Finding time for God seems to be a

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1 St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church TIME TO REFOCUS OURSELVES ON WHAT TRULY MATTERS The Christian Experience Weekend DEC 2016 Finding time for God seems to be a continual battle. Surrounded by countless responsibilities and distractions, far too often, our prayer life ends up becoming lost at the bottom of our list of priorities. Then, without even realizing it, we begin simply going through the motions with our faith not living it to its fullest. Parishioner Bill Doucette found himself in just such a rut 10 years ago when he attended his first Christian Experience Weekend. Thanks to the opportunities for reflection that I had there, I was able to realize that I had not been living my faith as fully as I could, Bill says. I was putting my time into too many things. At the CEW, I was able to truly focus on God not having anything else to do or plan. Born out of the Cursillo Movement the Christian Experience Weekend is an Parishioners Bill and Jane Doucette are grateful to serve as the parish representatives for the Christian Experience Weekend, both having been positively impacted by this opportunity for spiritual growth and renewal. opportunity for adults to renew their faith. Generally gender exclusive, each CEW begins Friday at 8 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 4 p.m. The weekend is designed to provide adults with the opportunity to more deeply experience themselves in relationship to God and the Christian community. This is done in a variety of ways, from whole and small group sessions to individual opportunities for prayer and reflection. The purpose of the program is to help adults examine their own faith and their relationship with Jesus to stimulate Catholic adults to become more engaged and active in their faith, says Bill, who coordinates the CEW here at St. Mary s with his wife, Jane. Since his own first Christian Experience Weekend, Bill has been at countless CEWs serving in various volunteer capacities. In the process, he has seen the Holy Spirit work again and again, breaking down barriers and moving in men and women s hearts. I truly believe that I have witnessed the Holy Spirit working through these men, Bill says. It is truly inspiring to see the acts of the Holy Spirit being poured out and continued on back cover

2 2 A Modern Model of Sainthood St. Teresa of Calcutta In the dark final years of the Cold War, a small woman standing at barely five feet tall offered a living counternarrative to the inhibiting fear undergirding our daily lives and our foreign affairs. Instead of living in fear, Mother Teresa acted out of love. Instead of withdrawing and isolating herself, she gave tirelessly to others. Many of us harbor a personal connection to this saint, for we lived during the height of the media coverage of Mother Teresa s work and her friendships with Pope St. John Paul II and the beloved Princess Diana. Long before she received the name Mother Teresa and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born on Aug. 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia, the crossroads of the Balkans. The youngest of three children, Mother Teresa was raised predominately by her mother after her father s death, when she was about 8 years old. Dranafile (Drana) Bojaxhiu, Mother Teresa s mother, undoubtedly became a strong influence on her daughter s vocation, since Drana herself was a devout Catholic and known for her prayer life and her charity. Agnes attended a Catholic primary school and, following the example of her mother, became active in their parish and sang in Sacred Heart s choir. As a young person, Agnes enjoyed reading the lives of the saints while immersing herself in the stories of these holy men and women, Agnes first felt the stirring call to become a missionary. At the age of 18, Agnes traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to join the Sisters of Loreto. She became Sr. Mary Teresa, named after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and began to learn English. Within a few months of arriving in Ireland, she left for India. In India, Sr. Mary Teresa lived at the Loreto Entally community in Calcutta, where she served as an educator and taught at St. Mary s School. After her final profession, she became Mother Teresa and, a few years later, began serving as the school s principal. On an ordinary day, Mother Teresa received an extraordinary call. While on a train ride to her annual retreat, Mother Teresa felt what she would describe as Jesus thirst for souls. Soon, Jesus called her to found the Missionaries of Charity, an order devoted to serving the poorest of the poor. The order formally began on Oct. 7, 1950, and has grown from one woman tending the sick and dying in the streets of Calcutta to over 4,500 religious sisters helping the poor in over 130 countries around the world. Additionally, the order grew to include the Missionaries of Charity Brothers, the Missionaries of Charity Fathers and the Lay Missionaries of Charity. Though externally Mother Teresa joyfully and indefatigably served the poor for nearly 50 years, during the majority of this time, she experienced a dark night of the soul, an extensive period of not feeling God s presence or hearing His voice. Other saints, notably St. John of the Cross, similarly experienced a dark night of the soul. Despite this spiritual struggle, Mother Teresa continued her work joyfully throughout her sickness and until her death on Sept. 5, Pope St. John Paul II beatified Mother Teresa in Fittingly, this year, a pontiff who has underscored the importance of social justice celebrated her canonization. On Sept. 4, 2016, Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa, the Saint of the Gutters, at the Vatican. St. Teresa of Calcutta offers us an example of ceaseless prayer and selfless service. She is a modern model of sainthood that we can emulate in our daily lives starting with how we serve and treat the other members of our family, our faith community and all those with whom we interact on a daily basis. St. Teresa of Calcutta, Pray for Us!

3 St. Mary of the Visitation A Letter From Our Pastor Advent: Moving Toward a Time of Fulfilled Hope Dear Parishioners, There is never a time during the year when we cannot pause and reflect on who and what we are and how we conduct our lives, both as a parish and as people of God. But this time of year in particular lends itself to just that. Advent is often called a season of hope. However, it is more than that. We have choices and decisions to make at this time. This is the time when we must acknowledge the need for us to change attitudes and to welcome the light of Christ s presence. In this way, we can contribute to bringing hope to a world that is starved for hope. Of course, we approach this time of year with a spirit of confident expectation, but now is the time for us to be awake to Christ, Whose presence is revealed as forgiveness, Whose peace reconciles our differences, and Whose hope should strengthen and lift up our hearts. We have pointed out that each and every day is an opportunity for a new beginning. Our new Church liturgical year began on the First Sunday of Advent. We understand that Advent is a time of preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord Christmas but I would remind you that it is much more than that for us Catholics and Christians. It is a time for us to prepare for Christ s Second Coming, as well. Much of what we do, our Scripture readings, our prayers, our traditions are built on that reality. One of the traditions in our Church and in many of our homes is an Advent wreath. That custom is filled with meaning. The wreath tends to be circular in shape with four candles three purple and one rose. The color purple is very evident at this time of year, just as it is during Lent. Purple represents prayer, penance, sacrifice, and good works. On the Third Sunday of Advent, though, we light the rose candle. That is Gaudete Sunday, a day of rejoicing. Throughout Advent, the candles are lit in progression each week. This builds on the idea of expectation and hope that we may see as Christ s first coming into the world, but we must also keep in mind that, at the same time, we are anticipating His Second Coming. We cannot ask ourselves often enough, Are we ready? Jesus and St. Paul and others remind us often that we do not and cannot know the time and the place. The point is that the time is now for us. Yes, this is a time of hope, but we are heading toward a time of fulfilled hope. God bless you and yours at this special time of year. Grace and Peace, Fr. Steve Witt Pastor 3

4 Behind-the-Scenes Work Prov It s a ministry that most of us probably never consider. But those in the Altar Linen Ministry work behind the scenes, properly and prayerfully making sure the items used during Mass are clean and ready for each celebration. Natalie Odilo, ministry coordinator, says the number of ministry members 25 enables each person to be responsible for the altar linens two weeks during the year. Most like to have two consecutive weekends, she says. It s nice to serve the church, and it s not a huge burden. It s very manageable. The ministry members collect the used altar linens after their assigned Masses. These items include the hand towels used during Mass by the priest; the purificators cloths used to wipe the rim of the chalice; and the large corporals larger cloths that are placed under the chalice and paten during Mass. The items also include the dishcloths and towels the celebrant uses to clean the vessels in the sacristy after each Mass. There is a protocol that the ministry members follow when laundering the linens. The corporals and purificators are soaked first to dissolve any crumbs from the hosts, as well as any Precious Blood. The items are wrung out over the soaking container, and that water is taken outside and poured into the ground. Any water used in the soaking cannot be poured down the drain into the sewage system out of reverence for the Body and Blood of Christ. Once the initial soaking is done, the items can be laundered as usual. While the ministers are mindful of the solemnity of their work, and take the utmost care in handling the items possibly holding crumbs from the consecrated hosts, or stains from the Precious Blood, it is during the ironing of the purificators and corporals that they make a prayerful connection to God. We don t put the purificators and corporals in the dryer, Natalie says. It is helpful to iron them while they are still wet. And a lot of people find this relaxing and meditative. It s quiet, you have the Special care is given when ministry members launder the purificator, mindful it may contain traces of the Body and Blood of Christ. The corporal placed under the paten makes sure the consecrated hosts are kept secure. 4

5 St. Mary of the Visitation ides Prayerful Opportunities ironing board, and there s the hiss from the steam. It can be prayerful at that time. I think a large majority of the ministers have that prayerful encounter. It brings them closer to Jesus, and the fact that they re handling the linens used in the celebration, they enjoy that connection. I think, I m handling the corporal that is analogous to the burial cloth of Christ. Anything that allows you to participate with the presentation of the Mass, which we do indirectly, provides us with another way of making a connection to the Mass. Many in the ministry take part because they want to feel they are supporting the church, Natalie says. Natalie likes to be active in the church and is happy to help in any way she can. She joined the Altar Linen Ministry when she learned about it after joining the Liturgical Commission. It s a very special thing to touch these holy objects, and be a part of the celebration of the Mass, she says. Natalie became the coordinator when the woman who had that duty decided to retire, and asked Natalie if she could take over the responsibility. She knew I was willing to fill in, she says. The hand towels the priest uses during the washing of his hands are among the items cared for by the Altar Linen Ministry. A lot of people find this relaxing and meditative. It s quiet, you have the ironing board, and there s the hiss from the steam. It can be prayerful at that time. I think a large majority of the ministers have that prayerful encounter. It brings them closer to Jesus, and the fact that they re handling the linens used in the celebration, they enjoy that connection. Natalie Odilo Anyone who is interested in joining the Altar Linen Ministry may call the parish office at

6 Jenna and Nathan Gibbs are excited to join the community of St. Mary s. Making a J Meet Nathan Gibbs, O One beautiful thing about music is how it can provide a respite from the busyness and stress of life, as Nathan Gibbs certainly knows. People talk about being in the zone or the flow where everything drops away, Nathan says. [With music] your troubles from the day melt away and you get to make a beautiful sound. Every once in a while, you meet someone with a talent and passion that just exudes from their being and overflows, sharing joy with all those they encounter. Nathan, our new Choir Director here at St. Mary s, is one of those people. Born and raised in Iowa City, Nathan fell in love with the beauty of music at a young age. From learning piano and viola at Preucil School of Music, to taking voice lessons in high school, and even studying music and voice at Iowa State, music has always been a part of Nathan s life. After college, he began a career in engineering, working for IBM, which moved him all over the country. However, even during this time, his love of music was steadfast. From forming a band with friends, to singing at weddings, and various other choirs, he always found ways to use his musical gifts. During his time living in Pennsylvania, he began serving as the organist and cantor for two rural parishes, and it was there that his love of liturgical music truly flourished. So, when Nathan, his wife, Jenna, and their dog, Data, returned home to Iowa City and found that St. Mary s was looking for a choir director, it seemed to be the perfect fit. St. Mary s has always had a special place in Nathan s heart. Although he was raised United Methodist, Nathan s grandmother, Josephine Gibbs, was a longtime parishioner at St. Mary s and he would often attend Mass with her. Just over two years ago, Nathan and Jenna were married at St. Mary s, where Jenna grew up playing basketball. 6

7 St. Mary of the Visitation oyful Noise ur New Choir Director Nathan looks forward to becoming part of the community at St. Mary s and leading the choir each Sunday. When I started [doing music] in the Catholic Church specifically, I [realized] how much I like making music in church, Nathan says. You re not just trying to be a virtuoso, you re making a joyful noise to the Lord, and that adds a much different dimension. It s very joyful and rewarding to be able to make music in church. Ever since we moved back, I d been wanting to find some way to go back to making music in church. Nathan hopes that participating in the choir will be not only an opportunity to glorify God through music, but also a chance to build community among parishioners. There s two dimensions to [the role of the choir], he says, One is, we serve to make the liturgy more meaningful and to engage the congregation more. We want to deepen the experience that the congregation has. We can help people be better Christians by helping them enjoy the liturgy and the music in the liturgy. The other dimension is that, I try to build a choir family, if you will, Nathan continues. We try to recruit the youngest, and the oldest folks we can get, and try to make this fun. This can be a lifetime skill and lifetime experience, if you choose. None of us as singers are quite complete [as individuals] everybody has strengths and weaknesses, but when you get together and work as one, all of those imperfections fall away, you get a whole lot more than the sum of the parts. Being a part of something bigger really does lift your day and deepen your experience of the Mass. You pay more attention to what s going on in the Mass, you listen to the lyrics in the songs, and you get a wonderful feeling because it s so much better than you could have done on your own. Nathan Gibbs, Choir Director He hopes that the experience of singing in the choir will also deepen the members experience of the Mass. Being a part of something bigger really does lift your day and deepen your experience of the Mass, Nathan says. You pay more attention to what s going on in the Mass, you listen to the lyrics in the songs, and you get a wonderful feeling because it s so much better than you could have done on your own. Nathan encourages those who are interested in joining the choir, which sings at the 9:30 a.m. Mass, to contact him. Or, he says that you can simply show up at the choir s weekly rehearsal, which takes place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday nights, in the church. We don t need well-trained singers, Nathan says. As long as you have the desire to make a joyful noise to the Lord, we ll take you and have a wonderful time doing it. We usually have cookies! he adds. If you would like more information on becoming part of the choir, or to welcome Nathan and Jenna Gibbs to the parish, please contact Nathan at Nathan.gibbs@gmail.com. 7

8 St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church 302 E. Jefferson St. Iowa City, IA (319) Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 100 Iowa City, Iowa Return Service Requested The Christian Experience Weekend continued from front cover to spend time with such holy men and women who are all deeply committed to living out their faith. Beyond the weekend itself, says Bill, the CEW inspires participants to become more actively involved in their own faith communities. The program stresses the importance of Christian community, which strengthens us on the path to holiness. It also provides numerous examples of active discipleship through the many priests, religious and laypeople that make the retreats possible. You hear these men witness about their lives oftentimes sharing deeply personal information and it really is so powerful, Bill says. It models how to grow in the faith life. Participants start seeing all of the things that others are doing. And you see how happy they are when they share about their involvement in the Church, making you desire that for yourself, as well. Rather than being an end in and of itself, the CEW is meant to be the beginning of a deeper and more focused relationship with Christ an opportunity to become inspired and to re-center ourselves around Him. Held at the St. Mary Education Center in Riverside, Iowa, the upcoming women s retreat will be held Feb , while the men s will be Feb The cost for the retreat is $50, providing both food and lodging for the weekend. Scholarships are also available for those in need. A sign-up table with brochures and further information will be provided at upcoming Masses. Parishioners can also contact Bill and Jane Doucette at or wrdoucette77@gmail.com to learn more about this opportunity. LITURGY SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil: 5:30 p.m. Sunday: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 a.m. Mon-Fri: 12:10 p.m. Reconciliation: Saturdays 10-11:30 a.m.