Pictures from the Parish Anniversary Celebration August 22, 2021
Twenty – Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Jesus tells us in the Gospel this week that “whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Taking up our cross can be difficult; however, we do not carry our crosses alone. Jesus is present. The gospel invites us to shape our perspective to think not has human beings do but as God does. No mater what events befall us we believe, “I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.”
Religious Education classes are starting this weekend and registration is currently in progress. You can register online at Sthyacinth.org or register in Faith Formation office during Sunday office hours.
Remember as well that when you are registering your child for Religious Education classes you can also sign-up yourself to be a catechist or aide. We need a number of catechists to teach our children, from the littlest ones in the early grades on through middle school and high school. It’s a wonderful way to get involved in the life of the parish and to live out the call of Stewardship of your time and talent. We’ll train you and give you all the support you need. The Faith Formation staff is happy to answer questions and get you involved.
One of the principal goals of 2021 is to increase the number of people that are contributing to the Church to Faith Direct, our electronic giving platform. We have over 1000 registered families here at STHY that maybe giving to our parish in the Sunday collection; however, we don’t have a record of them using their envelopes or Faith Direct. The Church spends close to $10,000 a year to print and mail our parish offertory envelopes. The easiest way for us to significantly reduce these printing expenses is to sign up as many people to Faith Direct. You can enroll for online giving through Sthyacinth.org/ onlinegiving. As always, know that your generosity is truly a gift from God.
As we continue our mission of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, I want to thank all of you who have responded to our annual Diocesan Service Fund (DSF) drive over the years.
For 2021, Cardinal DiNardo has assessed our parish DSF goal at $80,000. DSF supports more than 60 ministries and programs that serve the faithful of the Archdiocese and us here at St. Hyacinth. From Catholic chaplains at the hospitals and the Port of Houston, to religious education training for our teachers (who pass on their faith to our children), to outreach to seniors, to youth ministry, to soup kitchens, to Catholic Charities ministry to the poor and disenfranchised, and to training for seminarians, deacons and priests, the DSF provides funding for people and program that serve us all. It’s truly our baptism calling for generosity as the Cardinal tells us to “Walk in the Light of Christ”
Phase two of the renovation of the main sanctuary has started. All Church services are being held in Guyot hall for approximately the eight – ten weeks to accommodate the renovation of the main sanctuary. Studio Red Architects will be guiding us on phase two of the renovation. For the renovation of the sanctuary, we are planning to replace the existing pews, flooring, and lighting in the main church.
God Bless
Fr. Reginald Samuels
