Christ is Risen and has Ascended into Heaven Alleluia!

Transcription

1 Feast of the Ascension May 8, 2016 Christ is Risen and has Ascended into Heaven Alleluia!

2 Seventh Sunday of Easter Page 2 May 8, 2016 Congratulations! To our First Communion Candidates "With all the strength of my soul I urge you young people to approach the Communion table as often as you can. Feed on this bread of angels whence you will draw all the energy you need to fight inner battles. Because true happiness, dear friends, does not consist in the pleasures of the world or in earthly things, but in peace of conscience, which we have only if we are pure in heart and mind. ~ Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati On behalf of our parish staff, catechists and teachers, we want to extend our congratulations and prayers for our young people who have received their First Holy Communion. God bless you all. Fr. Dennis Olivia Ceraso Joseph Epkey Nathan Esch Skylar Fowler Jonathan Fowler Robert Goerge Gabriel Halfmann Marie Hamilton Johnathan Martin Saige Miller Braxton Myers Colt Nobach Hunter Olney Dylan Pline Aidan Riley Javier Sanchez Noah Schafer Xavier Simon Josie Simon Elizabeth Smith Quentin Smith Nicholas Smith Addison Spicer Trevor Spicer Michaela Spitzley Selena Stump Paige Thelen Olivia Thelen Collin Thelen Alexis Tiedt Elijah Vanneste Maria Wieber Rachel Wirth Brayden Witgen

3 Office Phone: Page 3 Website: mhtparish.com This week I have asked Paul Fahey to share with us. God Bless, Fr. Dennis Baptism has been on my mind recently. Two weeks ago, at the 8:30am Mass here, Fr.John Linden baptized Landon, Lily, and Charlotte Marvel. Their parents, Kurt and Elizabeth, were welcomed into the Catholic Church just a few weeks before at Easter. It was a beautiful service that I thought was made even more meaningful because the whole 8:30am congregation was able to witness it. After celebrating these baptisms with the Marvel family, my own family and I ran out to St. Patrick s parish in Portland to celebrate the baptism of our new goddaughter, Felicity. And just a couple months ago, my own daughter, Lucia Marie, was baptized here at MHT. With all of these wonderful celebrations in mind I wanted to share with you something that stood out to me about this Sacrament of Baptism. A couple of weeks before Easter was when Fr. John Linden baptized our daughter Lucia after the 10:30am Mass. During the rite of infant baptism, the priest or deacon twice asks the child s parents for their consent. The second time that Fr. John asked Kristina and I for our consent he said something that I had never heard before. He referenced the story of Hannah and her son, Samuel, in the Old Testament. In this story, Hannah was unable to have any children for many years, but after a desperate prayer in the temple, God blessed her and she conceived a son, Samuel. Hannah was so grateful that she vowed that once Samuel was old enough, she would dedicate him to the Lord. Hannah said, "I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD" (1 Sam 1:27-28). With this in mind, Fr. John asked Kristina and I if we were absolutely sure we wanted our daughter baptized, because after baptism she would no longer be ours to claim, she would be the Lord s daughter. Fr. John said that, like Samuel, our baby would be forever dedicated to God and that my wife and I would be stewards charged with loving and caring for her. To be entirely honest, when Father explained it this way I paused before I consented. It made me realize just how much God is asking of parents when we present our children for baptism. Not only is He asking us to trust Him with our baby (our first girl!), but He is also entrusting His daughter to our care. Think about that for a second, the God who created the universe and died for our sins is making me and my wife, broken and sinful people, caretakers of His child. The honor and responsibility God was asking of us was overwhelming. We have to remember that as much as we take those vows with the best of intentions, we are broken and sinful and will fall short of this promise. However, God does not leave us to figure it out on our own. As parents, we are strengthened by our own baptism and all of the other sacraments. Eucharist, Confession, and Marriage are all vehicles through which God gives us the wisdom to make good choices for our family day in and day out. We also have to remember that we are offering this child to God, which means that even when they don t make good choices or they fall away from the faith, we can trust that God will continue to be with them. We must recommit them to God on a daily basis and trust that He will guide them and take care of them. God also gives us a community of believers, the Church, to support us in our vocation as parents. Kristina and I were overwhelmed by all of the dinners and cards and support that the community here gave to us after Lucia was born. These simple things made us really feel like we were a part of a parish family. The Church also helps us fulfill our role as the first evangelizers and teachers of our children by not only helping to educate our children at the Catholic School or Religious Education, but also by making resources available to parents to help them grow in their own faith and relationship with Christ. So if you know of new parents or families that are struggling or going through a difficult time, be sure to pray for them and perhaps reach out in a small way with a meal or a card. If you yourself are struggling as a parent, turn to Christ in prayer and the Sacraments and ask for His strength and recommit your child to their Heavenly Father. Finally, please pray for the newest members of our Church, the children and adults, and welcome them as members of our parish family. Christ s Peace, -Paul Middle Eastern Food Festival: Our Lady s Society of St. Joseph Melkite Catholic Church presents a Lansing tradition, Middle Eastern Food Festival. Thursday, May 12 th and Friday, May 13 th from 11:00 am. till 8:00 pm. Enjoy delicious authentic Middle Eastern food. Plates from $7:00 to $13.00 a la carte. Eat in or take out. Church tours available, 725 West Mt. Hope Ave., Lansing 48910, Corner of Mt. Hope and Rundle. Free parking, elevator access. 10% of proceeds will benefit St. Vincent Catholic Charities Legacy of Hope, Future of Hope Education Trust Fund Campaign (ETF) As a reminder, please return your ETF campaign pledge card in the weekly collection or to the parish office. Contributions to the MHT ETF are a perpetual donation; the earmarked funds grow and create spendable income year after year that support all MHT religious education needs for pre-school through youth ministry, Most Holy Trinity School, adult formation and various efforts of further development and deepening of biblical knowledge and spirituality. The faith we help nurture will serve not only in this life, but in the next, and it is by far, the most important thing we do. Sponsor of the Week Our thanks to the many businesses that make it possible for the bulletin to be cost-free to our parish. Hengesbach s Processing

4 Seventh Sunday of Easter Page 4 May 8, 2016 Announcements T-Loop Over the past few years I ve meeting with Brian and Debra Schutte, researchers with CoSage (Community based Cooperative for Studies Across Generations) at Michigan State University. We re discussing an issue that affects all of us, hearing loss. They have specifically been researching hearing loss in parishes and churches. One of their goals has been to apply for grant money to install a t-loop in our church. You might know that St. Joseph Parish in Pewamo has installed a t-loop in their parish church. I hear good things about it. The t-loop makes it possible for any hearing aid or hearing assistance device to create a clear, sharp sound for listeners. These past couple years their request for grant money has been turned down. Brian and Debra have shared with me that the cost for our parish to install a t-loop would be approximately $5, to $10, here at Most Holy Trinity. I met with Brian and Debra this past Thursday and they shared with me that they are looking into some smaller grants to help churches with hearing loss challenges. For example, some of the areas they are looking into are: helping to train readers in being more sensitive to people with hearing loss as they proclaim the Scriptures, helping churches with their present sound systems and helping maximize their effectiveness, putting on some demonstrations for parishioners on how to use their hearing devices effectively in church, etc. I plan on sharing this with the parish council at our next meeting. If you would be interested in knowing more about my discussion with Brian and Debra or if you would like to share with me your concerns, please me fr.dennis@hotmail.com or give me a call. Fr. Dennis Holy Hour to End Abortion Please join us on Monday s and Wednesday s at 10:00 am. for a holy hour to pray for women thinking about having an abortion. This is the hour that the women begin to arrive at the abortion clinic on Mt. Hope in Lansing. We pray in church here at Most Holy Trinity. We have provided the prayer below that we pray during the holy hour. Prayer Eternal Father, you are the Creator of Life. You came to earth as both fully human and fully God to show your love for us. You even started your time on earth as a baby in Blessed Mary s womb. For all these little babies who have been tortured, dismembered and killed by Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry, I pray that all these little souls will be given eternal life by Our Lord Jesus Christ, through His Divine Mercy. Furthermore, Lord we ask that You grant wisdom to America s citizens and elected leaders in government to immediately end all taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, which kills more that 325,000 babies in the womb each year. For the duty of government is to protect innocent human life, not destroy it. Please give us the courage to keep fighting this evil. Please fill our hearts with hope and joy because of Your promise that the faithful will spend eternity with You. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Principal of Most Holy Trinity School Anne Hufnagel AnneH@mhtparish.com MHT School Connecting Faith to Life Important Dates: Tuesday, May 10 Tuesday, May 10 Wednesday, May 11 Tuesday, May 17 8:15 a.m./may Crowning Grandparent/Special Person Day 5 th 8 th Grade Field Trip to Air Zoo 8:15 a.m. Grandparent/Special Person Day: MHT School will be hosting grandparents and other special guests for Mass, refreshments, and a fun activity on Tuesday, May 10. Grandparents and special guests can be watching their mailbox for a special invitation. Open Invitation: Families interested in learning more about MHT School can do so in a number of ways. Our Wednesday ambassador program features two eighth grade students giving tours from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. On the first Sunday of most months you can stop by the school for coffee and visit with the principal or other staff member from 9:45 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. The next one is scheduled for Sunday, June 5. If neither of these work for you, please stop in the school office or contact us at and school@mhtparish.com to schedule an appointment at your convenience. Registration: Registration for Most Holy Trinity School is now underway. You can use the following URL or QR code to register. If you want more information or have any questions about the school, please feel free to contact the office. Only in human weakness do many of us begin to rely on God and explicitly repudiate our own divine ambitions. Every pain alerts us to the fact that we are not the Almighty. from Life Issues, Medical Choices Director of Youth Ministry Mary Schomisch - mhtyouthmary@gmail.com Spots for the summer Steubenville youth conference are still available on a first come, first serve basis. To sign up, turn in registration form and a $100 deposit to the parish office or to youth group events. Registration forms are found online on the parish website under the youth ministry tab. he Knights of Columbus would like to T extend our congratulations to the young people of our parish for making their First Holy Communion. Congratulations!!! Bulletin Sponsorship This week, Michael Lenz, a representative from our bulletin publisher, Diocesan Publications, will be seeking new and renewing present parish bulletin ads. If you are interested in advertising please call the parish office for contact information. We feel this is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to increase their visibility in the community. Advertising in the bulletin allows this publication to be printed each week at no cost to the parish.

5 Office Phone: Page 5 Website: mhtparish.com 3rd Publication: Trent Feldpausch & Chelsea Miller The Rosary is prayed before the 8:15 a.m. weekday Mass. The intention for this week is to pray for all mother s, that God will give them the graces that they need to raise their children to be strong in the Catholic Faith. Please pray for our friends and relatives who are sick or recovering especially: Frieda Gallagher, Carl Stump, Regina Martin, Sean Dush, Evan Pung, Charlene Thelen, Davison Curtin, Jeffrey Lee Thelen, Luke Martin, Sara Sanchez, Melissa Schulte, Kenny Briganti, Sharon (Thelen) Droste, Theresa Fox, Marie Hengesbach, Edward Wohlscheid, Linda Rogala, Sarah Weber, Jean Schafer, Don Simon, Roman Arens, Roy Frechen, Julie Wieber Schafer, Irene (Luttig) Weber, Maryann Esch, Bill Barns, Bob Marshall, Dennis Smith, Sandy Herta, Fr. Bill Koenigsknecht, Dick Rehmann, Cindy Russell, Pam (Thelen) Stump, Janet Simmon, Scott Kus, Steve Thelen, Tracy Schmitt, Msgr. Sylvester Fedewa, Ken Weber and a special intention. Please contact the parish office to inform us when we can add or remove a person s name from the list. Thank you. Let us also keep in our prayers all those from the Parish Community who are in the Armed Services. Readings for the Week of May 8, 2016 Monday Acts of the Apostles 19:1-8; Psalms 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab; John 16:29-33 Tuesday Acts of the Apostles 20:17-27; Psalms Wednesday 68:10-11, 20-2; John 17:1-11a Acts of the Apostles 20:28-38; Psalms 68:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab; John 17:11b-19 Thursday Acts of the Apostles 22:30, 23:6-11; Psalms 16:1-2a, and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11; John 17:20-26 Friday Scarlett Madonna Sleep; Daughter Benjamin & Katrin (Krieger) Sleep. We welcome Scarlett to our parish family. Acts of the Apostles 25:13b-21; Psalms 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab; John 21:15-19 Saturday Acts of the Apostles 1:15-17, 20-26; Psalms 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; John 15:9-17 Vigil: Genesis 11:1-9 or Exodus 19:3-8a, 16-20b or Ezekiel 37:1-14 or Joel 3:1-5; Psalms 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-28, 29, 30; Romans 8:22-27; John 7:37-3 Our Parish Stewardship God s Treasure at Most Holy Trinity Amount needed each week....$13, April 30 & May 1 Collection... 11, Shortage , Envelopes used: 190 of Monday - May 9 7:00 p.m. + Richard Parsons, Including Barbara & Marian Tuesday - May 10 8:15 a.m. + Marvin Simon Wednesday May 11 6:00 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations 7:00 p.m. + Living & Deceased Members of the Fowler Knights of Columbus Thursday May 12 8:15 a.m. + Ann (Pohl) Edinger & Living & Deceased Members of the Family Friday May 13 8:15 a.m. + Marian Guenther Saturday - May 14 8:15 a.m. + Isidore & Geneva Wohlscheid & Living & Deceased Members of the Family 1:00 p.m. Wedding of Trent Feldpausch & Chelsea Miller. 4:30 p.m. + Ken A. Thelen & Living & Deceased Members of the Family Sunday - May 15 8:30 a.m. + John Klein, Including Mary & Jake & Living & Deceased Members of the Family 10:30 a.m. People of the Parish Ushers for Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15 4:30 p.m. - Jim Koenigsknecht, Luke Hufnagel, Kevin Feldpausch, Volunteer 8:30 a.m. Tim Koenigsknecht, Paul Pung, Ryan Pung, Kurt Koenigsknecht 10:30 a.m. - Joe Theis, Terry Theis, Tyler Theis, Jarud Koenigsknecht Mass Servers for Saturday & Sunday, May 14 & 15 4:30 p.m. Savannah & Charlie Boak, Kaitlyn & Holly Schmitz 8:30 a.m. - Tony Hufnagel, Randy Koenigsknecht, Mason Pline, Katherine Smith 10:30 a.m. - Madison & McKenzie Koenigsknecht, McKenzie Feldpausch, Mariele Feldpausch Mass Servers During This Week Mon., 7:00 p.m. - Amy Feldpausch, Allysa Feldpausch Tues., 8:15 a.m. - MHT School Wed., 7:00 p.m. - Cody Johnson, Ryan Kirvan Thur., 8:15 a.m. - Andrew & John Irrer Fri., 8:15 a.m. - Volunteer Sat., 8:15 a.m. - Logan, Zoe & Trinity Kramer Most Holy Trinity May 8, 2016 Pastor - Fr. Dennis Howard Parish Office Hours 8am-12pm & 1pm-3pm To Contact Us: Parish Office: Fax: office@mhtparish.com Website: mhtparish.com Most Holy Trinity School: