Thirty - Second Week in Ordinary Time - St Hyacinth Catholic Church

November 7, 2017

by Fr. Reginald Samuels

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Be Prepared! Jesus is calling us through the scriptures this week to be prepared. Although we cannot prepare for contingency in life, thinking ahead, and being alert to persons and events around us helps us to meet head on whatever comes our way. Jesus tells us all that need to prepare ourselves for the Second coming of Jesus and our return to the Father. We don’t know when Christ will come again, and so Christians living requires that we act each day as if this were the day in which Jesus will invite us to the eternal feast.

I want to thank the STHY Catholic Daughters for all for their hard work in bringing the craft fair to our parish this past weekend. I hope everyone used this chance to buy gifts for the Holiday season. Thank you to the Catholic Daughters for their support of the craft fair.

This weekend, we will honor our Veterans from all the military branches at each of to the Masses with a special blessing. Thank you for your service to our country.

This holiday season will present many ways in which our community can show its generosity. In two short weeks, the STHY Angel tree goes up in the narthex of the Church. Thanks to the coordinators of the Angel Tree project, Pat and Sue Boyle, our parish will have the great opportunity to purchase items desperately needed by the less fortunate of our community. Please take, and pick up a list of items on the tree which will be located in the narthex of the Church.

Next Sunday at the 10:00 am Mass we will celebrate The Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens (Rite of Acceptance) for Children. This is the first of the “threshold rites” of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children (RCIC), and the first public ritual. In the Rite of Acceptance, a change of identity takes place: those previously known as inquirers become catechumens. They are officially welcomed by the Church as disciples, members of the household of faith. The text calls this rite “the first consecration by the Church” of those seeking Christian initiation. They are literally marked with the cross of Christ as God’s own.

Next weekend the Archdiocese is having a special second collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. The CCHD is the domestic anti-poverty, social justice program of the U.S. Catholic bishops. Its mission is to address the root causes of poverty in America through promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education.

Founded in 1969, CCHD's pastoral strategy is empowerment of the poor through a methodology of participation and education for justice, leading toward solidarity between poor and non-poor as impelled by the Church's biblical tradition, modern Catholic social teaching, and the pervasive presence of poverty in the United States. This ministry for justice is rooted in our baptism and faith commitment. CCHD's primary source of support is a once-a-year collection held in parishes across the United States. Thank you for your generosity.

Now that we have moved into the fall and about to begin the Advent season in a few weeks here at STHY, please find a way to participate in the ministries of our parish. There is literally something for everyone. Not a day goes by that there isn’t something happening somewhere on our campus. Please check the website: www.sthyacinth.org to find the many ministries and activities, plus days and times when they meet. Moreover, go online and register for the varies ministries that we have here at STHY.

Finally, I want to send out my sincere thanks to all who made a pledge for our Building Faith, Family and Future Capital Campaign. I truly appreciate your generosity and support. Please take the time to make your pledge. Envelopes are in the Narthex along with our collection box specifically designed for our Capital campaign or you can do so online through the parish website. When you complete your pledge envelope, drop it in the Capital Campaign collection box in the Narthex, offertory basket, or mail it or bring it by the office at any time. Remember, we ask every family to consider an equal sacrifice, not an equal size gift. We can all do our part, and every pledge, of every size, is most needed and welcomed. Thank you for doing your part to help us reach our goal to build Family, Faith and Future… our sanctuary… our home.

God Bless,
Fr. Reginald Samuels