My Brothers and Sisters, Recently I had breakfast with a friend who shared with me some interesting perspectives that he had about the legacy that each of us has benefitted from by virtue of being a Catholic Christian. Here in the United States, for instance, we Catholics have grown up surrounded by Churchsponsored elementary and high schools, universities, hospitals, social service agencies and parishes all of which are more or less part of the landscape of our lives. But where did these institutions, these organizations, these outreach efforts come from? For the most part, we ourselves did not build the buildings or provide the backing for the organizations we ve inherited a wonderful Catholic infrastructure that has been built by those who have come before us. Our parents, grandparents, great grandparents were the ones who sacrificed to build most of what we have in terms of Catholic institutions and organizations. Women and men religious, priests and bishops envisioned these tangible signs of outreach of our Church. What a blessing it is for us to be heirs to this legacy. Our own parish, established by Bishop Daniel Gerke of Tucson on August 5 th 1955 under the patronage of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, comprised of what was at that time mostly citrus groves and date palm farms on the far-east outskirts of Phoenix and the south slopes of Camelback Mountain. The geographical boundaries of the parish were set: from 40 th Street to 64 th Street, from McDowell Road to the crest of Camelback Mountain. Arcadia was not yet a destination address; it was a collection of groves that was beginning to give way to the ranch houses of largely new postwar arrivals in Arizona. Father George Feeney, our founding pastor, rounded up a number of mostly young, hard-working families and began to build and staff what we now know as St. Theresa Parish and School. Those founding families scrimped and sacrificed to build the first church (now Fr. Feeney Hall), the rectory and the convent in 1955 and then went on to build the school, classroom by classroom, beginning in 1957 as the Sisters of Charity arrived and began teaching the children of those founding families. Over the years, through the second half of the twentieth and the first decade and a half of the twenty-first century, our parish campus has expanded, ministries have been established and grown and the St. Theresa Parish neighborhoods have evolved into a denselypopulated area of varied demographics in metropolitan Phoenix rather than a scattering of new homes of young families in the midst of groves of citrus and dates. As a parish community now entering its seventh decade, we enjoy an incredible legacy and owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to all of the parishioners who have gone before us and have given us a wonderful foundation on which we can continue to build and grow our parish ministries and outreach efforts. In this month of November a month in which we Catholics traditionally remember our dead may we pray in gratitude for all of our predecessors: the past parishioners and benefactors of St. Theresa Parish. May each of us, as current members of the St. Theresa community, embrace our responsibility to continue the legacy of growing our parish ministries and outreach as well as enabling the care and maintenance of our parish campus. This weekend, we have the opportunity to pledge our support to our Parish Offertory Program for calendar year 2017. As we do so, let s keep in mind the great legacy that we ve been given here at St. Theresa and be generous in ensuring the continuation and growth of that legacy through our pledge of support in the 2017 Parish Offertory Program. Thank you! Grace, mercy and peace, Rev. Charles G. Kieffer Pastor
THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME PARISH NEWS Preparing to Vote? Read: www.sttheresaphx.org and click on link for download - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Certificate/Letter Requests We ask that all requests for copies of Sacramental Certificates/letters/forms be given a minimum of 5 business days to be completed. All requests will be processed within 10 business days on a first come/first serve basis. PLEASE NOTE: All Sacramental certificate requests REQUIRE a photo ID and a request form to be filled out. If the certificate request is for a minor, a legal guardian will need to provide a photo ID and fill out the request form. For any questions, contact the Parish Office @ 602-840-0850. St. Vincent De Paul Food Drive It s time for our Annual Food Drive! We will be handing out bags to be used for donations NEXT weekend, November 12th & 13th and collect your donations the following weekend, November 19th & 20th. Need suggestions??? The following items are ALWAYS needed: pasta sauce, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, cereal, canned fruit, tuna, rice, boxed potatoes, Ramen noodles, chili, canned pasta, and crackers. Any help you could give us sorting and boxing food would be greatly appreciated. Just come to Fr. Feeney Hall before or after Mass on the day of the collection. Thanksgiving Day Bread Blessing You are invited to bring the bread you will use at your Thanksgiving Day meal to be blessed with a special prayer at the end of the 9AM Liturgy on Thanksgiving day. Got Paper? Our green paper retriever bins are located behind the Msgr. McMahon Center Gym and are ready to accept your recycled paper. All proceeds go to support Student Council-sponsored activities of Saint Theresa Catholic School. PLEASE, paper only... no shredded paper, cans, glass or trash. Preparing for Thanksgiving Day We can start now practicing Gratefulness, so when Thanksgiving day arrives, we can be the evangelists we are called to be. For many Americans, the Thanksgiving holiday is about gorging on a sumptuous meal, spending time with family and gearing up for the busiest shopping day of the year. Of course, it s also supposed to be about expressing gratitude for all that we have in our lives, but that simple lesson often gets lost amid all these other activities. Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk who has written several books about the importance of gratitude, including Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer and A Listening Heart, says remembering what we are thankful for is an essential part of daily living, one that s too important to overlook. Without gratitude, he says, we become slaves to unquenchable desires. Yet by remaining conscious of all that we ve been given, we are more able to weather life s difficult storms. -David Ian Miller
Pastoral Council Corner Did You Know? The Communion of Saints Stained Glass Window s colorful light bathes the Sanctuary in a beautiful glow. We encourage parishioners to take in the beauty of the window and experience the wisdom of God teaching us through the historical lives of these leaders of Catholic faith. As you face the window, to your right of Christ the King is: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann ~ Panel 9 ~ On September 14, 1975, Pope Paul VI raised Mother Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton to sainthood, making her the first canonized saint born in the United States. Mother Seton, a native of New York City, was a widow with five children in 1805 when she became a Catholic convert from the Episcopalian Church. In 1808 she opened a small school for girls in Baltimore. The following year she founded there a religious community whose main goal was to educate poor children and work with the aged and infirm. The order was patterned after the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. In 1810 the community was moved into a log building in Emmitsburg, PA, and opened the first free school, considered to be the beginning of the parochial school system in the United States. Before her death in 1821, free schools and orphanages were opened in Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore. Today thousands of Sisters of Charity in seven separate communities trace their origin to this foundation, including the Sisters who taught here at St. Theresa Parish. Saint John Neumann was born in Bohemia in 1811 and was ordained a priest by the Bishop of New York. He worked zealously in the area of Niagara and was appointed bishop of Philadelphia. He had an outstanding devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and originated the Forty Hours Devotion in his Diocese. He is also called The Father of Catholic Schools because he did so much for their promotion. He died in 1860 and was canonized in 1977. Pray For Those... Who Have Died: Ed Gurka, Rose Melter and Brenda Murphy All are invited to our next evening of family enrichment Friday, November 18th from 6:30 8:30PM in Fr. Feeney Hall. Our November Date Night will include a presentation from Guest Speakers Deacon Mark & Denise Kriese on Difficult Conversations. The presentation will focus on serious conversations we sometimes need to have with friends, co-workers, family, children and even our spouses. Tell your married or engaged friends about this wonderful opportunity to grow in appreciation of our spouses and the covenant of our marriages. The evening is free, and light refreshments will be served. Childcare available for children over a year old. Please RSVP childcare to stpdatenights@gmail.com. VOLUNTEERS NEED- ED We always need more Safe Environment Trained Adults to help with childcare. Please contact Olivia at 480-262-5916 for more information on how to help. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION St. Theresa Parish Elementary Religious Education Program ATTENTION: Parents & Guardians of Elementary School-age children who do not attend St. Theresa Catholic School we still have room in our Traditional Sunday Classroom RE Program and we always have openings in our Home-School RE Program. Both of the programs are offered to children 3 years-old through 5th grade. If you would like more information contact Rita Laguna in the Parish Office @ 602-840-0850 ext. 110 or Rlaguna@sttheresaphx.org. Reminder: Parents of 1st grade (this year) RE children, please note that in order for your child to plan to receive their 2nd grade sacrament (next year) of First Reconciliation, they must be registered in and attending a Religious Education Program (either Traditional Sunday Classroom or Home- School Program) here at St. Theresa Parish this year.
THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME PASTORAL CARE Serving The Homebound If you have a family member who is homebound and they would like to receive friendly visits, communion, anointing of the sick, and/or confession, please contact Bobbie Stich in the Pastoral Care Ministry Office @ 602-586-7429. Mark Herding, CFP, CMFC, LUTCF 2198 E. Camelback Road, Suite 315, Phoenix, AZ 85016 (602) 296-7222 Please join us and learn about Long-Term Care Assisted Living In-Home Care Services Community Resources at our FREE Long-Term Care & Community Resources for Seniors Open House Saturday, November 19, 2016 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (Continental Breakfast will be served) The AnchorCentre, Lounge & Conference Room 2201 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix Please RSVP to 602-296-7222 or cmartin@cambridgesecure.com Securities offered through Registered Representatives (Mark Herding) Cambridge Investment Research, a Broker-Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisor. WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY! Pastoral Care is looking for a Coordinator for Adoration. Our dear Mary Ann Gray has coordinated Adoration beautifully for so many years THANK YOU MARY ANN!!! She will be there to show and lead the new person until they feel confident. It does not take a lot of time to oversee this ministry because the Adorers are always eager to spend their hour with the Lord. If interested, please contact Bobbie Stich @ 602-615-7987 or Mary Ann Gray @ 480-994-5579. Alzheimer s Support Group This is the finest support group in Phoenix. We always go away feeling like we were helped and we helped others. -Alzheimer Support Group attendees Our next meeting will be Tuesday, November 29th in the Parish Office Conference Room from 4-5:00PM. For more information please contact Bobbie Stich in the Pastoral Care Office @ 602-586-7429. Important Message! Tillie Chavez and her wonderful helpers will only be doing 1 more blood pressure check on Sunday, December 18th in the Pope John Paul Room. After 17 years, Tillie will be retiring so let s give her a really nice good-bye. Pastoral Care will have a brunch in Fr. Feeney Hall following the blood pressure checks on December 18th. Help us show Tillie how much we appreciate all her years of service at St. Theresa Parish. If you plan to attend this Brunch of Thanksgiving please contact Bobbie Stich in the Pastoral Care Office @ 602-586-7429 email Bobbie at bstich@sttheresaphx.org. Grief Support Group Meeting There will not be a November Grief Support meeting because we will all be going to the Mass of Remembrance on November 7th @ 7PM. Our next group meeting will be on Monday, December 12th. Bunco On Monday, November 12th join the Bunco Team at 1:45PM in Fr. Feeney Hall! Over the years, we have seen Bunco at St. Theresa be a time for laughter, meeting new friends, and taking home lots of winnings. Come roll the dice and join in the FUN! For more information please call Patti @ 602-952-0802 or Charlotte @ 480-284 6188. Adoration Every Thursday 9AM-8:30PM in the Convent Chapel When you take time to visit Jesus on a personal level He becomes front and center in everything you think, do and say. This kind of relationship never lets you down and you know that you are never alone in the trials and difficulties of life. If you need the chapel code for Thursday Adoration, just call the Parish Office @ 602-840-0850. DIOCESAN NEWS Worldwide Marriage Encounter But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. Strengthen your marriage in faithfulness by attending the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend November 11th-13th in Phoenix. For more information and for more dates, visit www.wwmearizona.com.
Mass Intentions (NOVEMBER 7TH-NOVEMBER 13TH) MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH 6:30AM EUGENE SENJAMIN-FR. JC TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH 6:30AM ROSE MELTER-FR. JC WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH 6:30AM TERENCE L. SULLIVAN-FR. JC 8:30AM ELIZABETH & CAMERON BRADY, SPECIAL INTENTION -FR. JOACHIM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH 6:30AM ED GURKA-FR. JC FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH 6:30AM BRENDA MURPHY-FR. JOACHIM SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH 8:00AM ROBERT FORCUM-FR. JC 4:00PM FOR THE PARISHIONERS-FR. JOACHIM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH 7:30AM IN THANKSGIVING-FR. JOACHIM 9:00AM CHARLES MURPHY-FR. JC 11:00AM PETER KUPCIK-FR. JOACHIM 5:00PM ALL HOMELESS-FR. JC The Priest scheduled to celebrate the Mass IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. ~ Readings ~ Week of November 6, 2016 Sunday 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14; Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15; 2 Thes 2:16 3:5; Lk 20:27-38 or 20:27, 34-38 Monday Ti 1:1-9; Ps 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; Lk 17:1-6 Tuesday Ti 2:1-8, 11-14; Ps 37:3-4, 18, and 23, 27, and 29; Lk 17:7-10 Wednesday Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17; Jn 2:13-22 Thursday Phlm 7-20; Ps 146:7, 8-9a, 9bc-10; Lk 17:20-25 Friday 2 Jn 4-9; Ps 119:1, 2, 10, 11, 17, 18; Lk 17:26-37 Saturday 3 Jn 5-8; Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6; Lk 18:1-8 Sunday Mal 3:19-20a; Ps 98:5-6, 7-8, 9; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19 Sunday 10:30AM 2nd Grade Reconciliation Mtg. (Fr. Feeney Hall) RCIA (Convent Upper Rm) RE Classes (School Classrooms) 6:00PM Life Night (Life Teen Rm) Monday 7:00PM Mass Of Remembrance (Church) Tuesday 1:00PM Pastoral Care Book Club (Parish Conference Rm) 3:30PM Youth Choir Rehearsal (Church) 5:30PM Core Team Mtg. (Life Teen Rm) 6:30PM Boy Scout Mtg. (PJP Rm) SVDP Mtg. (Convent Conference Rm) 7:30PM Adult Basketball (Msgr. McMahon Gym) Wednesday 9:30AM Centering Prayer (Convent Chapel) 11:30AM Senior Luncheon (Fr. Feeney Hall) 1:00PM 33 Days to Merciful Love (Convent Upper Rm) 5:00PM Reconciliation (Church) 6:00PM 6:30PM Choir Rehearsal (Church) 33 Days to Merciful Love (Convent Upper Rm) Rosary (Convent Chapel) Thursday 9:00AM Adoration w/ Benediction (Convent Chapel) 3:00PM Girl Scout Troop #1212 Mtg. (PJP Rm) 7:00PM Infant Baptism Orientation (Parish Conference Rm) Kevin Saunders Bible Study (Fr. Feeney Hall) Friday Saturday 9:00AM Reconciliation (Church) 8:30PM Al Anon (Classroom 16) Alcoholics Anonymous (Classroom 17)