March 4, 2007
2nd Sunday of Lent

Parish
Worship
Christian Formation
Campus Ministry
Justice & Peace
Community Meetings, Retreats, Etc.
Finances
Readings

Parish

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

If any of you ever catch me complaining about the amount of work here at the parish again, please stop me! My workload is infinitesimally smaller and lighter than that of Père Blot, the pastor of our twin parish of St Michel in Saltadere, Haiti, whom many of you have had the pleasure of meeting during his two visits to St Thomas Aquinas. As pastor of the parish, he basically has to be mayor, judge, registrar, the only source of medical care, and transportation service all rolled up into one. The Church is the only functioning “institution” in the village, as is the case in much of Haiti, and Père Blot pours his entire self into serving his people. July 6th of this year will be his tenth anniversary of ordination.

This past Wednesday, eight of us returned from a brief visit to Saltadere for the dedication of the new parish school, which was built through your generosity to our brothers and sisters in Saltadere. To say that all of us were profoundly moved and affected by our trip would be an understatement. The joyous Mass on Sunday, for the inauguration of the new school, for which the Bishop of Hinche, Louis Kédreau, was the Principal Celebrant, is a moment none of us will ever forget.

The school is solid and beautiful and probably the best “gift” we as a parish could give to Saltadere, because it will keep giving to the people for generations to come. Education is key to bettering the lot of the Haitian people, as the Bishop told me Sunday morning at breakfast. The next phase of construction is to transform the only remaining part of the old school into a dining/assembly hall and to build an indoor kitchen for the school, to replace the outdoor “fire pit” they now use. We as a parish have been given a Challenge Grant: if we can come up with the funds for half the project -- $16,000 -- a generous benefactor has pledged to put up the other half. If you are interested and able to help, please make a check out to St Thomas Aquinas and in the memo line put “Haiti School Fund.” This is one of the best investments you’ll ever make.



fr Brian, OP

Daylight Savings Time begins next Sunday, March 11.

All of the names on our prayer list are now posted on the Milagros. If you would like to add or take off a name, please call the Parish Office.

Finances

Parish Center Debt Elimination Campaign

Next weekend, Bro. Ezra Sullivan, O.P., will be with us at all of the Masses to conduct the Dominican Poorboys Priesthood Association Appeal. Please welcome him and be generous in the 2nd collection.

Parish Activities

Lenten Soup Supper - every Fri. during Lent the K of C will provide a light supper of soup, bread and water following the 5:15 Mass in St. Thomas Hall, followed by Stations of the Cross at 7:30 PM. Please join us.

Coordinator of Elementary Religious Education: St. Thomas is seeking applicants for the position of Coordinator of Religious Education for children’s faith formation pre-K–5 grade, including preparation for 1st Reconciliation & 1st Communion, recruiting and training catechists, maintaining a safe environment in accord with Diocesan regulations, as well as working closely with the Youth Minister, Coordinator of Middle School RE, and parish staff for parish-wide education programs. The position is a 10-month (Aug 1- May 31) 40hr/wk (negotiable), including coordinating Vacation Bible School, and requires weekend and often evening hours. Applicant should have a B.A. in theology or related field, or equivalency in class work, and 3+ years experience as a catechist or teacher. Familiarity with “Catechesis of the Good Shepherd” or Montessori methods preferred. Interested candidates should submit a resume and list of references to the parish office, Attn: R.E. Position, by Mar. 5. Salary & benefits in accord with the Diocesan pay scale.

Habitat For Humanity: Our parish community is beginning a Habitat House this year. We are looking for volunteers who would be interested in
organizing the project. If interested, contact Mike at youth@cstone.net.

Think Spring & Mulch: Our annual Youth Ministry Mulch Sale is underway. Mulch will be delivered Sat, April 14. Order Forms are available in the Link under the Youth Ministry bulletin boards. Order EARLY to ensure you can get your mulch this year.

Hi! My name is Maria Villar: I sing in the LifeTeen band, I’m raising money to fund research for my little sister, Victoria’s disease. St. Thomas will have a concert with our LifeTeen Band and CHOOSE from UVa on March 24, 7-9 PM. Admission is free, but donations are more than welcome. For info contact Maria at 979-7197.

Are You in Need of a Babysitter? CSM will provide a responsible student. For info contact Katie Hildreth: kmh7f@virginia.edu. Families set the rates/hours.

All New Parish Members: please stop by the welcome table in the Link to pick up your new parishioner packet.

Worship

Contact Marta - 293-8081x18 marta@stauva.org
Brian Sousa - 293-8081x19 music@stauva.org

Liturgical Ministers Schedule: for March is now available. Please see our website or pick up a copy in the Coordinators’ Room.

The Fraternity of St. Dominic: (Dominican Laity), St. Thomas Aquinas Chapter, will meet on Sat, Mar.10. Interested persons are welcome to attend. Join us for 8:30AM Mass, the Rosary and Morning Prayer in Church followed by our meeting and brunch in classroom #2. For more info call Robbie at 963-7952 or email at robbie_oc_gibson@yahoo.com.

24-Hour Eucharistic Adoration: Come Let Us Adore Him! Every Wed/Thurs in Our Chapel. If you are able to commit to an hour before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, contact Lori Donlon (293-3873/lorianned@gmail.com).

Holy Week Choir Rehearsals This Week: Mar 8: Holy Thurs. Choir, 7PM in the music room. Mar 9: Good Fri. Choir, 7PM in the music room.

9AM Sunday Choir: will rehearse on Saturdays,1PM in the Music Room. All Interested, are welcome to participate.

Music Lessons: Anyone interested in taking piano, organ, or voice lessons is encouraged to contact Brian Sousa for more details.

Music PR Group Needed: If you can give a little time or more than a little you’re encouraged to joining this very important and necessary group which will help to advertise special music events such as the upcoming concert series at the church. For more info please contact Pat Cuadros, Artistic Director and President of Music Promotional Affairs, at pac2g@virginia.edu or 434-996-3566.

Religious Education/Youth Ministry/Lifeteen

RE Contact Trish Madden – 293-8081 reled@stauva.org
YM Contact Mike School 293 8081x16 youth@stauva.org

www.st-thomas-aquinas.org/Youth..htm

Children’s Liturgy of the Word: for grades K-3 at 9 AM Sunday Mass.

1st Communion Parents: Pick-up “My Mass Book” & “First Communion Memory Book” from RE table. All notes from the Feb. 11th parent meeting available on St. Thomas Website. If you did not receive an email from Trish Feb. 18th, contact her ASAP. Correction from parent handout: Rehearsal for 1st Communion Liturgy will be Wed, May 2.

EE/EDGE/LT: For Lenten Almsgiving, we are in collecting items from children in grades K-11 for our deployed troops. Mar 11 bring AA or D batteries. Flyers sent home Feb. 24 with for additional items and info.

Lenten Bible Study (T3): Take a Lenten journey through the Bible. Learn about the history, characters, and lessons from each book of the Bible. A great addition to your Lenten sacrifice this year. Thurs, 7-8PM, Youth Ministry Room. Middle & High Schoolers and Parents welcome!

Confirmation Candidates: Our final mandatory large group session is today, Sun, Mar. 4, 6:30-8:30 PM in St. Thomas Hall. Candidates and parents should attend. Dinner will be provided.

Confirmation Interviews: Each candidate must sign up for a 15-minute time slot for interviews with a parish priest. The available times are Sun, Mar. 11 & 18, from 4-5 & 6:30-8PM. Sign-ups available in the Youth Ministry Room on the white board. Sign up ASAP!

Have You Missed A Confirmation Session? If so, you are required to attend a make-up afternoon session on Sun, Mar 18 from 1-4PM. You will receive info in the mail about it.

EE/ EDGE/LT: No classes March 4. Next class March 11.

Mar. 4 - No EDGE/LT: Instead, Bowling at Keglers, 6:45-9PM (Bring $). Monday Night Live: Feb. 26 & Mar 12 - Take a "Wii" break and hang out in the youth room from 7-9PM.

Mar. 5: Join us at Arch's on Ivy Rd. from 7-9PM for Ice Cream (Bring $).

Mar. 12: Take a "Wii" break and hang out in the Youth Room from 7-9 PM.

Rock Climbing - Sat. Mar. 17th at RockyTop 1-4PM ($8)

Relay for Life: High School & Middle School youth are invited to join the St. Thomas team, May 12-13. Contact Nate: ngsmit@gmail.com.

Summer Trips: LIFE TEEN Camp (Covecrest): June 25-30. Service trip to Cincinnati, Ohio: July 8-14. Steubenville Atlanta: July 20-22. Vacation Bible School & Middle School Camp - July 30-Aug. 3

ADULT EDUCATION

Theology & Donuts: “The Pope and I,” a talk to be given by Fr. Brian on Mar 11, 10:20-11:10AM, in St. Thomas Hall. Fr. Brian will speak about Pope Benedict XVI, his theology, and Fr. Brian’s personal remembrances of the Pope. Fr. Brian worked with the Pope, who at the time was just a cardinal, in the Vatican at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Interested in becoming Catholic? Know a non-Catholic who would be interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith? Contact Fr. Dominic (frdominic@stauva.org) for further information.

RCIA: No Class Wed, Mar 7, UVA Break. Sun, Mar 11, 1st Scrutiny, 5:15 Mass.

Adult Confirmation: Are you baptized Catholic but never received the Sacrament of Confirmation? Contact Fr. Dominic (frdominic@stauva.org) for info. about confirmation for adults.

Catholicism 101 : A study group on the Catechism of the Catholic Church with video presentations by Fr John Corapi meets selected Saturdays at 10 AM in our Community Room. The next sessions will be "Baptism & Confirmation" on 17 March and "The Eucharist: Source and Summit" on 21 April. For info contact sackandpam@comcast.net.

Catherine of Siena Lecture: Wed, April 18, 7:30 PM, in the Church to be given by Fr. Thomas McDermott, O.P., on St. Catherine.

Sr. Helen Prejean: will be speaking on the death penalty, at St. Thomas, in the church Thurs, April 26, 7:30 PM. Sr. Helen will be available after her talk to for a book signing.

Women's Little Rock Scripture Study combines personal study, group discussion and prayer to facilitate growth in the Spirit. Join us this winter studying the Book of Isaiah, on Tues, 9-11AM in the Community Room at St. Thomas. Childcare can be made available for a fee. Call Patty Gazewood 973-6802 or gazewood@earthlink.net with any questions.

Justice & Peace
Contact Mary Kirwan-295-1885 W, 295-7950 H kirwanm@adelphia.net
Bridget Davis-964-1127 bnfdavis@cstone.net

Haiti Sponsors: We still have many students who need sponsors. Please stop by the table and find that "special" child who is waiting for you.

Haiti Speaker: Dr. Paul Farmer, subject of the biography, "Mountains Beyond Mountains" will speak at Holy Comforter on March 11 at 7 PM. Dr. Farmer founded Partners in Health a medical service which brings free first world health care to Haiti. Don't miss him.

Food Collection During Lent we are collecting food for the Emergency Food Bank. Needed: juice concentrate, cereal, rice, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables, soups, beans, fruit, chicken and tuna Thank You!

Thank you: for your donations to the pantry at Holy Comforter, for the quarter ending in Dec, Holy Comforter distributed food pantry food to 2,153 individuals in 720 households. In Jan, food was distributed to 584 adults & children in 195 households.

Books for Prisoners: We continue to collect magazines, dictionaries, religious material & good fiction books for local & state prisons. Collection boxes are located in the Catholic Student Ministry Room. Thank you!

Good News Jail & Prison Ministry’s Annual Spring Banquet: Fri, Mar 16, 6 PM, at 1st Baptist Church on Park St. This year’s dynamic speaker is Ch’ville Police Chief Timothy Longo. For info. or to reserve tickets, contact Rob Schilling, 293-1186. Thank you for your support of this vital ministry.

Blind Parishioner Needs a Ride to Sunday Mass: Please call the parish office if you can help.

PRO-LIFE

March Meeting: Tues, Mar 6 at St. Thomas (downstairs). Contact Nicole for more info: nicole@nicoleflusche.com.

Pray to End Abortion: in front of Planned Parenthood on Hydraulic Rd, Wed.-Sat., the days when abortions take place. Contact Nicole: nicole@verners.com or Scarlett at 296-8070.

10th Annual Respect Life Ministry Dinner Event: Tues., Mar 20, dinner at 6:45 PM, Speaker Dr John Seeds, 7:30-9PM, at Church of the Epiphany, Smoketree Dr off of Courthouse Rd., Richmond. Cost $3 - Reservations Requires. Call 804-794-0222.

Post-Abortion Ministry: Do you suffer from guilt from a past abortion? Come be set free! Are you hesitant to talk about it? You are not alone. Be free of the stress and the pain. Healing comes through this very private, confidential Bible study. Sessions are FREE, schedule is flexible. A few benefits of this counseling include renewed joy, release from guilt and sadness, and deeper intimacy with family and friends. Please call Ruth at (434) 973-0680 to sign up.

Campus Ministry

UNDERGRADUATES(CSM)

Kevin Simowitz: kjs5e@virginia.edu
Fr. Luke Clark: lukeop2828@hotmail.com

See our website! For a calendar of all our upcoming events and info to contact Team members:, http://www.student.virginia.edu/~catholic/.

Spring Break Trips: Catholicism, Service Work, and Social Justice: Email Nikola at nikola@virginia.edu for info. Locations: Hurley, VA, Camden, NJ and our very own C’ville.

Encounter with Christ Retreat, March 22-25 Take a break to refocus your relationship with God, and get to know other Catholic college students in Virginia. Interested? Email beckah@virginia.edu

YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY

A ministry for young professionals & graduate students ages 21-35 Contact: Rhoda Hernandez - rhodahernandez@gmail.com

Bible Study: Acts of the Apostles! This week, we are looking at Acts 6-8. We'll meet on Thurs, Mar 8, 6-7 PM in the Community Room.

Saturday Mass & Breakfast: Sat, Mar 10, join us for Mass at 8:30 AM, followed by breakfast at the Tavern! We'll meet in the link after Mass.

Salvation Army Food Bank: Needs help organizing its food bank. Our group will go on Sat mornings,10:30-12:30; other times are also available. Contact Beth at eab7f@virginia.edu.

IMPACT Action Meeting: IMPACT, a group of religious congregations in our area seeking social justice for the poor of Cville/Albemarle County, has defined the areas of affordable housing and public transportation where the lives of the poor could be most impacted. Come show your support on Thurs, Mar 15 from 6:30-8:30pm at the Performing Arts Center @ CHS.

Young Adult Symposium: Fr. John Cusick and Ms. Kate DeVries from Chicago are coming to Richmond on March 10. Teams of young adults from parishes are invited to this symposium. Contact Rhoda.

Charlottesville Catholic School

Phone: 964-0400. Web site at www.cvillecatholic.com

Community Meetings, Retreats, Etc.

Separated & Divorced Catholics: A tri-parish support group meets the 1st & 3rd Mon. each month, 7PM in room 9 at Incarnation. For info.contact Lauryn: 973-4381 ext. 112 or lauryn@incarnationparish.org

Centennial Celebration: the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart will host a special Mass on April 21, 5:15 PM for all married couples & especially couples that were married at the Cathedral. The liturgy will include a special renewal of vows and blessing. A reception will follow.

Pilgrimage to Italy: Sept 19-29, 2007. Visit Siena, Florence and Rome with Fr. Brian and fellow parishioners. $300.00 deposit due by June 15th. Detailed flyer in link. For info. or to register, contact Marta Brannon 293-8081x18 or marta@stauva.org

Readings for the Week of March 4, 2007