. February 14, 2016 Frst Sunday of Lent Someone once sad that temptaton arses when you're tred and weary, and the devl comes along and makes a perfectly reasonable suggeston. We've heard ths Gospel from Luke so many tmes that we are very famlar wth t. Yet somethng new can always be perceved n ths story. What strkes ths reader ths year s the way that Jesus uses the scrptures to answer hs tempter each tme. Even when the evl one quotes scrpture totempt Jesus,the Lord has a wse answer that shuts down hs tempter. Today's Gospel readng shows us that even the devl can quote scrpture for hs own purposes. But a correct nterpretaton can shut the door on ths knd of abuse of scrpture. FORTY DAYS We can only magne how hard a forty-day fast would be, and how hungry we would be afterward. To turn a stone nto bread sounds lke a harmless and reasonable suggeston. f we look elsewhere n the Gospels, however, we see Jesusenjoyng many meals, but always n the company of others. He dnes wth Pharsees. He multples loaves and fshes for large crowds. He nvtes the dscples to jon hm for a breakfast on the beach after the Resurrecton. We see hm embrace eatng as a communal act, always a sharng of self as well as a breakng of bread. Today he s beng tempted to satsfy hmself alone, gnorng that sharng of self that s so mportant. The second temptaton s more obvous. To worshp the devl s somethng that Jesus sees rght through. He quotes scrpture to slence hs adversary. The thrd s the most grandose. To rule the whole known world s a temptaton to whch many n our own day succumb. The devl even uses scrpture for hs own purposes here. Jesus quotes, wth fnalty, the scrpture that puts an end to the tempt ng. Jesus shows us that, wth hs help, we too can overcome our temptatons, reasonable as they may sound. Today's Readngs: Ot26:4-10 Lk4:1-13 Ps 91:1-2,10-11,12-13,14-15 Rom 10:8-13 Copyrght 2016, J. S. Paluch Company, nc., 3708 Rver Road, Sute 400, Frankln Park, L 60131-21581 800621-5197. Wth Ecclesastcal Approbaton. St. Alphonsus Parsh St. Mary's Assumpton Church Natonal Shrne of Blessed Francs Seelos 2030 Constance Street t New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 522-6748 t Fax: (504) 523-3734 Sunday Masses Vgl: 4:00 PM (Church) Sunday: 9:00 AM (Chapel): 10:30 AM (Church) Weekday Masses Monday-Frday: 7:00 AM (Chapel) Monday-Saturday: 8:00 AM (Rectory) St. Mary's Chapel11516 Jackson Avenue
February Page 2 14,2016 Our Fath Communty welcomes all members and vstors St. Alphonsus Parsh Msson Statement n the tradton of our mmgrant founders, St. Alphonsus Parsh contnues to be a welcomng and carng Roman Catholc communty offath. We are nspred by the Holy Sprt, formed by the Gospel under the mantle of Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help, and snce 1843 served by the Redemptorsts, men offath such as Blessed Francs Xaver Seelos. We are commtted to carry forward a lvng hstory that shapes us nto a Eucharstc communty whch strves for a more just socety through servce to each other and to the communty. Parsh Offce Hours Monday-Frday: 8:30 AM-2:30 PM Emal:.stalphonsusoffce@parshmal.com Webste: www.stalphonsusno.com Pastoral Staff Under the pastoral care of the Redemptorsts snce 1843 Father Rchard Thbodeau, C.Ss.R. rthbs@aol.com Pastor/Local Redemptorst Superor Father van Dawson, C.Ss.R. Fr.pdawson@gmal.com Parochal Vcar Father Allan Wenert, C.Ss.R. Parochal Vcar Shela McDermott smcder@dcc.edu Vocalst Lllan Moran rml254@hotmal.com Offce Manager/Bulletn Edtor Parsh Commttees and Chars Fnance Commttee Edward Berbuesse eberbuesse@wdco.bz Sunday Hosptalty Mgnon Schafer mschafer1550@att.net Human Concerns Marty Kauchak mpkauchak@cox.net Lturgcal Desgn Jennfer Burton jennc76@gmal.com Marketng Darlene Gaenne sgaenne@aol.com Respect Lfe John Endes johnaendres@gmal.com Socal Group Grace and Maro Valterra maro.valterra@gmal.com * Gracee.torres.r@gmal.com Vson Group Fr. Rchard rthbs@aol.com Confessons: Saturday: 3:15-3:55 or by arrangement p.m. (church) Baptsms: To arrange a baptsm please contact one of the parsh prests. Robert Zanca rgzuno@aol.com Musc Drector Marrages: Please make arrangements at least sx months n advance. N RESDENCE Father Harry Grle, C.Ss.R. Drector, Blessed Seelos Welcome Center Home Vsts: Please call the parsh offce when someone s ll and would lke to receve the Sacrament ofthe Sck or receve Holy Communon. Father Gerard LaPorte, C.Ss.R. Mnstry to the Bereaved Rosary: The rosary s prayed every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. n the Seelos Shrne. Father Maurce Nutt, C.Ss.R. Xaver Unversty Drector, nsttute of Black Catholc Studes Brother Leo Patn, C.Ss.R. Blessed Seelos Welcome Center Father Thomas Pham, C.Ss.R. U.S. Navy Chaplan Corps Phone Numbers Daly Sprtual Message Frends of St. Alphonsus Hope House Mercy Endeavors St. Alphonsus School Seelos Welcome Center 586-1803 524-8116 525-2561 568-0607 523-6594 525-2495 f you would lke to become a parsh member of St. Alphonsus please call the parsh offce or go to our parsh webste www.stalphonsusno.com and regster on lne.
rf~b~~'14~"2016"""""'"'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' P~~~3 J h PASTOR'S CORNER Dear Parsh Famly, Let's get packed, t's tme to leave for the trp. What trp, you ask? The trp nto the desert. The desert s a beautful, peaceful place to spend tme. t can also be very unnervng because one has to do wthout a lot of creature comforts to smply rely on one's own resources. Why go nto the desert? t may be the only place we can truly fnd ourselves. " n today's Lturgy we hear about a desert journey for Jesus. He s on the cusp of begnnng hs publc mnstry. One can only begn to magne the questons gong through hs mnd: Who, what, where, when, how and why all had to be answered. Today we mght be tempted to deal wth such a project by gong to a consultant a wse person famlar wth the terrtory who would gve tps on how to negotate such an endeavor. Jesus, however, went to the desert. t was n the desert that Jesus knew he would have the tme, space, and opportunty to reflect and to have conversaton wth the Father ths would help hm answer hs questons. But he also knew, and ths was quckly confrmed, that there were other forces n the desert whch would try to dssuade hm, even try to change hs msson. Each year we have the opportunty to head nto the desert for a lttle tme away. Whle t may be called Lent t may happen at some other tme and even n some other way. Smply put, n the mdst of everythng mpactng our lfe we get to the pont where we know we must re-charge our batteres, we must "take stock" of what s happenng and how we want to fashon the road ahead. Whle we'd lke such an opportunty to be joy-flled and exctng, often t s panstakng because t means takng stock of where am rght now, what 've done wth the opportuntes 've had. good and bad. and what learned for the future. Whle n some ways ths can be very re-assurng because we have done many thngs the best we can other tmes, wth the gft of tme and perspectve, we mght feel the need to re-valuate. t could even lead us to say, "Next tme " The Season of Lent remnds us of God's love as expressed most profoundly through Jesus the Redeemer. But t s only when we can personalze that journey that t wll have any real meanng n our lfe. Otherwse t's lttle more than a nce story whch mayor may not have relevance for my lfe. So the trp s begnnng. Are you ready? Are you ready to reflect, to re-lve, to respond? The desert can be rather dauntng, but t can be a wonderful place of revelaton. Let's go, the tme s here. '{.. Thought for the Week: "Try wrtng your lfe's msson statement n a sngle sentence." Have a great week ahead Fr. Rchard #
February 14.2016 Page 4 ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ Sant Joseph Altar : On Saturday, March 19th, from loam untl 3pm we wll : celebrate the Feast of St Joseph at St. Alphonsus Parsh. : f you would lke to help set-up or decorate the altar, bake cookes,.cakes, fll goode bags, sell candles, or make a: dsh for the feast t would apprecated. On Frday, March 18th we wll have the blessng of the altar at 3pm. f you can help get everythng ready for the altar ~ blessng, please call Lllan Moran at 522- -------------------------------~ -"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-'--"-"--'-'-- " _ ~ _"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_"_".J Total ncome for January: $40,167.50 Total Expenses for January: $31,222.48 Net ncome for January: +$8,945.02 Total ncome Year to date: $252,574.92 Total Expenses Year to date: $247,340.62 Net ncome Year to date: +$5,234.30 Your generosty s needed and apprecated "Lke" us on Facebook at St. Mary's Assumpton Church of St. Alphonsus Parsh Photos, events and nformaton to be ncluded on Facebook may be emaled to smacjb@gaml.com _ Current Parsh Fnancal Summary Year to Date: (7/1/15 to 1/31/16) Men's Mornng of Sprtualty The 2016 Men's Mornng of Sprtualty, themed "God s My Anchor" wll feature well-known news personaltes Bob Breck, Karen Swenson, and Ed Danels as well as Mass wth Archbshop Aymond, Reconclaton, Adoraton, and great musc t wll be held at St. Anthony of Padua Church n New Orleans on Saturday, February 20, 12016, from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM. CONSECRATED LFE Pray as though everythng depended on God. Work as though everythng depended on you. L. _ _ MASS NTENTONS : Sant Augustne The follownghave asked for our prayers. Vctora Domnque, Joann Brown, Rachel Saluler, Cheryl Downey, Dana Parham, Davd Barber, Clfford Chensam, Gna Meche, Marlene Durel, Lonel Brumfeld, Brandon Granger, Chrstna Fowler, Paul Froeba, Cathy Foulks, Andrea McLellan, Fr. Gerard LaPorte, Carol Sanchez, Lzze Wllams, Judy Mchaels, Chrstne Gallagher, Suse Krchner, Sammy & Tom Blankenshp, Ernst Strngfellow, Narvaletta Parker, Dana Crespo, Peggy Smmons, Brandon sbell, Cssy Rowley, Nck Baron, Brttany & Shelton Baudon, Tna Bellas, Lesle Munster, Pero Cenn, Kathy Murphy, Jean Daz, Courtney Releford, Dr. A. J. Gorlando, Jance Douglas, Jula Callahan, Lsa Huber, Adele Faucheux, Barre Byrnes, sabelle Russo, plus all other sck and nfrmed. To place or keep a name on our sck lst, please call the rectory every 3 weeks to let us know that you or a loved one or frend are stll n need of prayers.. _ Maurce Abade + Katy Lynn Russell Relgous Ed Fnance Commttee Mare & A. J. Gorlando Gna Durel Meche -------------------------------, Monday - February 15 3:30pm Tuesday - February 16 _ AND UPCOMNG EVENTS Wednesday - February 17 Hope House Dnner Racal Sobrety Workshop 700 am Sr. Mary Maurce Fredman + Cheryl Downey 6:30pm Thursday - February 18 Vson Group Marcus & Elda Heny + Paul Nguyen + Frday - February 19 Gay Ann Ltolff Thank God for the New Year "TET" Statons of the Cross - St. Mary's Chapel Saturday - February 20 Monthly Food Drve Helen Radlnger + 4:00 pm Sunday February 21 9:00 am 10:30 am Fr. Mtch Semar Monthly Food Drve Mldred & Ted Borgman + For All St. Alphonsus Parshoners Mm Heebe + Have you ncluded St. Alphonsus Parsh and/or the Redemptorsts n your wll?
February Page 5 14,2016 (_._._._._._._._._.-:-._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.-._._.-.-. ~ Envelopes wthout Numbers : f your Sunday collecton envelope does not have a number on t please put your name on the envelope. Thank you. Human Concerns Corner 1Food Drve Weekend (Feb. 20-21). Our monthly food drve wll occur at all Masses next weekend As ths bulletn was beng prepared for publcaton we have receved 642 tems $108.00 n cash and checks for our food drve servce project. Our 2016 goal: collect 7,000 non-pershable food tems (We're at 9.2%, thank you). f you are unable to attend Mass wth next weekend, you can leave your donated tems n the rear of the church or chapel at any other tme. A commttee member wll pck up the tems durng the followng week. nterested n supportng the logstcs effort on food drve weekend? Contact Marty Kauchak at 504.265.8968 or emal <mpkauchak@cox.net>. ~-.-,-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-,-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-._._.-._. -"-"-"-"-"-'--"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"-"., SA VB THE DATE More "Foodfor the Journey" Tuesday, February 23, March 1, 8, 15 Formaton Nghts (topcs to be announced) 6:00 pm Gatherng (brng a dsh to pass f you wsh) Followed by Presentaton/Dscusson 7:30 pm Concluson Parsh conference room n rectory. _. _. _. _ _. _. _. _. _. _. _. _. _ 1 r-'-'-'-'---'-'-'---'---'-'-'---'---'-'-'-'-'-'-----'-,-,-,-'-.-'-"-"-"-"-"-"-'-.-'_._._._._._.-.-"-.-'-.-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-" Lovng God, we remember the followng Vrgna Boyd Barr Robert (Bobby) Beyer, Jr., Los & Robert Beyer, Sr. ~~~~ Wllam & Thelma Crotty & Famly Walter Palmer Daz, M.D. Else Dufresne Duffel &. V. L. Duffel Clare & Walter Preston rene Gelderman Nancy Stafford Hartson Katherne Walet Hartson Deacon Maurce John Hartson, Pamela & Gerard D. Krummel Margaret Smmons McBrde Wllam Russell & Sam Moran Famles Mr. & Mrs. Felx Rousset, Jr., & Sr. and Rosemary Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Schafer Ted Sternberg Mercedes & Pete Waldron f you want to have a loved one lsted for each week of the year please call Lllan at the parsh offce for detals.,, _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.-._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.-._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.- : 2. Save the date. The HCC-endorsed Hope House's Poverty & Justce Workshop to be held 10:00AM-2:00PM on Saturday March 5 at Hope House ( a change of locaton). The workshop wll be an outstandng opportunty durng ths Lenten season to become aware of the broad array of human concern-related ssues n our parsh neghborhood. More nfer: maton on the agenda wll follow. To save your seat RSVP to Don Everard at deverard@bellsouth.net> not later than Thursday February 25 : 3. Hope, House Dnner Servce Program. On the second and fourth Tuesday nghts of the month, an average of four or fve parshoners help Catholc Workers serve ndvduals n need from our parsh and parsh neghborhood. f you can devote about 1.5 hrs between 6:00-7:30PM on one of our nghts of ser vce, contact Marty Kauchak at 504.265.8968 or <mpkauchak@cox.net>. We also welcome any contrbutons of a man entree, sde dsh or dessert on those nghts 1 The teams for our next nghts of servce: Feb 23: Elzabeth Juhasz, Ed & Valere Wcker, Bernard Slutsky & Cheryl, and Marty Kauchak, March 8: Janene Taylor, Sylva Donado and Marty Kauchak 4. Tutorng. SEVEN parshoners are the after school tutorparsh school f you have a desre to help the St. Alphonsus School staff prepare our next generaton of New Orleanans for success, contact Marty Kauchak at 504.265.8968 or emal <mpkauchak@cox.net>. actvely supportng ng program n our