Neal Garcia, Husband of Debora

Exploring the Sunday Readings are available at the doors of the Church.

Monday, July 8
9:15-10:30 AM Legion of Mary (Rectory)

Tuesday, July 9
9:30-12:00 PM Bountiful Basement (Rectory)
7:30-9:00 PM New Beginnings (Rectory)

Wednesday, July 10
4:30-7:00 PM Bountiful Basement (Rectory)

Thursday, July 11
9:00-12:00 PM Bountiful Basement (Rectory)

Please pray for the sick and hospitalized of our parish: Kevin Banghart, Carol Baum, James Bound, Rita Bruening, Robert Burke, David Cachat, Gertrude Cotman, Adam Crisan, Diane D’Aurelio, Clare Dettmer, Joseph Emrick, Robert Geiss, Bernice Glowacki, Agnes Hill, Grace Humphrey, Dreama Johnson, Nancy Johnson, Karen Kelley, Stepheny Kiss, Elizabeth Koch, Sr. Jeanne Koma, Rosemary Martin, Ursula Montague, Karen Musser, Leonard Novak, Barbara Ostrom, Pat Prokop, Betty & Homer Roach, Darlene Sasz, Genevieve Schill, Theresa Schulz, Emma Shockley, Anna Simko, George Sleger, Richard Smith, Elena Spatola, Dennis Tomcik, Ellen Turner, Brian Tyburski, Lynne Tyburski, Anne Vanuch, Theresa Voss

Banns II Jacob Kinosh - Ascension Church Jennifer Wilson – St. Joseph Calasanctius Church, Jefferson, Ohio

We cannot accept or distribute clothing. We can only accept non-perishable food items.

Thank you, The Bountiful Basement

Much debate has followed the 9^th Circuit Court’s decision (and stay of the decision) regarding the Pledge of Allegiance. Up to now, the focus of the debate has centered around the words, "under God." I think just as much controversy, if not even more, could be generated if we refused to take the pledge of allegiance because of the word, "indivisible." (One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.)

This thought came to me after I viewed a CNN report that raised the question of whether or not we are a nation of "ethically challenged" people. It suggested we are, and pointed to the following kinds of evidence:

CNN thinks there is a common thread in all of these examples, and this thread is the assumption – sometimes spoken, and sometimes implicit – of the priority of self-interest. Of course you do what you need to in order to protect your own self-interest. No matter how you spin it, no matter what justification can be given to the above situations, a good case can be made that what is driving all of them is the desire to protect or pursue what is viewed to be one’s self-interest (legitimate or otherwise).

The pursuit of self-interest is at the heart of our economic system. As Adam Smith, a famous economist once put it, if everyone pursues his or her own self-interest, then everyone’s best interest is served. If everyone pursues his or her own self-interest, it will be as if an "invisible hand" guides the entire society. The market system is based largely upon faith in this principle.

But what does allegiance to anything mean when self-interest is primary? I pledge allegiance to myself? If Adam Smith is right, then we don’t have to worry about whether or not we are indivisible. Things will take care of themselves. But it seems just as hard to pledge that we are "indivisible" as it is to say that we are "under God."

I offer for your consideration another assumption as an alternative to that of self-interest. I believe that this assumption is more consistent with the Gospel. I also believe that if it were adhered to, it would be easier to pledge indivisibility (with or without the phrase "under God").

I borrow this assumption from a new favorite author, Robert Cummings Neville, who is a professor of Philosophy, Religion and Theology at Boston University. Neville calls it the principle of universal public responsibility. This is the principle: Every person in a social group, subject to certain qualifications, is responsible for all the group’s public obligations. [From Neville’s Normative Cultures, Albany: State University of New York, 1995, p. 152.]

In a nutshell, Neville is saying that we ought to operate out of the assumption that serving the public interest, or what is sometimes called the common good, is ultimately best for all of us. Things don’t just take care of themselves. We have to take care of each other, our society, our nation, our world. We have to consider carefully whether our actions in our self-interest serve the public interest. And when they do not, the public interest is primary. This is a responsibility for everyone.

Adopting such a principle could help to counter the tendencies which lead us into being "ethically challenged." It would introduce into our secular conversation a principle that is socially responsible and consistent with the Gospel. And it might even give a reason to pledge allegiance with integrity.

"Single Catholics Get Acquainted Meeting" will be held on Sunday, July 21 at 7:00 PM at St. Wenceslas Church, 17825 Libby Road in Maple Hts. For more information please call Alan, (440) 933-6032 or George at (216) 663-9826. No calls after 9:00 PM, please.

St. Boniface Church will have an All You Can Eat Reverse Raffle Breakfast on Sunday, July 28 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. $15.00. No Children. Address: 3545 West 54^th Street . For more information: (216) 961-2713.

Ascension Athletic Committee will be sponsoring our First Family Softball Day, Sunday, July 14^th at 1:00 PM. Call Mike Flanagan at (216) 941-7185.

Wednesday, July 10
9:00-4:00 PM Server/Music Ministry Picnic Dover Lake Park)

Thursday, July 11
5:00-11:00 PM Bingo (Fogarty)

Saturday, July 13
5:00-11:00 PM Bingo (Fogarty)

THANK YOU…for last Sunday’s collection: $5,017.79

to our Ascension students on earning Academic Honors from their High Schools:

Holy Name High School: Eric Dolence, Danielle Ellis

St. Edward High School: James Bittel, Neil Groening, Joseph Maloney, James Papcke, Joseph Raffay, David Reiling, James Ryan and Christopher Werner

St. Joseph Academy: Kate Eckroate, Amy Vertal. and Jodi Jamiol

There will be Perpetual Rosary and Eucharistic Devotions from July 7-13 at St. Brendan, 4242 Brendan Lane, North Olmsted, (440) 777-7222. In addition to praying the Rosary around the clock, there will be continuous exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The opening ceremony is an outdoor Living Rosary at 7:00 PM. Please remember: "Ad Jesum Per Mariam."

N.E.O. Youth Basketball is holding Summer Basketball Camp for Boys and Girls at St. Gregory Parish. Girls and Boys grades 1-3 and Boys grades 4-6 will be held the week of July 22-26. For more information please call 800-255-7761.

Malachi Mart, is a permanent fundraiser of St. Malachi Center, supporting programs for families and youth. Volunteers are needed to assist in every way; stocking, cleaning, displays, customer service. The Mart is open from 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Saturday and 10 am to 1:30 pm Sunday. Malachi Mart is located at 1303 Washington Avenue. Please call Roger Deike at (216) 621-1988.