St. Thomas More Church February 21, 2021

Sunday, February 21, 2021 LITURGY SCHEDULE First Sunday of Lent (English Mass) Weekend: Saturday Vigil, 4:30 pm Sunday, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm (Tridentine) First Sunday of Lent (Tridentine Mass) Weekday: Monday-Friday, 12:00 pm Saturday, 8:00 am

Sunday, February 28, 2021 Reconciliation Second Sunday of Lent Saturday, 4:00-4:20 pm (English Mass) Sunday, 9:30-9:50 am, 11:30-11:50 am Thursdays, 1:00-2:00 pm Second Sunday of Lent Also, you may request an appointment with a (Tridentine Mass) priest for confession.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Thursdays, 12:30-2:00 pm

Devotions First Friday, 12:00 pm Mass, followed by adoration, First Friday Prayers and the Rosary. First Saturday, 8:00 am Mass, followed by adoration, First Saturday Prayers and the Rosary.

The Pastor’s Page

PRAYER FOR ST. THOMAS MORE CHURCH

On March 2nd, the Priests' Council of the Archdiocese of Chicago will vote on the Renew My Church Plan for our parish grouping (St. Thomas More, St. Denis and St. Bede). On March 10th, the official decision of the Cardinal will be made public. During these days, you are encouraged to pray this prayer as we ask God's grace for our parish and its future.

Almighty God, the giver of every good gift, we ask you to look graciously upon the people entrusted to this Church of Saint Thomas More, and so guide with heavenly wisdom and apostolic charity the mind of our Cardinal Archbishop, and of those who advise him, that, if it be your gracious will, this portion of your faithful flock may continue to worship you before this Altar dedicated to the glory of your Name, and that your Holy Sacrifice may continually be offered in this holy temple until the time of your glorious return, so that your faithful flock, washed in the Blood of the Lamb and continually renewed by your grace, may be made ready a people acceptable unto you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.

St. Thomas More, our heavenly patron. Pray for us.

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PARISH INFORMATION SUNDAY, February 21 First Sunday of Lent Parish Office 2825 West 81st St., Chicago, IL 60652 10:00 am Thanksgiving for Our Family (Ugochukwu Family)

Phone 773-436-4444 - Fax 773-778-9087 12:00 pm For the Intentions of David & Amanda Williams & Email address: [email protected] Marie & Richard Bloom (Luann & Ron Bloom) Visit our official Facebook page at: St. Thomas More Chicago MONDAY, February 22 Website address: The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle http://stthomasmorecatholicchurch.org/ 12:00 pm For the Souls of All American Veterans (Lucille Jaskolski) Office Hours For the Intentions of Franciscan Sister Servants of Monday-Thursday - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Redemptive Love (Sr. Maria-Paulina) Friday-Sunday - Closed TUESDAY, February 23 Rectory St. Polycarp, Bishop & Martyr

Rev. Msgr. Richard Zborowski, Pastor 12:00 pm Birthday Blessings for David Zempich & Rev. Scott Haynes, Associate Pastor The Holy Souls in Purgatory (Don & Mary Tadda) Special Blessings for Caleb Andrews & Business Manager Jamie Warrick (Luann & Ron Bloom) Pat Lave WEDNESDAY, February 24

Director of Music 12:00 pm Deceased Members of James Dwyer & Michel Domingue Martin Igoe Families (Peggy Dwyer) For the Intentions of Franciscan Sister Servants of Coordinator of Religious Ed Redemptive Love (Sr. Maria-Paulina) Debbie Ksycki THURSDAY, February 25

Registration 12:00 pm Stella & Frank Gebhardt (Lucille Jaskolski) New parishioners should register at the parish office. Birthday Blessings for Dominic C.V. Cannonito (Grandma Jaskolski) Religious Goods Store Open on the third weekend of the month. FRIDAY, February 26

12:00 pm Stella & Frank Gebhardt (Lucille Jaskolski) SACRAMENTS Blessings for Maryann Nicolosi (Luann & Ron Bloom Visitations & Lucille Jaskolski) Hospital or Homebound; Please contact the Parish Office at 773-436-4444 as soon as possible for Communion, Confes- SATURDAY, February 27 sion or Anointing of the Sick. 8:00 am For the Repose of the Soul of Margaret Macey & The Holy Souls in Purgatory (Don & Mary Tadda) Marriage For the Intentions of Franciscan Sister Servants of Registered and supporting members should call the parish Redemptive Love (Sr. Maria-Paulina) office. A date should not be set until consulting with the (Vigil Mass) Pastor. 4:30 pm For the Parishioners Baptism Registered parishioners should contact the parish office.

Funeral Registered parishioners should contact the parish office.

Bulletin Catholic Charities: General Number 312-655-7000 Please submit all requests for bulletin announcement on Counseling Center 312-655-7725 Mondays by 10:00 am. Catholictherapists.com http://www.purityispossible.com/ Project Rachel (post-abortion healing): 888-456-4673 Suicide Prevention: 800-273-8255 Aid for Women (crisis pregnancy): 312-621-1100 Courage and EnCourage Apostolates: (203) 803-1564 http://www.couragerc.org/ Page 3 PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL FOR THE SICK

Janet Abramic Maria Jiminez Walter Quasthoff Sandy Badke Rebecca Jiminez Len Reilly Crispian Bofinger Mike Lave Pat Sheehy Sarah Dalton Celeste Phifer Phyliis Spizzirri Diane & Jim Flaherty Dolores Pogor Mary Tadda Sandra Halper Tricia Quasthoff Ken Watterson Daniel Jiminez

Omnipotent and eternal God, the everlasting Salvation of those who believe, hear us on behalf of Thy sick.

“There are two victims in every abortion: a dead baby and a dead conscience.”

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

If you are attending mass at St. Thomas More and are not a registered parishioner, please fill out the form below. You can drop it in the collection basket, mail it or email us at [email protected]. PARISHIONER REGISTRATION FORM

MR _____ MRS _____ MS _____

LAST NAME ______

FIRST NAME ______SPOUSE ______

CHILDRENS NAME(S) & AGES ______

ADDRESS ______

CITY ______STATE ______ZIP CODE ______

FOR ALL WHO SERVE IN THE MILITARY INCLUDING: OUR FINANCES ~ Your Gifts Matter

MSG Kevin Daley SUNDAY COLLECTION Cpl. Brian Husum AZ2 Marcellus J. Lane Not available at this time. PVT. Andy Oziemkiewicz

PFC. Luis Rosales

LCPL. Xavier Rosales THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY! THANK YOU FOR OUR FREEDOM! Page 4 “THE GREATEST MIRACLE”: DOCTORS TOLD TIM TEBOW’S MOTHER TO ABORT HOW HE SURVIVED AN IMPOSSIBLE PREGNANCY

www.churchpop.com, 1-29-21

God can do anything! This is miraculous! We celebrated the 48th annual March for Life on Jan. 29. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the yearly pro-life event went virtual. Coordinators limited it to a few speakers and some small groups. Throughout the march, several speakers delivered virtual addresses, including professional athlete Tim Tebow, as well as NFL’s Ben Watson, Live Action’s Lila Rose, Archbishop of Kansas City Joseph Naumann, and many more. Tim Tebow began his address with a beautiful story of his mother’s miraculous fifth pregnancy. Here’s the story below:

In 1986, a missionary, preaching in a remote village in the Philippines, before he went on stage, God pricked his heart. God put on his heart all of the babies around the world that were being aborted. And he began to weep uncontrollably. God put on his heart and in his head that night, that even though he already had four kids, that he needed to have another one–he needed to have a fifth, and he needed to make him a preacher. So he went on stage and he preached that night. Afterwards, he made the long voyage home to his wife and his four kids. He told his wife, “Honey, I really feel that God put on my heart that we need to have another baby.”

“And his wife said, ‘Listen, God didn’t put that on my heart.’ “But a few days later, God put on his wife’s heart as well. So the missionary, his wife, and their entire family (all four kids) started praying that she would get pregnant and that they could have another baby. A little while later, she got pregnant. But the pregnancy was not easy. It was really hard and really difficult. Actually, in fact, they didn’t even believe she was pregnant at first. They thought it was a tumor–a mass of fetal tissue. But then they realized that she was pregnant and she did have a baby in her womb. But all the doctors said, “You need to have an abortion. You need to get rid of him.”

But she decided that she was going to trust God, even when the doctors said it could and might cost her her life. She decided she was going to trust God. The pregnancy was so tough. There were so many setbacks and heartaches, but the whole time, she continued to trust God. Then, it came time to give birth, and a doc- tor who had been doing it over 35 years–this was his specialty–helping women give birth. And he helped de- liver that baby. In over 35 years of doing it, he looked at her and said, “Of all my years, this is the greatest miracle that I have ever seen. I have no idea how he survived. The placenta is not attached, and there are so many different issues. I don’t know how he had the nourishment and the food to be able to survive. This is a miracle baby. Here is your baby, Mrs. Tebow.” “And that day,” Tim Tebow concluded, “I got to meet my mom.” Page 5

SEVEN SORROWS AND JOYS OF SAINT JOSEPH

Two Fathers of the Franciscan order were sailing along the coast of Flanders, when a terrible tempest arose, which sank the vessel, with its three hundred passengers.

The two Fathers had sufficient presence of mind to seize hold of a plank, upon which they were tossed to and fro upon the waves, for three days and nights. In their danger and affliction, their whole re- course was to St. Joseph, begging his assistance in their sad condi- tion.

The Saint, thus invoked, appeared in the habit of a young man of beautiful features, encouraged them to confide in his assistance, and, as their pilot, conducted them into a safe harbor. They, desirous to know who their benefactor was asked his name, that they might gratefully acknowledge so great a blessing and favor.

He told them he was St. Joseph, and advised them daily to recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times, in memory of his seven dolors or griefs, and of his seven joys, and then disappeared.

1. St. JOSEPH, Chaste Spouse of the Holy Mother of God, by the SORROW with which thy heart was pierced at the thought of a cruel separation from Mary, and by the deep JOY that thou didst feel when the angel revealed to thee the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation, obtain for us from Jesus and Mary, the grace of surmounting all anxiety. Win for us from the Adorable Heart of Jesus the unspeakable peace of which He is the Eternal Source. Recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times.

2. St. JOSEPH, Foster-Father of Jesus, by the bitter SORROW which thy heart experienced in seeing the Child Jesus lying in a manger, and by the JOY which thou didst feel in seeing the Wise men recognize and adore Him as their God, obtain by thy prayers that our heart, purified by thy protection, may become a living crib, where the Savior of the world may receive and bless our homage. Recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times.

3. St. JOSEPH, by the SORROW with which thy heart was pierced at the sight of the Blood which flowed from the Infant Jesus in the Circumcision, and by the JOY that inundated thy soul at thy privilege of imposing the sacred and mysterious Name of Jesus, obtain for us that the merits of this Precious Blood may be applied to our souls, and that the Divine Name of Jesus may be engraved forever in our hearts. Recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times.

4. St. JOSEPH, by the SORROW when the Lord declared that the soul of Mary would be pierced with a sword of sorrow, and by thy JOY when holy Simeon added that the Divine Infant was to be the resurrection of many, obtain for us the grace to have compassion on the sorrows of Mary, and share in the salvation which Jesus brought to the earth. Recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times.

5. St. JOSEPH, by thy SORROW when told to fly into Egypt, and by thy JOY in seeing the idols overthrown at the arrival of the living God, grant that no idol of earthly affection may any longer occupy our hearts, but being like thee entirely devoted to the service of Jesus and Mary, we may live and happily die for them alone. Recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times.

Continued on next page.

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SEVEN SORROWS AND JOYS OF SAINT JOSEPH

6. St. JOSEPH, by the SORROW of thy heart caused by the fear of the tyrant Archelaus and by the JOY in sharing the company of Jesus and Mary at Nazareth, obtain for us, that disengaged from all fear, we may enjoy the peace of a good conscience and may live in security, in union with Jesus and Mary, experiencing the effect of thy salutary assistance at the hour of our death. Recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times.

7. St. JOSEPH, by the bitter SORROW with which the loss of the Child Jesus crushed thy heart, and by the holy JOY which inundated thy soul in recovering thy Treasure on entering the Temple, we supplicate thee not to permit us to lose our Saviour Jesus by sin. Yet, should this misfortune befall us, grant that we may share thy eagerness in seeking Him, and obtain for us the grace to find Him again, ready to show us His great mercy, especially at the hour of death; so that we may pass from this life to enjoy His presence in heaven, there to sing with thee His divine mercies forever. Recite the Our Father and Hail Mary seven times.

Let us pray. O God, Who in Thine ineffable Providence has vouchsafed to choose Blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may deserve to have him for our interces- sor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our holy protector: Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

40 DAYS IN THE DESERT A Meditation for Lent

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. Mark 1:12–13

Today’s Gospel from Mark presents us with a short version of the Temptation of Jesus in the desert. Matthew and Luke give many more details, such as Jesus’ threefold temptation from satan. But Mark simply states the fact that Jesus was driven into the desert for forty days and was tempted. What’s interesting to note is that it was “The Spirit” Who drove Jesus into the desert. Jesus did not go there against His will; He went there freely in accord with the will of the Father and by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Why would the Spirit drive Jesus into the desert for this time of fasting, prayer and temptation?

First of all, this time of temptation took place immediately after Jesus was baptized by John. And though Je- sus Himself did not spiritually need that baptism, these two series of events teach us much. The truth is that when we choose to follow Christ and live out our baptism, we receive a new strength to fight evil. The grace is there. As a new creation in Christ, you have all the grace you need to conquer the evil one, sin and temptation. Jesus, therefore, set for us an example in order to teach us this truth. He was baptized and then was driven into the desert to face the evil one so as to tell us that we also can conquer him and his evil lies.

As Jesus was in the desert enduring these temptations, “the angels ministered to him.” The same is true with us. Our Lord does not leave us alone in the midst of our daily temptations. Rather, He always sends us His angels to minister to us and to help us defeat this vile enemy. What is your greatest temptation in life? Perhaps you struggle with a habit of sin that you fail at time and time again. Perhaps it’s a temptation of the flesh, or a struggle with anger, self-righteousness, dishonesty or something else. Whatever your temptation may be, know that you have all you need to overcome it on account of the grace given to you by your Baptism, strengthened by your Confirmation and regularly fed by your participation in the Most Holy Eucharist. Re- flect, today, upon whatever your temptations may be. See the Person of Christ facing those temptations with you and in you. Know that His strength is given to you if you but trust Him with unwavering confidence.

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