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May 2022
Saints \
A Stewardship Parish
Volume 19, Issue 5
Inside
Parishioners John and Barb Meyer Receive Bishop’s Award for Service to Church
2 The Church is More
Blessed to Contribute to God and Community
than a Building — It is Our Spiritual Home
3 The Month of Mary:
A Time for Celebration and Joy
4 Our All Saints
Moms Group Traveling the Journey of Motherhood Together
6
The Rosary: Our Lady’s Lasso
7 A Better Way:
Advocating Friendship, Acceptance and Belonging for Those Living with Mental Illness
Our Parish Newsletter: Spreading the news of Christ at work in our community.
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or the first time in over three decades, John Meyer could not sing with the All Saints choir when in-person Masses temporarily ceased during the pandemic. He and his wife, Barb, acutely felt the loss of their in-person parish community, for they have always sought ways to give back according to the different phases of their lives. “It would simply be wasteful to not use our time, talent, and treasure to make others’ lives better if we can,” John says. “We have the time and the physical health. We have enough of our own. Contributing to the community seems natural and what the Lord wants of us.” All Saints parishioners John and This year, John and Barb were honored to be two of the Barb Meyer recipients of the Bishop’s Award for Service to the Church. The award recognizes laypeople whose stewardship is essential to ministries within the Diocese of Dallas. “I would say we were extremely surprised when we were notified that we had received the award,” Barb says. “We know that the people who receive this award are giving so much of their time and giving generously and happily. We never expected that some of the people we work with in different ministries would put our names forward.” In August of 1979, John and Barb moved to Richardson, Texas, and began to visit different Catholic churches in the area. They went to St. Paul and St. Mark, and then someone mentioned All Saints. When their boys finished religious education at St. Paul in 1980, they formally joined All Saints. “We felt the most welcome and the most comfortable at All Saints,” Barb says. “Everyone was just so nice and friendly, so we decided to join, and we’ve been there ever since.” In the beginning, John and Barb began giving back together through working with religious education at the parish. Then John joined the parish choir, and Barb became an Extraordinary continued on page 5
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Stewardship
The Church is More than a Building — It is Our Spiritual Home
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here do you go to church? We’ve all answered that question hundreds of times before. But have you ever stopped to think about what it truly means? “I go to All Saints,” is the usual response, and rightly so, because we do “go to” the church to celebrate Mass together. But as Catholics and as stewards of God’s gifts, the Church is much more than a building within which we worship. The Church, as we understand it, is the universal body of believers, the society that Christ established to help us grow in holiness, to bring us closer to Him through the giving of our time, talent, and treasure, and to lead the world to the truth. Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He commissioned the disciples, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20). That is the Church’s mission in the world today — to make disciples of all nations, to bring all men to Christ. Our parish plays a key part in that. As members of All Saints, we are local representatives of the universal Church. Together, as members of this parish family, we work to carry out the Church’s mission on a local level. We worship the Lord at Mass, offering Him our praise and thanksgiving, and then we go forth on a mission to make disciples — to encourage our fellow parishioners in their lives of faith and to bring unbelievers into knowledge of the truth.
In addition to being a “local representation of the universal Church,” the parish is much like a family. We are communal beings, and we are created to live with others. So, as Catholics, we are members of the Church and, on a more immediate level, of the parish. As such, we gather together for the Eucharistic meal and we grow in faith together throughout the week, supporting one another through our participation in many parish ministries, through prayer, and through the friendships that many of us share. In a letter written to parish priests throughout the nation, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops explained the important place of the parish in the lives of Catholic faithful: “The parish is a privileged place to announce the Word of God. It includes a variety of forms and each of the faithful is called to take an active part, especially with the witness of a Christian life and the explicit proclamation of the Gospel to non-believers to lead them to the faith, or to believers to instruct them, confirm them and encourage them to a more fervent life.” So, we ought to feel truly blessed to be a part of this parish family. We ought to make a conscious effort to be actively involved, to build relationships with our fellow parishioners, and to celebrate the Mass together as often as possible — most especially every Sunday. We are then bound to grow closer to others, to grow deeper in faith and closer to Christ. Then, together as a parish family, we are bound to proclaim the Gospel to others, inviting them to a life of discipleship, thereby, building the kingdom of God.
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A Letter from Our Pastoral Administrator
Dear Saints,
I
The Month of Mary: A Time for Celebration and Joy
n the Catholic Church, we designate a particular devotion for each month — and May is when we honor our Blessed Mother Mary. Thus, this is a good time for us to think about and concentrate on our devotion to the Mother of God. Perhaps we can add a few more Marian prayers to our daily routine. Praying the Rosary might be even more important. Of course, that assumes that daily prayer is part of our daily routine — which it should be. Our Blessed Mother is important to our faith and our Church. Her willingness to serve in a way that allowed the Lord to take human form made our salvation a possibility. Because of her complete trust in God, she lived her life free from sin, and after her life, she was assumed into heaven by the power of God and crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. She is, of course, not divine. We worship only our Lord Jesus Christ, but we honor Mary as a saint, and also in many other ways. We honor God when we remember the role of Mary in our salvation. Devotion to Mary always leads to Jesus Christ Himself. Mary was joyous when she said “yes” to God. That is the kind of joy we need to seek — and we, too, must say “yes” to the Lord. Let us be grateful to Mary for bringing us her Son. This is why we crown her on our Catholic version of Mother’s Day. Through Mary, we are given an invitation into the Catholic fold. Her feminine presence and the safety of her motherhood may help us grow. For most of us, this time of year is a month of marveling at the abundant growth in nature. It is difficult not to have May as one of our favorite months for so many reasons. May is a beautiful time. We are called to make it even more beautiful, and we can do that as we serve and love one another. I am deeply blessed to be your pastor. I may say that often, but it is true. My priesthood has been a blessing and serving you all has made that blessing even more significant. I pray for you daily. Please pray for me. God bless you and keep you always. Remain Ever Blessed,
Fr. Jovita Okoli Pastoral Administrator
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OUR ALL SAINTS MOMS
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Enjoying a Moms Group gathering
A play date at the church
Traveling
mid the many challenges, joys, and sorrows that our parish mothers experience, it is very comforting for them to know that they don’t have to go through it all alone. Thanks to the All Saints Moms Group, our parish mothers can be continually nourished by faith, fellowship, and friendship along the marvelous journey of motherhood. “Motherhood can be difficult and lonely at times,” says Natalie Bedford, who recently began coordinating the group along with Laura Concienne, who has coordinated it for two years. “This group provides a great opportunity for moms to come together to support each other, and help one another grow closer to Christ. We bounce ideas off of each other, laugh together, take a break together, and enjoy fellowship together. Now that’s a lot of ‘togethers!’” The All Saints Moms Group meets on the first Friday of each month at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The meetings usually feature a speaker and include time for fellowship or occasional brunches, such as in celebration of Christmas. “The speakers help us grow in our faith as Catholic mothers,” Natalie says. “For example, we invited Fr. Tom Cloherty to come and talk to us about how to pray in the midst of our often mundane and very busy lives as mothers. This year, we had a speaker come and help us dig deeper into the significance of Holy Week and all that it means.” Furthermore, each year the group hosts an Advent retreat, which is open to all of the mothers of our
“The group has created a community that I can trust and rely on. We really try to be there for each other.” — NATALIE BEDFORD
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GROUP
the Journey of Motherhood Together parish. This enables them to bring the stewardship pillars of prayer and hospitality to life for our whole faith community to enjoy. “One year, we invited Sister Jane Dominic Laurel to speak to us about the beauty we can find in suffering, and how God uses suffering for our good — to help us grow,” Natalie says. Members of the group also show God’s love to one another by spending time together throughout the month.
The All Saints Moms Group meets for playdates, Bible studies, gatherings for working mothers, and a monthly Mom’s Night Out. “The group has created a community that I can trust and rely on,” Natalie says. “We really try to be there for each other. For example, when a mother in our group has a new baby, we provide them with meals. Recently, someone just had a fire and we all jumped in to figure out how to help them.”
If you would like more information, please email Laura Concienne or Natalie Bedford at allsaintsmoms@gmail.com. You may also visit the All Saints Moms Community Facebook page, where announcements are posted and people can ask questions or connect with group members.
John and Barb Meyer Receive the Bishop’s Award continued from front cover
Minister of Holy Communion, which made their involvement in the Mass all the more meaningful. “It was nice that they were able to livestream from All Saints during all those months,” Barb says. “We watched Masses from other churches in other parts of the country, but to see your own church, even though it was empty, and to see your own pastor was nice. I’m grateful to all the people who made that happen.” Together, John and Barb have been involved in Empty Nesters and, later, Golden Saints. John joined the Knights of Columbus in 2009, and Barb joined the Ladies Auxiliary — since then, they’ve been involved in activities with the Knights a few days a week including the weekly “Bread Runs.” Barb is also active in the All Saints Women’s Organization, and Barb and John used to serve meals at the Fisher House for the local community. “After we both retired, we had more time to do different things and get involved in different ways than we could before,”
John says. “We’ve helped with the Fall Festival and Bingo, which was really fun. I lead decades of the Rosary, and Barb has read a station for the Marian Stations on Fridays.” Barb and John would encourage others to think about getting involved in one ministry or group that works for them and where they are in life right now. “We have a great church, and every organization offers the community something,” Barb says. “If you have a young family, do something for families. If you’re retired, think about Golden Saints. You’ll meet fabulous people you can share with if you do.”
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The Rosary: Our Lady’s Lasso
here was a priest who once said, “It is no coincidence that rosaries look like lassos, as Our Lady wraps them around lost souls and pulls them out of the depths of hell.” This thought is comforting but provokes inquiry — what exactly is the Rosary, how does one pray it, and why should one pray it? Since May is the month of Mary, this is a great time to consider the theology behind this intense spiritual weapon. There are two putative origins of the Rosary. For many centuries, it was believed that the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Dominic and exhorted him to encourage the use of the Angelic Salutation — or Hail Mary — for the conversion of souls and comfort of the afflicted. Modern scholarship traces the Rosary back to Irish monasticism of the ninth century. Monks would pray all 150 psalms or “psalters” every day, a form of prayer too complicated for uneducated laypeople without access to copies of Scripture. So, many began reciting the Lord’s Prayer or the Angelic Salutation in place of each psalm, keeping count with pebbles or a knotted rope. Through many centuries, the Rosary evolved into three sets of five mysteries, each mystery consisting of 10 Angelic Salutations and one Lord’s Prayer recited while meditating upon the life, death or glory of Jesus Christ. In The Secret of the Rosary, St. Louis de Montfort expounds the dynamics of the Rosary. The prayer consists of both vocal or exterior prayer, and meditative or interior prayer. The first vocal component of the Rosary, the Creed, is important because faith is “the foundation of all Christian virtues, of all eternal virtues, and also of all prayers that are pleasing to Almighty God.” The Lord’s Prayer is the “perfect prayer” to the God of heaven because it was authored by Christ, is free of all human limitations, and “contains all the duties we owe to God, the acts of all the virtues and the petitions for all our spiritual and corporal needs.” The Hail Mary blesses the name of Mary and her Divine Son and implores her powerful intercession as mediatrix of graces.
But the Rosary is not simply a physical incantation. Vocal prayer is accompanied by contemplation of the mysteries of Christ’s life and the virtues of the Virgin Mary. It is by lifting the incorporeal soul in prayer that one quiets the passions, tastes the peace of Christ, marvels at His loving plans and promises, and grows in the desire to emulate Him and His sinless mother. Because the soul animates the body, a strengthened soul means nobility of action and a will that is commensurate with the will of God. As St. Louis de Montfort says, “The Rosary is a blessed blending of mental and vocal prayer by which we honor and learn to imitate the mysteries and the virtues of the life, death, passion and glory of Jesus and Mary.” The Rosary’s emphasis on both vocal and meditative prayer caters to man’s nature as an embodied soul — one’s entire being, both physical and spiritual, cries out to God in praise, repentance, thanksgiving and supplication. Thus, it is no surprise that the magisterium and countless saints have encouraged devotion to the Rosary. Pope St. John Paul II said of the prayer, “The Rosary is my favorite prayer, marvelous in its simplicity and its depth.” The late pontiff also added five more “luminous” mysteries to the Rosary to help the faithful meditate upon significant moments in Christ’s earthly ministry.
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A BETTER WAY:
Advocating Friendship, Acceptance and Belonging for Those Living with Mental Illness
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he National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that one in five Americans has a mental illness. For those suffering from a serious mental illness (SMI), support is vital to their recovery. Here at All Saints, we are blessed with “A Better Way,” a non-denominational group currently managed by Evelyn and Ron Thompson that is devoted to supporting adults 18 and older with SMIs. A Better Way was founded in June 2012, when Evelyn and her daughter, Justine Thompson, determined there was a great need for a positive support network for mental health. Through All Saints Church and the guidance of the Ministry for Persons with Disabilities, Special Needs and Caregivers, they started hosting their meetings here, in a wonderful, supportive, and safe space. Now, almost 10 years later, A Better Way is still going strong — offering resources, friendship, and many other opportunities for support. “We are here for those in recovery with an SMI,” Evelyn states. “This is a vital ministry. Recovery never ends for folks with a mental illness. All people need mental health support now more than ever. COVID and post-COVID conditions have really challenged the mental health community.” Monthly meetings are held on the second Saturday of every month from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. There is also a December holiday gift exchange. Those who have an SMI, and their loved ones or caregivers are all welcome. Folks from all walks of life have found acceptance and belonging here. Some of our guest presenters at meetings included the Dallas Police Department’s RIGHT (Rapid Integrated Group Healthcare Team) Care Team, PLAN - People Living Active Now, The Prelude Clubhouse, DARS which is now partnered with the Texas Workforce Commission, DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) Paratransit System, and Natural Grocers. Recently, the group began hosting roundtable discussions during their meetings, where various topics are discussed including stress, friendship and how to be a friend, recovery
techniques, the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), and the value of keeping a schedule. During the height of the pandemic, the group met through Zoom. But Evelyn was concerned for the mental health of those who have been isolated for so long. A Better Way began meeting in person again in March 2021, as there was a demand to stay connected and meet face to face. “The lack of socialization is really a negative for those who struggle with mental illness,” Evelyn says. Evelyn is very grateful for all the support from the Resource Management Team at All Saints, especially Sheila Dolmas, who has ensured “we have a safe and welcoming place” to host our meetings. Evelyn believes when we meet continued on back cover
The butterfly is a symbol for the A Better Way Ministry because it goes through a change from cocoon to butterfly. Those with a SMI must also go through a change and acceptance of their mental illness.
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A BETTER WAY
continued from page 7
here, those attending feel the presence of goodness around them. It’s a nurturing and comforting supportive environment. We have members of All Saints and non-members attending. The Catholic church has always shown pastoral care to those marginalized, at a disadvantage or vulnerable. Evelyn appreciates all the support from All Saints. It’s nice to have a safe and supportive place to hold meetings. “All Saints is a home for members, even though many aren’t members of the parish,” Evelyn says. “I think when we meet here, they feel the presence of goodness around them. It’s a nurturing and supportive environment.” We should all look for ways to support those around us who struggle with mental illness.
“It is important to try to reach out and be a network of support for family and friends battling mental illness,” Evelyn says. “Not everyone is in recovery. It’s a challenge and ongoing battle, but don’t give up hope.”
HOPE, an acronym for Recovery: H is for helping friends; reaching out to others is invaluable, O is for overcoming obstacles, P is for persistence and perseverance, E is for energize your day with exercise, every day.
A Better Way sends a monthly mental health-related newsletter to members. To get on this list, or for more information, please contact Evelyn Thompson at jeanne323@sbcglobal.net.
5231 MEADOWCREEK DRIVE ● DALLAS, TX 75248 ● (972) 661-9282 Mass Schedule Weekday Liturgy: Monday – Friday, 6:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. | Saturday, 9:00 a.m. Weekend Liturgy: Saturday, 5:00 p.m. | Sunday, 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 5:00 p.m.
