Masses: Monday – Friday: 9:00 a.m. Saturday (Vigil): 5:30 p.m.* Sunday: 8:00 a.m., 9:45 a.m.*, 11:30 a.m.*, 5:30 p.m. *Nursery available Reconciliation: Saturday 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.; or appointment with a priest
Eucharistic Adoration: Tuesday after 9:00 a.m. Mass until 7:30 p.m.
St. Vincent de Paul Society: 281.578.3845
October 2 ,2016 • 27thSunday in Ordinary Time • Readings on p.1172
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PARISH CLERGY
Rev. Tom Lam Administrator
Rev. Martins Emeh, J.C.L. Parochial Vicar
Deacon John Evanoff Pastoral Associate
Deacon Don Kish
PARISH STAFF
Business Manager Craig Shemon
Gerry Broussard, Misha Gabriel, Dan Stamps, Mary Tran
Religious Education LouAnn Svoboda, Director
Charlotte Fulton, Sarah Karchunas, Maria Laiseca
Youth Ministry Dave Clark, Director
Joey Harvey
Music Ministry Christian Mondragon, Director
Adrienne Copeland
Liturgy Ministry Dominick Aquila, Director
Outreach Ministry Schottsie Hill, Director
Lisa Gilkeson
Facilities Manager Kirk Harris
Young Kim, Alex Trejo
COMMUNITY LIFE
Nursery Coordinator: Anne Salazar
Bingo: Friday at 7:30 p.m. 281-578-3905
Welcome Newcomers
If you would like more information on our Parish Community, please visit
www.epiphanycatholic.org
A Homily by Pope Francis
W e must resist temptations that distance us from our service to others. Instead, like Jesus, we must serve without asking for anything in return and avoid transforming our service “into a power structure.”
The Pope based his homily on the Gospel which recounts Jesus’ parable of the “unprofitable servant.” Pope Francis said it teaches us what service means for a Christian. Jesus speaks of a servant who, after working all day, comes home and instead of resting still has to serve his master. Some of us would advise this serv-ant to go to his trade union for some advice, on how to deal with a boss like that. But Jesus said, ‘No, service is total,’ because His path was this attitude of service. He is a servant. He presents himself as a servant, the one who came to serve and not to be served: He says so clearly. And so, the Lord shows the Apostles the path of those who have received the faith, that faith which works miracles. Yes, this faith will do wonders on the path of service.”
The Pope added, “a Christian who receives this gift of faith in Baptism, but who does not carry forward this gift on the path of service, becomes a Christian without strength, without fertility.” In the end, Pope Francis warned, he becomes “a Christian out for himself, to serve himself. His is a sad life because the many great things of the Lord are wasted.”
Pope Francis reaffirmed that the Lord tells us that “service is total, we can-not serve two masters.” Either we serve God or we serve riches. We may distance ourselves from this attitude of service, first of all out of laziness, which cools our hearts making them lukewarm, laziness makes us comfortable. Laziness distances us from work and leads us to this ease, this selfishness. Many Christians are like this. They are good, they go to Mass, but only serve to a certain point. But when I say service, I mean everything: service to God in worship, in prayer, in praise; ser-vice to others, when I have to do it; service to the very end, because Jesus is strong in this: So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. Gratuitous service ─ service that asks for nothing in return.”
Pope Francis continued that we also distance ourselves from this attitude of the service, when we try to “take over control of the situation.” The Pope said we can understand this dynamic from observing the discussion between James and John about who was the greatest. Their mother “goes to ask the Lord for one of her sons to be Prime Minister and the other minister of the economy, with all the power in hand. This happens even today when Christians become masters: mas-ters of the faith, masters of the Kingdom, masters of Salvation. This happens; it is a temptation for all Christians. Instead, the Lord speaks to us about service: ‘Service in humility,’ service in hope, and this is the joy of Christian service.”
“In life we have to struggle so much against the temptations that try to dis-tance us from this attitude of service. Laziness leads to ease: half-hearted service; taking control of the situation, and from becoming master instead of servant, which leads to arrogance, pride, to treating people badly, to feeling important ‘because I am a Christian, I have salvation,’ and so many things like this. The Lord gives us these two great graces: humility in service, in order to be able to say, ‘We are unprofitable servants ─ but servants ─ until the very end’; and hope while waiting for the manifestation, when the Lord will come to us.”
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Baptisms
Please contact parish office for preparation classes.
Baptism Session for Parents
2nd Saturday of February, May, August, November 10:00 AM – Noon To register call LouAnn Svoboda (281-578-8271)
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
For information call LouAnn Svoboda (281-578-8271)
Sacrament of Marriage
Must be a registered, active member of the parish at least six months. Contact parish office eight months before wedding to begin preparation.
Finance Council Chair Denny Dellinger
Pastoral Council Chair Tom McGeehan
Knights of Columbus C.J. Hattier, Grand Knight http://www.kofc9759.org/
St. Vincent de Paul Society Cynthia Viator
Ladies Club Joan McManamy
Forever Young Barbara Hajjar, Clare Snow
Bulletin Deadline The deadline for article submission is Thursday at noon (ten days before publication). Your article can be sent to [email protected].
Child’s Play Learning Center, Alyce Gabrysch, Director , 281-578-9332; 281-578-0507 Fax; childsplaykaty.com
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2 Food Drive Coffee & Donuts: Family Center 9:45 & 11:30 AM, Nursery: 0-5 years: 12:00 PM, Young Adult Texans Game Watch: Epiphany Room 3:30 PM, Children’s Faith Formation 3:30 PM, JH Faith Formation 7:00 PM, HS Faith Formation and Confirmation: PAC
MONDAY, OCTOBER 3 9:00 AM, Harris County ESL 4: 301 1:00 PM, Rummikub:Outreach Center 6:30 PM, Bereavement Support: Outreach Center 7:00 PM, Revelation: Epiphany Room 7:00 PM, High School Bible Study: Upper Room 7:00 PM, KC’s Business Mtg: PAC 7:00 PM, Scout Troop 1146: Rooms 204/205/206/207/212 7:00 PM, Job Networking: Rec Room 7:15 PM, Hand Bell Choir: Church
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4 9:00 AM, Fort Bend ESL 1: Room 303 9:30 AM – 7:00 PM, Adoration: Chapel 9:30 AM, Quilters: Room 411 9:30 AM, Fort Bend ESL 2: Room 304 9:45 AM, Angel Tree Workshop: Outreach 10:00 AM, Rosary for Respect Life: 10:00 AM, Scripture Study: Den 3:00 PM, Divine Mercy Chaplet: Chapel 4:00 PM, Rosary for Vocations: Chapel 4:45 PM, Children’s Faith Formation 4:45 PM, JH Faith Formation: PAC 7:00 PM, Home Based Parent Meeting: Family Center 7:00 PM, Scout Troop 1288: Rec Room, Rooms 301/303 7:00 PM, RCIA: Epiphany Room 7:00 PM, Rosary: Chapel 7:00 PM, Walking Through Grief: Outreach Center 7:30 PM, Evening Prayer: Chapel
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5 9:30 AM, Called to be Mom: Rec Room 10:00 AM, Acts: The Spread of the Kingdom: Den 4:45 PM, Children’s Faith Formation 5:30 PM, Contemporary Choir Practice: Church 6:30 PM, Children’s Faith Formation 6:30 PM, JH Faith Formation: PAC 6:30 PM, HS Faith Formation and Confirmation: PAC 7:00 PM, LOFT: Upper Room 7:00 PM, Genealogy Group: Epiphany Room 7:00 PM, Adult Choir Rehearsal: Church
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 9:00 AM, Fort Bend ESL 1: Room 303 9:00 AM, Anointing of the Sick within Mass: Chapel 9:30 AM, Ft. Bend ESL 2: Room 304 9:45 AM, Just Faith: Outreach Center 12:30 PM, ELC Knitting Group: 304 6:30 PM, Spanish Bible Study: Rec Room 7:00 PM, Reconciliation Parent Meeting Family Center 7:00 PM, Line Dancing: Great Room
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 7:30 PM, Bingo: Family Center
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 9:00 AM, Protecting God’s Children: Epiphany Room 10:00 AM, Baptism Service: Narthex 5:00 PM, Baby Shower Drop Off Loggia 5:30 PM, Nursery: 0-5 years:
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9 Baby Shower Drop Off after all Masses this weekend: Loggia 9:45 & 11:30 AM, Nursery: 0-5 years: 3:30 PM, Children’s Faith Formation 3:30 PM, JH Faith Formation 7:00 PM, HS Faith Formation and Confirmation: PAC
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LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK
SPECIAL REMEMBRANCES
Saturday, October 1 Vigil-27th Sunday in O.T. 5:30 PM Paco Fonseca Sunday, October 2 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00 AM †Paul Layman 9:45 AM For the people 11:30 AM †Rafael Correal 5:30 PM †Amparo & Jessie Stewart Monday, October 3 Weekday
9:00 AM †Gertrude Wright Tuesday, October 4 St. Francis of Assisi 9:00 AM †Ruth & Pedro Galaviz Wednesday, October 5 Weekday
9:00 AM †Ricardo Lanete Thursday, October 6 Weekday 9:00 AM †Brad Edward Banky Friday, October 7 Our Lady of the Rosary 9:00 AM †Sang Hee Andrew Han Saturday, October 8 Vigil-28th Sunday in O.T. 5:30 PM †Lawrence Gochioco Sunday, October 9 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:00 AM †Paul Layman 9:45 AM For the people 11:30 AM †Juana Rivero 5:30 PM †Michael Wayne
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday: Gal 1:6-12; Ps 111:1b-2, 7-9, 10c; Lk 10:25-37 Tuesday: Gal 1:13-24; Ps 139:1b-3, 13-15; Lk 10:38-42 Wednesday: Gal 2:1-2, 7-14; Ps 117:1bc, 2; Lk 11:1-4 Thursday: Gal 3:1-5; Lk 1:69-75; Lk 11:5-13 Friday: Gal 3:7-14; Ps 111:1b-6; Lk 11:15-26 Saturday: Gal 3:22-29; Ps 105:2-7; Lk 11:27-28 Sunday: 2 Kgs 5:14-17; Ps 98:1-4; 2 Tm 2:8-13; Lk 17:11-19
Liturgy & Prayer
Please pray for our military men and women.
Men’s Retreat – Imagine a full weekend of time to reflect, read, pray and think without in-terruption! Holy Name Retreat Center is offering you that op-portunity at one of our men's retreat weekends on October 28-30. You are invited to contact Deacon Don Kish at 281-578-7112 for more in-formation or www.passionist.org/holyname.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK AND ELDERLY: The Sacrament of Anoint-ing of the Sick will be celebrated on Thursday, October 6 and every First Thursday of the month during
the 9:00 AM Mass. The Sacrament of Anointing is for the strengthening of those who are ill, or who are aging. We celebrate the sacrament best in the community setting so that we can support you with prayer.
Through the waters of Bap-tism the following infants now have begun their journey of faith in the Christian Community: William Pabilla-no Anderson, Camila Escorza Fuentes, Nicole Lynn Fink, Miguel Alessandro Gonzalez Frometa, Case James Guthier, Lance Lindholm, Daniel Andres Ramos Ferrer, Santiago Samuel Sanchez, Savan-nah Layne Winget, Michael Thomas Wyman.
PRAYER LIST FOR THE SICK Please keep the following people in your thoughts and prayers this week as we wish them a return to good health:
Jason Sides, Theresa McCluskey, Hailey Williams, Betty Long, Robert Davidson, Brianna McRee, Chester Bourgeois, Maria Mercedes Enriquez, Steve Chambers, Frank & Donna Golemi, Janet Cuccia, Mike Cascer, Bill Wilson.
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News in the Parish Respect Life Bulletin Board
FrostyFest—A limited number of booths are still available for Epiphany's annual Frostyfest Craft Show to be held Saturday, December 3. All crafts must be hand made by the vendor. An application and rules can be obtained at the church's website. All pro-ceeds from the show benefit Epiphany's new school. For additional information, please contact the parish office at 281-578-0707.
Come work for the church! Epiphany of the Lord is looking for a part-time night time receptionist for the front office and PAC building. Job would be approximately 10 hours a week. Hours would generally be from 4:00-9:00 p.m. some weeknights. Please send resume to Craig Shemon at: [email protected]
October is Respect for Life month in the Catholic Church across our nation. This gives us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on and educate about the dignity of the human person. Hu-man life, from conception to natural death, is under attack in our culture today. Life is threatened because we no longer understand what it means to be human and what our humanity calls forth from us in our re-sponsibility to care for each other. This Sunday October 2, 2016 is National Life Chain. Please join us from 2pm-3:30pm on Mason Road (near Jason’s Deli) south of I10 to participate in the largest pro-life witness. Also, the RFL committee is sponsoring a “Day of Prayer and Adoration” on Thursday October 20, 2016 from 9:30am to 7:00pm. Par ishioners are needed to sign up to pray in hour intervals though out the day. Please sign up in the narthex. What a better way to celebrate life then to spend an hour with the Blessed Sacrament!
We welcome into our community: Teresa Belcher, Miguel & Sandra Barreto, Jouie & Julianna Calma, Robin & Tam Chang, Noel & Mariangie David, Buck & Barbara Hartman, Inigo & Angela
Laugermann, Andres & Aimara Leonardi, Edelmiro & Margarita Lucio, Alexander & Monica Monroy, Thinh Nguyen, Mark & Maureen Patronella, Sandra Segura-Plata, Mauricio Trebilcock.
Celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi by bringing your animals and pets for a special blessing. Meet at the softball field on Saturday, October 8 from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. Please remember to proper ly restrain them on a leash or in a carrier.
Vocations Corner High School Girls interested in learning more about religious vocations for women: Would you like to spend an evening with Sisters of the Archdiocese, sharing a meal, learning what religious life is like and how to recognize a calling to this type of vocation? Or, do you know someone who may like an invitation to learn more? If so, plan to attend the Archdiocesan Myriam Dinner on Friday, October 14, 2016, 6:00-9:30 PM at the Villa de Matel, 6510 Lawndale, Houston, TX. Registration required by phone or email: 712-652-8239 or email [email protected]
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Our Stewardship
Stewardship – September 24/25
Sunday Offering $51,180.70
St. Vincent de Paul Society $2,460.00 Registered Households 6,604
Our kids are back to school and our schedules are busier than ever. Let Faith Direct make your life easier! Faith Direct is our parish on-line giving program. Just enroll and your regular offerings to Epiphany are automa cally deducted from your checking account or billed to your credit card. It’s secure and easy to use! Faith Direct can also be used for capital campaign payments to support our new catholic school. Visit www.faithdirect.net or find their link on Epiphanycatholic.org.
Remember Epiphany’s parish code is: TX 613
Faith Direct also has a free App for your phone! It is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android users. The App allows parishioners to access their account any me, anywhere! Thank you for your con nued support of our parish family!
Community Life Epiphany Ladies Club
Please join us for breakfast during this Year of Mercy to learn about Correctional Ministries. We will host a panel discussion with Fr. Tom, an archdiocesan volunteer and a parishion-er volunteer at the Epiphany Ladies Club meeting on October 14 at 9:30 AM in the Family Center. All are invited to attend this informative event. Please contact Lisa in the Outreach Center at 832-772-0306 if are not a member of ELC and plan to attend.
Ladies, we need your best recipes! The Epiphany Ladies Club is producing a new fundraising cookbook and eve-ryone should be a part of it! Please go to epiphanycatholic.org/ladies-club and click on cookbook to access
the instructions and recipe submission form. We'll be collecting recipes at our next meeting on October 14 so don't forget to bring yours. Remember, this cookbook will have all new recipes so if the recipe was in our last cookbook it won't be included in this one. We' ll also be doing cookbook pre-sales at our meeting so don't forget to bring cash or a check. You can save some money by purchasing them now for $12.00, once published the cost is $15.00. Ques-tions; contact Terri Bray at [email protected].
MATCHING GIFTS FOR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
If you made a pledge to the Epiphany Capital Campaign and your employer will match your do-nation, please let us know the company’s name and contact person in the Matching Gift Depart-ment if you need assistance. The information can be sent to parishioner Ron Riesmeyer at: [email protected] We will be glad to help.
FOREVER YOUNG invites you to join us on Friday October 21st at 11:30 am in the Family Center for a Pizza lunch from DOUBLE DAVE'S. We are ask-ing $5.00 per person. Please call 281-693-5531 for reservations by Monday October 17th. The Sunshine Band is back to entertain us. The FY group offers monthly entertainment and in-teresting trips "for the over 55" - new to the parish or not.
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Outreach Ministry – 281-578-0707 Outreach Events in October:
Standing Meetings: Mon.—Epiphany Job Net-
working at 7 p.m. in the PAC; Tues.—Respect Life Rosary at 10 a.m. in the Chapel.
Oct 2nd: Food Drive
Oct 2nd: Life Chain
4th: Walking Through Grief
6th: Just Faith 9:45 am
8th/9th: Epiphany Baby Shower
11th: Walking through Grief
12th: Clinic Care Workshop at 9:45 am
13th: Gathering Place at 10 am
13th: Caregiver Support at 10 am
13th: Just Faith at 9:45 am
See www.epiphanycatholic.org for details.
Food Drive This Weekend If you forget, you can always drop off food during the week in our food bins in the Loggia. Please
check expiration dates as we cannot distribute ex-pired food or food that has been opened.
Thank you in advance.
Life Chain Today! 2-3:30 pm
Only a prayer chain can be a Life Chain LIFE CHAIN OF KATY gathers along both sides
of Mason Road just south of Interstate 10.
Parish Baby Shower When: After all masses:
Next Weekend Where: Drop off items in the loggia
Clinic Care Kits benefitting those in need
Come join us in the Outreach Center on October 12th to help assemble the Clinic Care Kits, we start at 9:45 am after morning mass. We are still in need
of Dental Supplies.
Year of Mercy Ladies of the Parish, please join us for breakfast and a panel discussion with Fr. Tom, Deacon Gary Boyd from the Archdiocese and parishioner, Karen Layman at the Ladies Club meeting on October 14th at 9:30 am. The topic will be Year of Mercy: Correctional Ministry. Please RSVP to Outreach at 832-772-0306 or email outreach @epiphanycatholic.org by October 11th.
THANK YOU BLOOD DONORS!!!
We had a total of 44 people do-nate blood at our last drive! A special thanks to our first time do-nors and to donors who were will-ing but had to be deferred this time. We appreciate all of you
and the dedicated Blood Drive Coordinators & members who make this happen!!! When donating at other times or locations, remember Epiphany’s Donor Group # is 2340
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Faith Formation – 281-578-8271
CALLED TO BE MOM Called to be Mom will meet on Oc-tober 5 for a presentation by member, Yvette, on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd children’s program. CTBM meets from 9:30—11:30 in the PAC. All moms are welcome; contact [email protected] for information.
Genealogy Group “How to Trace the Genealogy of Your Sur-
name Using Y-DNA and Social Media”
Bill Rothwell, PhD., Epiphany parishioner, will introduce Y-DNA testing and how it compli-ments and extends conventional genealogy. Through real-world examples, he will demon-strate using Y-DNA, Facebook, and a public Surname Project to trace an ancestral surname back generations—even before European sur-names were first developed. All are welcome to join us on October 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Epiphany Room (PAC)
Parent Sacrament Meeting IF your child is in second grade (minimum age) and they are entering their second con-secutive year of faith formation or second year of Catholic School and you believe they are ready to begin to prepare to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, a Catholic parent must attend one of the mandatory parent meetings on October 6, or October 13 in the Family Center from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. This is a parent only meeting; childcare available at no cost by emailing [email protected] with the names and ages of your child(ren) and the date and time of the meeting you plan to attend. This will assist us in providing the correct number of nursery workers to care for your child. A completed Sacrament Registration form, copy of child’s baptism certificate and fee is necessary prior to attending the Parent Sac-rament Meeting in order to receive the ma-terials the evening of the meeting. For more information call 281-578-8271.
FAITH FORMATION
Open House for Parents
Open House for faith formation will be held in the Family Center today, October 2, for the Sunday afternoon session. Take your student to their classroom and then parents are en-couraged to spend the session time in the Fam-ily Center. This is your time to ask questions of the directors of the programs and discover the workings of faith formation at Epiphany. This is not a parent sacrament meeting!
Home-Based Faith Formation Parent Meeting
Tuesday, October 4 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. in Family Center
This meeting is for parents who choose to teach their children the faith at home. Tips for success and useful tools will be offered. Parents who have registered their children may pick up their student’s book and accountability packets. Parent questions will be answered. This meeting is for parents of students in grades 1 - 10 who have chosen this option for faith formation. If you need additional infor-mation call 281-578-8271. This is not a Parent Sacrament Meeting.
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Epiphany Youth Ministry
Around the Archdiocese
VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children Original training session will be held at Epiph-any Saturday, October 8, from 9:00 until Noon in the Parish Activity Center (PAC). Pre-registration is mandatory at http://www.virtus.org. A valid identification must be presented at check-in. No late admittance is allowed. If you are over 18 and active in min-istry at Epiphany, you must be VIRTUS trained. All adult parishioners, ALL PAR-ENTS, are encouraged to be VIRTUS trained! Questions? Need assistance with the regis-tration process? Call the Faith Formation Office at 281-578-8271.
No walk-ins!
Faith Formation
Join Epiphany Youth Ministry and families as we go to MOTSY. Find more information and sign up using our SignUpGenius account!
Come see why “It’s a great day to be a Lion” at St. John XXIII College
Preparatory! Schedule your individual family tour on Thursdays and Fridays at 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. of each week. Register for a Regular Shadow Day offered every other Friday from 7:45 to 11:00 a.m. Reserve one of our Official Shadow Days, lunch provided (space limited to 25 students per day):
Friday, October 7, 7:45-3:00 with Homecoming Pep Rally!
Friday, October 28, 7:45-3:00 with Halloween Pep Rally!
Please contact our Admissions Office for more details and to schedule your “Lion” experience at [email protected] or 281-693-1000 Also, Save the date for our OPEN HOUSE on Sunday, December 4, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
