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 13, 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 & following the 4:30pm Mass 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 ASCENSION OF THE LORD May 13, 2018 Fr. Mark s Remarks A Blessing On Mother s Day To mothers, both biological and adopted, connected by blood and by experience, torn apart by circumstance and sometimes by choice. To those who have given life both in birth and in formation, to those who have lost life before birth and before old age. To those who have done what only mothers can do, to those who have been "the perfect mother" and to those who live with regrets, to those who are close to their children, and to those who feel like they are a million miles away, we bless you today, on this day, Mother's Day. To those women who have given birth to a child this year, we celebrate with you the gift that God has given. To those who feel the pain of children long desired but never received, we grieve with you the too often secret pain you have borne. To those who have experienced miscarriage, failed adoptions, and kids who have run away, we mourn your loss and ask for your forgiveness when we have been silent or even worse, indifferent. To those who have longed for children, but for whatever reason have been unable to have them, we love you and we are sorry for the times that we have failed to be sensitive in our words and actions. To those who have been "mothers" to others who are not their children, we need more people like you both in the church, and in the broken world in which we live. To those who have close and meaningful relationships with their children, we celebrate this day with you and thank God for his grace. To those who have complicated, painful, or nonexistent relationships with their children, we sorrow with you and thank God for his grace, while we pray for redemption and reconciliation. To those who have close relationships with their own mother, we thank God for that intimacy. To those who have suffered at the hands of their mother, we acknowledge you and love you as our own. To those who lost their mothers whether recently or so many years ago, we mourn with you today. To those who have experienced weddings, graduations, and the general experiences of growing 2 into adults, we are proud of you for coming through them with grace. To those who have gone through school tests, medical tests, emotional tests, and tests of patience with your children, we are encouraged by your patience, your faith, and we stand with you as these will continue to arise. To those who will have an emptier nest this year, we both celebrate and cry with you. To those of you who long to be better mothers, God s grace will provide and we will commit to you as well. To those who long to make things right with your children, remember that God's redemptive power can cross any boundary, any brokenness, any pain. To those who struggle with their children today, remember that even the young Jesus almost gave his mother a heart attack on more than one occasion. To those who feel like all they do is struggle and experience stress and frustration, remember your investment is never in vain, and that God uses your faithfulness to change the world. To those who are bursting with pride today both with their mothers and their children, we celebrate with you today. For those of you who struggled to get out of bed this morning, who would rather be at home because of the pain of this day, we love you and are encouraged by your faithfulness. We pray that we may be more sensitive and more proactive in being a blessing to you and yours. To the men in the room, love your wife, and love your mother's as Christ loved the church. Give yourself not as "the husband" or as "the son" but more deeply than that as a servant of Jesus Christ. Don't let today be the only day you do the dishes, help with the kids, or say kind things to grandma. Recognize that your wife and mother and grandmother are made in the image of God, they are precious to him, they are like his mother or grandmother or bride. Honor them as such. To the women in the room, we thank you for who you are and what you mean to us as individuals and to this church. We would not be who we are and where we are if it was not for you. We haven't always done a good job of honoring you, thanking you, appreciating you. We haven't always loved you as you have loved us. For that we ask for your forgiveness and grace. May we be people who honor and encourage and bless you from this day forward for whom God has made you, precious women of God. HAPPY MOTHER S DAY!

3 Fr. Mark s Remarks (continued) The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process of welcoming adults interested in becoming Catholic. This process happens year round in our parish. A new group of people seeking to learn about the Catholic Church is about to begin Tuesday, May 15, 7:00-8:30pm and Sunday, May 20, 2:00-3:30pm, both at St. John Church and Student Center. Individuals choose the time best suited to their schedule. Most of the people who inquire about becoming Catholic do so because someone they know and respect invited them. You are the perfect person to invite another to learn about the Catholic Church. Don't hesitate! Think of a family member, a coworker, a classmate, a neighbor, or a friend. Each of us can share the gift of faith we have received. Also, consider being a sponsor for one of the inquirers. To learn more, contact Pete Ries at , ext or pries@elcatholics.org. Have a blessed week! Grove St. Ramp Under Construction until Mid-August Remember: the ramp under the Marriott is open. Next weekend is the East Lansing Art Fair. Due to construction, activities will take place mainly to the east of M.A.C. Parking may be challenging at St. John Church. Maximizing Contributions to St. Thomas/St. John! Although the personal exemption was eliminated by the new federal tax law, the standard deduction was nearly doubled. It s now $12,000 for single people and $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. While the charitable deduction was left unchanged, your ability to claim the charitable contribution deduction may depend on whether you have enough other itemized deductions to exceed the standard deduction. If you cannot itemize, there two ways you can maximize your donations to St. Thomas/St. John: Charitable rollovers from an IRA Many parishioners are making direct distributions from their IRAs. If done correctly, the income won t be added to taxable income and you can make an impactful gift to support the many parish ministries. Donor-advised funds With this technique, you can make a large contribution in one tax year to establish or add to a donor-advised fund. If the gift is large enough, you may be able to itemize deductions that year. In subsequent years, when your deductible expenses are not large enough to itemize, you can ask the donor-advised fund administrator to make a distribution to a favorite charity, thereby continuing your support to it. Donor-advised funds are relatively inexpensive to establish and maintain. For details, please parish administrator Keith Tharp at keith@elcatholics.org or call him at You ve Heard of Matthew Kelly, Right? Read one of his books? Listened to a CD? See him live for: Living Every Day with Passion & Purpose. With his signature combination of the profound and the practical, Matthew Kelly introduces you to new habits that will re-energize every area of your life and inspire you to start living with Passion & Purpose. Who you become is infinitely more important than what you do or what you have. 3 Get your seat on the bus at either office or by registering online at elcatholics.org/event.

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 Alliance for Catholic Education? ACE recruits talented graduates from colleges and universities across the country to develop a corps of highly motivated and committed educators to meet the needs of our country's most underserved Catholic elementary and secondary schools. Teaching Fellows serve for two academic years with summers spent studying toward a M.Ed. degree at the University of Notre Dame. Here are John s thoughts on his experience: Why serve? I wanted to teach high school where I could explicitly talk and teach about Christ through literature and by that means help teenagers grow in their sense of self, their academics, and their faith. Favorite Memory of St. John Campus Ministry? Night Masses and being a Campus Ministry Intern John Donovan Alliance for Catholic Education 9th Grade Teacher Pensacola Catholic High School Pensacola, FL 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! Thank You!! Catholic Spartan Summer Spirituality To all of our soup makers & snack providers that helped out during Exam Week and the Graduation Mass & Brunch. Staying around for the summer? jreis@elcatholics.org to get connected with a summer Bible Study or Faith sharing group! Undergrads or grad students aged welcome. To the Knights of Columbus who prepared Fr. Gary's Late Knight Breakfast on Tuesday night. We will meet on Wednesday evenings beginning May 16. To everyone who supported campus ministry throughout the year! Congratulations to our May 2018 Catholic Spartan Graduates! 4

5 Rite of Christian Initiation Of Adults Interested In Learning About the Catholic Church? New Group is About to Begin 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 ROSARY ALTAR SOCIETY For Women of All Ages Who Wish to Serve the Church MONTHLY ROSARY AT STA Members of the Rosary Altar Society will pray the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 10:00am in the Chapel at St. Thomas Aquinas. Immediately following, we will share some time of fellowship in the vestibule outside the Chapel doors. All are invited to participate as we honor Our Blessed Mother Mary. Need More Fun In Your Life? Please join our Parish Widows group for Lunch at Coral Gables on Thursday, May 17 at 12:30pm. If you would like to attend, please call the St. Thomas Parish Office ( ) by Wednesday, May 16 to make your reservation. Hope to see you there! 5 Each year, a large number of people enter the Church here in our parish. Almost every one of them can point to one or several people like you who model a Catholic lifestyle in an inspiring way. Invite someone you know to check out the Catholic Church. Your invitation means so much. People interested in learning more (no commitment necessary) are invited to come to St. John Church & Student Center on Tuesday, May 15, at 7:00pm or Sunday, May 20, at 2:00pm. That is when a new group of inquirers will begin the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process. Participants choose the time which best fits their schedule. If you have been thinking about exploring your interest in the Catholic Church, or if you know someone who has mentioned this possibility, call Pete Ries at , ext or pries@elcatholics.org. RCIA is appropriate for those who have never been baptized, for those who have been baptized in another faith and would like to become Catholic, and for those who were baptized Catholic but have not completed all the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist). At its heart, the RCIA formation experience is about discovering God and growing into a relationship with God. Would You Walk With Someone On Their Faith Journey? Some of the people in the RCIA process have asked the parish to provide them with a sponsor. An RCIA sponsor walks with the candidate on his/her journey of faith. The sponsor tries to attend the RCIA sessions with their candidate. They are a friendly presence helping their candidate begin to become familiar with some of the beliefs and practices of the Catholic faith. Sponsors answer basic questions and offer encouragement. If you would be willing or would like to find out more about this role, call Pete Ries: , ext or pries@elatholics.org. You will find this to be a faith-filled experience.

6 Religious Education Thank You Catechists for an Enjoyable Faith Forming Year Laurie Lockman RoseMary Battle* Michelle Beloskur* Cindy Meteyer* Molly Greenwalt Carol Clack Cathy Mahler Devin Humphreys Rebecca Morgan Patrick Morgan Angela Bresnahan** Elizabeth Henry Julie Hanson Patricia Whaley Leah Gregory Michael Guyeskey Julia Puente Cathy Staudt Therese Poland Heather Poland Christopher Topa Sam Wakeman Eugenia Dumlao-Reedy Allison Jamnik Colleen Jamnik Julia Brown Shari Carson* Charles Roboski Patty Roboski Marge Morath Michelle Young Abigail Liesman Jade Taylor-Diaz Rebecca Newcombe* Anna Muniga* Marina Lekocaj* Nancy McFee Kathryn Tourville Bozena Warren Francis DeVine Ryan Adelman Lily Hudson Elizabeth Hamel* David Kloc Joy Wagner *Sacramental Prep Teachers ** Retiring after 23 years Faith Sharing Questions for Next Sunday s Gospel We invite you to prepare for next Sunday s liturgy, Pentecost, May 20, by reflecting on the Gospel reading for that Sunday: John 15:26 27; 16:12 15 [Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. How often do I seek Mary s intercession or help? Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. How can I practice more patience this week? In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. Request for donations towards Steubenville and LEAD This year, we are excited to have our largest group in a long time going to Steubenville (June 29-July 1) - 36 spots! We also have one student participating in the LEAD program, which is a week long retreat before the conference focused on leadership and discipleship. I attended both retreats when I was in high school, and they were both absolutely essential in my formation of the man I am today. Many of our students have had profound experiences at Steubenville conferences in the past. These retreats are fairly expensive ($325 per student), and we are seeking donations to help offset this cost, especially for students who have requested scholarship money to cover their retreat cost. If you are interested and able to help with this, please mail (St Thomas Aquinas c/o Youth Ministry, 955 Alton Rd, East Lansing, 48823) or drop-off a check written out to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish at either parish office in any amount you are able to give. Please note on your envelope that this is a "Steubenville Donation for Youth Ministry". Also in your envelope, please write your name and address - during the weekend, students will write a journal of their experiences and you will be sent a compilation of these journals and pictures! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR GENEROSITY! -JOSH HAMILTON Pregnancy Services Baby Bottle Blessings Mother s Day through Father s Day Show your support for the our local crisis pregnancy center by picking up an empty baby bottle after Mass this weekend and fill it with change, cash, or check, and return it by the end of June. All proceeds will go directly towards support the cost of ultrasounds, pregnancy tests, and counseling services at all three of their locations. PREGNANCY SERVICE OF GREATER LANSING is supported solely through private donations and has been helping women in our community for over 40 years! 6

7 A Warm Welcome. To new members of our Parish family during the month of April! PERMANENT COMMUNITY Scott & Meghan Reid & Lucas Gregory Shannon Barbara Gainforth, Lucas & Matthew Julia Janssen, Claire Kacsor Kyle & Whitney Elliott, Nico & Isaac Adam Miller Dennis & Rose Marie Trudell Jeremy & Betsy Gill Neal & Heidi Macwan Allison Emery, Derek & Ryan Dakota & Makayla Vallejo & Xavier Brian & Victoria Morden & Genevieve Patrick Verderese Veronica Lee Hill MSU STUDENTS Bridget Owens Nathan Niemann Angela Yang Dominic Bertucci Alicia Ziegler Lucas Meehan Thank You St. Thomas and St. John Parishioners! Your generous support to the mission and ministry of St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Cristo Rey Community Center is greatly appreciated. As of April 30 th over $8, has been given to help us bring hope to our neighbors in greatest need! 7 OFFERTORY Actual Offertory through April 29, 2018 $2,220,060 Budgeted Offertory through April 29, 2018 $2,236,061 Deficit: $ 16,001 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 April 29: Friends Without a Border - Lao Children's Hospital for Children will receive $2,072 to provide outpatient services and vaccinations. It is the only hospital in northern Laos with neonatal services. May 13: Friends of Casa Materna has been providing vital services to help reduce maternal and infant deaths in rural Nicaragua since The Casa has served over 17,000 mothers experiencing high-risk pregnancies. May 20: Loaves and Fishes provides emergency short term housing and advocacy services for homeless men, women, and children in our community, and long term transitional housing and advocacy services for single men and for single mothers and their children. They provide shelter for over 500 people. Thank you for your generosity!

8 April Baptismal Celebrations We joyfully welcome into our Catholic faith community the following infants and young children who were baptized during the month of April, and we warmly congratulate their parents! Nora Elizabeth Gianna Monae Colin Daniel Martha Frances Sarah Lynn Genevieve Irene Evan Anthony Francis Dylan Thom God bless all of you! Ryan & Heidi Borucki Karrie Marie LaFave Patrick & Kelly Moriarty George & Esther DeWaters Brian & Jessica Cousino Brian & Victoria Morden Evemarie Francis Eyde Julian & Kristin Main Thank You to Everyone Who Has Made a Gift or Pledge Commitment to Our Diocesan Services Appeal If you have not yet made a gift or pledge, we invite you to do so today. Gift envelopes are available in church or the parish offices. Or you may submit your gift online at lansing.org/dsa. The programs and services funded by DSA offer direct assistance to individuals and families, and to parishes, schools, and Catholic Charities agencies. Help bring the love of Christ to all we encounter! Relli s Memorial Charity Golf Outing benefitting St. Vincent Catholic Charities Saturday, May 19 Prairie Creek Golf Course in DeWitt Shotgun start at 9:00am and cost is $220 per team. This includes golf, cart, food, skins, and prizes! Pre-registration and pre-pay only; no sign-up at the golf course on the day of the event. To sign up, contact Rhonda Abood at ext or aboodr@stvcc.org. For more information, visit stvcc.org/golf-for-a-cause 8 Pray for the Sick & Deceased Please pray that those who are ill or suffering in any way might receive the care that they need. We embrace in prayer: Margaret Beahan, Betty Pearsall, Jamaica Polaskey, Brian Whiston, and those listed in our Book of Prayer. We embrace in prayer all of our departed brothers and sisters, especially: Ray Behan, Fr. Tom Butler, Holly Cholagh, and Elizabeth Buege. Faculty / Community Book Discussion Group For May, we will be reading and discussing the book, Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty; An Intimate Portrait of My Grandmother, written by her granddaughter, Kate Hennessy. We meet on the first and third Thursdays of each month at St. John from 5:30-7:00pm in the Library. At our next meeting on Thursday, May 17, we will finish discussing this book. Questions, please contact Al Weilbaecher at or al@elcatholics.org. All are welcomed to participate! Director of Religious Education Needed at St. Therese Parish This position (30 hours/week) coordinates Preschool through 9th grade Religious Education Programs including Sunday RE, First Penance, Communion, and Confirmation programs for youth and parents; Children s Liturgy of the Word and a team of catechist as well as maintaining sacramental records. The ideal candidate with be a faithful practicing Catholic who has a background in Catholic education and formation. Computer skills, creativity, excellent communication and organization skills are required. Benefits are included. Please submit resume with a cover letter and three references to Fr. John Fain at frfain@sttherese.org. Deadline for application is May 30, For more information, please contact the parish at

9 Events In our Parish Monday, May 14, :00pm RAS Charity Quilt Group (STA) 3:30pm Annual Lansing Concert Band Dinner (STA) Tuesday, May 15, :30pm 3rd Order Dominican Meeting (STA) 7:00pm RCIA Inquiry (SJSC) 7:30pm K of C Meeting (STA) Wednesday, May 16, :00am Bible Study (STA) 10:00am Rosary Altar Society Rosary (STA) 3:45pm Cherub Choir (STA) 6:30pm Cub Scouts Pack 293 Meeting (STA) 7:00pm St. Vincent de Paul Meeting (STA) 7:00pm RCIA (SJSC) Thursday, May 17, :00am Faith-Sharing Group (STA) 3:00pm Seraph Choir (STA) 5:30pm Faculty/Community Book Discussion (SJSC) Friday, May 18, 2018 Saturday, May 19, :00am Wedding Workshop (STA) Sunday, May 20, :00am & 11:00am Nursery (STA) 9:00am & 11:00am Children s Liturgy of the Word (STA) 10:00am Coffee Bar (STA) 10:00am Nursery (SJSC) 10:00am Adult Choir Practice (STA) 11:00am RCIA (SJSC) 2:00pm RCIA Inquiry (SJSC) 4:00pm ELHS Baccalaureate (STA) 5:00pm Matthew 25 Meeting (STA) Matthew 25 Meeting The Matthew 25 Committee, which oversees the dispersal of 5% of the collection to charities serving dire needs, will be meeting on Sunday, May 20. They will meet at 5:00pm at St. Thomas Aquinas in the rectory dining room. If you are interested in becoming part of this committee, please contact Joe Liberato at liberatj@calhounisd.org. Parishioners who would like to propose a charity which serves dire needs can find the proposal at elcatholics.org/matthew-25committee. 9 Mass Intentions Monday, May 14, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Int. of Fr. Thomas Wasilewski req. by the St. Augustine School Enrichment Program 12:15pm (St. John) Conrad Henke req. by Helen Henke Tuesday, May 15, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Int. of Dcn. Dave Zygmontowicz on the Anniversary of Ordination req. by the Parish Family Wednesday, May 16, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Int. of Dcn. Jim Kasprzak on the Anniversary of Ordination req. by the Parish Family 9:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Jean Harte req. by Bruce & Janice Harte 12:15pm (St. John) Ginika Bonaventure Ucha req. by Chimobi Ucha Thursday, May 17, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Ross Baldwin req. by Larry & Gail Meyer Friday, May 18, :30am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Int. of Dcn. Dave Drayton on the Anniversary of Ordination req. by the Parish Family 9:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Don & Carol Check req. by Lisa Ramont 12:15pm (St. John) Deceased Members of the Spagnuolo Family req. by Roseann Zumbrink Saturday, May 19, :30pm (St. Thomas Aquinas) Ted Simon req. by the Simon Family Sunday, May 20, :00am (St. John) People of the Parish 9:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Pam Corcoran req. by the Evangelical Catholic Group 10:00am (St. John) Christian Escobar req. by the Spencer Family 11:00am (St. Thomas Aquinas) Bill Holtgreive req. by M.J. Bettman 12:00pm (St. John) Doug Katko req. by the Family 7:00pm (St. John) Int. of the Waskiewicz Family req. by Katie Waskiewicz Immaculate Heart of Mary School - Opening for a Middle School Teacher A teacher certified in Science or Social Studies, preferably with bilingual skills is needed at IHM. Send resumes or inquiries to Mrs. Angela Johnston, Principal, at johnstona@ihmlansing,org.

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