My Bulletin Column

Jan. 31; Feb 1, 2015

1/31/2015

My Dear Parishioners,

In two weeks, we will begin the beautiful season of Lent. I think that now is a good time to begin to prepare for Lent. What are we going to do? How will this Lent be different from others? How will we be changed when we emerge at Easter?

We often think of Lent as a time to give up something and certainly, this aspect of a penitential season is praiseworthy, but there should be something deeper. Lent should be a time to grow in our spiritual life and we would hopefully find ourselves closer to Christ at Easter. I am not sure that giving up chocolate or soda and then resuming their consumption after Easter accomplishes this. Here are 10 suggestions for your consideration. I invite you to pick one or two for this Lent.

1.    Pray the rosary daily during Lent

2.    Spend one hour each week in the Adoration Chapel

3.    Attend daily Mass

4.    Fast (only one meal) once or twice each week

5.    Read a good spiritual book

a.    The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis

b.    Lent and Easter Wisdom by Fulton J. Sheen

c.    Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska - Divine Mercy in My Soul

d.    Meditations for Lent by Thomas Aquinas

e.    Daily Lenten Meditations: Prayerful Reflections from John Paul II

6.    Get involved in Living the Eucharist (LE)

7.    Volunteer at the Marian House soup kitchen

8.    Participate each Friday in the Stations of the Cross and soup supper

9.    Go to weekly Confession

10. Give up TV. Use the time to pray, read or spend time with family

Alexander Graham Bell said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” May this Lent be successful for you as you continue to grow in the spiritual life.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Jan. 24-25, 2015

1/31/2015

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Jan. 10-11, 2015

1/31/2015

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My Dear Parishioners,

This week, we are very excited as we make our transition into the temporary offices. We have look forward to this for a long time. It will be so nice to have everyone on the same campus. Thank you to all of you who have taken time over these last few weekends to help us out. The change of the interiors and the move could not have happened so well without all of the volunteers. Thank you all so very much!!

Please note that our new mailing address is:

5354 South Highway 85/87

Security, CO 80911

Any and all correspondence should be directed to the new address effective this Tuesday 13 Jan 2015. This is the address for the church, but now the offices will also be located on the same campus. The Main Street address (331 Main Street, Security) will no longer be used. Don’t forget to update your address books!

The main phone number and the fax number will remain the same.

Along with the move, we are also upgrading our information technology and our phone service so that we may better serve you, the parishioners of St. Dominic Church. Please watch over the next couple of weeks for some changes that will make life a little easier.

This week, I am pleased to announce that our new website is up and running. The address is:

www.StDominicOnline.org (please note the ending is .ORG not .COM)

The website is still under some construction, but I think you will see some dramatic improvements over the next few weeks. It is our hope that the name is easier to remember and the site will be more user friendly. In addition, this site is hosted by the diocese and so we no longer have to pay for the hosting and the cost of owning our on-line name has dropped. A huge thank you goes out to Dewayne Mayo for his countless hours of work to design and maintain this new website. I also want to thank Jim Irving for the years he has spent designing and maintaining our current website. His work has been invaluable in keeping St. Dominic present in an on-line world. We are very grateful and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Thank you to all of you for your patience as we work through our move and transition. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Jan. 3-4, 2015

1/31/2015

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My Dear Parishioners,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2015 has arrived and what Joy it brings. This weekend we have the joy of celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord. This feast commemorates the mysterious visit of the magi to the Baby Jesus. “Epiphany” means “manifestation.” It comes from Greek roots that mean “to show, to display” (phainein) and “on, to” (epi-). An epiphany is thus a time when something is shown, displayed, or manifested to an audience. Hence, in addition to the visit of the magi, we celebrate the Manifestation of the Divinity of the Christ Child.

What is the feast of the Epiphany about?

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Saviour of the world. the great feast of Epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men (magi) from the East, together with his baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee.

In the magi, representatives of the neighboring pagan religions, the Gospel sees the first-fruits of the nations, who welcome the good news of salvation through the Incarnation.

The magi's coming to Jerusalem in order to pay homage to the king of the Jews shows that they seek in Israel, in the messianic light of the star of David, the one who will be king of the nations.

Their coming means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Saviour of the world only by turning towards the Jews and receiving from them the messianic promise as contained in the Old Testament.

The Epiphany shows that “the full number of the nations” now takes its “place in the family of the patriarchs”, and acquires Israelitica dignitas (is made “worthy of the heritage of Israel”) [CCC 528].

At the beginning of the year, our Lord and Saviour has been made manifest to us. Let us redouble our efforts in the coming year to bring the Good News to all we meet. Though our efforts, may all come to know the manifestation of Jesus Christ in our world.

Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever!

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Dec. 27-28, 2014

12/27/2014

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My Dear Parishioners,

As this is my last column of 2014 let me wish each of you a blessed and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As the dawn of a New Year approaches I would like to share a quote that I hope you enjoy as much as I:

I will seek elegance rather than luxury, refinement rather than fashion. I will seek to be worthy more than respectable, wealthy and not rich. I will study hard, think quietly, talk gently, and act frankly. I will listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with an open heart. I will bear all things cheerfully, do all things bravely, await occasions and hurry never. In a word, I will let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common.

The New Year always brings the anticipation of joy, happiness and the idea of starting over and anew. The New Year comes to give us a fresh hope for a better future. The New Year lets us dream and once again know that we will face challenges with confidence. As we begin this New Year, may your dreams and hopes succeed with the blessings of God and may He continue to bless each of you abundantly.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Dec 20-21, 2014

12/27/2014

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My Dear Parishioners,

Welcome to the last Sunday of Advent 2014. As we enter into the final days before Christmas, I would like to take this time to thank all of you for the wonderful greeting and welcome that you have given me over these last 6 months. I am blessed to be a priest in this wonderful diocese and twice blessed to be assigned to St. Dominic Catholic Church.

I am truly excited as I prepare to celebrate my first Christmas as a priest. I don't suppose anyone can ever fathom what it means for God to be born in a manger, nor explain how God could become a baby. How does one explain the Almighty becoming a tiny infant? We cannot begin to understand what was involved in God becoming man, yet He did. He became fully human, with all the needs and emotions that are common to us all without forsaking His divine nature. Why?

The answer, of course, is LOVE. “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.” (John 3:16) It is not important to understand the “how” as long as we understand the “why”. It is the LOVE of God that changes our lives. It is the LOVE of God that sustains us. It is the LOVE of God that is the most important part of everything we do. If we understand the “why” of Christmas, then it becomes more than just a day or a season, it becomes a state of mind. Then, like Mr. Scrooge we can say “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year” and we will come to the same realization as the Grinch that “Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn’t come from a store.”

My dear parishioners, may the understanding and joy of that first Christmas be with you and your families now and through the year to come. I pray that the LOVE of God, the PEACE of Christ and the GRACE of the Holy Spirit be with all of you always. May God continue to bless each of you abundantly. I wish each and everyone, a most merry and blessed Christmas.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Dec. 13-14, 2014

12/13/2014

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My Dear Parishioners,

Over the last couple of weeks, I have noticed some confusion with the greeting at the beginning of Mass. This happens sometimes when we are not familiar with something. The greeting, in keeping with the change of seasons, is: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The response is still the same: “And with your spirit.” This expresses the profound grace and peace, which comes to us as the birth of our Lord nears. It should call to mind the verse from St. Luke: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

This weekend we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. This day takes its common name from the Latin word Gaudete meaning “Rejoice”, the first word of the introit for today’s Mass:

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete.

This may be translated as:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.

The season of Advent originated as a fast of forty days in preparation for Christmas, commencing on the day after the feast of St. Martin (12 November). In the ninth century, the duration of Advent was reduced to four weeks, and by the twelfth century the fast had been replaced by simple abstinence. Even with the changes, however, Advent still preserved most of the characteristics of a penitential season which made it a kind of counterpart to Lent. The middle (or third) Sunday (Gaudete Sunday) corresponds with Laetare Sunday. On this day, as on Laetare Sunday, what was forbidden during the rest of the season, including fast and abstinence was permitted, including rose-colored vestments instead of purple. All these distinguishing marks have continued in use, and are the present discipline of the Church. Gaudete Sunday makes a break about midway through a season, which is otherwise of a penitential character, and signifies the nearness of the Lord’s coming. The spirit of the Liturgy all through Advent is one of expectation and preparation for the Christmas feast as well as for the second coming of Christ.

Let us make the most of these last few days of Advent and prepare well for our Lord and Savior.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Dec. 6-7, 2014

12/13/2014

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My Dear Parishioners,

As I mentioned last week, this is always a good time to reflect on our participation in the Mass. This week you will find Communion guidelines and a letter from the USCCB as an insert for the bulletin. Please take time to review it. Also, several of you commented on my homily and in response to requests, here is a brief summary for your reflections.

Preparing for Mass

We should always be modest, neat and clean. We should dress appropriately, not like we are going to the ballpark or the beach or the gym.
Torn shirts, tank tops and shorts are never appropriate for Mass.
We should aim to arrive about 10 minutes early.
We should greet our friends and neighbors in the narthex because the nave is for prayer. Please respect those around you by not having extended conversations in the pews.
Never leave Mass before the priest. Wait for those few minutes and hear the closing prayer and receive the Final Blessing
Remember Jesus words to His disciples: “Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mark 14:37)

The Sign of Peace

Remembering that this is a sign and we are symbolically showing unity and charity to all our brethren, we are to offer this sign only to those nearest to us and in a sober manner. Leaving the pew and trying to greet as many people as possible is not the intent of this part of the Mass.

After Mass

Finally, when Mass is complete, take a moment or two and thank God for the wonderful gift He has given us. A short prayer of thanksgiving is certainly appropriate.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, remember that we are celebrating this most Sacred Sacrament. Mass is the time that God Almighty and man is the closest in this life. We should always strive to celebrate the Mass in the way most befitting the Sacrifice Jesus made for us.

This is my prayer before every Mass and I hope that you also will pray it and keep this intention in your heart:

May we celebrate this Mass worthily and well. May we celebrate it as if it were our First Mass, Our last Mass, our only Mass. Amen.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Nov. 29-30, 2014

12/13/2014

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My Dear Parishioners,

This week we begin the beautiful season of Advent. This is the first season of the Church year and we joyfully anticipate the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the beauty of this season is often lost in the preparations for Christmas. Tree decorating, parties and shopping seem to be the overriding focus rather than the interior conversion and preparation for Immanuel “God is with us”. We are to expect the Messiah. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: ‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’

To prepare ourselves properly for the arrival of the Messiah we must focus, in a most particular way, on the interior conversion of our hearts. This is why Advent, like Lent, is a penitential season. From the 4th century, the season was kept as a period of fasting and abstinence as strict as in Lent. This has been lessened, but while fasting is no longer mandated, it is still a good and praiseworthy act, which I would encourage you to practice. Additionally, the vestments are purple and the Mass has less singing. This is also why the Gloria is no longer sung. What joy we will have when we hear it again at Christmas.

During Advent, it is easy to get caught up in the celebration of Christmas, but this Advent, let us not miss the wonderful opportunity to grow closer to God. Let us reflect on our lives, make frequent use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and allow the Season of Advent to penetrate our hearts. May we truly use the next four weeks to prepare for the arrival of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Happy Advent!

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Nov. 22-23, 2014

12/13/2014

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My Dear Parishioners,

It has been 5 weeks since I spoke to you regarding the financial status of St. Dominic Parish. I thought it only right that you should have an update of our status and several of you have asked where the money goes. To this second question, I have created the pie chart below for your reference. Please note that nowhere on the pie chart is there a section for savings or a “rainy day” fund, or a section for future plans. We use every dollar for current expenses. Please also realize that this chart is based on a weekly collection of $25,245.00 each week. This really is the absolute minimum! Additionally, we still have to make up the debts we have not paid, for instance the $60,000+ we owe the Diocese in back payments.

So what has changed since I last spoke with you? Here is the breakdown for the last 5 weeks:

Weekend of 10/18-19:         $25,000-$16,216.95=8,783.05 SHORTFALL

Weekend of 10/25-26:         $25,000-$18,433.22=6,566.78 SHORTFALL

Weekend of 11/1-2:             $25,000-$18,955.41=6,044.59 SHORTFALL

Weekend of 11/8-9:             $25,000-$19,857.99=5,142.01 SHORTFALL

Weekend of 11/15-16:         $25,000-$14,245.34=10,754.66 SHORTFALL

The current annual shortfall for this parish is $76,415. This cannot continue.

Since my financial talk to you, only 2 families have signed up for bank-to-bank tithing and 3 families have changed their bank-to-bank amount.

Here are the weekly dollar amounts averaged over the last 12 months, which correspond to the pie chart below:

EXPENSE

Worship (Liturgy/Music) - $1,357

Faith Formation/Youth - $2,873

Priests Salary and Benefits - $1,053

Office Salaries and Benefits - $3,467

Facilities - $2,206

Tithe - $1,869*

Diocese Tithe - $3,271*

Property/Liability Insurance - $699

Other - $1,197

Loan Payment (Principal and Interest) - $7,252

TOTAL EXPENSE - $25,245

*NOTE: The Tithe to Charity and Tithe to the Diocese = 20%

We cannot continue with these shortfalls! We must increase the amount of the collection otherwise, we will be forced to make some drastic changes.

This is not one person’s problem. We must all help out a little bit. Little amounts have great impact. Here is an example:

If 1,400 families each gave an additional $5 each week, that would increase our weekly amount by $7,000. Please, my brothers and sisters, this is your parish. We must all share the load. Please help us serve you and work to continue God’s work in our community.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. John

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Fr. John Stearns is the Parochial Vicar at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Security, Colorado. These are his columns which appear weekly in the parish bulletin.

Jan. 31; Feb 1, 2015

Jan. 24-25, 2015

Jan. 10-11, 2015

Jan. 3-4, 2015

Dec. 27-28, 2014

Dec 20-21, 2014

Dec. 13-14, 2014

Dec. 6-7, 2014

Nov. 29-30, 2014

Nov. 22-23, 2014

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