may 23, 2021 page 1 may 23, 2021
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May 23, 2021 Page 1
May 23, 2021
Page 2 Pentecost Sunday
PARISH MISSION STATEMENT
We the Christian Community of St. Thomas More, in an atmosphere of hospitality, are dedicated to proclaiming the life, death, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ through excellence in worship, education, and service to others.
We believe that the nurturing of the community around the Eucharistic Table is extended
through gatherings which further strengthen and support us. We shall pursue this mission faithfully through the power
of the Holy Spirit and the gifts and talents of our members.
A Note From Our Pastor
THE BLESSED OF US HELP THE REST OF US
We have now begun the 2021 Catholic Services Appeal (CSA). By this time, all registered parishioners should have received a letter from the Archdiocese and a pledge form to indicate support and participation in this important work of charity within the Archdiocese of Detroit of which we are, as St. Thomas More Parish, an important part. One of the favorite images people have of Jesus is that of the Good Shepherd. A shepherd is one who takes care of his flock. He protects it. He takes care of their needs. He defends the flock against anything that would harm it. In imitation of Jesus, the Church has traditionally called its leaders to the role of shepherding faith communities. For example, the word “pastor” comes from the Latin word for shepherd. Within the Archdiocese of Detroit, Archbishop Vigneron serves us as our chief shepherd. His duties extend beyond any one parish. He must be concerned about all the parishes, institutions, programs and ministries of the Archdiocese. His responsibilities include taking care of the sick; assisting the poor, hungry and homeless; training future priests; comforting those in hospitals and prisons with chaplaincy programs; assisting the divorced through the Church’s annulment procedures; providing college students with the spiritual guidance of chaplains; developing, promoting, and supporting Catholic educational outreach, and a lot more. The Archbishop, and those associated with him, have to have the means to do these things. He needs to have our support to be a good shepherd for his flock. The CSA is our opportunity to do just that. United with the Archbishop, all of us work together, motivated by the Lord’s command to His disciples, “Love one another as I have loved you.” The CSA is a very effective means to demonstrate that love and put it into action. Our parish target for CSA 2021 is $126,279. With everyone doing their share, we should be able to reach our goal. The people of St. Thomas More have been so good and generous in past years, but we need everyone’s participation to make this year’s drive successful, too. I sincerely ask you to support our Archbishop and the important and necessary work of the Archdiocese. Together, as parishioners of St. Thomas More, let us strive to make our parish a shining example. I am counting on your support and generosity (and so many others are, as well). Please also be assured of God’s blessing for your personal participation in helping accomplish His work.
Msgr. Tom Rice
Join the Knights on May 31st for the Rosary
The Church traditionally dedicates the month of May to The Blessed Virgin Mary, and there is no better way to honor her and to ask for her intercession than to offer our ‘crown’ of prayers in the Rosary. As part of the Knights of Columbus’s “5th Sunday” tradition, all are invited to join the men of our Council #8659 to publicly honor Mary by praying the Rosary at St. Thomas More on Sunday, May 31st at 2:00 pm. We will reflect on the significance of Mary, the Rosary, and the Glorious Mysteries, during these turbulent times. We will also pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Make plans now to join us!
Come Holy Spirit, bestow on us Your gifts:
Wisdom … to aspire after things that are eternal
Understanding … to enlighten with divine truth
Counsel … to choose the sure way to please God
Fortitude … to overcome with courage all obstacles to salvation
Knowledge … to know God and ourselves
Piety … to find service of God sweet and amiable
Fear … to be filled loving reverence towards God
May 23, 2021 Page 3
Readings for the Week of May 23, 2021
Sunday Solemnity Of Pentecost Sunday Day: Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25; Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15
Monday Gn 3:9-15, 20 or Acts 1:12-14; Ps 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7; Jn 19:25-34
Tuesday Sir 35:1-12; Ps 50:5-6, 7-8, 14 and 23; Mk 10:28-31
Wednesday Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17; Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13; Mk 10:32-45
Thursday Sir 42:15-25; Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; Mk 10:46-52
Friday Sir 44:1, 9-13; Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b; Mk 11:11-26
Saturday Sir 51:12cd-20; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11; Mk 11:27-33
Sunday Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Dt 4:32-34, 39-40; Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:16-20
Prayers in our Parish
THIS WEEK’S EUCHARIST INTENTIONS
Saturday May 22 4:30p Brendan Isabell Donald and Dorothy Maladecki—Intention Fr. David F. West
Sunday May 23 8:30a For the People of St. Thomas More
11:30a Thomas Foot—6th Anniversary Kathy Mills—Special Intention Wallace Long Blessings for the Vanderest Family
Wednesday May 26 9:00a Ronald Paske
Saturday May 29 4:30p Richard LaPalm James D. Pawlowski—1st Anniversary In Honor of the Men and Women who gave their lives in the Service of our country.
Sunday May 30 8:30a In Honor of the Men and Women who gave their lives in the Service of our country.
11:30a James Kleinschmidt Robert Lawler Mary Agnes Sanson In Honor of the Men and Women who gave their lives in the Service of our country.
THIS WEEK’S PRAYER INTENTIONS
PRAY FOR THE SICK
PRAY FOR THE DECEASED
Our deepest sympathy and prayers to the family of:
† Pauline Gamache—mother of Kathleen Gamache † Brian Hennessy
† James Kleinschmidt—father of Christie McGraw † Carol V. Quaine
† Myles Ruiz—son of Rick Ruiz † Jerome Strong—brother-in-law of Kathy Strong
† Fr. Robert J. Witkowski
Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; Let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.”
Rosanne Bishop Maurine Brennan
Bill Budowick Tom Cavanaugh Martha Demerly Michael Drelles
Nancy Heffernan Traci Johnson
Fr. Dan Jones Jonathan Medved
Kathy Mills Nicholas Rinehart
Nora Sieli Joe Sokolowski Sally Stevens
Helen Walczak
Major Matthew Altomari SSgt. Cory Borders Lt. Andrew Boschert Major Phil Brule Sgt. Maj. Patrick Corcoran Capt. Joel Cortright ENS Michael Dwyer 1st Lt. Michael Ehlen Major Charles Evans Spc. Evan K. Fowler 2nd Lt. Theresa Corsentino SSgt. Daniel F. Jamison
M1st Class Megan Jamison ENS Julia Jermstad Lt. Christopher Mitek OS2 Emily Muhlenbeck Airman 1st Class Calen Nido Senior Airman Grant Pensa LTjg. Bradley Pienta Capt. Nick Pollock Spc. Jack Steinhauer Sgt. Kyle Stout Capt. Ben VanHorrick Lt. Adam Weisgerber
PRAY FOR THE MILITARY
Page 4 Pentecost Sunday
In our Parish
MINISTERS FOR MASS—THE MOST HOLY TRINITY—MAY 29 & 30, 2021
MASS TIME 4:30 PM Saturday 8:30 AM Sunday 11:30 AM Sunday
CELEBRANT DEACON
Msgr. Tom Rice Michael Stach
Msgr. Tom Rice Larry Jeziorski, Acolyte
Fr. Peter Ryan Don Baross
READER Leslie Ward Barbara Lepri Joan Reddy
SERVERS James Wood Christine Temple Susie Klein
USHERS Cary Sheremet Ernesto Tuazon Jim Ward
John Gielniak Gerry Gostomski Dan Hayden Mike Morrison Frank Sikorski
Zack Azzam George Halter Marvin Olane Mark Parent Mike Tauscher
MASS COORD. Cathy Mitchell David Michalak Marvin Olane
Jail Outreach Ministry
JOM is coordinating cleaning supplies to distribute to their clients in need. These supplies will be given to former jail inmates living in temporary apartments or rooms. These are people who are trying to get re-established in society. Many are starting with nothing after being released from jail.
Our “ask” for the month of May is plastic pails, heavy duty scrub sponges, Ty D Bowl toilet bowl cleaner, and Awesome laundry detergent. These are all items that can be purchased at the Dollar Tree store. A bin is in the Gathering Area for donations. As always, thank you all, for your ongoing support of this ministry!
St. Thomas More Blood Drive DONORS NEEDED to donate Blood on
Wednesday, June 9, 2021 12:00 – 6 pm in the Social Hall
Together, we can save a life….. Please volunteer to be a donor at the STM American Red Cross Blood Drive.
To sign-up to be a Donor:
• Visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code -stthomasmore OR
• Sign up on the schedule at the Information Counter
RapidPass offers donors a way to complete the pre-reading and donation questions online from the comfort and privacy of your home or office the day of the blood drive, thus reducing the time spent at the blood drive by as much as 15 minutes. Go to American Red Cross Rapid Pass to sign up.
For more information, or if you have any questions, please call Chris Reynaert at 248-645-2663 or email
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Wednesday, June 9, 2021
12:00-6:00pm in the Social Hall
Volunteers are needed during the blood drive. If you are able to do a 3 hour shift, 12 Noon-3pm or 3-6pm helping out, please call Chris Reynaert at 248-645-2663.
Cookies and/or cut up fruit are also needed for the Red Cross Blood Drive. If you can help provide these, please bring them to the parish kitchen on Tuesday, June 8th or Wednesday, June 9th.
As always, your help and time are greatly appreciated! Thank You!!
On behalf of Notre Dame Preparatory School, please join us in congratulating and celebrating one of our St. Thomas More parishioners, student Izabell Kruse, who graduated this Sunday, May 23. Her college decision is the University of Michigan.
Congratulations Izabell, and God bless you!
May 23, 2021 Page 5
Unleash the Gospel EVANGELIZATION
Who is the Holy Spirit of Pentecost? by John Hannigan
When I pray, I can have in mind an image of God or Jesus, thinking of the Persons to Whom I offer praise, thanksgiving and petition. I don’t imagine some white-haired old man, but I can relate to the Father. For Jesus it is easier because He is described richly in Scripture in His full human nature, words and actions. I pray to the Holy Spirit, too, but it is … different.
It is harder for me to relate to the Spirit. I can’t converse with a dove (Matt 3:16) or with “a noise like a strong driving wind” or “tongues as of fire” (Acts 2:2). Thinking of the deep, beautiful, abstract mystery of the Trinity doesn’t really help call to mind an image of the divine Third Person.
Who is this Holy Spirit? The Catechism has 346 paragraphs (!) on the ineffable Spirit, elaborating the depths of the Spirit’s power, grace, gifts, and role in the Church, the Sacraments and our very salvation. One aspect above all helps the Spirit be accessible in prayer: The Person of the Spirit is the bond of the complete reciprocal love between the Father and the Son. Love is how to relate to the Spirit, not as feelings but in knowing “God is Love” (CCC¶733; 1John 4:8) and letting ourselves be overwhelmed by that which gives us life: “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5).
The same Spirit of love we celebrate today moved over the “deep” in Genesis (1:2), breathed life into Adam’s nostrils (Gen 1:4), hovered as a luminous cloud over Moses on Sinai (Ex 24:15-16), incarnated Jesus in Mary’s womb (Luke 1:35), was exhaled by Jesus when He breathed His last on the cross (Matt 27:50), raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 8:11), preserves and animates all creation (CCC¶703), and speaks to and renews our hearts today (CCC¶715).
Thinking, imagining, or even talking, may just get in the way of prayer to the Spirit. But with our hearts open to the love of God, we may invite the Holy Spirit, Who “is the master of prayer” (CCC¶741), to guide our prayer: “The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with sighs too deep for words” (Rom 8:26).
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Comments/Questions? [email protected]
Stewardship TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE
Stewardship Reflections Pentecost Sunday
Our Easter season culminates with the glorious feast of Pentecost. We can imagine how incredible that moment was for the apostles and all who witnessed it. The Holy Spirit was alive and working.
The Holy Spirit is just as alive and willing to work here and now in our day-to-day moments as back at our first Pentecost.
Our First Reading bears witness to the first Pentecost. During this encounter with the Holy Spirit, the apostles and Mary felt a driving wind, there were tongues of fire on the heads of each of them and the Spirit allowed them to speak in different tongues proclaiming acts of God.
We might hear this reading and wish the Holy Spirit worked that obviously in our lives each day. The truth is, the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is obvious — we just might be blind to it, or it might be that we have closed ourselves off to the Holy Spirit’s wonderous works.
Our tongues of fire might be a profound conversation with a friend, something that you needed to hear in that exact moment, or even a closed door to an opportunity for something much, much greater. These are movements of the Holy Spirit in our everyday moments.
The more we take time to recognize them, the more we become aware of them.
On this Pentecost Sunday, let us give thanks to God for sending us His Holy Spirit. And let us strive to be in tune with the Holy Spirit by looking for the ways God has been working in our lives.
PASTORAL STAFF
Monsignor Thomas G. Rice, Pastor 248-647-2222 x. 1111
Weekend Mass Assistance Fr. Robert Spezia
Deacon Don Baross 248-647-2222 x. 8888
WORSHIP and CHRISTIAN SERVICE Deacon Michael Stach, Pastoral Associate
248-647-2222 x. 5555 [email protected]
MUSIC MINISTRY
Brian Foos, Director 248 -647-2222 x. 4444
PARISH OFFICE Lois Sokolowski, Business Manager
248-647-2222 x. 7777 [email protected]
Kathy Strong, Parish Secretary/Bulletin
248-647-2222 x. 3311
FAITH FORMATION
Josylin Mateus, Director 248-647-4680 x.5533
Ella Prendi, Secretary 248-647-4680 x.5544
SOCIAL MEDIA Debbie Knauss, Website and Facebook
MAINTENANCE Ben Olar
Pete Whiting 248 -647-2222 x. 4422
St. Thomas More Parish Directory 4580 Adams Rd., Troy, MI 48098
PARISH OFFICES: 248-647-2222
FAX: 248-647-8192 FAITH FORMATION: 248-647-4680
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:30 am to 4:00 pm Closed for lunch 12:30 to 1:00 pm
[email protected] www.stthomasmoretroy.org
MASS SCHEDULE Saturday, 4:30 pm
Sunday, 8:30 am and 11:30 am Wednesday, 9:00 am
Holy Days: 9:00 am and 7:00 pm
Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday at 3:00 pm