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“We, Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church, seek to have a living faith in Jesus Christ. Nourished by the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit, we share the gospel, encourage our youth and embrace and welcome everyone in need.”

If you are new to the parish, please introduce yourself after Mass and arrange to register at the rectory office.

MASS SCHEDULE

Lord’s Day: Saturday 4:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. (Vigil Masses)
Sunday 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.

Weekdays:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30 a.m.
Miraculous Medal Novena follows Tuesday Mass
St. Joseph Novena follows Wednesday Mass
St. Jude Novena follows Thursday Mass

PARISH OFFICE HOURS
Monday-Wednesday:	9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday:	9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Friday:	Closed
Hours subject to change

TELEPHONE
Rectory: 413-569-0161
FAX: 413-569-0081
Religious Ed: 413-569-0162

This message first appeared in the bulletin of St. John the Evangelist Church in Agawam, MA.

A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters
A six-week series of Questions and
Answers to Prepare the Catholic Voter

If I think that a candidate who is pro-abortion has better ideas to serve the poor, and the pro-life candidate has bad ideas that will hurt the poor, why may I not vote for the candidate that has the better ideas for serving the poor?

It is not correct to think of abortion and capital punishment as the very same kind of moral issue. On the one hand, direct abortion is an intrinsic evil, and cannot be justified for any purpose or in any circumstances. On the other hand, the Church has always taught that it is the right and responsibility of the legitimate temporal authority to defend and preserve the common good, and more specifically to defend citizens against the aggressor. This defense against the aggressor may resort to the death penalty if no other means of defense is sufficient.

The point here is that the death penalty is understood as an act of self-defense on the part of civil society. In more recent times, in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II has taught that the need for such self-defense to resort to the death penalty is "rare, if not virtually nonexistent." Thus, while the Pope is saying that the burden of proving the need for the death penalty in specific cases should rest on the shoulders of the legitimate temporal authority, it remains true that the legitimate temporal authority alone has the authority to determine if and when a "rare" case arises that warrants the death penalty.

Moreover, if such a rare case does arise and requires resorting to capital punishment, this societal act of self-defense would be a *morally good action* even if it does have the unintended and unavoidable evil effect of the death of the aggressor. Thus, unlike the case of abortion, it would be morally irresponsible to rule out all such "rare" possibilities a priori, just as it would be morally irresponsible to apply the death penalty indiscriminately.

(Fr. Stephen F. Torraco, A Brief Catechism for Catholic Voters, 6. EWTN, https://www.ewtn.com/vote/brief-catechism.asp)

OCTOBER 24, 2020

Please come !!

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2020 Where: Our Lady of the Lake Church 224 Sheep Pasture Road Southwick, MA
Time: 11 AM-12:30 PM

On Saturday October 24th, Pro-Life of Pioneer Valley in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Unborn will be holding a Mass at Our Lady of the Lake Church, 224 Sheep Pasture Road, Southwick, MA at 11am. After Mass, the rosary will be prayed in front of the church's monument to the unborn behind the church in the St. Joseph's Courtyard. Please join us.

The National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children 2020 is sponsored by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, Priests for Life and the Pro-Life Action League. The groups are calling on pro-life Americans to honor the unborn at the gravesites and monuments of our aborted brothers and sisters.

Our Lady of the Lake Parish

Living Faith in Jesus Christ

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October 24 – Please come!