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Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Feast of Saint/Papa Giovanni and 63rd Anniversary of Vatican Council II, October 11, 1962 Liturgy team: Jerry Bires, Jim & Cheryl (IT) Brandi, Mary Al Gagnon, Michael Rigdon, Jane Shugrue, Mary Kay Staudohar


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Michael. 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)

 

Theme. We celebrated the anniversary of the beginning of Vatican Council II and the feast of Pope John XXIII in October 2008, our first at St Andrew. And this is the 14th year we have celebrated Papa Giovannis membership in the official ranks of the saints!

In the words of our opening song, our theme is: The Spirit Is A-movin:


🎶 The Spirit is a-movin.   


 


https://youtu.be/ywgN3HPQqCg. 1:57

(Refrain) The Spirit is a-movin’ all over, all over this land. (x2)

People are gatherin, the church is born;

The Spirit is a-blowin’ on a world reborn. R

Filled with the Spirit, we are sent to serve.

We are called out together, we are called to work. R

 

Mary Kay. We begin our celebration together in the name of  God our creator, Jesus our brother, and Spirit Sophia our wisdomAll: Amen. 

With our hands together in prayer 🙏, let us offer one another a sign of Christs peace:  

All: Namaste! The Holy One in me greets the Holy One in you! Namaste!

 

Transformation Rite.  Jim.

We are a community committed to the reforms of Vatican II! 

Let us remain faithful to Vatican II values: 

promoting active participation of all in our communitys liturgy

and active participation in the life of the community,

the equality of all members of Christs Church, 

the holiness of all our sisters and brothers 

regardless of creed, gender, sexual preferences, religion, race, or nationality. Remember times when we have fallen short of Vatican II values. (Pause)

Let us imagine our imperfections all brightly lit 

by a Love that heals and transforms us 

as we evolve and grow in awareness of our divinity and our humanity. 

(Pause briefly. Then extend hand over heart.)

All: Im sorry. I forgive you. Thank you. I love you. 

 

Mary Al. 63 years ago, Papa Giovanni offered this prayer at the

opening of the Second Vatican Council on Oct11,1962:

Let us pray. Almighty God! In you we place all our confidence

Look down kindly on these people of your Church.

May the light of your grace help us

in making decisions and in making laws.

Graciously hear the prayers which we offer you

with unanimity of faith, voice, and mind.

O Mary, help of Christians, help of bishops,

arrange all things for a happy and helpful outcome.

With your spouse, St Joseph; the holy apostles, Peter and Paul;

St John the Baptist; and St John the Evangelist,intercede to God for us.

Jesus Christ, our loving redeemer,

To you be love and glory forever. All: Amen

 

We break open Gods Word

Michael. We have four readings from Vatican Council II. Our response to each reading will be 🎶The Spirit is a-movin all over, all over this land. (x2) 

 

Jerry. 1st Reading: Papa Giovannis Introductory Comments at the Second Vatican Council (Oct 11, 1962)

Ecumenical councils like this, whenever they gather,

are an occasion for the celebration once again

of the unity between Christ and the Church.

I confidently trust that under the light of this council

the Church will become richer in spiritual matters

and, with this new energy, will look to the future without fear,

bringing itself up-to-date where needed.

As I go about my daily work as pope, I sometimes have to listen,

with much regret, to voices of persons who,

though burning with zeal,

are not endowed with too much sense of discretion or measure.

These people can see nothing but a decline of truth

and the ruin of the Church in these modern times.

They say that our era, in comparison with past ones, is getting worse,

and they behave as though they had learned nothing from history,

which is, nonetheless, the teacher of life.

I feel I must disagree with these prophets of gloom

who are always forecasting disaster

as though the end of the world was at hand.

In fact, at the present time, Divine Providence is leading u

to a new order of human relations 

whichby the very effort of the people of this time, 

is directed toward the fulfillment of Gods great plans for us.

Everything, even human differences, 

leads to a greater good for the Church.

The council now beginning rises in the Church

like daybreak, a forerunner of most splendid light.

It is now only dawn.

And already, at this first announcement of the rising day,

how much sweetness fills our heart!

 

(Pause for a few moments to reflect)

Michael. These are the inspired words of Papa Giovanni, and we respond 🎶

 

Jane. 2nd Reading: Constitution on the Church,

      Christ is the Light of the nations.

The most central and clear message we have for all people

emerges from the metaphor where we come to understand

that we are family.

We who claim to be the Church,

we who claim to be the Body of Christ,

must resemble Christ as much as possible.

We must take the part of the poor whenever we can;

we must defend those without power;

we must avoid seeking our own glory

and act with humility and self-sacrifice for the good of all.

The Church itself is always in need of being renewed and forgiven,

purified for its mission.

Laypeople have the obligation to constantly develop 

a more profound grasp of their Christian faith.

There are times when laypeople have a serious obligation to express

their opinions and insights about the Church.

Laypeople should be open to all the different

talents, gifts, and experiences they bring to the Church.

In order to receive what they really need,

they must express their needs and wants openly.

Pastors must give real responsibility to parishioners 

and encourage them to take initiative in their parishes.

Such authentic trust and cooperation between the laity and their spiritual leaders holds great potential for the Church.

 

(Pause for a few moments to reflect)

Michael. These are the inspired words of Vatican Council II, 

and we respond 🎶

 

Mary Kay. 3rd Reading: The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

The Liturgy is the summit toward which

the Christian life is directed

and the very source of that life to begin with

In the Eucharist, the eternal covenant

between God and humankind is renewed

and Christs love is rekindled in us.

Precisely because it is so central to us,

and so important in the Christian journey,

the faithful who come to Liturgy

must be well disposed,

ready to participate, 

and actively engaged in the rites.

It is not enough simply to follow the letter of the law,

making sure that our liturgies 

are correct” and proper.”…

Because of their baptisms,

all the faithful have both a right and a duty

to full and active participation in the Liturgy

There is to be more reading from Scripture,

with more variance and suitability.

Sermons should be drawn mainly from Scripture

and should proclaim Gods wonderful works,

the mystery of Christ

and the wonderful moment

that we share together at Mass

The use of Latin is preserved

but the use of the mother tongue,

which may be of great advantage to the people,

is also permitted when requested by the local bishops

The Church does not wish to impose

a rigid uniformity in matters where it is not necessary,

and local customs may be introduced into the Liturgy

provided they are not based on superstition or error.

We hereby call for all to enter into 

the promotion and restoration of the Liturgy with zeal!

 

(Pause for a few moments to reflect)

Michael. These are the inspired words of Vatican Council II, 

and we respond 🎶

 

Mary Al. 4th Reading: Constitution on the Church in the Modern World

The joy and hope, the grief and anxiety of the people of this age,

especially of those who are poor or in any way afflicted:

this is the joy and hope, the grief and anxiety,

of the followers of Christ.

Indeed, nothing genuinely human

fails to raise an echo in their hearts.

The Christian community

is, after all, a community of women and men

truly linked with humankind and its history,

bearing a message of salvation

intended for all people.

This council, therefore,

having already looked in depth at the Church itself,

now turns its attention on the whole of humanity.

We want to state clearly our understanding

of the presence and function of the Church

in the world of today.

The Christian vision is that the world was created

and is sustained by God.

It was freed from the slavery of sin by Christ.

It is now being re-created and brought to its destiny

under the Holy Spirit.

We now offer to the world

the honest assistance of the Church

in fostering human harmony which is our destiny.

In this, we follow our teacher, Christ, 

who came to give witness to truth

and to serve and not be served.

In language understandable for each generation,

the Church should be able to give

a meaningful answer to questions people have

about life: both now and after death.

We must, in other words, read the signs of the times.

One of those signs

is the profound and rapid change

that is everywhere.

History speeds along on so rapid a course

that one can scarcely keep abreast of it,

and we humans have now passed

from a rather static understanding of reality

to one much more dynamic and evolutionary!

Because change occurs so rapidly today

and thought patterns differ so widely,

the Church needs to increase the activity 

of adapting herself to this age.

To do this, she calls for help

from the people living in the world

who understand these times so well.

In all this,

the Churchs assistance to the world

and the worlds assistance to the Church

there is one single intention on our part:

that Gods Reign be established

and that all men and women

be made whole.

 

(Pause for a few moments to reflect)

Michael. These are the inspired words of Vatican Council II, 

and we respond 🎶

 

Shared Homily

Michael. You heard Papa Giovanni in his comments to begin the Council:

I confidently trust that under the light of this council

the Church will become richer in spiritual matters

and, with this new energy, will look to the future without fear,

bringing itself up-to-date where needed.

He was a joyful, hopeful, confident Church reformer. We all remember him throwing open the windows of the church to let the world inand the Spirit out!

After 63 years, we still need his hope as we continue to reform our Church!

A sentence from our 4th reading from the Church in the Modern World:

Because change occurs so rapidly today

and thought patterns differ so widely,

the Church needs to increase the activity 

of adapting herself to this age.

To do this, she calls for help

from the people living in the world

who understand these times so well.

What a remarkable new path to progressa reciprocal process in which the Church not only teaches the world, but also learns from the world! 

Those are a few of my thoughts. Please add your comments about todays celebration or any other thoughts you want to share with the community

 

Profession of Faith. Jim & All:

We believe in God, who creates all things,
who embraces all things, who celebrates all things,
who is present in every part of the fabric of creation.
We believe in God as the source of all life,
who baptizes this planet with living water.
We believe in Jesus the Christ, the suffering one, the poor one, 

the malnourished one, the climate refugee, 

who loves and cares for this world and who suffers with it.
And we believe in Jesus the Christ, the seed of life,
who came to reconcile and renew this world and everything in it. 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of God,
who moves with God and who moves among and with us today. 

We believe in everlasting life in God.
And we believe in the hope that one day
God will put an end to death and all destructive forces. 

(Gurukul Theological college, India / adapted by Keld B. Hansen 2009)

 

JanePrayers of the Community (A brief silence before we bring our community prayers and offerings to the table)

We bring to the table prayers for our community and the world. 

(Response: Christ, you graciously hear us!)

We bring to the table family members, friends and MMOJ members with serious and chronic health conditions. We pray. R

We bring to the table the millions of people whose lives are ravaged by war in Gaza and the Ukraine. May a cease fire be agreed to and take hold soon to provide health, safety, and peace. We pray. R

We bring to the table our government leaders. Touch their minds and hearts that they may act in the interests of the common good of their fellow citizens and the world. We pray. R

(Joan brings the intentions from our MMOJ book of community prayers.)

Who and what else shall we bring to the table today? 

(Please turn your mic on to offer a prayer, then mic off.)

Jesus the Christ, we will be your presence in the world today and every day of our lives. All: Amen

 

Offering of Our Gifts at the table  

(Have bread and wine/juice on your table)

JerryO Holy One, we bring you our gifts from creation, bread 🥖of the grain 🌾 and wine 🍷 of the grapes 🍇. We recognize that they are holy in you their creator. And we know that they will make us holy, one with you and one with each other.

 

Eucharistic Prayer.  Jerry. Let us begin our Eucharistic prayer in song:

 

🎶 Here in this PlaceChristopher Grundy


https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ
  1:13

 

(Jim & All): Merciful God, send your Spirit now to settle on this bread and wine, and fill them with the fullness of Jesus the Christ.

And let that same Spirit rest on us, converting us from the patterns of this passing world, until we conform to the shape of Jesus whose food we now share. Amen

 

We Remember Jesus (hand extended in blessing).(Mary Kay & All)

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) 

  

Mary Al. 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. 

  

Jim. Please join in 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

 

(Jerry & All): This is Jesus who liberates, heals and transforms us and our world. All are invited to partake of this banquet of love. We are the Body of Christ.

(All receive, saying, Be Christ to the world today!)

 

Instrumental 🎶  Sentinel Meadow, Mars Lasar



http://youtube.com/watch?v=B9JFOEcq1GA&fea
 Stop@1:34

 

Jane. We pray our common prayer that Jesustaught us: 

All: Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all, 

Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echoes through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
May your beloved community of peace and freedom 

sustain our hope and come on earth. 

With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen. 

(Adapted from The New Zealand Book of Prayer | He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa.

This version of the Lords prayer was influenced by Maori theologians)

 

Prayer after Communion. Mary Kay.

We give you thanks and praise, O Holy One,

for blessing us with Papa Giovanni,

peasant by birth 

and by choice, servant of your servants,

worker for peace on earth,

brother to all people of good will.

 

In baptism, John put on Christ:

to love the world, to be of good cheer,

to undo the arrogant and lift up the lowly,

to speak new words to the weary.

 

How he lived that gospel word:

Be cunning as serpents, simple as doves.

How he preached the gospel word

not proclaiming doom

but rushingin loveto the worlds side.

 

Raise up in us, your people the church,

the Spirit that filled blessed John:

modest for ourselves, but bold for you,

setting off unafraid for places we have never been

and ever seeking our peace in your will.

We ask this in the name of Jesus, our brother. All: Amen.

 

Mary Al. Prayers of Thanksgiving. (Introductions.) Announcements.

 

Jerry. Please raise your hand in blessing with this Irish Blessing.


🎶


 https://youtu.be/2mWaoGn_jTY stop@1:28

 

Jim. Go in the peace of Christ, let our servicecontinue

All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!

 

🎶 Jane. Please sing our concluding songtogether:

When the Saints Go Marching In, Linda Miller & Jack Meehan



https://youtu.be/1VbqoJ3Yxo4?si=jdYz1NTV_YhJcDoP

 

_____________________________________________________

To add an intercession to our MMOJ Community Prayer book, please email email Joan Meehan jmeehan515@aol.com  

 

To invite someone to attend our liturgy, please refer them to the days liturgy at MaryMotherOfJesus.net

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Feast of Saint/Papa Giovanni and 63rd Anniversary of Vatican Council II, October 11, 1962 Liturgy team: Jerry Bires, Jim & Cheryl (IT) Brandi, Mary Al Gagnon, Michael Rigdon, Jane Shugrue, Mary Kay Staudohar

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/93473708926?pwd=VHFKZGJ5N3ljbzZtVU1qQVRZY1lodz09 Meeting ID: 934 7370 8926 Passcode: 552967     Michael ...