Coffee and Donuts - All guests from other parishes are welcome to join us after the 10AM Mass for coffee and donuts. Enter via the alley door .
Church Cleaners - Thank You - Thank you to all of the volunteers who have been cleaning the church every week for the last four weeks and counting now. Your contribution to the community is greatly appreciated.
Pro-Life Dinner - Reservations and payment for the Sept. 29 PA Pro-Life Federation dinner are due by August 16. Cost is $50 per person, and checks should be made out to Mater Dei and given to Christina Stoner, mailed to the Church office, or placed in the collection basket. Contact panisangelicus46@gmail.com for additional information or visit www.paprolife.org/state-events
Rosary after 10AM Mass - Throughout July a Rosary is being offered approximately 10 minutes after the 10am Mass has finished. Depending on popularity this Rosary may or may not continue after the month of July.
2017 Confirmation Ceremony - Bishop Gainer will be conferring the sacrament of Confirmation on those currently preparing for this sacrament on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 11:00am. Those with children who are not enrolled in our Confirmation Class should contact the parish office for verification that they are on track to complete all requirements and also to be placed on our confirmandi contact list.
Food for Needy - Summer Food Crisis - In the basket behind the last pew, the Holy Name Society collects non-perishable food for the Silence of Mary homes. The summer months are the time when food is most needed as children are out of school. Silence of Mary’s food supply has been running low, and our weekly contribution makes a real difference for them. Please support their efforts with food offerings.
Children Co-op Classes - As we did last year, Mater Dei will again offer Friday afternoon classes and continue the Chorister Program for children. The first class day will be September 16th. Registration for these will be on July 24th. Please contact Fr. Eichman with any questions.
Please Dress Modestly - During the warmer months of the year, it is a good time for a reminder on modest attire. While at the church, please dress modestly. For both men and women:
These are the rules for dressing at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Please follow them when at St. Lawrence. Remember that we dress at church not for our own comfort, but to present ourselves to Our Lord.
Finally: Please do not correct anyone on their attire. If you do not approve of someone’s attire, please speak to a priest about it and he will approach the person if necessary.
Crush Temptation in the Beginning
An excellent remedy which the saints still propose to us, and which is not less general than profitable, is strongly to resist temptations in their beginning. Whilst “your enemy,” says St. Jerome, “is still weak and feeble, kill him; crush the serpent in the egg.” For if you let him go and fortify himself, perhaps you will not be able afterwards to compass what you aim at.
Temptation is “like a small spark, which still increases till it becomes a great fire,” if it be not presently extinguished, “Apply a remedy to the diseases in the beginning;” otherwise, as an ancient poet says, “if you permit the disease to increase the remedy will come too late. It is in this sense that St. Jerome explains the words of the Psalmist: “Happy is he that shall take thy children and dash them against a stone.” And those other words of the Canticles, “catch for us those little foxes which destroy the vineyards.”
When a thought of detraction, pride, or particular attachment, either to others or to yourself, begins to show itself in you and is yet weak and tender, dash it against the corner-stone, which is Jesus Christ; chase presently away whatsoever may prejudice the Lord’s vineyard.
It is not in our power to hinder temptations or evil thoughts, but happy is he who knows how to cast them away as soon as they come. It is of great importance presently to resist them—when the enemy is yet weak it is easy to overcome him—but if you let him get strength, resistance and victory will become very hard.
~The Practice of Christian & Religious Perfection
Fr. Rodriguez, S.J.