Welcome to Saint Joseph Catholic Church

106 North Meramec Avenue Clayton, Missouri 63105-3788

Rev. Nicholas E. Kastenholz, Pastor Rev. Thomas J. Schaab, Senior Associate Deacons Albert Williams and Del Leonardo Parish Office: 314-726-1221 Parish Fax: 314-721-5110

Parish e-mail: pat_stj@hotmail.com Parish website: www.stjosephclayton.org Rectory Hours: 8:30-4:00 pm, Mon-Fri Religious Education — PSR Terri Venneman, CRE School Office: 314-727-9059 School Fax: 314-727-2271 Music Director — Tom Taylor 314-726-1221 Director of Maintenance -- Steve Topping 314-726-1221

Mass Schedule Sunday 7:30 am, 9:00 am, and 11:00 am Mon, Wed, Fri 6:30 am, 12:00 noon Tues, Thurs 8:00 am and 12:00 noon Saturday 8:00 am and 5:00 pm (Sunday Vigil) National Holidays See bulletin Holy Days of Obligation See Bulletin

Eucharistic Adoration Monday, Wednesday 7:00 am until 12:00 noon Tuesday, Thursday 8:30 am until 12:00 noon

St. Joseph Parish Council Members

Fr. Nick Kastenholz, Pastor Parish Council Chairperson Frank Hackmann, Education Commission Al Barbieri, Finance Commission Sharon Skrivan, Social Concerns Commission Betsy Barbieri, Marion O’Gorman, Anne Shapleigh Denny Staub, Barbara Summers, Christie Murphy

St Vincent de Paul Emergency Assistance -

For assistance for food, util it ies etc. , please call 289-6101, box 2208. Our St. Vincent de Paul Society will respond promptly. You may make an appointment to meet with a member on Wednesday morning through the same number.

Rosary Weekdays 11:40 am

Thursday after the 8:00 am Mass

Perpetual Help Devotions Tuesdays after 8:00 am and 12:00 pm Masses

Sacrament of Reconciliation Weekdays 11:15-11:50 am Saturday 4:00-4:45 pm

Baptism The Sacrament of Baptism is administered on Sunday at 12:00 pm. To register for the Baptismal Instruction Program and schedule a Baptism, please call the Office.

Marriage Preparation

Couples are asked to contact the Parish Office 6 to 12 months before setting the date.

Download Our FREE Parish Phone App!

St. Joseph app is now available to download for iPhone and Android smart phones. Stay connected with our par-ish throughout the week with instant notifications, an easy-to-access event calendar, and the ability to quickly reply to or share messages via Facebook or Twitter. Also enjoy a bunch of additional features like prayers, daily readings, helpful reminders to silence your phone before Mass or Confession, and much more. Download our app today at myparishapp.com or search your phone's app store for myparish. OR, EVEN EASIER, go to our website, Stjosephclay-ton.org and click on the icon, it will take you directly to the app.

Make, track, and schedule parish donations directly from your computer.

Just log onto our website www.stjospehclayton.org

and follow the link.www.stjosephclayton.org

OR, you can scan this code and it will take you directly to the site. If you are new to Online Giving, register by entering our church ID of 1593.

First Sunday of Lent February 14, 2016

Hello,

Well Lent has started, and with it another set of days of fasting and abstinence. Traditionally Lent is known as 40 days of fasting before Easter, but there are some problems if you get out a calendar and start counting the number of days from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Not that I don’t trust this, but most liturgists didn’t get the best grades in math class, and also it is always good to know the reason why something may be different than we expect.

First off, if you count from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday you will get 4 days for Ash Wednesday up to the First Sunday of Lent, and then 42 days for the 6 weeks of lent, 46 days, so we know that is wrong. But Sunday’s are not counted as days of Lent since they, like Easter, are celebrating the resurrection of Christ, so it wouldn’t be a day that was proper for fasting or penance since we are celebrating Christ’s Resurrection. So 46 – 6 = 40, that wasn’t so hard. But it also brings up arguments I have heard in many households, if you gave something up (your fast) or are doing something daily for Lent should you also maintain that practice on Sunday? As Sunday’s are not meant to be days of penance or fasting it would make sense that you do not. But at the same time, depending on what you have chosen it may be appropriate. An example a friend gave me was that if you know you have the habit of swearing and were going to make a special effort by giving that up for Lent, that would seem like a good thing to also give up on Sundays. But if you gave up ice cream, maybe having some on Sunday is a way of appropriately celebrating that day, just don’t think you have to clean out the whole container.

Talking about Sundays though can also bring up another topic, what about special feast days? Then it depends on how high a feast it is. St. Patrick’s day is a feast day, but it doesn’t take precedence over our Lenten practices. But two days that normally fall during Lent that are Solemnities, days when we even override the Sunday Lenten practice and we recite the Gloria at Mass, are the Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Feast of the Annunciation. These are some of the things you learn in the seminary. But this year, the Annunciation, March 25th, falls on Good Friday, so Good Friday takes priority and is still a day of fast and abstinence.

One other conflict that comes up at times is the Sacred Triduum, which begins on Holy Thursday with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper and ends the evening of Easter Sunday. Officially, Lent ends when we start the Triduum, but we realize that up to the Easter Vigil itself we are still in preparation for Easter, so those days still count in our 40 days of Lenten preparation. Hopefully that may answer a few questions, but don’t’ get too legalistic and always remember that we should be trying to grow closer to Christ.

Peace, Fr. Nick

I would like also like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have expressed in notes, in prayers, and in your words your support for me and my family at the time of my mother’s death a week ago, they are very much appreciated.

Thank you, Fr. Nick

Notes From The Pastor's Pen

Sunday, Feb. 21

7:30 am Richard Klein

9:00 am St Joseph Parishioners

11:00 am LaVerne Safron

Saturday, Feb. 20

8:00 am Poor Souls

5:00 pm Mary Burke

Friday, Feb. 19

6:30 am Marilyn Kastenholz

12:00 pm Timothy Doody

Thursday, Feb. 18

8:00 am Dr. Renato Tan

12:00 pm Bernardo Reyes

Family

Wednesday, Feb. 17

6:30 am Helene Schweitzer

12:00 pm Margaret Kurrus

Tuesday, Feb. 16

8:00 am Francis Flynn & Family

12:00 pm Charlie Hudson

Monday, Feb. 15

6:30 am Sr Mary Ralph Heckemeyer

12:00 pm Georgia Casey

Mass Intentions

The Deadline to submit an ar cle for the

bulle n is Monday at 10 am

Wedding Banns Banns III

Allyson Keth & Dustin Yamnitz Please pray for them as they

begin their life together.

We Pray For Our Loved Ones

May God provide

health and comfort to

Mike Proctor

Douglas Purdy

Gene Mackey

Tracy Petit

Louise O’Farrell

Betty Notter

Dave Rowan

Joanne Deddens

Joan Rice

Layne Knight

LaJuana Hinch

Joy Fischer

Shirley Toon

Eugene Shalhoob

Mary Jane Zoernig

Sr. Eleanor

Barbara Lindsay

Maria Guehlstorf

Madelyn Ibeling

Michael Phelps

Colleen Woodard

READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8-10, 15; Mt 25:31-46 Tuesday: Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7, 16-19; Mt 6:7-15 Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18 -19; Lk 11:29-32 Thursday: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25; Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8; Mt 7:7-12 Friday: Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8; Mt 5:20-26 Saturday: Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Mt 5:43-48 Sunday: Gn 15:5-12, 17-18; Ps 27:1, 7-9, 13-14; Phil 3:17 — 4:1 [3:20 — 4:1]; Lk 9:28b-36

A Peek at the Week Ahead Monday, February 15

President’s Day — No School Parish Office Closed

1:00 pm Prayer Group, Madonna Rm 7:30 pm Adult Choir, Church Wednesday, February 17 9:15 am Cornerstone Bible Study, Parish

Hall Friday, February 19 7:30 pm Cursillo, Parish Hall Saturday, February 20

St. Joseph Trivia Night — Parish Hall Doors open 6:30 pm — Start time 7:00 pm

Sunday, February 21 9:30 am PSR, School 11 am CLW, Centennial Rm

ST. JOSEPH'S TRIVIA IN CLAYTON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2016

Doors Open: 6:30 p.m. Start Time: 7:00 p.m. (promptly) Finish Time: Usually around 10:00

Tables: 8 players Cost: $20 per player Pre-Registration by February 13 is $150.00 for a table of 8

Mail a check made out to St. Joseph Parish to: Joe & Carolyn Dickmann 1707 Del Norte, 63117

Food: Light beverages and Snacks provided; Bring your own food too!

Prizes: Top 3 tables Questions: Some easy, some challenging, all fun!

To Register: Call Joe & Carolyn Dickmann, 314-781-8650

Rest In Peace Let us pray for all of our de-ceased parishioners, relatives, benefactors and friends. We remember all of our loved ones who have gone before us and pray that they are celebrating with our Lord in heaven.

Mission Congress - February 20, 2016 Please join Archbishop Robert J. Carlson at our annual Mission Congress, to be held Saturday, February 20, 2016 from 8:30am-12:00pm at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, 5200 Glennon Drive, St. Louis, MO 63119. Our theme is "Forming Missionary Disciples in the Spirit of Ad Gentes". $10 adults, $5 students. Register online by February 5: http://archstl.org/mission/missioncongress This is a great chance to meet our seminarians, as well as religious orders, teens and adults involved in mission! For additional information, please call the Mission Office at 792-7655.

Sunday Worship Feb. 20-21, 2016

5:00 pm

Altar Servers Wilson & Ingrid Stahl

Lectors

Fred Yap

Ministers of Communion

Rosemary Hardy Christie Murphy

Deacon Al

7:30 am

Altar Servers Liam & Meaghan

Mulligan

Lectors Laurent Torno

Ministers of Communion

Betty Torno Frank Hackmann Veronica Hilyard

9:00 am

Altar Servers Thomas Clear & Mark

Aune

Lectors John Gillis

Ministers of Communion

Mary Carver Michael Clear

Roy Blair

11:00 am

Altar Servers Kateri & Claudia Gutting

Lectors

Anne Pokoski Joe Dickmann

Ministers of Communion

Roger Drone Carolyn Dickmann

Deacon Del

To become a minister call 726-1221.

Sunday Offerings-February 6-7, 2016

Sunday Envelopes … 5,646.00 Loose ………… 1,034.11 Online Giving 1,410.09 Holy Day 0.00 Weekday noon Masses 270.98 Total for week 8,361.18 YTD Budget 322,654.39 YTD Actual 351,152.96 YTD Operating Surplus/(Deficit) 28,498.57

Bible Study at St. Joseph Please join us!

Please join The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study as we continue our 2015-2016 study of the Gospel of Luke, which is sometimes referred to as "the Gospel of Prayer" due to the many beautiful prayers included within it. Meetings are held on Wednesday morn-ings at St. Joseph - Clayton, 9:15-11:00 am and on Thursday evenings at Our Lady of Lourdes, 7–8:45 pm.

There is a free childcare ministry at the St. Joseph branch only. For other loca-tions and more details please call Mary Noetzel at 314-721-4947, Karen Dille at 314-727-6830 or Mary Beth Fox at 314-680-2070, or visit our website www.thecornerstonescripturestudy.org.

Jubilee Year of Mercy February 14, 2016

First Sunday of Lent On Ash Wednesday Pope Francis commissioned “Missionaries of Mercy,” priest-confessors sent forth worldwide as “living signs of the Father’s readiness to welcome those in search of [God’s] pardon.” In a way, though, Pope Francis challenges all of us to become “missionaries of mercy” (Misericordiae Vultus, 18) by living Lent in this Jubilee Year of Mercy “more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy” (MV, 17). Francis bids us make the prophet Micah’s words our own: “God . . . who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency. You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins” (Micah 7:18, 19). Having experienced God’s mercy ourselves in the unconditional forgiveness of our sins, how eager we should be to invite others to know the peace of God’s boundless mercy; perhaps even to experience, through our reaching out in gentle kindness and compassionate care, something of God’s unconditional love for them. —Peter Scagnelli, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc. Papal quotes Copyright © 2015, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, February 22nd in honor of President’s Day.

We will re-open on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

Some helpful practices for Lent:

1. Attend Mass several days a week, either arriving early or staying late to pray for your special intentions before the Blessed

Sacrament.

2. Pray the Rosary daily on your way to or from work.

3. Consider making a general confession during Lent – not out of scruples over past confessions but as a means of spiritual growth.

4. Make a special effort to ask your spouse about how you can better help him/her and do the same with your children.

5. Reconcile with relatives or estranged or former friends, or at least make the

attempt.

6. Make the Way of the Cross once a week, In any form you choose. And pay atten- tion in prayer: you may hear of still other paths you in particular should follow.

Why Go To Eucharistic Adoration?

The Lord is always waiting to help us. Bring your sorrows and joys to the One Who loves us most. Faith will tell us Christ is present when our human senses fail! For more information contact Bebe Kennedy at 721-5920.

ARCHDIOCESAN LENTEN REGULATIONS “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

(John 3:16-17)

The Church has always helped us fulfill these words of Jesus by prescribing very definite penance for all Catho-lics, so that we too might have Eternal life. Accordingly, the Pope and the American Bishops have outlined obligatory fast and abstinence as follows:

Ash Wednesday (February 10, 2016) and Good Friday (March 25, 2016) are days of abstinence for all Catholics over the age of 14. On these two days, fast, as well as abstinence, is also obligatory for those from the ages of 18-59. Abstinence means refraining from meat. Fast means one full meal a day, with two smaller meals and nothing between meals (liquids are permitted). No Catholic will lightly excuse himself or herself from this obligation.

All Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence from meat. Here again Catholics will not hold themselves lightly excused, but if there is a serious health problem, this obligation would not apply.

We should strive to make all days of Lent a time of prayer and penance. Following are several resources that

can aid in finding different forms of prayer and penance.

ARCHDIOCESAN LENTEN RESOURCES There are many excellent resources and events for the Season of Lent you might wish to use. Especially, this

year during the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Archdiocese of St. Louis has several unique opportunities for the faithful:

� Reconciliation Weekend Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th http://archstl.org/confession � Archbishop Carlson’s Lenten Day of Recollection at Cathedral Basilica on Saturday, March 5th � Attend one of the Year of Mercy Events or visit one of the Year of Mercy Pilgrimage Sites http://archstl.org/mercy.

Following are also a list of some resources available for Lent this year:

� Living the Eucharist Lenten program: http://www.livingtheeucharist.org/. � Best Lent Ever daily reflections from Dynamic Catholic: http://dynamiccatholic.com/bestlentever/#signup � USCCB: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/prayer-resources- for-lent.cfm

We do not always know the impact our prayer may have for our family, friends, or others. In light of the recent flood-ing and burning of churches, I would like to encourage all in the Archdiocese of St. Louis to devote some fasting and prayer this Lent as a call to peace.

Lent is a Season of reflection, penance, fasting, and service. May the Lord strengthen you on your journey to Calvary with Our Lord. Let us pray for ourselves and others in need of our prayers throughout this Lenten Season and the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Stations of The Cross

We will pray The Stations of the Cross together each Friday during Lent at 7:00 p.m. in the Church. Please join us!

Mary responded to God’s call with faith and love. Do you sometimes find it hard to do the same in your life? ALL women of ALL ages and walks of life are invited to FIAT where together we can learn how to joyfully, generously and courageously say “yes” to God’s call to each of us in our vocation as Catholic women. Fiat will meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month during the academic year. Each meeting will include prayer and a talk from a distinguished seminary faculty member.

February 18 – Father James Mason, President-Rector Schedule 8:00 a.m. – Gathering (coffee provided) 8:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Speaker, Discussion, and Rosary Location Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, 5200 Glennon Drive, St. Louis, MO 63119

3-Day Holy Week Directed Retreat at Mercy Center 3-Day Holy Week Directed Retreat at Mercy Center, Frontenac on March 21—23, 2016. This silent retreat begins at 8:00 A.M. on Monday, March 21 and concludes late afternoon on Wednesday, March 23. Come and enter more deeply into the paschal mystery by spending these early days of Holy Week in quiet reflection. Give yourself holy leisure to meet with a spiritual director each day, reflect on the rich readings of the season, and join in a daily Eucharistic Celebration. Find your heart, mind and spirit fully prepared to celebrate the Sacred Triduum. Spiritual directors for the retreat from the Mercy Center Spirituality Team are Ginger Andrews, RSM, Agnes Brueggen, RSM, and Rita O’Dea. Non-refundable registration: $25 due March 7. Total cost, including registration: Overnight: $325 Commuters: $270 Register online at www.mercycenterstl.org or contact Sandy Meyer at 314.966.4686 or smeyer@mercycenterstl.org.

Morning of Prayer & Reflection on The Mercy of God Morning of Prayer & Reflection on The Mercy of God Guest presenter: Bishop Robert J. Hermann, Auxiliary Bishop-emeritus of Archdiocese of St. Louis Saturday, March 5th Our Lady of Sorrows (5020 Rhodes Ave. / St. Louis, MO 63109) Experience a time of prayer and contemplation during this Season of Lent as we open ourselves to God’s mercy in our lives. + Beginning at 9:00 a.m. with light continental breakfast, in the Cafeteria. + Continuing with Bishop Hermann sharing on The Mercy of God. + Ending at 11:30 a.m. after Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction led by Bishop Hermann. For more information or to let us know you are coming, contact Christina Sanders: 314.351.1600 or olscre@sbcglobal.net. Registration encouraged, but is not necessary.

Catholic Women for Christ Conference For information on the upcoming Catholic Women for Christ Conference, please visit the new website: catholic- women-forchrist.org. The 2016 Catholic Women for Christ Conference is scheduled for Saturday, February 27, and will feature Elizabeth Ficocelli, C. Vanessa White, and Sr. Elizabeth Beussink, along with emcee Elizabeth Westhoff. This year's conference will be held at Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts (2300 W. Clay Street, St. Charles, MO 63301). To register, please visit catholicwomenforchrist.org.