St. John the Baptist of New Brighton - Bulletin


	PLEASE STOP BY THE TABLES of religious wares in The Plaza after all Masses this weekend, October 15/16. Carved from the wood of the sacred olive tree, the workmanship of these articles are exceptional. Iyad Awad represents 50 Christian families from Bethlehem who are dependent upon sales to Holy Land tourists. However, due to the conflict in the Middle East and declining tourism, these families have turned to Christian communities in the United States. Christians want to stay in the Holy Land, but their population has dropped from 22% to 3% in the last 30 years. Purchases can be made by cash or check. Thank you for your support!

ANGELS FOR LIFE DAILY PRAYER: May the Guardian Angels of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices guide them today. Please pray for our Supreme Court Justices & Nominees for the God-given wisdom to have respect for all life, born and unborn, without discrimination!

WANTED: BIRTHRIGHT VOLUNTEERS FOR COON RAPIDS AND ST. PAUL OFFICES. "A volunteer opportunity with no pay, but great benefits!" Committed, compassionate people are needed to volunteer only two hours, 1 - 2 times per month to help others experiencing a crisis pregnancy or who just need to talk with someone. Birthright offers free pregnancy testing, and educates and supports people in making alternative choices to abortion. Volunteer training will be held Saturday, November 12, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Please call Judy Quayle at (651) 633-0459 for details.

SOCIAL JUSTICE THE BERKELEY WAY? Earlier this month, a homeless woman in Berkeley, California, pregnant with triplets, went into labor in the stairwell of a downtown train station. "Concerned" passengers rushed past her as she started to give birth to the first of three premature babies. Only one man stopped, and he caught the baby in a T-shirt that he pulled off his back. Help finally arrived, and the other two babies were born at the Children's Hospital in Oakland. How can a culture with a raised consciousness for social justice ignore the unborn?

Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights... is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition of all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination."

Pope John Paul II: The Vocation & Mission of the Lay Faithful

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

"Can a true pacifist or conscientious objector
support abortion or be indifferent to it?"


	ST. JOHN'S AMBASSADORS at the Welcome Desk are looking for a few new recruits. There are openings on Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, and Thursday, 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m. We are also looking for some substitutes to fill in when our hearty group of regulars are unable to make it. If you like people and can talk on the phone, this is the volunteer opportunity for you. For more details, please call Teri Shea, (651) 633-8333, ext. 1210.


	FLIGHT PLAN One day during the early history of the airplane, the Wright brothers were working in their shop. Suddenly, something outside caught Wilbur's eye and he ran to the window. Running outside, Wilbur yelled back, "Orville! Come out here! Look, another aviator is using our patent!" Orville came running out to see a figure soaring high in the sky. "That's our simultaneous warping and steering mechanism. Call our attorney!" Wilbur shouted. "We'll file an injunction immediately!" But Orville, who had been watching through his binoculars, gently restrained his brother. "Hang on, Wilbur. Forget the attorney," he said. "It's a duck." CONNECTION: All good things--from the miracle of flight to a parent's love for a small child--begin with God, the author of all that is good and right and compassionate. In order to make some sense out of life's complexities, we entrust structures and institutions--government, medicine, education, business--with the responsibility for providing for the common good and accountable for their stewardship. Today's Gospel is not an answer to a church vs. state controversy, nor a formula for dealing with life's big questions. Jesus Christ's response to the Pharisees confronts them, and us, with the demand to act out of our deepest convictions and take responsibility for those actions, whether we are leaders or followers, whether we identify ourselves as Christians or citizens.


	BIRTHRIGHT Caring help for pregnant women (651) 646-7033--Saint Paul (763) 757-0715--Coon Rapids


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