JOY, HOPE, LOVE - St. Joseph Catholic Church

Volume I, Issue 2
SPRING 2012
The St. Joseph BEACON
Enlightened Communication for our Parish Family
EASTER BRINGS MESSAGES OF JOY, HOPE, LOVE,
AND INSPIRATION
Today as we celebrate
the beautiful Feast Day of
Easter, as we come to the
goal, the climax, the summit
of Lent, of our Christian life
and indeed, of
all history, may we never
Rev. Fr. Denzil
forget that Jesus is with us
Vithanage, Pastor
once more and remains with
us always, never to leave us
by ourselves- never to leave us alone. As with
all of humankind for thousands of years, our
hope and desire for ultimate deliverance, for
peace, joy and fullness of love is fulfilled in
Christ and His triumphant Resurrection today.
Even as we celebrate Christ's triumph over
sin and death with joy, exultation and praise,
Our Holy Mother Church does not forget that
we, her children, remain face-to-face with daily
PRINCIPAL OF
ST. JOSEPH
CATHOLIC SCHOOL
RETIRES
I must announce that Mr.
Philip Verhalen,
St. Joseph Catholic School
principal for the
past three years,
is retiring at the end of this school
year. His service began in 2009,
when Kindergarten first began enrolling students and continued to
lead the school as grades 1, 2, and 3
were added with children eager to
learn! I am very grateful to Mr.
Verhalen, who has so graciously
and untiringly guided our school
living in our world, our
families, our particular vocation, with all
our struggles and agonies, as
well as with our joy. She reminds us that
Easter is a springtime that
always points to the future, to a harvest,
to a recreated, renewed world.
She ever urges us to move forward in
spite of our daily temptations and
struggles And, for each of us, the daily
dying to self that we experienced
during Lent points to our own personal
dying with Christ at the end of our
life in this world.
During my ten years in Marshall, I
have been helped by all our parish
organizations, the Finance Council, the
Pastoral Council, the Catholic
Daughters, the Knights of Columbus,
during our initial “reopening”
years and has always been
readily available to help with
any task or endeavor for the
benefit of the school during his
tenure as principal.
We thank you, Philip, for
your dedication to our school
and in helping to get it “off the
ground.” Your leadership has
created for our school an environment of academic excellence and an inspired vision for
our continued growth. Our
students will miss your gentle
and loving interactions that
have been inspired by the
Christ-centered environment
that our parents entrust to us.
— Fr. Denzil
and every parish organization and group
to create a parish filled with hope, joy
and peace. I would like to thank
each and every staff member, volunteer
and organization for their part in
making this come to fruition. I believe
active participation of our
parishioners in the six areas I have implemented since coming to the
parish, that is, Liturgy and Adoration,
Catholic Formation, Catholic
School, Youth Ministry, Outreach and
Unification of Cultures, have brought
hope and newness to our own part of
the world here in East Texas.
May we all come with joy to that
feast which lasts forever, Amen
ST. JOSEPH
CATHOLIC SCHOOL
NAMES A NEW
PRINCIPAL
As St. Joseph’s
Pastor, I am
pleased to announce that Mrs.
Wanda Robinson,
teacher at St. Joseph Catholic
School, has been
appointed to follow retiring principal Philip Verhalen. She has
over 30 years of education experience and is highly qualified to
fulfill the responsibilities of the
chief school administrator. Mrs.
Robinson will also continue to
teach . —Fr. Denzil
stjosephmarshall.org
Inside this issue:
Faith Formation
2
Parish Ministries
2
Outreach Ministries
3
School News
4
BEACON Spotlight
5
We Ask Father
5
Parish Events & News
6
Reflections
7
Upcoming Events
8
It's not really about GOING to
church, it's about COMING to
LIFE!
Page 2
THE ST. JOSEPH BEACON
Spring 2012
THE MINISTRIES OF FAITH FORMATION
Faith Formation—Rite of
Christian Initiation for Adults
(RCIA)
Liturgy/Choir Ministry
Nancy Vines
Charlotte Smith
Are you called to serve?
There are many places to serve in God’s
house, which one is right for you?
Do you like to sing and make music? How
does making music in the house of the Lord
sound to you? Then serving in the choir is the
place for you. Youth Choir practice is
Wednesday evenings 6:15-6:50 pm and Adult
Choir practice is Wednesday evenings 7:008:00 pm in the choir loft.
Are you called to be an Altar Server?
Boys and girls who have made their First
Communion and who would like to assist Father at the altar during Mass may decide this is
right for you. (Cont. on Page 6)
Tantum ergo Sacramentum
“The singular most serious
problem facing the Church today is loss of faith in the Real
Presence.”
—Very Rev. William Casey, CPM
Sunday Morning Adult Faith Formation
Gerald Duvall
St. Joseph’s offers many activity choices for you to explore your Catholic faith. One of these choices is the Sunday Morning Adult Faith Formation
group. The group welcomes everyone who would like to gain a deeper perspective on our Catholic faith through reflection, discussion, and social interaction.
This “class” provides a forum to help you to become more familiar
with scripture, learn more about our Church, our Lord and His Sacraments. Our
group discussions are guided by Reflecting on Sunday’s Readings provided by
Emmaus Journey (found at
www.emmausjourney.org). As
adults,
our discussions generally tend toward
families, careers, and other influences
from the choices we make in our
lives.
Regardless of where we are in our
personal
faith formation journey, we learn
together
how scripture and prayer can help us
to more
fully commit our lives to Christ.
During discussions, one
doesn’t
have to be asked to speak…it simply
happens. We do our best to create and maintain an atmosphere where interactions
occur in the spirit of love. Come, give our group a try. Regular attendance is
encouraged, but not committed. There is a chair waiting with just your name on
it.…we even provide the coffee (and occasionally, donuts!).
The group meets 9:00—10:00 a.m. Call the church office at 903-9352536 or Gerald Duvall at 903-938-1733 for more information.
Easter Vigil, 2012, brought songs of joy to the
Heavenly Hosts as 11 men and women were received into full communion with the Holy Roman
Catholic Church and the family of St. Joseph Parish.
After almost a full year of Christian formation
consisting of weekly classes led by Mrs. Mary
Best, these new brothers and sisters in Christ were
welcomed to the Altar of the Lord to receive the
Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ for
the first time in the Holy Eucharist by Reverend
Father Denzil Vithanage at Easter Vigil on April 7,
2012.
Those who received the Sacraments of Baptism,
Confirmation, and First Holy Communion at Easter
Vigil on April 7, 2012, were:
Micah Fenton
Alex Seidler
Diana Cabrera
Martha Gaspar
Sonya Knox
Josue Sanchez
Anna Escobedo
Katrina Dias
Jason Grinnell
Shannon Williams
Ruby Graves
A reception was held after Vigil Mass in the
Parish Hall for the Catechumens and their families
and friends.
Spring 2012
Page 3
THE ST. JOSEPH BEACON
THE MINISTRIES OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
St. Joseph Altar Society Ministry
Parish Youth Happenings—REC TEAM
Lurlie Maddox
Benjamin and Holly Cantu
The St. Joseph Altar
Society was reactivated by Father Denzil in
2004. The Altar Society assists Father Denzil
in the maintenance of
the sanctuary, sacristy
and worship space in
the church, as well as
the adoration chapel.
This includes the care
and cleaning of the
sacred vessels and altar linens, weekly cleaning of the
floor in the sanctuary and changing of the holy water and
assuring that votive candles are available and sanctuary
lamps are burning.
The Altar Society also operates the parish gift shop
and is responsible for the Art and Environment in the
Church for the different liturgical seasons. The Altar Society also holds fundraisers, most recently the iPad raffle.
All proceeds from fundraisers and sales from the gift shop
go toward purchasing items for the church.
St. Joseph's Youth Group has been renamed the "R.E.C. T.E.A.M.", which stands
for Really Enjoying Christ, Teens Engaging
Actively in Ministry. The youth program aims
to help the youth strengthen their faith through
social, service, and spiritual activities. Our
goal is to have the youth become more active
in the church and in the community, all the
while having fun learning more about their
faith and building upon their relationship with
God.
The high school REC TEAM is open to
all youth who are in 9th - 12th grade and
meets at Chili's Parish Youth House on
Wednesday evenings from 7:00 PM - 8:30
PM.
St. Joseph REC
TEAM Directors
The Jr. REC TEAM, for those youth in 5th - 8th grade (Jr High/
MS), meets on Thursday evenings from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM at Chili's.
Billie Wappler retired in March as president of the
Altar Society serving since 2004. Lurlie Maddox was
elected new president. Cindy Holcomb is secretary and
Carolyn Ponder is treasurer. All are welcome to join the
Altar Society. There are no dues- just a desire to work with
others to serve God and support the pastor in maintaining
the sacred environment. If you are interested in joining
contact any member or just come to any meeting monthly
on the 4th Wednesday.
ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND FOOD PANTRY MINISTRIES
Cathy Lay
We have just
celebrated the joy
our Lord’s Resurrection and received the
Food from Heaven.
Therefore, what do
you think of when
you see a list of food
needs for the Marshall Food bank.
With many demands on our time, are we
giving time to fulfill another spiritual obligation, that of expressing the virtue of
mercy and giving?
Benjamin and Holly
Cantu
There is no better way than to make a
generous donation for the poor in our community than through the St. Joseph Catholic
Charities.
Also, it is easy and convenient to stop
by the Church and make a food or money
donation for the Food Pantry at the
Church office.
Contact the church office at 903-935-2536
if you are interested in serving with any of
the Parish ministries profiled in this
month’s newsletter.
THE GABRIEL
PROJECT
Helping Mother and
Child for the Love of
Jesus Christ
Juanita Cantu
The volunteer members of this project see in the birth of each baby a fresh expression of God’s unfailing love. They offer
immediate and practical help to any woman
faced with a crisis pregnancy.
Catholic women in East Texas are
committed to respond with love to any woman facing a crisis pregnancy. Bishop Corrada
has asked every Catholic community in the
Diocese of Tyler to reach out.
To ask for help, offer your assistance, or for more information, contact
Juanita Cantu at [email protected] or
call 888-300-5112.
Spring 2012
THE ST. JOSEPH BEACON
Page 4
CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS
Regent Laura Cisco-Kavanaugh
SIR KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS—A “ROUND TABLE”
Grand Knight Charles Reeves
Under the patronage of the Blessed Mother, the Catholic
Daughters of the Americas are united by their faith in Jesus Christ,
in their devotion to the church and the Holy See. They donate to
charities, administer scholarship programs and strive “to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow or sickness.” The
CDA motto is “Unity and Charity.”
Who are the Knights? The Venerable Fr
Michael J. McGivney founded the K nights as
an organization that would offer financial aid
to members and their families in times of sickness or death and also as a strong right arm of
the Church.
St. Joseph’s Court Santa Maria # 184 was formed in 1913. One
of our goals is to watch our membership grow. We installed four
new members at our last meeting in
March. Court Santa Maria #184 is a
hard working court, but we have fun
when we have our fellowship time.
The Junior CDA is for girls and
young women ages 6-18. Any Catholic woman age 18 and older may
join this organization whose motto
is “Unity and Charity.”
Our service theme this year is: “I am my
brother’s keeper” and we invite you, as a practical Catholic man 18 years or older, to join
with us. This year will be a busy year for the Knights and I thank all my
brother Knights and their Families who have been so generous with their
time supporting the St. Joseph school, annual Lenten Friday Fish Fries, flags
and crosses at the church and cemetery (Squires & Knights), Hwy 80 trash
pickup, soup kitchen, blood drive and many more service projects.
Please come join us. We gather on 2nd Monday each month to
celebrate Mass at 6:30 pm, followed by the meeting in the Parish
Hall.
For information, call the Church office at 903-935-2356.
Together as Knights we are a “Catholic family, fraternal, and service
organization.” This theme permeates through every Service Program activity
in the areas of Church, community, council, family, pro-life and youth. We
welcome you to join with us. For detailed membership information, please
call me at: (903) 927-2874.
ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS
St. Joseph’s Welcomes Back
Pre-School Director
Mrs. Cindy Kopecky is
returning to her roll as St. Joseph
Pre-School Director after an
absence from January to May,
2012, in order to complete her
degree in elementary education.
I ask everyone to congratulate
her on her accomplishments for
completing her “student teaching”
as required to receive her Bachelor Degree in
Elementary Education.
Her dedication to St. Joseph’s School has been
a long Holy Spirit-filled evolutionary journey from
opening the school in 2007 as an Early Learning
Center and persevering in the resolution to
establish its growth and preserving its heritage as
St. Joseph’s Elementary School again to serve the
children of Marshall and Harrison County.
In addition to her duties as Director of the PreSchool for children ages 3-5, she will also teach.
Welcome back, Cindy, your desk is calling you!!
— Fr Denzil
Catholic Schools Week, 2012, recognized
the 5th year of St. Joseph’s milestone of success after reopening in 2007 at the awards
banquet on February 2nd. The faculty and staff
were honored by the presence of the Tyler
Diocese Schools Superintendent, Dr. Robert
Klassen as he presented the faculty, staff, and
volunteers with service recognition awards.
Remembering
Sister Aquinas Judge
Mardi Gras was another successful funfilled event this year.
Winners of the Mardi Gras prizes were:
1st:—the $2,500 Visa gift card: Kyle Furh
2nd—the big screen TV : Bonnie Curry
3rd—the diamond & amethyst ring: Emily
Palmer
4th —the iPad: Eva Martinez
Enrolling now for Fall
Pre-K thru 4th Grade
To enroll, visit the school
at 2307 S. Garrett, or call
us at 903-935-5502.
Fr. Denzil offered a Memorial
Mass in January for Sister Aquinas
Judge, former teacher at St. Joseph
School and member of the Order
of the Sisters of the Holy Family.
She was 97 when she went to join
her heavenly Spouse.
St. Joseph Catholic School, 2307
South Garrett Street, Marshall, TX,
75672.
Phone: 903-935-5502
FAX: 903-472-4114
On the Web: SJCSM.org
THE ST. JOSEPH BEACON
Spring 2012
Page 5
The BEACON Spotlight
The Equestrian Order of
the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem
Lurlie Maddox
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of
Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic chivalric order of knighthood under the protection of the Holy See. It is said to
have been founded as the Order of Canons by Duke Godefrey of Bouillon, the leader of the First Crusade, in 1099.
In 1122, Pope Callistus II established the Order as defenders of the Holy Sepulcher and Jerusalem against Muslim
attack. The Franciscan Order in the 14th century preserved
the mission of the crusader knights and continued the custom of bestowing knighthood at the site of the Holy Sepulcher until the Order merged with the Order of St. John.
Pope Pius IX restored the order in 1847 with a
new constitution defining its role as supporter of the works
of the Patriarchate in Jerusalem as well as propagator of
the Faith. The mission of the Order today is to support the
Catholic presence in the Holy Land with aid to the culture,
charitable and social institutions of the Catholic Church
there, to support the preservation of the Holy Places and
to uphold the rights of the Catholic Church in the Holy
Land, as well as to strengthen the practice of Christian life
in the members of the Order. The Patroness of the Order is
Our Lady of Palestine and members are to recite the
Memorare daily and pray for peace in the Holy Land. The
The Knights and Ladies of
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem
Absent from this group picture are Mr. & Mrs. David Carlisle, Mr. & Mrs. Robert
Palmer, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Smith, and Dr. Carl Turner
Order is lead and governed by the Grand Master, a Cardinal appointed by the Holy Father, who at present is Edmund Cardinal
O’Brien. Currently, there are about 23,000 members worldwide.
In our parish, there are presently 16 members, including
Father Denzil. Becoming a member of the Order requires a lifetime
commitment to be a witness to the Christian faith, pledge to live
Christian lives in accordance with the commandments of God and
the precepts of the Church, and continue the charitable commitment to support of the Christians in the Holy Land.
Diocese Of Tyler Trip/Mission To Israel
Gambino Medina
A group of young people
and their chaperones from Marshal and Tyler visited the Holy
Land in Israel. These pictures
are of the St. Joseph, Marshall
group that went along with Father Jesse.
Also, there are some extra
faces in the picture due to the
fact that it was difficult to separate our Marshall group for
an exclusive picture. This picture is of the entire group that
went representing the Diocese
of Tyler including our tour
guide Ramsi.
Le damos gracias a Dios por habernos permitido
llegar a conocer Tierra Santa; de poder ir a visitar esa preciosa tierra, donde Su hijo Jesús nació, creció, camino, fue
bautizado en el Rio Jordán, de ver los sitios donde hizo milagros, donde compartió con sus discípulos, de ver el Mar de
Galilea, donde Jesús camino sobre las aguas, también le
damos gracias a Dios que nos permitió ver el Santo Sepulcro
de donde Jesús resucito!
También pudimos visitar muchos lugares donde estuvo
nuestra Madre, La Virgen María.
Esta peregrinación fue una experiencia única, donde pudimos
ver, sentir, tocar, y experimentar
los lugares de cual escuchamos
en los Evangelios. Ahora podemos entender con más profundidad lo que está pasando en
esos tiempos y en la Tierra Santa.
Dios es grade y misericordioso con todos los que lo
siguen. Alabado sea Dios!!!
THE ST. JOSEPH BEACON
Spring 2012
Page 6
JANUARY—MARCH 2012
St. Joseph’s Family Collage!
St. Joseph
Francisco & Martha Gaona
Weddings
Severiano & Melisa Arteago
Jason & Annie Grinnell
Aldo Granados
Yaneli Gaona
Eusebio Gaona
Jacob Guerrero
St. Joseph
Births
and
Baptisms
Jeremiah Guerrero
Ximena Ortiz
Paulo Ortiz
Walter Roesner
Karen Flores
Christopher Sanchez
Jason Flores
Alisson Benitez
Ruth Hollingshead
In
Memoriam
ST. JOSEPH CHURCH AND SCHOOL ANNOUNCES
CREATION OF DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
St. Joseph’s is in the process of creating a
functional Development Office to better serve
our school and parish with opportunities to engage in the benefits of supporting the church
and, especially, our parish school. With the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of
St. Joseph, the main goal of the Development
Office will be to increase school presence in the community, welcome donor participation in the life of the church and the school
through communication and loving evangelization, and to create a
future foundation program that will encourage charitable investments to grow church and school fiscal resources. Funding for
scholarships and tuition assistance is of grave concern in order to
encourage parents in the growth of student enrollment and to continue the academic and spiritual education of our children.
Mary Heater has volunteered to accept the challenge as Interim Director to begin the administrative details of forming the
Development Office. Also, your new parish newsletter, The Beacon, which Mary is Assistant Editor, is being provided by auspices
of the Development office. (For further information, or to volunteer for
development committee service, contact the church office at 903-935-2356.)
Yeli Madalin Jimenez
Sherry Blaylock
Liturgy/Choir Ministry
Nancy Vines
(Cont. from Page 2)
Do you have the gift of oration? Maybe you are called to be a
Lector. Lectors serve as the proclaimers of God’s word during the
liturgy.
Do you feel lead to assist in bringing the Body of Christ to the
people of God? If so, your area of service may be as a Communion
Minister. Communion ministers assist Father in the distribution of
the Holy Eucharist during mass and take the precious body of Christ
to home bound members of our church.
If you have a welcoming spirit and like to meet and greet people,
your ministry may be that of a Greeter. These people welcome the
community into the House of God on Sunday. Do you have an inclination for order and assisting others? If so, you would make a good
Usher. The ushers assist in tasks before, during and after the mass
and serve as a vital part of the liturgy.
There are many ways that we can serve God. If you are interested in becoming involved in any of these ministries, please call the
church office at 903-935-2356, leave your name and number and
someone will gladly contact you.
Spring 2012
The St. Joseph BEACON
Page 7
Comunidad Hispana-Parroquia de San Jose, Marshall, Texas
P. Carlos O. Rangel
Estimados hermanos(as) en Cristo Jesus:
Les envio saludos cordiales y muy fraternales a todos los parroquianos, en especial los de habla hispana, haciendoles
saber mi vision y perspectiva de la marcha actual que nos acerca al corazon de Jesus. A nombre de la parroquia y por petición de nuestro parroco, el P. Denzil, expreso en breve el mensaje pastoral de primavera 2012. Esto esta inspirado desde la perspectiva de nuestra Fe, Esperanza y
Caridad, virtudes que todos compartimos en virtud de nuestro ser de bautizados.
Como encargado del Ministerio Hispano de la comunidad, por voluntad de nuestro Sr. Obispo Alvaro Corrada, S.J., ahora nuestro Administrador Apostolico, Obispo de Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, les comunico que aun me falta mucho por conocer a fondo a los fieles que componen esta
rica y dinamica comunidad cristiana. Esto ayudara a enviar en el futuro un articulo mas objetivo e imparcial que ahora sobre las condiciones y
circunstancias buenas y malas en la que nos encontramos. Sin embargo, en el medio ano que Dios en su misericordia me ha permitido y confiado trabajar con ustedes, creo ver en todos los grupos apostolicos y agentes diversos de pastoral, algo muy importante, y que es esencial y fundamental como motivante: amor grande por la vida parroquial. ¿Como es eso? Pues simplemente al penetrar un poquito en la vida y dinamica de
cada agrupación, desde los monaguillos, hasta los ministros extraordinarios de comunión, se percibe parte de los coordinadores, un espiritu de
inspiración y entrega enorme.
El crecimiento mas notable en este momento quizas no sea en numero de miembros, mas si es claro y evidente en el sincero y empenado espiritu por superarse y aprender cada vez mas sobre lo que es y significa ser discipulo de Cristo, ser miembro de la Iglesia, y sobre todo ser cristiano
de fe en un mundo bastante desafiante por la gran falta de obediencia y humildad al mensaje de salvacion, y los valores del Reino, como el respeto a la vida humana desde la concepción hasta su muerte natural.
Una de las actividades en la que tuve la oportunidad de participar un poco a mi llegada a la parroquia, fue la fiesta del 16 de septiembre, que
de hecho, merecen felicitar a todos los que la hicieron posible, todo un éxito, sobre todo las tres candidatas a reinas y los dos a Reyes.
Ese empeno y espiritu de devocion fervoroso esta en la mayoria, gracias a Dios, de catolicos hispanos, activos, quienes participan en los sacramentos y en la formación de fe adulta. Eso es inaudito verlo. Es asombroso, y solo le pido al gran Senor y Maestro de su Vina, y a la interseccion de Maria Santisima, la Morenita, que nos sigan acompanando este devenir de nuestro discipulado de Fe. La gran fiesta del 12 de Diciembre
igualmente dejo un hermoso recuerdo, sobre todo al ver tantos hijos suyos expresandole su amor filial. Felicidades a todos los Guadalupanos!!!
Veo un nuevo amanecer en cada uno y en cado paso hacia delante, sobre todo cuando esos pasos nos ayudan a acercarnos y nutrirnos del santo
Sacrificio del Altar, la Sta. Eucaristía, e imploro al buen Dios del amor que nos mantenga firmes y fuertes en esta que es su lucha contra el mal y
a favor del Bien, y de la vida.
Cada asociación y grupo apostolico parroquial, desde su perfil y necesidades y logros concretos que ellos mismos experimentan dentro y
fuera de su grupo, cumplen, desarrollan y ejecutan una diversidad de acciones y actividades afines a sus circunstancias, bajo la supervisión y
empuje de quienes coordinan. Esto obviamente al lado de la aprobación y supervicion de los sacerdotes a cargo de la comunidad en general. Es
por eso que se hace hincapié en las reuniones, de cultivar una cultura de comunicación constante y acudir a la reuniones programadas durante el
ano.
Un ejemplo de servicio ministerial de evangelizacion entre los barrios de la comunidad, es la visitación por parte de los Guadalupanos, quienes devotamente rezan el Santo Rosario, los sabados por la tarde, donde se los piden. El Grupo de Oracion, igualmente colabora con la organización de retiros, haciendo vibrar ese espiritu Carismático. Los cursillistas fieles a su cuarto dia, realizan su hora apostolica todos los martes,
ante Jesus Sacramentado. En sus momentos, festejan los aniversarios y compleanos de sus companeros, cultivando asi el momento de esparcimiento y convivio.
La juventud de todas las edades, estan bien atendidas, ahora con nuevos impulsos dado el cambio reciente de coordinación que se ha dado. Sus reuniones son constantes, y estan a punto de vivir “pascua juvenil” junto con los jóvenes de la Mision de San Pedro en Tatum, e igual se
preparan para la pascua juvenil que sera en Tyler durante el tiempo pascual. Incluso lo mas nuevo en que algunos miembros de la comunidad
tuvieron la dicha de visitar “Tierra Santa”, felicidades!!
Otros grupos como los lectores y los coros que animan y dan vida unica a nuestras celebraciones liturgicas de todos los fines de semana, dejan tambien su huella y su granito de arena que sin ellos, y todos los demas no seria posible tal dinamismo vital para el crecimiento y progreso
espiritual que se vive. Una amistad y amor a Dios mas fuerte es la meta para todo este activismo y entrega en la vida apostolica parroquial.
Bendiciones a todos.
P. Carlos O. Rangel
Pastor Asociado
Spring 2012
Page 8
THE ST. JOSEPH BEACON
S T. J O S E P H C AT H O L I C
C H U RC H
410 N. Alamo Boulevard
Marshall, TX 75670
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
Phone: 903-935-2536
Fax: 903-938-1591
E-mail:
[email protected]
Web: http://www.stjosephmarshall.org
SERVING HARRISON COUNTY AS A PARISH SINCE 1874
Under the same Management for over 2,000 years.
We Ask Father: Why do we Catholics do That?
Q: Father...why do Catholics have “Eucharistic Adoration?”
A: Prayer and meditation before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament are
great ways to spend some special time with Him. You can ask Him for
graces for yourself or for loved ones, reflect on His Word, or just keep
Him company! And it’s no bother for Jesus. In fact, He very much
wants to see you!
We Catholics believe that at Mass bread and wine truly become the
body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, during the Consecration by the priest. The consecrated bread, the Eucharist, in the
form of wafers we call hosts, becomes what is known as the Blessed
Sacrament. A host can also be exposed on the altar in what is known as
a monstrance, an ornate vessel similar to the one shown here, for public
worship in what is called Eucharistic adoration.
Many people also spend time with Jesus in what we call a “holy
hour,” which can include the liturgical elements mentioned above.
More often it is a time just for silent adoration. A good way to spend an
hour with our Lord in this manner is to divide your time into 15-minute
segments each devoted to meditation in a spirit first of adoration, then
contrition, thanksgiving, and, finally, supplication
“Christ is now raised from the dead.” –1 Cor 15:20.
R
E
F
L
E
C
T
I
O
N
S
The graces you receive in your time spent with our Lord in a Holy
Hour can be more important than you imagine—such as the conversion
of sinners or saving many souls in Purgatory.
Christians are a resurrection-people. “If Christ has not been
raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are
also false witnesses to God” (1 Cor 15:14-15). “If Christ has not been
raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have
fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped
in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all!”(1 Cor 15:17-19). In
summary, without Jesus’ resurrection, our faith is meaningless, empty,
false, and worthless.
Without the resurrection, we are trapped in sin and doomed in
death. Because Jesus is risen, our faith is the ultimate, full, true, and
precious meaning of life. Because of the resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin, death, Satan, hell, and damnation. We are therefore the most
blessed of men and women.
Because Jesus’ resurrection makes all the difference in this
world and in the next, we celebrate His resurrection not annually, but
each Sunday. We assemble and pray with other risen people. Each week
we take off work for this day to celebrate with the assembly and with our
families. We draw our “new life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead” (1 Pt 1:3).
Prayer: Thank you, God, and we praise you, for giving us power over sin
and death through the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we always
remain steadfast and devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the
Lord our labor is not in vain. (1 Cor 15:56-58) Amen.
Newsletter Staff:
St. Joseph Church Office Directory:
 Fr. Denzil Vithanage, Editor

Fr. Denzil Vithanage, Pastor
 Mary Heater, Asst. Editor

Fr. Carlos Rangel, Asst. Pastor
 Melanie Hughes, Office
Administrator

Deacons: John Sargent, Santiago Suarez, Felipe Pena,
& Magadaleno Aguirre
Contributors::

Director of Faith Formation: Charlotte Smith
 Deacon John Sargent

Directory of Music and Liturgy: Nancy Vines
 Nancy Vines

Director of Development: Mary Heater
http://www.dioceseoftyler.org/women
 Charlotte Smith

Office Administrator: Melanie Hughes
 Cathy Lay

School Principal: Philip Verhalen
An affiliate of the National organization
that recognizes all Catholic Women in the
Diocese of Tyler as members.
 Gerald Duvall

School Director (ELC): Cindy Kopecky
 Lurlie Maddox

Maintenance: Tony Garcia & Naiff Thomas
TYLER DIOCESE COUNCIL OF
CATHOLIC WOMEN
Please visit our website
for 2012 events.
 Gambino Medina
 Fr Carlos Rangel
Please pray that our diocese will soon have a new Shepherd.
Our Lady of Good
Counsel, Pray for us
Spring 2012
The St. Joseph BEACON
* * UPCOMING EVENTS SUMMER 2012 * *
APRIL-MAY
JUNE-AUGUST
April
14&15 KC BBQ
16 KC Social, 7 p.m.
21 KC 4th Degree Exemplification
22 HS Graduates brunch after
10:30 Mass
May
5
12
16
17
20
21
30
31
Cinco de Mayo celebration
downtown
Catholic Charities fundraiser.
Speaker: Linda Shaefer—”Come
and See Mother Theresa
Happy Birthday, Father Denzil!
Pre-K Graduation * Holy Day of
Obligation—Ascension of the
Lord
Hispanic Enchilada Sale
KC Social, 7 p.m.
Last Day of School
Memorial Day
June
18 KC Social, 7 p.m.
July
16 KC Social, 7 p.m.
22 Kick off 3rd Annual “We
Love Our School” pledge
drive campaign
August
12 “We Love Our School”
banquet, 6 p.m.
15 Holy Day of Obligation:
Assumption of Blessed
Virgin Mary
20 KC Social, 7 p.m.
Page 9
NEWS/ISSUES FROM THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH
Government Assault May Have Just Begun: Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Warns
President Obama's contraception mandate may only be the beginning
of a historic attack on religious freedom, Timothy Cardinal Dolan warned
his fellow U.S. bishops in a Feb. 22 letter.
The Health and Human Services' contraception mandate violates the
constitutional limits on our government, and the basic rights upon which
our country was founded. They noted that religious liberty does not depend
on the benevolence of who is regulating us.
The dispute with the administration is not about Republicans or Democrats, conservatives or liberals, or not just about contraception, abortioncausing drugs, and sterilization. It is about people of faith. This is first and
foremost a matter of free exercise of religion and religious liberty for all.
Recent actions by the administration have attempted to reduce this free
exercise to a 'privilege' arbitrarily granted by the government as a mere
exemption from an all-encompassing, extreme form of secularism and the
contraception mandate's 'unduly narrow' religious liberty is instituted only
by executive “whim'” and can be taken away easily.
Let us continue to pray for a quick and complete resolution to this and
all threats to religious liberty and the exercise of our faith in our great country. The faithful are encouraged to contact legislators through the action
alert at www.usccb.org/conscience.
-- February 23 (CNA/EWTN News)
The list of routine weekly and monthly meetings and Mass times are available in the Church Weekly Bulletin
A raffle drawing for this beautiful 50”x 50”
handmade quilt will be held at the TDCCW General
Assembly in Tyler, Texas, on Saturday, October 6, 2012.
Tickets are $2 each, available from Catholic Daughters
or your TDCCW officers. Also, you may download as
many tickets as you may want from the webpage:
www.dioceseoftyler.org/women.htm.
Please make checks payable to TDCCW. Enter as many
times as you wish. Winner need not be present to win.
ROSES
FOR
ROME
A benefit raffle for
the seminarians of
the Diocese of Tyler,
Texas
PLEASE OFFER YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR ARTICLES OF INTEREST TO OUR ST. JOSEPH PARISH FAMILY BY
WRITING THEM ON THIS FORM AND SENDING TO The St. Joseph BEACON AT THE CHURCH OFFICE