Weekly Update September 22 to 28, 2024

The Historic Saint Paul Discernment and Visioning Ministry has launched its parish-wide survey! 

This is a chance to discuss how we can build community together. We will be accepting survey responses through September 28th. The survey will be available in English and Spanish and can be taken online or by paper copy. To take the survey online, please navigate to the following webpage: 2024 Parish Survey. 
Paper copies will also be provided during mass and at coffee and donuts on Sundays. We ask that you please complete the survey only once, either the online or paper version. We hope you will complete this brief survey so that we can better understand our parish’s interests and needs.

Thank you!

announcementS

• One in Christ - 2024 Diocesan Annual Appeal has launched. Please visit this page to donate.
• Our Discernment and Visioning Ministry has launched a parish-wide survey; it will be available until September 28th.
• Bible Study with Deacon Steve: Tuesday, September 24th @ 6pm, Brossart House
• Rosary Prayer: Join us all of October, 30 minutes before Mass to pray the Rosary. We are looking for volunteers to lead us in the prayer! Please consider signing up on the sheet by the side door before or after mass. If you have any questions, please contact the office 859-252-0738 saintpaul@cdlex.org
• LGBTQ+ Families Group: Tuesday, October 8th @ 6pm, Ave Maria
• Monthly LGBTQ+ Ministry Social: Wednesday, October 23rd @ 6pm, Brossart House
• The 7th annual Steeplechase Dinner Fundraiser - a five-course dinner with a flight of wine at Tony's of Lexington - is Monday, January 20, 2025 at 5:30pm. Tickets available now. 
• Children's Church 24-25 School Year: We are seeking adult volunteers to work with our young children on a rotating basis.
  • Please contact Kelly Curry: kellymarshcurry@gmail.com

Check out ALL upcoming events!

MESSAGE OF THE WEEK

Dear Friends and fellow Christians, 

As we kick off the Diocesan Annual Appeal, it's helpful to think about why we have it. The Annual Appeal goes to support the churches in our Diocese that are working to bring Christ's light to the mountains. It is easy to forget that Lexington itself comprises a very tiny portion of the Diocese. 

The Diocese covers 50 counties, the majority of which (40) are considered incredibly poor by our Fayette County standards. In these 40 counties, 74% of children live below the federal poverty line. Our churches in these counties are engaged in direct outreach to the poor, often as one of the very few charitable organizations in their county. 

We are blessed in Fayette County to have numerous churches and non-profits that minister to the poor. The rural mountain counties do not have this same level of service. Our churches are ministry sites for food distribution, clothing distribution, diaper distribution, financial assistance, and a host of other direct outreach programs. We fill a very important void in many of these rural mountain counties. The difficult part is that our churches are small, without the ability to 'keep the lights on'. They rely on financial support from the Diocese to stay open. Some of our churches have fewer than 20 in attendance on Sundays. 

Our Catholic population is less than 1% in these mountain counties, yet we persevere in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and welcoming the stranger. We are a tiny proportion of people with an outsized influence on the poor of the region. So why do we do it, why do we support tiny parishes that serve the poor? The decidedly non-Catholic poor? 

Because Jesus said, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ We don't feed, clothe, and care for the Lord's mountain children because they're Catholic. They are not Catholic. We do it because we are Catholic. It is what our Lord has called us to do. 

Please prayerfully consider a donation to the Annual Appeal and help our little lights in the mountains continue to shine! 

Peace, 
Dcn. Steve

From the Pastor

We know that Saint Paul wrote at least two letters to the church in Corinth. And from those letters we also know that his relationship with the church was at times contentious. With compassion and love he wrote them between visits to correct the bad behavior he was hearing about. The nascent church was experiencing a lot of problems from dissension and division to immorality and idolatry. It’s interested that its to this community that Saint Paul addresses one of his most popular and beautiful scriptural passages…the 13th chapter of First Corinthians. He concludes this chapter with the words, “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love”. This reminds me of Saint John’s definition of God…God is love. Saint Paul reminded a church with a lot of problems that the correct response is always to love. Let us take these words to heart and in all situations respond with love. 

In the heart of Jesus, 
Fr. Richard

HELP FEED THE PEOPLE AT CATHOLIC ACTION CENTER

St. Paul purchases and prepares a meal for 150 people on the third weekend of every month. Contact Susan Brown to help: sumacthree@gmail.com | 859-536-0571

Open Door Lunch Ministry

During the month of August 2024, we provided 653 guests with lunches. Thank You to all who continue to supply and volunteer to make this possible. Blessings to all. 

If you would like to donate, we accept lunch related items such as: water, chips, cookies, soft fruit (bananas, grapes, oranges), cupped fruits, crackers, snack bars, etc. You may bring these donations to the office between 9:00 AM —4:00 PM Monday-Friday or when you come to Mass on the weekend.