Winged Lion. in CONCLUSION of the From a Year of Mercy to a Lifetime of Mercy

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1 The St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church Winged Lion INSIDE THIS ISSUE ACTS WOMEN IN RECOVERY DEAR YOUNGER ME: WHAT I KNOW NOW BIG IN FAITH THE JUBILEE YEAR MARIAN MASS EXPERIENCE mission Our is to Good spread News the of Jesus Christ to all God s word and action. people by in CONCLUSION of the From a Year of Mercy to a Lifetime of Mercy It is Pope Francis hope that we turn a Year of Mercy into a Lifetime of Mercy. NOVEMBER 2016 Jubilee Year of Mercy The Jubilee Year of Mercy is nearly over. November 20, on the Feast of Christ the King, Pope Francis will close out a year designed to open the faithful to new possibilities in mercy. Throughout this year, the Holy Father has continually referred to mercy as creating space for new life and blessing to exist by stepping into another person s chaos. In other words, we are to understand that mercy is not so much about getting mercy as it is about giving mercy. In this light, then, we appreciate the fullness of Christ s commands to care for the poorest among us (Matthew 25) either physically or spiritually. That care is all about our creating space that allows newness of life to exist between us and those who receive our help. St. Mark s has spent the entire year shaping our focus on the Year of Mercy through signage around campus, bulletin articles on the Jubilee Year of Mercy week by week, newsletter articles celebrating how various ministries were participating in the Year of Mercy, and Mercy Monday Facebook posts. The parish community was also invited to participate in a series of workshops oriented around the Year of Mercy to help in the community s faith formation. These workshops took place in February, May, and August. On November 12, the final community gathering will be a parish pilgrimage to the Holy Door at Mission San Jose in order to access the graces and indulgences associated with the Year of Mercy. However, it would be good for us to remember that even though the Year of Mercy is drawing to a close, the Lord calls us to be merciful always, just as his Father is always merciful. As Christians, we are called through our baptism and committed through our confirmation in the faith to always and everywhere open up space for new life to exist by stepping into the chaos of another s life. This means, in reality, that every day we have the power to make mercy present or absent in the world around us. It is Pope Francis hope that we turn a Year of Mercy into a Lifetime of Mercy. This article was contributed by Paul Vance, Adult Faith Formation Director Thousand Oaks Dr. SAT

2 page 2 The Winged Lion ACTS Women in Recovery By Hilda Vargas The fifth annual Austin Whistler Memorial Bunco Night for ACTS Women in Recovery was held on September 25, We are so grateful to those women in the St. Mark community and, also, members of the recovery community who have participated in the past and continue to do so. Each year, our event improves. About women usually attend and have a great time. Austin s life was cut short because of his disease of addiction. He was a member of the St. Mark community. His mother, Lisa Aycock, is also a member of this St. Mark community and a very active member of the ACTS Women in Recovery community. When Austin died, money was given to Lisa. Knowing firsthand about this disease, she donated this money to help provide scholarships to women who could not afford to attend an ACTS Women in Recovery retreat. The birth of this event started with a tragedy. Our recovery community was looking for a way to be able to fund scholarships for future retreatants, and bunco was suggested. We got organized and targeted the end of September 2012 for the event. The first bunco was held in Shalom and proved to be successful and fun. The thought was November to make this an annual affair. Definitely, God s hand was in this effort because this event is held yearly in September on or around the anniversary of Austin s death. This ministry lives the mission of ACTS: Adoration by bringing women to retreat for a life-changing experience; Community by showing them what it means to be part of a loving supportive group; Theology by letting them feel the love and mercy of our powerful Lord; Service by continuing to spread our message during retreat and by our year round book studies. Our hope is to continue honoring Austin Whistler yearly with this event and to continue providing assistance to the recovery community by attending ACTS retreats. Hilda Vargas is the Bunco fundraiser coordinator. 40 years ago: St. Mark s gets a mobile home I love St. Mark s! I get a spiritual reward when I go to Mass here. The first place St. Mark s had was a mobile home. Fr. Murphy took my son, Robert, out to Fredericksburg to see it. On the way up, they had a flat and fixed that. When they got to Fredericksburg, they saw the mobile home was pushed up into a hill no tires (they were flat)! There was a watercooler sitting on top. The mobile home was given to us for the Archdiocese for Fr. Murphy to reside and hold offices. We had daily Mass in the mobile home. I had the back office. We had to get the mobile home down here to San Antonio, and Fr. Murphy had to go to Ireland and I m here. So, I called Mr. Heimer (I think that was his name), and he fixed the tires and had to hire two men to help. When Fr. Murphy left, we moved the mobile home. It had rained and rained before the move. I found out you cannot move a mobile home onto a lot in the rain, and I had to wait for the ground to not be saturated with water. A man came up to me and said we have to put skirts on the mobile home. I said, I don t sew, and he said, No, get guys to come out and put skirts on there. St. Thomas More helped us with the move and furnished the home. Sr. Carmel got tea, a teapot, and part of the bathroom. Another lady got soap and towels. Some men, about two or three, came and got the refrigerator and stocked it with beer. Another got a TV and set it on a box. They knew Fr. Murphy loved to watch football games. I bought the first dining table and chairs. There was a chair in the living room, a leather couch from a garage sale, and a bed in there. Fr. Murphy had to have the kitchen clean and make up the bed for Mass everyday! Ernie Zepeda (I think) put a porch there. I had to get the phone installed, , and I had to go to IRS to make the Fun fact: The sculptor of the bronze statue of the risen Christ (now painted black) used Fr. Murphy s hands as a model for Jesus hands. property of the mobile home exempt. I argued it was Fr. Murphy s home and also an office. I got a separate phone line just for him and the other line became the parish line because I found out in the priests memo that the telephone for the church is tax exempt. When I picked up Fr. Murphy from the airport, he said he had to go to St. Vincent de Paul (all he knew was that there was shag carpet in the home). I asked him, Why? To furnish it he answered. I didn t tell him it was completely furnished by St. Thomas More. Oh, the look on his face when he got there! There is a story about it in an old Today s Catholic. Teresa Berg, founding pastoral administrator of St. Mark s, contributed to this article.

3 2016 The Winged Lion Serving the Lord By Steve Marques We arrived in San Antonio in My first involvement at St. Mark was to take over as director of the High School Choir. In that role, I was on the Liturgy Committee, my first involvement in liturgy planning. A couple years later, a Marine Corps Major, a deacon, who worked for me asked me if I had considered becoming a deacon. That was my first calling. Then, periodically, someone would suggest that I should consider the diaconate. But the final call was one Sunday after Mass when Krista Heiser came over to me and said, You really should become a deacon. My wife, Marilyn, turned to me and said, Are you getting the message? I was accepted into diaconate formation in 1982 but had to delay formation for three years while I was teaching at Loyola University in Chicago. A side benefit was that I was able to pick up a Masters degree in Pastoral Studies while there. Upon moving back to San Antonio in 1986, I began my studies. I was also hired as the parish Director of Religious Education. A year later, we transferred to Holy Trinity to help that new parish get started. I became their first Director of Faith Formation. I was also teaching at Providence High School at the time. What does Charismatic mean? It means gift in Greek, from the word charisma. It is the action of the flow of spiritual gifts, coming from the love of God to every Christian to do their duty for the growth of the Church and for others. What does a Charismatic prayer group offer? A weekly gathering with a focus on the gifts of the Holy Spirit from 1 Corinthians 14: We encourage: Prayer and vibrant praise singing for lively thanksgiving; Through worship, the group honors Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior; Scripture study for a mature under- I was ordained while at Holy Trinity in A year later, because St. Mark was very short of deacons, I transferred back home. Soon, I was the only active deacon. I became actively involved in teaching and preaching. I also found myself directing the high school choir, again, which grew in size when the youth agreed to allow adults to join us, creating the Guitar Choir. My ministry has involved serving the community ( diaconia means to serve ) in a number of ways. The most obvious is assisting at Mass. I can also be found presiding at the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, assisting/presiding at funerals and weddings, celebrating Baptisms (over 300), various blessings, and teaching various classes. The most special events of my ministry are the wedding of our older son, the Baptisms of both grandsons, and the funerals of both of my parents. We were blessed with the opportunity to RV in all 50 states and worship in many churches. I can honestly say that we found no community better or more comfortable than St. Mark. I have been so blessed over the last 25 years with being able to serve the Lord in this special capacity, and I am grateful for this super community in which to serve. Steve Marques is a deacon at St. Mark s. page 3 K UDOS K ORNER Deacon Steve Marques Our very own Deacon Steve Marques celebrates 25 years of ordination to the Diaconate this year. An early St. Mark s parishioner, Deacon Steve has always been a part of ministry and serving our community. Thank you, Deacon Steve, for your service! Spiritual gifts from God are charismatic By Carmen Frankel standing of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the building up of the church. Through emphasis on scripture readings and study, a cooperation with the Holy Spirit builds a trust to willingly engage with these gifts. After studying and experiencing what is inspired by God, a mature member of the group may operate in the gifts that say, reveal and minister, and are evident during the prayer meeting such gifts as: Prophecy Tongues Interpretation of tongues Word of knowledge. Through intense study of scripture reading and various teaching models, one becomes mature in these gifts and is encouraged to: Give their life-changing testimonies; Share talents to evangelize that develop; Minister the gifts of the Spirit to the people gathered for healing and deliverance prayers. Our charismatic praise and prayer group meets on Wednesday nights from 7-9pm in the Guadalupe Room in West Campus. Once a month, on the third Wednesday, we host the Sacrament of Healing along with a Healing Mass of the Family Tree, beginning at 7pm in the Day Chapel, and overnight Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is offered. Carmen Frankel is the communications lead for Traveling Loaves & Fishes, Inc.

4 The Winged Lion page 4 November Helping children understand Catholic faith By Elizabeth Herring Children are a gift from God. As parents we have the responsibility to raise our children according to God s Word; this begins at home. Parents are the primary example of how to love, live and have faith. Children learn the importance of going to church because parents bring their children to church each Sunday. Our responsibility to raise our children in their Catholic faith does not end there; children need to understand their Catholic faith. Children s Ministry Faith Formation is not only for children preparing for their sacraments. We have classes available for pre-k through 5th grade. The families have many options on when and where to meet. There are Sunday and Monday classes available, and a home school option available for 1st through 5th grade. St. Mark s also provides special needs faith formation classes for ages 4 years & up. All children are encouraged to answer the call of Jesus and learn his story. The children have fun in these classes completing lessons and grow in their understanding and love for their Catholic The Squires pancake breakfast a delicious success Hello, This is Adam Nix, the current Chief Squire. Our pancake breakfast was a huge success. The Squires prepared not only the regular pancakes, sausage, and bacon, but also the highly popular pumpkin pancakes. We are just $4K away from the $15K goal that KC Supreme will match! We were joined by two excellent representatives from A Woman s Haven who handed out information about their mobile ultrasound van, and, with their help, we raised over $700, plus direct donations (checks, credit cards). Thank you to all who came and helped us support this great cause and to the parents who provided the food! In Christ, Adam Nix, Chief Squire From top left: Mr. Lee & Mr. Thabet; Mr. Lee, Ryan Lee, Adam Nix, Jaren Schultze, Mr. Magnuson, Ryan Kaburski, & Mr. Perez (from A Women s Haven). faith. Each year of faith formation is important. Receiving sacraments is not a stopping point or a picture in a frame; it is the beginning of a new chapter. The children will appreciate and understand their faith if they are given the opportunity to attend faith formation classes all the way through high school. We have had a great start to our children s ministry program. I enjoy visiting each of the classrooms and seeing the smiling faces of the children and catechists. Our home school faith formation program has grown from 12 children to 30 over the past three years. The home school group meets about once a month to review units with fun and interactive lessons. With all the options of faith formation provided, there is no excuse for children to be missing out on opportunities to grow in their Catholic faith. We offer an open enrollment program; if you have not registered your child for faith formation classes, please do so now. For more information, contact Elizabeth Herring at (210) , ext. 324, or eherring@stmarkevangelist.com. Elizabeth Herring is the children s ministry coordinator.

5 2016 The Winged Lion page 5 Dear younger me: What I know now By Scott Byers Have you ever thought back over your life and wondered how things would be different if [name your event] had not happened or had happened differently? Have you ever wished you could take a piece of information, something you know now that you didn t know then, back to a younger version of yourself? It seems to be a recurring theme in some of the current popular hits in Christian music. When I was first introduced to the teachings of St. John Paul II, collectively called Theology of the Body, back in 2007, I was halfway through my 30s, and my wife and I had just welcomed our fourth child into the world. I remember saying the same thing that I have heard from many adult attendees of the Theology of the Body (ToB) classes I have since attended and facilitated: Where was this when I was younger? or Why couldn t I have heard this when I was a teenager? For many, ToB becomes the message that they wish they could deliver to their past selves. Gwen Byers said, Learned things I wished I had known before I was married. For me, even though it is too late to make sure I grew up knowing the principles provided through this amazing teaching, Dear Younger Me by MercyMe One Step Away by Casting Crowns Fix My Eyes by for King & Country it was not too late for it to have a deep and lasting impact on my present and future walk of faith. This teaching [of Theology of the Body] did two things for me: first, it brought home the What and How of the Catholic faith that I had been raised with by providing the Why, and second, it helped me to bring this Why from my head to my heart and bring about a more complete and meaningful worship. Rather than just go to church, I am now able to participate in the Marriage of the Lamb; I am a willing participant in the marriage between Christ and His church weekly, if not daily. This is the secret that lies within Theology of the Body that is awaiting each of us. I invite you to come spend some time learning more about this secret. Come learn about the image in which we were created to mirror our Creator; about the mystery that has been hidden in God for all eternity; about the way and reason we were created male and female. There is so much to learn that eight weeks cannot give it justice, but it will give you a good start on this journey to a deeper and more intimate relationship with our loving Savior, Jesus Christ. Beginning in January 2017, there will be two opportunities for the adults of our These sessions really opened my heart and mind to what Theology of the Body really means for me in my relationships with my spouse, God and the church. The sessions were very informative and the discussions following the presentations were lively and very enjoyable. I would highly recommend this course to anyone that is looking to get an introduction to Theology of the Body. Robert Shafner, participant Catholic faith community in San Antonio to come learn about the basic principles of Theology of the Body and, hopefully, ignite a life-long passion for wanting to continue down this path toward fulfillment of your every desire. See the St. Mark s website for more information about the Introduction to Theology of the Body classes. They will be offered on Sundays and Wednesdays. The course will be offered again in the summer and fall of Scott Byers is the lead for adult Theology of the Body classes. What is a Practicing Catholic? By Cathy Galle I recently came across a YouTube video by Ascension Press featuring Fr. Mike Schmitz wherein he explains what constitutes being a practicing Catholic. I thought I d share so that we at St. Mark s can check ourselves. 1) Observe the Ten Commandments 2) Assent to Church teachings 3) Do our best to follow the Five Precepts of the Catholic Church (CC2041) 3.1) Go to Mass on Sundays and all Holy Days of Obligation 3.2) Go to Confession at least once a year 3.3) Receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Easter season 3.4) Observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence (Days of Penance are every Friday of the year; days of abstinence-avoiding meat-are the Fridays in Lent and Ash Wednesday; the two days of fasting are Good Friday and Ash Wednesday) 3.5) Provide for the material needs of the Church according to your ability May we all strive to practice our Catholic faith, and, if you wish to learn more about our faith through these informative videos, I d encourage you to search YouTube for Fr. Mike Schmitz or Ascension Press. Cathy Galle is a parishioner and lector at St. Mark s.

6 page 6 Big in faith By Velma Spruel Williams The Thursday morning small faith group was an original group formed in 1991 out of the Renew period. Members met in homes to read and discuss the scriptures and Gospel for the upcoming weekend Masses. Our weekly meetings are now held on church grounds. Why is this Ministry still thriving? Here are some reflections from both original and our newest members: I just started attending the group. I enjoy members reading and discussing the readings, and how they touch our hearts. It helps me reflect on how the readings speak to me. I enjoy the Christian people who hear the word of God. I look forward to discussing the meanings for the coming week. We are a special group and we support each other. Something was missing and the time had come. This Small Faith Group is another stepping stone in my Christian journey to grow in the Word, Faith, and to get to know my Lord in a deeper way. I was new to the Parish and wanted to be involved in some way, discuss current events, in a Catholic Christian perspective. It has been so many years...i feel guilty if I do not attend! I truly enjoy the camaraderie, and family...and going deeper than just on Sunday. Velma Spruel Williams is the lead of the Thursday morning small faith group. The Winged Lion By Elizabeth Loftus As a teenager growing up living by the Catholic faith, I have held strong to my morals and beliefs throughout all trials and adversity. Like many, I have made mistakes along my spiritual journey, but I have learned from those experiences, and they have made me a stronger, more devout Catholic. Unfortunately, many adolescents are making these same mistakes and end up rejecting their faith altogether. This is a major problem in modern society as youths undergoing crucial cognitive growth and development shirk the values that Catholicism has instilled. In order to counteract this issue and prevent it from happening in the future, Saint Mark s, and Catholic Churches everywhere, should organize teen nights at popular locations and advertise via social media outlets. Many college students begin to isolate themselves from the Catholic faith for a plethora of reasons. Some students utilize their newfound freedom to drink excessive amounts of alcohol and engage in promiscuous behavior. Others skip Mass as a way of rebelling against overbearing parents, while still more simply stop attending due to business or lack of information about meetings. I believe the majority of the drop-off has resulted from youths becoming more caught up November Bring Catholicism directly to students in college life than nourishing their faith. Catholic churches should overcome these obstacles by making religious activities fun and easily accessible to students. Catholic youth groups could be hosted at a popular campus gathering place, encouraging students to take a break from studying to spend a little quality time with Jesus. Simply making Catholicism readily available for those who are willing to come would greatly increase the amount of participants. Getting the word out about events is also a crucial aspect for increasing attendance. Appointing a social media manager for the church would inform many college students about upcoming activities and how to get involved. Embracing the social media craze of the 21st century will drastically improve the youth presence in our faith. The daunting amount of teenagers that stray from the Catholic Church upon going to college can be reversed with a few good tactics and a lot of effort. By bringing Catholicism directly to students, it is much harder for them to brush off the faith. Offering studentoriented modes of getting involved with the Church and advertising over social media will greatly increase attendance and enthusiasm. I believe the majority of Catholic students will return to the church when given a bit of extra encouragement. Elizabeth Loftus is a St. Mark s teen parishioner and applicant of the 2016 Women s Guild/Knights of Columbus scholarship. Knights of Columbus #7613 gives Community Center kitchen a facelift Before Thanks to a very generous donation from St. Mark s Knights of Columbus, we are now showing off a sparkling new church kitchen! We were able to replace the very wornout convection ovens and stoves and reseal the kitchen floor. We were also able to recondition the walk-in cooler and replace the cooler floor. Thank you to our Knights in shining armor!!! After

7 2016 The Winged Lion page 7 The Jubilee Year Marian Mass experience By Alicia Cantu Guadalupana Clara Fonseca and I attended the Jubilee Year Marian Mass at San Fernando Cathedral. It started with a ceremony on the patio where the deacon explained what it is to go through a Holy Door, and, then, the celebrant priest lead those present in a procession around the front door of the Cathedral and through their Holy Door, which is located in the rear of the Cathedral. There was a group of over 100 persons who traveled from Del Rio and did a pilgrimage that day. We joined them in praying a bilingual rosary. Amazing to hear the whole church pray a rosary. The Mass was bilingual. During October, the month of the Rosary, they were doing the Litany to Virgin Mary after every Mass. This was a first for me. Not for Clara, who was an Hija de Maria in Columbia for many years and used to recite it by memory. The pictures attached include one of both of us in the entrance of the Holy Door. We exited through the Holy Door to have the full experience of visiting one and be eligible for the indulgence that comes with the visit. The other picture is of Clara with El Nino Divino. You should ve seen her smile when she first saw him because there is a huge celebration in Columbia on July 20 of every year in his honor. I don t know how many Holy Doors you have gone to, but this is only the third one for me. The Year of Mercy began on December 8, 2015-the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the 50th anniversary of the closing of Vatican II--and will end on November 20, 2016, on the Solemnity of Christ the King. There are 15 pilgrimage sites for Holy Doors throughout the San Antonio Archdiocese and only a few more days to complete them. They are all within driving distance. Our parish has one planned for November. It will be on the same day that we recite our Rosary on the second Saturday of the month. If you attended the Federation retreat earlier this year, you have already gone to the Holy Door that I believe they are going to. I believe that they are going to go to San Jose Mission. If you participated in our own pilgrimage to a Holy Door, the one at Holy Trinity, you have done at least two. If you have already done the one at San Jose Mission, please come join us on the second Saturday of the month, November 12, to recite the Rosary at 430pm before the 5pm Mass on that day. Alicia Cantu is the president of St. Mark s Society of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Please join us for Thanksgiving Mass Thurs. Nov. 24 at 9am Main Sanctuary Heavenly Creator, In this season of gratitude and abundance, we give You thanks for our many blessings as we pray for all who struggle with hunger and want. Be with them in the dark of night, when all hope seems lost. Keep their faith strong as they await relief. And let Your goodness flow through our hearts and hands as we reach out to one another in the full, true joy of Thanksgiving in Christ. Amen Happy Thanksgiving

8 St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church 1602 Thousand Oaks Dr San Antonio, TX Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID San Antonio, Texas PERMIT NO RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Place address label here Receive the Winged Lion directly to your inbox! Sign up at (short link). You can also update your subscriptions at any time under the Update Preferences link provided in any St. Mark s e-message. The Winged Lion Publication Policy St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church reserves the right to publish article submissions and edit all submissions for form and content. St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church The Winged Lion NOVEMBER 2016 Pastor: Rev. Msgr. Kevin E. Ryan Pastoral Administrator: Dot Hamlin Mass Schedule Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 5pm 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm (Spanish) & 5pm 8:15am & 6:30pm 6:30am 6:30am & 8:15am 6:30am & 8:15am 8:15am Holy Days 8:15am & 7pm Eve of Holy Day 7pm Communion Services Monday 6:30am Tuesday 8:15am Friday 6:30am Saturday 7:30am Reconciliation Saturday 4-5pm Our mission: To spread the Good news of Jesus Christ to all God s people by word and action. Adoration Tuesday-Thursday, 9am-*9pm (*last hour of adoration is from 8pm-9pm) He said to them, Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature... Mark 16: