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. Eric Peters 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 Fifth Sunday of Lent - March 18, 2018 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION In our Gospel (John 12:20-33) we hear about a curiosity to meet Jesus. Aren t we all interested in that seeing Jesus? This is how Jesus responds to that curiosity: unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. At first, it may seem that his response is a bit cryptic, but if we dig a little deeper it s not too difficult to understand. If we want to see Jesus, he tells us to look toward service & generosity. He can be found in the suffering, in the broken, in the needy, in every place where self-sacrifice and loving service is found. Especially during the Lenten season, we commit to dying little deaths through sacrificial acts. May today s Gospel help us to go deeper in to our final desert days of Lent, living the values that help us to see Jesus dying to selfishness and rising in service. This is why Jesus came, and this is how we meet him! Learning, Living and Sharing the Good News
Holy Week Schedule The Beautiful Liturgies of Holy Week: Holy Thursday, March 29 - Mass of the Lord s Supper at 7pm Good Friday, March 30 - The Passion of Our Lord at 3pm and Stations of the Cross at 7pm Holy Saturday, March 31 - Blessing of the Easter food at noon. The Easter Vigil will be celebrated at 8:30pm beginning with the Lighting of the Easter Fire outside in front of church. Please note that is the only mass offered on Holy Saturday throughout the Universal Church. Easter Sunday Masses, April 1 are at 6:30am in the church, 8:30 and 10:30am in both the church and parish center, and 12:30pm in the church. Please note: no 5pm Mass. Bishop Gregory Parkes Invites You to the Chrism Mass Please mark your calendars for this year s Chrism Mass, to take place on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle, St. Petersburg (5815 5th Ave N.). Most Reverend Gregory L. Parkes will be the principal celebrant and homilist. Priests observing significant anniversaries of ordination (e.g. 25, 40, 50, etc.) are honored during the Chrism Mass. Also, Bishop Parkes will bless and consecrate the Holy Oils that are used for sacramental purposes throughout the year, beginning with the Easter Vigil. The Holy Oils are the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Sacred Chrism. LENT 2018 Penance Services St. Michael (Hudson) - March 20th at 6:30pm St. Thomas Aquinas - March 22nd at 3pm and 7pm Readings for the Week of March 18, 2018 Sunday: Jer 31:31-34/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15/ Heb 5:7-9/Jn 12:20-33 Monday: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16/Ps 89:37/Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22/Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9/Ps 102:2/Jn 8:21-30 Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95/Ps Dn 3: 52b/ Jn 8:31-42 Thursday: Gn 17:3-9/Ps 105:8a/Jn 8:51-59 Friday: Jer 20:10-13/Ps 18:7/Jn 10:31-42 Saturday: Ez 37:21-28/Jer 31:10d/Jn 11:45-56 Next Sunday: Mk 11:1-10/Is 50:4-7/Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24/Phil 2:6-11/Mk 14:1-15:47 Weekend Readings are at (727) 372-8600 Mass Intentions Monday 8:00 a.m. Carmela Scaramuzinno Tuesday 8:00 a.m. The Thyssen Family Wednesday 8:00 a.m. Vocations Thursday 8:00 a.m. Rev. Jean-Pierre Mulinbi Friday 8:00 a.m. Marie Farrell Saturday 4:00 p.m. Helen Devlin 6:00 p.m. Charlie Cassella Sunday 7:00 a.m. Parish Family 8:30 a.m. James Mattox 10:30 a.m. Antonia Pizzuto-Sorgi 5:00 p.m. John Sobota & Mary Brownell Sobota The 10:30 Praise Band of Saint 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.
Parish Calendar Mon. 03/19 6PM Life Teen Core Team; 7PM Prayer Group Tues. 03/20 8:30AM Lenten Reflection; 9AM Ladies Guild Rosary Makers; 10AM Bereavement; 7PM Boy Scouts; 7PM Cont. Choir Wed. 03/21 9AM Legion of Mary; 10AM SVDP Meeting; 2PM Women s Bible Study; 7PM Choir Thurs. 03/22 5:45 Girl Scouts; 7PM Bible Study Fri. 03/23 5PM Fish Fry; 8PM AA Sat. 03/24 Sun. 03/25 Offertory - March 10th and 11th 1130AM Easter Egg Hunt; 5PM Mass Life Teen $15,708.30 1,070.00-Online Giving $16,778.30-Total 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: 8:00 a.m. Monday-Friday Healing Mass: 7:00 p.m. Monday (September - June) Holy Rosary after 8:00 a.m. Mass, Mon-Fri, in Blessed Sacrament Chapel Marian Novena after 8:00 a.m. 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 Prayer Line: (727) 372-8600 Emergency Number for Anointing of the Sick: Nights & Weekends (727) 836-3211 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 ST. THOMAS AQUINAS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER Food Pantry: Monday & Thursday 9:30-11:00am & 1:30-3:30pm Gift Store: Open before/after 4 pm Saturday and 10:30 am Sunday Masses Parish Library: Open during office hours Coffee & Donuts fellowship hours Sept. - May After 8:30 Mass
Knight s Korner Knights of Columbus Council #11497 Blessed are we Tickets still available in Parish Office for Twelve Angry Men Price: $15 March 18 th @3PM - Twelve Angry Men Performance March 23 rd Lenten Fish Fryday @5PM April 5 th April Business Meeting @7PM Interested in becoming a Knight? Visit www.kofc.org and contact our recruitment coordinator Bob Neider (614) 208-2789 to find out more. Our 2018 APA continues to make progress at St. Thomas Aquinas, and we are so grateful to the 317 families who made gifts of $59,706 towards our goal of $194,977 as of 3/2/18. Let us remember those in most need throughout our diocese and respond with grateful hearts and generosity.
March 18, 2018 www.stanpr.org Fifth Sunday of Lent DATELINE: JERUSALEM The Eve of the Passover 33 A.D A Unique Way of the Cross Written By Rev. Lawrence F. Murphy & Diane Titus Presentation By St. Thomas Aquinas Prayer Group At 7:00pm on Monday of Holy Week, March 26, 2018 In St. Thomas Aquinas Church Regulations on Fasting and Abstinence The dual disciplines of fasting and abstinence have a long history in the Catholic Church. Going back to the early Church, the purpose behind the custom of self denial is not punishment; it is to simplify our lifestyles so that we create a certain emptiness. In this way, freed from all distractions, we are able to hear and respond to God s continued call to conversion and holiness. + Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics between the ages of 18 to 59 years (inclusive). On days of fasting, one full meal is allowed. Two smaller meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to one s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids are allowed. + Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics who are 14 years of age and older. Ash Wednesday, all the Fridays of Lent, and Good Friday are days of abstinence. Note: If a person is unable to observe the above regulations due to ill health or other serious reasons, they are urged to practice other forms of self denial that are suitable to their condition. Fasting, almsgiving, and prayer are the three traditional disciplines of Lent. The faithful and catechumens should undertake these practices seriously in a spirit of penance and of preparation for baptism or of renewal of baptism at Easter.
Diaconate Formation Program Discernment Sessions In September 2018, we anticipate initiating the discernment sessions for those men who believe they may be called to service as a Permanent Deacon. These sessions are required preparation for, and an integral part of, the application and evaluation process which occurs during the first half of the following year. Prior to participating in the discernment sessions, inquirers meet with the director of the program to learn about the discernment process, the requirements of the formation program, and the ministry of the deacon. If you have men in your parish who you believe may have a calling to service as a Permanent Deacon, please ask them to call Sue Huertas at the diocesan Office of the Diaconate by phone (727.341.6826) or email (smh@dosp.org). Walk the Walk On Sat, April 7 we will again be participating in the "One Community Now Hunger Walk". Last year we won "Top Church" award - let's keep up the momentum! 38,000 Pasco County School students live in households that struggle to put food on the table. Many are "food insecure", not knowing if they'll eat between their school lunch on Friday and breakfast Monday morning. The Pack a Sack program provides food for children for the weekends. Our parish partners with Gulf Middle School to provide 20 students a week with food for the weekend and we d love to expand that number. Visit www.onecommunitynowhungerwalk.org to register for our St. Thomas Aquinas Team, to sponsor someone already registered, to volunteer, or to make a donation to our team. Save the Date for Family Faith Fest Bishop Parkes is asking everyone to save the date to attend the Family Faith Fest, Saturday, October, 27, 2018, from 10 am 6 pm. The Family Faith Fest is a one-of-a-kind experience for families! This event will bring together thousands of people from across Tampa Bay and West Central Florida for great live music, food, exhibits, activities for children, faith-filled experiences and much more. Stations of the Cross Fridays during Lent after 8am Mass and at 7pm in the Church
Faith Formation For All! Fifth Sunday of Lent Create a clean heart in me, O God. From Psalm 51 In this weekend s Gospel (John 12:20-33), Jesus teaches his disciples about the way in which he will be glorified by God, and a voice from heaven is heard to affirm this teaching. Family life is often a balancing act in which we prioritize the many, and sometimes competing needs. We learn the value of putting others needs ahead of our own. In family life we also learn that when we make personal sacrifices to serve others, we gain so much more than we may have lost. As a Family, talk about how important it is to be of service to one another. Have each person think about the last time another family member asked for help. What was the response? Did you cheerfully try to honor the request, or did you ask Why me? Read today s Gospel together. How do you think Jesus would want us to respond when someone in our family asks for help? Make a commitment for the next week to try to respond cheerfully to requests for help then next weekend, talk about how you did! Annual Parish Easter Egg Hunt! NEXT Sunday Palm Sunday (March 25), immediately following 10:30AM Mass, our traditional fun-filled Easter Egg Hunt will take place. It will include a light lunch for families who participate. We look forward to seeing you. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CANDY DONATIONS!!! Next Baptism Preparation / Enrichment session = Wednesday April 18th at 6:30PM The Formation Staff of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is privileged to serve with and for you. 727-372-8600 Pasco County public school spring break week of 3/18 Holy Week week of 3/25. NO Kindergarten through Grade 8 FORMATION SESSIONS on campus SUNDAY 3/18 we DO HAVE RCIA 8:30AM Mass and Sending forth. Next Sunday 3/25 our RCIA members will experience a day of retreat. The parish community prays with and for you as you journey closer to the Great Easter Vigil. WE DO HAVE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY TONIGHT 3/18 and NEXT Sunday 3/25 (Palm Sunday), - the Life Night will explore The Passion of Christ as a teaching tool to meaningfully enter Holy Week.