ST. AGNES CHURCH. Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. October 22, 2017

Transcription

1 ST. AGNES CHURCH Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time October 22, 2017 Rev. Vincent L. Parsons Pastor Rev. Michael E. Wetovick Associate Pastor Sr. Vera Meis, C.S.J. Pastoral Minister Mass Schedule: (October - May) Saturday: 4:00 pm Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 am (June - September) Saturday 6:00 pm Sunday: 8:00 & 10:00 am Monday, Tues, Wed, Friday 7 am Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays one hour prior to evening Mass or by appointment ( ) Sacrament of Baptism Please call the Parish Office 2314 Third Avenue, Scottsbluff, Nebraska (308) Mailing address: PO Box 349, Scottsbluff, NE Fax: Website: Parish Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9am - Noon & 1pm - 4pm

2 Page 2 Year A October 22, 2017 Saint Agnes Catholic Church Today s Readings Isaiah 45:1,4-6 Psalm 96 1Thessalonians 1:1-5b Matthew 22:15-21 Parish Administration (308) / (308) (Fax) office@st-agnes-church.com Pastor Rev. Vincent L. Parsons (ext. 2) pastor@st-agnes-church.com Pastoral Minister Sr. Vera Meis (ext. 4) srvera@st-agnes-church.com Director of Religious Education Mrs. Terri Calvert (ext.5) dre@st-agnes-church.com Church Office Manager Mrs. Danni Koeteman (ext. 3) office@st-agnes-church.com School Head Teacher Mrs. Julie Brown ( ) office@stagnesonline.org School Office Manager Kristie Neilan ( ) office@stagnesonline.org Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Next weekend is WORLD MISSION SUNDAY! Let me share with you one of the many touching missionary activities of the late Mother Teresa, which touched my life. She said: "In our schools we give free bread and milk to all children. One day, I noticed that one little girl took the bread, wrapped it with paper and put it in her small bag. I asked her why she was not eating the bread and she told me: 'My mother is very sick at home. We have no food in the house at all and I want to take this bread for her to eat.'" The bread was necessary for the child to survive, but she did not think of herself, she remembered her mother who was very sick. She was willing to sacrifice her life so that her mother will live. If a child can do such a LIFE-GIVING action, how much more for us adults. St. John Paul II encouraged us to be immersed in the missionary works of the Universal Church, when he said: "Let the Gospel be the measure and guide of life's decisions and plans! Then you will be missionaries in all you do and say, and wherever you work and live you will be signs of God's love, credible witnesses to the loving presence of Jesus Christ." We know very well that we are wrapped up in a very challenging situation of the Church as well as the uncertainty of the economy of the country. Yet, if we listen to the Pope's urgings of becoming "signs of God's love" to others and emulate the child's LIFE-GIVING action, our faith will surely nourish us with the needed energy to rise from these trying times and become "credible witnesses to the loving presence of Jesus Christ" in the world. We become weavers of hope for our brothers and sisters living in other countries ravaged by violence and war as well as those living in poverty and hunger. And most of all, we become a Church where no one is so poor as to have nothing to give, and no one is so rich as to have nothing to receive. So next weekend, as we celebrate WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, please be generous in your prayers and financial support for the missionary works of the Universal Church. Monday, Oct 23, 2017 Daily Mass (7am) Intention: Priests/Religious by Jerry & Eileen Young Communal Rosary (4:45pm) Liturgy of the Hours (5:05pm) Tuesday, Oct 24, 2017 Daily Mass (7am) Intention: Fr. Andrew Augustyn Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) RCIA (7pm) Location: Garden Room Wednesday, Oct 25, 2017 Daily Mass (8:15am) Intention: Jerry & Eileen Young Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Contemplative Prayer (6:00pm) This Week s Schedule Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 Mass at Heritage (9:30am) Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Friday, Oct 27, 2017 Daily Mass (7am) Intention: Jack Bussey by Family Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Saturday, Oct 28, 2017 Weekend Mass (4:00pm) Intention: For the Parish Sunday, Oct 29, 2017 Weekend Mass (8:00am) Intention: Felix Koenig by Paul & Jane Pieper Weekend Mass (10:30am) Intention: Souls Faithful Departed

3 Page 3 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Parish News Finance Corner Veterans & those serving in the military who have attended or now attend St. Agnes Church will be honored November 11 &12 in the bulletin. Please send info including a picture to: chriswolf74@yahoo.com or call the parish office ( ). Needed are the person s name, branch of service and dates of service. If you have a photo that needs scanning, bring it to the parish office. All photos will be returned to you. November 1st is the deadline for submission. Please note: This year there will not be the traditional Fall Dinner at St. Agnes. Instead, on December 3rd a parish dinner will be held to wrap up the St. Agnes Centennial year. Please save "Best Choice" bar codes! The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) of the Grand Island Diocese is collecting bar codes from "Best Choice" products. The DCCW turns the codes in for cash, using it to help with their on going project for clean water wells in Haiti. "Best Choice" products have recently been stocked in several grocery stores. Please clip codes, put in an envelope marked "Best Choice" and drop in the Sunday collection basket. Thanks from DCCW! Sunday Collections & ATW Giving October 15, 2017 Actual $ Budget $ Surplus (Deficit) $ Diocesan Appeal $ October 2017 Totals Actual $ ATW $ Budget $ Surplus (Deficit) $ Coming soon! It may seem too soon, but Advent is about a month away. The Catholic Daughters will be featuring Advent and Christmas items at their table in the Gathering Space next weekend, October 28 & 29. Shop now! Next Weekend s Ministers LECTORS Oct 27 4pm Chris Burbach Oct 28 8am Carol Herman 10:30am Krystal Rodriguez SERVERS Oct 27 & 28 4pm Gregg Hartman Clancee Ott 8am Addison Peck, Emily Esselstein 10:30am Jazmine Golden Sam McCaslin ST AGNES SCHOOL S PREMIERE - NOV This year's Premiere event, "Puttin' On The Ritz," is proud to a offer a camper for the family who wants to make lots of happy memories exploring the great outdoors. Plan to walk through this unit on Saturday, October 21 after the 4pm Mass and on Sunday, October 29 after the 8am and 10:30 Masses. It will be located in the alley between the church & school. ROAD TRIP!! Caring Conversations St. Agnes Church is sponsoring Caring Conversations about End of Life Decisions to allow participants to be able to clearly think about end-of-life issues before decisions have to be made. The final session is this evening, Sunday, October 22 at 6:30pm. Speaking will be Fr. Vince on the topic of the Catholic Church Traditions & Funeral Liturgies. Everyone is welcome to attend. Make your pledge now! Appeal envelopes are in the message centers. Please return yours this weekend to the collection basket or mail to: St. Agnes Church PO Box 349, Scottsbluff THANK YOU! This Week s Readings Monday: Rom 4:20-25; Lk 1:69-75; Lk 12:13-21 Tuesday: Rom 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21; Ps 40:7-10, 17; Lk 12:35-38 Wednesday: Rom 6:12-18; Ps 124:1b-8; Lk 12:39-48 Thursday: Rom 6:19-23; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Lk 12:49-53 Friday: Rom 7:18-25a; Ps 119:66, 68, 76-77, 93-94; Lk 12:54-59 Saturday: Eph 2:19-22; Ps 19:2-5; Lk 6:12-16 Sunday: Ex 22:20-26; Ps 18:2-4, 47, 51; 1 Thes 1:5c-10; Mt 22:34-40

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5 Page 5 The Road Taken The folklore of all cultures is filled with stories of fateful choices. People find themselves in front of two doors one door leading to disaster, one to untold bliss. Robert Frost s famous poem The Road Not Taken underscores the fact that our lives are forever changed by the choices we make. Week after week, we are offered a choice to declare to others and to our God whom we belong to the small god of money and possessions, or the great God whom Jesus called Abba (Jesus spoke Aramaic, and this word means Daddy or Papa). On Sunday some of us simply drop into the offertory basket what we think is good enough, or perhaps a habitual amount that we will never miss, or what we just happen to have in our pocket. How about a different approach? Whenever we receive a financial blessing, whether from a weekly paycheck, a personal allowance, an appreciation of investments, a sales bonus, or even a lottery windfall, first and foremost let s thank God for this blessing. Then take a portion the amount is up to us and share it gratefully with others: half to build up the Church, and the other half to good causes you favor. This places God as the highest priority in our lives. In gratitude for God s overwhelming love for us, we give back a portion of what we have received, and only then keep the rest for ourselves. The scriptures challenge us to give this first fruits, not the tiny part that s left over after we ve done what we want. Modern scientific research shows that people who give generously tend to live happier and longer lives. So becoming a grateful giver changes how we think about life, and makes us true stewards of God s constant blessings. Copyright 2010, World Library Publications. All rights reserved. Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary time From the Seminary No person can live without a country or God. Therefore, we have dual citizenship with the nation where we are born or reside and through baptism with the heavenly kingdom. Each citizenship accords one with individual rights but also demands acceptance of specified responsibilities. Jesus,in the Gospel today, reminds us that while we have an allegiance to God and country, it is essential to distinguish our obligations to God from those that belong to the nation. Our first loyalty is to God, which can never be superseded by a country s demands. Moral wrongdoing, when demanded by a government, does not permit us to turn away from God s expectations. Throughout history, an escalation of evilness occurs whenever a nation s citizens forget their first citizenship is with God. God recognizes the need for nations to exist. Governments provide society the mechanisms to properly function. Secular statutes assure the rights of all are maintained, provide support for those in distress, and protect the nation from invasion. Without man s rules to mediate between the people in society, disorder would be prevalent. A country s leaders, because of their focus on expanding the country s prestige and wealth, often lose their sense of right versus wrong. Countless numbers of people have experienced unnecessary suffering and death because of a breakdown in the morals of a nation. When the rule of man supersedes the laws of God, chaos will result. As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we must oppose moral evil even if it leads to our persecution by statute. In safeguarding morality, however, one must avoid improperly interpreting God s word, thus allowing a new injustice to creep into the solution. For when a human uses God s law for his or her purposes, corruption of life and values will surely follow. God s handiwork can be seen in nations who wisely use the secular and sacred laws to govern wisely using both faith and reason. The extremes of theocracy or the atheism lead to a dysfunctional government and a nation on the brink of destruction. Today we see nations who strictly follow their interpretation of God s laws and disavow any secular component. In these extremist countries, it is difficult to elicit a level of reason when the leaders are screaming God wills it, God wills it to justify any action taken. Failure of anyone to comply with the demands of these theistic societies equates to sacrilege, and immediate death is the order to appease God. Such is the case with fanatic Islamic governments. Death to the infidels is a common expression as any nation attempts to reason with the extremist views of what God wants. We also see nations who suppress God by proudly proclaiming there is no Supreme Being. This attitude then allows governments to direct any course of action deemed desirable without any regrets of answering to God. People are no longer individuals, but instead become nonentities living only to comply with a directive satisfying a quota or as fodder on the front line during combat. The leaders of these Godless nations thwart any independent thinking as it may compromise their pre-eminence of control. Well-known examples of these governments are the communist nations. It is evident that humans need a balance between secular and sacred laws, but under the wise guidance of God. For given the opportunity to operate a government, without God s essential guiding hand, humans tend to develop corruptive attitudes. Let us learn from the mistakes of others so that we as a nation will not repeat the horrors of history. Pray for our country to recognize that the more God is in our lives, the more that our respect for each other grows. May God Bless You.

6 Page 6 October 22, 2017 Religious Educa on Program dre@st-agnes-church.com Religious Education Office Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Matthew 22:15, On the Way to Mass: Have you ever felt caught in a trap? Where di you turn for help? On the Way Home From Mass: Is there a way tor reflect the sacred in the way you live? How? Living the Word: After lighting a candle, say a prayer with the family. Tell your children that there have always been clashes between civic law and what belongs to God. In today s Gospel, it is interesting that Jesus does not make a strict separation between the two. He says that we are to give what is due in each realm. The best thing is to live out the sacred in the secular. Encourage your family to discuss how doing homework and chores can reflect the love of God. Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families Find Us On Facebook Twitter: stagnes-church Instagram: st.agnescatholicchurch Parish Website Grade School (pre-school 5th grades) Formation Sessions will begin on Sunday, October 2nd from 9:15-10:15 a.m. in the school building. October Sunday Schedule: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th Halloween Carnival is Wednesday, October 25th in the school gym from 5:30-7 p.m. Come join the fun! Hosted by the Middle School and CYM (High School) youth. Middle School Formation Sessions (grades 6th-8th) meet from 7-8:15 p.m. in the school building. October Wednesday Schedule: 4th, 11th, 18th, & 25th* * Halloween Carnival 5:30-7 p.m. - in the school gym. High School (CYM) Formation Sessions youth gather in catechist s homes from 7-8:30 p.m. October Wednesday Schedule: 4th, 11th, 18th, & 25th* * Halloween Carnival 5:30-7 p.m. - in the school gym. 11th CYM October Schedule: 4th & 18th - Confirmation sessions 11th - meet in catechist s home 25th - Halloween Carnival 5:30-7 p.m. in the school gym Wednesday, October 25th 5:30-7pm St. Agnes School Gym Come in costume and join the fun! Sponsored by the Middle School and High School Youth Raising the Bar with the Faith and Life series! Each week a grade will be featured in the bulletin outlining the curriculum. This week Fifth Grade is featured. Credo: I Believe is the title of the fifth grade curriculum. This year through studying the Creed and the development of salvation history, students are immersed in the Profession of Faith. They develop a deeper understanding of each component of the Creed as it is part of salvation history. Please take time during the week to review what your child (ren) learned this week in the religious formation sessions. Also, spend time this week helping prepare your child(ren) for upcoming weeks lesson. A syllabus is being provided to each student so parents can stay apprised as to the lesson that will be covered on a specific date.

7 Page 7 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary time Meet the Confirmation Candidates My name is Mykinzee Musfelt. My mom is Michelle, my stepfather is Russell and my sister is Myranda. I am a Junior at Mitchell High School. I am involved in Golf, Cheer, and Track. In Track I compete in the 100m hurdles and sometimes the 300m hurdles. After receiving the sacrament of confirmation I hope to help with the choir and help teach the younger religious formation classes. The Pope s Monthly Intention October 2017 Workers and the Unemployed That all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good. All Saints Day Wednesday, November 1st Mass Times: 7am - Noon - 7pm* *All Wednesday RE and CYM youth meet in the Church to celebrate Mass at 7pm Scripture Lessons: Matthew 22: Can t argue with love. A lawyer went to debate Jesus and toyed with him by asking for Jesus opinion about which law was the most important. There are more than 613 commands in the law and Jews had been debating that question for generations without coming to agreement on the answer. Encouraged by the Pharisees, the lawyer asked in the hopes of getting Jesus to say something against Jewish law so he could be discredited and perhaps arrested. Jesus silenced them all by saying that everything starts and ends with love love of God and love of each other. In fact, the Ten Commandments can be divided into two categories: those dealing with love for God (the first four) and those dealing with responsibilities toward others (the last six). In the end, it comes down to love. Even the Pharisees couldn t argue with that. Partners in Faith - October 2017 Parent Talk: My daughter, Terry, came home one day from school in tears. She said a classmate, Virginia, promised to beat her up on the bus, and Terry was unnerved. The driver confirmed the story and reported it to the school. I assured Terry that the school would keep her safe and, sure enough, we found out the next day that Virginia was suspended from the bus for three days. Terry was happy to hear that Virginia was being punished. I m glad she got in trouble, she said. Now she knows how it feels to be miserable. I hope she gets expelled from school. I explained that Jesus followers can never be happy when something bad happens to others. Even our enemies are God s children. We want justice, but not suffering. I asked Terry to work harder at being a friend to Virginia, or at least not to rejoice at her pain. Partners in Faith - October 2017 First Communion Parents Meeting Sunday, November 12th 9:30 a.m. In the Learning Center of the school

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9 October 22, 2017 Up Coming Events Monday, October 23rd Quarterly Awards - 8:15AM - Gym Kick off for Red Ribbon Week Wear your pajamas to school Visiting the Pumpkin Patch St. Agnes Pre-K 3 rd grade students enjoyed their annual visit to the Adams Family Pumpkin Patch. (See Story inside) Tuesday, October 24th Honor Roll Breakfast 7:30AM - Learning Center Muffins for Mom (K) - 8:15 AM -- Gym Parent/Teacher Conferences 5PM-9PM Wear your St. Agnes T-Shirt or navy blue shirt. Wednesday, October 25th Mass at 8:15AM Religious Ed Halloween Carnival 5:30PM-7:00PM Advisory Council - 7:00PM Wear superhero colors/shirt. Thursday, October 26th Doughnuts for Dad (K) - 8:15AM -- Gym Parent/Teacher Conferences 5PM-9PM Dress in your favorite team s color/shirt. Friday, October 27th NO SCHOOL St. Agnes Catholic School 205 E 23rd Scottsbluff, NE Ph: Fax: Red Ribbon Week St. Agnes School will be celebrating Drug Free week Oct Students will take part in a variety of activities to encourage living a healthy and drug free lifestyle. A note will come home with the students regarding these activities. Please watch for it. Box Tops Please turn in your Box Tops by Thursday, October 26th. The class with the most Box Tops will win a prize.

10 What s Happening at St. Agnes School... The Great Pumpkin After multiple cancellations due to weather conditions, students in Pre-K-3 rd grade s patience finally paid off when they were able to go in search of their GREAT PUMPKIN on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 10 & 11. Students enjoyed seeking for just the right pumpkin as well as trying the games and maze set up on the pumpkin patch grounds. Thanks to Cheryl Adams for inviting us to participate in this wonderful fall event. The students look forward to it every year. Enrichment in the Arts St. Agnes students continue to enjoy the opportunity to be enriched in the arts as they attend events hosted by the Midwest Theater. 3 rd -5 th grade students enjoyed the opportunity to watch 16 year old, Ethan Bortnik in concert on Thursday, Oct. 12. Bortnik is featured in the Guiness Book of World Records as the youngest artist ever to go on tour. On Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2 nd -5 th grade students enjoyed the Welsh Songfest where the Celtic band performed traditional reels, jigs and ballads from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Book Fair The Scholastic Book Fair will be held in the Learning Center during the week of October The fair will be open from 3:30-4:00 each day after school and from 5:00-9:00 p.m. on T/Th nights during conferences. Hot Lunch Menu for October 23rd - 27th Monday, 23rd Sweet & Sour Chicken over whole grain rice Peas & carrots Wheat roll & margarine Apple Helpers: Tom Tylee, Kat Tylee Tuesday, 24th Chili Cinnamon rolls Wheat crackers Peaches Helpers: Sheree Verbeck, Sarah Zeiler Wednesday, 25th Cheese pizza Fresh green salad Steamed broccoli Applesauce Helpers: Anna Merrigan, Tim Gonzales Thursday, 26th Lasagna roll-ups Green beans Corn Apricots Helpers: Sarah Zeiler Friday, 27th No School

11 School News... Mrs. Lori Svitak -- 2nd Grade Fall is upon us. The changing color of the leaves and the brisk morning air has gotten us into the Halloween mood! This gives us lots of ideas and opportunities for writing and art projects. This week we have studied about Christopher Columbus. We watched a movie about him that shows the importance of his journey across the open sea. We are also learning fire safety. We will be making a fire safety poster highlighting ways to stay safe. In math, we have worked on showing information on a graph, telling time to the hour and half hour, identifying ordinal positions, acting out story problems, identifying weekdays and weekends, attributes, and dividing a square in two equal parts. In science and reading we are at the end of our units. So that means a big test is coming. I am sure that the students will do well. We enjoyed our time at the pumpkin patch today. We were lucky to score a sunny day after all the rain we have had. The children running through the field was a wonderful sight. They were so excited to find just the right pumpkin. Happy Birthday to Emilano Ramirez. Have a safe Halloween! Mrs. Lana Payne -- Library Students have been busy checking out books and working on their October Reading Incentive goals. They have also found time to read some fun and interesting books for pleasure. They really enjoy the National Geographic Kids books which are full of fun, but weird, true facts! They are reading as many graphic novels as they can find! In the old days, we might have called a graphic novel a comic book. However graphic novels are longer and have a more complex plot. The Library has recently added several new books to the shelves. We ve added five new titles by Roald Dahl, a six book set from the Nancy Drew series, Golden Sower nominees, as well as this year s Caldecott, Newbery, Coretta Scott King and Dr. Seuss award winning books. The next big event for the Library and St. Agnes students and families is the upcoming school Book Fair. The Book Fair will take place October 23 rd through October 27 th. It will be held downstairs in the Learning Center. The Book Fair will be open Monday through Friday, after school from 3:30 to 4:00 and on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5:00 to 9:00. Students are getting excited about the Book Fair and are planning their book purchases. See you all at the Book Fair. Mrs. Jayme Franklin--Music In music, we are working hard on many things! In lower grades, we are learning all about tempo and dynamics. In our older, grades we are learning how to read on the grand staff and what intervals are. (Go ahead, ask your child what an interval is! J) In Singspirations, we are learning new music and choreography for our first show choir competition, which will be held November 4 th at Scottsbluff High School auditorium. The students are very excited! Before we know it, we will be preparing for our Christmas program! Things are moving very quickly in music! Stay tuned!