St. Joseph February 10, 2013 Bulletin
St. Joseph February 10, 2013 Bulletin
St. Joseph February 10, 2013 Bulletin
(620)347-4525
Mailing Address: PO Box 948 Arma, KS 66712
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The faith-filled parishioners of Saint Joseph Catholic Church of Arma, in union with the Blessed Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, value tradition and prayer. We are committed to strong leadership, responsive community service, and forming caring, welcoming, intimate relationships with our fellow brothers and sisters. We seek to become a more diverse, vibrant, active church family. Notes from the Pastor: Praise be to God for our newly rededicated Cathedral last Saturday, February 2. It
was a very spiritually uplifting celebration. Our mother Church beautiful and dignified, has finally been reopened as a place where we can celebrate our spiritual nourishment. I thank Marcel and Helen Normand, Pat Westhoff, and Faith Paoni for giving of their time to represent Girard and Arma parishes for such a once in a lifetime celebration. As I have mentioned in my article last weekend, February 11, the feast of the apparition of our Lady of Lourdes in France, is world day of prayer for the sick and focuses on three consistent themes: First, it reminds the faithful to pray intensely and sincerely for those who are sick. Second, the celebration invites Christians to reflect on and respond to human suffering. And third, this day recognizes and honors all persons who work in health care and serve as caregivers. Praying intensely and sincerely for the sick is a very Christian act but let us not neglect the second theme that is very much related to it. That our reflection of human suffering, like bodily infirmity, help us as well to respond to it strongly and appropriately either as we see it in others or as we experience it ourselves. This is very important as we know that lots of people lose their faith or are weakened in their faith in the midst of suffering. Most of us have already suffered in many different ways and in diverse degree. It is a consolation to know that many people have said that the suffering they've encountered made them strong in their faith in God. Some, while they remain faithful in their faith, still continues to struggle to find meaning with their own suffering. For them we also have to continue to pray. We have to remind ourselves however that the God we believe in do not cause or will this sufferings for us. How did we know it? Because that's how He revealed Himself to us. However, He allowed or permitted sufferings to happen in this world for all the reasons possible. First, suffering is part of the effects of our fallen nature. But on the other hand, it is also an opportunity to grow in our faith in God and love for one another. It gives us a chance to visit and take good care of the sick. It is one of the actions as Christ's
Next Saturday (02/16/2013) Altar Servers: Ushers E. M. E. Lectors: Gift Bearers 4:00 PM Grant Waterman & Noah Popejoy Mike Buche & Bernie Wingebach Linda Carpino Pat Westhoff Harry & Audrey VanLeeuwen
4:00 PM 5:30 PM 8:00 AM Sunday 10:00 AM 7:00 AM Monday 5:30 PM Tuesday 6:00 PM Wednesday 6:30 PM 8:00 AM Thursday 8:30AM-3PM 7:00 AM Friday 8AM-6PM 6:00 PM 4:00 PM Saturday 5:30 PM 8:00 AM Sunday 10:00 AM Saturday
Next Sunday(02/17/2013) 8:00 AM Chase & Tejay Cleland Henry Ashbacher & Frank Grano Terry Cleland Joe Broyles Ron & Joan Black
followers that He wants us to do. "I was sick or in prison and you visited me." He also told us the parable of the good Samaritan, about the man who was robbed and beaten and left for dead on the road, and it was the good Samaritan who stopped and showed to us what it is like to love your neighbor. That's why this year's world day of prayer for the sick, Pope Benedict XVI calls on everyone to be a good Samaritan and concretely help those in need. Thanking those who care for the sick and elderly, the pope underlines the church's fundamental role in "lovingly and generously accepting every human being, especially those who are weak and sick." Let us continue to pray for our sick and homebound brothers and sisters, that they will experience healing and the love and support of our Christian community. Talking about the sick, one of the priests of the diocese of Wichita, Fr. Stephen Baxter, assigned as pastor in Halstead, KS passed away suddenly last Tuesday night. He used to be the pastor in Neodesha and Fredonia. He was only 66. He called his secretary that night to take him to the emergency, but when the secretary came over, he was already unconscious. He was declared dead on arrival at the emergency. They found lots of fluid in his lungs, possibly pneumonia. His funeral is this Monday, February 11 at the cathedral. I was originally planning of attending the funeral mass. Unfortunately, I got a call last Thursday, while I was still in my retreat, that Raymond LaSota a parishioner of Arma, passed away that day. Fortunately, I visited Raymond Thursday, a week ago, and gave him the anointing of the sick. His funeral is also scheduled this Monday at 10AM. Please include Fr. Baxter and Raymond in your prayers. May the God of love, admit them into His Kingdom of eternal happiness!
Parish Pastoral Council Officers: Pat Westhoff Betty Rons, Dustin Ashmore, Joe Broyles, Debbie Amershek Karen Pryer Parish Finance Council: Chair Fred Bogina Members Bill Harman, Judy Wingebach, Linda Broyles
Worship Committee: Chair Karen Pryer E.M.Es Joann Black Ushers/Greeters Bill Harman Altar Society Judy Smerchek Lectors Marcel Normand Music Jan Harman
Why Lent? Close your eyes and say LENT. Whats the first thing that comes to your mind? Try it. Whats the first word that you associate with it? Penance, fish, purple, fasting, no TV? It was at the Church Council of Nicea, 325 A.D., that the word LENT was first mentioned. Its a term that means spring. It began as a 36 day period of six weeks with Sundays exempt. Then, in the 7th Century, the Church added four more days, so as to begin the season with Ash Wednesday. Half of Lent reminds us of our Baptism, rediscovering our baptismal call. The other half of Lents reminder is that well eventually die and that penance is necessary. Even those who dont observe Lent will observe Death! To prepare well, we need to know the difference between PENANCE and MORTIFICATION. Penance is related to the punishment due to sin. It repairs the past through praying, performing good works, and such, to make up for something wrong that weve done. Mortification looks to the future. It means preparing ourselves NOW, building our strength. Then, well have enough discipline and willpower to fight and win over temptation. In a way, its a lot like athletes or musicians who want to be experts in their skill. They diet, train, practice--day after day, often enduring pain or exhaustion, so they might gain a prize or some perishable crown. (play in the Superbowl or win a Grammy) The prize that Catholics seek is the unperishable crown of entrance into heaven. It surely is worth the same sort of mortification--fasting, abstinence, pain, or exhaustion. Somehow, many Catholics don't think of it that way, for the perishable crown is more visible and tangible. That crown may have those qualities, but we need to remember that IT WONT LAST. The great minds of the Church from Augustine to Aquinas and beyond, saw the value of penance and mortification. We know that it is necessary. The Church puts us on our own to decide which penance well undertake this Lent. Christ commanded it, saying, Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish. I dont see any leniency in that statement! I know Im in! The Blessed Ashes will be distributed at the Masses on Ash Wednesday. Remember, Man, that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. This goes a long way in helping us live sensibly. Good luck! A Day to Remember in Wichita-Helen and I are grateful to Fr. Roger for asking us to represent St. Josephs at the special Mass of Reopening the Cathedral after 18 months of construction. During this Year of Faith, it was especially reassuring to witness the celebration of the Cathedrals Centennial and the 125th Year Anniversary of the Wichita Diocese. Youll have to visit the mother church to appreciate the time, talent, and treasure that went into revamping its interior. Words cant adequately describe its magnificence. Besides Bishop Jackels, there were a couple of archbishops and a few bishops also in attendance. The program featured English, Spanish, and Vietnamese choirs, singing in their native tongues, accompanied by the orchestra in the choir loft with the stately sounds of the newly renovated organ console. The Dedication of the Cathedral Altar was a highlight during the Mass. As Bishop Jackels noted, It is the table of the Lord, where we receive our spiritual food, enabling us to offer ourselves in service to others. Bishop Jackels continued, This Church is us--a spiritual edifice, built of living stones contributed by many of us throughout the diocese. There is something from each one of us in this Church. We are the living stones, and, as the Church needs repairing after time, we living stones require periodic mending to restore our original inner beauty. We have a great teacher in our Bishop. Besides Father, Faith Paoni Articles by Marcel Normand and Pat Westhoff were also present.
Lent starts this Wednesday, February 13. It is a day of fasting and abstinence. Once more let us put into proper perspective these spiritual exercises. That it is meant first as our own personal penance, for our intention and also for the intention of other people. This is another way of accepting our suffering by giving up something(abstinence) and controlling our human appetite (fasting) as a reparation for our sins and the sins of other people. Second, that in doing these, we grow in holiness, doing the will of our heavenly Father. Please take note of our schedule for Ash Wednesday, and Stations of the Cross. For Girard, we will have stations of the cross every Friday at 6PM, right after the benediction. In Arma, we have stations every Tuesday, at 5:30 and mass follows right after the station! God bless you all! Fr. Roger ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ash Wednesday Schedule, Mass with imposition of Ashes (except the 3:15PM): 7AM-Girard 8AM-Arma 12Noon-Arma 6:30PM-Girard 3:15PM-Girard, PSR kids station of the cross, imposition of ashes afterwards Spaghetti Feed Announcements-The annual Spaghetti Feed will be held on March 10. We will be passing out tickets, for the Spaghetti Feed and prize drawing before Note: Stations of the Cross: and after Mass on February 9-10. Please return the tickets and/or money by March 2Girard, Fridays at 6PM, Wednesdays, 3:15 with PSR Kids 3. Place in the envelope in the collection basket marked Spaghetti Feed or return to Arma, Tuesdays at 5:30PM and mass follows right after Karen Pryer, Debbie Amershek or Judy Smerchek.
K of C Fish Fry Annual Fish Fry at St. Bridgets Parish Hall in Scammon, serving starts at 6:00pm, every Friday during Lent.