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PARISH FINANCIAL UPDATES

Regular collection for August 7–8 … $9,942
Additional R&R donations … $788
Cascia Account (for the needy) … $334

CONFESSION SCHEDULE UPDATES:

All evening confessions will now be heard at 7:00 PM.
Monday evening, before the 7:30 PM Mass —
Wednesday evening, during the weekly Holy Hour —
Thursday evening, before the 7:30 PM Traditional Latin Mass —
and Saturday evening, as usual —

PARISH NEWS

Please pray for the staff and students of Saint Rita School as they return to the classroom this Monday, August 30^th. Our Lady of Good Studies, pray for us. Saint Joseph and Saint Rita, pray for us.

Please remember the following military personnel in your prayers: Lt. Col. Paul Crum (soon to deploy) and his son, PFC Devin Crum. — Call Joanne at 703-836-1640, ext. 10 to include the name of a family member or friend serving in the military. PAX+

Coming attractions! Bulletin cover changes; take a look at who and what is NEW at Saint Rita Parish!

Our August SING-A-LONG at the Envoy Health Care Nursing Home has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 2^nd, starting at 3:30 PM (instead of the usual 3 PM). Envoy is located at 900 Virginia Avenue in Alexandria. Share your song and good cheer with our neighbors in need. It will be a blessing for all of us! If you have any questions or need directions, please call Dennis at 703-548-3466 between 1–6 PM (except Sunday).

Our September Baptism class is scheduled for Thursday, September 2^nd at 7:30 PM in the Parish Center Lounge. Both parish and class registration are required for those wishing to have their child(ren) baptized at Saint Rita. Please call Joanne for more information and to register, 703-836-1640, ext. 10.

CCD classes begin Sunday, September 12^th. All children not attending a Catholic school should be registered in our CCD program. Registration forms are available in each of our vestibules. Your completed form with payment (properly secured) can be placed in the collection basket. — For more information, or to volunteer as a class teacher or aide, please call Parish DRE, Betsy Nunn at 703-836-1356.

Our Annual Parish Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, September 26^th from 2–5:30 PM at Fort Hunt Park. Plans are shaping up; watch the bulletin for details. Volunteers are always needed. Can you help??? If so, please call Joanne at 703-836-1640, ext. 10.

Looking ahead to October 2–3, 2010 —

• On the weekend of October 2–3, there will be a display of beautiful handmade olive wood carvings from the Holy Land in the vestibule of our church. Your purchases will help support our Christian brothers and sisters in Bethlehem. (Watch the bulletin for updates.)
• On Sunday, October 3^rd, the Alexandria Christian community will celebrate the 15^th Annual Alexandria Life Chain. The Life Chain is a nationwide event, a public witness to the sanctity of human life. Approximately 400 Christians from 12 area churches participated in the 2009 Alexandria Life Chain. All Saint Rita parishioners are invited to commit their active support of this important Respect Life activity. (Watch the bulletin for updates.)

THANKS SO MUCH for your generous donations of non-perishable foods and gift cards for the needy. You’re a real blessing!

The Saint Rita Women’s Group…

…is open to all married women and meets the third Friday of each month. Our next meeting will be held on Friday, September 17th, beginning at 7:30 PM in the church for the recitation of the Rosary. — Our September meeting will be the first in a four-part series on prayer with our Pastor, Father Gee as guest speaker. The schedule is as follows:

• September 17^th: What is prayer? Introduction and basic types of prayer —
• October 15^th: How did the saints pray? Different schools of spirituality: Benedictine, Carmelite, Ignatian, and Augustinian —
• November 19^th: Union with God: Contemplative Prayer, Part 1
• December 17^th: Union with God: Contemplative Prayer, Part 2

Mark your calendar and come join us! If you have any questions, please contact Nancy McKeague at mckeague6@cox.net.

“Let the cross, as a seal, be boldly made with our fingers upon our brow, and on all occasions: over the bread we eat, over the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings, and before sleep … it is a grace from God, a badge of the faithful, and a terror to devils. – St. Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386)

WANTED: Dedicated boys to serve

at Sunday, and other special Masses and to be of service to our priests and parish. Our servers are in grades 4–12 in private and public schools, and homeschooling. The duties are straightforward; no experience is necessary as we’ll provide training in September. This is an enriching experience for our young men, with a time commitment of serving once every 2–3 weeks. If interested, please call Mr. McKeague at 703-768-1474, or email at mckeague6@cox.net.

RCIA CLASSES TO BEGIN SOON

RCIA is a program of classes on the Catholic faith for non-Christians or for Christians of other denominations who are considering entering the Catholic Church. RCIA is open to adult Catholics who have never received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

If you’re interested, or know of someone who is, please call Joanne at the Rectory Office, 703-836-1640, ext. 10.

The Fire Within —The Tabernacle and its Veil

“In Catholic liturgy we find several different veils: the chalice veil, the ciborium veil, and the tabernacle veil. What they have in common, of course, is that they veil the vessels of life — specifically, the life of Christ in the Eucharist. … In our tradition and still in many churches today we veil the tabernacle, the place where we reserve the Eucharist. We do not veil these vessels because they are unattractive or forbidden to our sight. Rather, in each instance we use the veil to reveal something profound, this vessel is sacred … life is within.” — Father Paul Scalia, from the August 15, 2010 bulletin, St. John the Beloved Catholic Church; used with permission.

The Tabernacle veil has its origin in the Old Testament with the tabernacle built by Moses in accordance with God’s directions. These directions included what the measures were to be, and its largeness, and how many vessels it ought to contain for the use of the sacrifices. The women also were ambitious to do their part, about the garments of the priests, and about others things that would be wanted in this work, both for ornament and for the divine service itself. (Old Testament sacristans!)

The actual construction of the tabernacle was detailed and costly, using gold, silver, brass, woven items, and brazen pillars, each have a ring attached. Cords were run through these rings and secured with brass nails in such a way as to keep everything secure during a violent wind. A curtain of fine soft linen went round all the pillars, and hung down in a flowing and loose manner, enclosing the whole space, not at all unlike a wall about it. And this was the structure of three of the sides of the enclosure. The fourth side, which was the front of the structure, was made wholly of silver with three pillars on each side. The pillars were covered with a curtain of fine linen, but the gates themselves had a curtain composed of purple, scarlet, blue, and fine linen, and embroidered with many and divers sorts of figures (except animals). — Our Tabernacle veil is made of a lightweight cream and ivory colored brocade. It is lined with gold fabric and trimmed with gold and silver braid. It has a repeating pattern of grapevines, reclining sheep, and the letter IHS. — It was lovingly handmade by Benedictine Nuns. (More on that next week.)