42021 Highway 621 Gonzales, LA 70737 A People Set Apart Parish Staff Pastor.....Rev. Rubin Reynolds Administrative Assistant....Julie Carpenter Administrative Assistant.....Sandy Dardeau Bookkeeper..Renae Schexnaydre Business Manager...Kathleen LoCicero Consultant on Call...Sammy Chestovich Director of Christian Formation...Mary Kruse Maintenance Supervisor.......Ron Duhon Pastoral Associate.........Robin Richardson PSR Secretary....Sharon Buquoi PSR Secretary...Vicki Poche Jr. Youth Director........Dana Millet Sr. Youth Director......Garrett Tregre June 5, 2016 Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil Mass:......... 4:00 pm Sunday Masses...8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am Monday, Wednesday - Friday......8:30 am Tuesday Communion Service...8:30 am Reconciliation Saturdays: 3-3:30 pm and before daily Mass. Other times by appointment with priest. Parish School of Religion Principals: Patricia Sanchez..........High School Flory Reynolds... Middle & Primary School Parish Office Hours Monday - Thursday...8:00 am to 5:00 pm Friday..........8:00 am to Noon Telephones Parish Office...... (225) 647-8461 Fax......(225) 647-5125 E-mail:..........stmark@eatel.net New Parishioners: Please complete the registration form which can be found on our website and return to the parish office. Church Certificates: For all sacramental certificates, contact Julie Carpenter at 225-647-8461 Sacrament of Baptism: Baptisms are held the First Sunday of each month, following 11:00 a.m. Mass. Parents of infants and children under age 7 are to attend 1 Baptism Seminar. (If pregnant, attend as early as possible during the pregnancy.) Baptism Seminars are held on the Tuesday following the first Sunday of the month at 6:30 pm. *Baptism of children 7 years and older must go through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults adapted for Children. Contact Mary Kruse at 225-647-8461 Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA): For adults inquiring about becoming Catholic and baptized Catholics who lack Confirmation and Holy Communion, contact Donna Chestovich at 225-938-0985. Sacrament of Matrimony: Christian Burial: Couples need to contact the parish office six months prior to their planned wedding date. Families should contact the parish office, as soon as possible, prior to making other funeral arrangements. Pastoral Care of the Sick: Contact the office in regards to those who are seriously ill, hospitalized and homebound. Emergency calls are made immediately. Vocations for Priesthood and Religious Life: Contact the office of Vocations and Seminarians at 225-336-8779 or visit their website at www.diobr.org. Prayer Line Request: Contact the Parish Office 225-647-8461 Visit our website: www.stmarkgonzales.org for vital information or like us on Facebook
Schedule of Events 6/5 12:00 pm Senior Youth Crawfish Pickup 3:30 pm Junior Youth Group 6/7 9:00 am Blue Army 6:00 pm Adult Choir Practice 6:30 pm Baptism Seminar 6:30 pm KC Officer s Meeting 6/8 10:00 am Doors of Mercy 6/9 6:30 pm Doors of Mercy 6/11-12 All Masses Bethlehem Christian Display 6/13 7:00 pm Healing Hearts Volunteers Needed Please help to keep the Senior Citizen Ministry alive at St. Mark. The Chairperson of 12 years is stepping down. We ask that if anyone (don t have to be a senior citizen) is interested in either the Chairperson position or serving on the Planning Committee (planning events for parishioners 55 +), please attend our next monthly meeting on: TUESDAY, JUNE 14 @ 10:00am in the Father Collins Conference Room (old rectory). This has been a very viable ministry for the last 14 years, please consider helping to keep it alive at St. Mark. Announcements: This section will be a quick reminder of information, maximum 1 2 lines. Submit an article if more information is needed. Articles and/or announcements need to be brought or emailed to the parish office at least 2 Mondays before the Bulletin Date needed. Don t forget to pick up your crawfish this Sunday between 12:00-2:00 pm if you purchased a ticket for the Senior Youth Group fundraiser Thank you to everyone who supported their effort to raise money. St. Mark Guidebook Directories have been mailed. If you did not receive a copy, stop by the parish office and pick up a copy while supplies last. Please support those businesses who purchased ads making this book possible! In your June monthly envelope packet you will find a YELLOW Ladies Altar Society envelope for Dues ($10 ) and/or Donations that will go toward this ministry s work for the Church. Thank you for your support! On Saturday and Sunday, June 11 & 12, 2016, we will have a special opportunity to view and purchase products and creations in wood created by the hands of Christian artisans in and around the Holy Land region. The Rishmawi Family has been designated as the representative for these wonderful Christian artisans and has been authorized to show their olive wood carvings. The tradition of Olive wood carvings in the Holy Land has been handed down from father to son since the 12th century. Due to the difficulties the last few years in the Middle East, tourism has been dramatically reduced and these folks have suffered greatly. This is causing the Christian community to immigrate to different countries leaving the Christian population at 2% today from 25% ten years ago. Next weekend, we invite you to visit their display tables and purchase some of the finest handcrafts available from the Holy Land. Fiscal Year 2015 16: Stewardship of Treasure 46th Sunday, May 15, 2016 Weekly Budget - /+ Offertory $ 12,321.90 $ 11,826.92 $ 494.98 Maintenance $ 4,173.00 $ 2,730.77 $ 1,442.23 Pop Coin $ 102.33 $ 102.33 Total $ 16,597.23 $ 14,557.69 $ 2,039.54 Building Fund Envs, loose cks, ACH & 2nd collection Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time June 5, 2016 You changed my mourning into dancing; O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks. Psalm 30:12, 13 May 2016 Monthly Note -/+ $ 7,597.28 $ 5,694.70 $ 1,902.58 Thank you for your generous stewardship contributions.
Classes begin St. Mark September 6, 2016 Limited spaces available Call or come by the office to register 647-8461 2, 3 & 4 year olds 9:00 12:00 Two, Three, and Five day options Mother s Day Out Pre - school program Registration deadline: July 31, 2016 BLOOD DRIVE SUNDAY, JUNE 26th (See bulletin insert) Junior Youth Meeting June 5th 3:30 pm Open to all students grades 4th 7th VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL July 11 15, 2016 9:00 am 12:30 pm Join us for CAVE QUEST!! $25.00 per student Registering NOW!! Adult & Teen Volunteers are needed. We also need 2 Station Leaders. 1 Babysitting and 1 KidVid Registration and volunteer forms are available online, in the vestibules of the church, or in the parish office.
A Vocation View If you feel you are being called to the priesthood or religious life, take courage, the Lord is with you! If you feel God is calling you, call or email Fr. Matt Dupre at 225.336.8778, mdupre@diobr.org or visit www.diobr.org/vocations. Diocese of Baton Rouge Inaugural Diocesan-wide Supper and Substance For Married Couples Saturday, July 30, 2016 Premier Lanes in Gonzales 1414 N. Airline Hwy. 7:00 10:00 pm $65.00 per couple includes Food, Live Band, Bowling Register Online @ Www.mfldiobr.org Questions?? Call 225-620-5291 or email emilyfroeba@yahoo.com Call the parish office at 647-8461 and let Robin know you are attending! Healing Hearts If you or someone you know has experienced the death of a loved one (a spouse, friend, sibling, child, parent )you are invited to join us on a Spiritual Path to Healing. You do not have to be a Catholic, there is no time limit as to when the person died, there is no cost and all are welcome. When: Next Meeting is Monday, June 13, 2016 (2nd Monday of each month) Where: St. Mark Pavilion Time: 7:00 p.m. If your would like to be on an e-mail reminder list please e-mail Robin Richardson at stmark@eatel.net or call the parish office for more information. Please know that you do not have to journey alone. Sanctuary Flower Memorials Were donated the weekend of June 4th & 5th in loving memory of: Deceased Members of the Altar Society By: Ladies Altar Society New Catholic Women s Infertility Support Group You're Not Alone Are you and your spouse currently experiencing the pain of infertility or the inability to maintain a pregnancy? There is support available! Come join us for a Catholic Women's Infertility Support Group, now being offered on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, 7pm - 8pm at St. George Catholic Church, 7808 St. George Drive, Baton Rouge. For more information, contact Julie at stellajuliedot@gmail.com Sponsored by the Diocese of Baton Rouge Office of Marriage & Family Life Attention All Members If you have had any changes to your family membership status, please contact the parish office at 225-647-8461 so that your membership can be updated and is current. Change of Address Change of Telephone Change of Email Change in Marital Status Children grown and no longer live at home
CATHOLICS ACROSS THE NATION ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO PRAY, FAST AND ACT FOR RENEWED PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND TO REBUILD A CULTURE FAVORABLE TO LIFE AND MARRIAGE. DIGNITATIS HUMANAE The Second Vatican Council s Declaration on Religious Liberty On December 7, 1965, the Second Vatican Council approved Dignitatis Humanae, the Declaration on Religious Liberty. The Declaration addresses a question that comes up in every generation: how do we understand freedom, truth, and the relationship between church and state? Religious freedom includes two important aspects freedom from and freedom for. Freedom from is probably familiar and what most of us think of as freedom. It means that we are to be free from coercion. The state is not an all-powerful institution that can force people to act against their consciences. The right to be free from coercion limits the power of the state. But this freedom must be paired with a freedom for, a positive orientation to seeking and acting in accordance with the truth. People have both a right and a duty to seek religious truth. Freedom from coercion allows the space for the pursuit of religious truth. Religious freedom requires that a society both refrain from preventing people from living out their religion and help to create the conditions for religious expression to flourish. A free society, then, is one where people actively seek religious truth and fully live out that truth in public and private. As Pope Francis recently said in Cuba, the Church must have the freedom and all the means needed to bring the proclamation of the Kingdom to the existential peripheries of society. Human beings are social creatures. Religious freedom means that not only individuals but also families, communities, and institutions enjoy the space to live out religious convictions. Parents have a fundamental right to teach their children their faith. Companies that seek to contribute to the common good by their responsible business practices should be encouraged. Religious freedom belongs to groups as well as individuals. This social dimension of religious freedom entails that religious freedom includes the freedom to practice our faith in public. In our culture, some tend to think that religious liberty means only that individuals can worship without interference from the government. This understanding is inadequate. Religious schools, hospitals, and charities should be able to operate in accordance with their faith. Indeed, the work of these organizations is part and parcel of their faith. They are expressions of religious mission, and religions must have the space to live out their missions. As the title of the Declaration suggests, human dignity is central to Dignitatis Humanae. A most precious aspect of being human is the two-fold capacity to exercise reason and to respond to found truth. It is natural to ask, How do I live a good life? Who created this wonderful world, and how should I respond to this Creator? Why is there suffering, and how should I alleviate it? Religious traditions offer answers to these deeply human questions. It is imperative for the sake of human dignity that people are free to pursue these questions. The pursuit of truth involves an ability to listen, for God has made us with a capacity to hear his Word. Religious freedom is the cornerstone of a society that promotes human dignity. It is a fundamental human right, for it follows on the duty of all people to seek the truth about God.
Today s Readings First Reading Elijah revives the son of a widow (1 Kings 17:17-24). Psalm I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me (Psalm 30). Second Reading Paul explains God s call to him to preach to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:11-19). Gospel Jesus raises from the dead the son of a widow in the city of Nain (Luke 7:11-17). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. HOPE AND LIFE Today s readings tell the story of two widows. The first reading relates the plight of the widow with whom the prophet Elijah stayed; the Gospel tells about the widow of Nain. In each story, the widow s only son had died. For people who lived in those cultures, the son was the only support of a widow, and the carrying on of the family name by the son was equal to immortality. A widow whose only son has died could lose all hope. Elijah and Jesus are the restorers of hope; they bring the sons back to life. Saint Paul was metaphorically raised from the dead when he experienced the conversion and call from God that he describes in today s second reading. What are Christians called to do today? We may not be able to raise the dead, but perhaps we can rekindle hope for a single parent. We may not be able to convert a persecutor like Paul, but if we speak the gospel openly and gently with our lives, we might touch a life with the Good News. Copyright J. S. Paluch Co. Readings for the Week (Year C) Monday: 1 Kgs 17:1-6; Ps 121:1bc-8; Mt 5:1-12 Tuesday: 1 Kgs 17:7-16; Ps 4:2-5, 7b-8; Mt 5:13-16 Wednesday: 1 Kgs 18:20-39; Ps 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab, 8, 11; Mt 5:17-19 Thursday: 1 Kgs 18:41-46; Ps 65:10-13; Mt 5:20-26 Friday: 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-16; Ps 27:7-9abc, 13-14; Mt 5:27-32 Saturday: Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3; Ps 16:1b-2a, 5, 7-10; Mt 5:33-37 Sunday: 2 Sm 12:7-10, 13; Ps 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11; Gal 2:16, 19-21; Lk 7:36 8:3 [7:36-50] The Sanctuary Light Gaddys, Allen, Cathy & Lane Young, Mary Lee Bourgeois, Dagan, Tadd, M/M Adrian Red Fife, M/M Leo Ricca, and Lynn Jumonville Masses for the Week Saturday, June 4, 2016 4:00 p.m. Gaddys, Allen, Cathy & Lane Young, Wilma Medine, Dawn Dupreè Lewis, Ann Bourque, and for our Parish Family (living and deceased) Sunday, June 5, 2016 8:00 a.m. Allie & Valois Lavigne, George, Mattie & Carmella Gaudin 9:30 a.m. Mary Lee Bourgeois 11:00 a.m. For the People of St. Mark Parish Monday, June 6, 2016 8:30 a.m. Memorial Guild Tuesday, June 7, 2016 8:30 a.m. Communion Service Wednesday, June 8, 2016 8:30 a.m. Garney Gautreau and for our Parish Family (living and deceased) Thursday, June 9, 2016 8:30 a.m. Robert LeBlanc, Sr. Friday, June 10, 2016 8:30 a.m. Dorothy Auzenne Saturday, June 11, 2016 4:00 p.m. M/M Oneal Bourque, Rosalie Porta, Ray Gray, Michael Gray, Johnny Biondo, Ronnie Neat, Bernice & Clarence Slick Sanchez, Robert Boo Babin fly., and for our Parish Family (living and deceased) Sunday, June 12, 2016 8:00 a.m. For the People of St. Mark Parish 9:30 a.m. M/M Lee Decoteau, M/M Louis Rouillier 11:00 a.m. Cade Poma