at this time.
The process is not limited to the school year, nor does it end within
a determined time. It is based on the readiness of the child and often
extends beyond the minimum of one year. For more information contact
Cindy at 574-7355 after 3:30 P.M.
“Spiritual Direction??”
Historically, spiritual direction can be traced
to ancient monastic communities; it was reserved to priests and religious
until the past few decades. The old model of direction was an
empowering of the director to give rigid advice or
instruction to their charges about what their relationship with God
should look like. Only after Vatican II confirmed that all Catholics –
including the laity – are called to live a spiritual life did the practice
of spiritual direction become popular for ordinary persons in the pew.
Many of today’s spiritual directors prefer the terms: “companion,” “mentor,”
“spiritual friend,” rather than director, but the term still “fits” when
it is looked at in the context that the individual helps the directee find
the “direction” God is revealing from within.
More and more Catholic lay people are choosing to
explore the deeper dimensions of their lives with the help of a trained
spiritual director. For further information, pick up a flyer from
the literature rack or contact the parish office.
I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask “Mother, what was
war?”
- Eva Merriam
SCCC Parishioner Spreads the Gospel Message through
his Music
For the past 24 years, Jean Themistocle has been active as a performer
and composer of Catholic music. As a vocalist,
Jean has performed for audiences in the United States, Canada, the
Caribbean and Europe. As a recording artist, he has
produced numerous cassettes and CD’s which have been played on radio
stations throughout the United States, Canada
and Haiti. Up to this point, Jean’s recordings have primarily been
in French and Creole, his native languages. His current
CD/Cassette is his first English language recording. Jean is very excited
about continuing to spread his message of faith to
an international audience. Jean, his wife, Lunine and their 2 sons,
Adler and Henley, have been parishioners of St. Clare for over 5 years.
Jean will join our chorus in concert on our patronal feast August 11. It
is sure to be an evening you will long remember.
DO YOU REMEMBER…
… the outdoor Masses?
… the location of the first building where Mass was celebrated?
… who dedicated Clare Hall?
… the dunk tank that was used for immersion for the Easter Sacraments?
If you do, then you were either one of the early parishioners
or listened well to stories told by others. St. Clare Catholic Community
was established November 1, 1989. Our tenth anniversary year will begin
November 1, 1999. As an anniversary project, we will look into the old
files for information and pictures that would serve as part of an anniversary
display. If you would be interested in being part of this “historical dig”
please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. Work needs to begin soon so
that posters can be displayed November 1.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR PERSONS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES:
Meets August 18 7:00 P.M.
Mrs. Gloria Ceballos, from Florida Hospital/Fish Memorial will speak
on The Seven Health Rules.
Open to all interested persons.
PRAYERS FOR THE COMMUNITY?
My wife was just taken
to the hospital…
My daughter is going
to have surgery…
My husband lost his
job…
We’re about to lose
our home…
Our nephew has gotten
involved in a cult…
These are only a small sample of the real needs of our brothers and
sisters here at St. Clare. Our Together in Prayer group prays for the needs
of our community by using the parish petition book, and through the prayer
line.
Each month parishioners like yourself, sign up for 1 hour, as part
of a 24-hour period of prayer for the needs of our parish.
If you’ve ever known what it was like to have a need for support of
prayer from others – you know the feeling. Please
consider becoming part of either of these prayer networks.
TRAINING CLASSES
The Central Florida Helpline is offering its 50 hour “How Can I Help?”
training course, beginning August 19. This
course is designed to teach the Christian lay person how to respond
to others in crisis, using basic counseling
techniques. Morning classes will be held from 9:00 – noon at
the Community United Methodist Church, and evening
classes from 7:00 – 10:00 at the Central Baptist Church. For more information
and a brochure, call 740-7408.
CHRISTIAN HELPLINE - Call 740-7477 or 740-TALK.
Have a problem? Need help? Need to talk? The Central
Florida Helpline is available 7 days a week, 7:00 a.m. –
11:00 p.m. Do you have a problem and need to talk? Would you
like someone to pray with you? Call the Central Florida Helpline.
DEAF CATHOLIC COMMUNITY WEEKEND
Camp Endeavor, Florida, October 8-10, 1999: A weekend for families
of deaf Catholics. Cost is $60.00 a person;
children under 12 are free. Scholarships are available.
For registration or more information, please call Barbara
Reuter, 366-2663, or the Respect Life Office at (407) 277-7266.
Post-Abortion:
If you or someone you know is suffering from the trauma of abortion
call 407-277-7266 for free, confidential assistance. Facilitators are always
needed for the Post-Abortion group support process. Please pray and reflect
on whether you are called to serve in this most important ministry. For
information call 407-277-7266.
Is nuclear holocaust inevitable if the arms race is not stopped? Frankly,
the answer is almost certainly yes...I cannot see any way in which nuclear
war could be branded as being God’s will. Such warfare, if it ever happens,
will come because of
the greed and pride and covetousness of the human heart….We cannot
afford to neglect our duties as
global citizens.
- Rev. Billy Graham
ST. CLARE’S PRAYER TO OUR LORD – Brother John Raymond St.
Clare, the great friend of St. Francis and the Foundress of the Poor Clare
Nuns, was born in Assisi, Italy, in 1194. At a young age, she left
her wealthy home to found the poor and austere life of the “Poor Ladies,”
as they were first called. St. Clare was joined by many women during
her lifetime,
including her own sister and mother. St. Clare had a very special
devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament, and to this
day her monasteries have Eucharistic
Adoration. St. Clare used to pray to the “Divine Heart of Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament” when she entered the
chapel. This is perhaps one of the first instances in the history
of spirituality of uniting devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus with the most Blessed Sacrament.
St. Clare’s Eucharistic love and confidence were demonstrated
by her heroic defense of the City of Assisi. During the year 1244, an army
of Saracens was advanced on Assisi. They scaled the walls and approached
the convent. The nuns rushed to their holy foundress, who was sick
and in bed. With the assistance of her nuns, St. Clare went to the
door of the monastery. Holding high the Sacred Vessel with the Most
Blessed Sacrament before the invaders, St. Clare prayed: “O my God,
I beseech Thee to protect these nuns whom I am not able to protect.”
A voice like that of a small child spoke from the Sacred Host, reassuring
St. Clare with the words, “I will have thee always in My care.”
When the soldiers saw the Blessed Sacrament, a sudden panic confused them
all, resulting in their immediate retreat from the city! Thus, the
Blessed Sacrament and St. Clare saved the city!
Like St. Francis, who wanted churches properly adorned, St. Clare
was most careful in providing beautiful articles to adorn churches.
A fellow sister, Sister Francesca, said that St. Clare made more than 100
corporals (the white cloth under the chalice and paten) of the finest materials
for various churches. St. Clare, amazingly, is considered patroness
of television. Just as we watch something far away on television,
so St. Clare was able to do a similar act by the grace of God. Once
on Christmas Eve, as she lay sick in bed, she was able to see the entire
Mass from her bed, even though it was said in the church.
St. Clare was abbess for 40 years. She was sick for many
years but bore this suffering patiently. She wrote the
rule for her Sisters that insisted on no ownership of property, either
by the individual Sisters or the community. It was
approved by Pope Innocent IV two days before she died, in 1253 at the
age of 60, and 42 years after her religious
profession. Pope Alexander IV canonized her in 1255.
ST. CLARE’S PRAYER TO OUR LORD
Glory and praise be to You, most loving Jesus Christ, for the
most sacred wound in Your own side. By that adorable
and holy wound, you made known to the soldier, Longinus, in the opening
he made in Your side, Your infinite mercy.
O most gentle Jesus, I ask You that, having redeemed me by baptism
from the stain of original sin, do now by Your
precious blood, which is offered and which is received throughout the
world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and
to come.
By Your most bitter death give me a lively faith, firm hope and
a perfect charity, that with my whole heart I may love
You with all my soul and strength. Make me persevere in Your
service, firm and steadfast in good works, so that I may
be always able to please You, my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.