Announcements

                                          OLBS Ministers for 9:30 am Mass   

             
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    1^st and 3^rd 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.

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