Weekly Update March 16 - March 22, 2025

Announcements

• Our Knights of Columbus are hosting Saint Paul's 2025 Fish Fries on Friday March 7, 14, and 21.
• The Caballeros de Colon will host Lenten meals on March 28, April 4 and 11. 
• There is no daily mass on Tuesday, March 18th.
• Did you see our new bulletin format? Check out our bulletin online, and sign up to receive the bulletin weekly in your inbox: Discover Mass
• Invite your fellow parishioners to sign up for emails from Historic Saint Paul Parish! Share this link: https://saintpaul.cdlex.org/email-lists

ReminderS/Updates

• Fast & Abstinence during Lent: 
  Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
  For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards.
• Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Hospitality Minister, or Sacristan - Do you want to learn how to be more involved in these ministries? Please contact JR Zerkowski ([email protected]) for more details - or fill out our online form.
• If you haven't visited our website recently, check it out! We'll be making more updates throughout the year, so be sure to bookmark!
• The Little Mountain School Update: We have raised $34,792 with our coffee sales for the Little Mountain School in Guatemala. Will you continue to stand with us? Your donation ensures that children from families earning less than $5-$8 per day have access to an education that can break the cycle of poverty. Together, we are building futures and changing lives!
  

Events

• Bible Study: Tues. March 18, 6-7PM in Brossart House.
• Monthly LGBTQ+ Ministry Social: Wednesday, March 19, 6-8PM in Brossart House.
• Fish Fry: Friday, March 21, 5PM till gone, Ave Maria.
• Stations of the Cross: Friday, March 21, 6PM (English) and 7PM (Español), church building 
• Reading Pope Francis' Encycical Dilexit Nos: Wednesday, March 26, 6-7PM in Brossart House: In this encyclical, Pope Francis addresses what we mean by “the heart,” explores how the New Testament talks about the heart, and discusses the rich theology of Catholic reflection on the heart of Jesus. The Pope has written this reflection not merely as a historical exploration but as an aid for all of us to reflect on how we kindle the love of Christ in our own hearts.

MESSAGE OF THE WEEK

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

God said, “Let there be Light.”

Jesus Christ said, “I am the light of the world.”

St Paul told the Thessalonians, “You are all children of the light and children of the day.”

That’s the same message we need to hear today: “You are children of the light!”

Those few words have such a deeper meaning that goes beyond the image of light.

First of all, it means that we are all children of the same light. We are all children of God and that makes us a family. As a family, there is no “us” and “them,” there’s only us.

Secondly, wherever we go, whatever we do, whatever happens to one of us, happens to all of us. When families are separated at the border, those are our family members. When a person experiences agism and feels as though they have been set aside, when people with substance use and/or mental health challenges feel isolated and misunderstood, when a LGBTQ person experiences abuse, or when a person of color experiences racism, it happens to all of us. It’s always been “us;” it’s never been “them!”

If we continue to let our light shine, we will see the face of God.

God Bless You / Be Well / Take Care of Each Other.

Deacon Chris Cecil

From the Pastor

Lent is traditionally a more intense time to reflect on our spiritual lives and our relationship with God. It is both a time of emptying and filling up. Kenosis is a Christian theological term that refers to Jesus’s self-emptying. In Philippians 2:7, Paul describes Jesus as “emptying himself” by taking on human form. With the Lenten disciplines of fasting and almsgiving, we can empty ourselves of worldly distractions and selfishness and more fully open our hearts to dependence on God. The Lenten discipline of prayer not only allows us to talk with God, but to also listen to God in the stillness and quietness of our heats. Prayer brings us into a closer relationship with God. If you fill yourself with Jesus this Lent, in 40 days something new and wonderful can be born in you this Easter.

In the heart of Jesus,

Fr. Richard

La Cuaresma es tradicionalmente un tiempo más intenso para reflexionar sobre nuestra vida espiritual y nuestra relación con Dios. Es un tiempo tanto para vaciarnos como para llenarnos. La kenosis es un término teológico cristiano que se refiere al vaciamiento de Jesús. En Filipenses 2:7, Pablo describe a Jesús como “vaciándose a sí mismo” al tomar forma humana. Con las disciplinas cuaresmales del ayuno y la limosna, podemos vaciarnos de las distracciones mundanas y del egoísmo y abrir más plenamente nuestros corazones a la dependencia de Dios. La disciplina cuaresmal de la oración no solo nos permite hablar con Dios, sino también escucharlo en la quietud y el silencio de nuestros corazones. La oración nos lleva a una relación más cercana con Dios. Si te llenas de Jesús esta Cuaresma, en 40 días algo nuevo y maravilloso puede nacer en ti esta Pascua.

En el corazón de Jesús,

P. Richard

Donation and Service Opportunities

• Gift Card Donations: Support our Open Door Lunch Ministry by purchasing and donating a Kroger or Walmart gift card for our unhoused neighbors. Return them to the office or to Fr. Richard with the receipt or amount purchased written on top of card. Thank you for your generosity.
• Kroger Community Rewards: Saint Paul received $440.72 last quarter through the Kroger Community Rewards program. Thank you to all who have linked their Kroger card! Please follow the instructions (click here) to link your card (our linking number is "JA381")
• Rice Bowls for our Lenten almsgiving are available at the front of the church, next to the side door. The proceeds go to Catholic Relief Service to assist their efforts to the poor and needy around the world. Please return Rice Bowls during Holy Week. To learn more about this program, visit: crsricebowl.org
  
• Donate from your IRA or from shares of your stock in a taxable brokerage account. Click here to learn more.

Ministries Updates

Open Door Lunch Ministry

Thank you to all who have volunteered and donated.
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.

The Little Mountain School

We have raised $34,792 with our coffee sales for the Little Mountain School in Guatemala.

Please consider sponsoring a student or making a donation to The Little Mountain School. To learn more, visit guatemalaneducationaloutreach.org or view our Parish webpage (click here).

Please keep The Little Mountain School in your prayers.

HELP FEED Your Neighbors AT the 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: [email protected] | 859-536-0571

in the Diocese

• Appalachian Immersion Experience 2025: 2025 dates are available.
  
  March 30-April 2, 2025 
  October 19-21, 2025
   
  The immersion experience brings pilgrims into contact with people and places of Appalachia who share their lived experiences of natural disasters, social division and disparity, single industry economics, and climate change. Through listening to the cries of the earth and the cries of the poor, we hope to instill and encourage a response to the Gospel call to peace and justice and Pope Francis’ call to care for creation. Space is limited, so please reserve your spot, groups are also encouraged to apply: [email protected]
• Laudato Si' Events:
  • March 27 Tree Planting. The LSC is collaborating with Asbury University and Green Forests Work. For information about time and location, contact [email protected]
  • April 26 A walk in Calvary Cemetery. LSC hosted a walk during the Season of Creation during 2024 and decided to host a similar event in the Spring, when the plants and tree are in a different stage of life and development. Meet at 11 a.m., the walk is not strenuous but wear your sneakers!
  • September 13, place TBA A Laudato Si Art Retreat. Artist Rosie Fedorchuk will lead a day of reflection that includes creating art that inspires a love of the creation.