Michael the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time January 15, 2017 Rev. Fr. Dale Branson

Transcription

1 Michael the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time January 15, 2017 Rev. Fr. Dale Branson TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy it; you may even find yourselves fighting against God. Acts 5:38b-39b Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil - 4pm Sunday - 8 am & 10:00 am Parish Center N Apollo Dr. Florence, AZ Daily Mass Schedule Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - 8:30am at the Parish Center Confessions before Mass or upon request Adora on at 9:00am on Saturdays Mailing Address 270 E. Hunt Hwy Ste. 16 #328 San Tan Valley, AZ Parish Office N. Poseidon Rd. Florence, AZ Phone: (520) Fax: (520) Parish Office Hours 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday As soon as Christmas ends, people begin planning for Easter! Originally, the source of our Paschal Triduum was but a single liturgy extending from Saturday sundown to sunrise on Easter Sunday. The two days leading up to the liturgy were days of fast, not only for the elect, but for the church preparing to baptize them. A fifth-century pope explained that the church imitated the apostles, who were in hiding with their grief from the arrest of Jesus, and therefore sacraments, even penance, were forbidden. Inevitably, though, people wanted to come together, and so eventually a Liturgy of the Word developed for Good Friday. This was the first step toward today's shape of the Triduum, and gradually new ideas were embraced, including the veneration of the cross and a simple Communion service. Interestingly, the Word remained central, since we know that in those days the pope did not receive Communion at this liturgy, even though the faithful had that option. In the other churches of Rome, priests and people received Communion under both species. Although the custom of Communion on Good Friday took hold, it did not endure past the Middle Ages. The central liturgies of the year slowly unraveled and disappeared from parish life. Remember that there were no seminaries in those days, and books were a rare luxury. Most priests could only manage to celebrate a simple "low" Mass, and few parishes could afford the ritual books that would guide a priest through the complex forms. Holy Week remained important in private devotion, but for a time the liturgies virtually disappeared. Rev. James Field, copyright J. S. Paluch Co. Are you new to St. Michael the Archangel Church? We welcome you and we ask that you please take a few moments to register. Registra on forms are located at the Greeters Table or can now be found and submi ed online. Visit our website and click on the link, Parish Registra on Form, found at the bo om of the home page and follow the instruc ons.

2 Sacramental Policies ANOINTING OF THE SICK At the 8:30am Mass on the first Friday of each month or by appointment. BAPTISM Parents will need to provide a copy of the child s birth certificate and participate in a class. Baptismal Classes are held on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 11 am in the Church office. Parents must call the church office to register for the class. Godparents must be practicing Catholics who are confirmed and married in the Church, if married. CONFESSION Confessions are offered one-half hour before all Masses, or anytime upon request. CONFIRMATION Confirmation will be given students in 8 th grade or above. They must have completed the 8 th grade religious education class and optimally the 7 th as well. Sponsors must be practicing Catholics who are already confirmed and married in the Church, if married. Parents should not be sponsors for their own children. For information on Confirmation preparation for adults please contact the pastor. FIRST HOLY COMMUNION First Holy Communion will be offered to children in Grade 2. Children must attend CCD regularly throughout Grade 2 in order to receive the Sacrament in May of that year. Students will also be prepared for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Grade 2. MARRIAGE Both parties are expected to participate in the preparation program. Parties must notify the pastor at least one year prior to their proposed marriage date. Please meet with the pastor for a fuller explanation and to make arrangements. QUINCEANERAS St. Michael the Archangel Parish does not have Quinceaneras at this time. ST. MICHAEL THE MINISTRIES & Readings for the Week Monday: Heb 5:1-10; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 2:18-22 Tuesday: Heb 6:10-20; Ps 111:1-2, 4-5, 9, 10c; Mk 2:23-28 Wednesday: Heb 7:1-3, 15-17; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 3:1-6 Thursday: Heb 7: :6; Ps 40:7-10, 17; Mk 3:7-12 Friday: Heb 8:6-13; Ps 85:8, 10-14; Mk 3:13-19 Saturday: Heb 9:2-3, 11-14; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Mk 3:20-21 Sunday: Is 8: :3; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; Mt 4:12-23 [12-17] Mass Intentions January 18 8:30 am January 21 4:00 pm January 22 8:00 am Thomas Branson & Fr. Dale Branson (20 years) Dan Reyes Manuel Griego Pro Populo - La n: for the people - Deceased To request a Mass Inten on, please call the rectory. ALTAR SERVERS Reajean Porter, Jeff Flanagan altarserver@stmichaels77.org, (480) Leave Message BULLETIN bulletin@stmichaels77.org (520) CCD Reajean Porter CCD@stmichaels77.org (480) COMPLIANCE COORDINATOR Jan Trbovich, dalerussel@msn.com, (480) Sue Stonerook sstonerook@live.com EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS Virginia Bombolino, ginbaby2003@aol.com, (480) GREETERS Ann Kolb annkolb95@gmail.com (480) HOMEBOUND MINISTRY Patricia DeStefano patriciad333@yahoo.com LECTORS Suzanne Baitinger lectors@stmichaels77.org (480) MUSIC Diana Albert, Dialbert2@aol.com, (480) PARISH SECRETARY/NOTARY PUBLIC Misty Landavazo, secretary@stmichaels77.org (520) PASTOR Rev. Fr. Dale A. Branson, pastor@stmichaels77.org, (520) PRAYER CHAIN Virginia Bombolino, ginbaby2003@aol.com (480) RCIA Bob Butchko, Bob.butchko@centurylink.net (480) RED HAT MICHAELETTES Sue Baitinger, redhats@stmichaels77.org; (480) TEEN YOUTH GROUP Diana Albert, teens@stmichaels77.org (480) SACRISTANS Polly Von Esse, pvonesse@aol.com (520) USHERS Darrell Stonerook, sstonerook@live.com (602) WEBMASTER Craig Rudko webmaster@stmichaels77.org (480) PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL: Diana Albert, Sue Baitinger, Bob Butchko, Virginia Bombolino, Ann Kolb, Reajean Porter, Bert Pampanin, Craig Rudko, Darrell Stonerook, Mary Teese, Polly Von Esse & Patricia DeStefano Pastoral Council meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month & all are welcome to attend.

3 FINANCIAL REPORT Contribu ons for January 8, 2017 Parish Offertory $5, Building Fund $1, Missale es/ccd/poor $ Capital Campaign $1, Capital Campaign Pledges Total $8, Amount Pledged $1,109, Amount Paid $629, Pledge Balance $480, Online Giving If you would like to give online please visit our website, and select the Online Giving tab. Prayer Requests Do you know someone who needs prayers to comfort and strengthen them? If so please contact Virginia Bombolino Phone: All requests are private. WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; Celebrate the love of God for us and for each other by strengthening, renewing and rekindling our marriages by participating in a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend on February24-26 in Phoenix. To apply for the weekend and for other dates visit Please note If you have made a pledge to the Capital Campaign & are making a payment, please write Capital Campaign in the memo field of your check. Thank you MASS ATTENDANCE 990 people attended Mass January 8th, 2017 END OF YEAR STATEMENT If you would like to request an end of the year statement for 2016, please call Misty in the of ice at (520) , or send your request via to secretary@stmichaels77.org. Statements will only be sent to those who request one.

4 CCD Weekly Announcements January 15, 2017 Weeks at a Glance January 17, 2017 Tuesday SAC Class 5:30 CCD 6:30 7:30 PARENT/GUARDIAN MEETING 6:45 January 22, 2017 Sunday Student Offertory Presenters for 10:00am Mass are: Ever Olivas Jasmine Perez Aracely Pina Brooklynn John (W) January 24, 2017 Tuesday SAC Class 5:30 CCD 6:30 7:30 January 29, 2017 Sunday Student Offertory Presenters for 10:00am Mass are: Isabella Simeone Christian Wadsworth Storm Zacchi Gabriella Hoyos(W) Sacrament Parent Meeting Tuesday, January 17 at 6:45pm for all students (2 nd 8 th Grade) preparing for First Holy Communion and Confirmation Act of Contrition O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You. I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen Friday, February 3 rd 6:30pm Religious Education contact: Reajean Porter, DRE ccd@stmichaels77.org Leave a message: (480)

5 January 15, nd Sunday in Ordinary Time WANTED: Former Restaurant Owners and Chefs Arizona Restaurant Supply has provided a list of items, with pictures, for first time commercial kitchen owners. Father Branson needs your input in deciding what items we should start with. If you are interested in helping, please call (520) or (pastor@stmichaels77.org) him. He will give you a copy of the list and when everyone on the team has had a chance to review it, get together and create a list for pricing. Thanks in advance for your help. Prayer Chain We have a parish prayer chain where we pray for those who are sick. We have many sick parishers right now that have requested our prayers. We are in need of more committee members to pray with us. This ministry is done in your own home. If you are interested, please, contact Ginger Bombolino for further information. Her phone number is in the bulletin. HAND CARVED in BETHLEHEM PLEASE STOP BY THE TABLES OF RELIGIOUS WARES (Nativity set, rosaries, statues, crucifixes, charms, etc.) AFTER ALL THE MASSES THE WEEK END OF ( February 11 & 12). Ayman Khair representing about 180 Christian families from Bethlehem. These families have been dependent upon sales of their hand carved religious articles to tourists of the Holy Land. Due to the conflict in the Middle East, the tourism has been cut off. In order to survive, they have turned to Christian communities in the United States to purchase their articles. These hand carved religious articles are beyond description. Carved from wood of the sacred Olive tree, this workmanship has been traditional for these families for hundreds of years. It is hoped that through the efforts of Mr. Khair that these families have a little income and are able to stay living in the Holy Land. Amazingly enough, The Christians population dropped from 22 % to less than 2% in the last 30 years. Thank you in advance for your support. Parish Cookbook The cookbook committee is busy putting the recipes in order to print. We really could use more, especially ethnic dishes. You can put your recipes at the Greeters Table, or them to bert&pat@aol.com We are hoping to put the final touches on the book soon. Please, help us to have a great fundraiser.

6 5 Myths About the Papacy That Too Many People Still Believe The papacy is one of the most distinctive aspects of Catholicism. Unfortunately, it s also one of the most misunderstood. Note that these myths are about the office of the papacy, not myths about a particular pontiff. Here are 5 of the most common myths about the papacy: Myth 1: The pope is always infallible Truth: When it comes to defining a new teaching, it s actually very rare for a pope to invoke papal infallibility. The conditions for a papal teaching to be infallible were defined by the 1st Vatican Council in 1870: he is infallible when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church Most popes never invoke papal infallibility (unless you count canonizations). This doesn t mean Catholics can ignore what a pope is teaching, it just means it might not be infallible (unless what he s teaching has already been defined infallibly previously). Myth 2: The papacy is not in the Bible Truth: Actually, the papacy was established by Christ himself in Scripture. Much could be said on this matter, but here are a few examples. Though he gave to all of his Apostles the power to bind and loose (Matthew 18.18), to Peter alone Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven (cf. Matthew ), saying that Peter was the rock on which he would build his Church. Just before his passion, Christ told Peter, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. (Luke 22.32) And after his resurrection, Jesus who is the Good Shepherd of the whole Church told Peter to take care of my sheep. (cf. John ) All of this ultimately means that Jesus gave Peter a special and essential role among the Apostles in the governance and teaching function of the Church. The pope is the successor of St. Peter and continues to exercise today this essential role given to Peter by Christ. Myth 3: The pope is necessarily a holy person Truth: First off, the Catholic Church has never claimed that popes have to be holy, and she is under no illusion about the holiness of many of her pontiffs. Popes are sinful human beings in need of the grace of Jesus Christ as much as anybody.

7 Note that only 95 of the 266 popes of history are recognized as saints or are at some stage in the process of becoming one, and more than a third of these popes lived in the first few centuries of the Church. Second, the powers of the papacy depend entirely on Christ and his grace not on the intelligence, holiness, or wisdom (or lack thereof) of the person who happens to be pope at any given time. God can use even gravely sinful persons for his purposes. Lastly, the fact the Church has survived so long and so well even though many of her leaders have been highly corrupt actually serves as evidence that the Church is truly guided by Christ. Myth 4: The pope can add to the Word of God Truth: Actually, the Catholic Church teaches that public divine revelation has already been given in its fullness and the task of the Church, including the pope, is simply to preserve, interpret, and preach this Gospel to every age. As the Second Vatican Council teaches, the Church s teaching office (which includes the papacy), is not above the word of God, but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on, listening to it devoutly, guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully in accord with a divine commission and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it draws from this one deposit of faith everything which it presents for belief as divinely revealed. (DV 10) So the pope doesn t have the authority to add to the Word of God, only to faithfully interpret it and preach it to his generation. Myth 5: The papacy is a special kind of Holy Order Truth: There are only three kinds of Holy Orders: deacons, priests, and bishops. Other titles like cardinal, archbishop, patriarch, even pope these are kinds of offices that bishops might hold. But sacramentally speaking, the pope is simply a bishop just like any other bishop and has the same sacramental powers. If he is already a bishop, a pope-elect is not ordained pope; he simply assumes the office of bishop of Rome and in doing so receives all powers and authorities that come with that office. If he resigns the papal office (as Pope Benedict XVI did in 2013), he loses all papal powers but remains a bishop. by ChurchPOP Editor

8 What your pastor won t tell you about parish giving Our parishes are getting by on too little from too few, but it wouldn t take much to change that It s that time of year. Your new set of Sunday offering envelopes arrives in the mail, or you pick up the box after Mass. Maybe you re still hearing echoes of last fall s pleas for a renewed commitment to weekly parish giving. Or your parish is beginning the pledge process for the annual diocesan collection. You might catch yourself grumbling, Money! Money! Money! That s all Father ever talks about! Here s a secret: Father dreads this even more than you do. And another secret: Whether it s once or twice a year (which is standard) or more frequently (when driven by dire necessity), chances are that if Father has to mention money at all, he s not talking about it nearly often enough. Think about that first part. Your pastor is living out his priestly vocation to preach the Gospel, minister the sacraments, and bring people to Christ. Unless his was a late-in-life calling from the business world, it s unlikely that he was ever trained in the branch management of a good-sized non-profit corporation, which is the equivalent of the pastor s secular responsibilities. Your average diocesan priest hates talking about money even more than you hate hearing about it. Fortunately, your pastor probably has more support to draw on now than pastors had in your parents or grandparents day. Diocesan stewardship offices provide guidance and resources, and many parishes have finance committees or parish councils with members who have business and finance backgrounds. Pastors have more help making wise financial decisions. But here s something that hasn t changed in generations and it s the reason Father can t talk about money enough. The average share of our income that we U.S. Catholics give to our Church (including not just weekly parish giving, but special collections and other Church-related charities) is a mere 1% the same as it s been as long as anyone s been counting. That s the lowest percentage of giving of any major religious denomination in the United States. The truth is that fewer than 1 in 3 Americans who identify themselves as Catholic attend Mass on a regular basis (defined as at least once a month). And of those regular attendees, only 30% give to the support of their parish. Of those, many are likely to toss the same 2 or 3 crumpled dollar bills into the collection basket as their parents did before them. And this in a time when just keeping the lights on, the boiler heated up, the organ in tune, and the parking lot free of potholes costs more than ever. Nobody wants to talk about the basic operating costs of a parish, but if they aren t met there is no place for the community to worship, no support for the many ministries and outreach efforts that make a parish so much more than a building. Father hates having to nickel-and-dime the congregation from the pulpit. But when so few of us have any real notion of or commitment to real parish stewardship, he often has no choice. That term, stewardship, has become more familiar in recent years, as Catholics are called to a more integrated, conscious discipleship. In parishes where real attitudes and practices of stewardship have taken hold, there s a relatively seamless and widely shared commitment of time, talent, and

9 treasure. It shows up in higher attendance levels, successful evangelization, and well-funded parish ministries. It also shows up in Father not having to talk about money all the time. Too often, though, pastors get such blowback from parishioners about pushing the treasure element of stewardship that parishes settle for commitments of time and talent by the same small group of people who always volunteered them anyway. And because time and talent do not substitute for treasure, poor Father is back to nickel-and-diming. It makes parish giving, which should be a grateful response to God s gifts and a regular part of Catholic discipleship, feel like being hounded to pay an overdue cable bill. That s not pleasant for anyone! So the hard truth is that our parishes are getting by on too little from too few. (That s especially a problem, paradoxically enough, in our largest parishes, maybe because everybody figures everyone else must be giving.) The good news is that it wouldn t take much from each of us to change that. Here are some things to consider as the new year begins: Give consciously. Write your parish into your family budget. Whether it s on a yearly, monthly, or weekly basis, make your parish offering a line item. Planning ahead will keep you from resorting to digging in your pockets for spare change as the collection basket comes by. Using weekly offering envelopes or participating in an online giving program, if your parish offers one, are two good ways to make your giving conscious. Give off the top. When determining how much to give our parish, many of us look to what s left over after other obligations have been met. We give out of scarcity and fear, rather than gratitude. Try (at least for a few weeks or months) putting your relationship with God and his people first. Whatever we have we owe to God s generosity. Give more than you think you can. People sometimes ask about whether there s a biblical standard. The tithe, or one-tenth of one s wealth or income, is often mentioned in the Bible, and many Christians today aim for a 10% level of annual giving divided among church and charities. (Parish giving, though tax-deductible, is not charity for Catholics. It s a precept, a joyful obligation.) But Jesus told his rich follower to sell all that he had and give it to the poor 100%! He praised the poor widow who gave her last two coins to the Temple. In your prayerful consideration, strike a balance between 1% and 100% pledge to give what you really can and maybe a little more, and to give it gladly and regularly. Don t compare yourself to others; your giving is a covenant between you and your family and God, and God is never outdone in generosity. Give yourself. Consider ways to be more involved in the life of your parish this year. See your gifts at work in the various ministries. Explore new ways to use your time and talents in the service of others, not as a substitute for financial support, but as a way of living what that support symbolizes. It would take very little, in practice, to move that 1% of annual income level of giving to 2%. For most people, that s the weekly equivalent of a couple of large lattes or a gallon or two of gas. What could your parish do with twice as much financial support every week? And it wouldn t take much to make it 2 out of 3, or even 3 out of 3, who give regularly. You can make that difference, starting now. And then maybe you and Father can both stop dreading this time of year.

10 January 15, nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Parish Gift Shop First Communion and Confirmation are just around the corner. The parish gift shop has a few things suitable for these sacraments. We are also getting some new statues. Stop by to see what is available. This money stays in our own parish. Safe Environment (Compliance) The committee is preparing to let the adults know if they are in need of renewing their training (once every three years). We will be sending an or calling those in need. Please, consider remaining as a volunteer for the ministry you are serving. Our parish runs smoothly with the help of all the Bake Sale The Red Hat monthly bake sale will be January Valentine s Day is in a couple of weeks. Stop and get some sweets for your sweetie. Remember this money will help supply our parish center kitchen with some Just remember: the parish bulletin is also online if you do not get one after Mass.