Sunday, August 19, 2012

A Word from Your Pastor August 19

Dear Parishioners:

It is hard to believe that the Summer is coming to an end.  Monday, August 27th will be the opening of our School Year.  We have had many adventures in the sun (and the wind and the rain as well!).  There has been an intensity to this Summer as well due to the many funerals we have experienced for our members and for relatives of our parishioners.   “We know not the day, nor the hour.” (See Matthew 25:13)

Looking back to the Past, we face the realities of the Present and make plans for our common Future.  We continue our recognition of our Parish Golden Jubilee through the Fall.  In October, the Church Universal will open a “Year of Faith” to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Opening of the Second Vatican Council.  In the course of this Academic Year, 2012-2013, St. Timothy School will make plans for observance of the School’s Golden Jubilee in 2013-2014.

Our Mission as a Parish has been expressed in different ways through the years.

In February 1996, the Parish voted (27%) on this formulation:

The members of St. Timothy Parish come together in prayer, worship and service to proclaim the word of Christ, strengthen our community through the love of God, and grow together in communion with God.”

In February 2010, the Parish Pastoral Council came to a consensus on the following Statement:

United in the Body of Christ, we strive to promote the greater glory of God through a spirit of welcome and willing service to our brothers and sisters.”

It is interesting to note that the manner of expression over a couple of decades has deepened to focus on God and on outreach to our brothers and sisters.    The essence is the same.  But the starting point now is the unity that belongs to us as the Body of Christ and the action that flows through an attitude of welcome and willingness to serve.  So, let’s work together to set priorities and to respond to the call of God’s Spirit to be of service to one another and our world!

Celebrating our Golden Jubilee:  Getting to know Saint Timothy’s Community of Faith.

Up to now, we have concentrated our study on the Scriptures associated with Ephesus, since that was the diocese of which our Patron St. Timothy was the first Bishop.  We are now considering another Letter associated with that community, this time from one of the early bishops of the Church named Ignatius of Antioch.

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, CHAPTER IV.
-- EXHORTATIONS TO UNITY CONTINUED.


Wherefore it is fitting that ye should run together in accordance with the will of your bishop, which thing also ye do. For your justly renowned presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as the strings are to the harp. Therefore in your concord and harmonious love, Jesus Christ is sung. And do ye, man by man, become a choir, that being harmonious in love, and taking up the song of God in unison, ye may with one voice sing to the Father through Jesus Christ, so that He may both hear you, and perceive by your works that ye are indeed the members of His Son. It is profitable, therefore, that you should live in an unblameable unity, that thus ye may always enjoy communion with God.

St. Ignatius writes to the Ephesians of the unity that ought to be theirs through a response of obedience to their Bishop.  The presbyters (priests) in the community are renowned for their harmony with the Bishop and the people can imitate them in such a relationship.

The image of a choir singing together, allowing for the uniqueness of each separate voice to be brought to harmony is identified as something that can be accomplished by the choice to live in unity.  This unity of heart and mind is the means by which each member and the whole community may live in communion with God.

This Week in Our History:  August 19-26

1963:   School will open Wednesday, September 4 for all children attending St. Timothy’s…Uniforms will be required the first Monday in October.  For boys:  Grades 1 through 8 – Black or charcoal pants, belts, light blue long-sleeved dress shirts.  Grades 1 through 4 – Black bow ties.  Grades 7 and 8 – Black Fore Hand Ties.  For Girls:  Grades 1 through 8 inclusive--Green and blue uniform jumper and matching beanie with white blouse.

  St. Timothy Faculty – Principal, Mrs. Herman Will; Grades 1, Mrs. Carol Jonas and Sister Mary Thomasina; Grades 2, Mrs. Margaret Eichner and Mrs. Agnes Reed; Grade 3, Mrs. Mary Conners; Grade 4, Mr. Pat Mooney; Grades 7 and 8, Mr. David Crawford.

1965:   New additions:  Stephen Joseph, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Burlas; Renee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert VanHyde; Karen Marie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Albert.

1966:  The work of improving the creek area of the north property with a bridge and dam was the work of the Men’s Club and the CYC.  We are all very grateful to them.

Newly Baptized:  Christopher Carl, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Fogle; Christopher John, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Marchese; Michael Starks, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Sweeney; Paul Christopher, son of Mr. And Mrs. Donald Mains; Julie Ann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Conigliaro.

1970:   Nursery:  Teen-age boys and girls needed to care for small children during the 9:30 Sunday Mass.  If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Louis Fabro or Mrs. Robert Albert.

1971:  In your charity, please remember in your prayers, Mrs. Catherine Belcher, a member of this parish, who died and was buried during this past week.

1973:  The Columbus Chapter of NOW (Natural [sic] Organization for Women) calls our attention to the fact that today is Women’s Equality Sunday.  They and our Women’s Club are interested in the worthy objective rightly understood of achieving “Full equality for women in truly equal partnership with men” especially in the Church.  The prayer of the faithful will contain a petition for this. 
Mrs. Shirley Ortman, a member of this parish, died and was buried this week.  Please remember her in your prayers.

1978:   Debt Reduction.  We have contracted with John McCarthy and Associates to conduct a pledge drive in the parish to reduce our debt significantly over a three-year period.   The…drive will begin on October 9, 1978 and last for approximately five weeks.

1979:   In just a few weeks the Columbus Public Schools will begin classes with a new dimension of a court-ordered Desegregation Plan.  We who follow Christ’s way of peace must set an example of concern and respect for law. Many people who oppose the plan for desegregation are not motivated by prejudice or racism, of course, and it would be wrong to make judgments in their regard.  Nevertheless, we Christians must be supportive of the peaceful implementation of the Desegregation Plan.  Our chief concern must be the children.  We must not allow them to become victims of opposing opinions.  Rather, we must give them the good example of respect for the law and concern for the rights of other people.

  If you have children in public school I urge you to:
  Use the FACT line to obtain accurate information about your children’s assignment
  Volunteer to work with the PTA as greeters, bus stop monitors, lunch and class room aides
  Remember that the love of God can never be separated from the love of neighbor.

1980:  Best wishes from all of us to Father Thomas J. Cadden, our Associate Pastor, as he celebrates 25 years in the priesthood.  May God bless him.  All of us are invited to join Father Cadden this afternoon at 3:00 at Christ the King Church, where he will offer a Mass of Thanksgiving.

1981:   Baptisms.  Erin Michelle, daughter of M/M Harry Wasson; Robin Michelle, daughter of M/M William James; Joshua Douglas, son of M/M Douglas Kendall; Daniel John, son of M/M John Flory
Father Winkler Honored.  To celebrate the 90th anniversary of Rerum Novarum, a Church statement on the rights of workers, and the 100th anniversary of the AFL-CIO, there will be an ecumenical prayer service (on Sept. 8) at St. Joseph’s Cathedral.  The service will include a remembrance of two outstanding leaders of labor and religion, Father Gus Winkler and George DeNucci.

1982:   In your charity, please pray for Bonnie Murphy, a member of the parish, who died and was buried form the parish church last week.  May she rest in peace.

1983:   Congratulations and God’s blessings on Matt Gardner as he leaves for Notre Dame.  He is a recipient of the Glenna Joyce scholarship.

1984:  On Sept. 1 at 12:00 pm, Stephanie Gardner of St. Timothy will marry Charles Dahn of St. Andrew at St. Timothy.

1985:  On Saturday, August 31, at 6:30 pm, Mary Ann Rybski of St. Timothy will marry Dean A. Wheeler in St. Timothy Church.

1987:    Plan now for a fun evening at our parish Ice Cream Social on Saturday, September 12, the first of our activities celebrating the 25th year of our parish.

1996:   On Saturday, August 31, at 2:30 pm, Jennifer Graham will marry Marty Nobile at St. Timothy.

1999:  Please remember in your prayers Tal Gaughran (of this parish) who died last week.  May she rest in peace.

2000:   Your prayers are requested for the repose of the souls of Oddo Galli, Martha Caserta and George Zulandt who were buried from our Parish this past week.

2003:  Our prayers and sympathy go to the families of those who died recently: Randall Dana and Florence DiNovo.  May they rest in peace.

2006:   Summer Mass Servers:  A big thank you to the 10 servers who graciously gave of their time and talent to serve daily Mass.  They include:  Charles Cooper, Geoff Cooper, Kelly Grady, Jackie King, Mary Lutter, Joe Meeks, Danny Neary, Theresa Neary, Charlotte Reinman, Stevyn Spees.  May God bless them.

2010:   (St. Timothy Parish charter member Louise Shira died and was buried from St. Timothy Church this past week.)

2011:   Remember in your prayers Marty McLeod (who died and was buried from St. Timothy Church this past week).  May (she) rest in peace.

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