ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE

CATHOLIC CHURCH

4100 South Coulter Street Amarillo, TX 79109

The Epiphany of the Lord January 7, 2018

Church Phone: (806) 358-2461

Rectory Phone: (806) 353-1016

Fax: (806) 358-2529

Website: www.stthomasamarillo.org

Office Hours: (M-F) 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Diocese of Amarillo

Mass Times Saturday: 5:00 PM (Sunday Vigil Mass)

Sunday: 7:30, 9:00, and 11:15 AM

Wednesday-Friday: 7:00 AM

Tuesday: 6:00 PM

Holy Days: (to be announced) Sacrament of Reconciliation Wednesday: 5:30-6:30 PM

Saturday: 3:30-4:30 PM

Other times by appointment

Sacrament of Baptism

Contact the Parish Office to schedule a date and

time. Parents and sponsors must attend a Baptism

class. One sponsor must be Catholic and at least

16 years of age.

Sacraments of 1st Reconciliation and 1st Communion

These sacraments combine into one sacramental

preparation program which takes two consecutive

years of religious education classes to complete.

Students must be at least in first grade to begin this

preparation.

Sacrament of Confirmation

This sacrament takes two consecutive years of faith

formation to complete. Students must be in at least

sixth grade before beginning this preparation.

Sacrament of Matrimony

Contact the Pastor at least six months before the

date of the wedding.

Sacrament of the Sick

Please notify the parish secretary of any sick or

elderly shut-ins and all those in the hospital.

The Rite of Christian Initiation

The program for adults (RCIA) is open to

non-Catholics who wish to learn more about the

Catholic faith and to Catholics who have not

celebrated the Sacraments. This process is offered

on an ongoing basis.

REFLECTION "Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of

gold, frankincense, and myrrh." What a wonderful example

the Magi give us in their visit to the infant Jesus. First of all,

they demonstrate profound faith in God's word, spoken

through the prophet Micah: "And you, Bethlehem ... from

you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people

Israel" (cf. 5:2). Embarking on a long and difficult journey,

they trust that they will find this newborn king of the Jews in

Bethlehem as the prophecy announced.

On their arrival at the home of the Holy Family, the Magi

also give us an example of profound humility. These im-

portant men, to whom kings look for guidance and advice,

do not hesitate to bow down, to "prostrate themselves" and

give homage to a tiny babe. Putting their own position out

of their minds, they reverently worship the infant Lord even

as he sits on the lap of his mother.

The generosity of these three "kings" is also evident as they

open their treasure boxes and give to the poor child the

richest of gifts. Traditionally, we understand the gold to

symbolize the earthly kingship of Christ, the frankincense to

represent his divinity, and the myrrh to stand as a symbol of

the anointing he will receive upon his death.

Finally, the wisdom of these men is evident in their decision

to return to their country "by another way." Understanding

the threat that King Herod posed to Jesus, they followed a

plan that would help keep the divine child safe even

though it meant inconvenience to themselves.

Faith, humility, generosity, and wisdom. These gifts are the

real legacy of the Three Kings. Today, let us ask God for the

blessing of having these gifts in our lives.

Parish News

Our Stewardship

PLEASE KEEP THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE IN YOUR PRAYERS:

OUR SICK AND HOMEBOUND: Kate Schmidt, Ben Canales, Marilyn Brzostowski, Cleta

Bustos, Steve Chontos, Elizabeth Stone, Terry Moenter,

Lynn Gerken, Glenda Fassauer, Braxton Sandoval, Cheryle

Wayne, Jerry Stone, Jerry Terry, Esther York, Shanna

O’Gorman, Mike O’Neill, Angie Van Bakel, Mark Ortega,

Jeannette Kaminski, Mary Maalouf, Emile Jones, Nadine

Hadley, Brian Dolan, Madeline Arrott, Lupita Randon, Betty

Cutting, Judy Allen, Roy Steele, Jordan Barrientez, Gilbert

Ybarra, Paul & Catherine Kiefer, Doug Tyler, Nancy Kulman

Family, JoAnn Mercer, Valerie Williams, John (Jack) Hoben,

LaRuth Haverfield, Betty Stevens, Richard Herbsleb,

Bernetta Owens.

OUR SERVICE MEN & WOMEN:

Cruz Rey Esparza, Sheldon Fowler, Shelby Lopez, A. J.

Serafin, Lee Wingfield, Sean Callahan, Bryan Revell, John

Nussbaum, Rachel Nussbaum, Matt Nussbaum, Christopher

Schrock, David Oviedo Cantu, Jacob Bitonel, Jason Freeby,

Brandon Owens, Jacob Tumbelson, T. J. Pevehouse, Swasey

& Jena Brown, Cody Keesee, Justin Spencer.

Prayer Intentions ST. THOMAS MEN'S CLUB will meet on Mon., Jan. 8, at 7:00 p.m., in the Gym. All men of the parish are invited. Join us for food, fun, fellowship and service to the parish. All are welcome to pray the rosary beforehand at 6:30 p.m., in the Chapel. ALTAR GUILD: St. Thomas Altar Guild will meet on Mon., Jan. 8, at 7:00 pm, in the Msgr. Tash Hall. Kris Stokes, Custom Fitness owner, will give us advice for an improved healthy lifestyle. All ladies of the parish are invited to come for fellowship and light refreshments. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS #4621 BREAKFAST: Next pancake breakfast will be held on Sun., Jan. 14. They will be serving con-tinuously from 8:00 a.m., to 12:30 p.m., in the Gym. Adults $7, Children 10 and under $3. Proceeds benefit seminarians and charities. PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: At this time, an Adorer is needed for Sun., 2:00 p.m., Fri., 1:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. If you are interested in being a part of this worthwhile ministry, call Simon Wright at 806-570-9776. BAPTISM CLASS: If you are new parents and/or sponsors, you are required to attend a Baptism class before the reception of the sacrament. Please call the parish office, 358-2461, to register for the next scheduled class. ST. THOMAS PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY: If you know someone in need of prayers, please let the Prayer Shawl Ministry reach out to you with a Prayer Shawl. You can pick up a shawl during office hours, Mon. through Fri., 8:30 a.m., to 4:30 p.m. Monetary or yarn donations (three skeins of Lyon Brand Homespun) will be greatly appreciated. The Prayer Shawl group meets on Wed. evenings from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Parlor. ST. THOMAS ROSARY GROUP: If you are interested in pray-ing the rosary with a group once a week, you are welcome to join the St. Thomas Rosary Group each Thurs. morning at 10:00 a.m., in the Chapel. Afterwards, they meet in the Parlor for some refreshments and fellowship. GIFT BEARERS are needed at all Masses. If you would like to participate, please place sign up for your desired Mass time in the Bell Tower. Thank you.

Budget Actual Variance Dec. 24, 2017 $ 26,831.00 $ 37,532.18 $ 10,701.18 Month-to-Date $107,324.00 $142,235.49 $ 34,911.49 Christmas Day Collection - $25,298.00 “..they fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh…” MATTHEW 2:11

Notice the order of events in the Magi’s visit. First, they knelt before Jesus and prayed to Him. Then they presented Him with their gifts. We, too, must take time to pray before we present our gifts to the Lord. We never know what God may be asking us to share! ~Office of Stewardship & Development & United Catholic Appeal

ST. THOMAS PRAYER CHAIN: Do you know

someone in need of special prayers? The Prayer

Chain is always taking requests. If you would be

interested in joining this worthwhile ministry or if

you have a prayer chain request, please contact

Debi Banach at 358-2461, Ext. 107.

More Parish News

Youth Schedule and Events

The high school youth will begin a new study this semester titled, "Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed." Teens will come to see the Mass in a dramatic new way as they see the richness of the Mass from the Chosen line of resources from Ascension Press.

For more information, contact Andrew Neighbors at aneighbors@stthomasamarillo.org

Around the Diocese

Holy Cross Corner

National Catholic Schools Week is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States and was first introduced by the National Catholic Educational Association in 1974. It starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which in 2018 is January 28 - February 3. This year’s theme is Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.

The students at Holy Cross Catholic Academy will be involved with different activities surrounding a theme for each day.

January 28th – Celebrate your parish January 29th – Celebrating faculty, staff and volunteers January 30th – Celebrating your students January 31st – Celebrating vocations February 1st – Celebrating the nation February 2nd – Celebrating your community

ACTS RETREATS: ACTS Community wants to thank you for the support you gave the ACTS Community. The next Men’s ACTS Retreat # 79 ~ January 18 – 21, 2018, is in formation. Director-Chris Canon ~ Co-Director-Kevin Rickwartz. Please pray for both Teams, who are in formation now. Plan on attending or sharing an ACTS retreat. To register and more information on ACTS go to ACTSamarillo.org RETROUVAILLE: Thinking about Separation or Divorce? Is your marriage or that of a relative or friend struggling or even heading for divorce? Do you know how to save that marriage? Or do you feel helpless? Retrouvaille is designed to help troubled marriages regain their health. It helps spouses uncover or re-awaken the love, trust, and commitment that originally brought them together. The program is highly successful in saving hurting marriages, even bringing reconciliation to couples who have already separated or divorced. For confidential information about or to register for the January program beginning with a weekend on January 26-28 call Paul or Patty Miguel at 806-420-1520 or email us at retropairamarillo@gmail.com or visit the website at www.HelpOurMarriage.com. ENGAGED ENCOUNTER: If you are planning a wedding you can attend the Engaged Encounter at the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center as part of your Marriage preparation. To register contact: Molly at the Diocese of Amarillo (806) 383-2243 or by visiting www.amarillodiocese.org/engaged-encounter. Upcoming dates: Feb. 17-18, 2018, May 19-20, 2018, June 21-22, 2018. GETTING MARRIED? If you are getting married sometime this year, NFP is a mandatory requirement in the Diocese of Ama-rillo for couples seeking the sacrament of matrimony. For more information and class schedules near you, please visit the web-site, www.amarillodiocese.org/nfp.

More Parish News

ATTENTION LITURGICAL MINISTERS: Please be reminded that in the event you are unable to serve on your designated date and need of a substitute, there are lists of the assigned ministers available in the Parish Office. Just call the parish office, 358-2461 & request a list of ministers be faxed or emailed to you. Thank you for your service to our parish community.

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE PARISH STAFF Pastor ……………………………………………...….Rev. John Valdez

Deacon ………………………………………………. Blaine Westlake

Deacon ……………………………………………….….Phillip Whitson

Retired Deacon ……………………………………………...Jim Brown

Retired Deacon ……………………………………...Terry Pevehouse

Music Dir./Organist/Choir Master…………………...... Jim Gardner

Assistant Music Dir. ……………………………..........Nicole Koetting

Religious Ed & Adult Faith Formation Director…..……Kerry Acker

Youth Director……………………………………..Andrew Neighbors

Parish Secretary ………………………………………...….Rita Walker

Facility Administrator ………………………………….....Bryan Webb

Parish Bookkeeper …………………………..……..Virginia Christian

Religious Ed Secretary ………………………..………...Debi Banach

Parish Life Coordinator ………………………..……….....Julie Jones

Ministry Assistant ……………………………… Dayamin Winchester

Music Secretary ………………………………….....…...Judith Tucker

Music Assistant ………………………………..…Stephanie Gallegos

Facility Assistant ………………………………..…….....Glen Starcher

Young Adult Coordinator …………………………...Caleb Hubbard

Liturgical Environmentalist………………………………..Julie Pierce

Sunday, January 7: Is 60:1-6/Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6/Mt 2:1-12

Monday, January 8:

Is 42:1-4, 6-7/Mk 1:7-11

Tuesday, January 9:

1 Sm 1:9-20/Mk 1:21-28

Wednesday, January 10:

1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20/Mk 1:29-39

Thursday, January 11:

1 Sm 4:1-11/Mk 1:40-45

Friday, January 12:

1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a/Mk 2:1-12

Saturday, January 13:

1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a/Mk 2:13-17

Sunday, January 14:

1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19/1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20/Jn 1:35-42

Daily Scripture Readings

Liturgy Schedule and Special Mass Intentions:

Monday 1/8 NO MASS

Tuesday 1/9

6:00 PM

+Betty Astuto

Tom & Sandy Riney

Wednesday 1/10 7:00 AM +Joann Ruff

Lucille Quinto

Thursday 1/11 7:00AM

Spec. Int. of Mary Britten

Dcn. Blaine &

Louise Westlake

Friday 1/12 7:00 AM

Spec. Int. of

Maggie Weinheimer

Pat Stich

Saturday 1/13 5:00 PM Spec. Int. of Marilyn Carr

Eunice Schilling

Sunday 1/14

7:30 AM MEMBERS OF PARISH FAMILY

9:00 AM Spec. Int. of Carol Buse

Don & Alby Peters

11:15 AM

Spec. Int. of Rita Walker

Dcn. Blaine &

Louise Westlake

Week at a Glance

RE News

*RE classes resume this weekend, Jan. 7! Sacramental meeting for parents of students are as follows:

--(1st Communion Year 2) Jan. 21, 2018 10:05-11:05 Upper Room

OR Jan. 30 7-8 p.m. Upper Room

*No class on Martin Luther King Weekend!

RCIA News

+ Inquiry classes will resume on January 7. Join us! *Spring inquiry dates are as follows: Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 25,

Mar. 4, Mar. 25, Apr. 8, Apr. 22, May 6, & May 20.

+Contact Kerry Acker DRE at kacker@stthomasamarillo.org or 806.358.2461 for more info on RCIA or Religious Education!

Adult Faith Formation

Religious Education News MONDAY, JANUARY 8 6:30 p.m. - Men’s Club - Chapel/Gym 7:00 p.m. - Altar Guild - Msgr. Tash Hall TUESDAY, JANUARY 9 10:00 a.m. - The Bible & Mary (AFF) -Marian Room 2:00 p.m. - Our Lady’s Rosary Makers - Marian Room 6:30 p.m. - Safe Environment Training - Madia Room-B Wing #1 7:00 p.m. - Young Adults - The Dwelling 7:00 p.m. - Boy Scout Troop 87 - Gym WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10 7:30 a.m. - ACTS Small Group - Library 9:00 a.m. - Community Bible Study - Parlor 9:30 a.m. - Marianist Group - Marian Room 5:30 p.m. - Confessions 6:00 p.m. - Prayer Shawl Group - Parlor 6:30 p.m. - RCIA Class - Upper Room 6:30 p.m. - Adult Handbells - Music Wing 7:00 p.m. - High School STAY - The Dwelling/Gym 7:45 p.m. - Adult Choir - Music Wing THURSDAY, JANUARY 11 10:00 a.m. - Rosary Group - Chapel 1:30 p.m. - Focolare Group - Marian Room 7:00 p.m. - Baptism Class - Church FRIDAY, JANUARY 12 NO SCHEDULED EVENTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 13 3:00 p.m. - Why Catholic Group - Groom’s Room 3:30 p.m. - Confessions - Chapel SUNDAY, JANUARY 14 8:00 a.m. - KC Breakfast - Gym 10:00 a.m. - Catechumenate Class - Groom’s Room 4:30 p.m. - Young in Spirit - Msgr. Tash Hall

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Where on earth would you go to honor the magi? Iran or Saudi Arabia, Tarshish or the Isles come to mind, but Co-logne, Germany would be a good choice. There the Shrine of the Three Kings has been the centerpiece of the city’s cathedral since the fourth century. Today it is the largest reliquary in the world: a gilded and ornamented triple casket gleaming high above the altar. In the fourth century, the sup-posed relics of the wise men were taken from Constantino-ple to Milan, where they remained until the German Emperor with the unlikely name Frederick Barbarossa (Red Beard) gave them to the Archbishop of Cologne. Ever since, pil-grims have streamed into the city to honor the magi, the first of all pilgrims, and thus the heavenly patrons of all who have some holy wanderlust. This largest Gothic cathedral in Europe today was begun in the mid-1200s to house the relics. In medieval times, the relics in a city’s possession were often the key to a sound international economy. The reliquary was last opened in 1864, and the remains of three men were indeed discovered. The cathedral is well worth a visit, with enormous twin spires forming the largest façade of any church in the world (it is the model for St. Patrick’s in New York). Construction began in 1248 and ended in 1880, a six-hundred-year project. Today, it is a World Heritage Site, described by the U.N. as “an excep-tional work of human creative genius.” This great treasure of our tradition suffered fourteen direct bomb hits in World War II but did not collapse. It survived while the city burned around it, preserved, the townspeople say, by three heavenly pa-trons. Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.