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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 2024)
+HSSQHU*D]HWWH7LPHV+HSSQHU2UHJRQ Wednesday, February 14, 2024 7+5(( ~ Letters to the Editor ~ Spiritually Speaking Father Thankachan Joseph The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the following criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to KDYHWKHQDPHRIWKHVHQGHUDORQJZLWKDOHJLEOHVLJQDWXUH:HDUHDOVR requesting that you provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for YHUL¿FDWLRQDQGZLOOQRWEHSULQWHGLQWKHQHZVSDSHU/HWWHUVPD\QRW 6HYHUDOFKXUFKHVDUHLQWRWKH¿UVW6XQGD\RI/HQWDQG be libelous. The GT reserves the right to edit. The GT is not responsible the theme of how we can be victorious in the struggle for accuracy of statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks against evil. In the Gospel we see Christ in the desert ZLOOEHSODFHGLQWKHFODVVL¿HGVXQGHU³&DUGRI7KDQNV´DWDFRVWRI struggling with the tempter. Through prayer, fasting, Email to editor@rapidserve.net or upload to Heppner.net. /(17$7,0(725(3(17 & RETURN TO GOD 0(025,(6 Memories are funny things. Sometimes, they show up when you’d rather they take a hike. Embarrass- ing moments and hurtful words seem to always be readily available for recall. But when you’ve assured yourself that you’ll remem- ber turning on the hose to ¿OOWKHKRUVH¶VZDWHUWURXJK your memory takes an un- timely vacation….until you look out the window and wonder why there’s a pond in your pasture. Oh yeah…. 12:,UHPHPEHU0HPR- ries can be cruel. My dad had an incred- ible memory. There wasn’t much he couldn’t remem- ber. From reciting his lines from a college play back in 1943, to the name of your 2 nd cousin twice removed. He was a Jeopardy Extraor- dinaire….even well into his eighties. I’d love to have that kind of memory. Unfortu- nately, this apple not only fell far from the tree, it rolled down hill and into another county. I probably have the current record for the number of times a burrito has been reheated in the microwave….and found DURXQG GLQQHU WLPH :HOO no wonder I’m so hungry. Although we are all ERUQZLWKGL൵HUHQWGHJUHHV of memory proficiency, there’s a line that even us Bad Memory folks never want to cross. In all seri- ousness, it’s heartbreaking when Grandma or Grand- pa’s memory starts declin- ing to the point that they can’t remember family. My heart goes out to those folks. Age takes its toll and it’s not easy to watch. Unfortunately, lately LW¶V EHHQ YHUL¿HG WKDW WKH /HDGHU RI WKH )UHH :RUOG has crossed the line from DQG¿GHOLW\WRWKHZRUGRI*RG+HHPHUJHVYLFWRULRXV All of us need to face temptations in our day-to-day life. Lent provides us with a great opportunity to intensify our H൵RUWVWRRYHUFRPHWKHP :KHQ/HQWEHJLQVWKH¿UVWTXHVWLRQPDQ\SHRSOHDVN LV³:KDWZLOO\RXGRIRU/HQW":KDWDUH\RXSODQQLQJ to give up for Lent?” Some will answer, “I will give up smoking,” or “I will give up alcoholic drinks,” or “I will give up watching the movies and TV.” Others may say, “I will go for daily Mass,” or “I will read one chapter of the Gospels every day.” But for you who neither smoke nor drink nor watch movies and TV, for you who go for daily Mass and read Gospels every day, for you, what is there to give up? The real question of lent is not so much, ³:KDWZLOO,JLYHXSIRUOHQW"´EXWUDWKHU³:KDWGR,ZLVK to become as a result of lent?” Lent is a time to investigate oneself and to realize that if we have walked away from Him, we need to return to Him, with a sense of repentance and with a heavy heart for all our sinfulness. Sin is the breaking of relationships ZLWK*RG $GDPDQG(YH ZLWKRWKHUV &DLQDQG$EHO DQGZLWKVHOI WRZHURI%DEHO *RGFRQWLQXRXVO\FDOOV us to conversion and waits for us to return to Him like the father in the parable of the prodigal son. Or he runs after us like the hound of heaven in the poem of Francis Thompson. Lent invites each of us to make a self-exam- ination and evaluate how we have walked away from God. D 5HIXVDOWRKHOSWKRVHLQQHHG This beautiful time of lent is a time to acknowledge moments we have not even reached out, even to our family members, when we are needed most in their lives. The Lord has placed before us opportunities to do corporal works of mercy. :HFDQQRWLJQRUHWKHSDLQDQGVWUXJJOHRIVRPHRQHHOVH and pretend to live a happy and contented life. The story RIWKH5LFK0DQDQG/D]DUXVKHOSVXVWRUHÀHFW0W 41-46; Lk. 16: 19f. E :DVWH RI 7DOHQWV The season of lent invites everyone to see the numerous blessings we have wasted in our lives, to identify our talents. The Lord has blessed everyone according to his or her talents. Instead of thank- ing and being grateful to God for the numerous blessings we receive each day, like the man who got one talent, we look at someone else’s gifts and blessings and waste our lives, we forget to live our lives to the fullest. The one ZKREXULHGWKHWDOHQWLVFRQGHPQHG 0W F 8QZLOOLQJQHVVWR)RUJLYH: The Lord asks each one RIXVWRIRUJLYHWKHPLVWDNHVRIRWKHUV:HPLJKWH[DPLQH the case of the one who received forgiveness from the king but was not able to grant pardon to the man who RZHGKLPRQO\DKXQGUHGGLQDU:KHQRWKHUVFDQGHDO with my shortcomings and frailties, why can’t I forgive? 0WI G 3KDULVDLVP: :H FDQ VHDUFK IRU WKH WLPHV RI pharisaic behavior in our lives, treating others as did the pharisees, pinpointing mistakes of someone else and ¿QGLQJKDSSLQHVVLQGRLQJVR2QHH[DPSOHLVWKHSDUDEOH of the tax collector and the publican. Lent is a time for all of us to acquire the habit of humility, not condemning RWKHUVDQGGHVSLVLQJWKHP /N0WI H Refusal to accept: Jesus explains this through the SDUDEOH RI WKH SURGLJDO VRQ :KHQ WKH \RXQJHVW VRQ returns home, the father is ready to forgive him, rejoice, and makes a feast. Many are like the older son, waiting for opportunities to ditch others and keep on pecking on their PLVWDNHV /N /HWXVPDNHXVHRIWKLVVHDVRQ of lent to examine ourselves. God does not keep track RIRXUVLQVHYLOGRLQJV FI/NI %XWZHRXUVHOYHV GR2XUJXLOW\FRQVFLHQFHWRUPHQWVXV /DG\0DFEHWK +HURG :HSXQLVKRXUVHOYHV 5HDGLQHVVWRIRUJLYHDQG Carmelita Morrison, Educa- contrition are more important than whispering sins to tion, Elementary Education WKHSULHVW 5HDGLQHVVIRUDSHUVRQDOWUDQVIRUPDWLRQLVD Lesliy Rivera, Arts, Hu- QHFHVVDU\FRQGLWLRQ =DFFKDHXV/N manities & Soc Science, (QJOLVK:ULWLQJ st LilyAnn Rock- Grief share is a net- support group that dis- well, Business, Busi- n e s s A d m i n i s t r a t i o n work of 15,000+ church- cusses the weekly video F r o m H e p p n e r, Tr e v - es worldwide equipped content. And a workbook or Nichols, STM and WR R൵HU JULHI DQG VXSSRUW for journaling and personal Health Science, Biology groups, the program is a study exercises that rein- From Lexington, Paul Lind- non-denominational and force the weekly session say, STM and Health Sci- features biblical concepts topics. If interested the ence, General Studies-Ex- for healing from your grief. ¿UVWPHHWLQJRIWKLUWHHQLV Grief share is a support :HGQHVGD\)HEUXDU\ st , ploratory group that meets weekly. 2024, 2-3pm at St Patrick’s Three key parts to your Bldg. Parlor 190 N Main grief share experience, a St, Heppner, OR. For more video seminar with encour- information contact Jerry aging, information-packed Conklin, PMH Chaplain videos featuring leading crises the State of Oregon grief recovery experts. A is facing. normal forgetfulness to a state of dementia. And although his supporters have failed to admit it, the worsening decline has been obvious since he’s WDNHQ R൶FH 2XU HQHPLHV see it. They see our lack of intelligent leadership. :H KDYH QRZ EHFRPH D laughingstock to the rest of the world and a prime target for some sinister schemes. Although it’s left lots of material for those one-lin- HUV DQG PHPHV , ¿QG LW D serious subject due to the catastrophic consequences we all are facing because of it. The fact that there are those who would consider SODFLQJKLPLQR൶FHDJDLQ is a major jaw-drop mo- ment. Insanity at its worst. Even more insane….a man that could and should face trial for illegal behav- ior has been declared too feeble-minded to endure the process. Seriously? Somebody please explain to me how a man that is not mentally capable of standing trial can remain in WKHPRVWSRZHUIXOR൶FHLQ WKHZRUOG:KRLVPDQDJLQJ our country? Not that I can think of one single thing this president has done to EHQH¿WRXUFRXQWU\NQRZ- ing that he can’t remember when he was Vice President is downright scary. Does anyone else feel a little vulnerable here? One good thing…. maybe we’ll get lucky and he won’t remem- ber the nuclear code. “Moreover, look for able men from all the peo- ple, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of ¿IWLHVDQGRIWHQV´([RGXV 18:21 By Susie Crosby from Prineville, OR. EOU 2023 Fall Term 'HDQ¶V/LVW Eastern Oregon Uni- versity named 591 students to the dean’s list for the 2023 fall term. Qualifying students achieve and main- tain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale while completing a mini- mum of 12 hours of graded coursework for the term. The following are students from Morrow County. From Boardman, Ariel Lissman, Education, Ear- ly Childhood Education :RZ7ZRZHHNVDJRWKHMXQLRUKLJKKLJKVFKRRO pep-band members were a stellar feature at the basketball game with Irrigon: Outstanding music and a fantastic chanting section! How could it get any more impressive?! Last week, for the senior-night basketball game with 6WDQ¿HOGWKHUDIWHUVLQWKDWSDFNHGJ\PPLJKWKDYHEHHQ shaking as the elementary-school band members added their instruments and their loud cheers to the stands up- stairs! Fantastic talent and energy! These musicians and instructor Brooke Baker are Good News for the music programs at our schools. Maybe indicative of Ione’s tight-knit community was WKHUHFHQWVXGGHQRXWEUHDNRIWZHQW\¿YHFDVHVRI&RYLG The Good News is that nearly all of those victims are now testing negative and able to reengage in the social fabric of their community! They and other Ione citizens have just received an online update from the high-school building committee that indicates that the plan is on track, all is well. Those committee members understand the need for communication with their public. Terry and Karen Thompson recently returned from a two-week stay on Kona. The weather was perfect for them as they relaxed and enjoyed their sightseeing, the highlight of which was South Point, the southernmost point in the USA. Two weeks later, Thompsons returned WR+HSSQHU¶VDQGGHJUHHZHDWKHU HYHQDQRWKHU VNL൵RIVQRZODVW6DWXUGD\ ³DOZD\VIHHOVJRRGWRJHW home,” Karen reports, “And we were happy we missed the earthquake that happened right after we left!” Good News, indeed! Returning last Sunday early enough to catch the Su- per Bowl on TV while she rested from her three-day trip north and east: Diana Ball travelled to the TriCities on Friday AM, running an errand, and then meeting up with grandson Jake for continued travel to Spokane. There they joined Jake’s parents, Duane, and Stephanie Ball, enjoyed dinner together and with the star of the weekend’s visit, Jake’s sister, Alison. On Saturday, all eyes were on Alison DVVKHFRPSHWHGLQ:KLWZRUWK8QLYHUVLW\¶VODVWLQGRRU track meet held in their “Podium” facility. Time then remained for a little shopping and dinner. On Sunday, as Diana started home, she stopped at a Richland store and was pleasantly surprised to encounter Tresslyn McCurry, ZKRZDVWRPHHWXSZLWKKHUPRP7L൵DQ\&OHPHQWLQ the store. A nice surprise, a thoroughly pleasant time with family, certainly Good News for Diana. The City Maintenance Crew were quick to brush away the gravel that had been put on the street corners and inclined streets for safety during the more hazardous weather! Kudos again for your care of our community. The removal is good news for windshields! “It’s a blessing, really,” says District Attorney Justin Nelson when asked about his new assistant. Justin was fortunate to have an assistant for ten years before that per- son left and Justin had to face the challenge of replacing him for our rural setting. The wait has not been as long as feared, however, and Justin now has Greg Goebel in the position. Greg comes from Grant County most recently and brings several years of experience in a variety of law practice. Some young couples might want to mark April 6 on WKHLU FDOHQGDUV ZKLFK ZLOO R൵HU VRPH *RRG 1HZV IRU couples: An evening out, at the St. Patrick Parish Hall, DQ HYHQLQJ RI ¿QH GLQLQJ JDPHV DQG VSHDNHU 0RUH information will become available. Remember: just a few minutes can inform and en- tertain in a positive setting! A note to dbrosnan123@ gmail.com or a call to 541-223-1490 can make a positive GL൵HUHQFHIRUWKH*D]HWWH7LPHVUHDGHUV Here’s hoping that good news comes to everyone reading this! WWW.HEPPNER.NET Sɲɟɪɦɱ1ɢɴɰ$ɡɳɢɯɱɦɰɦɫɤ $ɫɫɬɲɫɠɢɪɢɫɱɰ /ɢɱɱɢɯɰ7ɬ7ɥɢ(ɡɦɱɬɯ 6ɢɫɡ8ɰ3ɥɬɱɬɰ 6ɱɞɯɱ$1ɢɴ6ɲɟɰɠɯɦɭɱɦɬɫ First grief share meeting )HE Smith to hold session )HE th Boardman, Ore. – On Sat- urday, February 17 th at the Port of Morrow›s 5LYHUIURQW &HQWHU (DVW Marine Drive Boardman, 2UHJRQ Represen- WDWLYH*UHJ6PLWK 5+HS- SQHU ZLOO EH KRVWLQJ D 90-minute listening ses- sion on Measure 110, start- ing at 10:00. Last week, Rep. Smith was appoint- ed to serve on the Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Re- sponse. This committee will have the task of reviewing Measure 110 and propos- ing solutions to the public safety and behavioral health Good News Only by Doris Brosnan “I want to hear from my constituents regarding their thoughts on Measure 110 and how the legisla- ture should go about solv- ing the public safety and behavioral health crises the State of Oregon is facing,” said Representative Smith, “this meeting in not for me to deliver a speech or lecture, but rather to listen and ask questions to con- stituents, law enforcement R൶FHUVSXEOLFVDIHW\VSH- Secluded mountain property! Don’t miss out cialists, and health care on this incredible opportunity to own your own PRXQWDLQSURSHUW\:KHWKHU\RX¶UHORRNLQJ professionals.” $380,000 9.09 ACRES for a hunting retreat or a permanent residence, Print & Mailing Services WKLVSURSHUW\KDVLWDOO:LWKDSSUR[LPDWHO\ 9.09 acres of land and a private pond you can *Design *Print *Mail embrace the beauty of nature and create a life of serenity in the mountains you’ve always Sykes Publishing 541-676-9228 desired. MLS#:23510132 177 N. Main P.O. Box 337 Heppner, OR 97836 Chris@sykesrealestate.net Broker Chris Sykes 541-215-2274 $395,000 NEW LISTING Discover peace and seclusion on this expansive forty-acre parcel boasting a fully functional two-bed- room, one-bathroom cabin. Embrace the breathtaking views of the mountains from the upper level’s reverse living 640 square foot great room. In the summer, explore the property’s ATV trails, while in the winter, delight in t snowmobiling or sledding with access to thousands of acres of National Forest Land located at the property’s corner. LOP tags may be available for hunting enthusiasts, or simply relish in the opportu- nity to observe the abundant wildlife that frequently visits the property, including elk, deer, bear, and turkey. Enjoy the convenience of a private well with DEDFNXSYDOYH¿OOHGFLVWHUQWZRQDWXUDOVSULQJV electricity, and internet access, ensuring utmost com- fort and connectivity. 80439 Black Mountain Ln Heppner MLS#:23425595
