Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Newsletter — July 2022

Immaculate CONCEPTION Catholic Church Contents: 2 What Does “Red, White, and Blue” Mean to You? 3 We Provide the Gifts, God Performs the Miracles 4 Meet Youth Ministry Assistant Aubrey Volpert Evangelizing and Sharing God’s Love 6 Getting to Know St. Francis Solanus “The Apostle of Peru and Argentina” 7

Vocations Chalice Box JULY 2022

PERPETUAL ADORATION

An Invitation to Be with the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

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arishioner and perpetual adoration coordinator Ramona Bourdo has experienced the immense grace that comes with praying in Eucharistic Adoration.

“I remember being in adoration after my first husband died,” Ramona says. “I was just crying and crying. But that was a good thing because this Praying in adoration is simple and there is no wrong way was how God was helping me to spend time with Jesus in prayer. Some common practices through that very difficult time while in Eucharistic Adoration include reading Scripture, praying the Rosary and meditating on the life of Christ. of my life, and I came to realize how much my faith meant to me. I was comforted by being in such a holy place, alone, simply talking to God.” Eucharistic Adoration is the devotion whereby we recognize the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and praise Him as the King of kings. Here at Immaculate Conception, this solemn devotion is available to you 24-7, 365 days a year.

The word “adoration” comes from a Latin root that means to be “face-tocontinued on page 5

Immaculate CONCEPTION

What Does “Red, White, and Blue” Mean to You?

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lthough our nation’s real independence began at the end of the Revolutionary War on Sept. 3, 1783, President John Adams originally thought that the anniversary would be marked on July 2, the day in 1776 when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence from Great Britain. Ultimately, Americans chose to commemorate the birthday of the United States on July 4, the day on which the Declaration of Independence was adopted and approved.

What does this mean for us as Roman Catholics? The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “The love and service of one’s country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity” (2239).

As a parish community, we are called by God to respond to this duty to the best of our ability. So, where do we start?

The Second Vatican Council document, Apostolicam Actuositatem, states that “In their patriotism and in their fidelity to their civic duties, Catholics will feel themselves bound to promote the true common good: they will make the weight of their convictions so influential that, as a result, civil authority will be justly exercised and laws will accord with moral precepts and the common good” (14).

By living our lay vocation and permeating the secular world with Catholic values, we genuinely honor God and neighbor. As “lamps shining before men,” we need to let our moral convictions — no matter the courage it may take — shine forth to be a guiding light for the world, often left vulnerable in the darkness.

Our commitment to a rightly ordered Catholic patriotism begins with our commitment to the formation of our Christian conscience. We must enrich ourselves with the Church’s teachings on the value of human life, the sacred institution of family, Catholic social and moral teachings, Catholic civil duties, and anything that further pertains to the living out of our Catholic faith in our nation today.

Once we have done this, we will be able to act upon it. As St. Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Today, more than ever, we need to pray for the light to know the will of God, for the love to accept the will of God, for the way to do the will of God.” This year, let us give our hearts to carrying out this mission of an authentic Catholic patriotism under God. Our nation was founded under God. Let us not allow this precious heritage, this source of true life and liberty, to be lost. Its preservation relies on each one of us.

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A Letter From Our Pastor

We Provide the Gifts, God Performs the Miracles Dear Parishioners,

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t is human nature to try to neatly place things into categories. If we categorize the miracles performed by Christ, the two largest groupings might fall under the headings “Healing” and “Feeding.”

This is exactly what we are about here at Immaculate Conception. At the base of all our liturgies is the Eucharist, when we come together in communion with the Lord and with one another to be both fed and healed. Even one of Christ’s most famous miracles — the Feeding of the Multitude — involved both healing and feeding from a spiritual and a literal perspective.

The reason the large crowd gathered was because Jesus’ reputation as a healer had spread and grown. He felt compassion for that crowd, which is another way of saying He loved them and felt sorry that they were hungry due to their willingness to sit and be with Him for so long. Recognizing it was late in the day and that many of them had not eaten, Jesus literally fed them — but that day, He didn’t stop with physical nourishment.

He also fed them spiritually with His words, and simultaneously, healed their wounded hearts by preaching a message of hope and forgiveness in the midst of a dark and hardened world.

The narrative of Christ taking a small amount of food and using it to feed thousands is familiar to all of us. It is reported in all four Gospels. However, I would like to highlight one aspect of that miracle.

It all started with one boy who was willing to share what little he had. Because the boy made the gift of his fishes and loaves, the Lord took it and multiplied it many times over, nourishing so many more people than what that little bit initially could.

Isn’t that what we as a parish are called to do?

We make gifts of our time, our talent, and our treasure as good stewards — but nevertheless, it is God who takes those gifts and performs miracles with them. Our goal is to give what we have so that Christ might use it, multiplying it to feed, to heal and draw a multitude of people closer to Him. The reality is that without the gifts, there can be no miracles, and without miracles, we are a hungry and broken people. Christ has come to renew, nourish, fulfill, and restore — and that, brothers and sisters, is what Christianity is all about.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. John Wakube Pastor

On June 29, I celebrated the 20th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood.

I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have helped and supported me through my journey of faith and hope throughout my priesthood during these last 20 years.

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Immaculate CONCEPTION

Meet Youth Ministry Assistant

Eva

Aubrey

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or the parishioners of Imfor my relationship with Him. I maculate Conception Cathwas always coming to Cathoolic Church who have been lic Youth Ministry (CYM) at the around for a while, our new parish. I enjoyed helping with Youth Ministry Assistant isn’t a junior high and I discovered a new face. Aubrey Volpert grew passion for teaching the faith.” up in our parish and was greatly It was during an Alive In You influenced by his experiences conference and service camp in the youth ministry programs that Aubrey really felt the desire here. In fact, he was so impacted to spread God’s love through by them, that he greatly desired working with children and teens. an opportunity to work in youth There is a lot of pain and sufferministry as well. He prayed to ing in the world, but he realized God to provide him an opportuthat sharing the love of Christ nity to work in this ministry. was a very important way that “While I was searching for he was able to help others. my vocation and my calling, I “For the service part of the started to pray for a position to conference, we were helping in a open up where I could work in daycare in a really rough part of youth ministry," Aubrey says. the city in Mobile, Ala," he says.

"One day, while I was at church, "It was very eye-opening to the Aubrey Volpert Christie Powell approached me experiences that a lot of these and said she was looking for an assistant." kids have. I wanted to be able to have an impact on Aubrey grew up going to Mass simply because these children. It is so important to have a firm founhis family was attending. But after being involved dation in God. Having that foundation can really help in several youth ministry programs, and then at- you through whatever you are going through." tending a couple of conferences and going on a In high school, Aubrey transferred to the Cathomission trip, he embraced his own faith and found lic school and began to discern the priesthood. He a deeper relationship with God. went to the seminary for a year and a half before he “When I discovered youth ministry within the discerned that God was calling him to a different parish, I really discovered my own faith," he says. "I vocation. He transferred to the University of Cenreally felt God’s love for me and I took responsibility tral Arkansas and received a degree in Communi-

"It was really cool for me to pray and discern where I wanted to end up in life in terms of a job and how to best serve God. It was such a profound message for me from God when I got a job here, coming home to Immaculate Conception." — Aubrey Volpert 4

angelizing and Sharing God’s Love Volpert

cations. After graduation, he ended up back at the parish, and that is where Christie asked him if he was interested in this position.

“It was really cool for me to pray and discern where I wanted to end up in life in terms of a job and how to best serve God," Aubrey says. "It was such a profound message for me from God when I got a job here, coming home to Immaculate Conception. I am passionate and confident in my abilities to teach and serve."

Aubrey's new job requires him to do a little bit of everything. He helps with scheduling, attending

meetings, picking up food and giving lectures.

“It is really just an all-in-one kind of job!" he says. "I wear many tiny hats!”

John Paul II said, “Let yourselves be taken over by the light of Christ, and spread that light wherever you are.” This quote embodies the path that Aubrey has taken throughout his life. From growing in deeper relationship with Christ as a youth, to discerning God’s plan for his life through college and career, he has taken every moment to evangelize and share God’s love with those he encounters. His energy and passion for Christ will serve the youth of our parish well.

PERPETUAL ADORATION face.” Therefore, we believe that when we pray in Eucharistic Adoration, we are truly face-to-face with our Lord Jesus, who is physically and spiritually before us enthroned on the altar.

“Adoration is simply spending an hour with Jesus,” Ramona says. “I always remember in Matthew 26:40 when Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asks the sleeping apostles ‘Can you not spend an hour with Me in prayer?’ and I am inspired to go to adoration.”

Praying in adoration is simple and there is no wrong way to spend time with Jesus in prayer.

Some common practices while in Eucharistic Adoration include reading Scripture, praying the Rosary and meditating on the life of Christ. And there is no need to worry if you have never experienced adoration.

“The Holy Spirit will lead you — just let Him,” Ramona says.

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Because Eucharistic Adoration is such a powerful and intimate time of prayer, everyone who would like to participate is asked to sign up ahead of time. This ensures that everyone can have their time with Jesus in private. It also affords everyone the freedom to pray in the way they would like without having to worry about disturbing another person’s prayer.

Once you arrive at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, all you have to do is open the door to the tabernacle to start adoring our Lord. When you are finished with your prayer, you are asked to reverently close the door to the tabernacle so that Jesus is no longer exposed.

There is much to gain from visiting Christ in Eucharistic Adoration.

“You can expect to experience peace, comfort and joy,” Ramona says. “You may even hear the Lord speak to you.”

Signing up for Eucharistic Adoration is easy — simply contact Ramona Bourdo by calling or texting her at 501-831-5040 or by emailing her at raw4084@att.net. Once you reach out to her, she will respond by sending you a spreadsheet that lists all the available times. Once you receive this, you can fill your name in one or more available slots to reserve your time of prayer.

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Immaculate CONCEPTION

Getting to Know St. Francis Solanus “The Apostle of Peru and Argentina”

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oday, St. Francis Solanus is remembered as the “Wonder Worker of the New World,” and we occupiers of a digital age might feel distanced from this fearless missionary and healer.

Yet, his story shares details of his humanity. He fostered a talent for music. He learned languages to nurture hospitality.

He was close to his mother. He desired to bring Christ and be Christ for others each day.

As we look again at his narrative, St. Francis Solanus and the virtues and habits of his daily life seem clearly relevant to us today, centuries later.

In 1549, individuals of local nobility and renowned piety, Mateo Sanchez Solano and Anna Ximenes, welcomed their son into their home in Montilla near Cordoba, Spain. One story shares that his mother consecrated her son to St. Francis of Assisi while still in her womb.

This consecration might account for St. Francis’ proclivity to the Franciscan spirituality, for he entered the Franciscan order at Montilla and then studied in seminary at Seville. He spent the first 40 years of his life living and working locally in Andalucía, a region of Southern Spain. St. Francis first felt drawn to North Africa, desiring to achieve martyrdom there. But his vision would shift to the American missions.

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During his years in Spain, St. Francis first gained the reputation of a wonderworker and healer, a reputation later fortified by hundreds of witnesses who gave testimony to his works. While many accounts exist of his tending the sick and even nursing victims of the plague, St. Francis also found time to return to his hometown and quietly care for his mother after the passing of his father.

In 1589, St. Francis sailed from Spain to the New World aboard a slave ship. Several accounts tell of the devastating hurricane this 16th century ship encountered. The storm would eventually split the ship in two!

Yet, while the captain and the

crew abandoned the frigate, St. Francis selflessly gave up his place in the lifeboat and stayed with the slaves to baptize and comfort them until their rescue.

Upon beginning his work in South America, St. Francis braved hitherto nearly unexplored regions of present-day Argentina and Paraguay. When he had studied philosophy and theology in seminary, St. Francis also pursued music and now played the violin for the native people. He also diligently learned multiple native languages and dialects to communicate with others in their own language.

St. Francis predicted his own death, which occurred in 1610 in Lima, Peru. In that same year, while preaching in Trujillo, Peru, he foretold the calamites that would occur in that city, which was nearly destroyed by an earthquake nine years later.

Pope Benedict XIII canonized the “Apostle of Peru and Argentina” in 1726. St. Francis’ feast is kept throughout the Franciscan Order on July 24 and in the United States on July 14. He is the Patron of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Peru.

Our vocations might not bring us across unexplored shores, but let us endeavor to model St. Francis Solanus’ strength, selflessness and devotion to the Gospel as we pursue our own paths to sainthood in our current age.

Vocations Chalice Box

Helping Us to Pray More Intentionally for Vocations in the Church

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ight now, there is a great need in our Catholic Church for an increase in all vocations, but in particular, there is a need for vocations to the priesthood. It is unfortunately not uncommon for many priests to be the only priest at a parish. They are tasked with running the parish and caring for the needs of the whole parish community on their own.

Prayers for vocations should be something that we all strive to include in our daily prayer life, and here at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, we offer a unique way to get started.

The Vocations Chalice Box holds a few different items — various prayer cards relating to vocations; DVDs that talk about the different vocations such as religious life, convent life, monastic life, seminarians, and the priesthood; and a chalice that has previously held the Sacred Blood of Christ.

Parishioner Shawn Stane was blessed to have the Vocations Chalice Box for almost a year when the parish ministries were shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. His family took it home, intending to keep it for a week, and ended up having the opportunity to pray with it daily

for eight or nine months.

“Having it in your home, and praying over it, allows the idea of vocations to grow in our children and our homes,” Shawn says. “They can begin to understand the different vocations and the importance of listening to God’s call in our lives.”

This is a ministry that is open to anyone at the parish who would like the opportunity to pray more intentionally for vocations. The box is picked up on Sundays and then dropped back off at the church on Saturday. Shawn and a few other parishioners keep a running list of who would like the box and they facilitate who will pick it up each week.

“I recommend that people try it, even if they don’t quite understand what it is,” Shawn says.

“It helps focus us on the needs of the parish and everyone involved, not just our needs. Without our priest, we don’t have a parish. Or more importantly, without our priest we don’t have the Eucharist. To use our personal prayer time to pray for the vocations of others is a great act of stewardship.”

This ministry does not involve a large time continued on back cover

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Immaculate CONCEPTION 7000 John F. Kennedy Blvd.

North Little Rock, AR 72116 Church Office: (501) 835-4323 www.iccnlr.org

Vocations Chalice Box commitment and it is a wonderful way to jumpstart your own personal daily prayer life. Having the items in the box to help focus and guide you can be a great benefit.

“Any little step you can take to get involved and to live out stewardship and prayer is crucial,” Shawn says.

“I encourage everyone to try adding one more thing that will help center your life on stewardship. This ministry is a great way to start doing that. You may find that once you add a small thing, it becomes part of your routine and you can begin living out stewardship more fully.”

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It helps focus us on the needs of the parish and everyone involved, not just our needs. Without our priest, we don’t have a parish. Or more importantly, without our priest we don’t have the Eucharist.” — Shawn Stane

If you have any questions about the Vocations Chalice Box, or if you would like to sign up for it, please contact Shawn Stane at 501-912-4665.

LITURGY SCHEDULE

Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m. | Sunday Masses: 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Daily Mass: Tuesday 8:15 a.m., Wednesday 6:45 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., Thursday 6:45 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., First Saturday of each month at 8:15 a.m.

Confessions: Tuesday: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., Thursday: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., Saturday: 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

ADORATION

Adoration is now being held in the Adoration Chapel. If you are interested in spending time with the Blessed Sacrament, please contact Ramona Bourdo at 501-831-5040, for an available time slot. **Schedule subject to change due to COVID-19 guidelines**