Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston 1530 Norwalk Drive Katy, Texas Telephone: Fax:

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1 Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Community Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston 1530 Norwalk Drive Katy, Texas Telephone: Fax: Office Hours: Monday Thursday 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Friday 8:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Masses: Monday Friday: 9:00 a.m. Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 p.m. Sunday: 8:00 a.m., 9:45 a.m.*, 11:30 a.m.*, 5:30 p.m. *Nursery available Reconciliation: Saturday 4:00 5:00 p.m.; or appointment with a priest Eucharistic Adoration: Tuesday after 9:00 a.m. Mass until 7:30 p.m. St. Vincent de Paul Society: September 6, rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings on p

2 PARISH CLERGY Rev. Tom Lam Administrator Rev. Thomas Joseph Parochial Vicar Deacon John Evanoff Pastoral Associate Deacon Don Kish PARISH STAFF Business Manager Craig Shemon Gerry Broussard, Verna Goertz, Dan Stamps, Mary Tran Religious Education LouAnn Svoboda, Director Beth Harvey, Charlotte Fulton, Maria Laiseca Youth Ministry Dave Clark, Director Joey Harvey Music Ministry Spencer Schuyler, Director Merle Vahlkamp Liturgy Ministry Dominick Aquila, Director Outreach Ministry Schottsie Hill, Director Lisa Gilkeson Facilities Manager Kirk Harris Young Kim, Karim Valdez COMMUNITY LIFE Nursery Coordinator: Anne Salazar Bingo: Friday at 7:30 p.m More information about our parish can be found at: A Catholic School at Epiphany I wanted to conclude this series of reflections by sharing with you a couple of stories that reveal, I think, the underlying reality of why a parish would embark on building a Catholic school. The first story was mentioned to me by a family here at Epiphany, whose children attended Pope John Paul II, which, if you re not familiar, is a Catholic elementary and middle school located near Eldridge Parkway and Briar Forest Drive. The school is only 10 miles from Epiphany, but can take up to 40 minutes on a weekday due to morning traffic. I know firsthand, having driven to John Paul II just a few times to celebrate the school Mass there. That s just a few times. There are some children from our parish who wake up a full hour earlier every day to be able to attend the closest Catholic school. We as adults expect and ultimately choose to make the morning commute to our workday destination. The heaviest burden falls on the children as they embark on a commute not of their own choosing. When I recounted this story during our Master Plan presentation after Mass a few months ago, a mother later told me that her adult daughter, now herself a school teacher, said, Thank you, for acknowledging the sacrifice that she made as a child, waking up an hour earlier every day to attend a Catholic school while living in Katy. There are, as well, Epiphany families who choose not to attend a Catholic school because there is not one here in Katy. Building a Catholic school would be a challenging endeavor. Some might say they do not want to embark on this endeavor. But that is the nature of a true sacrifice the physical and material dimensions of it is not very appealing (as Jesus modeled for us in the Garden of Gethsemane). But the spiritual reasons and the good that come out of a sacrifice are what we are choosing. This sacrifice, we would be making as a community so that our children (yes, they are our children because we belong to the same Body of Christ) are not made to take upon the larger burden of this sacrifice. The other true story was recounted to me by Fr. Sean Horrigan, the Pastor of Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church (located on Huffmeister, off of Highway 290). Their parish opened the doors to the newest Catholic school in the Archdiocese just a little over a year ago. Fr. Sean tells the story of when their parish first announced the school, the parishioners who regularly attend daily Mass were the most vocal in questioning whether a school was necessary. They wondered how it would affect them, knowing that they would not directly benefit from a Catholic school. Fr. Sean recounted that as it turned out, these same parishioners now find the school children so adorable and they are the ones who love seeing them around the church campus every day because it brings them hope, seeing the future of the Church in the school children. When it comes to the Church and our participation in the life of grace, it s not a proper question to ask, Is there something in it for me? When someone calls the Church and asks for her compassion and support upon the death of their loved one, the parishioners do not ask, What s in it for me? No, the parishioners are the ones who take off of work to help set up for the funeral Mass, the parishioners are the ones who serve as cantor and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and the parishioners are the ones who prepare the Family Center for a funeral reception if the family requests one. And the truth is, with a school, there will be students to serve at funeral Masses during the school week. As a priest, it becomes too mechanical to celebrate a funeral Mass with just one or two adult volunteers because all of the children are at school. It s a little unceremonious actually when I m walking back and forth on the altar, because there are no servers. Funerals (and weddings) without altar servers are not as beautiful as the liturgy should be (on an important occasion like funerals and weddings). And trust me, with a Catholic school, we will never have a shortage of kids volunteering to miss class in order to serve and help at a funeral. These are just a few of the realities that underlie our decision to build a school here at Epiphany. It may not be an easy endeavor but it will be a holy one. There are many parishioners who are ready to begin. Let us continue to pray and rely on the grace of the Lord, who promises, as he sends his disciples to teach the faith, that he will be with them always and without end. ~ Fr. Tom Lam 2

3 Events & Meetings This Week SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 Blood Drive Sign-up Coffee & Donuts: Family Center Nursery Closed 9:45 & 11:30 AM, Children s Liturgy of the Word: Grade 1 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7-LABOR DAY Parish Offices Closed TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 9:30 AM, Quilters: Room 411 9:30 AM, ESL 2: Room 303 9:30 AM 7:00 PM, Adoration: Chapel 10:00 AM, Holy Hour Rosary for Respect Life: Chapel 1:00 PM, ESL 2: Room 303 4:00 PM, Holy Hour Rosary for Vocations: Chapel 7:00 PM, Rosary: Chapel 7:00 PM, Scout Troop 1288: Rec Room, 301/303 7:30 PM, Evening Prayer: Chapel WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 9:00 AM, ESL 4: Room 307 9:30 AM, Called to be Mom: Rec Room 9:30 AM, ESL 3: Room 308 9:30 AM, ESL 1 & 2: Room :00 AM, Catechist Module: Basic Lesson Planning: Family Center 10:00 AM, Matthew: The King and His Kingdom: Den 7:00 PM, Adult Choir Practice: Music Room THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 9:30 AM, ESL 2: Room :00 AM, Caregivers Support Group: Room :00 AM, Gathering Place: Rec Room 6:30 PM, Spanish Bible Study: Rec Room 7:00 PM, Vocation Committee Mtg. Main Conference Room 7:00 PM, Catechist Module: Basic Lesson Planning: Den 7:00 PM, Line Dancing: Family Center FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 9:30 AM, Ladies Club: Family Center 7:30 PM, Bingo: Family Center SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 12 9:00 AM, Catechist Workshop: Family Center 1:00 PM, Protecting God s Children: Epiphany Room 5:00 PM, Blood Drive Sign-up Nursery Closed SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Food Drive Blood Drive Sign-up 9:45 & 11:30 AM, Nursery: 0-5 years: Room 214 9:45 & 11:30 AM, Children s Liturgy of the Word: Grade 2 10:00 AM, Confirmation Day Retreat: PAC 1:00 PM, Baptisms: Narthex 3:30 PM, Children s Faith Formation Grade Level Meeting: Family Center Parish Offices will be closed Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day. The offices will reopen Tuesday, September 8 at 8:30 a.m. Have a fun and safe holiday! Nursery for the 5:30 Saturday Mass will be temporarily suspended until further notice due to a lack of attendance and current under-staffing of the nursery. Nursery for the Sunday Masses 9:45 & 11:30 a.m. will still be available. Baptisms Please contact parish office for preparation classes. Baptism Session for Parents 2 nd Saturday of February, May, August, November 10:00 AM Noon To register call LouAnn Svoboda ( ) Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) For information call LouAnn Svoboda ( ) Sacrament of Marriage Must be a registered, active member of the parish at least six months. Contact parish office eight months before wedding to begin preparation. Finance Council Chair Denny Dellinger Knights of Columbus Steve Zoeller, Grand Knight kccouncil9759/default.asp St. Vincent de Paul Society Cynthia Viator Ladies Club Joan McManamy Forever Young Barbara Hajjar, Clare Snow Bulletin Deadline The deadline for article submission is Thursday at noon (ten days before publication). Your article can be sent to gerry@epiphanycatholic.org. Check our website for Liturgical, Youth Usher & Faith Formation Schedules. epiphany@epiphanycatholic.org Child s Play Learning Center, Alyce Gabrysch, Director, ; Fax; childsplaykaty.com 3

4 LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK SPECIAL REMEMBRANCES Saturday, September 5 Vigil-23 rd Ordinary Sunday 5:30 PM P. J. Matthew Sunday, September 6 23 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00 AM Zita Briksnis 9:45 AM For the People 11:30 AM Marc Levine 5:30 PM Mary Dargan Monday, September 7 Weekday 9:00 AM Sam Mercaldi Tuesday, September 8 The Nativity of the BVM 9:00 AM Lawrence Gochioco Wednesday, September 9 St. Peter Claver 9:00 AM Stella Trimble Thursday, September 10 Weekday 9:00 AM Howard Burkhalter Friday, September 11 Weekday 9:00 AM Leo Guevara Saturday, September 12 Vigil-24 th Ordinary Sunday 5:30 PM Patti Paetow Sunday, September th Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00 AM Margarita Laiseca 9:45 AM For the People 11:30 AM Patricia Paetow 5:30 PM Roy Alidon Liturgy & Prayer PRAYER LIST FOR THE SICK Please keep the following people in your thoughts and prayers this week as we wish them a return to good health: Jason Sides, Andrew Bencivengo, Patricia Givens, Janet Cuccia, Roy Champiomont, Jackie Alfonso, Roy Paras, Jr., Jeff Timpanaro, Iris Olenick, James Bennett, Krystal Kainer, Lorenzo Uiteras, Ligia Ramos, Mark Doughty, Judy Ficalora, Hailey Williams, Karen Hurbrough. To make a request for someone to be on our prayer list, please call the parish office at Your loved one s name will appear on our prayer list for six consecutive Sundays. If a longer period of time is needed, please call the parish office to renew your request. Please Remember In Prayer Our Deceased READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Col 1:24 2:3; Ps 62:6-7, 9; Lk 6:6-11, or, for Labor Day, any readings from the Mass For the Blessing of Human Labor, nos Tuesday: Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30; Ps 13:6 Mt 1:1-16, [18-23] Wednesday: Col 3:1-11; Ps 145:2-3, 10-13ab; Lk 6:20-26 Thursday: Col 3:12-17; Ps 150:1b-6; Lk 6:27-38 Friday: 1 Tm 1:1-2, 12-14; Ps 16:1b-2a, 5, 7-8, 11; Lk 6:39-42 Saturday: 1 Tm 1:15-17; Ps 113:1b-7; Lk 6:43-49 Sunday: Is 50:5-9a; Ps 116:1-6, 8-9; Jas 2:14-18; Mk 8:27-35 Please pray for our military men and women. Lucy Davis, wife of Paul Davis Manolo Reyes, father of Gina Boado MEN S RETREAT Do you need to reconnect with yourself and your Savior? Are you searching for that calm time to escape to for renewal? Holy Name Retreat Center invites you to join other men from your parish and community to make a weekend retreat on October For insight into one of our weekends please contact Deacon Don Kish at , or call Holy Name Retreat Center at

5 News in the Parish Attention Anyone Currently Taking Holy Communion to the Homebound We are instituting some new training and policies regarding the homebound and hospice/hospital Holy Communion visits. If you are currently taking Holy Communion to the homebound or are interested in doing so in the future, your attendance at one of the following training sessions is mandatory, even if you were trained in the past. September 19, December 5 These sessions are all on Saturday mornings in Room 303 of the Parish Activity Center building (two-story) from 9:00 10:00AM. You may sign up in advance by ing Deacon John Evanoff at john@epiphanycatholic.org or calling the parish office. Come and pray the rosary before the Blessed Sacrament for Vocations every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel. Stations of the Cross Beautification Fund This beautiful set of Stations of the Cross is a way to continue to add to the spiritual environment of our worship space. Please pick up a flyer to learn how you can contribute to this fund. Respect Life Bulletin Board Take My Hand, Not My Life Save the Dates!! Dear Parishioners the following activities are a great way to get involved in the Pro- Life movement. Please put these dates on your calendars and look for more information in the following weeks! -September 19, 2015 Houston Coalition Run/ Walk for Life; 8am to 11am All Saints Catholic Church (215 E. 10 th Street Houston, TX 77008). for more information. -September 26 and 27, 2015 Epiphany s Parish wide Baby Shower! -October 4, 2015 Life Chain-- 2pm-3:30 pm I10 and Mason Road -October 8, 2015 Day of Prayer and Adoration 9:30am to 7:30pm Epiphany Chapel -October 17, am to 5:15pm, one day workshop, Discovering God s Plan for Love and Life for 7 th and 8 th graders. For more information and to register contact the Epiphany Youth Office or Tammy Rusher ( ) This DVD series curriculum based on St. Pope John Paul II s Theology of the Body, which gives a very positive message of the gift of sexuality as a good and essential part of love and life. It is revolutionizing the way parents and educators teach morality and chastity to youth. Community Life Epiphany Ladies Club invites all women new to the parish or not, to attend our Welcome Tea on September 11 at 9:30 a.m. in the Family Center. The ELC offers many interesting monthly programs and fellowship through a number of sub-clubs. We also work with the parish on outreach activities. Please come join us for a fun-filled year! Like Us on Facebook to see club photos and get event reminders. 5

6 Our Stewardship Stewardship August 29/30 Sunday Offering $37, St. Vincent de Paul $ Registered Households 6,742 Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? (JAMES 2:5) What is more important being rich in faith or rich in possessions? Society teaches us that possessions are most important. God teaches a different lesson. When we are rich in faith we know that material things really do not matter and we are more willing to share what we have. Second Collection next weekend (September 12/13) for the Catholic University of America and University of St. Thomas. DSF REPORT Parish Goal $396, Amount Pledged $367, Amount Paid $316, Number of Pledges 809 Epiphany Baseball Field Reservations for Epiphany s Baseball Field for the Fall Season has begun. A parishioner must be a member of the team and attend all practices. A copy of the teams Certificate of Insurance Liability must be provided at time of reservation. Reservations are limited to one practice per week. For more information, please call our office at Vocations Corner The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. (Ps 23:1) All are invited to our monthly Vocations meeting on Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 pm in the large conference room, in the office area. Subcommittees are forming. Save the Dates! Are you interested in learning more about a vocation to the priesthood or religious life? Plan to attend one or more of these opportunities. Visit for more information. Discover the Road Less Traveled- 6:30 pm. For men ages Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12, Dec. 10 Women Seeking the Road Less Traveled- 6:30 pm-for women ages Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12, Dec Sponsored by the Vocations Committee Music Ministry As we gear up to begin a new school year, the Music Ministry at Epiphany is hoping to recruit new volunteers to bring energy and excitement to the music program. Please watch for our recruitment notices in September, but in the meantime, we have an immediate need for dedicated volunteers to help with sound. If you possess technical and/or audio expertise we would need your help at all the Masses. We will probably need two or three volunteers to meet these needs. If you are interested please contact Spencer Schuyler at x270. Children s Choir It's almost time for Children's Choir to start up their ministry again! The Epiphany Children's Choir is made up of students from 2 nd through 8 th grade, and they rehearse on Wednesday evenings at the church. Returning members, keep an eye out for an from Ms. Kathleen about our first rehearsal. If you would like more information about joining the choir, Kathleen Aldrup - kathleen@epiphanycatholic.org. 6

7 Faith Formation Have you registered your children for faith formation classes? Classes begin September 20! Faith Formation classes are available for Kindergarten through 12th grade. Two consecutive years of faith formation are necessary for sacrament preparation. Keep in mind, faith formation is ongoing throughout our lives. The Mass...it never ends!! Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church 1530 Norwalk Drive Katy, TX Session Times: Grades 1-8: Sunday 3:30-5:00 Grades 9-12: Sunday 7:00-8:30 Grades K-8: Tuesday 4:45-6:00 Grades K-5: Wednesday 4:45-6:00 Grades K-12: Wednesday 6:30-7:45 Contact information:: Kindergarten through 5th grade: Phone: th through 12th grade: Phone

8 Outreach Ministry Outreach Events in September: Standing Meetings: Mon. Epiphany Job Networking at 7 p.m. in the PAC; Tues. Respect Life Rosary at 10 a.m. in the Chapel. 5th & 6th: Blood Drive Sign up 7th: Office Closed 10th: Gathering Place 10th: Caregivers Support Group 13th: Food Drive 12th & 13th: Blood Drive Sign up 14th: Bereavement Support Group 15th: Walking through Grief 19th: SVDP Training 20th: Blood Drive See for details. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT Grieving the loss of a loved one through death takes time. It is not uncommon for the period of grief to last two to five years. Many different levels of loss can be experienced during this time. The support of others who have had similar experience can help us be more patient and understanding with ourselves as we go through our time of grief. Please join us for our next gathering on Monday, September 14 in the PAC at 7 p.m. or on Tuesday September 15, in the PAC at 7 p.m. for Walking Through Grief a 9 week DVD lead support group. For more information contact Michelle at epiphanychurchhelp2grieve@gmail.com. BLOOD DRIVE September 20th Sign-up Today at tables outside church. New Sign-up online! If you can, please donate at this Blood Drive. If you will not be here, please donate at another location and remember Epiphany s Donor Group # is Monthly Food Drive Next Weekend! Our monthly Food Drive is scheduled for next weekend, September 13 th. We appreciate all of your help in keeping our food pantry well stocked. You may bring items such as canned goods, staple products, and household products. We especially need canned fruit and peanut butter. THE GATHERING PLACE For 10 years The Gathering Place at Epiphany has provided a few hours of respite for caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer s, Dementia, Parkinson s, Stroke and similar medical conditions. Not only do they organize and plan stimulating activities for the care recipients with memory loss each month: they are also attentive to their needs and treat each one just like family. We would like to acknowledge the group of volunteers and to thank them for their 16,000 hours of service. The next Gathering Place will be on September 10th at 10am. Bingo Prizes: Bingo is a favorite of our Gathering Place guests. We are in need of prizes for these games. Cute figurines from the $1 store, hand lotion, seasonal items, Beanie Babies or other small stuffed animals are great. Nothing big, nothing expensive. Drop off in Outreach Center. Caregiver s Support Group If you are feeling overwhelmed by the demands of caring for someone with an illness or disability come join us as we share the care giving experience, support one another and develop resources to assist you, the caregiver. We will be meeting on September 10th at 10a.m. in the PAC. For more information call Outreach at

9 Adult Faith Formation Adult Faith Formation Offerings: Fall 2015 Matthew: The King and His Kingdom: A 24-week DVD/small group series that begins Wednesday, September 2, 10 Noon. Acts: The Spread of the Kingdom: A 20-week DVD/small group series begins Monday, September 14, 7-9 pm. Spanish Bible Study In the PAC, Thursdays, 6:30 9:00 p.m. Catechist Modules: Modules begin September 9 Called to Be Mom September 9, 9:30 11:30 a.m. Scripture Study Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. Noon, begins September 15. RCIA: for adults desiring to become Catholic. Process begins September 15, 7:00 8:30 p.m. Contact louann@epiphanycatholic.org for more information on any of the above offerings. All of the above offerings are held in the Parish Activity Center. Faith Formation Registration For the school year Contact our office to request a FF registration form as well as additional information regarding faith formation or sacrament preparation: Sessions begin mid-september. CALLED TO BE MOM looks forward to welcoming everyone, NEW members and old friends on September 9. Join us for our Welcome Potluck with guest speaker Fr. Tom Lam. We meet in the Rec Room (PAC) from 9:30 11:30 a.m. each Wednesday. Contact ctbm.epiphany@gmail.com or call LouAnn at , ext. 283 for more information. VIRTUS: Protecting God s Children Original training session will be held at Epiphany Saturday, September 12 from 1:00 4:00 p.m. or Saturday, September 19 from 9:00 Noon in the Parish Activity Center (PAC). Pre-registration is mandatory at A valid identification must be presented at check-in. No late admittance is allowed. If you are over 18 and active in ministry at Epiphany, you must be VIRTUS trained. All adult parishioners, ESPECIALLY PARENTS, are encouraged to be VIRTUS trained! Questions? Need assistance with the registration process? Call the Faith Formation Office at No walk-ins! VIRTUS REFRESHER Keeping the Promise Alive (Virtus Refresher) will be held on Thursday, September 24 from 7:00 8:30 p.m. in the PAC. A valid ID must be presented at check-in. No Walkins! Preregistration is required at Contact louann@epiphanycatholic.org for username, password and registration instructions or call LouAnn at , ext No late admittance! KPA is required for all volunteers who attended the original VIRTUS: Protecting God s Children in 2010 or before. 9

10 Children s Faith Formation Faith Formation this year begins on Catechetical Sunday, September 20! Let s make a difference in our children s lives. Call ( ) or Beth Harvey (bharvey@epiphanycatholic.org) in the Faith Formation Office to get involved. The Faith Formation Volunteer Form can be located on our website, Epiphanycatholic.org under the Volunteer tab. While you are on the website, check out our Catechists Blog on the Parent and Catechists Page under Elementary Faith Formation. A list of remaining volunteer positions can be found on the blog. Epiphany Youth Ministry Join EYM with our catechists Eric Garner and Carli Harvey as they study the Bible on Monday nights in the Upper Room. We meet from 7:00-8:30 p.m. All high school students are invited to attend! Faith formation begins Sunday, September 20th. Please pray for our faith formation here at Epiphany as we prepare to welcome all of our students back to class. We look forward to this exciting new year! Calling ALL Volunteers! Thanks to all who have answered the call thus far. Our Catechists Workshop will be on Saturday, September 12 at 9 AM. We begin with prayer in the Chapel! We look forward to seeing our volunteers! We would like to extend a special thank you to our Called to Be Mom group for serving the ice cream on August 23, 2015 after the 11:30 AM Mass. Your commitment, dedication and devotion to our ministry are beyond measure! Thanks! Children s Liturgy of the Word is held during the 9:45 A. M. Mass and 11:30 A. M. Mass during Ordinary Time. No registration is required. Father will call the children forward to follow the CLW leader by grade level each Sunday and we walk to the choir room in the church. We break open the Word of God with the children using the Children s Lectionary. The children return to Mass after the prayers of the faithful to continue Mass with their families. All adults (18 years +) working with children are VIRTUS trained. If you are interested in serving on this team please call ( ) Beth Harvey or her at bharvey@epiphanycatholic.org. 10