April 25, 2021

ST. MAXIMILIAN KOLBE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY A Parish of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Weekend Masses Saturday 5 pm Vigil Mass (Recorded & shown on Saint Maximilian Kolbe Church YouTube channel) Sunday 8 am 10 am 12 Noon Daily Mass Monday – Saturday 8:30 am Confessions Saturdays: 3 pm – 4:30 pm or by appointment. 4th Sunday of Easter April 25, 2021 Parish Office Hours Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm 10135 West Road Houston, TX 77064 Parish Office: 281-955-7324 Fax: 281-955-7328 www.stmaximilian.org Email: [email protected] The Reverend Lawrence W. Jozwiak, J.C.L., Pastor Deacon Dennis Hayes ● Deacon Steve Klak Deacon John Naber ● Deacon Matt Rust ● Deacon Joe Weir p. 2 OUR PARISH MISSION STATEMENT We are the Christian Community of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Galveston- Houston. Embracing our many and diverse gifts, we are united in Christ Jesus. Challenged by the teachings of Our Lord, and inspired by the example of our Patron, we strive to serve God, and to minister to others, in prayer, sacrament, faith formation, and charity. PARISH STAFF PASTORAL COUNCIL FINANCE COUNCIL Mary Alice Greaney—Music Director Anna Cardona Martha Alvarado Beth Jones—Parish Business Manager Jason Donat Sean Kennedy Eileen Mace—Kolbe Kids EC Program Director Madelyn Henderson Wilfred Krenek (Facilitator) Lupe Mendez—Custodian Judy Quinn Yvette Neider—Parish Night Clerk & Baptismal Coordinator Christian Munoz (Recorder) David Ricke Pam Munoz David Nguyen—Custodian Bob Charnock Mitch Reece (Facilitator) Sister Vinflora Onije—Pastoral Assistant Esteban Teran Mark Kohlschmidt Miguel Perdomo—Maintenance & Handyman Eileen Torres Evie Ornelaz Phyllis Schoelman—Parish Secretary Chuck Woodruff Molly Smith—Director of Evangelization & Catechesis Paul Yim Thomas Nelson Ken Zavatsky Diana Thomas—Faith Formation Assistant SACRAMENT of BAPTISM: ADULT BAPTISM: Adults who desire to become Catholic, will participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). INFANT BAPTISM (under the age of 7 years old): We celebrate Infant Baptism on the 2nd Saturday of each month, except during Lent. Parents of infants to be baptized are to attend Baptismal classes, preferably before the child is born. Godparents are encouraged to attend but are not required. SACRAMENT of CONFIRMATION: Adults and older youth who have not been Confirmed should contact the parish office. SACRAMENT of MARRIAGE: Couples who are considering marriage are to contact the parish office, at least six (6) months (preferably earlier) before the couple's projected wedding date. SACRAMENT of ANOINTING of the SICK: Any Catholic who is to have surgery due to a serious illness OR whose health is seriously impaired due to a serious illness or old age should be anointed ASAP, preferably before going to the hospital. Contact ASAP a priest to schedule an anointing. A challenging Scripture to live! Remember, Lord, those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, espe- “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his cially those for whom we now pray. May these, and brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not all who sleep in Christ, find in Your presence light, love a brother whom he has seen cannot happiness and peace. Through Christ our Lord. love God whom he has not seen.” Amen. 1 John 4:20 Pray for the repose of the souls of our faithful departed: —Who is my brother? Brenda Milkovisch †, wife of Ronnie & mother of Mark Frank Sliva †, brother of Louise Widacki —Do we ask God to give us the graces to Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. love all people and the graces to pray for —And let perpetual light shine upon them. their well-being? May they rest in peace. —Amen. May their souls & the souls of all the faithful departed, “Love is the only force capable of through the mercy of God, rest in peace. —Amen. transforming an enemy into friend.” For consolation and God’s healing graces upon the family & friends of the deceased. Heal their pain and dispel the dark- – Martin Luther King Jr. ness & doubt that comes from grief. —Amen. Pastor’s Message p. 3 April 25, 2021 financially a married clergy when it seems like we have a Dear Friends in Christ, difficult time supporting the Church now? This Sunday is the 58th anniversary of World Day of But more importantly, do we see a life of service to the Prayer for Vocations or also known as Good Shepherd Church as a priest, deacon, religious brother or sister as a Sunday. “The purpose of World Day of Prayer for life of joy and a fulfilling ministry? All too often I hear Vocations is to publicly fulfill the Lord's instruction to, parents naturally saying they want their children to be ‘Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his happy. But all too often it seems like the only road to harvest’ (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). As a climax to a prayer that happiness offered is marriage. Marriage is a wonderful is continually offered throughout the Church, it affirms vocation of service of love. But is every marriage filled the primacy of faith and grace in all that concerns with joy, especially when such a high number end in vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life. divorce? And even in good marriages, there can be While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates heartbreak, as the vows state “in good times and bad.” its attention this day on vocations to the ordained Every life & profession can involve much joy & ministries (priesthood and diaconate), consecrated life in fulfillment. But it can also at times involve heartache all its forms (male and female religious life, societies of disappointment. That is the story of human life. apostolic life, consecrated virginity), secular institutes in There is a very unfortunate, sad stereotypic image of their diversity of services and membership, and to the priests and religious brothers and sisters as if they are missionary life.” unhappy. Though there are some, as there are in all states Throughout the Church’s history, we have had highs of life, the majority of priests and religious are very and lows in religious vocations in numbers, in morale, etc. content and happy. In a study conducted by the National In some parts of the world today, vocations are more Federation of Priests’ Councils a few years ago, 92% of all numerous than they are in the U.S. God is always calling priests stated they were happy as priests! That is a very everyone of us to follow Him more closely. But are all of high percentage. It would be interesting to make a us listening and following His requests? The same is true comparison of different professions to see the “happiness” with priesthood or religious life. God is always calling rate. From my own experience, I enjoy being a priest. men and women to say yes to a life of ordained or And most of my priest friends do also. religious life service in the Church. But are people Sad to say, there are some scandals in our church listening and responding? As Pope Francis said: leadership. But again, is that a reason for not supporting “Becoming a priest or a man or woman religious is not vocations? There are scandals unfortunately in every primarily our own decision.... Rather it is the response to a profession. We need to pray for more holiness in call and to a call of love.” (Address to Seminarians and everyone’s lives, in every profession. We must pray for Novices, July 6, 2013) more holiness in our families. When families are more All too often, we look for simplistic answers to holy, we have more healthy, happy children who enter into challenging & difficult issues. Some argue that if we only adulthood which profoundly affects healthy, holy single had a married clergy, our shortage would end. Though adults who decide to remain single or those who choose to there might be some increase in numbers, why is that even enter marriage, or those who enter a religious vocation. some Protestant denominations are experiencing a On p. 7, I have included a different vocation prayer for shortage in vocations, especially in more rural areas? all of us to pray. When I hear some people complain about Though this is not a reason necessarily against a married the clergy shortage, I often ask how many people have clergy, are we Catholics really willing to support they encouraged to become a priest or religious. After all, we come from regular families. St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us! “The Cross is the school of love.” “The most deadly poison of our time is indifference.” Fr. Lawrence W. Jozwiak Pastor —St. Maximilian Kolbe “There is no greater love, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” John 15: 13 p. 4 RESPONDING TO THE CALL TODAY’S READINGS Do we truly know the voice of Christ? Do we truly respond to the voice of our shepherd with our own First Reading — There is no salvation through distinctive voice? How often we attempt to imitate anyone else (Acts 4:8-12). those around us, appropriating the response of anoth- Psalm — The stone rejected by the builders er member of the flock to Christ. Perhaps we need to has become the cornerstone (Psalm 118). balance the image of being sheep of one flock with the Second Reading — See what love the Father image from the second reading, which tells us that we has bestowed on us that we may be called the are all children of God.

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