St. Anthony of Padua Bulletin
February 1, 1998

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA 233

Pastor's Column

On this Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time we focus our attention this weekend on how we enflesh or manifest or make plain-and-clear the eternal Word, Jesus Christ, to others through our determined willingness to be a prophet in our own day and in our own space.
What really is a prophet? It's not so much someone who predicts the future, but rather someone who has identified the working of the Holy Spirit within and exercises a mission of telling convincingly God's truth as he or she experiences it.
The aim of prophecy is not to be on the cutting edge of revelation or to be the "religion police" in society, but rather to open people's hearts to turning toward God and demonstrating an authentic "God-orientation."
As I understand it, the role of the prophet has two movements: one is inward, coming to terms with how God is shaking up my life; the other is outward, testifying to the truth of the Gospel in word and action.
The prophet is like the Mary-model described by St. Francis for every honest follower of Jesus: "We are mothers [to Jesus] when we carry Him in our heart and body through divine love and a pure and sincere conscience and when we give birth to Him through His holy manner of working, which should shine before others as example."
How do we accomplish this responsibility of being a prophet in our own day? Again, there are some specific behaviors which are indicative:
Praying Scripture: You can't give what you don't have! To share the Word you have to know the Word. Daily reading or listening to holy Scripture is a must.
Living authentically: No masks or "false fronts." No "buffet dining" approach to Jesus' preaching and the Church's teaching on faith and morals. Rather, making the choice to adopt and to show a "seamless garment" approach to ethical living and virtuous conduct, to buying into and to modeling Jesus' own behavior.
Exhibiting patience, persistence, and perseverance: Live your faith publicly but positively, forcefully but gently, with affirmation and support but with conviction, determination, and endurance.
In this way you too will make the Word flesh to dwell among us.

--Father Benet OFM

(From February 5 to February 11 I will spending a week of vacation with my parents in Florida.)

Offering

Envelopes $4,258.10
Loose Collection $ 249.48
Children's Envelopes $ 15.75
TOTAL: $4,523.33
(COMPLIANCE WITH THE BUDGET:
This Week Cumulative
(1/25/98): (Week #30):
$ 5,453.06 $163,600.80
$ 4,523.33 $151,071.45
$- 929.73 $-12,529.35
"Set your heart on the greater gifts" (1 Cor 12:31). Stewardship is God's invitation to a new life. It helps us to overcome our selfishness and attachment to material possessions. It enables us to be less possessed by what we possess.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY...

about the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
On Monday, February 2, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Records show that it was celebrated as early as 386, and it consisted of "a torchlight procession, a vigil of expectation for the Lord who comes to meet his people with the light of salvation ... The feast is set 40 days after Christmas, observing Luke's computation of the Jewish rite of the infant's presentation and the parent's purification" thus fulfilling the Jewish Law of consecrating the first-born to God. Somewhere in the course of history, the feast was changed to "The Purification of Mary," and became a Marian feast. "Vatican II's calendar reform restored the focus of the day to the Lord's presentation, changing both the feast's orientation and title from a Marian to Christological one." Sourcebook 1998
--compiled by Brother Richard OFM

WORLD DAY FOR CONSECRATED LIFE

Word Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life is being celebrated in dioceses throughout the United States on Sunday, February 1. The Archdiocese of St. Louis has been blessed with more than 3,000 women and men religious and members of secular institutes. This weekend we ask you to offer a prayer of thanks to God for these men and women who have served so faithfully and generously in our local Church, especially those who taught you or who worked at the parish. We also ask you to pray in special way for an increase of vocations to religious life and secular institutes.

Parish News

SELF-STUDY: As part of the archdiocesan-wide implementation of the Strategic Pastoral Plan, every parish will be conducting a detailed self-study of its pastoral life during the next few months. This study begins with a survey for all parishioners which will take place this weekend at all the Masses.

BLESSING OF CANDLES: On Monday, the feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple, we will bless candles during the two morning Masses. We encourage you to bring candles you have purchased to be blessed at this time (they need not be purchased at church). If you do want to purchase candles, the sacristan will be available 15 minutes before each of the Masses.

BLESSING OF THROATS: On the feast of St. Blase, February 3 (Tuesday), it is traditional to bless throats to seek God's protection and healing for any ailments of the throat. This blessing will take place only after the two morning Masses and at the school in the afternoon.

GOOD GRIEF!!! The Good Grief Group will meet in the sacristy on Tuesday, February 17, at 6:30pm. Call our social worker Kate or our parish nurse Barb (353-7470) for details.

CPR CLASSES: CPR classes will be given at St. Anthony's by Alexian Brothers Hospital as follows:
Adult CPR on Thursday, February 19, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm in St. Anthony Hall.
Infant/Child CPR on Saturday, February 21, 9:00am to 12:00 noon in the West Meeting Room.
If you are interested in either one or both, it is necessary that you call Barb Salmo (353-7470) by February 13. There is no charge.

DO YOU NEED A CIRCUIT BREAKER? A Circuit Breaker rebate from the State of Missouri on real estate tax or rent is yours if you or your spouse are 65 years old or disabled on Medicaid, and your income must is less than $15,000 for a single person and $17,000 for a married couple. If you qualify, call Wanda at 353-2401.

ARCHDIOCESAN YOUTH CONFERENCE:

All high school students are invited to Youth Conference '98 -- a day of fun, friends, a concert, a Youth Mass, dinner, and a dance -- on Sunday, February 22 at St. Mary's High School. For details call Karen Huckeby at 771-8136 or Greg Rohde at 371-0121.

NEWS ABOUT PARISHIONERS

RESTING IN PEACE: In your kindness please pray for Mary T. Huskey, 86, who was buried on Jan. 23, 1998, and Catherine Davis, 89, who was buried on Jan. 26, 1998.
SANCTUARY LAMP: Last week one of the sanctuary lamps was lit as a memorial prayer for Joseph O'Connor. This week one sanctuary lamp is lit as a prayerful remembrance of the Gyaky, Zarka, Wambach, Horvath and Seper Families at the request of MMG. The other one is lit as a memorial prayer for Leo Elliott.
QUILT WINNER ON JANUARY 22: Joan Dodson.

YEAR OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: In preparation for the Millennium the Holy Father has designated the three years before 2000 to one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity. Last year in 1997 we focused on Jesus Christ. Next year we concentrate on God the Father. This year we direct our attention to the Holy Spirit in a special way. A special part of our parish's observance of this Year of the Holy Spirit, will be our parish mission:

PARISH MISSION: On the Thursdays of Lent, from March 5 to March 26, we will celebrate a Parish Mission at St. Anthony's with the Bishops of our Archdiocese; the theme will be the Working of the Holy Spirit.
There will be Mass and a special sermon each Thursday at 7:00pm.
Archbishop Rigali will speak March 5 on "The Holy Spirit and Conversion" and will highlight the role of the Holy Spirit in calling us to a change of heart.
Bishop Braxton will speak March 12 on "The Holy Spirit and Evangelization" and will emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit in proclaiming the Good News of salvation.
Bishop Sheridan will speak March 19 on "The Holy Spirit and Prayer" and will concentrate on the Spirit's action in teaching us how to pray.
Bishop Naumann will speak March 26 on "The Holy Spirit and Community" and will focus on the function of the Holy Spirit in building up the Body of Christ.
The mission will conclude with a communal celebration of the Sacrament of Penance led by our Franciscan Vicar Provincial, Fr. John Doctor OFM, who will speak on "The Holy Spirit and Reconciliation" on Thursday, April 2, at 7:00pm. Mark your calendars for this special and historic event!

AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE

PANCAKE BREAKFAST, sponsored by the Auxiliary of Alexian Brothers Hospital, will be held on Sunday, February 8, from 8:00am to 4:30pm in the hospital's Peterson Auditorium. Please support our neighbors!
"MARDI GRAS", a fund-raising dinner-dance-auction to benefit the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, will be held on Friday, February 20, at The Columns in St. Charles. Doors open at 6:00pm; tickets are $35. Call Sister Madelene at 240-3420 for reservations.
TRIVIA NIGHT at St. Mary Magdalen's will take place on Saturday, February 21; for time and reservations call Sheri at 752-1448 or Jeanne at 481-0558.
CAVALCADE '98, the annual dinner-auction to benefit Bishop DuBourg High School, will be held on Saturday, March 7. For more information, call 832-3030.
ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR, sponsored by the Spirit of St. Francis Drill team, will be held Saturday, March 21, from 9:00am to 3:30pm at the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Center (Oakville); to apply for space call Karen at 845-2333.

IMPROVING RELATIONSHIPS

RETROUVAILLE: Marriage is about sunset cruises, romantic dinners, and dreams of the future. Marriage is also about crying babies, credit-card debts, and aging parents. Is your marriage tearing you apart?
Retrouvaille is a lifeline for troubled marriages. The next program begins February 20-22. For confidential information call Mike at 389-4142 or 1-800-470-2230.
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER: What a perfect Valentine gift for each other -- a Marriage Encounter weekend! Weekends will be held February 13-15, March 20-22, and April 24-26. For registration information call 469-7317.
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING INSTRUCTION: The Couple-to-Couple League will begin a four-class instructional series on the Sympto- Thermal Method of Natural Family Planning.
The first class will be held at 7:30pm on Friday, February 13, at Alexian Brothers MedStop (2900 Lemay Ferry Road). For information call 481-1908.

Reminder

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: Did you buy a copy of Our Sunday Visitor to support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul?
VIDEO ON FIRE AND REBUILDING is still available at the parish office; call 353-7470.

Mass Intentions for the Week

Monday, February 2, PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
6:30 Carlyne M. Ries
8:00 Dorothy Paulis
Tuesday, February 3, St. Blase
6:30 John Fugina
8:00 Patricia Palermo
Wednesday, February 4, Joseph of Leonissa
(Cap)
6:30 Mathilda M. Holdener
8:00 Ed Windler
Thursday, February 5, St. Agatha
6:30 Gansmann Family
8:00 For Vocations
Friday, February 6, Sts. Peter Baptist & Comp.
6:30 Frieda Schafer
8:00 Doris A. Miles
Saturday, February 7, St. Colette (OSC)
6:30 Angela A. O'Donnell & Family
8:00 Anne Kelley
Sunday, February 8, 5TH IN ORDINARY TIME
4:30 (Saturday) Alois Swehla
6:00 For the Parishioners
8:00 Henri Bouchard
10:30 James Breedan

Liturgical Assistants

Week of February 2-8

LECTORS:
6:30 Weekdays, Feb. 2-7: Alberta Stackle
8:00 Weekdays, Feb. 2-7: Georgia Berry
Sunday, February 7-8
4:30 Cheryl & Jared Degenhart
6:00 Georgia Berry
8:00 Marie Mergel, Beth Morgan

10:30 Alberta Stackle, Ian Penrose
6:30 Weekdays, Feb. 9-14: Georgia Berry
8:00 Weekdays, Feb. 9-14: Joe Sestric
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS:
4:30 Hosts: Joanie Medina, Doris Eagan*
Cups: Sue Geldmacher, Janice Leicht, Valerie Geldmacher, Anthony Minnick
6:00 Rich Steger
8:00 (Ladies' Sodality)
10:30 Hosts: Georgia Berry, Betty Krull*
Cups: Pat Penrose, Julia Brown, Theresa Mayer, Dorothy Schaefer, Gloria & Steve Derickson, Ruth Brown**

This Coming Week

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Coffee and Donuts after 8:00 Mass
9:00 a.m. - Mass at Chariton Apartments
9:00 a.m. - R.C.I.A. (S)
10:30 a.m. - Family Mass
12:00 p.m. - Credit Union Annual Meeting (L)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16
6:30 p.m. - Building Commission (L)
7:00 p.m. - Youth Commission (M)
7:30 p.m. - Prayer Group (E)
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17
6:30 p.m. - Grief Support Group (S)
6:30 p.m. - Bingo (L)
7:30 p.m. - Al-Anon Meeting (F)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18
11:00 a.m. - A.A. Meeting (W)
1:00 p.m. - Franciscan Mothers Club (E)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19
6:00 p.m. - CPR for Adults (L)
7:00 p.m. - Finance Council Meeting (S)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20
3:00 p.m. - Holy Hour (Ch)
8:00 p.m. - A.A. Meeting (F)
8:00 p.m. - Men's Club (L)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21
9:00 a.m. - CPR for Adults & Infants (W)
4:30 p.m. - Cub Scout Mass & Banquet
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22
9:00 a.m. - R.C.I.A. (S)
10:30 a.m. - SFO Mass
2:00 p.m. - SFO Meeting

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St. Anthony of Padua Bulletin February 1, 1998