Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community

Thursday, October 1, 2026

MMOJ Liturgy for Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi: Presiders: Dotty Shugrue and Joan Pesce

Theme: Listen to the Voice of Creation

Welcome to Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community

Whoever you are,

Wherever you are,

Just as you are,

You are welcome at this table.

(Integral Christianity by Paul Smith)

Presider: Dotty Shugrue

As members of humankind, we are called to listen to the voices of creation. These are voices of those who suffer the impacts of climate change. These are voices of people who hold generational wisdom about how to live gratefully within the limits of the land. These are voices of a diminishing diversity of more-than-human species. These are the voices of the wolf, the bobcat, the lion, tiger, bears, all creatures who live and survive off the land: these are the voices of the whales, the dolphins, the salmon, the tuna, the lobster, the snail, all life within the ocean, sea and lake; these are the voices of the sparrow, the blue bird, the humming birds, the dove, the blackbird, the owl, the crow; all creatures of the sky.

Presider: Joan Pesce:

Opening Prayer: Creator, Source of all that we are, we gather to honor your Creation as an integrated and holy system of plant, animal and human life placed lovingly side by side with water, air, wind, and earth. We pray for the imagination and resolve to establish a supportive ecology so that all of Creation may not just survive but thrive as a continuing sign of your wondrous love. Amen

Opening Song: Canticle of the Sun by Marty Haugen

https://youtu.be/CfJ6WJPUff8

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Reader: Jim Brandi

A passage inspired by Celtic theologian Pelagius (360-418) adapted:

Look at the animals roaming the forest: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the birds flying across the sky: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the tiny insects crawling in the grass: God’s spirit dwells within them. Look at the fish in the river and sea: God’s spirit dwells within them. There is no creature on earth in whom God is absent. When God pronounced that his creation was good, it was not only that his hand had fashioned every creature; it was that his breath had brought every creature to life. Look too at the great trees of the forest; look even at your crops. God’s spirit is present within all plants as well. The presence of God’s spirit in all living things is what makes them beautiful; and if we look with God’s eyes, nothing on the earth is ugly. Go out into the natural world and look with God’s eyes; listen with God’s ears; know your place within God’good creation.These are the inspired words of Pelagius, Celtic theologian, and we affirm them by saying: Let it be So and so it is.

Reader: Jane S.

Second Reading: Earth Mother, Star Mother by Starwawk

Earth mother, star mother,

you who are

called

by a thousand names,

may all remember

we are cells in your body

and dance together.

You are the grain and

the loaf

that sustains us each day,

and as you are patient

with our struggles to learn

so shall we be patient

with ourselves and each other.

We are the radiant light

and sacred dark

- the balance -

you are the embrace that heartens

and the freedom beyond fear.

Within you we are born

we grow, live, and die -

you bring us around the circle

to rebirth

within us you dance

forever.

These are inspired words of Starwalk, and we affirm them by saying:

Let it be so!

Presider: Joan Pesce

Gospel: John 1: 1-5 as written in A New New Testament

In the beginning the Word was

and the Word was with God;

and the Word was God.

The Word was in the beginning with God,

through the Word all things came into being.

Nothing came into being apart from the Word.

That which came into being in the Word was life

and the life was the light of humanity,

and the light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness never overpowered it.

These are the inspired words of the apostle called John, and the community affirms them by saying: Let it be so!

Celtic Alleluia

https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU

Shared Homily

Reader: Jim B

Our Statement of Faith

We believe in the Holy One, a divine mystery
beyond all definition and rational understanding,
the heart of all that has ever existed,
that exists now, or that ever will exist.

We believe in Jesus, messenger of the Divine Word,
bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion,
bright star in the firmament of the Holy One's
prophets, mystics, and saints.

We believe that We are called to follow Jesus
as a vehicle of divine love,
a source of wisdom and truth,
and an instrument of peace in the world.

We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One,
the life that is our innermost life,
the breath moving in our being,
the depth living in each of us.

We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now,
stretched out all around us for those
with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it,
and hands to make it happen.

Prayers of the Community

Presider: Jane S.

As we prepare for this sacred meal, and as we celebrate the beauty of creation, we bring to this table all concerns we hold in our hearts.

We bring to this table our cares for all life, and we pray that the people of the earth will be more sensitive and committed to taking care of all life on our planet.

We bring to the table the keepers of flowers, trees, plants, and all growing things that make our earth beautiful.

We bring to the table the protectors of all wild animals working to let them live freely on our earth.

We bring to the table all those who suffer the impact of our neglect of our Earth

We bring to the table our need for compassion and understanding as we seek to create a world where all peoples will be embraced as our sisters and brothers, that they will be accepted in to our consciousness as created equal in the site of the Holy One and must be treated and accepted as such.

Joan M. will now share with us the prayer requests received:

ALL: Let it Be So and

so it is.

Reader: Maryal

Please join us, with arms raised, in praying our Eucharistic Prayer.

Sacred Spirit within us, surrounding us, we lift our hearts in praise and thanksgiving that we are One with you and with one another. Open our hearts that we may hear the call of all living things in pain, the cries of all animals, the whispers of the wind, the moaning of our earth. Le us all believe in our power to make all things new.

Holy, Holy: Here in This Place by Christopher Grundy

https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ

Creator of the whole universe, we glory in the environment, especially the beauty that surrounds us. May we have the vision and strength to protect all ecosystems and the whole of Your creation, which have been corrupted by human exploitation, pollution, and destruction, so that all of creation may be renewed and made whole.

We join with the earth and with each other to bring new life to the land, to restore the waters, to refresh the air.

We join with the earth and with each other to renew the forests, to care for the plants, to protect the creatures.

We join with the earth and with each other to celebrate the seas, to rejoice in the sunlight, to sing the song of the stars.

We join as many and diverse expressions of one loving mystery: for the healing of the earth and the renewal of life.

Joan: O Heart of Love, Your Spirit moves through the love within us, expanding in widening circles to embrace the needs of our world. United with all women and men who confront today with action and with conviction the structures of oppression in our times.

Sacred Spirit, You, are always with us. We are grateful for Your constant loving and unconditional presence. You give us life, and we live and breathe with your Spirit. You raise our consciousness to the blindness around us. We believe the Gospel message of Jesus and we embrace his calling to us, to be faithful.

Dotty: In blessing the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, they become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world.

On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at supper with his companions and friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly, he bent down and washed their feet.

(Together we lift our plate of bread as we pray)

When Jesus returned to his place at the table, he lifted the Passover bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread, and offered it to them saying:

Take and eat the Bread of Life

Whenever you remember me like this

I am among you. (pause)

Jesus then raised his cup of blessing, spoke the grace, and offered the wine saying:

Take and drink of the covenant made new again through my life in you.

Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.

This is the bread of life and cup of blessing.

What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives; as we share communion, we will become communion, both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge.

Joan: Please join in praying the prayer for the breaking of the bread:

Ever Present Sacred Spirit, you call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice.

We will live justly.

Ever Present Sacred Spirit, you call us to be Your presence in the world.

We will love tenderly.

Ever Present Sacred Spirit, you call us to speak truth to power.

We will walk with integrity

Please receive the blessed bread and cup with the words, “I am a caretaker of Creation”.

Communion Meditation: So, Will I by Hillsong United

https://youtu.be/C2U7ffUM5Ec

Reader: Jim B. Let us pray in the manner that Jesus taught his companions to pray:

O Holy One, you are within, around, and among us.

We celebrate your many names.

Your wisdom come, your will be done,

unfolding from the depths within us.

Each day you give us all that we need.

You remind us of our limits, and we let go.

You support us in our power, and we act with courage.

For you are the dwelling place within us,

The empowerment around us,

And the celebration among us,

now and forever. Amen.

(Adapted, Miriam Therese Winter, MMS)

Reader: Jane S. Mystery of Life present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures, embrace with tenderness all that exists. May the power of divine love rain down upon us, that we may protect life and beauty. Help us to reach out to the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards divine light and love. We are thankful for the pulse of life that fills us each day. May we be encouraged and strengthened for our struggle for justice, love, and peace in the world.

INTRODUCTIONS -- THANKSGIVINGS – ANNOUNCEMENTS

Presider: Joan P.

Let us raise our hands and pray our closing blessing:

Go out from this place, ready to hear creation’s call.

Go out, ready to answer, “I am here, standing up for you!”

And as you go, know that the love of Divine Mystery surrounds you,

the peace of Christ empowers you,

and the companionship of the Spirit moves within you

and all of creation, now and always.

AMEN

Closing Song: One Ohana by Marty Haugen

https://youtu.be/NMP-j31Yr88

_______________________________

If you want to add an intercession to our MMOJ Community Prayer book, please send an email to jmeehan515@aol.com

If you want to invite someone to attend our liturgy, please refer them to the day’s liturgy at MaryMotherofJesus.net

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Week Four of The Season of Creation September 26, 2026 Liturgy Team: Jim Brandi, Ann Cooke, MaryAl Gagnon, Joan Meehan, Seth Winners, Kathryn Shea IT: Cheryl Brandi Theme: Wade In The Water

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community

Week Four of The Season of Creation

September 26, 2026

Liturgy Team: Jim Brandi, Ann Cooke, MaryAl Gagnon, Joan Meehan, Seth Winners, Kathryn Shea

IT: Cheryl Brandi

Theme: Wade In The Water

Welcome and Gathering

MaryAl: Welcome to our Zoom liturgy at Mary Mother of Jesus, an Inclusive Catholic Community where all are welcome. As we gather this afternoon, let us truly ask ourselves how we can celebrate all the goodness of our country and its people, and yet still call out all cruelty and injustice still at work in our world today.

This is an especially sacred time in our country, and our time together is sacred time, where we bring our collective loving energy and prayers to help heal ourselves, one another, and our beautiful planet, Earth.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Seth:

Wherever you are,

Whoever you are,

Just as you are,

You are welcome at this table. (Integral Christianity by Paul Smith)

MaryAL: Let us begin our liturgy by expressing love through song.

Opening Song:

Waterfall by Chris Tomlin

https://youtu.be/qga1wBBajcA?si=GrUmYMo-EeMgMijG

Opening Prayer:

Kathryn:

Gracious and loving God,
Source of all life,
we gather today with grateful hearts.

You have given us the gift of water—
water that falls from the heavens,
flows through rivers and streams,
rises from the earth,
and gathers in oceans and lakes.

Water that nourishes the soil,
quenches our thirst,
sustains every living creature,
and reminds us that we are all connected
within the sacred web of Creation.

In this Season of Creation,
we hear again the invitation of Jesus:
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.”

Christ, you are Living Water.

Rite of Transformation

Jim: God, we confess that we have treated this gift of water as a mere commodity. We have choked the seas with our waste and watched the warming tides rise in judgment. We lament the cracked earth of the drought-stricken and the salty tears of the climate refugee. Melt our frozen hearts, O God, and let the waters of repentance flow.

Seth and ALL: We are sorry. Forgive us. We love you. Thank you.

Liturgy of the Word

Ann: First Reading: Ezekiel 47:9,12

Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.

ALL: And we respond by saying, AMEN.

Jim: Second Reading: lndigenous Prayers and Teachings –

(The prayers and teachings shared here are with the permission of Kanienʼkehá꞉ka Elder Rose-Alma McDonald, Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall, Indigenous Advisor.)

WATER THE LIFEBLOOD OF MOTHER EARTH

Our Indigenous beliefs hold that water is a sacred, living entity—

the "lifeblood" of Mother Earth.

Water is our relative, holding spirit and agency, essential for

spiritual, physical, and emotional life.

Water is the first medicine, connecting our ancestors to future

generations, with women as its sacred protectors.

In our Indigenous ways Water means to us that:

• Water is a living thing, a moving being that possesses a spirit

and interacts with the world, with its movements guided by

natural rhythms.

• Water is the "Lifeblood" of the Earth, connecting all beings

and representing the interconnection between all living

things.

• There are Four Sacred Waters Teachings that include the

water of the universe, the spirit water of birth (amniotic

fluid), water of Mother Earth (rivers, lakes), and the red

water (blood).

• Water is our connection to Life and Creation. Water is

essential for cleansing, healing, and spiritual purification.

Humans are formed in the water of the womb, linking the

start of life to the sacredness of water.

• Indigenous women traditionally serve as the main caretakers

and keepers of water, with a sacred responsibility to speak

for and protect it.

Gospel Acclamation: Spirit of the Living God by Michael Crawford-video by MTStreck

https://youtu.be/xoJN0owUoWA

Joan M: Gospel Readings on Living Water:

JOHN 4:14

“But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:14

JOHN 7:38

“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” – John 7:38

REVELATION 21:6

“He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.” – Revelation 21:6

ISAIAH 12:3

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” – Isaiah 12:3

We affirm these words by saying: ALL: Amen

Homily Starter and Community Sharing

Communal Statement of Faith

Ann and ALL: Together let us profess our Faith.

We believe in our Creator who has not forgotten us, rather is ever and always present with us.

We believe in Jesus, the Word incarnate, who journeyed on the earth, blessing the sick, making whole the broken, healing many, instilling faith in his followers so that they may continue the work He began.

We believe in Christ, the everlasting Presence in our world in our universe.

We believe in the Spirit of Life, the breath of wisdom Sophia, who stays present and real to us during this great human struggle we face today and in the days ahead.

We believe in the communion of saints, our heavenly friends who walk with us in love as we continue our life journey.

We believe in one another and our individual and collective response to being diligent in following the directives given by medical professionals at this time.

We believe in the partnership and equality of women and men in our Church and our world. Here we live our prophetic call of Gospel equality.

We believe that kin-dom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it happen.

Ann: We pray that the Holy One renew in our hearts our commitment to journey always in faith and hope as we reach out and support, comfort and love those closest to us, those who live in our country and all the people of the earth.

Prayers of and for the Community

Joan M: We now bring our prayer intentions to the Table, saying, “I bring to the Table…”

Our response is: We trust the healing of the living water.

We pray for all who are suffering, lonely, and without faith or hope.