ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH 720 East Beach Boulevard P. O. Box 1529 Long Beach, MS 39560 Phone: 228-863-1610; Fax: 228-868-6068 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.saintthomaslb.org Office Hours: M-F, 9:00am-4:30pm MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00pm Sunday Masses: 7:30am, 9:00am, 11:30am & 5:30pm Tuesday—Thursday Masses: 8:30am Friday Mass: 6:30am MAY 5, 2019 — THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER Pastor: Fr. Cuthbert “Cuddy” O’Connell Cell: 228-493-9303 Parochial Vicar: Fr. James Smith Cell: 228-235-2886, [email protected] Retired: Fr. Pat O’Shaughnessy Deacon: Ernest “Buddy” Vancourt School of Religious Education Coordinator: Dave Gauthier 228-596-8835, [email protected] Secretary: Becky Mullins, 228-863-1610, [email protected] Bookkeeper: Beverly Leslie, 228-863-1610, [email protected] Maintenance: Ben DiLorenzo, 228-596-3379, [email protected] Music Director: Lauren Hymel, 228-865-3972, [email protected] Youth Ministry: Ashlie Moran, 228-863-1610, [email protected] Bulletin: Suzanne Slade, editor, [email protected], Deadline ten days before publication. Community Center Rental: Robert Phillips, 281-773-8328, [email protected] Pastoral Council: Mike Barry, 404-769-0218, [email protected] Religious Education (SRE): Pre-School-5th Grades, Sundays 10:10-11:20am 6th-12th Grades, Sunday evenings, following the 5:30pm Life Teen Mass, (September-May) Baptism: Usually held on the second Sunday of each month. Preparation workshop is required. Reconciliation: Saturday, 3:15 –3:45 pm (or call 863-1610 for an appointment.) We welcome you to St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Long Beach, MS. If you are new to the parish, please introduce yourself before or after Mass. Please pick up a census form located in the display cases in the back of the Church or call the Parish Office (863-1610) to register. MAY 5, 2019—THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER LIFELONG SERVICE “I am going fishing.” What an announcement! If asked who made it, and not told it was a Bible quote, we might guess “Grandpa” or “Uncle Fred,” or admit, “I said that last summer!” But it is a Bible quote, from today’s Gospel. The person who said it also once declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Yes, it’s Peter! So today’s announcement seems quite the comedown. Last Sunday Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” But Peter seems determined to return to his pre- apostolic occupation, until Jesus intervenes, making Peter’s later announcement deeper, “Lord, you know that I love you,” and Peter’s apostolic calling clearer, “Tend my sheep.” Peter does so. Acts presents the consequences: Peter declares, “We must obey God rather than men.” As Revelation proclaims, “Worthy is the Lamb”—to receive Peter’s lifelong service, and ours. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. MAY IS MARY’S MONTH PRAYER FOR OUR PRIESTS The month of O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear my humble prayers May is dedicated to on behalf of your priests, Give them a deep faith, a bright the Blessed Virgin and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase Mary — Mother of in the course of their priestly lives. God. In their loneliness, comfort them in their sorrows, In keeping with the strengthen them in their frustrations, point out to them tradition here at St. that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and Thomas, the recita- show them that they are needed by the Church, they are tion of the rosary needed by souls, they are needed for the work of will take place redemption. before all Masses. O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your It is very important heart your sons who are close to you because of their and sacred that priestly ordination, and because of the power which they silence be observed have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world by all entering the which needs them so much. Church so that so- Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and lemnity of the especially help them to live and to defend the ideals prayer be main- of consecrated celibacy. tained. Amen. Thank you, Fr. Cuddy ST. JOSEPH’S HELPING HANDS READINGS FOR THE WEEK CAN YOU SPARE A HALF DAY A MONTH TO HELP SOMEONE OUT?? Monday: Acts 6:8-15; Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; Jn 6:22-29 St. Joseph’s Helping Hands needs workers to help with Tuesday: Acts 7:51 — 8:1a; Ps 31:3cd-4, 6, 7b, 8a, “Honey Do” lists from the parishioners who can’t do for 17, 21ab; Jn 6:30-35 themselves. Skills are helpful but not necessary. We will Wednesday: Acts 8:1b-8; Ps 66:1-3a, 4-7a; Jn 6:35-40 find a place that you can help. For more information, con- Thursday: Acts 8:26-40; Ps 66:8-9, 16-17, 20; tact Liz Ruth at 228-314-4179 or [email protected] . Jn 6:44-51 Friday: Acts 9:1-20; Ps 117:1bc, 2; Jn 6:52-59 All are welcome. Please join our Saturday: Acts 9:31-42; Ps 116:12-17; Jn 6:60-69 group. Our work day is the 1st Sat- Sunday: Acts 13:14, 43-52; Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5; urday of each month and our meet- Rv 7:9, 14b-17; Jn 10:27-30 ing date is the 4th Thursday of the month. MAY 5, 2019—THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION SITTER REQUEST The Gospel today sees Peter and his colleagues after An elderly parishioner is in need of a sitter. No household the Resurrection, returning to Galilee and resuming the duties required. Please contact the church office at family business. They are fishing by night. Although it is 863-1610 for more information. true that fish feed by night, the mention of darkness here is more about the human spirit than it is about fishing advice. Modern life keeps darkness effectively under control; CATHOLIC SCHOOL TUITION LOWERED much of the world has been glowing radiantly through the night for a century. Yet just as surely as the Risen Christ Yes, there is a way to lower the rate of tuition for a breaks into Peter’s fishing, so does he break into the usual family who wishes to enroll their children in Grades K-12 patterns of our own darkness, electric lights notwithstand- at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary School, St. Pat- ing. It is Easter, and we are the people of the light. rick High School and Our Lady Academy. There is a form available at each school office for families to apply for In our tradition, Evening Prayer, celebrated in monas- parish subsidy. The form should be turned in to the parish office for completion. teries, parishes, cathedrals, and homes everywhere, is a kind of solemn protest against the darkness and its claims, Eligibility for parish subsidy-the lower rate of tuition- an act of praise for our light-bearing God, and a commit- is based on the family being registered members of the ment to carrying that light forward. Sunset is a turning parish, attending Mass here at St. Thomas regularly, and point of our day, felt less acutely in an electrified world, making regular contributions to the financial support of the but still an effective reminder that one day darkness over- parish by using the church support envelopes mailed to takes us all. Yet our Eastering has taught us in a hundred your home or the electronic method of contributing (if you ways that the victory belongs to the Bearer of Light. East- want to sign up for the electronic method, please call the er summons us to transform our everyday “blackouts,” parish office). perhaps in a way as simple as a whispered prayer of thanks at evening for the blessings of the day. We are well aware that tuition in Catholic schools is expensive—-we believe it is well worth the sacrifices —James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. made by the families who choose to have their children educated in Catholic school system. CALB NEWS REMINDER: Have you wondered what CALB is? What they do? To Next Sunday is Mother’s Day! whom they donate their funds? CALB is the Carnival Association of Long Beach which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2020. It began as St. Thomas Mothers’ WEEKLY CALENDAR Club to raise funds to help pay lay teachers when the Daughters of Charity nuns began to leave the school. Sat&Sun, May 4&5 After Masses, east foyer Since that time people of all faiths in the community have Good Shepherd Showcase joined and helped to donate to not only our Catholic Sun, May 5 11:30am, First Communion school, but to many local charities. Please come join the Celebration, Church & CC fun at the annual membership crawfish boil where you can Mon, May 6 9:30am-12:15pm, SVdP Society, SRE pay your dues, meet the new officers and see the presenta- Bldg tion of this year’s funds to those charities. Date is Sun, 7pm, RCIA , Rm 222 May 5, at 11am, St. Thomas Pavilion. Wed, May 8 9am-1pm, Quilters, Rm 222 Thurs, May 9 9am, Centering Prayer &Scripture, Church 9:30am-12:15pm, SVdP Society, SRE WORDS AND DEEDS Bldg When people hear us speak God’s word, they marvel at 7pm, New Wine, Rm 222 its beauty and power; when they see what little impact it Fri, May 10 8am to 4pm, Adoration, Chapel has on our daily lives, they laugh and poke fun at us.