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Nineteenth SundayAugust 8 Update
Is Jesus a ghost? This question appeared in the disciples’ minds while they were fighting the storm at sea and saw Jesus coming to them. Is Jesus a ghost? This is what Peter wanted to verify when he made his surprising demand: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
What is a ghost? Like a lot of other people, in every culture and in every time, when the disciples were afraid and saw something that they could not explain, they called it a ghost. Fear colored reality for them just as it does for us. In the middle of the night, after hours of fighting with the opposing wind, everything seemed dangerous and strange. Were their senses and their experience drawing the picture of the true world? Was feeling very strongly about what they saw really enough for them to trust their judgment? Christ offers a radically different possibility when he comes to them in the middle of the night with the words, “Do not be afraid.” He enlightens the dark reality for them. Inspired Peter wants to be part of it. In a beautiful sign of trust he says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Old habits die hard. Somewhere at the back of Peter’s mind, he knows that what he’s doing is impossible. An experienced fisherman knows that one cannot walk on water in the storm. So he starts sinking. Even when he realizes how weak he is, he still stays faithful to Christ: “Lord save me.” “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?” It is faith that is the light for reality. It is faith that allows us to understand reality for what it is. Until this moment, we thought that faith is something that we must generate within ourselves. I thought that I could choose my version of reality. Standing next to the surprised and completely soaked Peter, I realize that faith is a reflection of God’s love, reflected through my heart, my mind, my whole self. It is not faith in ourselves, either. Peter’s adventure becomes a demonstration that it is faith in Christ that truly saves life and reveals reality. What an unexpected gift! It is not trust in my own persistence. It is not devotion to the structures and ideologies of the world. It is not some sort of fearful worship of the forces of nature. It is not even that everything around me should be immediately clear to me.
Faith in Jesus Christ connects us to the truth, to the most intricate structures of reality. The act of faith, expressed in the darkness of existence, is not a delusion of the tired psyche or a drug that I invent for myself to ease the pain of life. The act of faith in Jesus, as he passes by me in the middle of the night, is a courageous attitude of the soul that refuses to be overwhelmed by the storm. It becomes an act of hope that overcomes the darkness. It becomes the beginning of love that responds to the love already offered. “Do not be afraid. It is I.” – “Truly you are the Son of God.”
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Previous Updates
- Eighteenth Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Eighteenth Sunday
- Seventeenth Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Seventeenth Sunday
- Sixteenth Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Sixteenth Sunday
- Fifteenth Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Fifteenth Sunday
- Fourteenth Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Fourteenth Sunday
- Thirteenth Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Thirteenth Sunday
- Twelfth Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Twelfth Sunday
- Corpus Christi Letter
- Family Prayer for Corpus Christi
- Holy Trinity Sunday Letter
- Holy Trinity Sunday Family Prayer
- Pentecost Letter
- Family Prayer for Pentecost
- Ascension Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer for Ascension Sunday
- Sixth Sunday of Easter Letter
- Family Prayer Sixth Sunday of Easter
- Fifth Sunday of Easter Letter
- Family Prayer Fifth Sunday of Easter
- Fourth Sunday of Easter Letter
- Family Prayer Fourth Sunday of Easter
- Saint Catherine Feast Day Letter
- Third Sunday of Easter Letter
- Family Prayer Third Sunday of Easter
- Divine Mercy Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Divine Mercy Sunday
- Easter Sunday Letter
- Family Prayer Easter Sunday
- Holy Saturday Letter
- Good Friday Letter
- Family Prayer Good Friday
- Holy Thursday Letter
- Family Prayer Holy Thursday
- Update Palm Sunday
- March 28 Update
- March 22 Update
- Family Prayer Easter Vigil
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Mass TimesJuly & August 2020
Saturday Vigil Mass: 5pm
Sunday Mass: 8:30am, 10:45am, and 6:30pm
Weekdays: 7pm -
Confession Times
Monday-Friday: 6:30 PM
Saturday: 4 PM
Sunday: 5:30 PM -
Adoration
Monday - Friday: 6pm - 7pm
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Map
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Contact
Office Hours M-F 9am-3pm
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Theology for All of Us
A video series by parishioner Rich Barra.
YouTube links:
Who Will be Saved?
A 5 Month Experience of God!
Miracles, Can They Happen Today?
Playlist for All Videos
Theology for All of Us -
Intentions for Masses
Offering a Mass for a special intention is a long-standing tradition in the Catholic Church. It is usually considered that special graces are obtained for whom the Mass is said. Masses may be offered for many reasons:
· Souls in purgatory;
· A deceased loved one;
· A living person who is sick or suffering;
· A living person who is celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or other special moment in their life;
· Thanksgiving to God;
· Thanksgiving for a favor granted through the intercession of a Saint;
· A special prayer intention.
If you would like to schedule a Mass Intention, please contact the office. A Mass Card will be provided to you. Stipends are accepted for Mass Intentions. The suggested offering in the Diocese of SLC is $10. This offering signifies the sacrificial nature of giving of something of yourself to associate more intimately with Christ who offers himself in the Eucharist.
Intentions are also published in the weekly bulletin. -
Mass Schedule UpdateJune 6
Dear Friends of St. Catherine,
With summer seemingly upon us, we would like to inform you of some changes to the liturgical schedule at St. Catherine's. As we have been announcing at the Sunday Masses, the extra Sunday Masses we had been celebrating in May are no longer on the schedule. We have also reduced the daily Mass schedule to the evening Mass. We continue to offer the regular schedule of confessions. Due to some time away of the priests during June, we will no longer be able to continue the weekly practice of using the Mass Interest Poll. It is our hope that this has been helpful to you. We anticipate that the 5pm Saturday Mass and the 10:45am Sunday Mass continue to be more attended than the others, as the Mass Interest Poll has shown over the past month.
1. Opening Hours
Daily from 7:30am to 10pm.
2. Way of Being in the Church
While in the church, follow all of the state’s rules for social distancing. The church is only accessible for Mass or private prayer. Congregating outside of Mass or prayer is not yet allowed. All common areas of St. Catherine's, excepting the chapel, remain closed.
3. Mass
Sunday Masses During the Summer Months
Saturday Vigil Mass: 5pm
Sunday Mass: 8:30am, 10:45am, and 6:30pm.Daily Mass will be celebrated as follows:
Monday through Friday: 7pm.
4. Confession
We would like to offer confessions at the following times:
Monday through Friday: 6:30pm.
Saturday: 4pm.5. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Monday through Friday: 6pm to 7pm.
In our current version of normal, we expect that by now everyone understands the common social expectations and practices of being safe in public. We have not received any updates from the authorities in the past two weeks. The general way of being remains the same. Masks continue to be encouraged but are not required to enter the church or to attend Mass. A big thanks to all of those who have helped advise us over these past weeks. As always, if you have any concerns or suggestions, we remain in contact to hear from you. Email remains the best mode of contacting us, whether by response to this email, to [email protected], or individually to the priest's emails listed on the website.
Let us continue to pray for one another, for our state, and for our country in this time.
Jacek Buda OP
Cody Jorgensen OP
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Parking
We have limited parking available in a garage beneath our building. On weekends and evenings, parking also is available in our surface lot. Both areas are accessed from the alley west of our building (from 200 S).
Our parking lots are free, as available, for those visiting the church or attending church events. Violators will be towed at owner's expense. Local on-street parking is metered M-F until 8pm.
Please contact the office if you would like to purchase a weekday pass for the surface lot.