Serving Hyde Park’s Catholic Community since 1869 February 21, 2021 First Sunday of Lent Parish Offices: Hours: Weekdays: 7am-3pm, Mon.-Fri. Located at 55th & Woodlawn 5472 S. Kimbark Avenue Chicago, IL 60615-5297 Phone: (773) 324-2626 Fax: (773) 891-0602 [email protected] Fr. Dan Costello Extension 107 Deacon: Deacon Kurt Davis Parish Office: Lisa J. Couch, secretary (773) 324-2626 Parish Voicemail box, ext. 0 Director of Parish Operations Paula Jones, ext. 109 Music Ministry Matthew Merz Liturgist Jennifer Davis Bulletin Editor Lissa Romell Parish School Erin Monahan, Principal 5467 S. Woodlawn Avenue St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Chicago, Illinois 60615-5299 telephone: (773) 667-1142 Mass Schedule Confession Fax: (773) 891-0602 Sunday Saturdays, 2:30-3:30pm. www.stapostleschool.com 8am & 10am Baptism Monday-Friday Please contact the Parish Office. 8am Marriage Saturday Please make arrangements eight months in advance. 8am & 4pm Membership Holy Days Please register at the Parish Office or online at 8am www.stapostleparish.org under “Contact Us”. Please don’t forget the poor boxes. Come visit us at www.stapostleparish.org Page 2 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish First Sunday of Lent We’re so glad you’re here and invite you to journey in If you or a loved one faith with us. We believe the church is the sacrament of wish to receive a God’s saving presence in the world. telephone visit from a Our goal is to provide a spiritual home where all are minister of care—to welcome, where the healing, reconciling, liberating love of pray or simply talk— God flows through us to all people. please call Lisa at 773- If you have any questions about our parish, please 324-2626, & she will call or email our parish office. arrange for a Minister of Care to call. Today’s Readings: First Sunday of Lent Genesis 9:8-15 Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15 Bonnie Umeh We encourage you to prepare yourself for next weekend’s liturgy by reading and praying the scriptures (visit www.usccb.org). Next Sunday’s Readings: Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 Psalm 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19 Romans 8:31b-34 Mark 9:2-10 Weekday Mass Intentions Weekly morning masses are being live-streamed at 8am, Monday-Saturday, via our Facebook page. Please join us! Please remember those listed below in your prayers this week. MONDAY, February 22 WEDNESDAY, February 24 brother and then come and offer your Feast of the Chair of St. Peter Readings: Jon 3:1-10 Ps 51:3-4, 12- gift. Mt 5:224 Readings: 1 Pt 5:1-4 Ps 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 13, 18-19 Lk 11:29-32 Malena Sutton 6 Mt 16:13-19 God saw by their actions how they SATURDAY, February 27 “But who do you say that I am?” Mt turned from their evil way… Jon 3:10 St. Gregory of Narek 16:15 Dr. Herman Neal Readings: Dt 26:16-19 Ps 119:1-2, 4- Doris Clarke THURSDAY, February 25 5, 7-8 Mt 5:43-48 Araceli Martinez (Birthday blessings!) Readings: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Ps But I say to you...pray for those who TUESDAY, February 23 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 Mt 7:7-12 persecute you, that you may be Readings: Is 55:10-11 Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, Do to others whatever you would have children of your heavenly Father. Mt 16-17, 18-19 Mt 6:7-15 them do to you. Mt 7:12 5:44-45 My Word shall not return to me void, Sharon Dobbs (Speedy recovery) Shirley Daugherty but shall do my will, achieving the end FRIDAY, February 26 deceased for which I sent it. Is 55:11 Readings: Ez 18:21-28 Ps 130:1-2, 3- Diana White (Speedy recovery) 4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 Mt 5:20-26 Lissa Romell (Thanksgiving) Go first and be reconciled with your Pope Francis’ Lenten Message for 2021 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18). journey, like the Lent: a Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Love. entire pilgrimage of Dear Brothers and Sisters, the Christian life, is Jesus revealed to his disciples the deepest meaning of his even now illumined mission when he told them of his passion, death and by the light of the resurrection, in fulfilment of the Father’s will. He then called the resurrection, which disciples to share in this mission for the salvation of the world. inspires the In our Lenten journey towards Easter, let us remember the thoughts, attitudes One who “humbled himself and became obedient unto death, and decisions of the followers of Christ. even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). During this season of Fasting, prayer and almsgiving, as preached by Jesus conversion, let us renew our faith, draw from the “living water” (cf. Mt 6:1-18), enable and express our conversion. The path of hope, and receive with open hearts the love of God, who of poverty and self-denial (fasting), concern and loving care makes us brothers and sisters in Christ. At the Easter vigil, we for the poor (almsgiving), and childlike dialogue with the will renew our baptismal promises and experience rebirth as new Father (prayer) make it possible for us to live lives of sincere men and women by the working of the Holy Spirit. This Lenten faith, living hope and effective charity. (Cont’d on p. 5) St. Thomas the Apostle Parish First Sunday of Lent Page 3 Thoughts from Fr. Dan Costello Parish Administrator Catholic bloggers: Lent is a season that calls us: to fast from discontent and to feast on gratitude; to fast from anger and to feast on patience; to fast from bitterness and to feast on forgiveness; to fast from self-concern and to feast on compassion; to fast from discouragement and to feast on hope; Dear Parishioners & Friends to fast from laziness and to feast on commitment; of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, to fast from complaining and to feast on acceptance; to fast from lust and to feast on respect; Happy Lent, everybody! to fast from prejudice and to feast on understanding; Yes...I mean "Happy" Lent. It’s a season of hope, not to fast from resentment and to feast on reconciliation; sadness. It is an invitation from the Lord to deepen to fast from lies and to feast on the truth; our relationship with him. And we are invited to do to fast from wasted time and to feast on honest work; that through time-tested ways: fasting, praying, acts to fast from grimness and to feast on joy; of mercy and justice. From Pope Francis’ Lenten to fast from suspicion and to feast on trust; message, “Fasting, prayer and almsgiving, as preached by Jesus (cf. Mt 6:1-18), enable and express to fast from idle talk and to feast on prayer and our conversion. The path of poverty and self-denial silence; (fasting), concern and loving care for the poor to fast from guilt and to feast on the mercy of God. (almsgiving), and childlike dialogue with the Father (prayer) make it possible for us to live lives of sincere faith, living hope and effective charity. May we be blessed in enjoying and employing our I appreciate his description of prayer, “childlike feasting and fasting, as we deepen our relationship dialogue with the Father.” Doesn’t that take the with the Lord who is full of love and forgiveness. pressure off? Making sure to carve out some time Let us keep each other in prayer. each day to have a little conversation, a little heart-to- heart with the Lord, a time to look forward to rather than something added to your “to do” list. I encourage ~Fr. Dan Costello you to start small and start simply and be open to where he takes you in this special time each day. It can be quite a journey if you are up for the adventure! Whether you are a daily Mass go-er or if you haven't been in quite a while, there's always room for you here and we all need the opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord. And 8:00 am Mass is available every day, live or recorded, on our parish website too! Some wise words I have found at www.concordpastor.blogspot.com, one of my favorite Page 4 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish First Sunday of Lent STA Alumni Highlights Marshall Callery STA Class of 2014 Marist High School Class of 2018 Harold Washington College Class of 2022 Since graduating from St. Thomas the Apostle Dates to Remember school and after graduating from Marist High School, I pursued an activity I have always February 26 wanted to do since I was younger. I started Black History Month Dress Down acting. I began by taking improv classes at the Revival in Hyde Park, Chicago Day Community Actors Program at The University of Chicago, and at the Black March 5 Ensemble Theater. Given my interest in becoming a television actor, I applied Parent Teacher Conferences and was selected to join several television productions at Chicago’s Cinespace - Studios located on the west side. I have been featured in several television shows E-Learning Day for all students and a Disney movie. The shows were: Empire, The CHI, and Chicago PD.