ALTAR SERVERS

Any available

Isaac Quattro

ALTAR SERVERS Any available

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS PARISH Mission: OUR LADY OF MERCY

Our Lady of Mercy Parsons, West Virginia

St. Thomas Aquinas Thomas, West Virginia

Pastor: Rev. Timothy J. Grassi, P.O. Box 300, Thomas, WV 26292 Tel: 304-463-4488 www.sttsite.com

Please contact the priest to make arrangements. Instructions for both parents are required. Sponsors from outside the Parish need a letter of eligibility from their Pastors.

If you know of anyone who is seriously ill, hospitalized, shut-in, or about to undergo surgery, Please contact the Pastor or the Parish office to let us know

Arrangements should be made with the Pastor at least six months in advance of the intended date of marriage. Preparation classes with the Pastor are required.

Saturday 4:00 – 4:50 p.m., and 30 minutes before all weekday Masses and anytime upon request.

SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

SACRAMENT OF ANOINTING OF THE SICK

During the month of December, the Tridentine Mass will be offered at the following times and church:

St. Thomas - 7:30 AM, (Low Mass) Sunday 02/14/18

Our Lady of Mercy - 12:30 PM, (Low Mass) Sunday 02/21/18.

THE TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS

Feb. 19 Monday Feb. 20 Tuesday Feb. 21 Wednesday Feb. 22 Thursday Feb. 23 Friday Feb. 24 Saturday Feb. 24 SATURDAY VIGIL Feb. 25 SUNDAYFeb. 25 SUNDAY

7:15 AM Thomas 5:00 PM Thomas 5:00 PM Parsons 5:00 PM Thomas 5:00 PM Thomas 9:00 AM Parsons 5:00 PM Thomas 9:00 AM Thomas 11:00 AM Parsons

Bob Perrine People of the Parish John, Kathleen & Sharon Syrian Edward Brobst George White Merry Lowe Lillian Moore People of the Parish Lela & Ben Long

MASSES FOR THE WEEK First Sunday of Lent

MASSES FOR THE WEEK

Champ Sedmock, “Sob” Gennantonio, Eleanor James, J. Pat Nichols, Vincent

DiBacco, Mary Johnson, Joanne Michael, Leo Pase Jr., Charles Bennett, Scott Hinkle, Jean

Sagace, Patty Helmick and Martha Wolf.

Let us remember in prayer all of our sick and shut-ins:

The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is committed to the protection of its children and young people. The Diocese complies with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People by maintaining an Office of Safe Environment. To report an incidence of suspected child sexual abuse, please contact your local law enforcement agency, or you may confidentially contact the West Virginia Bureau for Children and Families/Child Protective Services by calling the Child Abuse Hotline at 800.352.6513 Â FREE. To report suspected cases of sexual abuse by personnel of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston to the Diocese, please contact one of the Bishop’s designees at 888.434.6237, Â FREE (toll free) or 304.233.0880: Sister Ellen Dunn, ext. 264; Mr. Bryan Minor, ext. 263; Msgr. Frederick Annie, ext. 267, or Msgr. Anthony Cincinnati, 270. For more information on the Diocese’s Office of Safe Environment, please go to www.dwc.org, then click the “Diocese” tab, then click “Office of Safe Environment” under the “Offices” menu. To learn more about the Catholic Church’s efforts in preventing sexual abuse of children in the United States, please visit http://www.usccb.org. Under “Issues and Action,” click “Child and Youth Protection” from the drop down menu.

HOLY COMMUNION: We welcome to the Holy Mass all who share our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. While all are welcome here, we cannot extend to all an invitation to receive Holy Communion. This is not for lack of Christian hospitality. Rather, it is the recognition

by the Catholic Church that real divisions of faith and practice do sadly exist among Christians. Practicing Catholics who go to Confession whenever needed are invited to receive Holy Communion. Non-Catholic Christians and those Catholics who should not

receive Holy Communion (including those married outside the church and those in need of the sacrament of Penance) are asked to pray for a spiritual communion with the Lord Jesus and for the unity of His Church. Those who are not receiving Holy Communion but who would

like to receive a blessing are invited to indicate this desire by crossing their arms across their chests as they approach the priest in the Communion procession.

If you would like to place someone on our prayer line call

Mary Frances Evans - Thomas (463-4413) Paula Siler - Parsons (478-4104)

Or Cindy Long - Parsons (478-4833)

PRAYER LINE

We offer a hearty welcome to all of our visitors! If you would like to make a

contribution to our parish, please use the visitor’s envelope in the pew.

THOMAS

DATE

02/24 02/25

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS Rita Johnson Mary Sagace

READERS Beth Spencer Michelle Snyder

PARSONS

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT, February 18, 2018

DATE

02/25

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS Addie Buckley & Dee Oldaker

READERS Tom Gutshall

Cleaning: 02/18: – 02/24: Joanne Sikarskie & Terry Silk

During Lent, the Knights of Columbus suggest one of these sacrifices:

a) 40 cans of food for the food pantry

b) a monetary donation, (suggested donation: $20).

(Of course any amount of canned foods or money is greatly appreciated, the important thing is that all of us can have the opportunity to practice the corporal works of mercy, one of which is feeding the Hungry.)

The Our Lady of Mercy Women’s Guild will meet today, Sunday, Feb. 18th immediately following the 11 AM Mass.

Please come to our delicious Fish Fry on ALL Fridays during Lent! Dinner includes an 8 oz fish fillet with tartar or cocktail sauce; dinner roll with butter; coleslaw; green beans; macaroni n’ cheese; fruit dessert; coffee or punch.

Cost: Adults $8.00 ~ Kids 12 & under $4.00 CARRY OUTS AVAILABLE!

The dinner will be at both locations from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM, At the St. Thomas Center and Our Lady of Mercy Church social hall on: Feb. 16, Feb. 23, Mar. 02, Mar. 09, Mar. 16, and Mar. 23.

FREE tax help for low to moderate income families is available on FRIDAYS from Feb. 2 – Apr. 13, 2018 (excluding Good Friday). Please come to the second floor conference room of the St. Thomas Center from 12 – 4 PM.

PRO-LIFE CORNER

EVENTS ON THE HORIZON!!!. Feb. 18 - Second collection today for Catholic Missions among Black and Native Americans. March 11 - Daylight savings time begins. March 11 - Women’s Guild Meeting after the 11 AM Mass.

St. Thomas: $1,400.16

Our Lady of Mercy: $797.00

CONTRIBUTIONS FOR FEB 11, 2018

LENTEN SACRIFICE

BLACKWATER MINISTERIAL FOOD PANTRY: The Food Pantry is in need of valued food items. This month we are seeking mac n’ cheese. In subsequent months we will let you know what items are needed and ask your assistance in this need for our community.

FOOD PANTRY

WOMEN’S GUILD MEETING TODAY

LENT SCHEDULE ~Stations of the Cross~

WEDNESDAYS: immediately after the 5:00 PM Mass at Our Lady of Mercy.

(Wednesday Mass during Lent will be at 5:00 PM.)

FRIDAYS: immediately after the 5:00 PM Mass at St. Thomas.

PARISH ROSARIES PRAYED Total Rosaries for 2 weeks……….852

Total Rosaries for the year…….….13,240 (since May 2016)

Please pray the Rosary remembering reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and For

the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for all those serving in our armed forces.

FREE TAX HELP

MERCY AND CONFESSION: 10 TIPS ON HOW TO CONFESS WELL 1. IMPROVEMENT/UPGRADING THE RECEPTION. As Catholics two of the most important actions we can accomplish are to go to Confession and to receive Holy Communion. In these Sacraments we have a direct contact with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This being the case, we should make a concerted effort to improve our encounters with Jesus in these Sacraments. In other words we should never take these Sacraments for granted. Also be keenly aware of the concept of dispositive grace. The abundance of graces are received in direct proportion to the disposition of the recipient. On the walls in the sacristies of the Missionaries of Charity is written: “Say this Mass as if it were your first Mass, last Mass and only Mass.” We can apply the same principle: “Confess as if it were your first, last and only time.” 2. PRAYERS BEFORE. All is grace! A source of abundant grace is the Communion of saints. Why not pray to the holy Confessors to help you to make a good confession. “Get a little help from your friends (the saints)….”Pray to them to help you to confess well—that each confession you make is better than your prior confession! 3. PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE. Have a good examination of conscience booklet. Find a quiet and contemplative place to examine your conscience. Utilize the crucifix and Divine Mercy image to elicit sorrow and trust. Written! Write down the sins so that you will not forget them once in the confessional! Also, pray for your confessor— to his guardian angel—before you enter the confessional! 4. SELF-KNOWLEDGE. One of the classical steps to make a good confession is contrition but also firm purpose of amendment. This entails rewinding the film of your life and seeing the various falls into sin. But also to capture what were the preceding causes that led to the sin. Maybe it is a person that jeopardizes your spiritual life. Who knows maybe it is a recurring situation at work or family? Maybe it is your physical state of weariness? Still more, maybe it is some improper use of the electronics media and lack of prudence? You will notice often a pattern that is established that leads to the slippery path and collapse. For this reason the faithful observance of one’s DAILY EXAMEN can prove a valuable tool to know oneself and even supply for the necessary knowledge to avoid the near occasion of sin. 5. BIBLICAL PASSAGES TO PREPARE. The Church highly recommends the use of Sacred Scripture as a means to prepare us for a better reception of the Sacraments. Two excellent passages I would recommend: Lk. 15 and Psalm 51. Praying with the Word of God adds extra power to one’s prayer! 6. FREQUENT CONFESSION. The saints highly recommend frequent confession as a most efficacious means of growing in sanctifying grace. Confession either restores sanctifying grace or it augments it. Of course this presupposes a thorough preparation! 7. SACRAMENTAL GRACE. Each sacrament communicates grace. However every sacrament communicates a specific grace pertinent to that specific sacrament. For example, the specific sacramental grace communicated in the Eucharist or Holy Communion is that of NOURISHMENT. It is the Bread of life for the journey on the way to eternal life. The Sacramental grace of Confession is different. It is HEALING! Jesus came to feed us with His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Furthermore, He came as Divine Physician. Time and time again in the Gospels we see Jesus healing. The blind, deaf, deaf-mute, lepers, paralytics, even the dead, were healed and brought back to life by Jesus. Even now within the context of the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, Jesus heals us. The Sacraments of healing are the Sacraments of Confession and the Anointing of the Sick. 8. QUALITIES OF A GOOD CONFESSION. In the Diary of Saint Faustina the most important qualities of a good confession are highlighted in # 113: 1) complete sincerity and openness; 2) humility; 3) obedience. Adhering to these qualities one cannot go wrong! Reminder! We want to strive to make better Communions and Confessions until the end of our lives! 9. AVOID DISCOURAGEMENT. Even though one might fall frequently, never give in to discouragement. Some bad habits have possibly clung to us for decades. Many have a “Micro-wave” spirituality—namely instant holiness! It does not work that way! Change is often tedious, laborious and painful. The key is to keep praying, working, fighting as a true soldier of Christ to be liberated from the shackles of sin. Of course a key message from the Diary is that the worse thing possible is to fail to trust in God’s infinite mercy! As St. Paul reminds us, “Where sin abounds God’s mercy abounds all the more.” 10. MARY AND MERCY. Never forget to invite Mary to be present in your remote preparation for Confession, your immediate preparation for Confession. Even ask Mary to enter with you into the Confessional so that you make the best confession in your life. Blessed Pope John Paul II called the Marian sanctuaries—Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe—“Spiritual clinics”. How true! Lines of penitents await to meet the merciful Jesus in the confessional in these Marian Sanctuaries. Among the many beautiful titles of Mary are the following: “Mother of Mercy, Mother of Good Counsel, Health of the sick.” Behind many powerful conversions is of course the grace of God but also the maternal intercession of Mary! ~By: FR. ED BROOM, OMV