Recently, Pope Francis made some "comments" when asked by reporters on a plane back from his 4 nation missionary journey in Asia, that sound blunt when it comes to our current presidential election here in the United States. Since what I (and some of you) read about his comments, was reported through the filter of particular journalists' bias on subjects and candidates, one has to be careful about reflecting on what the pope said. One quote from the pope has him say in regards to the two main presidential candidates that "Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants or be it the one who kills babies." There are some, of course who might conclude or want to argue that since he spoke of migrants first, that according to its place in what he said, it is the first and most important issue that should be considered before going to the polls to vote. That, of course, should not be concluded. Instead, it should be pointed out that the pope has not mixed words when it comes to the intrinsic evil" of abortion since it kills a human being. "Performing an abortion is killing a human being. Whether you like the word or not, this is killing." "The Church does not allow abortion because it is killing. It is murder" This is backed by the bishops of the United States that the issue of abortion is the "preeminent priority" for American Catholics in general and in those who are hopefully planning to exercise their right and duty to vote. This is stated clearly in its published teaching "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" which I urge you to pull up online and read or re-read before making choices of what and who to vote for in the upcoming election. Asked what voters of the United States should do at the polls, Pope Francis firstly recalled the civic duty to vote. He said "One should vote, and choose the lesser evil. Who is the lesser evil, the woman or the gentleman? I don't know. Everyone in their conscience should think and do it" I assume he's referring to voting and voting not from a "feeling" but from a properly formed conscience that seeks "THE TRUTH" from God that we have through divine revelation (the bible) and the Tradition of the Church. It is not up to the pope, our bishops, priests, and deacons who teach and preach in public to tell the Catholic (or the whole electorate) who to vote for! It is important that the Church's leaders make it clear that the right to life and dignity of the human person from conception until natural death comes first and only after this, other issues that promote the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity as presented by our Church's teachers and teachings. PLEASE take the time to read these inserts which will continue over the next four weeks in our bulletin.

I believe, if given the chance to clarify or expand on what he said, that the pope would refer not to the candidates as evil, but rather the positions they hold and/or act on which are against life as being evil and bringing harm (in one instance death) to human beings. I hope and pray we all discern what is the greater evil and speak out at the polls and long after the election is over and the winners are sworn into office.

Given the reality that we are a large parish (over 700 registered families) with three Masses on the weekend which creates "three worship communities" in one, it is almost always the case that not every parishioner will be able to put a face or faces to the name or names of our V.I.P.'s for any given month. Fortunately, we have a pictorial directory that is helpful in this and other instances (as with a parishioner's death).
With regard to our V.I.P.s for the month of September, Jim and Patricia Goodson, I'll bet at least some of you can put a face to their names when I tell you they are the couple who often are color-coordinated in the clothes they wear to church with Patricia wearing a hat. Their coordination shows itself in many other ways (like their passion for the pro-life ministry) and the fact that they have shared their lives as husband and wife for 50 years! Throughout their years together, amid various moves (including to the island of Kauai in Hawaii) they got involved in parish life in the church communities they joined. Besides his life as a police officer in San Diego (for 14 years) and a real estate career, Jim also spearheaded as president of the parish council at St. William's Church in Hanalei, the challenging effort to rebuild and furnish that church after it sustained severe damage from Hurricane Iniki. Later he coordinated The Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Litchfield Park which included training over 200 E.M.s. At a growing parish, St. Henry in Buckeye, Arizona, he arranged for the acquisition of a rectory for the priest of that parish. It was there that he and Patricia were first involved in pro-life ministry which included prayer in front of the abortion clinic in Phoenix. Jim and Patricia carried this passion as well as their ministry as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to Sacred Heart Parish when they moved to Hot Springs Village in 2010. Health issues have forced both Jim and Patricia to reluctantly back off from these ministries, but they still rarely miss Mass on Saturday evenings and Jim, daily Mass as often as his health allows. For years they were both stalwarts when it came to participating in daily Mass here at Sacred Heart Church. Jim served as the pro-life director for the Knights of Columbus for 9 years and began the "Baby Bottle Campaign" which continues in our parish and provides needed funds for our area pregnancy help centers. Both Jim and Patricia served under the parish's pro-life committee under both Rosemary Monarque and then Mary Costello. For years they were faithful at attending the annual March for Life in Little Rock and the "Life-Chain" in downtown Hot Springs. Their commitment to pray for this and other causes inspired them to start and lead the annual "Rosary in the Public Square" that often took place outside of the Wal-Mart parking lot, and pray at the abortion clinic in Little Rock during the "40 Days for Life". They served a total of 40 years as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and Jim over 25 years as a lector at Mass. Jim has been a Knight of Columbus for over 25 years and Patricia has been in the St. Elizabeth Guild since she and Jim have lived in Hot Springs Village.
Please give thanks to God in your prayers this week for Jim and Patricia, our V.I.P.'s for September and thank them too personally if you are a Saturday evening Mass participant and see them (in their color-coordinated outfits)!

While it, thankfully, doesn't happen very often, it was indeed quite a challenge a few weeks ago when we had four funeral Masses in a ten-day period. Firstly, I want to thank all those who are involved with our bereavement ministry in the immediate time before, during and after funerals. This includes liturgical ministers (ushers, altar servers, sacristans and lectors), our group of ladies headed up by Chris Frantz who work with the families in the set-up in the narthex of pictures and memora-bilia of the deceased person, and attending the guest book (and other actions of hospitality toward the families of the deceased, our Resurrection choir led by Kathleen Kinney, and our Ladies of the Sacred Heart who host wonderful receptions afterward with food and drink for those who come. I and the families can always count on these people to step up and bless the bereaved families and all who come to our funeral liturgies (including as needed our Knights of Columbus honor guard). And I almost forgot Shawn Clark and Mike Miller who make themselves available to livestream our funeral liturgies (and they do so every Sunday for our shut-ins at the Sunday 8:00 a.m. Mass). As you can see it is clearly a team effort that is appreci-ated by me, the family of the deceased and all who participate in our funeral liturgies! I am ALWAYS grateful when I have a completed and filed funeral planning sheet that contains much of what the deceased person wants at his or her funeral such as songs, readings, and people who they want to take on various roles (as lectors, gift bearers, remarks of remembrance), which make our Resurrection Masses beautiful and meaningful. If any-one reading this has not taken the time to fill out some or all of the funeral planning forms (that can be accessed at the church office or in one of the slots over the credenza leading from the narthex into the Administration/Classroom wing of our parish building). Please consider doing so and drop off the form at the church office. Even if you don't fill out the whole thing, it is helpful for me to have on hand (and you a copy of what you want after you depart from this world). Recently I was aware of a local parishioner who died whose family didn't contact me about ANY funeral liturgy for their mother. This dear lady was at Mass every Saturday night for years with her husband and deserved, as all Catholics do, a funeral Mass for brothers and sisters in the Lord (and family members) to lift them up to the Lord with the most powerful prayer we have, the Mass! Finally, I want to remind everyone that if a person is cremated (preferably after the funeral Mass) his or her cremains (in an urn) should be interred as soon after the cremation is done either in the ground or in a columbarium. It is NEVER okay to divide cremains among family members. The entire person's cremains need to be in blessed grounds or in a niche in a columbarium that has been blessed. That is another decision that should be made (if at all possible) before a person dies and followed through by the family as soon after the funeral Mass as is practically possible. I am ready to answer any questions you have and even sit down to discuss the funeral planning form with you and help you in addressing some or all the choices you have for your funeral liturgy. Get it done! your family (and I) will thank you for doing so!