The Good News July / August 2016 Saint Theresa Catholic Church Children’s Ministry 2 Foundations 2-3 Spiritual Direction 4 Welcome Nina Koziuk 4 Catalyst 7 Ladies Club 7 Bible Study 7 Connections 6 Changes on Campus 6 Flower Guild 5 Inside this issue: Letter From The Pastor My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Ministry Fiesta is around the corner! Everyone is invited to come and see what’s happening this year at St. Theresa. Come over to Jordan Hall after mass the last weekend in August and experience the excitement that is being generated by many enthusiastic folk. There is something for everyone and we want you to know about it! All of our opportunities for coming together to celebrate our discipleship will be on display with leaders on hand to answer questions about these various ways our faith can be shared in action and service. The Knights of Columbus are offering breakfast and dinner to help us keep body and soul together as we explore our ministries on parade. New this year is our Young Adults who have already planned a full program for this fall. The new staff members who are coordinating our religious formation for children and teens are going to be on hand to share our programming and answer questions. So, if you have ever thought about arranging flowers, sharing the light of faith, sewing and quilting, visiting our home bound members, serving Holy Communion, learning more about our faith and the bible, going deeper into theology, finding a small faith group, becoming a Knight of Columbus, being an altar server, singing, playing an instrument, cooking, making Lenten soup, helping young couples prepare for marriage, intercessory prayer, taking day trips, filing, answering the phone, greeting newcomers at church, keeping the vestments trim, serving on the Altar Guild, being an Acolyte, reading the Scriptures at Mass, sharing hospitality at liturgies, joining the St. Vincent de Paul Society, exploring Marian spirituality with the Legion of Mary, praying the rosary, polishing the brass for the altar vessels, taking photographs, gardening, and much more…Come to the Fiesta! Yours in Christ - St. Theresa School 12 Fr. Neville’s Celebration 3 TV Ministry 8 Sr. Ann 8-9 4311 Small Drive Austin, Texas 78731 Phone: 512-451-5121 Fax: 512-453-6824 www.sttaustin.org Liturgy and Music 9-11 Children Ministry 11 Youth Ministry 11
Transcript
The Good News July / August 2016
Saint Theresa Catholic Church
Children’s Ministry 2
Foundations 2-3
Spiritual Direction 4
Welcome Nina Koziuk 4
Catalyst 7
Ladies Club 7
Bible Study 7
Connections 6
Changes on Campus 6
Flower Guild 5
Inside this issue:
Letter From The Pastor My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Ministry Fiesta is around the corner! Everyone is
invited to come and see what’s happening this year
at St. Theresa. Come over to Jordan Hall after mass
the last weekend in August and experience the
excitement that is being generated by many
enthusiastic folk. There is something for everyone
and we want you to know about it!
All of our opportunities for coming together to
celebrate our discipleship will be on display with
leaders on hand to answer questions about these
various ways our faith can be shared in action and
service. The Knights of Columbus are offering
breakfast and dinner to help us keep body and soul together as we explore our
ministries on parade.
New this year is our Young Adults who have already planned a full program for
this fall. The new staff members who are coordinating our religious formation for
children and teens are going to be on hand to share our programming and answer
questions.
So, if you have ever thought about arranging flowers, sharing the light of faith,
sewing and quilting, visiting our home bound members, serving Holy
Communion, learning more about our faith and the bible, going deeper into
theology, finding a small faith group, becoming a Knight of Columbus, being an
altar server, singing, playing an instrument, cooking, making Lenten soup,
helping young couples prepare for marriage, intercessory prayer, taking day
trips, filing, answering the phone, greeting newcomers at church, keeping the
vestments trim, serving on the Altar Guild, being an Acolyte, reading the
Scriptures at Mass, sharing hospitality at liturgies, joining the St. Vincent de Paul
Society, exploring Marian spirituality with the Legion of Mary, praying the
rosary, polishing the brass for the altar vessels, taking photographs, gardening,
and much more…Come to the Fiesta!
Yours in Christ -
St. Theresa School 12
Fr. Neville’s Celebration 3
TV Ministry 8
Sr. Ann 8-9
4311 Small Drive
Austin, Texas 78731
Phone: 512-451-5121
Fax: 512-453-6824
www.sttaustin.org
Liturgy and Music 9-11
Children Ministry 11
Youth Ministry 11
Page 2 The Good News St . Theresa Cathol ic Church
Children’s Liturgy ~ Planting Seeds of Faith
This fall we are offering children’s liturgy during the 9:00 and
11:00 a.m. Masses. This will be an opportunity for children to
experience the Word of God in a comprehensible way and allow
them to embrace an understanding of their Christian faith with age
appropriate worship. We are most impressionable when we are
children. What we learn - attitudes, habits, concepts, truth - stays
with us through adulthood. Obviously, we want our children to
embrace faith in Jesus Christ and grow into a mature faith life that
offers both comfort and challenges. Jesus welcomed little children by teaching them. We will welcome the
children up to the altar at the beginning of Mass for a brief time of catechesis and prayer and then send them
to their own special liturgy of the Word led by our children’s prayer team. They will rejoin the community at
the offertory to be with their families for the Eucharist. For more information please refer to the website or
ring the Church office to speak with Beverly Riviello.
Foundations this Fall The Parables of Jesus
Some of the most familiar and well loved stories of the Bible are the Parables found in the four Gospels. Unforgettable stories such as the “Good Samaritan” and the “Prodigal Son” along with others form a corpus of teaching material used by Jesus to drive home points about what it is to be his disciple and a true lover of God.
Not all of his hearers understood the meaning behind some of these parables and some of them are not stories at all. Some of them are not particularly agreeable and a good percentage of them produce more confusion than understanding. This has led to some interpretations that actually distort the message Jesus intended. One thing is certain, the parables in the gospels are densely packed with meaning. Apparently Jesus found nothing odd about holding up, as a mirror to God’s ways, a mixed bag of questionable characters: an unjust judge, a savage king, a tipsy slave owner, an unfair employer, and even a man who gave help only to bona-fide pests.
A close examination of Jesus’ parables may well be the best way we have of ensuring that we will be listening to what Jesus himself has to say, instead of what we are prepared to hear. Speaking in comparisons and teaching by means of stories are, of course, two of the oldest instructional techniques in the world. And in the hands of almost all instructors except Jesus, they are a relatively straightforward piece of business. For Jesus, however, the device of speaking in parables is used not to explain things to people’s satisfaction but to call attention to how unsatisfactory have been all previous explanations and understandings. At other times, Jesus took his comparisons simply as he found them in the world around him. He was such an inveterate devotee of likening things to each other that these casual parables often seem little more than his normal habit of speaking.
Page 3 The Good News St . Theresa Cathol ic Church
In any case, speaking in parables was second nature to Jesus, and it quickly became the hallmark of his teaching style. Clearly then, if we want to hear the actual ticking of Jesus’ mind, we can hardly do better than to study his parabolic words and acts with our minds open not only to learning together but also to the joy of discovering new meaning in his message to us.
Familiarity can be an enemy of understanding. These often short, one sentence statements are so well known that it almost seems absurd to think that anything fresh could be found within them. I challenge that attitude with the reason being that Scripture is dynamic and has something new to say at every encounter. This is certainly true of these amazing little ways in which Jesus revealed the kingdom of God in his own time and down through the ages. Speaking analogically is the way much learning happens. Simple analogical understanding is, however, only a beginning when it comes to the parables.
Let’s come together Monday nights this fall and explore these extraordinary stories of Our Lord. The Parables of Jesus will be presented in three sections. In the autumn we will spend eight sessions with the Parables of the Kingdom. In the New Year we will spend Lent in an examination of the Parables of Judgment followed by the Parables of Grace at Easter.
Foundations Cont.
Fr. Neville celebrated the 30th anniversary of his ordination as a priest with a mass on August 2nd. For the mass, Fr. Neville wore the same chasuble that he wore when he was ordained in Sri Lanka on August 2, 1986. There is a reception honoring Fr. Neville on August 20th after the 5 p.m. mass in the Family Center. All are welcome as we honor Fr. Neville and his service to the church.
Fr. Neville Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Schedule for Autumn Term: The Parables of the Kingdom Monday 7:00 p.m. in the Family Center
September 12 The Parables of Jesus: Learning to peel the onion: an introduction to
Jesus’ method of teaching us about the kingdom, the judgment and the grace of God.
September 19 The Parables of the Kingdom: Sowers and seeds
September 26 The Parables of the Kingdom: The Lamp and the Growing Seed
October 3 The Parables of the Kingdom: Weeds!
October 10 The Parables of the Kingdom.: The Mustard Seed and the Leaven.
October 17 The Parables of the Kingdom.: More weeds!
October 24 The Parables of the Kingdom: The Treasure and the Pearl.
October 31 We will not meet this week due to Halloween.
November 7 The Parables of the Kingdom. The Net (and why it really is a parable of
judgment). A preview of the next series on the parables of judgment.
We talk about our relationship with God and how as children of God we are always journeying to return to our Father. The Gospels and all of scriptures strive to bring man closer to God, to know God, to understand and find our path back to the Creator of all.
Jesus Christ walked among us so he could be a bridge between man and God, created and creator. For God so loved us He sent His son to become one of us and thus divine becomes human and human becomes divine. During mass when the deacon pours water into the Chalice he says, “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”
It has always been about man seeking God, God loving man, desiring the beloved who went astray and became broken through original sin to join him once again. So what are we doing about it?
I know most of us spend time in prayer, we thank Him for our blessings, we honor Him and bring our petitions and challenges, our hopes and our dreams. We spend Sunday at Mass and many attend daily Mass.
But how much of our day do we spend, not just in prayer, not just in ensuring we stay away from sin and are being charitable in our actions, but rather in seeking God in an intimate and direct way? Are we truly asking to grow closer to Him, to understand Him, and to understand His purpose and direction for us?
Aren’t these questions we all want to know? Don’t all of us want to know God’s plan for us?
We all want the best relationship with God where we can have the Holy Spirit fill our lives and hearts? Where the questions are answered and where God’s voice is clearly heard and we find clarity of vision and purpose.
It isn’t necessarily about praying more or dedicating more time to devotions or even Mass but allowing ourselves to be open to his voice and direction for our life. It is about identifying which spirit, which voice, which path is God’s desire for us.
Whether you are a new Catholic seeking to grow closer to your new faith or have been a Catholic all your life, spiritual direction is available to help you grow in relationship with God.
Did you know that all priests, religious and deacons are required to meet monthly with a spiritual director? The diocese and church recognize how important it is to have someone help us in our spiritual journey. But it is not just for ordained and religious, it is for you too.
Spiritual direction is about seeking relationship with God by using a spiritual director to help you stay on course. There is no commitment and the directee, not the director is in control of the pace and journey. The director is there to help you on your way and provide support only.
What can you expect from a spiritual director?
The first meeting will be more of an introduction. You learn more about the director and what to expect if you decide to continue. Most spiritual direction sessions are an hour long and are scheduled once a month.
I am a trained and certified spiritual director, and am very excited to be able to offer this opportunity to St.
Theresa parishioners. I look forward to hearing from you and help you begin a journey that will challenge
you and enrich your relationship with God. More information is available on the St. Theresa website at
http://www.sttaustin.org/service-ministries .
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Seeking God Through Spiritual Direction By Deacon Tony Pynes
It isn’t necessarily about praying more or dedicating more time to devotions or even Mass but allowing ourselves to be open to his voice and direction for our life.
Page 5 The Good News
Beyond the Sanctuary Steps The St. Theresa Flower Guild
Probably the most visible change people see from week to week when they come to worship is the handiwork of the Flower Guild. The St. Theresa Flower Guild is made of dedicated volunteers who offer each week their talents and a few of their hours to adorn the altar with beautiful fresh flowers. They are led by Rusty Olman and Paula Campbell. When asked why she volunteers, Rusty says, “I love this ministry because I feel as if I have a spirit within me that guides me. When I walk into the church I stop at the chapel and say ‘Guide me,’ and on my way out I say ‘Thank you.’”
The flowers used for the church are often given as memorials or in honor of a wedding. The volunteers condition the flowers, stripping leaves from stems that will be in water and cutting each stem on the diagonal to prevent bacteria from forming in the water which can cause the flowers to die sooner. To aid in this ministry, a room next to the Sacristy previously used for storage has been adapted to accommodate the materials and tools the Flower Guild employs in their work.
Unlike florists who work off site, the Flower Guild works where the flowers will be on display. The Guild draws their inspiration from the liturgical seasons and the availability of certain flowers. There is also the challenge of designing displays for such a large space. The average flower arrangement you see in a floral shop would be utterly lost in our building. “We have to bear in mind the scale of our surroundings and always plan big so that the arrangement will carry through to the back of the church,” Rusty explains.
The Guild always works within the framework of the liturgical season assembling flowers to enhance the color of the vestments and hangings as well as highlighting the theme of the liturgical season itself. There have been some remarkable arrangements to suit the church year festivals. The major feasts such as Easter and Christmas bring on board all available hands, and they work many hours to prepare the inspirational
displays that enhance our worship space. Parishioners often comment on the flowers and the special dimension they add to our worship. Rusty says, “St. Theresa is my church. I want her to look nice all the time.”
The flower guild welcomes and is grateful for volunteers who share some of their time for the extremely rewarding task of preparing God’s house for divine worship. These behind the scene volunteers including George Quimby, Jo Ann Hornung, Anne Klump, Betsy Amour, Win Driskell, Michael Merek, Caroline and David Livingston definitely do their part to fulfill the part of our mission statement that we worship God in the beauty of holiness.
Page 6 The Good News St . Theresa Cathol ic Church
Work crews have been busy making a number of improvements around campus this summer to the school and the grounds, and some changes are ahead for the altar in the sanctuary.
Recent improvements to drainage and landscaping are working together to reduce erosion and puddles on campus walkways and surfaces. A new walkway on the back side of Jordan Hall was paid for with donations from St. Theresa school parishioners and will ensure safer transitions between school buildings. In addition, Jordan Hall has new audio/video equipment and a retracting curtain that can be used to divide the gym in half also funded through the generosity of St. Theresa School parishioners. The Education Building is refreshed with new floors, carpets, and windows on the back wall. And between the sanctuary and the sacristy is a new work and storage room for the Flower Guild.
Parishioners will be noticing some changes to the altar in the coming weeks. The stone altar will be repurposed to the amphitheater behind the education building where outdoor masses can be held. The size, height and placement of the stone altar has made it difficult and at times, unsafe, for the altar servers, deacons, priests and others who need to move around it. It will be replaced with the altar that is currently against the crucifix stained glass window. This altar was built a number of years ago by parishioner Parke O’Connor for Masses in Jordan Hall. In addition, the stone under the ambo will be removed for safety reasons. Look for further updates on renovations to the sanctuary in the months ahead.
Visible Changes on Campus
Connections Ministry A St. Theresa’s Women’s Fellowship Program
Connections Women’s Group is starting back up on Tuesday, September 13th with an earlier start time of 7:00 until 8:30 pm. The exciting new program format will unveil various film studies that will inspire and enrich your spiritual life, as well as live speakers and opportunities for prayer and fellowship. One of these programs is the brand new epic film project by Bishop Robert Barron entitled The Pivotal Players that showcases a handful of saints, artists, mystics, and scholars who shaped the life of the Church. Other studies will include beautiful episodes of Mary’s life during Advent and Catching Fire, Becoming Flame, a compelling guide for spiritual transformation. Meet up with old friends from our parish and make new ones as you learn more about the Catholic faith. Both new and old participants must register for the new year of Connections, please do so at http://www.sttaustin.org/connections or by coming to the Ministry Fair after mass on August 27/28.
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The regular Wednesday morning gatherings for the men’s Catalyst Ministry will start back on September 14th. The men’s Catalyst program finished its second year in May with a resounding success. On average about 80 men attended this weekly program on Wednesday mornings from 6 – 7:30 a.m. St. Theresa men enjoyed challenging Catholic content from “That Man is You”, “Symbolon” and live presentations while engaging in small group discussions and fellowship over breakfast. Catalyst is a place where long-term parishioners congregate with old friends and new parishioners feel welcomed, all while learning more about the Catholic faith. This coming year the format of Catalyst will change to focus on several different topics applicable to all Catholic men. The topics will be shorter in duration, averaging 3-4 weeks, to keep the material fresh and relevant. This ministry has strengthened bonds between parishioners. If you find yourself up that early on a Wednesday, come join the Catalyst men – any time of year.
Catalyst Ministry A St. Theresa Men’s Fellowship Program
Ladies’ Club
The Ladies Club officers met at Nancy Jane Griffith’s home, on Friday, August 5th, to plan for the 2016-2017 year. The first meeting of the year will be held on Friday, September 9, 2016 at 9:30 am in the Family Center. All ladies are welcome to join us and enjoy our speaker and fellow parishioner, KXAN News Anchor Robert Hadlock.
Bible Timeline Study Begins September 14th/15th
The Bible Timeline is a fascinating study that takes
participants on a journey through the entire Bible. They will
go deep into each period of salvation history and discover
the amazing story woven throughout all of Scripture. Using
a unique color-coded system, they will learn the major
people, places, and events of the Bible and see how they all
come together to reveal the remarkable story of our faith. It
is the foundational study in the Great Adventure Bible Study Series that has helped hundreds of thousands of Catholics learn to
read the Bible. The study is held Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. beginning September 14th and
Page 8 The Good News St . Theresa Cathol ic Church
TV Mass Served Our Community for 30 Years
More than 30 years ago St. Theresa parish decided to provide a video recording of the weekend Mass for local television cable distribution. At that time there was no other broadcast of the Catholic Mass available in Austin, and the St. Theresa TV ministry, under the direction of Thom Miner, provided a welcome and appreciated service to those unable to attend the Sunday Mass. We are deeply grateful to Thom and his crew for this important service.
Several years ago the cable scheduling of the Mass became unreliable. The broadcast was delayed by one week, or even a month, putting it greatly out of the context of the liturgical cycle. Meanwhile, EWTN and Relevant Radio 970 Austin began to broadcast the Mass, and St. Theresa began webcasting each Mass live stream via its website.
The Parish Finance Council recently took all this into account, including the cost of providing and replacing equipment and paying wages for the video crew, and decided to bring this particular service to a close. In light of our other ministry needs, the Parish Council has endorsed this decision and the parish will cease video production of the Saturday Vigil Mass in September.
We deeply appreciate the many years of dedicated and professional service of those who have given so much of their time and energy to the TV ministry. For many it has been a labor of love and has served to enhance our worship experience in many ways beyond the recorded television Mass. We acknowledge Thom Miner, who has headed up the ministry for more than 30 years, for his expertise and commitment along with his dedicated crew.
Anyone wishing to view or listen to a daily or Sunday Mass can do so at the following:
† Live webcast of the St. Theresa Mass can be found at http://sttaustin.org/stream-1.
Some Masses are archived at http://sttaustin.org/video-on-demand
† EWTN also broadcasts the Sunday Mass.
Check local listings for channel information and for daily Mass times.
Pilgrims on a Journey By Sr. Ann Pennington, SFCC
There is a beautiful hymn that says: “We are pilgrims on a journey, We are trav’lers on the road; We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load. I will weep when you are weeping; When you laugh I’ll laugh with you. I will share your joy and sorrow ‘til we’ve seen this journey through.” (“Servant Song” by Richard Gillard)
A few months ago I was reminded of the words of this hymn when I was asked to conduct a memorial service for one of our parishioners living in Brookdale Spicewood Springs Assisted Living. Adrienne Barnett, a native of Corpus Christi, spent her life serving her Lord as a teacher and an active parishioner at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church where she served in multiple ministries for many years.
I had the privilege of visiting Adrienne several times during the last few months of her life. In the midst of her suffering and limited mobility she exuded a peace that could only come from our Lord. Clearly prayer was central to the life of this woman who had devoted her entire life to serving the Lord and nurturing the Christian faith in her children and grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
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Pilgrims on a Journey, cont.
What a privilege it was to listen to her family members, gathered in her room, as they spoke of her nurturing spirit and positive attitude toward life with its challenges and opportunities. Plans for her funeral were made with her parish in Corpus Christi where she had given so many years of devoted service. The family also asked me to conduct a memorial service for her at Brookdale Spicewood Springs since she had touched the lives of so many people since she moved there a few years ago.
On the afternoon of the service we gathered in a large sitting room at Brookdale Spicewood Springs. By the time we were ready to begin a large crowd had assembled. It was so inspiring to hear the words of staff members and her fellow residents. Truly she had been an inspiration to all who knew her through her caring nature, her ability to make friends, her courage, and her trust in the Lord. Her legacy lives on in the hearts of all who knew her. And a few weeks after her death I was privileged to reconnect with her family members who were so very appreciative of our parish and of the love and care that Adrienne received from our parishioners during her years here.
This experience was a reminder to me of what God has called and equipped our parish community to be: pilgrims together on a journey, laughing with each other, weeping with each other, sharing each other’s joy and sorrow. We are blessed to be a vibrant and compassionate parish community. We care about each other and show it many ways, both within our parish and within our community at large.
One of the ways in which we show our care to our fellow parishioners is through our new grief support group, “Grief’s Courageous Journey” which welcomes men and women of all ages who have lost loved ones or dear friends. This faith based support group meets for eight weeks and will be repeated on a quarterly basis. So as to make this group more accessible we try to schedule the day of the week and the time to suit the preferences of the participants. Please watch for announcements in the church bulletin about the fall session of “Grief’s Courageous Journey.” May God bless you wherever you are on your journey of life.
Congratulations to Our Director of Liturgy and Music
Dan Girardot became Dr. Dan Girardot on June 3, 2016, upon completing his dissertation presentation and defense for the Doctor of Ministry degree at The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. His D.Min. dissertation and project focused on the Spirituality of Liturgical Ministry and Growing in Discipleship through serving in ministry at Mass. He has served St. Theresa Parish since 1983 and is deeply grateful for Fr. Larry, our former pastors, parish ministry leaders, and our parishioners for their support and encouragement of his studies. We are deeply grateful for your ministry at St. Theresa, Dr. Dan.
We are all called by our baptism to serve the Lord in some way. How is God calling you to serve? Consider a ministry of liturgy or music. Watch for the opportunity to sign up at Ministry Fiesta after all masses August 27th and 28th or go to the St. Theresa website for a complete list of opportunities, www.sttaustin.org.
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Liturgical and Music Ministry Opportunities
Upcoming Dates for Music and Liturgy
A Great Summer for Music Ministries
† Adult Choirs begin on Wednesday evening, August 31st at 7:30 p.m. with a Music Ministry Retreat. † Children’s Choir begins on Wednesday, August 31st at 5:30 p.m. for students in 2nd – 5th grades. This year we will offer other options for busy families (times TBA). † Liturgical Ministry Day of Renewal – Saturday, October 8th from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Come, renew and uplift your spiritual life! Your ministry is integral to the faith life of St. Theresa Church. Formation and training is offered for each ministry, with spirituality and revised procedures for the coming year.
Joining the global celebration of this Extraordinary
Jubilee Year of Mercy, St. Theresa Parish celebrated its
24th Annual Sacred Music and Arts Camp with the
theme God’s Mercy: Through Christ ~ To Us ~ For the
World. This faith-filled week of music, arts, and drama
brought together youth and adults from St. Theresa,
Holy Cross, and Our Lady of Guadalupe as well as
other Austin parishes culminating in a final concert
showcasing all of their hard work and dedication. See
choir camp highlights in our new video: https://vimeo.com/174422514.
St. Theresa Youth and Children's Choir members sang with Lee Gwozdz and the Texas Sings! Concert at the National Association of Pastoral Musicians national convention in Houston last week, with Cardinal Daniel DiNardo attending! Congratulations to our singers, Mark Stern, Amber-Nicole McIntire, Emily Acuna, Claudia Ellington, Brandon Shukers and their Direc-tor, Ann Girardot! Additionally, Mark Stern, S a leader in our Youth Choir and 11 a.m. Choir made his debut as an intern for NPM this summer and Dr. Daniel Girardot led three workshops.
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St. Theresa Choir and Parishioners on the Jubilee Year of Mercy Pilgrimage
Fifty choir members and forty parish pilgrims spent ten days in June on the parish Jubilee Year of Mercy Pilgrimage experiencing God’s grace and mercy in the cathedrals and churches of Budapest, Vienna, Assisi, and Rome. They prayed for the needs of our parish, celebrated Masses, visited the holy sites, and sang concerts of sacred music in cathedrals throughout Europe. The highlight of the pilgrimage was the choir singing for the Mass presided by Pope Francis at St. Peter Basilica on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. It was a once in a lifetime honor for the St. Theresa Choir to assist the pope with music for Mass on this special day. You can watch a video of the Mass at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pd5F4oKOCs. The choir and pilgrims sang and prayed throughout Europe at the ancient basilica of Hungary, St. Mathias in Budapest, the great Basilica of St. Stephen in Vienna, the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, and three Masses in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. What an amazing and inspirational experience for this group of faith-filled pilgrims!
Confirmation and Youth Ministry Begin September 11th
Confirmation classes for 10th Graders begin Sunday, September 11, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. in Jordan Hall. Confirmation is November 22nd at St. Theresa. Table leaders are still needed. Contact Nina Koziuk to volunteer [email protected]. Visit http://sttaustin.org/high-school-confirmation.
Our new Youth Minister Nina Koziuk enthusiastically invites all high school youth to Youth Night at St. Theresa after the 5 p.m. Mass on Sundays beginning September 11th! Come be a part of building this ministry modeled after St. Theresa and her “little way” of doing small things with big love. She showed how we can each be a missionary in our own space and be Christ to those we see every day.
Catechesis classes (RE) begin September 11, 2016 and are offered for children starting at age 3 year old (must be 3 by September 1, 2016) through 8th grade. Class times are:
• Sundays from 10:20 - 11:30 a.m. for Pre-K3 through 8th grade
• Wednesdays from 4:20—5:30 p.m. for Pre-K2 through 8th grade This is a new schedule for St. Theresa catechesis classes (Mass times are not changing). Visit http://www.sttaustin.org/childrens-catechesis for more information
We are still in need of catechist volunteers. Contact Beverly Riviello at [email protected].
Children’s Ministry – 3 yo – 8th Grade
St. Theresa Catholic School Upcoming Events
Fall Visitation Day – Thursday, October 27th, by appointment.
St. Theresa’s Visitation Days provide an opportunity for prospective parents to visit the classroom
and receive a campus tour. If you would like more information about your parish school or to set an
St. Theresa’s Annul Golf Tournament – Wednesday, November 2nd
At River Place Country Club
7:30 a.m. Range Opens, Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Shotgun Start
St. Theresa School Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Back to School Night 2016 STCS welcomed new and existing school families back to campus August 18th at St. Theresa’s annual “Back to School Night.” A festive/celebratory environment with balloons and signage filled the school gym and provided a true “Tiger Welcome.” New school year information was presented to parents along with volunteer sign up opportunities. STCS also hosted a “Meet & Greet” Friday morning, August 19th for students to drop off their school supplies and meet their teacher…all in preparation for the 1st day of school, August 22nd. There has definitely been a lot of excitement on the St. Theresa’s campus, especially due to school’s 30th Anniversary.
STCS sponsors “Open House” night for the elementary and middle school parents on Thursday, September 1st. This is an opportunity for school parents to visit classrooms, meet their student’s teacher and learn more about classroom policies and procedures.
St. Theresa's Catholic School celebrates strong Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade enrollment. As your Parish school, we look forward to another successful school year. Thank you for all your generous support.
St. Theresa Robotics Team
Take 2nd in World Championship The STCS Cyber Tigers Robotics team was named one of 20 semifinalist teams to advance to the sixth annual FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award presented by XPRIZE. The STCS Cyber Tigers took 2nd place at this World Championship in Washington, D.C. Way to go TIGERS!
