St. Agnes Catholic Church

Transcription

1 St. Agnes Catholic Church January 11, 2015 The Baptism of the Lord 2314 Third Avenue, Scottsbluff, Nebraska (308) Mailing address: PO Box 349, Scottsbluff, NE Fax: Website: Parish Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9am - Noon & 1pm - 4pm Rev. Vincent L. Parsons Pastor Rev. Michael E. Wetovick Associate Pastor Sr. Vera Meis, C.S.J. Pastoral Minister Mass Schedule Saturday 4:00 pm Sunday 8:00 & 10:30 am (September - May) Sat. 6pm; Sun.8 & 10am (June - August) Mon, Tues, Fri, 7:00 am Wednesday 8:15 am Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday: 3:00 3:30 pm or by appointment ( ) Sacrament of Baptism: Please call the Parish Office Pre-Baptism Class is held quarterly: Feb 8, May 3, Aug 2, Nov 8, 2015 Sacrament of Matrimony: Please call the Parish Office for appointment (4 months marriage preparation required) Sacrament of the Sick: Call ext. 2 anytime to reach a priest Mon^[y, J[nu[ry 12, 2015 Daily Mass (7:00am) Mass Intention: Teresa Lynn by Friends Communal Rosary (4:45pm) Liturgy of the Hours (5:05pm) Tu_s^[y, J[nu[ry 13, 2015 Daily Mass (7:00am) Mass Intention : Fr. Jacob Bauer Tues. Discussion Group (8:00am) Location: Garden Room Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) RCIA (7:00pm) Garden Room W_^n_s^[y, J[nu[ry 14, 2015 Daily Mass (8:15am) Mass Intention: Keith Porter by Jerry & Eileen Young Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Zaylie Shae Adams - Baptized Upcoming Events Thurs^[y, J[nu[ry 15, 2015 Mass at Golden Living (9:00am) Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Fri^[y, J[nu[ry 16, 2015 Daily Mass (7:00am) Mass Intention: KCs & Families by Knights of Columbus Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) S[tur^[y, J[nu[ry 17, 2015 Weekend Mass (4:00 pm) Intention: Cashmere Apperson Sun^[y, J[nu[ry Weekend Mass (8:00 am) Intention: : Roy Brethour by Dolores Brethour Weekend Mass (10:30 am) Intention: For the Parish

2 Saint Agnes Catholic Church Today s Readings Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 Parish Administration (308) / (308) (fax) Pastor Rev. Vincent L. Parsons (ext. 2) pastor@st-agnes-church.com Associate Pastor Fr. Mike Wetovick 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 Head Teacher Mrs. Julie Brown ( ) office@stagnesonline.org School Office Manager Mrs. Margie Dishong ( ) office@stagnesonline.org St Agnes School Foundation Alyssa Harvey, director ( x2) aharvey@stagnesonline.org P[g_ 2 Y_[r \ J[nu[ry 11, 2015 The Baptism of the Lord Today is BAPTISM OF THE LORD SUNDAY! Since there were neither digital cameras, nor videos during Jesus time, St. Matthew recorded his baptism ceremony in this fashion: After Jesus was baptized, he came from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED! What a powerful affirmation this is; so powerful that it singled out JESUS as the BELOVED SON and GOD-WITH-US. BAPTISM! There is nothing magical or automatic about this sacrament. During our baptism, when the priest was pouring that water on our head and saying: I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the same powerful affirmation was told to us by a loving God: THIS IS MY BELOVED SON/DAUGHTER, WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED! We are God s BELOVED CHILDREN! And no one can take that identity of ours, not even the devil. Satan might want to snatch us through our sins, but Jesus blood will always redeem us. We run away, but God s forgiveness wins us back to his embrace. Since baptized children are BELOVED CHILDREN OF GOD, baptism then is a call to parents to choose constantly for the LIGHT in the midst of a dark world and for LIFE in the midst of a death-harboring society. The following insights might teach parents and the Christian community who struggle in providing a loving and compassionate environment for children: If a child lives with criticism, the child learns to condemn. If a child lives with hostility, the child learns to fight. If a child lives with shame, the child learns to be guilty. If a child lives with tolerance, the child learns to be patient. If a child lives with encouragement, the child learns confidence. If a child lives with praise, the child learns to appreciate. If a child lives with fairness, the child learns justice. If a child lives with security, the child learns to have faith. If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, the child learns to find love in a family, community and world. Remember, we are GOD S BELOVED CHILDREN. Th_ W[t_rs of B[ptism When new sod is put in, it needs constant saturation with water. Landscapers say that this knits the sod to the soil. The same when a branch is grafted onto a tree: the poultice that joins them at the splice must be kept wet at all times. Water is the stuff that binds the very cells of our bodies together. No wonder religions throughout all times and cultures have used it so prominently. When Jesus stepped into the Jordan for baptism, he knit himself to what had come before him. By going to the Jordan, he made himself one with the people of Israel who had crossed it into their Promised Land. With John the Baptist, Christ wove himself into the prophetic tradition that heralded the coming reign of God. He had become fully human in the waters of Mary s womb, and by partaking in the rite of the baptism of repentance, Jesus identified himself with our sinful, frail humanity. It is through the waters of baptism that Christ continues to graft new members onto his Body, the Church; through these waters we are cleansed from sin and filled with the promise of grace, given our destiny for eternal life. For us, as for Jesus, it is also the waters of baptism that inaugurate our mission to proclaim the Good News. Copyright J. S. Paluch Co.

3 P[g_ 3 Th_ B[ptism of th_ Lor^ P[rish N_ws Young [t H_[rt J[nu[ry g[th_ring Young at Heart meets this Tuesday, January 13th at noon in the Garden Room for luncheon. Baked ham will be provided. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Everyone of retirement age is encouraged to attend this fun and delicious A sincere thank you & Happy New Year to our advertisers whose businesses appear on page 9 of the bulletin! In return, we support you by doing our business with you. A Retreat with Pope Francis is a DVD series that explores Scripture through the lens of the Pope s writings, life stories, and personal example. Presenter is Fr. Anthony Ciorra, a leading expert on Catholic spirituality. Meetings take place in the Garden Room at 7pm. Monday, January 12 I Am a Sinner Monday, January 19 The Church Is a Field Hospital Monday, January 26 The Vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola Monday, February 2 A Listening Pope Monday, February 9 The Joy of the Gospel J[nu[ry Minist_rs EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS Saturday 4pm: Ciborium - Melissa Schaub Chalice - Deb Hilzer, Ann Anderson, Brooke Talkington, Paul Mailander, Josh O Brien, Jeff West Sunday 8am: Ciborium - David Nash Chalice - JoAnn Nash; Sharon Carrell, Dick & Susan Lessert, Nick Reyes, Toni Warburton Sunday 10:30am: Ciborium - Shelley Thomas; Chalice - Ruth Kozal; Terry Bailey, Rick Cantril, Jordan Colwell, Jack/Jean Kearns GREETERS Sat. 4pm: Dale & Veronica Von Lintel (E) Susan Heitman (N) Tom/ Mary Thompson (S) Sun. 8am: Liz Salazar (E) Zita Bolinger (N) Billye Castinado (S) 10:30am: Mike & Robin Hayhurst (E) Brad & Brandi McCaslin (N) Pam Elledge (S) LECTORS Saturday, 4pm: Jessalyn Petersen Sunday 8am: Pat Sulú 10:30am: Jacque Neu R_min^_r Please call the Parish Office ( ) if you or a loved one is ill or in need of a home visit or a hospital visit. Our pastoral minister, Sr. Vera is always ready to minister to those in need. R_st in P_[]_ Codell April Matinez, sister of Zita Bolinger; Gil Hayhurst, father of Mike (Robin) Hayhurst; Dean Ostdiek, brother of Dave (Tammie) Ostdiek. USHERS Sat., 4pm: Dick Lager, Captain; Charlie Browne, Marvin Anderson,, Mike Merrigan Sunday, 8am: Robert Muldoon, Captain; Terry Fox, Troy Herman, Mike Hackett 10:30am: Michael Schroeder, Captain; John Koenig, Don Weddell, John Bush SACRISTANS Saturday 4:00pm: Colleen Mathewson Sunday 8:00am: Daniel Gilbert Sunday 10:30am: Robert & Sarah Quijas SERVERS Jan. 10, 4pm Fabiola Hennandez, Kaya Vonburg Jan. 11, 8am Abrahm Hafner, Harrison Wills 10:30am Lily & Leah Polk Jan. 17, 4pm Clancee Ott, Seth Hammock Jan. 18, 8am Mitch Moravec, Scott Herman 10:30am Nick Maag, Jesse Claire McCaslin Sunday Collections & ATW Giving December 28, 2014 Actual $ Budget $ Surplus (Deficit) $ December 2014 Totals Actual $ ATW $ Budget $ Surplus (Deficit) $ Christmas Masses Adult $ Plate $ Children $ January 4, 2015 Actual $ Budget $ Surplus (Deficit) $ Next weekend s 2nd collection is for the Church in Latin America. Catholics there face many challenges, including violence & a lack of both clergy & lay leadership to witness the Gospel message. Your support shares faith with those in need in the Catholic church. R_[^ings for th_ w k Monday: Heb 1:1-6; Ps 97:1, 2b, 6, 7c, 9; Mk 1:14-20 Tuesday: Heb 2:5-12; Ps 8:2ab, 5, 6-9; Mk 1:21-28 Wednesday: Heb 2:14-18; Ps 105:1-4, 6-9; Mk 1:29-39 Thursday: Heb 3:7-14; Ps 95:6-11; Mk 1:40-45 Friday: Heb 4:1-5, 11; Ps 78:3, 4bc, 6c-8; Mk 2:1-12 Saturday: Heb 4:12-16; Ps 19:8-10, 15; Mk 2:13-17 Sunday: 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19; Ps 40:2,4, 7-10; 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20; Jn 1:35-42

4 P[g_ 4 J[nu[ry 11, 2015 Growing and Cultivating a Stewardship Heart is a call and invitation to the people of God in the Diocese of Grand Island to not only learn about stewardship but also to take leadership opportunities and implement plans and visions for their parishes. ALL ARE WELCOME! Lunch is provided. This Diocesan-sponsored event will be held Saturday, January 17, 2015 at Alliance for all surrounding parishes in the Panhandle from 8:30 a.m.- 4 pm at Holy Rosary Church. Charles Donald Soderholms Dec. 21, 2014 R_]_nt B[ptisms Brennya Sue Roach All Panhandle boys welcome! Dec. 21, 2014 Daphne Douglas Hofmeister Mr. Matthew Martin & Mrs. Jessica Olbricht Martin Married at St. Agnes Dec. 28, 2014 Knights of Columbus Assembly #1874 Charity Casino Night Saturday, February 7, :00pm- 9:00pm $40.00 Per Person includes soup, beverages & Fun Money Spend your Fun Money on Silent Auction items all night long & Live 9pm tickets sold at door or for advance tickets call Larry or Dick KC Hall st Avenue Scottsbluff

5 P[g_ 5 th_ B[ptism of th_ Lor^ Living Our C[tholi] F[ith Treasures from our Tradition In the 1560s, the Council of Trent attempted to standardize the widely variant customs for the pastoral care of the sick and dying. We had inherited a practice called extreme unction, from the Latin words meaning anointing at the point of death. The deeper tradition, however, is about the prayer of faith that will heal and restore the sick person, and is straight from the Letter of James. The Fathers went back to the beginning, and while not discarding the extreme unction name, made a plea for the proper use of this sacrament. As soon as a person is in danger of death from sickness or old age, they reasoned, the time for the sacrament had already arrived. As a result of this desire, the next ritual text for anointing contained an innovation: a rite for visiting the sick that included readings from scripture, psalms, and prayers. Old customs fade slowly, however, and the quality of pastoral care languished for centuries while people delayed the celebration of a consoling and effective sacrament, sometimes missing the opportunity completely. A priest ministering to a dying and unconscious patient alone in a room has never been the desire of the Church. Our tradition is far too rich for this sacrament to be celebrated in such a diminished and ungenerous manner. Rev. James Field, Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. Reflecting on God s Word This is one of the key moments in the life of Jesus. Up north in his hometown of Nazareth he must have heard about John. At some point an inner voice must have said, Go south, go to the desert. Go listen to this preacher John. When he came to the desert, he may have stood in a long line before that moment came when he entered the water and John baptized him. Mark gives us only the briefest account of their meeting, but does present John as expecting someone mightier than he who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. It is this same Holy Spirit who came down on Jesus as he was coming out of the water. At that moment, the heavens were torn open, heaven reached down to touch the Galilean, and the Spirit descended like a dove. Have you ever seen a gull descend to snatch a fish or a hawk swoop down to seize its prey? By contrast, the image of a descending dove is one of beauty and grace, of gentle alighting. The words do not announce Jesus to others, as in Matthew s account, but they are spoken only to him: You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased (1:11), echoing the words the Lord speaks in the first song of the Servant in the book of Isaiah. The descent of the dove did not mean an easy life for Jesus, but God had penetrated his being in a way that would then drive him into the desert to begin his mission of confronting the powers of sin and death. This gentle dove came and continues to come with a mighty power. James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R. Copyright 2014, World Library Publications. All rights reserved. If Not Now, When? At the beginning of Advent we heard the words of John the Baptist, proclaiming the promised Messiah. Now, at the end of the Christmas season, he appears again in the Gospel story. John was a surprising person. He had taken on the dress and role of a prophet, wandering the desert surviving on locusts and wild honey. He drew large crowds, declaring to them that it was not enough to be born Jewish; everyone men and women, rich and poor, tax collectors and prostitutes needed to repent and be washed clean. When he baptized Jesus (Mark 1:7 11), the appearance of the Holy Spirit was not of John s doing and showed who Jesus really is. It marked the new reality that Jesus brings. To go into the waters of baptism is a symbol of death and rebirth to a new life, while the baptism of the Holy Spirit gives an inner spiritual power to live as a child of God. After Jesus death and resurrection the apostles continued to baptize new believers in water, and laid hands on them to confer the Holy Spirit. For many of us, baptism and confirmation occurred when we were too young to realize their true meaning. Think about it now! God has given us grace and power to live as God s own sons and daughters, with the hope of eternal life. But we can t just sit back. The life of grace we are called to requires effort, persistence, sacrifice, and selflessness. The enemy of the life of faith, which constantly lurks in the background, is not unbelief but apathy. We get tired of trying, we want to take it easy, we fall prey to the idea that someone else can do it. But a life with Christ says if not now, when? If not you, who else? Copyright 2011, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.

6 P[g_ 6 J[nu[ry 11, dre@st-agnes-church.com R_ligious E^u][tion Religious Education Office Going Bananas for Jesus XVIII Blessed Broken Shared. Join friend and other youth from across the Grand Island Diocese for the eighteenth Going Bananas for Jesus Youth Rally. This Rally is being brought to you by the Kearney Deanery and the Grand Island Diocese Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry. Going Bananas for Jesus will be held March 27-29, 2015 at Kearney Catholic High School. For more information and to r e g i s t e r g o t o youthdiocese.weebly.com Prayer for a new Bishop Lord God, You are our eternal shepherd and guide. In your mercy grant your Church in the Diocese of Grand Island a shepherd after your own heart who will walk in your ways and with loving care watch over your people, that your name be glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Facebook Find Us On st-agnes-church Parish Website St. Agnes Catholic Church Confirmation Formation Sessions meet in the Garden Level of the Church from 7-9 p.m. January Schedule: 11th - Confirmation Retreat 21st - The remainder of the month they meet with their CYM groups. High School (CYM) Formation Sessions meet in catechist s homes from 7-8:30 p.m. January Schedule: 14th, 21st & 28th Middle School Formation Sessions (grades 6th-8th) meet from 7-8 p.m. in the school building January Schedule: 7th, 14th, 21st 28th - Youth Group - Gym Grade School (pre-school-5th grades) Formation Sessions meet from 9:15-10:15 a.m. in the school building January Schedule: 11th, 18th, 25th Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families Feast of the Baptism of the Lord On the Way to Mass: When we go into church, we often sign ourselves with holy water as a reminder of our baptismal promises. What kinds of things do we promise to do when we commit to living as God s people? Let s think of these things when we sign ourselves with holy water as we enter the church today. On the Way Home From Mass: God tells Jesus that he is his beloved Son, and that he is please with him. We are God s beloved sons and daughters, too. I wonder what that means. Living the Word: Find baptismal photos, certificates, or gifts and recall the baptisms of your children. Talk about why you had your child baptized, and whom you invited to participate. See if your child can remember seeing anyone being baptized. What happened? Can your child remember any of the symbols, like the baptismal candle, the white garment, or the water? Perhaps you might call your parish office to see if any infants are being baptized at your parish this week. If one is, plan to attend the service with your family and talk afterward about what it means to be baptized. Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families

7 P[g_ 7 Meet the Confirmation Candidates Katherine Esselstein My name is Katherine Esselstein. My parents are Mike and Beth Esselstein. I was Baptized in Omaha and received my First Communion in Papillion, Nebraska. I am the oldest of five kids. My siblings are great and a lot of fun to hang out with. I am a Junior at Mitchell High School. I participate in volleyball, FBLA, FFA, and One Acts. I have been at St. Agnes Catholic Church since 3rd grade. I have helped teach religious education on Sunday mornings for the past 3 years. This year I will be helping in the third grade class. I participate in 4-H and show chickens, rabbits, veggies and other projects at the Fair. I help at the Food Pantry in Mitchell. I help with KC Breakfast and other KC activities. I babysit throughout the whole year. I love to hang out with kids, they are fun. When I graduate I want to be a teacher or open a daycare. My goals for after Confirmation are to be a religious education teacher. I would also like to try to lector or be a extraordinary minister of Communion. I know that I will keep spreading God s word and to help people in need. I am in Dan and Toni Warburton s CYM group on Wednesday evenings. Th_ B[ptism of th_ Lor^ Youth Gift Wrapping in December Photos by Ty Corr

8 P[g_ 8 J[nu[ry 11, 2015

9 January 11, 2015 Upcoming Events Tuesday, January 13th Kick off for Jump Rope for Heart 8:30 AM Wednesday, January 14th All School 8:15 AM Thursday, January 15th Quarterly Awards - 8:20 AM Friday, January 16th Report Cards are sent home A big THANK YOU to Mike Svitak & Paul Reed Construction and Dave Schaff & M.C. Schaff & Associates for the manpower and equipment to clear our playground! WE APPRECIATE YOU!

10 What s Happening at St. Agnes School... St. Agnes Welcomes Student Teacher St. Agnes students and staff welcome CSC student teacher, Brooke Lacy, to our school for the 2 nd semester. Please help us to make her feel at home. Hello! My name is Brooke Lacy. I live in Scottsbluff with my husband, Kyle. I m currently finishing by Bachelor s Degree in elementary education at Chadron State College. My experiences working for Scottsbluff Public Schools and Kids First Preschool have played a huge part in preparing me for this career choice. I am very blessed to be given the opportunity to complete my student teaching semester at St. Agnes in Kindergarten and 5 th grade. I look forward to getting to know many of you and your children over the next few months. Let s Play Ball St. Agnes Students are enjoying a number of new playground balls provided to us through a grant from our Adopt-a-School partner, Target. We are grateful to our wonderful partners, Valley Insurance and Target, for the amazing support they ve given us thus far this year. 4th Grade Welcomes New Student 4 th grade is pleased to welcome Nathan Tompkins, son of Zach and Leslie Tompkins, who moved back to Scottsbluff after living in Kansas City for a few years. Nathan is following in the footsteps of his father who is a St. Agnes School alumni! We are excited to have this new family and know they will enjoy being a part of the St. Agnes Community. Cash for Trash St. Agnes School continues its collection of Box Tops for Education. Each label has a $.10 value and they can be found on over 250 products, so check for a label before throwing the package in the trash. We have recently begun saving the Labels for Education UPC tags as well. These labels can be found on over 2500 products including Campbells, Pace, Bic, and Post to name a few. They are valued at 1, 5, & 10 pts. Points are accumulated to purchase school supplies or Visa cards. Please watch products for these labels as well. We continue to save Coop receipts which allows us to earn $1000 after saving $100,000 in receipts. These labels/receipts may be turned in to individual classrooms, the boxes outside the school office or in the parish collection basket. We thank everyone for their support! Monday 12th Spaghetti w/red sauce & meatballs, Mixed Green Salad w/ranch; Bread Stick, Pears, Milk Helpers: George & Krystal Kildow Hot Lunch Menu for January 12th-16th Tuesday 13th Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Steamed Carrots, Applesauce, Wheat Roll/Margarine, Milk Helpers: George & Krystal Kildow Wednesday 14th Hot Dog on a Bun Tater Barrels, Corn, Sliced Apples Milk Helpers: George & Krystal Kildow Thursday 15th Grilled Cheese Sandwich Scalloped Potatoes Broccoli w/ranch Peaches, Milk Helpers: George & Krystal Kildow Friday 16th Pancakes w/syrup Sausage Patti Tater Circles Orange Wedge Milk Helpers: George & Krystal Kildow

11 Classroom News... Kindergarten Class by Teri Ramirez Happy New Year! We hope the New Year brings you great joy, health, and happiness. As we move into 2015 I want to say thanks to all of you for your help, support, and generosity in We are so fortunate to have such a great group of families at St. Agnes. January has brought new changes in the kindergarten room. We warmly welcomed Mrs. Lacy as a student teacher, and we are happy to have her join our classroom family. She will be in our room for 8 weeks, and then she will go up to fifth grade. This is a special time of the school year, now the children have learned all the basics and begin to put them together, and what they ve been learning suddenly begins to click. Most of the children, who were just writing their name in September, are now writing sentences, reading some words and more. Quite amazing! "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." --Dr. Seuss 4th Grade Class by Paige Wayman I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! I want to thank the parish for everything they help with and all that they have given the staff. I can't believe that the school year is half over, it's going by quickly. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to one of our fourth graders, Rafaela Santiago, who moved to New Mexico. We will miss her but we wish her the best. This month, I want to welcome a new student to my class, Nathan Tompkins, who I am sure will love it here at St. Agnes. The fourth graders are eager to have a new classmate. December was a busy month full of fun activities and new learning experiences. The students had a lot of fun participating in the Rainbow advent celebration. Each day, they practiced their parts that they would have to read in front of other students. I am proud of how clearly they read their parts. The Christmas program performed by the students was great! Everyone enjoyed the live nativity being performed as the students sang. Before Christmas vacation, the students and I played a few review math games together, which they enjoyed. These math games helped reinforce multiplication and division facts. We also had a great Christmas party! Thank you to all the parents who made it possible. Now that break is over, we will get back into the full swing of things. We will be continuing the Native American unit. The students are fascinated by this culture and they have been very active in discussion. In math, we are learning two digit division. The class has been split into two groups for reading, one group is reading Number the Stars and the other group is reading Night of the Twisters.