ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Roman Catholic Church 8320 Old C.R. #54 New Port Richey, FL 34653 Phone 727-372-8600 Web Page: www.stanpr.org Pastor: Rev. Michael Lydon Associate Pastor: Rev. George P. Varkey Deacon: Rev. Mr. Melvin Dunphy STA Early Childhood Center: 376-2330; Bishop Larkin Catholic School (K-8): 862-6981; Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School: 857-2600 The Epiphany of the Lord - January 8, 2017 NEXT WEEK S GOSPEL JOHN 1:29-34 John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God." Learning, Living and Sharing the Good News
January 8, 2017 www.stanpr.org bulletin@stanpr.org Mass and Devotions Schedule Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. Sunday: 7:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. (Contemporary) and 5:00 p.m. (LifeTeen ) Daily Mass: Monday-Friday Healing Mass: 7:00 p.m. Monday (September - June) Holy Rosary after Mass, Mon-Fri, in Blessed Sacrament Chapel Marian Novena after Mass on Tuesdays Benediction & Adoration: 1st Fridays 8:30 10:00 a.m. (September May) Reconciliation: Saturday 2:30-3:30 p.m. or by appt. Parish Information Office hours 9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. Monday-Friday, Sunday mornings. Call for information. Phone: (727) 372-8600 Fax: (727) 372-5712 Website: www.stanpr.org Emergency Number for Anointing of the Sick: Nights & Weekends (727) 836-3211 Prayer Line Marilyn Clausen (727) 376-1740 Administration Business Office Fax: (727) 376-7204 Pastoral Ministries Coordinator: Mary Miller Ext 111 Parish Bookkeeper: Cherise Amundson Ext. 115 Bulletin Editor: Kate Ext. 113 Parish Ministry Faith Formation Team Leader Sue Sferra Ext. 132 Faith Formation Assistant Denise Santos Ext. 112 Middle School (Edge) Sue Sferra Ext. 132 High School (Life Teen) - Beth DeBella and Cliff Stodden Ext. 131 RCIA Sue Sferra Ext. 132 Music - Dan O Hara Ext. 128 Parish Nurse, Ministry to the Sick & Homebound Betty West Ext. 116 Sacristan - JoAnn McVeigh Ext. 129 Stewardship Mary Ellen Taylor Ext. 144 St. Vincent de Paul Society Ext. 142 STA Early Childhood Center Alicia Mumma, Director (727) 376-2330 www.staecc.org Food Pantry: Monday & Thursday 9:30-11:00am & 1:30-3:30pm Gift Store: Open before/after weekend Masses Parish Library: Open during office hours and during Coffee & Donuts fellowship hours Sept. - May After 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Masses The Epiphany of the Lord Readings for the Week of Jan. 8, 2017 Sunday: Is 60:1-6/Ps 72/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12 Monday: Is 42:1-4, 6-7/Ps 29:11b/Acts 10:34-38/ Mt 3:13-17 Tuesday: Heb 2:5-12/Ps 8:7/Mark 1:21-28 Wednesday: Heb 2:14-18/Ps 105:8a/Mk 1:29-39 Thursday: Heb 3:7-14/Ps 95:8/Mark 1:40-45 Friday: Heb 4:1-5, 11/Ps 78:7b/Mk 2:1-12 Saturday: Heb 4:12-16/Ps John 6:63c/Mark 2:13-17 Next Sunday: Is 49:3, 5-6/Ps 40/1 Cor 1:1-3/Jn 1:2934 Weekend Readings are at (727) 372-8600 Mass Intentions Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 4:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Shirley West Madeline Hickey Vocations Jerome Beck Fran Savage Larry Lonigan Mr. & Mrs. Lenard McComber 7:00 a.m. Jack Seibert 8:30 a.m. Parish Family 10:30 a.m. Stephen Manko 5:00 p.m. Parish Family A Special Thank You to the team of wonderful people who helped decorate the churches this year, led, as always, by Gail Calzon, and this year Michael Santos. Your time and talents are greatly appreciated!
Mon.1/09 Tues. 1/10 Wed. 1/11 Thurs. 1/12 Fri. 1/13 Sat. 1/14 Sun. 1/15 Parish Calendar 7PM Prayer Group/Life in the Spirit; 7PM Cub Scouts 9AM Ladies Guild Rosary Makers; 10AM Bereavement Grp; 11AM Bereavement Grp; 12PM Ladies Guild Luncheon/Mtg; 5:45PM Girl Scout Recruiting; 6PM Girl Scouts; 6:30PM Lifeteen Core Team; 7PM Cont. Choir 9AM Legion of Mary; 2PM Women s Bible Study; 4:45PM K-5; 6:15PM K-5; 7PM Choir 1PM Catholic Daughters; 4PM Girl Scouts; 7PM Bible Study 8PM AA-Al-Anon Respect Life Adoration Sign-Up All Masses 8AM Pancake Breakfast; 4PM Lifeteen Offertory Dec. 24th & 25th - $37,740.22 Dec. 31st & Jan. 1st - $20,912.66 MASS COUNTS: Dec. 31st & Jan. 1st 4 pm 437 6 pm 172 7 am 171 8:30 am 219 10:30 am 427 5:00 pm 274 TOTAL 1,700 Thank you all for being here! Mass and Anointing For Nursing Home Residents Oakview-January 10th Brookdale-February 21st Lifecare-February 21st All are at 10:00 a.m. My Dear Parishioners, The New Year bodes of hope and expectation. We see in today s Gospel that the Magi were indeed pagan foreigners, yet they felt so compelled to seek the Christ Child they were willing to travel a great distance (surely involving a lot of hardship) to pay him homage. And when they were warned in a dream of Herod s plan, they took an even longer way home to ensure the safety of Jesus and his whereabouts. And they weren t even Christian! What are the routes we choose to take that lead us to Christ? Are we willing to take the road less travelled or less expected of us, seeking not our own glorification, power, or income but to do the right thing by choosing Jesus? Are we willing to choose to serve as a liturgical minister, bring Communion to the sick and homebound, serve in the Cold Night Shelter or the Food Pantry are we willing to make a change in our day to day schedule to accommodate what Jesus calls us to do serve the poor, the needy, the lonely. As the Magi brought gifts to the Christ Child, we all have gifts to bring. Let them be a genuine gift of ourselves, freely given in the name of Jesus, for the betterment of our world and the building of his kingdom. I d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your generosity for our Giving Tree many, many families benefitted and were so grateful. On behalf of Fr. George and myself, we are also grateful for the many Christmas prayers, gifts and good wishes. Speaking on behalf of Fr. George, Deacon Mel and our entire staff, we are looking forward to serving you in the coming year. God bless you, Father Mike Pastor s Letter
STA Ladies Guild NEW YEAR PIZZA PARTY LUNCHEON TUESDAY, JANUARY 10th, NOON We are starting the New Year with a Pizza Party Luncheon at NOON, followed by The Rosary & General Meeting at 1:00 PM Our Thanks to all Members and Parishioners who participated in our Christmas Cookie Sale! RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND Marriage Troubles? If your marriage has become troubled and stressed, unloving or uncaring; if you have grown cold and distant; even if you are divorced or separated, or are thinking about it, Retrouvaille can help, as it has helped tens of thousands of others. Our next program begins February 10-12, 2017. For more information, visit www.helpourmarriage.com, or call 813-906-7705. Not counseling or group therapy. All contacts and names held in strictest confidence. 2017 WINTER CONCERT SERIES The 7th Annual Winter Concert Series at Saint Mary, Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 515 4th St. S. in Saint Petersburg, will begin with one of two dedicatory concerts celebrating the new VISCOUNT ORGAN installation at the church. Entitled, An Epiphany Gift, this concert will be Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017 at 3:00 pm at the church. The Voices of Grace will be featured in performance of Louis Vierne s MESSE SOLENNELLE with Dwight Thomas at the organ. The concert is free, though a free-will offering will be taken to defray costs. For more details, go to www.stmaryolg.org. FREE WHEELCHAIR MISSION CONCERT & RAFFLE, Jan. 29th at 1pm We are preparing for our 3rd annual Free Wheelchair Mission concert and are working hard to make it the best ever. WE NEED YOUR HELP. If you own a business or know someone who does, we need Ads for our concert program. These range in price from $60 to $750. We are also developing a brand new RAFFLE BLOWOUT. Our plan is to offer huge prizes made up of merchant product donations, gift certificates and discounts. We already have a $500.00 Amazon Gift certificate and are looking to have lots more! Please contact: MARIE AND BOB GEORGE at 727-244-6480 for more information. All of our concert proceeds go to Free Wheelchair Mission because we believe that no one should have to crawl.
We are on a mission to build our Mission! INFORMATION Announcing The Second Annual STA Garage Sale Extravaganza!!!! Want to earn some extra money? Looking for a great treasure? On Saturday, February 4 th from 8:00 am -2:00 pm the high school teens of STA LIFETEEN will host a giant garage sale!!! Clothes (adult and kids), games, kitchen items, household items, yard items, sports equipment and much more will be sold. All kinds of great finds!!!! There are three ways you can participate in this huge event Pay $20 for a table and on that table you can display and sell anything you wish (except electrical appliances). You keep ALL the money you make on sales. Or Donate any garage sale items, attic treasures or Spring Cleanings finds you wish to part with and we will sell them for you. Proceeds will help support our parish High School Teen Ministry. Anything not sold will be donated to our local St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store. Or best of all Come out and find treasures of all kinds amidst our donated items! GREAT PRICES!!! Something for everyone! Don t miss it!!! Coffee and bagels, hot dogs, soda, chips available for sale. For questions or additional information text or call Beth at 727-809-2384 or email: Stateens@gmail.com To Donate please call Sue at the Church office at 727-372-8600. Ext 132 The 10:30 Praise Band of St. Thomas Aquinas is in great need of a competent bass guitarist. If you are such a person, please prayerfully consider joining us in leading worship on Sundays. Contact Dan O Hara at 727-372-8600 ext. - 128. REMINDER The monthly collection for the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be following every Mass next weekend, January 14 th and 15 th, 2017 During the month of December 6,497 pounds of food fed 180 families and 546 people. THANK YOU for your continued kindness and generosity!
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (adapted for youth) DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE who may be hearing the whisper of God s call to Catholicism? The RCIA is a beautiful process and a journey worth taking! Don t get caught up in the terminology, but share this explanation of the process with anyone who may be interested have them reach out to us with the Holy Spirit s guidance, we will do the rest! RCI(A) and adapted for Youth: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is for unbaptized adults, adults baptized another Christian faith (or those baptized Catholic, with no subsequent catechesis or sacraments) - AND adapted for youth older than 7 who are not baptized and/or older Catholic children who are baptized, but have not been catechized (instructed) or received First Eucharist. Catechumens (those not yet baptized) are sent forth from the Mass following Gospel / Homily for a celebration of weekend readings, breaking open the Word of God. Sponsors / Parents / Spouses remain in full Mass participation. Separate weekly catechetical (instructional) sessions are offered (age appropriate classroom break outs). Sponsor / Parent / Family participation is vital to this process - and will be highly encouraged (along with family mentors from within the parish community). Contact the parish office for more information. HEALING MASS & LUNCHEON Friday, January 20th at 11:00 a.m. Please RSVP to the church office by January 17th Sponsored by our Ladies Guild Bishop Larkin Catholic School Open House January 29 th! Bishop Larkin Catholic School can be your forever school through Grade 8. Visit during the Open House, Sunday, January 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. (Tours/Presentations at 1 and 2 p.m.) or call 727-862-6981 to schedule a visit. Bishop Larkin offers academic excellence and a caring, nurturing, safe environment. Bishop Larkin is financially friendly and scholarships are available. Enroll here and never be rezoned! Go to bishoplarkin.org or facebook.com/bishoplarkin to learn more.
January 8, 2017 www.stanpr.org bulletin@stanpr.org Faith Formation For All! The Epiphany of the Lord Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. From Psalm 72 Christmas is a SEASON and we are still in the season! The tradition of giving gifts at Christmas is thought by some to actually be rooted in the gift giving of the Magi. In some cultures, gifts are not exchanged on Christmas day, but rather the Feast of The Epiphany (Three Kings Day). Whenever you exchange your Christmas gifts, take some time to reflect on this tradition of gift giving at Christmas. Think of the best gift you have received. What was it? What made it special? Was it the gift itself, the thought that went into it - or the person who gave it to you? Read today's Gospel, (Matthew 2:1-12). The gifts of the Magi - gold, frankincense, and myrrh - have come to be understood as symbols of Christ's royalty, divinity, and eventual suffering and death. They are special because in giving them, the Magi acknowledge who Jesus was to be: our Savior. Let s pray that we will better accept Jesus as our friend and savior in all that we do and say. Another way to find deeper meaning in this special day - think about those gifts a little differently - think of them as everything that keeps you from being close to Him (burdens, worries, anger, fear, etc. ) Jesus wants us to lay them down at His feet - let go of it all. He will gladly take it from us, and help us make more room for Him! Tomorrow, we officially conclude the Christmas season as we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of The Lord. A little Catholic FYI: In most years, this feast is celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany. When Epiphany falls on either January 7 or 8, the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the Monday after Epiphany. Although some of us may have already taken down our Christmas decorations liturgically speaking - the Christmas season hasn't ended yet. Tomorrow is the last day! The baptism of Jesus is considered the most important manifestation (a sign of something important happening) of God in the person of Jesus. It s really another epiphany (manifestation or showing forth). The event is reported in each of the three Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Without a doubt, Jesus' baptism was an event of great significance for Jesus and for the early Christian community and should be for us as well! ANSWER IN YOUR HEART: How I am living out my baptismal promise to be priest (mediator or bridge between others & God, through kindness and service), prophet (person who always speaks goodness & compassion to others for God s greater glory), and king (one who lets God always reign in their heart, working bravely for peace and justice in the world)? The Epiphany of the Lord WEEKLY SESSIONS resume on campus as follows: Sunday morning sessions AND Life Teen resumes THIS Sunday 1/8 RCIA resumes Monday 1/9 Wednesday sessions resume Wednesday 1/11 Next Infant Baptism Prep Session Sunday 1/15 following 10:30AM Mass (contact Sue to register) PRAYER SERVICE FOR UNITY WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18th 6:30PM Main Church Gather your Goods & SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY FEBRUARY 4th... OUR 2nd Annual STA Garage Sale Extravaganza!!!! See a prior bulletin page for details