Saint Agnes 10/11/23 Saint Agnes 10/11/23

Saintacular Service Opportunities:

We are

looking for youth who might need service hours

to help with the upcoming Saintacular. This

event will be held on Sunday, October 29th. We

will need volunteers from 9:00-11:15 AM and it

will be held in our St. Agnes cafeteria.

We are

looking for youth who might need service hours

to help with the upcoming Saintacular. This

event will be held on Sunday, October 29th. We

will need volunteers from 9:00-11:15 AM and it

will be held in our St. Agnes cafeteria. If you

would like to help with games, activities or

snacks, please call the parish office at 831-3565

or email Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org. You

can even come dressed as your favorite

saint. Hope to see you there!!!!

Saint Agnes 10/4/23 Saint Agnes 10/4/23

From the Pastor’s Desk:

As we begin our parish series on the Eucharist this week (Monday or Tuesday), I want to remind us all of what we are celebrating each time we come to mass and receive Holy Communion. It is not just something to do when we have nothing else to do.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the preparation of the gifts and the altar. As the servers prepare the altar, the gifts of bread and wine that will become the Body and Blood of Christ are brought forth from the people. The celebrant blesses and praises God for these gifts and places them on the altar, that sacred table where the Eucharistic sacrifice will be offered. Along with the bread and wine, money for the support of the Church and the different ministries of the parish is brought forth. The Prayer over the Offerings concludes this preparation and prepares everyone for the Eucharistic Prayer.

The Eucharistic Prayer is the heart of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In this prayer, the celebrant acts in the person of Christ as head of his body, the Church. He gathers not only the bread and the wine, but the substance of our lives and joins them

Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist as spiritual nourishment because he loves us. By eating the Body and drinking the Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, we become united to the person of Christ through his humanity. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him" (John 6:56). In being united to the humanity of Christ, we are at the same time united to his divinity. Our mortal and corruptible natures are transformed by being joined to the source of life.

The transformed bread and wine are truly the Body and Blood of Christ and are not merely symbols. When Christ said “This is my body” and “This is my blood,” the bread and wine are transubstantiated. Though the bread and wine appear the same to our human minds, they are actually the real body and blood of Jesus.

This is the great gift that Jesus left for us. The uniting of Himself to us in the Eucharistic Meal. Come to the table to be fed by God Himself.

Our first Eucharistic Session will be held on Monday October 9 at 1pm, or Tuesday October 10 at 7 pm in the Cafeteria: The Bible is the story of God’s love for us. He created us out of love, redeemed us by his love, and transforms us in his love.

Saint Agnes 10/4/23 Saint Agnes 10/4/23

WOMEN OF FAITH

Please join the Women of Faith group on Saturday, October 28 at 9:00 am in the dining room of the school for a presentation by Sr. Pauline Nugent, CCVI, PHd on Prayer and Ways to Deepen your Prayer Life. We will begin our morning with the recitation of the rosary, followed by Sr. Pauline’s presentation, time for socialization, and a catered lunch. Please call the parish office at 417-831-3565 to sign up for this event so that we will know how much food to order. Bring a friend with you!

Saint Agnes 10/4/23 Saint Agnes 10/4/23

ARE YOU A CRAFTER?

The annual Holiday Market will be held on Nov. 4th & 5th in the Catholic Center Gym. We are looking for vendors to participate in this event. If you are a crafter or have a business, we need you! Cost is $35 ($40 if you do not have a business license) Please contact Judy at 1-641-751-6632 or judyhauschildt@gmail.com Hope to see you there!

WE NEED YOU!

Saint Agnes 10/4/23 Saint Agnes 10/4/23

Calling “ALL SAINTS!”

Mark your calendars: St. Agnes Faith Formation will be sponsoring a SAINTACULAR on Sunday, Oct 29th. One feature will be a free saint book give away for our parishioners. We are asking anyone who might have a book on saints to share this for our giveaway. We are especially looking for books that children might enjoy. If you would like to donate any saint books, please bring them to the parish office.

A Mass of Commitment will be held for all Confirmation candidates on Sunday, Oct 8th at the 5:00 PM Mass. All candidates should plan to attend! Family members and sponsors of candidates are encouraged to come to support our confirmands as they continue to prepare for the reception of Confirmation. There will be no Confirmation session in the morning of Oct 8th. We do encourage all confirmands to attend the youth

Saint Agnes 9/27/23 Saint Agnes 9/27/23

From the Pastor’s Desk::

The celebration of the Eucharist is the center of our Catholic Worship and Faith. There is no greater gift that God could give us. When we come to Sunday Mass we are stepping into a sacred space. As the celebrant walks down the isle and Mass begins we then step into sacred time. Christ comes among us in the congregation, the priest, the Word and the sacred Eucharist. We listen to the life of Christ and consume the living word Himself as come to Holy Communion.

The celebration of the Eucharist takes place within the community and we are to carry that celebration out into the world by our words and deeds. In order for us to be able to do that we need to first be present and then to be active within the liturgy. Just showing up at Mass at the last minute and leaving as soon as the celebrant walks down the isle is not enough.

Each of us need to look at commitment to the Mass. Are we going to Mass on a regular basis? During the liturgy are you actively involved whether during the readings, or the prayers with the proper responses.

Praying the prayers in our minds is not community. I know there are people who do not like to sing, or feel they cannot sing. I am reminded of one of the old pastors when I was growing up and what he said about singing because he could not sing, “I know I can’t but God gave me this voice and I’m going to give it back to Him!”

God never gave up on the People of Israel, Jesus never gave up on His apostles and He will never give up on us. Come to Sunday Mass in order to receive Him through Holy Communion, to be feed spiritually and then carry that great gift into the world. Share the gift you receive in Holy Communion and invite those who have drifted away from Sunday Mass since the Covid year to return. Be active in your faith, be a disciple to those around you.

Travel in the Footsteps of St. Paul with Fr. Lewis Hejna, beginning May 25-June 4, 2024.

The cost of the trip, including roundtrip airfare from Springfield is $4,999.00. Contact Fr. Lewis at St. Agnes (417-831- 3565) for information or a trip itinerary. You may also go on line at www.proximotravel.com. Please refer to trip #1054 when registering And look for trip with Fr. Lewis Hejna.

Saint Agnes 9/27/23 Saint Agnes 9/27/23

WOMEN OF FAITH

Saint Agnes 9/27/23 Saint Agnes 9/27/23

Calling “ALL SAINTS!”

Saint Agnes 9/27/23 Saint Agnes 9/27/23

ARE YOU A CRAFTER?

WE NEED YOU! The annual Holiday Market will be held on Nov. 4th & 5th in the Catholic Center Gym. We are looking for vendors to participate in this event. If you are a crafter or have a business, we need you! Cost is $35 ($40 if you do not have a business license) Please contact Judy at 1-641-751-6632 or judyhauschildt@gmail.com Hope to see you there!

Saint Agnes 9/21/23 Saint Agnes 9/21/23

From The Pastor's Desk:

Throughout the country, the Roman Catholic Church is in the Year of the Parish Revival. I have been asked, “What does that mean?” Each parish, each diocese is to focus on the Eucharist. In our humanness, we so often take those we love for granted. The same hold true for our loving savior who gave His life that we may have eternal life. Jesus left the Eucharist, His Body and Blood to spiritually nourish us. The celebration of the Mass, the time spent in quiet prayer during Adoration is the real heart of our Catholic Faith.

We will begin our seven-session series this October 9th in the afternoon and October 10th in the evening. Each session is built upon a video featuring a different bishop, followed by prayer and scripture, followed by a story from a Catholic from different parts of our country. These are the seven sessions.

Session 1: What’s our story? The Bible is the story of God’s love for us. He created us out of love, redeemed us by his love and transforms us in his love.

Session 2: Who is Jesus? Jesus is both God and man, therefore he reveals who God is in relation to us. Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” He asks this same question of us: who do you say Jesus is?

Session 3: Am I Saved? Salvation is a gift from God through Jesus Christ that requires our “yes”.

Session 4: Why a Church? Jesus didn’t simply leave us a written message or instruction manual to follow. He gave us a living, dynamic Church where we encounter him personally and allow ourselves to be transformed into his likeness.

Session 5: God is with us. God’s presence in the Old Testament foreshadows the gift of the Eucharist, one of the seven sacraments of the Church. Jesus established the Eucharist to give us strength and accompany us at every moment of our earthly journey.

Session 6: The Story of the Eucharist. The story of the Eucharist can be traced throughout Scripture. From Genesis to the present day, this session explores how the Cross is the new Tree of Life, and the Eucharist is its fruit.

Session 7: Bread for the Journey. The Eucharist sustains us on our spiritual journey. Our participation at Mass through the Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist is an offering of thanksgiving to God. We are then sent forth to share what we have received.

I invite everyone to attend at least one or two sessions, to help you/us grow in our faith. To grow closer to God.

Saint Agnes 9/21/23 Saint Agnes 9/21/23

Come Garden With Us at Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri

The Garden Friends at LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home invite you to join us on Tuesday, September 26, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. We will continue to plant and harvest cool-weather crops, begin getting beds ready for winter, and work on maintaining the grounds. The gardens help feed the mothers and babies at LifeHouse. Many hands do indeed make light work. For more information, contact Jill Guise at jguise@ccsomo.org or call 417-720-4213.

Saint Agnes 9/21/23 Saint Agnes 9/21/23

YOUTH ACTIVITIES

First Reconciliation: Families, if you have children in 2nd grade above who are preparing for Reconciliation, please remember to complete the registration form and submit Baptismal information to Iris at the parish office. If you need information about the steps necessary for the sacrament of Reconciliation, please call the parish office.

Not too late to sign up! Our Parish School of Religion Classes for the year are up and running and we welcome all families with children in grades K-8th grade. Our classes meet on Sunday mornings from 10:00-11:00 AM in the school. We offer sacramental preparations for Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation. We also offer classes for children who may have special needs. We welcome families who may have been away from the church for any reason. If you have children you would like to enroll, please email Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org or call the parish office at 831-3565.

Confirmation Mass of Commitment; Our Mass of Commitment for second year Confirmation candidates will be held Sunday, October 8th at the 5:00 PM Mass. We ask candidates to attend to be recognized by our parish. If you have any questions about the Confirmation process, please contact the parish office.

Saint Agnes 9/21/23 Saint Agnes 9/21/23

ARE YOU A CRAFTER? WE NEED YOU!

Saint Agnes 9/13/23 Saint Agnes 9/13/23

From the Pastor’s Desk:

Last Sunday I met with young people who are beginning their spiritual studies to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. In confirmation we receive courage and other gifts of the Holy Spirit we need in order to be witnesses to Christ in our daily lives. Through the sacrament of Confirmation we are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit and we are to spread and defend the faith by word and deed. We are enabled to take on a more active role within the Church.

The Sacrament of Confirmation is a special event in the life of an individual Catholic and the entire parish family. Its call and grace confirm discipleship. The gifts of the Holy Spirit help to form a Christian more fully in the image of Jesus Christ. We use the term an adult Catholic within the Church with all the responsibilities that parents had accepted when they asked to have their son or daughter baptized. Thus, Vatican II decreed that the rite of the sacrament be revised–that those receiving the sacrament be fully educated so that its connection with the whole church and the rite of Christian Initiation be understood.

As early as the 7th Century, the post-baptismal anointing with Sacred Chrism by the bishop became the regular practice in the Western Roman Catholic Church. Medieval theologians saw Confirmation as a gift of the Holy Spirit for the strengthening of the candidate’s inner life and social witness. By the 16th century, the general practice after the Tridentine reforms was to confirm, as an affirmation or public profession, the baptismal commitment that had been made by parents and godparents at the time of Baptism. .The word confirmation means “strengthening.” The Catholic Catechism states,“ the sacrament of confirmation both confirms baptism and strengthens baptismal grace.”

Following Vatican II, two major understandings and approaches to the sacrament of Confirmation became accepted: 1) the importance of Confirmation as a part of the RCIA with the Easter Vigil; 2) the maturity model as a person becomes more active within the Church, using their gifts and talents for the building up of God’s Kingdom by asking for the fullness of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. Our Diocese has placed the normal age for the reception of Confirmation around 13-14 years of age.

Saint Agnes 9/13/23 Saint Agnes 9/13/23

EUCHARISTIC ROSARY CONGRESS

The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Eucharistic ROSARY CONGRESS is a

diocesan-wide effort to join together, not only in our diocese, but with other dioceses across the nation, to ask Our Lady’s intercession before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and to offer reparation to God through Our Lady, for our families, our Church, and our country! This year the Rosary Congress will be held Oct. 7-13, 2023, and includes praying the rosary out loud at the top of every hour, along with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for seven days and nights at a particular location. If you would like to sign up for an hour of adoration and to lead or participate in the rosary at the top of the hour, please contact:

Saint Francis Hospital Adoration Chapel, Cape Girardeau — Donna Anderson, at andersondl@charter.net

Holy Trinity Adoration Chapel, Springfield — Marilyn Gibson, at marilyngibson@outlook.com

Sacred Heart Adoration, Webb City — Stephanie Attaway, at smattaway14@gmail.com

Please visit https://www.rosarycongressusa.org/ for more information on the Rosary Congresses

Saint Agnes 9/13/23 Saint Agnes 9/13/23

FIRST RECONCILIATION/FIRST EUCHARIST SESSION

For children who are in 2nd grade & above & wish to receive the sacraments this year, an informational session will be held Sunday, Sept 17th at 10:15 AM in the dining room. Children should be enrolled in our Catholic schools or in our parish PSR program. Please bring Baptismal information to this session.

Children will be asked to sign our book of commitment at the 11:30 AM Mass & also receive a gift from the parish.

Saint Agnes 9/13/23 Saint Agnes 9/13/23

CONFIRMATION UPDATES!

Our first Confirmation session for 2nd year candidates will be held Sunday, Sept 17th at 10:00 AM in the library of the school. If you were unable to attend our parent candidates session on Sept 10th, please attend this session. You can email ibounds@sta-cathedral.org or call the parish office for information on registration forms, schedules, or to receive a Confirmation packet.

Saint Agnes 8/25/23 Saint Agnes 8/25/23

From the Pastor’s Desk:

Over the weekend I had a number of people comment on my homily. They all mentioned that the way I put historical background into much of my homilies helps people to understand the scriptures better. Perhaps that is the 17 years of teacher in me. The scriptures are not the easiest “read”, and I am not claiming to be any great scholar. I do believe if you have the historical understanding of the time in which the scripture was written, it helps to understand the lesson better. The books of the Bible are as much as 3,000 years old and many of the lessons contain words and phrases that do not translate well into today’s English. And when they do translate they sometimes make no sense. For example in last Sunday’s gospel, where it sounded like Jesus was calling a woman a dog.

As I was taught in my scripture courses, to understand the books of the Bible: 1) you needed to know when it was written, 2) who wrote the book, 3) why was it written and 3) to whom was it written. It is also helpful to know what language it might have been originally written in.

The Catholic Church gave the world the Bible. The Bible is not a historical record of events, but it is a book of FAITH. The New Testament is the most reliable of ancient texts. The earliest copies date to the early 200’s. The originals of the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have not survived, but their copies have survived. Copies written from texts less than a hundred years old. If the four Gospels were written from 50-110 AD as most scholars and theologians believe, then the copies of the manuscripts that exist today are very close to their sources. How reliable are they since they are copies, we may ask? The ancient Christians were copying the New Testament, seeing and believing it to have been inspired by God. They also used the books for study and in worship. Were they really sloppy and careless? I do not believe so. They understood it to be a sacred task, not something to be taken lightly.

Within the New Testament there are found four Gospels, but more were written. How were the four Gospels chosen, if there were more? The early Church Fathers referenced and talked about the other gospels when they compiled the New Testament, but they used a fourfold criteria to choose which gospels they placed in the New Testament. 1) The gospel needed to be rooted in an Apostle, or a follower of an Apostle, thus Apostolic tradition, 2) The gospel needed to have widespread acceptance and usage in the early Christian communities, 3) The gospel needed to be known for its orthodoxy, fitting with other books, not having strange ideas, and 4) The gospel needed to be used in liturgy in different communities.

GOLD Cards, a fundraiser for the school system, will be available after all masses this weekend!

Saint Agnes 8/25/23 Saint Agnes 8/25/23

RCIA CLASSES

We will be having RCIA classes beginning on Sunday August 27th at 9:30 am in the cafeteria. If you know anyone who is interested in joining the Catholic Church, please ask them to call the parish office at 417-831-3565 to sign up for the classes.

Saint Agnes 8/25/23 Saint Agnes 8/25/23

YOUTH ACTIVITIES

PSR Resumes

PSR classes for students in K-8 have resumed & will be held on Sunday mornings from 10-11 AM in our Cathedral School. All are welcome! We also have a special needs class for students. Even if you missed our registration, we invite you to join us. You may also call the parish office 831-3565 or email Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org.

PSR Resumes

Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) resumes Sunday Aug 27th at the 11:30 AM Mass. Children of preschool age through early elementary school are invited. Children hear the word of God at an age appropriate level. No need to sign up. All are welcome! Visitors are always welcome too!

If your child has not received First Reconciliation or Eucharist & is in 2nd grade & above, we ask families to attend a session to be held on Sunday, Sept 17th at 10:15 in the dining room of the school. Young people should currently be enrolled in a catholic school or in our Parish School of Religion program. Parents who home school need to sign up with our office too. Baptismal information should be brought to the session. Any questions contact Iris at parish office or email ibounds@sta-cathedral.org