A glimpse as we celebrated the Epiphany of our Lord. It is good to respond and come in person to worship and receive the graces of our Lord fully in Holy Communion!
Please reach out to your friends or parishioners who have not gone back to in-person worship and encourage them to visit the website, at least. We will be taking down the Christmas theme in church after Mass on Sunday, as the last day of Christmas is on that day. Help them enjoy a share of the joy and hope as we prepare to greet this new year.
Now the creche is complete with the three wise men finally able to pay homage to the new-born Savior.
Just so thankful for volunteers and staff who are committed to do the best that they can so that we are drawn to the beauty of the Eucharist and cannot help but be reverent and, by doing so, we become more welcoming to the graces that attending Mass offers. Thinking together and being able to share ideas openly and then deciding on what is best to support Liturgy are the fun, positive high points when these volunteers and staff collaborate. The positions of the wreaths were measured to the millimeter and perfectly aligned. Each possible corner that could be updated so that it would synch with the central theme was cleaned up and spruced up. If there is a sense of unity or a sense of beauty that literally surrounds you as soon as you enter church it is because of attention to the littlest details. They are awesome!
The Best for Liturgy
Halsey was like a skating rink Sunday, December 26th; Mother Mary of the Angels had to both cantor and play the organ and for a few minutes before Mass it looked like less than 30 people would dare the ice conditions and pay homage to the Holy Family. But the Good Lord blesses and more than 160 people responded and worshipped together in Mass this morning. God bless you all!
Don't stay away any longer!
Wooohaah!
Team Task Today: What we love about collaboration is the brainstorming part. Everyone is free to share ideas because everyone listens. When there's a lot of humility and no "me" first, the job gets done, and it gets done with lots of positivity energy and fun! Those you see in the picture are just those who agreed to have their picture taken - there were a few more who came but were shy about being in the picture or were busy at the entrance - like Mark, Tom W., William, Pam, Cea, Virginia. You all were A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!
Just wanted to share as much as we can today, so apologies for the random postings (some typos as well?), but it is a Christmas to remember - in spite of Covid, hope, joy through our Lord Jesus Christ remain in the upper hand, if you so will it. We hope you see the lightness of joy in these pictures.
The walled-off area where the statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are was called the Meditation Shrine. The Meditation Shrine was dedicated to the founder and first pastor of St. Therese. This plaque has been reinstalled in the same area for all of us to remember Fr. Jerome Schmitz (see picture above, left. Standing by the area which used to ba walled off, we now have a really beautiful view of our church. It is also now a really good accessible spot for those who use wheelchairs, like Sister Kathy, or who are hearing-impaired. Roberta was so happy - she said she heard every single word during Mass today!
Good Morning!!
Behind-the-scenes ministry matters! It's nice to know the people behind the scene, just to keep in mind the different gifts that we have, to help us see the bigger picture of things. Putting together a plan to prepare the church for Christmas was a collaboration of expertise and effort: valuable input from Matt Shelton, our Facilities Manager and Penny Montani, our Business Manager helped our volunteers put together what you now see, resulting in a beautiful liturgical space. Below is a picture of the wall that hid the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary for many, many years. There were the liturgical ministers themselves who met and reviewed before hand: seen below are Fr. Jon, Barb (sacristan and altar server) and Hazel as lector. We thank Steve Schommer of Schommer and Sons for making the renovation possible and for the intercession of St. Therese in making it possible with the needed perfect timing!
This Christmas we have 8 beautiful trees, including the regal nobles, donated by Knight Brian. Thank you!
After the Christmas Mass during the day, Sister John Marie of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, got to meet Sister Kathy of the Sisters of Providence, while Fr. Jon happened to stray within the camera range!
Come, visit in person so you can see the little changes inside the church.
When the going gets rough, we go to the point person, the center point, the very foundation of hope, strength - that is why we are dedicating the entire year of 2022 to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!
Every Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the Parish Social Center (PSC). Please call 503-256-5850 or email Stella at stella@stthereseor.org
Last Thanksgiving Day Mass we shared as a congregation the Bread of Eternal Life, and then brought home blessed bread to share with loved ones. It was a good day!
We are now accepting applications to our Confirmation Program, Adult Education Program and RCIA. Please call the Office and look for Stella 503-256-5850 ext. 204, or email at info@stthereseor.org
Thank you for reading this far! Remember to pray for each other - it's been tough these past months. If you can, offer practical help; if your are not able, offer prayers and spiritual solidarity with those who are hurting. In any way that we acknowledge, we strengthen ourselves as one body in Christ! Make this day count by being thankful, by being a little more cheerful and being kind not just to others, but also to ourselves. We are precious in God's eyes! Let us end this day in unity with one another as we pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: