The Vigil of Pentecost will be a big one here at Queens. At the 5pm Mass next Saturday evening May 23^rd we will have an extended liturgy of the Word with 5 readings instead of 3, and 3 psalms instead of 1, plus a mother and her children will be baptized and 4 adults will be confirmed.  The Mass that usually lasts an hour or less will be closer to 90 minutes in length as a result of these additions, all of which are part of what the Roman Missal calls for at the Vigil of Pentecost.  Pentecost is the birthday of the Church because it was then, not Easter, when the first convert souls were baptized.  Baptisms have occurred on Pentecost ever since.   Let us pray for those who are about to receive this fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.   

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

MEMORIAL DAY is Monday May 25^th.  There will be NO Mass at Queens that day.  I encourage everyone to attend the Mass in the St. John Cemetery at 9am that morning.  Bring your own seating.  As America is soon to turn 250, we owe a debt to those who died to make us free.  Afterward, the Knights of Columbus 4^th Degree Assembly 2186 invites you down the hill to their monument honoring all the branches of the armed forces as well as those missing in action and prisoners of war. 

JULY 4, 1863 – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 165,000 soldiers fought for three days in the intense heat. The Union prevailed, but at great cost. Along with Antietam, Gettysburg proved the deadliest battle of the Civil War, with more than 7,000 dead, and a total of 50,000 injured.

Following the battle, the Union commanders persuaded the federal government to turn those farm fields into a war cemetery to hallow the ground of those who died there. It was to open November 19, 1863. 15,000 gathered there that cold fall day, not because President Lincoln was coming, but in order to hear a very famous political orator of the day, Mr. Edward Everett.

Everett spoke for two hours! President Lincoln followed him and kept it very brief. His address at Gettysburg lasted two minutes. It was 72 words spread across 10 sentences. The speech was criticized in the press for being too brief and beneath the significance of the occasion. It wasn’t until those same words were etched in stone at the Lincoln Memorial in the District of Columbia more than 60 years later that the speech gained notoriety, to the point where it is now considered one of the greatest political speeches ever given.

The Gettysburg Address delivered within sight of the graves of thousands of war dead, is the perfect way for us to honor the fallen and remember the brave on Memorial Day. I invite and encourage you and your family to have a listen (using the link below), that we all might remember that Freedom has never been free. A heavy price has been paid for it. By many.

Youth, young adult and adult volunteers will be needed in a variety of capacities all week long. This is a great way to earn service hours for schools. Please contact ‘Bible School Betsy’ if you can help or need more information: bkoval@queenschurch.com.

If you didn’t get a chance to buy raffle tickets to support the Jackson Community Food Pantry last weekend it is not too late to make a donation directly supporting the pantry by using the link below.

Many of you are familiar with the story of John and Judy Drake, parishioners of Queens who started an orphanage in the Philippines, some 8,397 miles from Jackson. Theirs is an inspiring story of care for the least among us, especially when they are caring for kids on the other side of the world. Some would say, ‘that’s not my problem.’ John and Judy Drake did not shy away from their appointment with destiny and the desire of God the Holy Spirit.

The Lingap Center recently celebrated it’s 20th anniversary, a true milestone. Over 800 children have been served and saved during that time. I sat next to the Drake’s at the Right to Life Dinner last Tuesday, and they hoped that I might convey to all Queens parishioners just how vital your support was twenty years ago, and has continued to be ever since. The Drakes, the staff of the Lingap Center, and most importantly, the orphans they serve, say ‘Thank you!’ or in Cebuano, the native tongue of that part of the Philippines, maraming salamot po!

The Drakes are a local example of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in Jesus’ name and for the glory of God. It is a privilege to help them help these children. I hope those who are long supporters of Lingap will continue to be, and that many more will become valued members of this team of MVP’s doing small things with great love as Saint Teresa of Calcutta was so fond of saying.

Deacon Pat was recently with John Drake on a trip to the Philippines for the anniversary of the center. Deacon will preach at the 9 and 11am Masses next Sunday about his experiences there.

HAPPY 20TH ANNIVERSARY LINGAP CENTER!

CONGRATULATIONS JOHN AND JUDY!

THE CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION:  The Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus, or Corpus Christi, is celebrated on the weekend of June 6-7.  On that occasion, we are all invited to participate in a combined Eucharistic procession joining forces with all the Catholic parishes in our deanery (all across Jackson County).  This is a pious practice that stretches back nearly 800 years in our history.

Join us at 2:30pm on Sunday June 7^th.  The Corpus Christi Procession starts inside St. John Church at 711 N. MLK.  Then we will process on foot down MLK (Francis St.) with a police escort toward St. Mary Star of the Sea where the event will conclude with benediction.  A Lumen Christi bus will take people back to their cars at St. John so you don’t have to walk both ways. 

I will finish with one correction of myself.  In this week’s bulletin you’ll see I mention the 100th anniversary of the opening of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church.  I said the Mass is next Sunday the 24th, but it is actually at 10am on Sunday May 31st. 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching” (Heb 13:8-9).

Fr. Tim MacDonald

Pastor