A Word from Your Pastor December 2

Dear Parishioners:

Advent ushers in a new Liturgical Year and a new Season in the life of our Parish community.  We have completed the journey of our Golden Jubilee as a parish.  And now, we set our hearts on what lies ahead.   Our present task is to hear the invitation of the Church and of the Scriptures of this Season to “Be ready.”

Many know that the motto of the Scouts is “Be Prepared.”  This is an attitude of mind and heart and a dedication of the whole person to be willing to meet the challenges that we face in life.  As Hamlet suggests, “Readiness is all.”

We are to be ready to meet our Maker, whenever He calls, or when Christ will come again in glory.

We are to be ready to live and die for our Faith, however the world may respond.

We are to be ever ready to give the reason for our Hope, having a capacity to express our Faith in a manner that brings understanding to those around us.

We are to live the Year of Faith calling others to a living relationship with God by word and by example.  The Witness of Faith and the Call to the New Evangelization are the charge that is placed upon us.

Since we are beginning a New Year in the Catholic Liturgy, now is a good time to make resolutions concerning the practice of Faith.  Let me suggest three:

1. Find a way to “slow down” in the Advent Season, taking time to reflect and pray about the meaning of Christmas.
       
2. Read the Catechism notes in the bulletin as a family and discuss them, inviting every member of the family to offer some insight.
       
3. Make a list of family members and friends who are in need of prayer and/or who are not practicing Faith; pray for them daily, light a candle for them, and attend an extra Mass for them each week.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception December 8 – A Holy Day of Obligation

Note that December 8 is always a Holy Day of Obligation since it is our National Patronal Feast.  Masses are Friday, December 7 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, December 8 at 9 a.m.

Year of Faith October 11, 2012 – November 24, 2013

October 11, began the Year of Faith.  As one way of observing this year, each week a small section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church will be read before the start of Mass and will be included in the Bulletin.  This is a small way of offering some food for growth in Faith throughout this year.

IV. How Can We Speak about God?

39 In defending the ability of human reason to know God, the Church is expressing her confidence in the possibility of speaking about him to all men and with all men, and therefore of dialogue with other religions, with philosophy and science, as well as with unbelievers and atheists.

40 Since our knowledge of God is limited, our language about him is equally so. We can name God only by taking creatures as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited human ways of knowing and thinking.

41 All creatures bear a certain resemblance to God, most especially man, created in the image and likeness of God. The manifold perfections of creatures—their truth, their goodness, their beauty—all reflect the infinite perfection of God. Consequently we can name God by taking his creatures’ perfections as our starting point, “for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator.” (Wisdom 13:5)

Comment:  Creation speaks of the Creator.  In order to speak of God, we look toward His work in Creation and begin to speak about Him, always realizing that what we say cannot capture the full Reality of God.  What aspects of the world speak to you of God?  How do you begin to express your own Faith in God to others?

This Week in Our History: December 2-9

Note: This project was started in February 2012; we will continue it until a full year of review is completed.

1963:   The Legion of Decency Pledge is given today.  We ask parents to exercise necessary supervision to see that their children live up to the pledge.

1965:   At the direction of the Holy Father as communicated to us by Bishop Carberry, we will hold a triduum of prayer on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in thanksgiving for the blessings of the Council in the renewal of Christian life, and in petition that the promises of the Council may be realized in this parish and in each one of us.

1967:   The twelve members of the Finance Committee are: Hugh Dorrian, Jr., Kitty Hoessly, Roman Gerber, Joe Yheaulon, John Kaltenecker, Harry Kern, Quido Rossetti, Byron Edgington, Walter Holden, Joe Marchese, Bill Davis, Bob Gardner.

1969:   Banns of Matrimony:  For the first time between Robert Galli and Marcella George, both of St. Timothy, and between Joseph DiCesare of St. Timothy and Mary Susan Gallin of St. Catherine.

1970:   Dear Parishioners:

  …The financial picture for the coming year is ominous.

  The problem can be licked.  It must be licked.  And it will be if we all work together.  A good time to start will be next Sunday afternoon, Dec. 6, when the annual parish fund drive will be conducted.

  Because of our financial plight,…you are asked to “add 1 in ’71.”  In other words, to increase your current pledge by at least $1 per week.  A positive response to this appeal is essential to the financial well-being of St. Timothy Parish.

                                Cordially yours, Father Joseph E. Stanton

1971:   Anyone interested in joining a non-profit Swimming Pool, to be built at Bethel and Kenny Roads, is asked to please contact Lou or Mary Fabro.

1977:   Our annual open parish meeting of the Parish Council will be tonight at 7:00 in the cafeteria.  Fr. Sorohan, the Diocesan Superintendent of Schools and Mr. Daniel Brent, of the School Office, will be with us as we discuss the proposal to begin a new consolidated school with Saint Agatha.  We ask that every family in the parish be represented.

1978:   Please remember in your prayers Mrs. Louis (Rita) Jentgen who died this past week.

1992:    Honorees.  As you read in a recent edition of The Catholic Times, St. Timothy Parish is honored to be the recipient of four Papal and Episcopal recognitions.

  Hugh Dorrian…was awarded the Papal honor “Pro Deo et Pontifice” (from His Holiness Pope John Paul II).  In a letter to Hugh, Bishop Griffin noted: “Your name was submitted due to the outstanding service you have given to the local Church here in Columbus.  In honoring you, I honor also those countless number of volunteers who have spent their lives in service to the Church or the Church on a diocesan-wide level or to their local parish.”

  Two years ago, Bishop Griffin created the Bishop’s Award to be given to people in the diocese who have served the Church in a leadership capacity….Bishop Griffin wrote to Louis Dalton: “You have been nominated to received the Bishop’s Award for your leadership and service to the local Church.”

  The entire parish rejoices with these two members and their families.

  Bishop Griffin also wrote to Father Michael A. Nugent, founding pastor of St. Andrew Parish now living in retirement in St. Timothy Parish, and to Father James P, Hanley, Pastor of St. Timothy: “In August I submitted your name to His Holiness Pope John Paul II nominating you for the Papal honor Prelate of Honor to His Holiness…your nomination has been accepted.  With this Papal honor comes the title Reverend Monsignor.”

  We thank the Bishop for the honors he has bestowed on these men and our Parish of St. Timothy.

1995:   New Pastor.  Welcome!!!  Welcome!!!  Welcome!!!

The entire parish extends a warm and happy welcome to Fr. Thomas Shonebarger, our new pastor.  We join in prayer for him asking God’s richest blessings for him.  Our prayer is that he may enjoy a long, happy, fulfilling ministry in our parish community.

  We invite everyone to stop in the School Cafeteria following all Masses to meet Father and to personally welcome him to the parish.

1999:   Please remember in your prayers, Robert D Walter, who died this past week.  May he rest in peace.

Special Event to celebrate a New Year and a New Millennium.

A vigil watch for the New Year.  A prayer vigil at 11:00 p.m. on December 31^st and a Mass beginning at 11:30 p.m. so we will be at prayer at midnight.  We ask each family to bring dessert to share after Mass.  Drinks will be furnished.  Plan to come!!!

2004:   Remember in your prayers Paul Leidheiser who died this past week.  May he rest in peace.

2008:   A Word from Your Pastor

  …The same weekend we welcomed our new Deacon Marion Smithberger (November29), we also welcomed a new Music  Director, Dr. Larry Griffin.  Dr. Griffin comes to us as a professor of music from Ohio Wesleyan University.

  One of Dr. Griffin’s first actions was to recommend that we continue to develop our Children’s Choir.  We are pleased that Jane Ehret has agreed to take up that challenge along with Kristen Jenny.  Both have worked with children for a long time.  This venture will ensure that St. Timothy will have beautiful music for generations to come.

2010:   It’s a Girl!

We received the picture of the student we are sponsoring in the Holy Land.  As one of our parishioners remarked, it is hard enough to be a Christian in Israel.  A girl has an even more difficult life.  If we can get Grace educated until she graduates from high school, maybe she can go to college.

  If each family would just give $5.00, Grace’s next 6 years of school would be guaranteed.  It is worth the sacrifice.  Please consider putting at least $5.00 in an envelope.  Give a little girl in a politically fragile part of the world some hope.

2011:  The bulletin included an order form for a Commemorative Christmas Ornament celebrating the 50-year Jubilee of St. Timothy Parish and the Year of St. Timothy. 

  The ornament depicts our parish patron saint modeled from the statue at the entrance to the prayer garden.  It is stamped and dated on the back in commemoration of the Jubilee, and signed with the artists’ initials.  The design was hand-drawn by St. Timothy alumnus Ian Ballantyne.  Each ornament is individually crafted and painted by parishioner Carol Berry.

  The cost of the ornament is $25.  All proceeds will be directed to the St. Timothy School Endowment Fund.

A Word from Your Pastor

  We have arrived!  Our Golden Jubilee has been the occasion for many wonderful encounters and announcements.  The gathering last weekend was truly an experience that revealed the wonder of what God can do with willing hearts.  Thanks go out to all who were part of the celebration and we look forward to all that will go on as the year unfolds.

  One of the best bits of news that we were able to share last weekend is the fact that we have completed repayment of our Loan from the Diocesan Parish Aid Fund for our new facility and the upgrades to the church that took place in 2000.  The “tearing up of our mortgage” (not a burning because it took place indoors!) allowed us to acknowledge that the Parish no longer owes an outside debt.  In our 50^th Year, “we owe nothing to anyone except the debt of Love.”  The largest amount that we owed the Diocese at any one time was One Million, Nine Hundred, Sixty-Four Thousand, Five Hundred, Ninety-One Dollars and 33 Cents.  As of September 30, 2011, we no longer have a loan from the Diocese.

  The repayment of the debt was made possible this Fall by two major donations, one in the form of a challenge gift, along with the monthly Campaign envelopes, that covered the remaining principal.  We still “owe ourselves” the funds that were used from the “parish coffers” to cover the interest, and…there are some projects of building improvement that incoming funds will be used for.  But the wonderful news we can delight in is that the mortgage is ended and for the second time in our parish history, we are free of outside obligations.  Heartfelt thanks to all the benefactors who have made this possible.  Special kudos are due to Msgr. John Johnson who saw to the most recent debt retirement efforts.  May God bless him and all involved in the Campaign for St. Timothy.

  Congratulations are also due to the People of St. Timothy Parish for their transition to the new Roman Missal…Bishop Campbell himself went on record in the Columbus Dispatch telling the world that we were well prepared…Blessings to all of you!