Fr. Paul MacNeil

Fighting Temptations

Temptation. Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying, “I can resist everything –

except temptation!” Humorist Robert Orben has observed, “Most

people want to be delivered from temptation but would like to keep in

touch”. Someone else once asked, “Why is it that opportunity knocks

only once, yet temptation bangs on the door constantly?”

Lots of things are tempting in life. It’s tempting to cheat on a diet when you are trying to be so

faithful. It’s tempting to lower your golf score when your partner asks you, “How many?” It’s

tempting to stay in bed and say that you are sick, rather than go to class and face a midterm that

you feel certain that you are going to fail. It’s tempting to keep the extra change when a cashier

makes a mistake. It’s tempting to cheat on your income tax when you truly think the government is

just wasting your money anyways.

Temptation is all around us. All of us are tempted. Sometimes in big ways sometimes in small

ones.

Jesus too, was tempted. On the first Sunday in Lent in our Church’s lectionary we are told in St.

Matthew’s Gospel, that Jesus, after his baptism, was led into the desert by the Spirit, where for forty

days and forty nights he is tempted profoundly by the devil.

And what does the devil tempt him? With simple things made powerful:

stones to bread, and simply kneeling down to worshipping the devil

before him, and then ‘bungee jumping’ from a great height, without the

cord or a net of course. It’s always the simple things that the devil uses

to begin his tempting power. Stones alone are relatively harmless, but

when abused, can become weapons. Respecting a powerful force is

admirable, but when the respect is shifted into worship, one is in real

trouble. Jumping off a steeple may seem exhilarating, but without a

safety net of common sense, it’s just plain ridiculous.

But such is the nature of the devil’s tempting. He begins by attempting to

“bait” Jesus. Do this… and more will follow. Jesus, of course, is the

devil’s match. He does not bend to the devil’s temptation for him to

Fr. Paul’s Message 1-2

Respect Life 3

Women’s Club 4

Precious Hands 5

Small Christian Communities 6

Knights of Columbus 7

Evangelization 8-11

Prayer & Worship 12

Music Ministry 13

Fellowship 14-15

Inside this issue...

P reciousW ord OUR PARISH NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2020

PRECIOUS WORD

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identify himself as God’s Son with a magic show. He does not fall to the snare of worshipping the

devil for a mighty kingdom. He does not jump when the devil reminds him he cannot hurt himself.

He resists the temptations, and, at last the devil leaves.

Perhaps you are thinking I am making much too much to do about all this “devil stuff”. After all, as

far as we know, no devil has appeared to us and offered us kingdoms and glory and safety from

the hazards of life.

And yet, there it is right in the heart of Matthew’s Gospel, this awful, draining story of how evil in

the world attempted to overcome perfect Love. There’s something to this temptation stuff that God

doesn’t want us to miss. There is no mistaking God’s intention that the story be included as a

pivotal one for us, God’s children. For even though God is all good and his Son the perfect

sacrifice for our sins, he knows our world is full of twists and turns, and yes, temptations, that tug

at us unmercifully.

That Jesus would have been afflicted by these same temptations and overcame them is a

reminder that Jesus experienced all that we experience and that God is more powerful than

anything this world can do to us.

Lent, these 40 days before Easter, are to be days of growth in strength and faith and love. “Lent”

itself means “Spring” or “lengthen”, that is, that time of the year after a long winter when new life

begins to burst forth everywhere. Lent reminds us to look at our shoulders for the heavy burdens

we may be carrying there – guilt, sin, and an unforgiving spirit – and, yes our temptations that

hang on us like dead weight. Lent invites us to let Christ take them onto his shoulders.

Jesus could have quit and gave into temptation, but he didn’t. And in his strength, we don’t have

to either. We need each other, for the temptation the devil throws before us is to trust ever more in

our own power, simply at first, and then, more confidently, more and more. And the more we rely

on our own strength, the more confident we become that stones can become bread and

respecting evil power is not all that bad, and risky living will be okay.

Simply put, it’s tempting to think we can handle it all on our own. The message of Lent is, we

can’t. From the desert, Jesus has one message for all of us. And that is, TRUST IN GOD.

Tempting, isn’t it?

Fr. Paul continued

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The 40 Days for Life Campaign, which aims to end abortion through prayer,

fasting and witness, begins on Ash Wednesday. March 25th marks the

Solemnity of the Annunciation and also the 25th Anniversary of Pope John

Paul II’s encyclical “The Gospel of Life” which addresses the sacredness of

all human life. Prayer is the foundation of all that we do in defense of hu-

man life. You can attend the Mass for the Unborn on March 25th, say a

Rosary, offer a short prayer, pray at Holy Hour, or Stations of the Cross.

Another meaningful option is a Spiritual Adoption.

The members of PBOC parish family will have the opportunity beginning on March 25th to partici-

pate in a wonderful program to “spiritually” adopt a child who is newly conceived. Not all newly

conceived babies are allowed to be born. These are the babies you are being asked to “adopt” and

pray for each day for nine months. You will receive monthly reports through the PBOC bulletin de-

scribing your baby’s development. Your child will be born in December. Each of us can pray for our

child that he or she will be carried to term and experience the fullness of life, as God intended.

You may “adopt” a child individually or as a family. Spiritual Adoption prayer cards will be distribut-

ed at the Ministry Fair after Masses March 21st & 22nd and at the Mass for the Unborn on March

25th at 6:00 p.m. There will also be prayer cards available in the Narthex. Please pray for your

unborn child and for all unborn children, for the power of prayer is great.

There are millions of unborn babies desperately in need of your prayers. Our prayers CAN make a

difference between whether a baby will be born… or aborted. Our prayers can also be a form of

spiritual support for both of the parents. Please share the love of life given to you by the Lord of all

life and join in spiritually adopting a baby.

.

Respect Life

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Excitement is always in the air if you are involved with the Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Women’s Club. We just held our first Boutique “Fun” Raiser Auction in January and our profits exceeded our expectations. All profits from our fund raisers go to our Grants Program. Special thank you to all who helped with the planning of this special event and special thank you to all who supported by attending.

The final four months of our calendar are filled with more excitement. Our famous Irish Soda Bread Sale (sold the weekend of March 14 and 15). We always sell out so we are working feverishly to meet the supply and demand challenge. Look for us at the March 21/22 Ministry Fair.

Spiritually we are also getting ready for the Season of Lent. Our Day of Prayer was held on March 10; simple supper will be April 3 followed by Mary’s Way of the Cross stations. On February 11, we went on a road trip to the Shrine of Our Lady of South Carolina in Kingstree (also known as Our Lady of Joyful Hope). It was a great day for all who attended.

And of course, we saved the best for last – “Welcome to Paradise” fashion show will be March 21 at Pawleys Plantation. All the committees have been working for months to make this final fund raiser a great success. Once again, profits will go to our Grants Program.

Speaking of grants, the Grants Committee will be reviewing applications from various local charities – funds will be distributed at our June 2 Grants Luncheon. This is what we work for all year round.

As I finish my final months as President, I tell everyone: This is the last place I thought I would be . . . but it was the best place (thanks to a wonderful group of women who dedicate their time and talent to this club).

Carol Steinis, President

Women’s Club

Parish Directory Updates

We encourage you to participate in an upcoming photo session if you:

Are new to the parish

Were unavailable for prior photo sessions

Had a change in family

Want a re-take

Please contact Ellen Sullivan at 843-237-3428, ext. 4. You will receive a free updated directory and an 8 X 10 photo.

New Parishioners Breakfast — The next breakfast for new parishioners will be held on Saturday,

May 2, beginning with Mass at 8:30 AM followed by breakfast at True Blue Golf Club at 9:30 AM.

Stewardship

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SUE CROSS

featuring precious people volunteering for our parish

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE MINISTRY FOR WHICH YOU VOLUNTEER?

Adult Learning Coaches is really a joyous ministry – we get to match people who have certain skills with people who need those skills. We are starting our third year of offering free tutoring in Reading, Writing, Math and English as a Second language for any adult living in Georgetown County. We are located in and work as a partner with the Georgetown Library. Our hours are flexible – we are open whenever the library is open. Our tutors meet one on one with their students. Thus, students can come on their own schedule; they can fit instruction into lives already very busy with work and family. Right now we have around 30 students and 30 tutors. Most of our students are learning English, but others are improving math skills or reading and writing skills. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BEING PART OF THIS MINISTRY?

This ministry is a blessing for both tutors and students. As tutors, we get to share our knowledge with those who are eager to learn. At the same time we get to make a new friend and learn about a culture perhaps new to us. Students study what they consider important to them. Our math students may be trying to increase their skills so they can pass various entry tests or job related skills exams. Improving reading means being able to read the directions on a medicine bottle or to understand letters sent home from schools or being able to read stories to children. For tutors this means that they need to “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” by creating lessons that meet the student’s need. We all learn a lot from each other. TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU DO FOR THIS MINISTRY?

One reason I started this ministry was because I loved working with adult students – especially those in adult literacy. A second reason was that I hoped to find fulfilling work after I retired that would let me use my 25 years of teaching experience. So I interview and train prospective tutors and create processes for record keeping and for recruiting both tutors and students. I work with other tutors to choose and buy new materials and to streamline our systems for more efficiency. One of my most pleasant duties is to interface with the PBOC Outreach Committee chairs and members who have been so supportive of this program.

HOW CAN OTHERS BECOME MEMBERS?

Give the gift of Literacy to an adult by becoming a Coach or a Conversation Partner… We’ll train you! For more information, email me at pawleycross@gmail.com.

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Small Christian Communities

Bible Study: The Letter of St. Paul to The Romans This is the study that we finished just before the start of Lent.

Romans, The Gospel of Salvation. So named because at the heart of this letter

Paul writes of the good news of salvation that was “promised beforehand” For

Paul this is the culmination of God's promises to Abraham and David. God has

fulfilled these promises through Jesus. While Jesus brings Israel's story to its

climax, we must remember that Israel's story is always the embodiment of the

larger story of humanity. Through Adam sin came into the world and all

humanity is implicated in Adam's sin. Paul tells us that as our covenant head,

Adam “was a type of the one who was to come”, namely, Jesus Christ. As the

new Adam, Christ deals with sin and overcomes the curse of death and humanity's alienation from

God. Salvation is about entering into Christ's death and sharing in his resurrection. We do this

through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

How do we get out of the old Adam and into the New?

BAPTISM – Paul writes “ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus

were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as

Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Baptism brings about the initial grace of justification whereby we enter into the life of Christ and are

born anew as sons and daughters in the Son; in Baptism we enter into Christ's death and thereby

share in his resurrection. The way we enter “into” Christ is through Baptism – making us children of

God, new creations in Christ, and temples of the Holy Spirit.

As we studied this part of Paul's letter to the Romans questions were asked as to the significance of

the other six sacraments of the Catholic church, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance or Reconciliation,

Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. If Baptism gave us new life in Christ how do the

other sacraments, also gifts of the Holy Spirit, transform us. We are called to holiness which is

literally impossible. But as Christ says, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are

possible. With power from on high, “It is not longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”. The great

mystery is that God's grace empowers us to do what we could not do on our own. If we let it, the

divine life within us will conform us to the image of Christ Jesus.

Coming for Spring: After Easter we will be doing a short review of the

Sacraments of the Catholic Church. “Power and Grace” is the study and it will be

offered Wednesdays and Thursdays, May 6th through May 28th.

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Columbus H.O.P.E. Foundation Have you ever wondered why, from time to time, you see the Knights of Columbus standing at the door-way of the supermarket wearing a bright yellow vest and holding a yellow can in one hand and Tootsie Rolls in the other? In fact, many of the locals have come to associate us with Tootsie Rolls. Whenever you see us out there, you usually make a contribution because…hey…it’s the K of C and whatever they’re collecting for, it’s got to be something worthwhile. Well, wonder no more! What we’re out there collecting for is a fund we refer to as “Operation Hope”, or sometimes known as “Columbus Hope”. It’s a South Carolina Knights of Columbus operation whose mission is “Helping Other People Everyday.” It’s purpose is to better the environment for and increase the self-reliance and dignity of people with Intellec-tual Disabilities and related conditions. We believe these individuals should have the community sup-port, tools and resources necessary to lead independent productive lives. Since its inception back in 1976 the Columbus HOPE Foundation has raised over $9 million to assist South Carolina citizens with Intellectual Disabilities. The funds that our council here at PBOC raise go to support the good works of the Georgetown County Board of Special Needs and Disabilities, The Georgetown Special Olympics and the JOY School right here in Pawleys Island. This year, we were happy to present Patty Pierce, from Special Olympics, and Martha Insignares, of the Joy School checks totaling nearly $9,600.00. So the next time you see us at the Bi-Lo, or the Walmart, or outside the church, perhaps you’ll have a little bit better understanding of where your contribution goes and the many people right here in our own community whose quality of life is improved by your donations. Stop and see us…we’ll even give you a delicious Tootsie Roll.

Knights of Columbus

John Moyik, John Martin, Al Carline and Jim McMahon presenting checks to Patti Pierce from Special Olympics.

John Martin and Al Carline presenting checks to Martha Insignares with students of the JOY school.

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Evangelization

Prayer of Silence:

“The true lover loves everywhere and is always thinking of the Beloved! It would be a thing hard to bear if we

were able to pray only when off in some corner. Mental prayer… means taking time frequently to be alone

with Him who we know loves us.” - St. Teresa of Avila

"Faith and love... will lead you along a path unknown to you, to the place where God is hidden... the soul will

merit through love the discovery of the content of faith, that is, the Bridegroom whom she desires to

possess." - St John of the Cross

"Men who are ravished in God and heavenly things, lose altogether, as long as their ecstasy lasts, the use

and attention of the senses, movement, and all exterior actions, because their soul, in order to apply its

power and activity more entirely and attentively to that divine object, retires and withdraws them from all its

other faculties, to turn them in that direction." - St Francis de Sales

Martha and Mary:

As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.

She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened

with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do

the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and

worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not

be taken from her.” - Luke 10: 38-42

Anxiety is worrying about the future.

Depression is fretting about the past.

The present moment is where God is, He communicates Himself perfectly to us through Faith, Hope, and

Love.

Do we have the spiritual discipline to spend thirty minutes a day in quiet time to deepen our interior / hidden

life? Many of us find time to shop, watch TV, spend time on the internet, and other leisure activities. Why not

“waste time” with God – giving back some of the time He has given to us?

St Teresa of Avila, and many other saints, fortified their Faith by retreating to their interior in the sanctuary of

the heart and soul to be with Christ who is waiting there for us. This exchange of love is how we will spend

eternity, in adoration, contemplation, being fully present and attentive to God. Emptying and quieting

ourselves we make space for Him. We practice this eternal exchange of love…

An example of spending 30 Minutes in silent prayer:

Pick a “holy word” to repeat

Gaze at a crucifix, a stained glass window, the tabernacle or Jesus in the monstrance at adoration.

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Imagine being in a specific Biblical story, present for the event, slowly enter the scene and be present to God

in it.

Slowly say, then remove a word from the end until repeat Lord. “Lord Jesus Christ son of God, have mercy

on me a sinner.”

Inhale “Lord Jesus Christ son of God”

Exhale “have mercy on me a sinner”

Inhale “You must increase”

Exhale “I must decrease”

End your thirty minutes with an Our Father or Hail Mary, pray it slowly as you come back to awareness of

your surroundings.

At times, we may experience a deep peace, or recollection, or communion with Jesus. Rest in this deep

communion as long as it lasts. When it passes, let it go. Do not cling to it. With eyes of faith and love bring

our attention back to the Lord present within us. If our mind wanders, say nonjudgmentally, “Oh my mind is

wandering again’” and gently bring your attention back to Jesus within you. With eyes of faith and love look at

Him who is looking at you and allow your heart to express whatever your love desires to say to the Lord.

Distractions are normal, especially when we first start this spiritual exercise. Over time we might experience

spiritual dryness, see this as a test of our love for the Lord and remain faithful. The goal is to suspend the

faculties, senses, and awareness of any thoughts so that we can be fully present to Jesus.

In time, with consistent practice, the fruits will become evident. Increased patience, desire to practice virtue,

more generous, less critical, more charitable, a better spouse, parent, child, employee, friend, as a result.

“The man who is wise, therefore, will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal. The canal

simultaneously pours out what it receives; the reservoir retains the water till it is filled, then discharges the

overflow without loss to itself ... Today there are many in the Church who act like canals, the reservoirs are far

too rare ... You too must learn to await this fullness before pouring out your gifts, do not try to be more

generous than God.” - St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

We have a Carmelite Discalced secular lay group who meets the third Sunday every month. We start with 30

minutes of quiet prayer in the sanctuary after the 10:30 Mass. We move to Founders Hall to pray Evening

Prayer together. We study a Carmelite writing for our formation time or have a guest speaker, and then we

share a meal together in fellowship. It is helpful to have a “community” to encourage and hold ourselves

accountable to this spiritual practice. If you have any interest please join us any third Sunday or reach out to

Steve Attias, Bob Barrows, or Lili Murphy. It is easy to spot us, we are the ones wearing large brown

scapulars on our chest and back the Sundays we are gathering.

Evangelization

Evangelization

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Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance

The Valentines Dance was another success! The night started with a blessing from Fr. Paul, a

renewal of marriage vows, and a prayer for those spouses that have gone to heaven. Over 35 cou-

ples/widows enjoyed the evening with cocktails from the Knights of Columbus, great food from Inlet

Affairs and dancing the night away with Jack Seibert’s band, “Island Jazz Quartet”. Thanks to all

who helped with the event!

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Prayer and Worship

These are the Ministers of Care who lovingly bring Jesus Christ to the residents

at Arbor Landing, Inlet Coastal Resort and The Lakes.

Fr.

Paul MacNeil, Deacon Michael Appel, Jennifer Bodie, Arlene Braco, Diane Cox, Camie Delaney, Bonnie Eaglin,

Mary Lou England, David Fattaleh, Patricia Farkas, Raymond Farkas, Andie Frappier, Robert Frappier,

Marjorie Gallant, Donald Gallant, Patty Guazzo, Brian Hammel, Carol Jasniewski, Joan Johnston, Sabrina Lampe, Donna Martin,

John Martin, Helen McGough, Kathie Monnich, Don Monnich, Debbie O’Brien, Linda Petrocco, Mary Posek, Christine Schwartz,

Pat Sears, Louanne Sowa, Ellen Sullivan, Ellen Thoennes, Ann Marie Thompson, Clair Turner, Michael Turner, Theresa Vercellotti,

Ellen Vignone, Debbie Voltaire

Please consider being an active part of this Ministry. Just a few hours a month can mean so much to the people who we serve. Contact one of these members to share in their experiences.

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Music Ministry

Adult Choir: Tuesdays 6:00PM-7:30PM

Children’s Choir: Thursdays 4:00PM-5:00PM

Youth Choir: Thursdays 6:30PM-7:30PM

September through May

All rehearsals are held in the church.

We are also looking for Cantors!

For additional information kindly contact André Rakus, Director of Music and Liturgy at 843-237-3428

or music@pbocchurch.com

Do you love to sing?

Do you know someone who loves to sing?

Join us!

Upcoming Music Events...

Wednesday, May 13

6:30 PM

Precious Blood of Christ Church

Vocal ensemble performing Chants of Russian Orthodox Church and folk songs from Russia

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Fellowship: Synonym for Friendship

I remember when Father Paul, newly arrived at our parish, called his first Parish Council meeting. All

the chairpersons of the PBOC ministries were together, and one by one, they shared eloquent de-

scriptions of their ministries. When it came my turn, I merely said, “Fellowship Ministry. We’re the

parish party planners!’ And we ARE!

It is our duty, and we take it seriously, to actively plan, organize and implement social activities and

programs for our Christian community. Each activity creates an opportunity to get to know and work

with parishioners sharing similar interests and enthusiasms.

The Fellowship Ministry is comprised of several smaller ministries. There is the Bereavement Minis-

try, which offers counseling for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, and the Repast

Ministry who provides a meal on campus after a funeral for the funeral attendees. Ministry of Care

provides phone calls from a fellow parishioner to those who live alone and need to hear a friendly

voice occasionally. Families in Faith bring together young families in our parish for fellowship and

spiritual growth, while Prime Timers offers Bingo, socializing, food and prizes for anyone who wants

to come. And then, the PARTY PLANNERS (okay, we’re really called Special Events), brings togeth-

er those parishioners who enjoy planning and serving at special events offered to the entire parish.

Let’s look at some of those! We start in August with an ice cream social for Back Pack Sunday, in

November we host the Donut Ministry, in December the Gala or Tour of Homes falls under our um-

brella, and in January we help celebrate Fr. Pat’s and Fr. Paul’s birthdays. March brings our St. Pat-

ty’s Day dinner dance followed by the hosting of an ecumenical luncheon during Lent and a recep-

tion following the Easter Vigil for our new Catholics. In May we celebrate Memorial Day with a Bike-

athon and lunch for parishioners and a First Communion reception after Mass. In June we offer one

more ice cream social after 10:30 Mass and then, breathe…. we are done for the year!

We have opportunities all year long for lots of fun and fellowship, BUT, we need more of you to get

involved by joining us. Pick any ministry under this Fellowship umbrella and get involved. I promise

you will have fun, feel like you are serving the Lord, because YOU ARE, and will have many oppor-

tunities to meet new people or to work together with your friends. Come join us. We are waiting to

meet you!

Fellowship

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Fellowship

PAWLEYS ISLAND

Homes for the Holidays

FORMAL GALA

Homes for the Holidays Formal Gala

We Had our first Homes for the Holidays Formal Gala on

December 6.

The venue was The Village House at Litchfield, the

newest event location in Pawleys Island and entertain-

ment by The Maxx Band from Atlanta - a fabulous

seven-member band with a great brass section.

With delicious food, great dance music, and a

silent auction, a wonderful time was had by all.

The proceeds from this event were to raise the funds

needed to complete the purchase of a parish shuttle bus.

Our New Bus! The good news is our parish bus has recently arrived!

What a wonderful blessing this is!

Watch for the many ways in which we will put this

shuttle bus to good use for our parish ministries.

Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Parish 1633 Waverly Road

Pawleys Island, SC 29585 address service requested

Precious WORD Information and Inspiration for

the parishioners of Precious Blood of Christ

Catholic Parish

Published semi-annually

Editor Patty Guazzo

Production Ellen Sullivan Patty Guazzo

(843) 237-3428 pboc@aol.com

BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 52 PAWLEYS ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA

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Stewardship Fair After all Weekend Masses March 21

st & 22

nd

Right outside the church front doors Check out all the great ministries here at PBOC

Easter Masses April 11: 8:00 p.m. (Vigil) April 12: 7:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:15 a.m. (in PLC) 11:00 a.m. (Easter Baskets)

Tastes at Pawleys April 26

th 4:00-7:00 PM