February 14, 2021 Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Serving Hyde Park’s Catholic Community since 1869 Come visit us at www.stapostleparish.org Mass Schedule Sunday 8am & 10am Monday-Friday 8am Saturday 8am & 4pm Holy Days 8am Confession Saturdays, 2:30-3:30pm. Baptism Please contact the Parish Office. Marriage Please make arrangements eight months in advance. Membership Please register at the Parish Office or online at www.stapostleparish.org under “Contact Us”. St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Parish Offices: Hours: Weekdays: 7am-3pm, Mon.-Fri. Located at 55th & Woodlawn 5472 S. Kimbark Avenue Chicago, IL 60615-5297 Phone: (773) 324-2626 Fax: (773) 891-0602 [email protected]Fr. Dan Costello Extension 107 Deacon: Deacon Kurt Davis Parish Office: Lisa J. Couch, secretary (773) 324-2626 Parish Voicemail box, ext. 0 Director of Parish Operations Paula Jones, ext. 109 Music Ministry Matthew Merz Liturgist Jennifer Davis Bulletin Editor Lissa Romell Parish School Erin Monahan, Principal 5467 S. Woodlawn Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60615-5299 telephone: (773) 667-1142 Fax: (773) 891-0602 www.stapostleschool.com Please don’t forget the poor boxes. I do will it. Be made clean. ~Mark 1:41
Transcript
February 14, 2021
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Serving Hyde Park’s Catholic Community since 1869
Come visi t us at www.stapost leparish.org
Mass Schedule
Sunday 8am & 10am
Monday-Friday 8am
Saturday 8am & 4pm
Holy Days 8am
Confession Saturdays, 2:30-3:30pm.
Baptism Please contact the Parish Office.
Marriage Please make arrangements eight months in advance.
Membership Please register at the Parish Office or online at www.stapostleparish.org under “Contact Us”.
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish
Parish Offices: Hours: Weekdays: 7am-3pm, Mon.-Fri. Located at 55th & Woodlawn 5472 S. Kimbark Avenue Chicago, IL 60615-5297 Phone: (773) 324-2626 Fax: (773) 891-0602 [email protected]
Fr. Dan Costello Extension 107
Deacon: Deacon Kurt Davis
Parish Office: Lisa J. Couch, secretary (773) 324-2626 Parish Voicemail box, ext. 0
Director of Parish Operations Paula Jones, ext. 109
Music Ministry Matthew Merz
Liturgist Jennifer Davis
Bulletin Editor Lissa Romell
Parish School Erin Monahan, Principal 5467 S. Woodlawn Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60615-5299 telephone: (773) 667-1142 Fax: (773) 891-0602 www.stapostleschool.com
Please don’t forget the poor boxes.
I do will it.
Be made clean.
~Mark 1:41
Page 2 St. Thomas the Ap ost le Par ish S ix th Sunday of Ordinary T ime
Joseph Wiley, Prof. Augustine Bame Nsamenang, May his soul rest in peace, Irene Koenen, Ken Koenen
We encourage you to prepare yourself for next weekend’s liturgy by reading and praying the scriptures (visit www.usccb.org).
Next Sunday’s Readings: First Sunday of Lent Genesis 9:8-15 Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15
MONDAY, February 15 Readings: Gn 4:1-15, 25 Ps 50:1 & 8, 16bc-17, 20-21 Mk 8:11-13 Why does this generation seek a sign? Mk 8:12 Dr. Herman Neal Kathleen Hayes
TUESDAY, February 16 Readings: Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10 Ps 29:1a & 2, 3ac-4, 3b & 9c-10 Mk 8:14-21 “Do you still not understand?” Mk 8:21 Bobbie Duff (Birthday blessings)
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17 8am Mass; 7pm Ash service Please use Sign-up Genius to reserve space for you and your family
Ashes will also be distributed in the narthex 8 : 3 0 a m - 5 : 3 0 p m (reservation not required)
Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning...for gracious and merciful is he. Jl 2:12-13 Joseph Millet
THURSDAY, February 18 Readings: Dt 30:15-20 Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 & 6 Lk 9:22-25 Blessed the one who follows not the
counsel of the wicked. Ps 1:1 Robert Brewer
FRIDAY, February 19 Readings: Is 58:1-9a Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19 Mt 9:14-15 This is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly… sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless… Is 58:6-7 Lucille Hallisy
SATURDAY, February 20 Readings: Is 58:9b-14 Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 Lk 5:27-32 “Follow me.” Lk 5:27 Julius Horvath
deceased
Weekly morning masses are being live-streamed at 8am, Monday-Saturday, via our Facebook page. Please join us! Please remember those listed below in your prayers this week.
Weekday Mass Intentions
If you or a loved one wish to receive a telephone visit from a minister of care—to pray or simply talk—please call Lisa at 773-324-2626, & she will
arrange for a Minister of Care to call.
We’re so glad you’re here and invite you to journey in faith with us. We believe the church is the sacrament of God’s saving presence in the world. Our goal is to provide a spiritual home where all are welcome, where the healing, reconciling, liberating love of God flows through us to all people. If you have any questions about our parish, please call or email our parish office.
ASH WEDNESDAY and
GOOD FRIDAY are days of FAST
and ABSTINENCE
What does that mean? On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics over 14 years of age are expected to abstain from eating meat on this day.
Catholics 18 years of age and up to the beginning of their 60th year are expected to fast on these days: taking only
one full meal and two other light meals (that together are not equal to a full meal) and eating nothing between meals. (Liquids between meals, however, are allowed.)
All the FRIDAYS of Lent are days of ABSTINENCE
What does that mean? Catholics over 14 years of age are expected to abstain from eathing meat on the Fridays of Lent.
Those who are excused from fast and abstinence outside the age limits include the physically or mentally ill, including individuals suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Pregnant or nursing women are also exlcluded.
Lent Begins This Week on Ash Wednesday
Page 3 St. Thomas the Ap ost le Par ish S ix th Sunday of Ordinary T ime
Thoughts from Fr. Dan Costello Parish Administrator
Dear Parishioners & Friends of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Unlike Advent when so much reminds us that Christmas is approaching, there is not much around to put us in a Lenten frame of mind and heart in preparation for Easter. Suddenly, on a Sunday, you'll hear that Ash Wednesday is 3 days away - just what you'll hear on this weekend! So, here is a little prayer to help us prepare for Lent which prepares us to celebrate Easter... In February's chill, Lord, I'm longing for the spring with its promise of light and new life... The first day of spring is weeks away but come this Wednesday a springtime of grace will begin with purple, prayer and ashes. all inviting me to new life in you... Help me remember, Lord, that Lent is spring training for my mind, my heart and my soul: time to strengthen what's now weak and tone up what's gone soft, time to remember what I've forgotten, to let go what I don't need and to find what I need the most...
Help me remember, Lord, that Lent's a new beginning: a time for taking stock, to look within, to be honest about my failings, a time to ask for your pardon and make up for my sins, a time, a season, to set things right with you and with anyone I have hurt or offended... Help me remember, Lord, that Lent's a season of your grace: a time to speak to you in prayer, to listen for your voice, to study your Word, a time to seek your truth and wisdom a time to live as you command... Help me remember, Lord, that Lent's a time of mercy: a time for me to give more freely of all I have to give, to give more generously of the bounty that's mine, a time for me to tend my neighbor's needs, a time to reach out to the poor, a time to empty out myself for others, not stopping to count the cost to me... Lord, I'm longing for the spring to come with its promise of light and new life: help me begin, now, to turn my heart to you and prepare for Lent, for this springtime of your grace in my mind, my heart and soul...Amen. (www.concordpastor.blogspot.com) ~Fr. Dan Costello
Page 4 St. Thomas the Ap ost le Par ish S ix th Sunday of Ordinary T ime
We appreciate the encouraging words we have received from our community. Thank you for your support! In an effort to continue
showing our STA pride and come together as a community, please
consider leaving an online review for STA on one of the available
outlets. These include: Facebook, Google Reviews, Niche, Great
Schools and Private School Review. Thank you!
STA Alumni Highlights
Jae’la Leavy STA Class of 2017
De La Salle Institute Class of 2021
High school has been going pretty well for me thus far, even with all of the new circumstances. There have been challenges this year, since there are major differences from how life used to be. There are also the challenges of applying to colleges that I haven't been able to physically visit to know which one best suits me. Overall, I can say that De La Salle was a great high school for me to attend because of the support system I was granted by my teachers over the years, and
the overall environment from my classmates to the other students who I didn't know as personally. St. Thomas played a huge role in helping me gain confidence in myself to believe that I could accomplish a lot more than I was aware of. The teachers guided me with the tools to be able to understand what it takes to succeed in high school. Mrs. Melachrinidis helped me to be prepared mathematically so that when I started at De La Salle, the work came easier to me than it did to others. Also, Mrs. Damico played a phenomenal role in taking me under her wing since the 2nd grade and helping me with the fundamentals in every subject. Looking back I'm more grateful than ever that these teachers took personal time out of their lives to help me improve and become who I am today. Although I only named 2, there were plenty of other teachers and staff who were of great help as well, and St. Thomas was surely the foundation of my road to success.
STA Students Celebrate 100th Day of School!
Page 5 St. Thomas the Ap ost le Par ish S ix th Sunday of Ordinary T ime
We will be praying the Stations of the Cross on the Friday’s in Lent at 6pm. I hope you can join us for this ancient church prayer that began in the fourth century, when pilgrims were first openly able to go to Jerusalem and walk in the footsteps of Jesus on Good Friday. The Stations of the Cross in the form we know best are of comparatively recent vintage in Church terms, dating back to the year the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Devotions to the Way of the Cross began in earnest after 1342, when the Franciscan friars were given custody of the holy sites in the Holy Land. The Franciscans have been closely identified with the devotion ever since; for
years, Church regulations required a set of the stations to be blessed by a Franciscan when possible. The number of stations varied widely, with some manuals of devotion listing as many as 37! The term "stations" in describing the Way of the Cross was first used in the narrative of an English pilgrim, William Wey, who visited the Holy Land twice in the 15th century. In 1731, Pope Clement XII allowed all churches to have stations and fixed the number at 14, where it has been ever since.
Stations of the Cross Fridays during Lent at 6pm - Please use Sign-up Genius to reserve space for you and your family
God's Valentines for YOU! ♥ No one has loved you longer than I have: I loved you before you were conceived, before you were born, before all time began... ♥ No one holds you closer than I do: I'm right by your side 24/7/365, I'm truly your BFF... ♥ No one loves you more faithfully than I do: my love for you is unfailing, I never give up on you, I love you with no strings attached... ♥ No one loves you more wisely than I do: I guide you through all of your troubles and my wisdom and counsel are my gifts to you... ♥ No one loves you more mercifully than I do: I freely forgive you - again and again, always offering you a second chance, a clean slate, a new beginning ... ♥ No one loves you more deeply than I do:
I make my home in the depths of your soul, in the mystery of your thoughts, in the secrets of your heart of hearts... ♥ No one loves you more joyfully than I do, I delight in the person I made you to be, I love you more than you can know or imagine... ♥ No one loves you more passionately than I do, I gave my Beloved Son out of love for you: now I call you my child, my chosen, my own... ♥ No one loves you more graciously than I do: I love you more than anyone ever has, ever can, ever could or ever will... ♥ No one loves you more fully than I do for indeed, I Am Love! I abide in you and you in me, for ever and ever. Amen. Questions to prompt our prayer... "Which of these ten Valentines from God did I most need to receive?" "Which of these Valentines is the most difficult for me to believe?" "Which of these Valentines brings me the most joy?" "For which of these Valentines am I most grateful?" (www.concordpastor.blogspot.com)
Page 6 St. Thomas the Ap ost le Par ish S ix th Sunday of Ordinary T ime
A Note from St. Vincent de Paul Society
We thank you for your generosity and continue to welcome contributions by mail, sent to St. Vincent de Paul at STA, 5472 S. Kimbark, Chicago IL 60615.
[Excerpted from Pope Francis’ homily on Ash Wednesday 2020 in the Basilica of Santa Sabina.]
Dust loved by God “We are dust in the universe,” he said. “Yet we are dust loved by God.” The Holy Father added that we are precious dust that is destined for eternal life. “We are the dust of the earth, upon which God has poured out his heaven, the dust that contains his dreams,” he said. “We are God’s hope, his treasure and his glory.”
From dust to life Pope Francis went on to describe ashes as a reminder of the direction of our existence: “a passage from dust to life.” But if we allow ourselves “to be shaped by the hands of God, we become something wonderous.” Lent, he said, is a time of grace during which we can change our lives by letting God gaze upon us with love.
Living for God The Pope noted that the ashes on our foreheads should influence the thoughts passing through our minds. “What am I living for?” is the question we should ask ourselves. If we live for fleeting, worldly realities, then we spend our lives chasing after dust, moving backwards from life to ashes. But, he said, if we live to love and make God’s dream a reality, then we allow the fire of love to be kindled in our hearts. “Our earthly possessions will prove useless, dust that scatters, but the love we share – in our families, at work, in the Church and in the world – will save us, for it will endure forever.”
Dust of death Pope Francis said ashes also remind us of the “dust of death”. War, exclusion of the poor and elderly, and family quarrels all negatively affect our lives and weaken our love. “Let us look inside, into our hearts: how many times do we extinguish the fire of God with the ashes of hypocrisy!”
Be reconciled to God St. Paul, said the Pope, shows us how to be cleansed of all the dust sullying our hearts: “Be reconciled to God!” He said the Apostle to the Gentiles uses the passive form of the verb, because “holiness is not achieved by our efforts, for it is grace!” “Only Jesus, who knows and loves our heart, can heal it. Lent is a time of healing.”
Pope Francis on Ash Wednesday
Can We Pray for You?
If you have prayer requests, you can send them to the parish office and they will be sent to the STA Charismatic Prayer Group, who will pray for you. The address is [email protected].
The Hyde Park Kenwood Food Pantry is open to give out groceries from 10am until 1pm on Saturdays at the Hyde Park Union Church at 56th
Page 7 St. Thomas the Ap ost le Par ish S ix th Sunday of Ordinary T ime
Please Make Your Gift to the 2021 Annual Catholic Appeal
Come, follow me … and bring hope to the World
Our parish is conducting our campaign for the Annual Catholic Appeal. Please remember that the Annual Catholic Appeal is much different than a one-time special collection. It is a pledge campaign where you can make a gift payable in installments. The Annual Catholic Appeal theme, “Come, follow me … and bring hope to the world,” was selected because as disciples of Jesus, we follow the Master who both gives us hope and sends us to bring his hope to our world that needs it so much. Each pledge makes a difference! All parishes communities participate in the campaign and the gifts of many enable our parishes, schools and ministries to deliver needed services. Thank you for your prayerful consideration and generous response. To make your gift, you can complete the mail-in giving envelope available at church or make a gift online at annualcatholicappeal.com or text “ACA2021” to the phone number 345345.
St. Thomas the Apostle LIVE Mass on
Facebook
We continue to stream Mass live daily on Facebook at 8am. Visit h t t p s : / / w ww . f a c eb o o k . co m/St.ThomastheApostleHydePark/live/ for the livestream and to watch previous Masses.
Public Masses are held on Saturdays at 4pm and Sundays at 8am and 10am. Given the current restrictions on attendance (up to 20% capacity of our church), please use Sign-up Genius, an online tool, to reserve space for you and those in your household for Mass (https://w w w . s i g n u p g e n i u s . c o m /g o / 9 0 4 0 4 4 8 A 9 A A 2 C A 0 F 4 9 -reservations). To help ensure that
everything runs as smoothly and peacefully as possible, please review the Parishioner Reopening guide online (https://stapostleparish.org/parish-life/reopening-our-parish/) and contact us with any questions at 773-324-2626.
SIGN-UP FOR
WEEKEND MASS
Please Remember in Prayer: Parishioners & friends who are ill:
Jenny Aniceto, Estrella Alamar, Dorla Allen, Lucas Allen, Romulo Barreno, Betty Black, Dorothy Bonds, Emil F.
Coccaro, Romy Crena, Esther Dionisio, Sr., Marilyn Epps, Sebastian Farmer, Fr. Jack Farry, Joseph Foley, Joan Gallagher, Lina Garcia, Fr. Karl Gersbach, David Giles, Pamela Graniczy, Alyce Hammonds, Kathleen Holden, Wm. G. Howard, Maria
Jimenez, Olga Jimenez, Carolyn Jones, Connie Jose, Charlie King, Mary Lerps, Mark Lewis, Corrine Lipinski, Linda Loggins, Mankowski Family, Maridel Moffett, Anastacia I. Mebane, Clara Morgan, John Moore, Chris Mureiko, Caridad Neal, Carmen Orendain, Edmond Peirre, Agnes Pelt, Sr. Jamie Phelps, David Nathaniel Robinson, Dick Russel,
Nelson R. Sample, Elizabeth Scott, Zahari Simmons, Bobby Sims, Olustee Smith, Coletta Tinley, Charles Walker, Sr., Jo Washington, Julia Washington, Terrance Watson, Richard
West, Mavis Willis, Marie Bijou Wong, Joan Yedinak
For those who have died: Herb Bates, husband of Danita Harth-Bates
John Ryan
May God grant them eternal joy and peace.
OFFERINGS February 7, 2021
Sunday Offertory Give Central Bequest St. Vincent de Paul Building Fund Mass Offering
Total
Funds needed weekly to sustain our parish: $8900
Sign up for GiveCentral.org today!
$5,957.00 $3,785.00 $1,000.00
$500.00 $130.00
$30.00
$11,402.00
Thank
you!
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