Mensaje del Parroco
¡Feliz fin de semana del Día de la Independencia a todos!
Su divertida curiosidad patriótica de la semana es que la votación a favor de la Declaración de Independencia se realizó en el Congreso Continental el 2 de julio y se firmó el 2 de agosto (lo cual, al ser mi cumpleaños, celebro mucho…) Sin embargo, el texto final se aprobó el 4 de julio y esa fecha se adjuntó al documento, así que lo celebramos…
Muchos de nosotros no hemos leído la Declaración de Independencia completa desde la escuela, lo cual es una lástima, ya que sigue siendo una obra hermosa y, obviamente, histórica. La sección que declara formalmente nuestra independencia del rey Jorge III y los británicos es:
«Por lo tanto, los Representantes de los Estados Unidos de América, convocados en Congreso General, apelando al Juez Supremo del mundo por la rectitud de nuestras intenciones, en nombre y por la autoridad del buen pueblo de estos Colonos, solemnemente hacemos público y declaramos: Que estas Colonias Unidas son, y deben ser por derecho, Estados Libres e Independientes.»
A lo largo del documento, la Declaración se dirige a Dios (el Juez Supremo, el Dios de la Naturaleza, la Divina Providencia, el Creador) y habla de que nuestros derechos y nuestra propia vida tienen su origen en Dios.
El venerable arzobispo Fulton Sheen escribió un maravilloso librito titulado «Una Declaración de Independencia» en 1941, en el que propuso que todos recordemos que la Declaración trataba sobre la libertad del dominio británico (y su tiranía concomitante), no sobre la independencia de Dios y sus mandamientos. Más bien, dependemos completamente de Dios para nuestras vidas, nuestra libertad y la búsqueda de la felicidad.
Today there are over 2 million Knights in 16,000 councils around the world. As you may know our local Council 4737 was founded in Avondale in 1959. Today we are the fastest-growing council in Arizona.
While in the popular imagination, the Knights of Columbus are known for pancake breakfasts and service-projects (and aren’t these awesome!) we are still a group fundamentally rooted in Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Our Founder Fr. McGivney created the Knights to support Catholic families, particularly in the working class and amongst immigrants, seeking brotherhood. I know he would be proud of how our Brother Knights serve each other and SJV!
He also works miracles from heaven. In 2015 a baby was given a zero-percent chance of surviving to birth. His parents prayed to Father McGivney for a miracle. Doctors were shocked months later when that baby was born completely healthy. Today he is a flourishing, healthy 10-year-old boy! In 2020 Pope Francis approved this miracle, which medical science could not explain, and beatified Blessed McGivney.
There are so many SJV parishioners praying for a miracle right now. Fr. Brian and I are praying for you too. I asked the Supreme Knight, Patrick Kelly, if we could pray with the relic of Fr. McGivney right here in our parish. Please consider joining us for a few moments and bring your request for a miracle on June 30 (5:30 – 8:45pm) or July 6 (all day). May Blessed Fr. McGivney pray for us and may God heal our families.
Vivat Jesus!
Pastor´s Massage
Happy Independence Day weekend to one and all!
Your fun patriotic trivia for the week is that the vote in favor of declaring Independence was done by the Continental Congress on July 2 and it was signed on August 2 (which, being my birthday, I am partial to celebrating!) However, the final wording was approved on July 4 and that date was attached to the document and so we celebrate it…
Lots of us have not read through the actual Declaration of Independence since school, which is too bad because it continues to be a beautiful and obviously historical work. The section that formally declares our independence from King George III and the British is:
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States;
Throughout the document the Declaration addresses God (the Supreme Judge, Nature’s God, Divine Providence, the Creator) and speaks of our rights and very lives having their origin in God.
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote a wonderful little book called A Declaration of Dependence in 1941 in which he proposed that we all remember that the Declaration was about freedom from British rule (and its attendant tyranny) not independence from God and His Commandments. Rather, we are entirely dependent upon God for our lives, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
Being members of the Catholic Church of Jesus Christ we know that we are united first and foremost to each other through our One Baptism (Ephesians 4:5) and so there is no longer “Jew or Greek” (Galatians 3:28) in the Body of Christ. Yet, we can rightly celebrate our patriotism and love for America precisely because we admit our dependence on Him and equality with all other human beings – and our particular Communion with all other Followers of Jesus.
Let’s pray for each other and for our Nation. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all!” (Luke 2:14)
In Christ,
Fr. David