Thirty- Second Week in Ordinary Time

November 6, 2018

by Fr. Reginald Samuels

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ


          In this Sundays’ gospel Jesus exhorts his listeners to look beyond titles, dress, and positions and consider the heart and soul of those who would lead others. He calls us to honor the dignity of the servant and embrace the generosity of the widow in our Gospel. As the widow gives all she has, we too are called to give Jesus all we have in time, talent and treasure. Stewardship is always an act of faith and we prove our faith by our generosity. If God is infinitely generous to us, then God calls us to step out on faith to be generous to others.

          This weekend, we will honor our Veterans from all the military branches at each of to the Masses. Thank you for your service to our country.
The Archdiocese annual collection for the Retirement Fund for Priest is this weekend. Cardinal DiNardo is encouraging all of the faithful to give what they can in support of the senior priests who have served throughout our Archdiocese .Thank you for your generosity.

          For the Month of November, The Book of the Names of the Dead will be in the Baptistery area of the Church for those who want to write the names of deceased loved ones whom we can pray for. One of the most beautiful responsibilities we have as Catholics is to pray for our dead. Through prayer, fasting and good works we offer on behalf of the deceased, we pray that God’s purification will be granted to all of the faithful departed so that they can obtain their soul’s desire, eternal life in heaven. In communion with the faithful departed as members of the Church, it is our responsibility and privilege to assist them with our prayers and holy works.

The Christmas season and the time for giving are just around the corner. The 2018 STHY gift list is has been released and this presents a great opportunity to support our parish in a special way to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Check out the list in the bulletin and see how you can share the gift of Christmas with STHY.

FORMED is the revolutionary digital online platform that gives STHY unprecedented access to video-based study programs, feature films, audio presentations, and eBooks from the Church’s foremost presenters. With your free access to FORMED, 24/7 on your television, smart phone, laptop, I-pad, or Kindle, you can: Prepare for Mass, study the scriptures, watch religious movies and programs as a family, Enrich your marriage with the award winning video programs, and help your children grow in faith and character with engaging children’s materials. Our parish Password to FORMED.org is 77GVZ3.
          The Bible is at the heart of our Catholic Faith, and our relationship with God. STHY will be offering a Bible study called The Bible Timeline, which will take everyone on a 24 week journey through the entire Bible. You will go deep into each period of salvation history and discover the amazing story woven through all of Scripture. The Bible Timeline is part of the Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study Program developed by Jeff Cavins, Sarah Christmyer, and Dr. Tim Gray.
          Classes begin January 8^th, 2019 on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 am -11:00 am and Tuesday evenings from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Contact Faith Formation office at 281-479-8832 for more information or to sign up for this study, or sing up on line at Sthaycinth.org. The cost of the workbook is $35. Participants will also need a Catholic Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Recommended Bibles are the Revised Standard Version- Catholic Edition (RSV-CE) or the New American Bible (NAB).

Everyone’s gift of a weekly tithe in the offertory is a great act of Stewardship. And remember, you can do in two ways, through your parish envelopes that are mailed to you or electronically through www.faithdirect.net by entering parish code TX 526. It’s fast, easy and, yes, very secure, and a great way to support the work of our parish.

          I 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 consider making a year-end 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. Now is the time for giving, and we can all do our part, pledge. Thank you for doing your part to help us reach our goal.

God Bless,
Fr. Reginald Samuels