17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Hand in hand . . .” 

A reflection inspired by text from Theresia Strunk.

My three-year-old niece is at the playground with her grandpa, my father. The large climbing frame – clearly designed for much older children – fascinates her. A rope stretched across with thick knots invites balancing at a lofty height. But to climb up there?!

“Come on, Lisa, I’ll stand next to the rope and give you my hand. Nothing can happen to you,” my father encourages her.

Sure enough, she climbs onto the platform. And as she carefully works her way from one knot to the next, tightly holding Grandpa’s hand, she murmurs quietly to herself:

“Nothing can happen to me, nothing can happen to me.”

She makes it to the other side – already confident with the final step, knowing exactly what comes next: “Again!”

Yes, with that kind of trust, challenges can be overcome…

        This is the kind of trust God invites us into. When life feels too big or too hard, He says,

       “Take My hand.”

       With Him beside us, we can face anything—and even try again.

Over the course of six Sundays, this bulletin series will highlight key teachings from Rerum Novarum and explore their relevance in today’s world. As Pope Leo XIV begins his pontificate, may Catholic social teaching continue to guide us in shaping a just and humane future amid rapid technological change. Rerum Novarum is downloadable at many sites. The original can be found here.

Hope and Responsibility in the Tech Age

Pope Leo XIII ended Rerum Novarum not with fear but with hope—hope that society could be transformed through justice, charity, and a return to Gospel values. He believed in the possibility of renewal.

Pope Leo XIV’s very name is a sign that this hope lives on. The Church today is called to a new Christian humanism: one that affirms human dignity in every algorithm, every machine, every economy. Technology is not destiny. We shape it. We are responsible for how it is used.

Let us walk with Pope Leo XIV in building a future where innovation is guided by conscience, and where the human person remains at the center of all “new things.”

Reflection Question:

What part can I play in ensuring that the future of technology is rooted in faith, justice, and love?

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Sacred Heart of Jesus offers Sunday Mass with an ASL interpreter.

Sunday, July 27th – (Live)

Sunday, August 3rd – (Zoom)

Sunday, August 10th – (Zoom)

Sunday, August 17th – (Zoom)

Join us for our Parish Family Summer Picnic Potluck! This year, it is being hosted by St. Anne on July 27th after the 11am mass, and we’d love for everyone in our parish family to join us! It’ll be a great afternoon of yummy food, games and activities for kids, and a great way to meet friends.

You can sign up through the link here or you can sign up in person at any of our parishes. Just look for the signup sheets in the gathering areas outside of the main church!

We’re also looking for some help with set up and clean up. If you’d like to share some of your time and talent with us, please reach out to mabadir@nwseattlecatholic.org to let him know that you’re willing to help.

See you at the Parish Family Picnic!

Our Lady of Fatima

Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Anne

At the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church Location

At the Our Lady of Fatima Church Location

At the St. Anne Church Location

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