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 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 8, 2017 NEXT WEEK S GOSPEL MATTHEW 22:1-10 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast."' Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.' The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests." Learning, Living and Sharing the Good News
A MESSAGE from FATHER ERIC I just want to announce that I will be gone from the parish this weekend and the next as I take the remainder of my annual vacation time (I think you know the bishop gives us priests a month vacation), and for years now I ve split my vacation time in half, taking half of it in June and half in October. Incidentally, the reason I do it that way is because I discovered years ago that when you take your full vacation all at once that you have to wait a full year for your next break! (plus, I ve also found that the October break is a perfect time to catch one s breath before the whirlwind of the holidays!) So, I ve already taken my two weeks off in June when I was at St. Joseph, and now I have two more weeks coming (which, I should point out, was planned long before I got the call from the bishop saying I was to be transferred here to St. Thomas) and those two weeks are from October 3rd to October 17th. I d also like to take this occasion to say a word of thanks to Father George and our parish staff I am truly grateful for all they do, and I leave for this getaway with great peace of mind, knowing that the parish is in good hands! Please be assured of my prayers for you during this respite, and thank you for your prayers for me! Finally, as I leave, I would say to you what Jesus said to the apostles just before he ascended, namely, that it is good for you that I go! (because hopefully I ll come back a little better than when I left!) Readings for the Week of Oct. 8, 2017 Sunday: Is 5:1-7/Ps 80:9, 12-16, 19-20/Phil 4:6-9/Mt 21:33-43 Monday: Jon 1:1 2:2, 11/Ps Jon 2/Lk 10:25-37 (Opt. 2 Cor 6:4-10/Ps 126:5/Mt 5:13-16) (Opt. 2 Cor 4:1-2, 5-7/Ps 96:3/Luke 5:1-11) Tuesday: Jon 3:1-10/Ps 130:3/Lk 10:38-42 Wednesday: Jon 4:1-11/Ps 86:15/Lk 11:1-4 (Opt. Ez 34:11-16/Ps 89:2/Mt 16:13-19) Thursday: Mal 3:13-20b/Ps 40:5a/Lk 11:5-13 Friday: Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2/Ps 9:9/Lk 11:15-26 Saturday: Joel 4:12-21/Ps 97:12a/Lk 11:27-28 (Opt. 1 Peter 5:1-4/Ps 40:8a and 9a/Lk 22:24-30) Next Sunday: Is 25:6-10a/Ps 23:1-6/Phil 4:12-14, 19-20/Mt 22:1-14 Weekend Readings are at (727) 372-8600 Mass Intentions Monday 8:00 a.m. Joseph DiGiacomo Tuesday 8:00 a.m. Joseph DePalma Wednesday 8:00 a.m. Vocations Thursday 8:00 a.m. Sam Amato Friday 8:00 a.m. Bob Morrison Saturday 4:00 p.m. Thomas & Vincent Colucci 6:00 p.m. Pamela Scibelli Sunday 7:00 a.m. Parish Family 8:30 a.m. Dottie Kaufer 10:30 a.m. Carmela Fiordilino 5:00 p.m. Ben Bonanno In Loving Memory Frank Albanese John Boucher Charlie Cassella Claire Devine Vito D Incecco Juan Franco Lester Garone Matta Nguyen Christopher Parkes Blanch Patterson Carmella Sessa
Parish Calendar Mon. 10/09 6PM LifeTeen Core Team; 7PM Scouts; 7PM Prayer Group Tues. 10/10 9AM Ladies Guild Rosary Makers; 10AM Bereavement; 1PM Ladies Guild Fashion Show, Baby Shower & Mtg; 6PM Girl Scouts; 7PM Cont. Choir Wed. 10/11 9AM Legion of Mary; 2PM Women s Bible Study; 4:45PM FF K-6; 6:15PM FF K-8; 7PM Choir Thurs. 10/12 1PM Catholic Daughters; 4PM Girl Scouts; 7PM Bible Study Fri. 10/13 8PM AA Sat. 10/14 9AM Shalom Retreat Sun. 10/15 8AM 1PM Pancake Breakfast; 9AM FF K-6/Family Faith; 5PM Mass Lifeteen; 6PM LT Offertory - 9/30 & 10/01 $17,828.89 1,239.00 Online Giving $19,067.89 Total MASS COUNTS: 9/30 & 10/01 4 pm 319 6 pm 183 7 am 154 8:30 am 279 10:30 am 430 5:00 pm 250 TOTAL 1,615 Thank you all for being here! Flu Shots Flu shots will be available in the church center, in October date to be announced. Please make a reservation with Betty West, Parish Nurse, ext. 116. If you make a reservation, please keep the appointment, as we do not want to waste the vaccine. Thank you, Betty West 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 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 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 and 10:30 a.m. Masses
Knight s Korner Knights of Columbus Council #11497 October 15 th Pancake Breakfast following morning Masses October 19 th @7PM Recruiting Open House for men and their families October 29 th Parish Picnic cooking provided by the Knights November 2 nd @ 7PM November Business Meeting Interested in becoming a Knight? Visit www.kofc.org and contact our recruitment coordinator Bob Neider (614) 208-2789 to find out more. STA LADIES GUILD Is hosting their Annual Baby Shower For SOLVE at their October 10th Meeting at 1:00 pm Any parish members wishing to donate an unwrapped gift of clothing (size newborn to 6X), diapers or monetary contribution, can drop them off at the Parish Office until October 10th. Your acts of kindness will directly bless our Pasco County families! REMINDER The monthly collection for the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be following every Mass next weekend, October 14 th and 15th, 2017 For the month of September, 3,846 pounds of food fed 116 families and 337 people. Your generosity helps us provide help to the needy! THANK YOU! Family Faith Sessions competing in a little Catholic Jeopardy!
Social Media Accounts for Bishop Parkes It has come to our attention that two fake Instagram accounts were created by someone impersonating Bishop Gregory Parkes. This has been reported to Instagram for action. However, we urge everyone to be sure they are following only the official social media accounts of Bishop Parkes, which are the following: Twitter: https://twitter.com/bishopparkes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bishopparkes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bishopparkes/ If you have any questions, contact Teresa L. Peterson in the Office of Communications, tlp@dosp.org. HURRICANE IRMA RECOVERY RESOURCES Catholic Charities in the Diocese of St. Petersburg is organizing comprehensive relief efforts to address the needs of our community across the five-county region of Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, and Hillsborough in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. If someone you know is facing an immediate emergency, such as a financial, home or family crisis direct them to one of our four locations based upon the county in which they reside. These locations are also drop off sites for donations of relief supplies including food, water, basic toiletries, and baby supplies. Catholic Charities (General Information & Assistance, Office Hours 9 am 4 pm) Pasco County: 37733 Meridian Ave., Dade City, FL 33525 (Tel: 352-521-1218) For more information, visit http://www.dosp.org/hurricane-irma-recovery-resources/ TAMPA BAY YOUNG ADULT RETREAT Come out for an AWESOME Young Adult Retreat featuring speaker Jimmy Mitchell. When: Saturday, October 28, 2017 from 8:30 am - 8:30pm Where: St. Lawrence Catholic Church Celtic Hall 5225 N. Himes Ave Tampa FL 33614 Cost: $20, due at registration in order to confirm spot. Will include lunch, materials. Also a t-shirt if we reach enough registrants! For more information please visit the following link: http://www.stlawrence.org/yar.html OUR LADY OF FATIMA ROSARY RALLY FOR WORLD PEACE Holy Family Parish, St. Petersburg, is participating in a world-wide Rosary Rally celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the apparitions at Fatima. Come and be part of this world-wide event on October 14, 2017 at Noon. This event will take place at 7489 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, in front of the Winn-Dixie and will require approximately one hour of your time. For more information please contact Mary Zaborosky at 727-698-2720.
Faith Formation Twentyseventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Brothers and sisters: Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you. From Phil 4:6-9 Our second reading (above) reminds us to place our trust in God. His peace always lives inside of us, even when things around us don t seem very peaceful. AS A FAMILY, talk about ways you can promote peace. Pray together - letting God know your needs and worries. During your prayer, remember to believe that God is listening. Even when you aren't speaking, He knows your heart. Remember to trust that He is in control. Let that give you comfort. Let that be enough to offer others comfort, peace and encouragement. At the end of the week, make a list of the things you have done and said to encourage others and to offer God s peace. Talk about how that made you feel, and how you think it made others feel. Re-read today s second reading from Philippians. BE PROUD of how well you have lived out the scripture you just read! THIS Sunday October 8 = First Holy Communion Family Preparation Session I (following 10:30AM Mass - please gather in the Parish Center Hall). The Entire family is welcome, but at least one parent / adult must accompany child. For ALL families preparing child for sacrament this formation year. WEEKLY SESSIONS ARE ON CAMPUS THIS WEEK! K-6 Classroom Sessions Sundays 9-10:15AM 9-12 Youth Ministry Life Night following 5PM Mass K-6 Classroom Sessions Wednesdays 4:45-6:00PM K-8 (Includes Middle School YM EDGE) Wednesdays 6:15-7:30PM NO SESSIONS 10/15! PASCO COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLOSED MONDAY 10/16 SAVE THE DATE! Sunday October 29th Noon-4PM Saint Thomas Aquinas Fall Festival!!! Food Games FUN