Announcements
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 23-24, 2023
St. Berard Mass Saturday 6:00 pm
OLBS Mass Sunday 9:30 am
St. Francis Mass Sunday 11:30 am
OLBS PARISH COMMUNITY
PO Box 70, Fort Defiance, AZ 86504
http://olbsfortdefiance.org/ olbs70@yahoo.com
Parish Office 928-729-5068
Pastor - Fr. Pjey Pabatao 928-349-5278
Office Hours: Mon -Tues 9-12, 1-4; Wed 9-12
OLBS Ministers for 9:30 am Mass
PROCLAIMERS OF THE WORD |
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS |
Prayer Intention(s) for week of
September 23-24
St. Berard – Nela Laughing Family
OLBS – Robert Curleyhair Family
St. Francis – Geneva Herder Family
September 30-Oct 1
St. Berard – Leola Lincoln Family
OLBS – Charlotte Damon Family
St. Francis – Kayla Herder Family
Parish Collection Sept 16-17
OLBS $461.33 Thank You
St. Berard/St. Francis $ 86.65 Thank You
Special Collection Good Shepherd (Priest Retirement Fund) Next Weekend
Bishop’s Annual Appeal – Faith in Action Today Appeal (FIAT) continues for 2023.
Community Announcements
Please contact the Parish Office to make arrangements for:
BAPTISMS: Preparation session prior to receiving the Sacrament
MARRIAGES: At least 4 months in advance.
PRAYER SUPPORT: You or a Family Member are in need of prayers i.e. in the hospital, home bound, etc, or if you would like to receive the Eucharist
The Food Pantry is available at St. Francis in Sawmill – If items are needed, please phone Rita Bia at 928-206-2853. Donations are greatly appreciated.
Water with Blessings – See flyer on bulletin board for more info. This is an opportunity to provide clean drinking water to anyone/family that wishes to use the filter. A training is provided. Please call Juli at 928-871-4171, ask at our parish office, or see Charlene Nelson for more information.
Nutrition, Health, and Diabetes Support Group meets Wed. Oct 11
Memorial Mass for Sr. Genevieve Allen– Saturday, Sept 30 at 11 am at OLBS; If you wish – bring a long stem flower to be placed in a vase for procession. Mass will be followed with a potluck in parish hall. Please bring a dish to share - stew, meat, bread, salad, vegetables, dessert, drinks, etc. Call the parish office at 928-729-5068 if you need more information.
Upcoming Cursillos – retreat weekends
Men’s Cursillo – Oct 12-15 at St. Rose in Blanco, NM
Women’s Cursillo – Nov 9-12 at St. Joseph’s in Aztec, NM
Application form, sponsorship form and sponsorship guidelines are available at the parish office and from Angela Davidson.
Catholic Engaged Encounter – Oct 21-22 at Sacred Heart Retreat Center; weekend retreat for couples planning to marry in the Catholic Church; opportunity to reflect upon marriage commitment; for more information call Maria & Randy Copeland at 505-726-2707
Bishop’s Beef Raffle – Diocese needs to raise $100,000 for this year's hard costs for priests' healthcare. Go to www.bishopsbeef.com and purchase tickets for $10 if interested.
SW Catholic Youth Conference – Oct 14 at San Juan College Henderson Auditorium in Farmington; $35/person; 8:30 am-6 pm; call 970-385-8451 for more information
OLBS Announcements
MUSIC PRACTICE
Navajo Choir Sun. 10:45 am
English Choir 1st and 3rd Sun. 10:45 am
CONFESSIONS
Sunday 8:30-9:10 am Please not right before Mass
Any other time upon request. Call Fr. Blane at 928-729-5068
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
RCIA (Adults & Children) Sun. 10:45 am - noon
Grades K-12 Sun. after Mass 10:45 am -11:45 am
Parish Covenant/Address Update Please update your contact information for 2023 with the parish office.
St. Berard/St. Francis Announcements
Registration of Parishioners Please fill out a Covenant Form if you have not yet done so and put it in the collection basket or contact Julia Gorman to update your information for Sawmill. Is someone willing to help out for Navajo?
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, Sept. 23-24, 2023
[Isaiah 55: 6-9; Philippians 1: 2-24, 27; Matthew 20: 1-16]
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call Him while He is near.”
We hear in our readings today that Jesus is continuing the theme of God’s love and forgiveness He taught us in the Parable and readings of last week. “Seek the Lord, while He may be found…” the First Reading tells us. The amazing fact is God is also seeking us, while we may be found.
In the Gospel, Matthew tells us the landowner is in search of workers for his vineyard. He continues to go out at various times of the day looking for laborers. He finds people still standing “idle all day” and hires them with only a couple more hours of daylight to work. When it is time to be paid, those who worked all day received the same pay as those who worked a couple of hours. Fair? How can the landowner do that? Simple…it is his land, his money, etc. to decide what he wants to do. As he says to those who worked all day, “Are you envious because I am generous?”
God seeks out those when others of us may not want them around. Like those in the gospel who stood around all day “because no one has hired them.” God loves us all equally as in the parable the landowner paid all equally. God is willing to accept and recognize our smallest efforts at conversion, at turning toward Him. God also recognizes our smallest efforts of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness with each other. The parable reminds us that although God owes us nothing, he offers abundantly and equally.
Some might say the owner is not fair. To quote from Scripture: Is it God who is not fair, or are we not fair? God is willing to ‘take us where we are.’ Are we willing to accept God’s generosity and share that goodness with others?
Extraordinary Minister: The Eucharistic Minister distributes Holy Communion either at Sunday Mass or by taking Holy Communion to shut-ins or those in the hospital. There will be an orientation for those who wish to share in this ministry.
Proclaimer of the Word: Those who accept this ministry will be assigned about once a month to proclaim one of the first readings in English or the gospel in Navajo (please contact office about Navajo language). They should be present by at least 9:15 am to prepare the book and to accompany the other ministers in the entrance procession. There will be an orientation for those who wish to do this ministry.
The indoor mask mandate has been lifted on the Navajo Nation for all general public and all businesses except:
Early Childhood Education
Nursing Homes on the Navajo Nation and those who serve these vulnerable populations
Healthcare facilities who require masks
Individuals who have tested positive with COVID-19
Please continue to use caution and good judgment to care for yourself and others.
Churches are opened on the Navajo Nation.
Please call your parish to find out the locations and times.
To contact Fr. PJey Pabatao, our pastor/administrator, please call Our Lady of Fatima in Chinle at 928-674-5413 or 928-674-5254.
Catholic Extension has given a special gift to the Diocese of Gallup and all its parishes and schools. Access for all the Diocese of Gallup entities is through the same portal on the #igiveCatholic site: together.igivecatholic.org/info/gallup Select Parish, and Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament from the drop down list under Organization Name.
The Faith in Action Appeal is also available on that same site.
Jubilee Books Available
$10 donation
PARISH OFFICE HOURS
Monday 9-12 pm; 1-4 pm Tuesday 9-12 pm; 1-4 pm
Wednesday 9-12 pm
Sept 23-24 - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sept 29 - Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels
Sept 30 - Oct 1- 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Special Collections
Good Shepherd - Sept 30-Oct 1
Faith in Action Today (FIAT) Appeal in the Diocese of Gallup has begub for 2023
Food Pantry at St. Francis in Sawmill is open the 3rd Monday and Tuesday of each month
If you would like to donate items you can bring the items to church. (see list below.) If you would like to make a money donation, put in an envelope, and mark it Food pantry. Put with the collection. Checks can be made out to St. Berard.
Oil
Flour
Baking soda
Beans
Rice
Canned fruit
Canned corn, green beans, peas
Peanut butter
Canned beans
Canned chili
Coffee/tea
Cereal/Oatmeal
Macaroni & Cheese
Instant potatoes
Spam/corn beef
Pasta
Tomato sauce
Boxed unrefrigerated milk
Toothpaste
Shampoo
Deodorant
Hand soap
Baby wipes