1

www.elcatholics.org

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish & School

955 Alton Road

East Lansing, MI 48823

Office Phone: 517-351-7215

School Phone: 517-332-0813

August 16, 2020

www.stjohnmsu.org

St. John Church & Student Center

327 MAC Avenue

East Lansing, MI 48823

Office Phone: 517-337-9778

Fr. Gordon Reigle Pastor Fr. Matthew Bonk Parochial Vicar Fr. Mike Cassar Parochial Vicar Fr. Jerry Ploof Sacramental Assistance Dcn. Dave Drayton Dcn. Jim Kasprzak Dcn. Dave Zygmontowicz Judy Crabtree Finance Alexandria Darley Music Josh Ginepro Advancement Katie Diller Gleason Campus Ministry Josh Hamilton Adult Faith Formation Paul Lacroix Facilities Debbie Lewis Religious Education Meghan Loughlin-Krusky Principal Taylor Piotrzkowski Campus Ministry Pete Ries RCIA Shirley Yaich Liturgy Denise Zakerski Administration

Mission Statement:

We are a Roman Catholic parish in a university community, joining students of all ages, joining people from all walks of life and from all

corners of the world through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Narrow

Gate

God makes good come of

all things for those who

love Him. Romans 8:28

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST Weekend Mass Times Sunday 8:00am,10:00am

Noon & 7:00pm

Weekday Mass Times Mon & Wed 5:30pm

Fri 12:15pm

Sacrament of Reconciliation Mon & Wed 4:00-5:00pm

Fri 11:00am-12:00pm

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

Weekend Mass Times

Saturday 4:30pm

Sunday 9:00am & 11:00am

Weekday Mass Times

Mon, Wed, Fri 6:30am

Tues, Thurs, Sat 9:00am

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Sat 3:00-4:00pm

May the peoples praise you, O God;

may all the peoples praise you!

2

TWENTHITH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME AUGUST 16, 2020

She said, “Please, Lord, for even the

dogs eat the scraps that fall from the

table of their masters.” Then Jesus

said to her in reply, “O woman,

great is your faith! Let it be done for

you as you wish.” And the woman’s

daughter was healed from that hour. MT 15 27-28

In this weekend’s Gospel story of the Canaanite

woman, we see how Jesus responds when someone—

whether Jew or Gentile—shows faith in him, for God

wishes all to be saved! This story confirms the words

of the prophet Isaiah in the first reading, “for my

house shall be called a house of prayer for all

peoples.”

In Greek, the word ‘Catholic’ means ‘according to the

whole.’ In other words, our religion is one of universal

tradition and broad membership, uniting peoples

across the globe in one Faith and one Spirit. One of

the great blessings of our East Lansing Catholic

Community is the diversity of our membership; let us

warmly welcome whoever comes through our church

doors to worship with us. God continues to call all

people; let us make ready to receive them!

Our parish elementary school returns this week and

Michigan State University will start up in September.

Let us pray for all of our returning students and their

families. Certainly these are trying times given the

health precautions and social-distancing concerns.

Thank you to all of our teachers and staff for helping

our students to continue their education and to do so

safely!

May God bless and keep you all! Fr. Gordon

Mass Schedule Changes

To make room for the 6:30am Mass to return

on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, we will

only livestream the weekday Masses on

Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Tues / Thur evening Masses at 8:45pm with

confessions and adoration from 7:30-8:30pm will

resume as of Thursday, Sept. 3 following the

start of MSU Classes.

ST. THOMAS

Sunday Masses

Saturday 4:30pm

Sunday 9:00am & 11:00am

Weekday Masses

Mon, Wed, Fri 6:30am

Tues, Thurs, Sat 9:00am

Reconciliation

Sat 3:00-4:00pm

ST. JOHN

Sunday Masses

Sunday 8:00am,10:00am

Noon & 7:00pm

Weekday Masses

Mon & Wed 5:30pm

Fri 12:15pm

Reconciliation

Mon & Wed 4:00-5:00pm

Fri 11:00am-12:00pm

At the Vigil Mass on Saturday,

August 15, Bishop Boyea celebrated

Mass and installed Fr. Gary as the

Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Howell.

May God guide, support, and strengthen him in his

new role.

Greetings from

the Senior Ministry Committee!!!

How we miss seeing all of you!! We miss our service

projects, our faith sharing and our educational

presentations. We miss our field trips and luncheons

where we have the opportunity to visit with one

another. We hope you are staying safe and well during

this most unusual time.

We are working to try and provide opportunities to

connect safely.

Wed, August 26

Senior Mass at

10:00am

For Seniors who feel unsafe

or uncomfortable going to

Mass, we are offering a one-time Mass for seniors only.

Fr. Jerry will be our presider at St. Thomas Aquinas.

Please join us if you can!

3

Parish Census Beginning August 16 We Want to Serve You Better

Your parish is here to serve you. Beyond providing

Masses, confessions, and anointings, we prepare

people for sacraments, educate people about the

faith, offer faith building opportunities, serve the

poor, enable you to do service and more.

Help us to effectively communicate with you about all

that we are and all that we have to offer. Fill out a

Parish Census this weekend. It is a very simple form

available online or on paper to make sure that we

have your most current contact information.

Name

Address

Date of Birth

Phone number(s)

Email Address(es)

Names of Children

If you have never formally registered in the Parish,

forms will also be available for that.

Your information is strictly confidential for pastoral

use only and will not be given out to unauthorized

personnel.

We realize that this task may take a few minutes of

your time, but the updated information you provide

will be invaluable to us. Please know how much your

assistance is appreciated in this project. If there is

anything that you need from us, please do not hesitate

to contact Denise Zakerski, Director of Administrative

Services: 517-337-9778 or dzakerski@elcatholics.org.

Socially Distant Bible Study ANYONE Can Do!

If you have a computer, tablet or iPad, we help you get set up!

The Bible is at the heart of our Faith and our

relationship with God. It is the place where our

Father meets with us and lovingly speaks to us.

Reading the Bible should bring us closer to Christ, but

understanding it is often difficult. The good news is

that you can understand the Bible, and The Bible

Timeline makes it easy.

The Bible Timeline Bible Study is an in-depth 24 week

bible study that takes you through the entire bible in a

way you have never experienced before. Using a

unique color-coded chart, you will learn the major

people, places, and events of the Bible and discover

how they all come together to reveal the remarkable

story of our faith. This program will introduce you to

the wonderful narrative of the Bible in a way that will

transform your life and enhance your reading.

ANYONE can watch the program online and

watch Katrina's talk live on Facebook!

You will be able to interact and post comments!

Register online at elcatholics.org/timeline

(preferred) or call Dian 517-351-5460. When you

register, you’ll get all the tech information and help

you need! You can do this!

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Mondays & Wednesdays

4:00-5:00pm

Tuesdays & Thursdays

7:30-8:30pm

Beginning Thurs, 9/3

St. John Church

Beginning Friday 9/11

7:00am—3:30pm

3:30pm Benediction

St. Thomas Aquinas

If you or someone you know is struggling - Have

Hope. Get Help. Set a counseling appoint at our

Catholic Charities agency, St. Vincent Catholic

Charities at 517.323.4734. They offer profession and

licensed counseling for individuals, couples, families

and children in a safe and supportive environment.

www.HaveHopeGetHelpt.com

4

This retreat will not be focused solely on vocation

discernment but all decisions of life big and

small. Find out more information at:

dioceseoflansing.org/event/ignatian

Questions, contact Dawn Hausmann at

517-342-2506 or at dhausmann@dioceseoflansing.org

Undergraduate Intern

Positions Available

Each year, the Parish hires

undergraduate student

parishioners as interns to

work an average of 10 hours

per week and assist in ministry. They are also

REQUIRED to attend Wednesday night formations

sessions from 6:15-7:15pm. Experience volunteering

in particular ministries is taken into account in the

application and interview process. For more

information about these positions go to

stjohnmsu.org/jobs or contact Katie or Taylor.

St. John Student Center - Home of the

Catholic Spartans Katie Diller Gleason - kgleason@elcatholics.org

Director of Campus Ministry

Taylor Piotrzkowski - taylorp@elcatholics.org

Campus Minister

Undergrads dive deep into the theology of the Faith this summer over Zoom!

This week, bring your questions as we explore the

mystery of our infinite God as both Creator and

Father.

Join us every Wednesday at 7pm

tinyurl.com/sjscsummer

Password: summer

Undergraduates

5

Registration for fall RE classes is open.

You can register online at

elcatholics.org/religious-education-program

Please register soon so I can plan classes and teachers

for your children. If you don't want your child to

come in person we offer online options (with parents

teaching & without parents teaching). Registrations

need to be in by September 11th deadline to start

first class on October 4th/5th. We will be following

all COVID school regulations for students &

teachers.

Debbie Lewis: dlewis@elcatholics.org

(517)332-0064 (School) or

(517)351-5460 ext. 334 (Parish)

Masks Now Required in Outdoor Public Areas within

East Lansing’s DDA Boundaries

Effective Monday, August 10, East Lansing Mayor

Aaron Stephens declared a City State of

Emergency and issued a new order requiring that

masks be worn in all outdoor public spaces within

the boundaries of the East Lansing Downtown

Development Authority (DDA).

St. John is inside of the boundaries set

by the city. Once you are south of Linden St. or

park in the Grove Street ramp, you will need to be

wearing a mask. The city seems to be building upon

the MSU campaign, "Mask Up MSU."

Masks continue to be required inside of both

churches in an effort to keep all people safe and

healthy.

Saturday, August 22 is the Feast of the

Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our newly enhanced

Marian Garden will be blessed and dedicated that day

at 1:00pm. Please plan to join us!

Thank you to our benefactor and Eagle Scout

Candidate, Noah Mead-O’brien for their work!

Do You Have A Child To Baptize?

Monday, September 14th, 7-9pm

Our next baptism preparation session for parents

(and godparents) of infants or young children to

baptize will take place Monday, Sept. 14th from

7-9pm at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.

Please contact Debbie Lewis in the Formation

offices if you plan to attend (517-332-0064) or dlewis@elcatholics.org. Registration forms are

available through the parish offices and online at

elcatholics.org/baptism

July Baptismal Celebrations

We joyfully welcome into our Catholic faith

community the following infants & young children

who were baptized during the month of July, and we

warmly congratulate their parents!

Cecelia Michelle Mark Farrugia & Cynthia Lucidi

Reid Samuel Sean & Catelyn McNamara

Bernadette Rose Joshua & Sarah Hamilton

From MSU

on Twitter

6

Open on August 22 8:00am - 10:00am

The Food Cupboard at SJC continues to provide

food for those in need in our community. Due to

safety concerns and the need to socially distance, we

are providing each guest with a prepacked bag of

food and personal needs items and a bag of produce.

We appreciate donations of non-perishable food, and

ask that you avoid bulk foods as we are not

repackaging food to minimize contact. Items we need

include cereal, plain pasta, pasta sauce, rice, canned

fruit, canned soup, peanut butter, jam/jelly, tuna fish,

canned chicken, canned vegetables (we are well

stocked on green beans), and ramen noodles.

Personal needs items include soap, toothpaste,

toothbrushes, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner,

laundry detergent, and toilet paper. Thank you for

your generosity, and for helping us help others.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Update

This Sunday the catechumens and their sponsors gathered to consider the topic, "Christian

Hope". There is a need to remain strong and faithful during our earthly pilgrimage as we look

forward to our heavenly reward. This can be challenging in a world of consumerism, relativism,

and self-centeredness.

Jesus says we need to provide for ourselves the kind of treasure no thief can reach nor moth

destroy. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus for the world every time we share what we have with the

poor and every time we work for justice. We do this realizing that Jesus' final return and our union with him at

our death will come on a day and at a time we do not know.

This week the June inquiry group and their sponsors had a retreat in preparation for the Rite of Acceptance/Rite

of Welcome. They considered any suffering or challenge they have had in their lives. They also considered the

suffering of large groups of people in the past and the suffering people go through today either through natural

disasters, war, violence, or other circumstances. They reflected on the suffering and death of Jesus for our sake

and how the cross is the major symbol of our Christian faith. Finally, they were led to consider how each of us

can join our challenges and suffering to the suffering of Christ for the good of others.

After the retreat the group went through a rehearsal for the Rite of Acceptance/Rite of Welcome in the church

at St. Thomas Aquinas.

If you have been thinking about exploring your interest in the Catholic Church, or if you know someone who has

mentioned this possibility, call Pete Ries at 517-351-5460, ext. 1328 or e-mail him at pries@elcatholics.org.

From the Bishop

The dispensation from

the obligation to attend

Sunday Mass has been

extended until the end of

the Church Year, that is, November 28th.

The dispensation is granted broadly to ensure that

anyone who needs to stay home to protect the

common good can do so confidently, in good

conscience. But those who are truly able to attend

Mass should remember that we are transformed by

being joined to Christ in the Eucharist. Only a weighty

reason should keep us from being sanctified through

participation in and our reception of Christ’s body and

blood.

No Change in Capacity for Public Masses

Please note that the Governor’s amended Safe Start

Executive Order (EO 2020-160), issued July 29th does

not impact religious gatherings. We will continue to

observe the 25% capacity limits.

7

Enrollment Information

Lansing Catholic High School is currently accepting

online applications for incoming 9th graders and for

transfer students into grades 10 and 11 for next

school year. Families should apply through LCHS’s

website: www.lansingcatholic.org. For more

information contact:

Admissions Office - 517-267-2102 or

admissions@lansingcatholic.org

Tuition Office -517-267-2107 or

tuition@lansingcatholic.org

Enter more fully into the Mass by preparing for next

Sunday’s liturgy (August 23), the Twentieth Sunday in

Ordinary Time.

For commentary, go to elcatholics.org/adult-faith-

formation

Isaiah 22:19–23 What he opens, no one will shut,

what he shuts, no one will open.

Romans 11:33–36 For from him and through him

and for him are all things. To him be glory forever.

Matthew 16:13–20 [Jesus said,] “You are Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my church, and the

gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against

it.”

How willing are you to let the pope, Peter’s

successor, confirm your faith today?

What are you doing to ensure your faith is built

on a solid foundation?

Thank You for Your Commitment to

Our Shared Mission and Ministry!

Your offerings show the kind of love and sacrifice and care for others that proves, beyond a doubt, that our

parishioners are followers of Jesus Christ. Knowing

that finances are tight for many at this time, thank you

to those who have stepped up your support.

July 1 marked the beginning of a new fiscal year for the

Parish. Our budget has been decreased in keeping

with the times. The parish staff and priests are

committed to being good stewards of your offering.

Donations can be made at Mass in the collection box,

online at elcatholics.org/give or

text the word GIVE to 517-348-0351

IF YOU NEED HELP giving online or have questions

about your giving, please contact Joshua Ginepro at

517-351-7215 or jginepro@elcatholics.org.

OFFERTORY NUMBERS - SUNDAY 7/26

Actual: $ 30,645.89

Budgeted: $ 35,426.59 Year to Date: $ 148,950.77

Budgeted YTD: $ 149,939.05

Deficit $ -988.28

Matthew 25 for August 15 & 23

Aid to the Church in Need, Daughters of the Resurrection, Democratic Republic of Congo

Covid-19 has compounded the already unforgiving

circumstances for the Daughters of the Resurrection

in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several Sisters

from their Congregation have been murdered and

their convent destroyed, but they continue to minister

to poor families, orphans, the elderly, those in despair

in psychiatric centers and the infirm. Your donation

will help them continue their ministry to the poorest

of the poor.

8

Can You Help

Push Us Over?

Each year we participate in the

Diocesan Service Appeal.

Through this appeal, the Diocese is able to fund

ministries that no one Parish could do alone. The programs and services funded by DSA offer direct

assistance to individuals and families, and to parishes,

schools, and Catholic Charities agencies. “Every good

work” of the Church occurs through dozens of ongoing

ministries made possible by our contributions to DSA.

Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed.

You are helping people right here in our community.

If you have not, any size gift helps! Please prayerfully

consider how you or your family will respond to this

call to carry on Christ’s work in our community.

“Happy the One Who Trusts in the Lord.”

Diocese of Lansing Outreach Mass

The Outreach Mass airs every

Sunday at 6:00am and 10:00am

on WLAJ-TV Lansing ABC 53 and at 10:00am on

WBSF-TV Flint CW 46.

You can listen to the Radio Outreach Mass on WJIM

Radio AM 1240 Lansing Sundays at 11:00am,

and Good Shepherd Catholic Radio Jackson

Sundays at noon.

The Mass is also shown on Ann Arbor Community

Television Network Cable Channel 17 on Monday at

5:00pm, Wednesday at 11:00am, Thursday at 7:00pm,

and Saturday at 10:00am.

Consider a Catholic Education for Your Children

A Catholic education is among the best gifts parents

can give their children. By making a Catholic

education your priority, you witness to your children

that your faith is the basis on which you make

decisions for their well-being, and you demonstrate

that the Lord is the center of your lives and the

foundation on which your home is built.

9

This Weeks’ Advertiser Spotlight

Keystone Appraisal

Monday, August 17,2020

6:30am (St. Thomas)

5:30pm (St. John)

Ralph & Carolyn Zakerski req. by the Family

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

9:00am (St. Thomas)

Larry Uy req. by Pat Davidson

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

6:30am (St. Thomas) Int of Bill & Carol Ann Wilkinson 60th Wedding

Anniversary req. by the Family

5:30pm (St. John)

Thursday, August 20, 2020

9:00am (St. Thomas) Int. of Mimsy Celio req. by Rick & Julie Bryce

Friday, August 21, 2020

6:30am (St. Thomas)

12:15pm (St. John)

Leo & Mary Margaret Scheetz req. by

Janet & Patrick Scheetz

Saturday, August 22, 2020

9:00am (St. Thomas)

Maggie Frankland req. by the Frankland Family

4:30pm (St. Thomas)

Harry Woodbeck Sr. req. by Margaret & Sally Woodbeck

Sunday, August 23, 2020

8:00am (St. John)

9:00am (St. Thomas)

Dr. Mark Spagnuolo req. by Jon & Roseann Zumbrink

10:00am(St. John)

People of the Parish

11:00am(St. Thomas)

Deceased Members of the Krol Family

eq. by the Krol Family

12:00pm(St. John)

7:00pm (St. John)

Jason Bryans req. by the Bryans Family

Mass Intentions

A Big THANK YOU to the Parishioners for Your

Generous Support!

Due to Covid-19 issues, Pregnancy Services currently

is well stocked and not requesting any items, but they

would love to grow their weekly prayer chain email

list! If you would like to sign up to be a prayer

warrior for

Pregnancy Services -- their clients, babies and staff

always need prayer support.

email info@pregnancylansing.com.

Have questions or need assistance? Contact Noel at noelcloss@me.com

or Ann at annzyg@gmail.com.

Please Pray for the Sick & Deceased

For all who are sick: may they be

healed and strengthened

according to God's will. We pray for our television,

radio, and online community, Pam Czubak, and those

listed in our book of Prayer. We pray to the Lord.

For all who have died: may they come into the light of

God's presence. We remember:. We pray to the

Lord.