Dear friends in Christ,
This, That & the Other … This Sunday you’ll see green in the church for the first time since back in late November as we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. We’ll have six weeks of it until Lent begins on March 6 with Ash Wednesday. … I’m particularly fond of the Gospel this weekend, the Wedding Feast at Cana from John. As you might imagine it’s a popular choice for couples on their wedding day, but it’s good to hear it on a Sunday, too. Note the small, but vital role that Mary plays as the story unfolds. She’s attentive to the needs of the couple and steps in (turning to her son) when the wine runs out. That’s a good lesson for us, too. How attentive are we to the needs of those around us? And do we turn to Jesus, too? … A little bible trivia for you – in John’s Gospel, Mary is never called by her name. She’s always “the mother of the Lord.” Strange, but true! … Speaking of Mary, we’ve had a few requests for a copy of the five Marian resolutions I outlined at Mass on January 1. You can find a link to them here on our parish website.
… At the 9 a.m. Mass this weekend we’ll have a simple blessing and installation of our Parish Pastoral Council members. As I mentioned in my homily last week, five new members were discerned this past Saturday. I’m grateful for all who came forth for the discernment, and I’m happy to welcome Rosanne Cook, Victor Jackson, Matt Lane, Marjorie Maloney, and Shawn Muldoon to our council. They join our seven returning members and meet every 4th Tuesday of the month to offer input and counsel to me in the parish. May God bless them in their ministry!
… Also at the 9 a.m. Mass we’ll celebrate the Rite of Acceptance for those members of our RCIA community who are preparing for full entry into the Church at Easter. Last week it was the Rite of Welcome for the unbaptized, and this week the Rite of Acceptance is for those who have already been baptized in another Christian tradition who wish to join the Catholic Church. We don’t rebaptize anyone (baptism is once and forever!), but the two groups will continue on parallel paths of study and discernment this spring and we’ll be happy to officially welcome them on Easter Sunday. Pray for them, please!
… Catholic Schools Week is coming up the last week of the month and I’ll have more to share with you next week about it, but a heads-up to Kindergarten parents – our CtR Catholic School is hosting a Kindergarten Preview a week from today on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. See the link below for more information and to register to attend. Childcare will be available. Our Kinder program is quite popular, and rightfully so, as our teachers do a great job in getting young children off on the right foot in school. Come tour the classrooms, visit with the teachers and administration, and see all that CtR Catholic School has to offer.
… Send up a few prayers this weekend for our confirmandi, the 200+ high school students who will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in May. They will be on retreat this weekend at Camp Cho-Yeh near Livingston. I’m grateful to the more than 50 Core Team adults and our wonderful Youth Ministry leaders who will accompany them on the retreat and I look forward to joining them for Mass on Saturday. … Speaking of Youth Ministry, our Junior High program, Rise, returns next Wednesday, Jan. 23 after the extended Christmas break. Likewise, Encounter, our High School program, will be back in session the following Sunday, Jan. 27.
… On behalf of our St. Anne’s Society, thank you for the wonderful response to last weekend’s Winter Coat drive. More than 200 coats and items were donated and those in turn have been over to Cypress Assistance Ministries. As it appears it is going to be quite chilly this weekend, the timing is perfect. Thank you to all who participated! … Our offices and school are closed on Monday, Jan. 21 in observance of MLK, Jr. Day, and Religious Education classes are not meeting this week (Jan. 20-22) either. … Lastly and mostly importantly, God loves you! … See ya’ at Mass!
This, That & the Other … This Sunday you’ll see green in the church for the first time since back in late November as we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. We’ll have six weeks of it until Lent begins on March 6 with Ash Wednesday. … I’m particularly fond of the Gospel this weekend, the Wedding Feast at Cana from John. As you might imagine it’s a popular choice for couples on their wedding day, but it’s good to hear it on a Sunday, too. Note the small, but vital role that Mary plays as the story unfolds. She’s attentive to the needs of the couple and steps in (turning to her son) when the wine runs out. That’s a good lesson for us, too. How attentive are we to the needs of those around us? And do we turn to Jesus, too? … A little bible trivia for you – in John’s Gospel, Mary is never called by her name. She’s always “the mother of the Lord.” Strange, but true! … Speaking of Mary, we’ve had a few requests for a copy of the five Marian resolutions I outlined at Mass on January 1. You can find a link to them here on our parish website.
… At the 9 a.m. Mass this weekend we’ll have a simple blessing and installation of our Parish Pastoral Council members. As I mentioned in my homily last week, five new members were discerned this past Saturday. I’m grateful for all who came forth for the discernment, and I’m happy to welcome Rosanne Cook, Victor Jackson, Matt Lane, Marjorie Maloney, and Shawn Muldoon to our council. They join our seven returning members and meet every 4th Tuesday of the month to offer input and counsel to me in the parish. May God bless them in their ministry!
… Also at the 9 a.m. Mass we’ll celebrate the Rite of Acceptance for those members of our RCIA community who are preparing for full entry into the Church at Easter. Last week it was the Rite of Welcome for the unbaptized, and this week the Rite of Acceptance is for those who have already been baptized in another Christian tradition who wish to join the Catholic Church. We don’t rebaptize anyone (baptism is once and forever!), but the two groups will continue on parallel paths of study and discernment this spring and we’ll be happy to officially welcome them on Easter Sunday. Pray for them, please!
… Catholic Schools Week is coming up the last week of the month and I’ll have more to share with you next week about it, but a heads-up to Kindergarten parents – our CtR Catholic School is hosting a Kindergarten Preview a week from today on Thursday, Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. See the link below for more information and to register to attend. Childcare will be available. Our Kinder program is quite popular, and rightfully so, as our teachers do a great job in getting young children off on the right foot in school. Come tour the classrooms, visit with the teachers and administration, and see all that CtR Catholic School has to offer.
… Send up a few prayers this weekend for our confirmandi, the 200+ high school students who will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in May. They will be on retreat this weekend at Camp Cho-Yeh near Livingston. I’m grateful to the more than 50 Core Team adults and our wonderful Youth Ministry leaders who will accompany them on the retreat and I look forward to joining them for Mass on Saturday. … Speaking of Youth Ministry, our Junior High program, Rise, returns next Wednesday, Jan. 23 after the extended Christmas break. Likewise, Encounter, our High School program, will be back in session the following Sunday, Jan. 27.
… On behalf of our St. Anne’s Society, thank you for the wonderful response to last weekend’s Winter Coat drive. More than 200 coats and items were donated and those in turn have been over to Cypress Assistance Ministries. As it appears it is going to be quite chilly this weekend, the timing is perfect. Thank you to all who participated! … Our offices and school are closed on Monday, Jan. 21 in observance of MLK, Jr. Day, and Religious Education classes are not meeting this week (Jan. 20-22) either. … Lastly and mostly importantly, God loves you! … See ya’ at Mass!
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