St. Thomas Aquinas Parish & School 955 Alton Road East Lansing, MI Office Phone: School Phone:

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1 St. Thomas Aquinas Parish & School 955 Alton Road East Lansing, MI Office Phone: School Phone: May 27, 2018 St. John Church & Student Center 327 MAC Avenue East Lansing, MI Office Phone: ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Weekend Mass Times Saturday 4:30pm Sunday 9:00am & 11:00am Weekday Mass Times Monday - Friday 6:30am Wednesday and Friday at 9:00am Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday 3:00-4:00pm 1 ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST Weekend Mass Times Sunday 8:00am, 10:00am Noon & 7:00pm Weekday Mass Times Monday, Wednesday & Friday 12:15pm Sacrament of Reconciliation Monday, Wednesday & Friday 11:00am - Noon

2 THE MOST HOLY TRINITY May 27, 2018 Fr. Mark s Remarks Many of our parish families have already made their commitment in support of the 2018 Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA). These families have realized how important it is to support the many diocesan services, programs, and ministries funded by DSA. However, we still need additional contributors to reach our goal. As of the printing of this bulletin, we are just at 48% of our parish goal! Each year, my goal is to offer all members of our parish the opportunity to participate. I always pray that every family will consider a gift to this worthwhile effort. I am writing to you now, and asking that you become an active donor to this appeal. It is only because of the combined support of all parishes in our diocese that these services can be provided. No single parish could afford them on its own. Pledge/gift envelope envelopes are available around church information racks and at the parish offices. Please complete it in a spirit of generosity and Christian stewardship. I have no way of knowing how much you can afford to contribute at this time. Only you can answer that question. All I ask is that you take a moment and prayerfully consider what your response will be. If you prefer to make a pledge over several months, reminder envelopes can be sent to you from the Diocese of Lansing according to the payment plan of your choice. Please return the envelope in the collection basket this weekend or drop it off at either the St. Thomas or St. John offices. I am mindful of your generous support of our parish in the past, and I look forward to your participation in DSA this year. This coming Wednesday, Bishop Boyea will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation for 61 of our parish youth. Twenty-nine young people from Immaculate Heart of Mary parish will join us. Congratulations to these young people and thank you to Josh Hamilton, our Youth Minister, and all those who mentored these 9 th graders. May the Holy Spirit lead and guide them as they continue to grow in their Catholic faith. This weekend I will be in Lacrosse, WI for the Mass 2 for the closing of the investigation of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of my uncle, Servant of God, Father Joseph Walijewski. It will happen at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Worker and the current bishop of Lacrosse, Bishop Callahan, will preside. A Tribunal was formed five years ago and interviewed family members and friends from Michigan and those who worked with him in Lacrosse and South America. Two commissions were formed, broken into historical and theological focuses. All the testimonies have now been gathered, so the next step is to give the material to the postulator of the cause, Dr. Andrea Ambrosi. He is coming from Rome to receive the information at the Mass. He was the postulator for St. Teresa of Calcutta. It is his responsibility to take what he receives at the Mass this weekend and in book form take it to the Congregation of the Causes of Saints in Rome and advocate to the Congregation why Father Joe should be declared Venerable. The next two steps are to be declared Blessed and then finally, a Saint. The first step requires one miracle through his intercession and the last step two miracles. To find out more about my uncle s life go to I ask his intercession each day to be a good pastor for you! Memorial Day is Monday and we will have Mass at 9:00am at St. Thomas Aquinas. The annual Memorial Day Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery will be at 10:00am. Have a blessed holiday and we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their life in service to our country. Have a blessed week! Monday, May 28, 2018 Memorial Day Parish offices will be closed. Mass will be at 9:00am at St. Thomas Aquinas. There will be neither Mass nor confessions at St. John.

3 Please Pray for Our People in the Military. Caleb Stevens Greg Paquette Lance Bell Bryan Forney Matthew Forney Mark Johnson Paul (PJ) Walker Derek Cowell Matthew Danner John Orleans Kyle Richardson Daniel Rashke Scott McKenna Steve Davich Nicholas Copper Matthew Tijerina Christopher White Franz Rademacher Michael J. Twarozynski James B. Robinson Andy Gallavan Andrew Bush Emily Metzger Trevor Shoemaker Christopher P. Murdoch Stefan Gliwa John Waldecker Nathaniel Stine Mark Lepczyk Vance Richmond Brian E. Jacobs Robert Daza Ellen Meyer Dominique Passanante Michael Christensen Stacks Javin Ramont Nicholas Radke David Clark Justin Kunert Jonathyn Mowat Reconciliation at St. Thomas Aquinas Effective June 2, Reconciliation will no longer be available after the 4:30pm Saturday Vigil Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas. See the front of the bulletin for the other Reconciliation times available in the Parish. 3 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION MASSES Sunday, June 3 9:00am Mass 10:00am Mass St. Thomas St. John All high school seniors are invited to join us at either STA or SJSC to celebrate your graduation. Graduates will meet in the back of Church 5 minutes before Mass begins and process in and sit as a group. Parents and family are welcome to sit wherever they would like in the Church. Students are invited to wear their graduation gowns (no hats). During the Mass, graduates will receive a special blessing. RSVP is appreciated but not required. To RSVP go to Prayers for Priests June Calendar Don t forget to pick up a copy of the June Prayers for Priests calendar. This month several of STA/SJSC past Priests are included such as Fr. Jim Lothamer (June 5), Fr. Michael O Brien (June 17), and Msgr. Michael Murphy (June 28), to list a few.

4 St. John Student Center - Home of the Catholic Spartans Katie Diller - kdiller@elcatholics.org Director of Campus Ministry Joe Reis - jreis@elcatholics.org Campus Minister Will You Answer the Call To The Magis Catholic Teacher Corps? Magis Catholic Teacher Corps (Magis) is a two-year service through teaching program at Creighton University. Magis strives to form a corps of talented, highly motivated, and faith-filled educators to meet the needs of the Midwest s Catholic elementary and secondary schools. Why serve? Magis combines three of the things that are most important to me: faith, science, and teaching. I knew I wanted to spend my next two years giving back to a Catholic school by sharing my love of science with my students. I hope to one day pursue a career in zoo education, and I feel like this experience will help shape me into an effective educator. Favorite Memory of St. John Campus Ministry? Sophomore year: shaving Fr Dan Westermann's head after small group games at Fall Retreat! Maddalena Paglia Magis Catholic Teacher Corps 9th/10th Grade Biology Teacher St. Anthony High School Milwaukee, WI Post-Grad Volunteers Every year a few amazing Catholic Spartans discern a call to serve the Church through priesthood, religious vocations, or a limited period of Christian service. This year, SIX young alumni are offering themselves to the Lord... We look forward to featuring their stories throughout the summer! Catholic Spartan Summer Spirituality Presents: Signs of Holiness in Today's World Boldness & Passion 7:00pm, Wednesday, June 6 St. John Student Lounge (downstairs) Join us as we use Sacred Scripture to explore each of Pope Francis' five "Signs of Holiness in Today's World" from the Apostolic Letter Gaudete et Exsultate. Undergrads or grad students aged welcome. jreis@elcatholics.org to get connected! Grad Student & Young Professional Group Join us for: End of Year Bash!! Thursday, June 7 at 7:15pm Downstairs at St. John Serving young adults, Age To join our Facebook Group & list, contact us at stjohnsgroupgmail.com. Opportunities for Catholics over age 24 are available through the Graduate Student & Young Professional Group and Adult Faith Formation. 4

5 Calling all Green Thumbed Parishioners! Rite of Christian Initiation Of Adults Update Our Catholic Spartans are barely out the door for summer break and we are already preparing for their return next fall. Can you help with the annual Freshmen Plant Project? This past Tuesday and this Sunday the new group of inquirers were able to explore a wide range of questions about the Catholic Church. In addition, they began a consideration of God. Questions covered included who is God? Can you prove the existence of God? How can a person come to know God? Where is God in my life? How can I have a relationship with God? They discussed the image of God they had when they were children and the image of God they have today. You can read about our search for God in chapter 1 of The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. How does it work? Parishioners spend the summer nurturing plants that are easy to propagate like baby spider plants or little aloes. In August, we provide parishioners with 4" green plastic pots for them to plant the baby plants in, at home. Just before the semester starts, they bring the potted plants to St. John. A sticker is attached to the side of the pot advertising Mass times at St. John Student Center. We give the free plants to Freshmen during Welcome Week as a way of reminding them to "Grow in their Faith!" If you have any questions about the RCIA, or would like to discuss the possibility of joining the next group of inquirers, call Pete Ries at , ext or him at pries@elcatholics.org. How can you help? Do you have a spider plant that is producing "babies"? Put those babies in water, and start them growing for fall. Please Katie Diller (kdiller@elcatholics.org) with the number of plants that you can provide. Some parishioners have contributed two or three, others have brought in over a hundred! Whatever you can do will help! Men s Book Group The next gathering of the Men s Book Group will be Tuesday, May 29, at 7:30pm in the STA Conference Room. For more information, please contact Bruce at bmaguire@fnba.com. All men are welcome to join us! This past Sunday at St. Thomas Aquinas four people made their profession of faith as a Catholic. The parish rejoices with them on their special day. Pictured from left to right are Fr. Mark, John Mosholder, sponsor for Megan Mosholder, candidate, two of the Mosholder children, Jennifer Rule, sponsor for candidates Addison Russell, Averie Russel, and John Russell. John is holding his youngest daughter, Aubrey. 5

6 Religious Education May Baptismal Celebrations We joyfully welcome into our Catholic faith community the following infants who were baptized during the month of May, and we warmly congratulate their parents! We are called to follow Jesus... Jesus sent the apostles to share the good news of God's love for us to the ends of the earth. They were excited to tell people about the new life Jesus brings us. As disciples of Jesus, we too should share the message of hope in the Gospels with others. We can show other people who Jesus Christ is by our words and our actions each day. Brainstorm ways to follow Jesus. Invite someone to Mass, tell someone that Jesus loves them, or reach out a helping hand to people in need. Isla Seamone Eevie Grace Octavian & Shelby Paler Dean & Erin Kanitz God bless you! (excerpt from Patricia Mathson in Catechist magazine) VIRTUS Training High School Summer Youth Group starts Protecting God s Children is a FREE class that all volunteers and employees of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, St. John Church and St. Thomas Aquinas School must take. Now would be the perfect time! Wednesday, June 6, 6:00-8:00pm Summer Youth Group is open to all students who will be in 9th grade to just graduated in the school year! Our summer youth program is one of my favorite things to do here, and all the students who participate agree. We'll meet weekly around a meal to discuss topics, go on trips (a trip to my dad's dairy farm in Fowler, MI, eating in downtown East Lansing, etc.), have fun, and grow in community. A live session class will be offered on Wednesday, May 30, 10:00am 12:00 noon in the Bishop Baraga Room, downstairs at St. Thomas Aquinas. Parents and parishioner are also encouraged to take this class. Please sign up in advance at jhamilton@elcatholics.org with questions. To signup for updates about meetings and locations, to the number Faith Sharing Questions for Next Sunday s Gospel We invite you to prepare for next Sunday s liturgy, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, by reflecting on the Gospel reading for that Sunday: Middle School Youth Group Summer Schedule Middle School Youth Group for the 2018 summer is open to all students who will be in 7th or 8th grade in the school year! We'll meet three times to hear talks, discuss in small groups, play games, eat food, and have fun! Mark 14:12 16, [Jesus said,] This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. How well do I prepare my heart and mind to receive Jesus in the Eucharist? Do I take time to visit him in the tabernacle or adoration to show him my love and gratitude? Bringing Home the Word is a monthly newsletter subscribed to by our parish offering reflections on the Sunday readings. You can either download it from elcatholics.org on the Adult Faith Formation page or we are happy to it to you upon request. (Contact Al at al@elcatholics.org) jhamilton@elcatholics.org with any questions. To sign up for middle school youth group reminders, to the number Tuesday, June 12, 6:00-8:00pm Tuesday, July 10, 6:00-8:00pm Tuesday, August 7, 6:00-8:00pm 6

7 St. Thomas Aquinas Parish School is accepting resumes and cover letters for: Candidate qualifications and requirements: a Bachelor s degree in elementary or secondary education from an accredited university; valid Michigan teaching certification; must pass a criminal background check; must complete Protecting God s Children program; must have a strong working knowledge of the Faith; demonstrated ability with computers and other educational technology; be committed to life-long learning; and the ability to communicate effectively with parents. Full-time Kindergarten position Full-time First Grade position Full-time 7th & 8th Grade Language Arts position Each of these positions is responsible for all grade level core subjects or subject specific content as well as religion instruction. The successful candidate must be faith-filled, dynamic, compassionate, energetic, and willing to work collaboratively in a team environment. Applicants should be practicing Catholics who are committed to nurturing a child s relationship with God while promoting academic excellent in the 21st century classroom. Qualified candidates should submit a letter of interest, a resume, and a copy of teaching certificate to Meghan Loughlin-Krusky, STA Parish School Principal, at mkrusky@elcatholics.org. Please know that all candidates will be accepted until the positions are filled. We Are Growing With the Preschool Addition! All Parishioners are invited to please join us at 11:00am on Monday, June 4 at the School Playground as we say goodbye to a piece of St. Thomas Aquinas history, and usher in a new era for St. Thomas Aquinas School. We will begin demolition of our old convent, which housed so many of the Sisters who taught during the early days of St. Thomas Aquinas School. The convent, built in 1951, shortly after the school was built, also housed our Formation and Religious Education Ministries, in addition to Youth Ministry, Knights of Columbus, and Boy Scouts. We are now ready to begin a new chapter in the development of St. Thomas Aquinas School with the building of a preschool addition in the area where the convent is standing. The Knights of Columbus will be serving hot dogs and hamburgers beginning at 11:00am, with the demolition slated to begin around 11:30am. After the demolition is complete, we will have a limited number of bricks salvaged from the building. For information about how you can take home a piece of St. Thomas Aquinas history, please contact Facilities Manager Paul Lacroix at placroix@elcatholics.org. The St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Lansing has immediate openings for: - Full-time Truck Driver - Part-time Client Assistant & ebay Seller - Part-time Warehouse Worker - Part-time Merchandise Sorter Please svdplansing@gmail.com for more information or stop by 1020 S. Washington to full out an application. 7 - Part-time Cashier

8 Parents Baptism Seminar Our next baptism preparation session for parents (and godparents) of infants or young children to baptize will take place on Monday, June 11, 7:00-9:00pm at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Please contact the Catholic Formation Office if you plan to attend ( or Baptism registration forms are available through the parish offices at both sites and online at our parish web site ( St. Vincent de Paul As we celebrate the mystery of the Trinity we also realize the mystery of how much God loves and cares for us each day. Believing in this our lives can then overflow in thanksgiving and praise. This month, through your gifts, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul brought the love and care of Jesus to the poor by assisting families, by providing food, money for utility, rent, and other bills, etc. Thank You! Memorial Day Weekend Schedule St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery 2520 W. Willow Hwy, Lansing There will be an OPEN HOUSE on Sunday, May 27, 12:00-3:00pm. Staff will be on hand all weekend to answer questions and offer assistance. Honor those who have defended our country s freedom at MASS on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 10:00am with Bishop Emeritus Carl F. Mengeling. A tribute to Veterans will immediately follow Mass at the Memorial, just north of the office. A reception and OPEN HOUSE will follow until 2:00pm. Bring lawn chairs. In the case of inclement weather, Mass will take place at St. Gerard Church. Pray for the Sick & Deceased Please pray for all who are struggling with health issues. We embrace in prayer George and Angelica Liu, Abbey Amalifatano, Carolyn Malmstrom, Betty Pearsall, Neal Adams, Carol James, Dot Burns, and those listed in our Book of Prayer. We embrace in prayer all of our departed brothers and sisters, especially Orville Rouse. Special Monthly Masses Did you know that there are monthly Masses for the African and Korean area community? An African Mass is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month in the Chapel at St. Thomas. The next African Mass will be Sunday, June 3 at 3:30pm. Join us on the second Sunday of the month for the Korean Mass in the Chapel at St. Thomas. The next Mass will be on Sunday, June 10 at 3:50pm with a Community Potluck following Mass in the gym. ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND! With Francisco Paco Gavrilides Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus 7:00pm, Tuesday, June 12 St. Martha Church Blessed Mother, Madonna, Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, Mother of Mercy... Mary, mother of Jesus, is also our mother. What does it mean to have a devotion to Mary? Join special guest speaker Paco Gavrilides for an evening discussion on the Blessed Mother and discover how Mary leads us to her son Jesus and eternal salvation. For more information, Mike at michaelsiminski56@gmail.com. 8

9 Events In our Parish Monday, May 28, 2018 Memorial Day Parish Offices Closed Tuesday, May 29, :30pm Confirmation Rehearsal (STA) 7:00pm RCIA Inquiry (SJSC) 7:30pm Men s Book Group (STA) Wednesday, May 30, :00am Protecting God s Children Training (STA) 7:00pm Confirmation (STA) 7:00pm The Wild Goose DVD Series (STA) Thursday, May 31, :00am Faith-Sharing Group (STA) Friday, June 1, :00am First Friday Coffee & Donuts (STA) Saturday, June 2, :00am Corpus Christi First Communion Rehearsal (SJSC) Sunday, June 3, :00am RCIA (SJSC) 2:00pm RCIA Inquiry (SJSC) 3:30pm African Mass (STA) OFFERTORY Actual Offertory through May 13, 2018 $2,312,613 Budgeted Offertory through May 13, 2018 $2,326,472 Deficit: $ 13,859 Please Note: The fiscal year began 7/1/2017. Offertory consists of cash and checks given at Mass, electronic giving from parishioners, and stock gifts. Christian Service - Matthew 25 May 13: Friends of Casa Materna will receive $1,902 to provide vital services to help reduce maternal and infant deaths in rural Nicaragua. The Casa has served over 17,000 mothers experiencing high-risk pregnancies since May 27: Catholic Near Eastern Welfare Association provides health care to the poor in Jordan, particularly Syrian and Iraqi refugees. June 3: Casa Aurora in Honduras, a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Peace in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, supports impoverished families that include children who are HIV positive or otherwise affected by HIV and AIDS. The Casa provides food, medicine, and compassionate support. Thank you for your generosity! 9 Mass Intentions Monday, May 28, :00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Rosemary Bettman req. by Wayne Lawless Tuesday, May 29, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Msgr. David Stotenbur req. by the Parish Family Wednesday, May 30, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Int. of Ruth Wheeler req. by Rick & Julie Bryce 9:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) The Souls req. by Mara Boettcher 12:15pm (St. John) Domenico Amato req. by Frank & Franca Coscarelli Thursday, May 31, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Maureen Nevin req. by Terry Carroll Friday, June 1, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Joe Merkel req. by the Friday Breakfast Group 9:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Betty Stemle req. by the Terry Stemle Family 12:15pm (St. John) Leo & Mary Margaret Scheetz req. by Janet & Patrick Scheetz Saturday, June 2, :30pm (St. Thomas Aquinas) Holy Family First Saturday Memorial Mass & Intentions Sunday, June 3, :00am (St. John) Rose & John Kruso req. by Betty Tesner 9:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Rosemary Bettman req. by the Wolcott Family 10:00am (St. John) Int. of Ken & Marilyn Sohn req. by Lou & Marti Eyde 11:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Barbara Paul req. by Peg Bergman 12:00pm (St. John) Conrad Henke req. by Helen Henke 7:00pm (St. John) People of the Parish Register Today! Cristo Rey s 12th Annual Golf Fore Giving will be taking place on June 15 at College Fields golf Club. The 18-hole scramble will be a great way to enjoy the links while teeing off for a great cause. For more information, contact Michelle Smithers at or her at msmithers@cristoreycommunitycenter.org.

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