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JANUARY 3, 2016 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
SSTT.. TTHHOOMMAASS AAQQUUIINNAASS RROOMMAANN CCAATTHHOOLLIICC CCHHUURRCCHH
88332200 OOlldd CC..RR.. ##5544 •• NNeeww PPoorrtt RRiicchheeyy,, FFLL 3344665533 •• PPhhoonnee 772277--337722--88660000 •• WWeebb PPaaggee:: wwwwww..ssttaannpprr..oorrgg
PPaassttoorr:: RReevv.. MMiicchhaaeell LLyyddoonn •• AAssssoocciiaattee PPaassttoorr:: RReevv.. GGeeoorrggee PP.. VVaarrkkeeyy •• DDeeaaccoonn:: MMeellvviinn DDuunnpphhyy STA Early Childhood Center: 376-2330; Bishop Larkin Catholic School (K-8): 862-6981; Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School: 857-2600
The Epiphany of the Lord – January 3, 2016
““LLeett uuss bbeeccoommee wwhhaatt wwee rreecceeiivvee..””
Next Week: The Baptism
of the Lord
In Mass we receive the Word. We
become what we receive when we
listen to the Word and are changed.
In your Bible, you can find the
Word in next week’s Gospel: Luke
3: 15-16, 21-22
The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ. John
answered them all, saying, “I am
baptizing you with water, but one
mightier than I is coming. I am not
worthy to loosen the thongs of his
sandals. He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit and fire.” After all the
people had been baptized and Jesus also
had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit
descended upon him in bodily form like
a dove. And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I
am well pleased.”
By our Baptism, we were given a share
in Christ's life and ministry. He shares
his identity with us. How will you live,
so that God will say of you, "This is my
beloved, on whom my favor rests"?
Copyright © 2016 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning, Living and Sharing the Good News
JANUARY 3, 2016 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Readings for the Week
Monday Dt. 10: 8-9, Mt. 11: 25-30
Tuesday Is. 6: 1-8, Mt. 28: 16-20
Wednesday 1 Jn. 4: 11-18, Mk. 6: 45-52
Thursday 1 Jn. 4: 19; 5: 4, Lk. 4: 14-22
Friday 1 Jn. 5: 5-13, Lk. 5: 12-16
Saturday 1 Jn. 5: 14-21, Jn. 3: 22-30
Sunday Is. 40: 1-5, 9-11, Ti. 2: 11-14, 3:
4-7, Lk. 3: 15-16, 21-22
Weekend Readings are at (727) 372-8600
Mass Intentions
Monday 8:00 a.m. Mary Giampapa
Tuesday 8:00 a.m. Mary Goswick
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. Vocations
Thursday 8:00 a.m. Ray Hall
Friday 8:00 a.m. Laurie Rock
Saturday 4:00 p.m. Laurence Beauchesne
6:00 p.m. Parish Family
Sunday 7:00 a.m. The Kosch Family
8:30 a.m. Kimberly Gill
10:30 a.m. Benjamin Ferris
5:00 p.m. Salvatore Pece
Mass and Devotions Schedule
Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 7:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. (Contemporary)
and 5:00 p.m. (LifeTeen™)
Daily Mass: 8:00 a.m. Monday-Friday
Healing Mass: 7:00 p.m. Monday (September - June)
Holy Rosary after 8:00 a.m. Mass, Mon-Fri, in Blessed
Sacrament Chapel
Marian Novena after 8:00 a.m. Mass on Tuesdays
Benediction & Adoration: 1st Fridays 8:30–10:00 a.m.
(September – May)
Reconciliation: Saturday 2:30-3:30 p.m. or by appt.
Parish Information
Office hours 8:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. Monday-Friday
Sunday mornings. Call for information.
Phone: (727) 372-8600 Fax: (727) 372-5712
Website: www.stanpr.org
Emergency Number for Anointing of the Sick:
Nights & Weekends (727) 836-3211
Administration Business Office Fax: (727) 376-7204 Parish Bookkeeper: Cherise Amundson Ext. 115
Temporal Services Coordinator – Deacon Mark Manko Ext. 133 Pastoral Ministries Coordinator: Mary Miller Ext. 111
Administrative Assistant: Sheila Osorio Ext. 113
Parish Ministry Faith Formation Team Leader – Sue Sferra Ext. 132
Faith Formation Assistant – Denise Santos Ext. 112 Middle School (Edge) – Sue Sferra Ext. 132
High School (Life Teen) - Beth DeBella and
Cliff Stodden – Ext. 131 RCIA – Sue Sferra Ext. 132
Music - Dan O’Hara Ext. 128 Parish Council – Linda Meeker 372-8600
Parish Nurse, Ministry to the Sick & Homebound – Betty West Ext. 116
Prayer Line – Marilyn Clausen – (727) 376-1740 Sacristan - JoAnn McVeigh Ext. 129 Stewardship – Mary Ellen Taylor Ext. 144
St. Vincent de Paul Society Ext. 142
STA Early Childhood Center Cindy McKallip, Director – (727) 376-2330
www.staecc.org Food Pantry: Monday & Thursday
9:30-11:00am & 1:30-3:30pm
Gift Store: Open before/after weekend Masses
Parish Library: Open during office hours and during
“Coffee & Donuts” fellowship hours – Sept. - May
After 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Masses
Please remember
them in your prayers. Kevin Welsh, Jr., Christopher La Chance, Jeremy Saenz,
Matthew Lacey, Derek Barbieri, Michael Czyzia, Mike
Tamborello, Matthew Ziemba, Timothy and Joshua Slack, Anthony Sandoval, Ryan Miklinski, Scott D. Custer, Michael
Capponi, Edward Henson, Jeffery Grey, Daniel Delahunt, Richard Gardner, Francois Catalina, Thomas Crimmins,
Girard Poirier, Brian Pratt and Michael Pratt, Gary Golubeff, Jessica Diemert, Michael DiNardi, Chad Moncada, Daniel H.
Grant, Jason Barbieri, Dominic Angiollo, Christopher
Graniero, Brendan Healy, Major Lee Sylvester, Aiden Hammar and Randy Blackburn, Brian C. Weyer, Wade B.
Hall, Sean Hughes, Justin Pisarcik, Nick Smith, Amanda Duemmel, Christopher McCarty, Aquiles N. Ruiz, Joseph
Chrobak, Jennifer Auxier, Brian Honaway, John F. Connors III, Trever Auxier, Craig McKay, Connor MacDonald,
Kathleen MacDonald, Agostino Thomas Manfre, Chris
Woidt, George Tosh, Sebastian Ruiz, Timothy Pisello, Jerod Haskell, Jason A. George, John McGoldrick, Jerrod Hassel
Sexton, Andrew Perrea, Paul McPartland, Dante Cuomo, Jessica Olleck, Jeremy Blevins, Shaun Pelt, Eric Hindman,
Bryan Markus, William Tre Reese, Robert W. Gallagher, Tyler Hammond, Joseph Kane, Jeffrey Philbin, Chad Goodwin,
Dalton Thursby, Christian Symonds, Diana Parzik, Kyle
Christiansen, Michael DiNardi, Christopher Thursby, Christopher Brown, and Ryan Chase Mattman.
JANUARY 3, 2016 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Parish Calendar Mon. 1/4: Boy Scouts Venture Crew
6:00p.m.; Healing Mass/Prayer Group 7:00p.m.
Tues. 1/5: Ladies Guild Rosary Makers 9:00a.m.; RCIA 7:30p.m.;
Contemporary Choir 7:00p.m.
Wed. 1/6: Legion of Mary 9:00a.m.; St. Vincent dePaul 10:00a.m.;
Women’s Bible Study 2:00p.m.;
Choir 7:00p.m. Thurs. 1/7: Prayer Shawl Meeting
10:00a.m.; Bible Study 7:00p.m.; K of C Business Meeting
7:00p.m.
Fri. 1/8: AA-Al-Anon 8:00p.m. Sat. 1/9: Renewal of Wedding Vows
during 4:00p.m. Mass; St.
Vincent dePaul Collection – all weekend Masses
Sun. 1/10: Faith Formation (K-5) 9:00a.m.; Coffee and Donuts following
8:30 and 10:30a.m. Masses;
Confirmation Workshop 9:00a.m.
Pastor’s Letter My dear parishioners, The Feast of The Epiphany that we celebrate today seems like the perfect ending to the event of the birth of Jesus. Three kings travel from afar, following a star, bringing elaborate gifts to lay before the newborn King. But the actuality of the situation was much harsher. The Magi, migrants in their journey seeking the Messiah, had to return home by a different route to avoid revealing the location of Jesus to King Herod. The Holy Family became refugees in the land of
Egypt, after it was revealed to Mary and Joseph in a dream that Jesus was no longer safe in Bethlehem. This week has been named by the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops as National
Migration week, with the theme “A Stranger and You Welcomed Me”. In today’s political climate we might be tempted to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, politics or economic status. Yet as we celebrate this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis challenges us to extend God’s love and mercy to everyone. “We cannot escape the Lord’s words to us, and they will serve as the criteria upon which we will be judged: whether
we have fed the hungry and given drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger and clothed the naked…” (The Face of Mercy; Pope Francis)
Here in the parish we often have non Catholic visitors at baptisms and funerals, attending with family members or just curious –these are great opportunities to “welcome the stranger” and be grateful for their presence as opposed to being critical or judgmental. As we journey through this “Year of Mercy”, let us be instruments of God’s love and forgiveness every day.
God bless you, Father Mike
Life Teen News - Please Note There is no Life Night tonight, January
3rd (as previously noted in the bulletin).
Please remember the Confirmation
Workshop on Sunday, January 10th
beginning at 9:00 a.m. Life Nights will
resume on Sunday, January 17th.
REMINDER The monthly collection for the St. Vincent de
Paul Society will be following every Mass
next weekend, January 9th
and 10th
, 2016.
During the month of November… 8,176
pounds of food plus turkeys fed 247 families
and 860 people. THANK YOU for your
continued kindness and generosity.
In God We Trust
United in Prayer Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us. Bless them
and their families for their selfless acts they
perform for us in our time of need. Protect
them and lead them safely back home. We
ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and
Savior. Amen.
JANUARY 3, 2016 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Parish Sacrificial Giving Summary
December 20, 2015 $21,903.83
December 27, 2015
Not available at press time
Stewardship Reflections Christ makes it quite clear that He expects us to be different. One of the ways He expects
us to be different is by practicing Stewardship of time, talent and treasure.
VOLUNTEER TAX REPARATION United Way of Pasco County, the IRS and
AARP sponsor free income tax assistance for
elderly and low/moderate income taxpayers from mid-January to April 15 each year. Tax
law and computer training is provided in early January for volunteers who prepare relatively
simple tax returns. Volunteers should have
basic computer skills and enjoy helping others.
For more information, or to volunteer, call
Bill Humphrey at (727) 808-4483 or send an e-
mail to [email protected]. For an appointment to have your taxes prepared, call
the Pasco County Help Line by dialing 211, after January 15, 2016.
Please Support Our Advertisers We extend thanks to the merchants and
business people whose advertisements make
our Sunday bulletin possible. It is through
their generosity that the bulletin is printed
and distributed to all members of the parish
each week. We hope you will show your
appreciation by patronizing them. When
you do, why not tell them you saw their ad
in our bulletin.
“Sharing the Good News” If you have a story to share about our
faith, our parish, how someone special
has touched your life, or good news about
your family, please write it up and we will
print it in the parish bulletin. You can
drop it by the Parish Office, mail it in, or
e-mail it to Sheila at [email protected].
Thank you!
Save the Date! Sunday, January 24, 2016
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. A free concert by popular country music singer John Arthur Martinez. A free will offering will be taken to benefit the Free Wheelchair Mission, a
faith-based non-profit organization providing wheelchairs in impoverished countries.
Please visit www.freewheelchairmission.org.
March for Life
St. Augustine Bus Trip
Saturday, January 16, 2016 Enjoy inspiring speakers, good fellowship
and a prayerful, one-mile march through downtown St. Augustine. The 2015 March
drew 3,000 people. The Office of Life Ministry will be offering a bus trip for the
cost of $40/person (includes boxed lunch and drinks). Buses will be picking up in Clearwater, Tampa, Brandon, Seffner, Port
Richey and Wildwood. For more information please contact the Office of Life
Ministry, (727) 344-1611 or [email protected]. Registration forms with itinerary available
at: http://dosp.org/life/upcoming-events/
Catholic Days at the Capitol Join Catholics from around the state for our
annual advocacy days, Catholic Days at the Capitol. Participants get involved in the
legislative process by attending a briefing on human life and dignity issues and meeting
with elected officials. Attend a special
luncheon and the annual Red Mass with the Florida Bishops and Catholic Legislators.
Dates are February 16-18, 2016. Registration deadline is January 16, 2016. Please contact
the Office of Life Ministry at [email protected] or
(727) 344-1611.
JANUARY 3, 2016 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Faith Formation For All!
Weekly sessions resume on campus as follows:
Confirmation Workshop
Sunday, January 10th
Life Nights resume
Sunday 1/17
RCIA resumes Tuesday 1/5
Sunday morning sessions
resume Sunday 1/10
Wednesday sessions
resume Wednesday 1/13
Way back in 431, there was a controversy among theologians over the role of Mary in the Catholic Church. They debated the question:
Who is Mary in God’s plan?
In the end, the bishops declared that Mary is really the mother of Jesus and Jesus is really God. So it must be said that Mary is the Mother of God. The oldest Christian greeting of Mary was proclaimed when Mary’s relative Elizabeth called her “Mother of my Lord.” When Elizabeth welcomed Mary, she recognized both the great privilege God had given Mary and Mary’s great faith in accepting it! For centuries, Mary has been praised because she believed. She is Mother of God because of her faith in God.
The Epiphany of the Lord “Lord, every nation on earth
will adore you.” From Psalm 72
Christmas is a SEASON … and we are still in the season! The tradition of giving gifts at Christmas is thought by some to actually be rooted in the gift giving of the Magi. In some cultures, gifts are not
exchanged on Christmas day, but rather the Feast of The Epiphany (Three Kings Day). Whenever you exchange your Christmas gifts, take some time to reflect on this tradition of gift giving at Christmas. Think of the best gift you have received. What was it? What made it
special? Was it the gift itself, the thought that went into it - or the person who gave it to you? Read today's Gospel, (Matthew 2:1-12). The gifts of the Magi - gold,
frankincense, and myrrh - have come to be understood as symbols of Christ's royalty, divinity, and eventual suffering and death. They are special because in giving them, the Magi acknowledge who Jesus was to be: our Savior. Let’s pray that we will better accept Jesus as our friend and savior … in all that we do and say. Another way to find deeper meaning in this special day - think about those gifts a little differently - think of them as everything that keeps you from being close to Him (burdens, worries, anger, fear, etc. …) Jesus wants us to lay them down at His feet - let go of it all. He will gladly take it from us, and help us make more room for Him!
On the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of
God, (January 1st) we celebrated Mary’s
faith and trust in God alone. The Church wants us to imitate her faith.
Talk as a family about real ways we can do that, in our everyday life.
Next Sunday, January 10th = we conclude
the Christmas season with The Baptism of the Lord … let’s keep the spirit of the
Season flowing!
Next Infant Baptism Prep Session -
Sunday 1/10/16
following 10:30AM Mass
(contact Sue to register)
The Formation Staff of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is privileged
to serve with and for you. Please contact us at (727) 372-8600, ext. 132.
K-5
JANUARY 3, 2016 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Prayer for the Year of Mercy
Lord Jesus Christ,
you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him.
Show us your face and we will be saved. Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money;
the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal,
and assured Paradise to the repentant thief. Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman:
“If you knew the gift of God!” You are the visible face of the invisible Father, of the God who manifests his power above all
by forgiveness and mercy: let the Church be your visible face in the world,
its Lord risen and glorified. You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness in order that they may feel compassion
for those in ignorance and error: let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God.
Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing,
so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm,
may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed,
and restore sight to the blind. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy,
you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.
Amen.
STA Early
Childhood Center The STA Early Childhood Center still has room
available for the 2015-2016 school year. We
accept children age 2 (on or before Sept.1st) to
age 5. Registration forms can be downloaded
from our website: www.staecc.org., or picked up
in the ECC office. Please call the Early
Childhood Center at (727) 376-2330 for further
information. Please watch the bulletin in January
2016 for registration information for the 2016-
2017 school year.
English and Citizenship Classes
Start on Tuesday January 5th Come to our free classes on Tuesday,
January 5th at 7:00 p.m. in the classrooms
of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, New Port Richey. We are happy to
announce our first student to pass the test for her American Citizenship is Minerva
Yglesia . Congratulations and God bless!
Open House at
Bishop Larkin Catholic School Are you looking for an outstanding learning environment for your child in Pasco County?
If so, check out Bishop Larkin Catholic
School at the Open House on Sunday, January 24, 2016 (Presentations/Tours at 1:00 and 2:00 p.m.) Bishop Larkin Catholic School dedicates itself to the mission of educating students within Catholic traditions. This outstanding school, located at 8408 Monarch Drive in Port Richey, has an exceptional faculty fostering creativity and personal development for children in EC3, VPK, Kindergarten and Grades 1 through 8. If you cannot make it to the Open House, you can call 727-862-6981 to schedule a visit. Say “YES” to BLCS! For more information
about Bishop Larkin Catholic School, go to www.bishoplarkin.org. Like Bishop Larkin on Facebook www.facebook/BishopLarkin.
Reflections for Parents Parents, generous and loving people are
needed for service and leadership in our
Church. Ask your children to consider a
Church vocation.
A Will as a Final Tribute In making out a will you should give a great deal of
thought to the dispositions of your assets to your family
and certainly to the church that has been so much a part of
your life. A bequest to your church on an unrestricted basis
would have long-lasting results and would constitute a true
memorial that will extend your love and your faith through
the years. PROPER METHOD FOR NAMING THE
CHURCH IN YOUR WILL OR TRUST: To observe the
best methods of naming the church in your Will or Trust,
please ask your attorney to use the following terminology:
I give, devise, and bequeath (amount, article, stock, etc.) to
Robert N. Lynch, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg,
and his successors in office for the use of St. Thomas
Aquinas Catholic Church, 8320 Old County Road #54,
New Port Richey, FL 34653. There are pamphlets
available in the church lobby (“How to Write a Will”), or
you may call the Parish Office for information. Please
remember St. Thomas Aquinas Church in your will.
JANUARY 3, 2016 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Our Christmas Pageant and Cookies with Santa was a
beautiful evening of fellowship in anticipation of the coming
of Christmas! A great big thank you goes out to our teachers,
catechists, teen volunteers, music ministry team, maintenance
crew, our priests, deacons, parish staff and of course our
children and families!
