Our Christian lifestyle, following the way of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, is not something we are born with or can happen overnight. It’s usually a long process. It requires first a personal conversion, turning one’s mind and heart towards God. Then there has to be willingness to follow up with instructions about our faith and practicing it in everyday life. Some people just don't believe in the transforming power of God's grace because they have the wrong idea of how it works. They think it should work like a Hollywood movie, in which a horrible sinner can become a magnificent saint in just two hours.
But God's work in our soul usually takes more than two hours. St. Paul the Apostle is here a great example. His encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus was a real, powerful, and transforming experience, but it was only the beginning of a long spiritual journey. Certainly he stopped persecuting Christians right away, but he didn't become the wonder-working missionary preacher until ten years later. During that time he spent three years in prayer and silence in the Arabian Desert. And then he spent another six years back in his home town of Tarsus, practicing his trade of tent-making and studying the Bible in light of what he was coming to learn about Jesus. On-ly after these years in which he allowed God's grace to spread into every corner of his mind and heart did he receive his missionary call.
And that's how God's grace usually works. Look at the example of the Twelve Apostles. Jesus spent three years teaching and training them full time before he gave them the great commission to convert the world. The transforming power of God's grace is real, but it takes time. Jesus told us this many times in his parables: God's grace is like the seed that God plants in the soil of our hearts. It grows up gradually if we water it with prayer, give it the sunlight of the sacraments, and make sure to fertilize the soil with our own efforts to know, love, and follow Christ. We need to be patient and persevering in these efforts, like a farmer tending his fields.
This Saturday I will celebrate my 56th birthday. As years go by I realize I am never in the same place in my spiritual life. Each year God has added graces into my life. There are tears of disappointments but also many smiles of joy. I believe God has been present in every one of them. He is always there to share my joy and console my soul.
+Rev. Roger D. Kutzner
The
Sacrament of Reconciliation
is available
by
appointment
on Saturday from 3—3:45pm, after
10:30am Mass on Sunday or by arrangement with Father.
Please call the parish office at 708 258-6917 or e-mail
[email protected]
.
Joseph Chirafisi, Carie Fabian, Frances Rewers, Gary Hase, Mary Ann Librera, Julie Adamsick, Cassi-dy Novak, Lavergne Sigrist, Fr. Jim Lennon, Charlie Kooy, Bob Schwiesow, Butch Kmak, Rita Hall, Rose Bailey, Julie Hayes, Emily Klamkin, Jeanne Gaffney, Barbara Castaneda, Kelly McVey, Lorianne Mihelic, Gerald Koldash, Irene Manning, the Robert Polacek family, Rich Harms, TJ Stefanski, Lin-da Galica, Christopher ALin-damsick, Frances Librera, Frank Woss, Ellie Wilson, Lucas Woss, those affected by COVID-19 and those that go unnamed.
Our PRAYER LIST has been refreshed. Names will be posted for four weeks and removed if the office is not contacted with a request to stay on the list.
Please note that only names given with permission of the person or family member will be added to the list. The COLLECTION SUMMARY for
January 14—20, 2021 will be included in next week’s bulletin.
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Secure ONLINE GIVING is available at GiveCentral.org. Please put in zipcode 60468 to find the St. Paul portal.
———–———————-——————–—–——————————————-—–-——————————––—–-–—————–—–————-–-——–—–—–———–——– Feast of Faith—The Penitential Rite
Standing together in the presence of the Lord, we acknowledge our weakness, our sins and faults and fail-ings. But the penitential rite is really less about our sins than it is about God’s mercy. It is not a time for individ-ual confession, like a mini-sacrament of reconciliation. It is, rather, a preparatory rite, preparing us to praise the mercy of Christ as we acknowledge our own weakness. When Simon Peter witnesses the miraculous catch of fish—when he realizes who is in the boat with him—he falls at Jesus’ feet with the words, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). We are like Peter. The more aware of the Lord’s presence we be-come, the more awareness we also have of our sinful-ness, our weakness.
The penitential rite of the Mass takes several forms, from the traditional Confiteor or “I confess” to a litany, spoken or sung by the deacon or cantor with responses by the entire assembly. The penitential rite always in-cludes the words Kyrie, eleison; Christe, eleison— Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy. This ancient Greek prayer came to the Roman liturgy from the East, and still echoes in many of the litanies of the Eastern Rite Churches. These words turn our gaze from our own weakness to the gentleness, the kindness, the for-giving love of Christ.
—Corinna Laughlin, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.
Are you a Catholic man 18 or older? Do you want to volunteer for your church and community? Are you ready to put your Faith into Action? Come learn about the Knights of Co-lumbus! You can obtain information
by contacting Membership Coordinator Dan Mott at 708 277-7086 or [email protected]; contacting Grand Knight Brian Grismer at 630 567-0957
or [email protected] with any current mem-ber of the Knights or visiting our website
at www.kofc.org.
At Masses next weekend January 30—31, 2021
+ Throat Blessing (Feast of St. Blaise—
February 3);
+ Candlemas (The Presentation of the Lord—February 2) candle blessing You are invited to bring candles—votive, taper or pillar—from home. A limited number of blessed taper candles will be
available for a donation. Examples of when blessed
candles can be used at home—during prayer or spiritual reading, during severe weather, when
under-going a trial or hardship and Divine guidance is wished, during a Communion call or when death is near.
Happy 56th Birthday, Father Roger—January 30!
2021 MASS INTENTIONS can be booked. If you
have special dates you would like to reserve, please contact the office. Dates do not carry over from year to year. Why not dedicate a mass to your loved ones—living or deceased—or celebrate a special occasion?
Please support our advertisers on the back of the bulletin! For infor-mation on how your business can advertise, please contact Frank
Sat 1/23 4:00 pm— +Wilma Roche req by Dcn Jim & Virginia Kelly Sun 1/24 10:30 am— +Basha Madina req by the Porcelli Family
and
People of the Parish
Mon 1/25 7:15 am— +Irvin Weiss req by the James Kelly Family Tue 1/26 7:15 am— Communion Service
Wed 1/27 7:15 am— +Mary Therese Schaefer req by the James Kelly Family Thr 1/28 7:15 am— +Pat Motyka req by Family
6:00—8:00 pm ADORATION
Fri 1/29 7:15 am— +Alice Marie Kotel req by the James Kelly Family Sat 1/30 4:00 pm— +John & Mary Hurley Higgins req by Family
and
People of the Parish
Sun 1/31 10:30 am— +Carolyn Fuessel req by Herb & Mary Ann Battermann
A reservation to attend Mass in person is necessary.
Please visit www.eventbrite.com/e/holy-mass-at-st-paul-the-apostle-in-peotone-tickets. If you do not have access, please call the parish office at 708 258-6917.
Page 3 THIRD SUNDAY in ORDINARY TIME January 24, 2021
There is an opening on our Parish Finance Council. Our Finance Council meets quarterly. If you have an interest in serving our parish in this capacity or have a suggestion of someone who may, please contact the parish office or Fr. Roger.
WELCOME to the PARISH: Brisa Moreno of Peotone!
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS
We have fourteen who are serving in the military. Please pray for their safety, spiritual and physical well being and that God will give His peace to their parents and families. They are:
-LTC Michael Beierman (Army National Guard)
-HM2 Chuck Claxton (Navy)
-SGT Jake Darling (Army National Guard)
-MAJ Adam Hecht (Marines)
-SN Justin Hoogeweg (Coast Guard)
-Staff SGT Nicholas Hupke (Army—Korea) -SGT Nate Kijowski (USMC)
-Staff SGT Raymond LeClaire (Air Force) -CPL Matthew Miczynski (Army)
-PVT Jake L. O’Connor (Marines)
-MA3 John Ogalla (Navy—Italy)
-LCPL Tyler Sweetie (Marines—Japan)
-CAPT Jori Walan (Air Force)
-SGT Joseph Walan (Army National Guard)
We would like to recognize all the active duty men and women in our parish families. Please share a 2x3 inch pic-ture of your active duty member and include their name, rank, your name and your relationship to them. The pic-tures are displayed on the bulletin board in the religious
education lobby of the church. If you have any ques-tions, please contact the parish office.
MILITARY FAMILIES: Please contact the parish of-fice with any updates or corrections to this list. The Joliet Diocese Catholic Committee on
Scouting invites you to our ANNUAL DAY of RECOLLECTION for Cub, Boy, all levels of Girl Scouts and Ameri-can Heritage Scouts and their parents. This year’s event will be on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at The National Shrine and Museum of St. Therese in Darien, IL. We will have wonderful speakers for the older scouts covering our theme: HELP PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES. Younger Scouts will have age-appropriate activities on the same theme. Any Ad Altare Dei or Pope Pius XII candidates may stay for Boards of Review.
For further info and to register, please go to www.dioceseofjoliet.org/scouting then click on the Day of Recollection banner .
In case Covid-19 restrictions are still in place, and the event cannot be safely held in person, the JDCCS will offer either a VIRTUAL retreat online or have the event at an alternative meeting place.
ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH 511 N. Conrad Street / Peotone, IL 60468
CHURCH OFFICE TELEPHONE: 708 258-6917 CHURCH OFFICE FAX: 708 258-3061
CHURCH OFFICE E-MAIL: [email protected] PASTOR: Rev. Roger D. Kutzner / 708 989-0565
DEACON: Mr. James Kelly / 708 373-0311 / [email protected]
Shining the Light of Christ
through the 2021 Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal
It is time for the 2021 Catholic Ministries Annual Appeal (CMAA). Your gift is especially important this year, during the pandemic, as our diocese continues to explore new and innovative ways to serve those in need.
The 2021 theme is Shining the Light of Christ. The 30 ministries the CMAA supports allow parishes to join together to shine Christ’s light to the benefit of many, from the poor and vulnerable to seminarians and school-children. No parish could provide all of these ministries on its own.
Our parish’s goal for the 2021 CMAA is
$17,200, and 70% of any amount we raise over our goal
will be returned to us. This is a great opportunity for our parish! Please review the materials you receive in the mail from the Diocese of Joliet and prayerfully reflect on your gift to this year’s annual appeal.
If you do not receive a CMAA mailing, please con-tact the parish office.
In this unprecedented time, safety concerns and social distancing im-pact the way we worship. So, as we continue to livestream Mass and maintain a clean and safe environ-ment in our church, we’re offering a great way to keep you connected, while parishioners continue to wor-ship from home — the Parishioner Personal Missal. You may purchase your own personal missal, promoting safe and active partici-pation in the liturgy, while at home and in church. The cost per missal is $6. Please contact the church office if you would like to purchase a copy.
Needed … Devout Catholic PreK—12 Substitute Teachers
During these challenging COVID days, each Catholic school in the Diocese of Joliet is successfully
implementing face-to-face instruction that honors the health and safety measures outlined in within its School Reopening Plan. As a result, several Catholic educators are needed to serve as substitute teachers at the Pre-School – Grade 12 levels.
The substitute teacher candidate must love children and hold either a current Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) or an Illinois Substitute Li-cense. Please complete an online application by visit-ing this link: www.applitrack.com/dioceseofjoliet/ onlineapp/
No degree in education? No problem! If you are called to this ministry, a degree in education is not
a prerequisite for becoming a licensed substitute teacher. An individual who holds a BA in
any discipline is eligible to apply for an Illinois Substitute License through the seamless process of
transcript evaluation. For further information about obtaining a teaching license in this manner, contact
Karen Udell, CSO Assistant Superintendent of Leadership and Personnel, at 815 221-6123.
Please note the dispensation from Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation continues. The Diocese of Joliet still advises that the elderly and
those with underlying medical conditions stay at home and participate through livestreamed and televised Mass-es.
While our parish staff and volunteers will attempt to take appropriate precautions consistent with the advice of public health authorities, parishioners and guests should understand that they assume the risk of contract-ing COVID-19 any time they enter a public space since such precautions do not eliminate the risk of infection.
The Mission Statement of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we strive to grow in relationship with Him,
live the Faith, and share His Good News with others.
Page 5 THIRD SUNDAY in ORDINARY TIME January 24, 2021
Celebrate Catholic Schools Week 2021 with Bishop McNamara beginning on Sunday, Jan-uary 31! This year's theme for CSW is
"Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service." Throughout CSW, Bishop McNamara will be celebrating our community, our vocations, our faculty and staff, our students and of course, you, our parishes! This is also a time when we invite new/interested families to visit our two grade school sites for an Open House. Open House tour dates at the BMCS Bradley and Bourbonnais sites will take place on February 2 and 4 from 3:30-6:30pm and Saturday, February 6 from 9-11am. If your family is inter-ested in attending one of our grade school Open House
dates, please contact Dana Berg at [email protected] and
Sue Goselin at [email protected]. If you were unable to
attend Open House tours at our Kankakee site (grades 6-12) in the fall, please reach out to Terry Granger
at [email protected] to schedule a tour. We look for-ward to celebrating Catholic Schools Week 2021 with our community and parishes!
St. Petronille Catholic Church (Glen El-lyn) is seeking to hire a Director of Young Adult Ministry. The Young Adult Ministry Leader will implement a comprehensive program of Christian life development for the 18 – 35-year-old, college, career, single and married adults in our commu-nity. It is essential that this person be able to connect with young adults on a social and spiritual level, with the intent of coaching them towards Christ-like maturity in the Catholic Church. The Young Adult Minister will also organize some annual programming for teens. Re-quires some significant background/training/catechesis in Catholic Theology. Undergraduate or Graduate Degree in Theology or Catechetics preferred. Some training in marketing or communications or recruitment preferred.
To find a full job description, please visit: www.DioceseOfJoliet.org/hr/jobdetail.php?id=641
To apply, please email resume
to [email protected]. or call 630-469-0404 with any questions.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For information on this and other positions available in the Diocese and at Diocese parishes, please visit
www.DioceseOfJoliet.org and scroll down to the employment box.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do
thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil
spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
THIS WEEKEND: Collection for the Church in Latin
Ameri-ca—For many living in Latin America and the
Caribbean, a rising secular culture, difficult rural terrain, and a shortage of ministers
makes it difficult for people to practice the faith. Your donations fund catechesis, marriage and family life programs, and seminari-an formation so people cseminari-an grow closer to Christ. To learn more about the collection and whom it supports, visit www.usccb.org/ latin-america.
Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa—
The Church in Africa is joyous and faith-filled, but it also has unique pastoral challenges due to poverty, high rates of disease, food shortages, and migration. The Solidarity Fund is an opportunity for us to stand with the people of Africa. Our contributions support Catho-lic education, family life programs, and child
protection initiatives that help strengthen and build the growing African Church. The Church in Africa needs your help to ensure that all the faithful have access to resources to help them grow in the faith. To learn more about the collection and whom it sup-ports, visit www.usccb.org/africa.
