ST. THOMAS AQUINAS PARISH

MASS SCHEDULE

January 5, 2020 The Epiphany of the Lord

Saturday, January 4: 4:00 PM Mass at St. John the Baptist 5:00 PM Rosary for Life 5:30 PM For our Priests Sunday, January 5: 7:30 AM Rosary for Life 8:00 AM †Dale Cary 8:00 AM †Joannie Mueller 9:30 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Monday, January 6: 8:00 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Tuesday, January 7: 8:00 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Wednesday, January 8: 8:00 AM For Peace Thursday, January 9: 8:00 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Friday, January 10: 8:00 AM For Children Awaiting Adoption Saturday, January 11: 4:00 PM Mass at St. John the Baptist 5:30 PM For the People of STA & SJB Sunday, January 12: 8:00 AM Living & Deceased Members of Robert & Margaret O’Reilly Family 9:30 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist

Liturgical Ministers Schedule

Saturday, 5:30pm January 4 Vigil: The Epiphany of the Lord Lector: Kevin White

Ministers: Christopher Donlon (B), Christine Koenigs, Lynette Fiebrink, Duane Dippel (B), Gerry Kulow, Red Platz

Sunday, 8:00am January 5 The Epiphany of the Lord Lector: Suzette Burkart

Ministers: Mary Jo Jetzer, Tatum Jelenc, Diane Slabe (B), Linda Leibham, Lori & Matt O’Connor (B)

Saturday, 5:30pm January 11 Vigil: Baptism of the Lord Lector: Ann Buechel Haack

Ministers: Ron Nielsen (B), Red Platz, LuAnn & Philip Schils (B), Ann Buechel Haack, Judith Menne

Sunday, 8:00am January 12 Baptism of the Lord Lector: Ellen Cary

Ministers: Dori Schmitz, Dennis (B)& JoAnn Streblow, Katherine Suemnicht (B), Bev Verhulst, Richard Vogel

The Epiphany of the Lord

1st Reading…Isaiah 60:1-6

2nd Reading…Ephesians 3:2-3a,5-6

Gospel…Matthew 2:1-12

Monday...Matthew 4:12-17,23-25

Tuesday…Mark 6:34-44

Wednesday…Mark 6:45-52

Thursday...Luke 4:14-22

Friday...Luke 5:12-16

Saturday…John 3:22-30

The Baptism of the Lord

1st Reading…Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7

2nd Reading…Acts of the Apostles 10:34-38

Gospel…Matthew 3:13-17

December 27th-31st, 2019

Stewardship Envelopes $8,552.00 Loose Offering $1,102.05

Building Mnt. Envelopes $190.00 Christmas Flowers Env. $150.00

Immac. Conception Env. $20.00

Christmas Env. $5,018.00

Christmas Loose $1,785.70 Solemnity of Mary $650.00

5th Sunday ZeruZeru $1,391.00 5th Sunday Pathways $791.00

THANK YOU!

Thank you to JOHN BUTZEN for donating our beautiful Christ-mas tree that was placed on the altar. And a huge thank you to TE AND JOE KOENIG for decorating it and removing it!!

Some additions…

Thank you to those who gave generously towards the beauti-ful Christmas poinsettias!

In memory of… Mr. & Mrs. Roman Fritz

Frank & Anne Romeo James Romeo In honor of… Florence Jetzer (Correction) Special Intentions…

Duane & Melanie Dippel Kerry Gigot Marilla Quinn James Schirmer James & Alyssa Schmitt

Epiphany of the lord ~ January 5, 2020

Dear Parishioners: Thank you to all of the parishioners who gave me Christmas gifts, large and small. I appreciate your generosity, individual and cumulative. I’ve already put it to use: a couple of the amazon.com gift cards, for example, have been applied to the purchase of a new book about Pope Francis – Wounded Shepherd: Pope Francis and His Struggle to Convert the Catholic Church, by Austen Ivereigh. I’m really looking forward to getting into it. Ivereigh writes really well and particular-ly insightful about “Church politics” and ecclesiological matters. I saw on ad for the book on the back cover of the December issue of Commonweal magazine, which just happened to fea-ture an intriguing article by Ivereigh on the Amazon Synod – a three-week gathering in Rome last October of some 300 Church men and women from Amazon Basin countries (Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador) that looked at the needs of indigenous people and how to minister to those needs; the possibilities under discussion included the ordination of married men and women’s diaconate. I have to confess: this article by Ivereigh was what prompted me to order his book. (If you are interested in reading the article, go on-line and “google” “Exposing the Spirits” by Austen Ivereigh. That should lead you to a link: “Exposing the Spirits/Commonweal Magazine.” Read and enjoy.) You know, in a couple of months, Pope Francis will mark the seventh anniversary of his election as pope. It hardly seems possible that it’s been that long. What a breath of fresh air! He has made no secret of his intention to change mindsets and atti-tudes – not to mention behaviors! – within the curia (i.e., church bureaucracy). He’s had some successes, but it’s been an up-hill battle, and those who oppose him are tenacious. But there’s some rumbling, hypothesizing, speculation on the part of ec-clesiastical pundits, based on certain shifts here and appointments there, that 2020 might just be a year to watch especially closely. (Of course, in this country we’ll probably be so distracted by presidential campaign shenanigans that it’d take a swat with a proverbial two-by-four right from the Vatican to catch our attention. Still, there seems to be something in the air . . .) Having said this, may the New Year be one of great blessing, peace, good health, and at least a few happy surprises to you and your family.

Father Phil

What a generous and successful Advent giving season we had.

Well done STA family and many thank yous to be shared from many people. We partnered with Safe Harbor and with the Ronald McDonald House. Dear St. Thomas Aquinas, Thank you for your dona-

tion of wish list items to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. We appreciate your support of the House. You truly make a

difference in the lives of the families who stay with us. Sincerely, The Staff and Volunteers of the Ronald McDonald House.

And with this December’s 5th Sunday collection, we raised $1,391 for a

total of $6,211.81 from all 2019 5th Sunday collections for Zeru Zeru,

Inc. Incredible! Asante (thank you in Swahili) STA! Please note, our

neighbors (who are apart of the twinning relationship as well) St John the

Baptist Church and School raised $5,601.50 including $557.50 from the

school families through their Advent Giving Tree project. Our twinning

relationship does not only include financial giving, so remember to keep

the Boos family, Sr Helena, and the children and staff at the center in

your prayers, as we are in their prayers.

Pathways to a Better Life Donation was a total of $791.00

Lastly, and somewhat unexpectedly, STA and a parish family sponsored a family (two children)

whose parent(s) are incarcerated and were unable to offer Christmas gifts to their children this

year. We are so grateful for the generous nature of this parish family for stepping up last minute

to ensure even more of our brothers and sisters were able to experience the spirit of Christmas.

So many thank yous … spoken and unspoken, in sighs and smiles, but all for the greater glory of God!

CLARIFICATION: With regard to John's reflection about mealtime at the center in Tanzania published in last weekend's bulle-

tin, we want to let you know that for most meals at the center, a protein, such as small sardines, are included. It just so happened

to be that there was no protein the night that John wrote the reflection. John and the Zeru Zeru ministry don't want anyone to be

concerned about the lack of protein described in this reflection. :) Asante