“Love God, serve God, everything is in that”

165 E . SP R INGF I E LD R OAD ● S T. C LA I R , MO 63077 636-629-0315 † Fax: 636-629-2327 † www.stclarecatholic.org † Parish358@archstl.org

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Saint Clare

March 10, 2019 — 9th Sunday Ordinary Time

Confessions Saturday 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM

Eucharistic Exposition Thursday 8:30 AM - 2:40 PM

Benediction Thursday 2:40 PM

Prayer Chain Contacts Joyce Willis 629-2573 or

Sherry Reed 629-7535

Mass Times Saturday 4:30 PM

Sunday 8:00 AM

10:30 AM

Monday — Friday

8:00 AM

LATIN MASS First Friday of each

month at 8:00 AM

PARISH

INFORMATION

Fr. Eric Kunz, Pastor

Deacon Harvey Dubbs

Deacon TJ Wild

REFRESHMENTS AFTERWARDS EACH MISSION EVENING

IN SCHOOL CAFETERIA

2 Welcome to St. Clare Catholic Church

The Holy See

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

FOR LENT 2019

“For the creation waits with eager longing

for the revealing of the children of God” (Rm 8: 19)

Dear Brothers and Sisters Each year, through Mother Church, God “gives us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and heart renewed… as we recall the great events that gave us new life in Christ” (Preface of Lent I). We can thus journey from Easter to Easter towards the fulfilment of the salvation we have already received as a result of Christ’s paschal mystery – “for in hope we were saved” (Rom 8:24). This mystery of salvation, already at work in us during our earthly lives, is a dynamic process that also embraces history and all of creation. As Saint Paul says, “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God” (Rom 8:19). In this perspective, I would like to offer a few reflections to accompany our journey of conversion this coming Lent. 1.The redemption of creation The celebration of the Paschal Triduum of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, the culmination of the liturgical year, calls us yearly to undertake a journey of preparation, in the knowledge that our being conformed to Christ (cf. Rom 8:29) is a priceless gift of God’s mercy. When we live as children of God, redeemed, led by the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 8:14) and capable of acknowledging and obeying God’s law, beginning with the law written on our hearts and in nature, we also benefit creation by cooperating in its redemption. That is why Saint Paul says that creation eagerly longs for the revelation of the children of God; in other words, that all those who enjoy the grace of Jesus’ paschal mystery may experience its fulfilment in the redemption of the human body itself. When the love of Christ transfigures the lives of the saints in spirit, body and soul, they give praise to God. Through prayer, contemplation and art, they also include other creatures in that praise, as we see admirably expressed in the “Canticle of the Creatures” by Saint Francis of Assisi (cf. Laudato Si’, 87). Yet in this world, the harmony generated by redemption is constantly threatened by the negative power of sin and death. 2. The destructive power of sin Indeed, when we fail to live as children of God, we often behave in a destructive way towards our neighbours and other creatures – and ourselves as well – since we begin to think more or less consciously that we can use them as we will. Intemperance then takes the upper hand: we start to live a life that exceeds those limits imposed by our human condition and nature itself. We yield to those untrammelled desires that the Book of Wisdom sees as typical of the ungodly, those who act without thought for God or hope for the future (cf. 2:1-11). Unless we tend constantly towards Easter, towards the horizon of the Resurrection, the mentality expressed in the slogans “I want it all and I want it now!” and “Too much is never enough”, gains the upper hand.

St. Clair, MO 3

The root of all evil, as we know, is sin, which from its first appearance has disrupted our communion with God, with others and with creation itself, to which we are linked in a particular way by our body. This rupture of communion with God likewise undermines our harmonious relationship with the environment in which we are called to live, so that the garden has become a wilderness (cf. Gen 3:17-18). Sin leads man to consider himself the god of creation, to see himself as its absolute master and to use it, not for the purpose willed by the Creator but for his own interests, to the detriment of other creatures. Once God’s law, the law of love, is forsaken, then the law of the strong over the weak takes over. The sin that lurks in the human heart (cf. Mk 7:20-23) takes the shape of greed and unbridled pursuit of comfort, lack of concern for the good of others and even of oneself. It leads to the exploitation of creation, both persons and the environment, due to that insatiable covetousness which sees every desire as a right and sooner or later destroys all those in its grip. 3. The healing power of repentance and forgiveness Creation urgently needs the revelation of the children of God, who have been made “a new creation”. For “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17). Indeed, by virtue of their being revealed, creation itself can celebrate a Pasch, opening itself to a new heaven and a new earth (cf. Rev 21:1). The path to Easter demands that we renew our faces and hearts as Christians through repentance, conversion and forgiveness, so as to live fully the abundant grace of the paschal mystery. This “eager longing”, this expectation of all creation, will be fulfilled in the revelation of the children of God, that is, when Christians and all people enter decisively into the “travail” that conversion entails. All creation is called, with us, to go forth “from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom 8:21). Lent is a sacramental sign of this conversion. It invites Christians to embody the paschal mystery more deeply and concretely in their personal, family and social lives, above all by fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Fasting, that is, learning to change our attitude towards others and all of creation, turning away from the temptation to “devour” everything to satisfy our voracity and being ready to suffer for love, which can fill the emptiness of our hearts. Prayer, which teaches us to abandon idolatry and the self-sufficiency of our ego, and to acknowledge our need of the Lord and his mercy. Almsgiving, whereby we escape from the insanity of hoarding everything for ourselves in the illusory belief that we can secure a future that does not belong to us. And thus to rediscover the joy of God’s plan for creation and for each of us, which is to love him, our brothers and sisters, and the entire world, and to find in this love our true happiness. Dear brothers and sisters, the “lenten” period of forty days spent by the Son of God in the desert of creation had the goal of making it once more that garden of communion with God that it was before original sin (cf. Mk 1:12-13; Is 51:3). May our Lent this year be a journey along that same path, bringing the hope of Christ also to creation, so that it may be “set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom 8:21). Let us not allow this season of grace to pass in vain! Let us ask God to help us set out on a path of true conversion. Let us leave behind our selfishness and self-absorption, and turn to Jesus’ Pasch. Let us stand beside our brothers and sisters in need, sharing our spiritual and material goods with them. In this way, by concretely welcoming Christ’s victory over sin and death into our lives, we will also radiate its transforming power to all of creation. From the Vatican, 4 October 2018 Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

Francis

———————————————————————————————————————————————————© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

4 Welcome to St. Clare Catholic Church

PARISH NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fish/Chicken Dinner

Friday, March 15th

4:00 pm — 7:00 pm

KC Hall

Menu includes:

Deep Fried Catfish, Cod & Chicken, Fried

Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Stewed Tomatoes,

Green Beans, Cole Slaw, Applesauce, Dessert,

Coffee, Iced Tea and Lemonade.

Adults (Age 12 & Up) and carry out dinners $11.00

Child (5 thru 11) $5.00

Under 5 years Eat FREE!

Sponsored by the Daughters of Isabella Circle #1082

and the Knights of Columbus Council 4667

GOLF TOURNAMENT

SCHEDULED FOR

SATURDAY, MAY 4TH

AT MERAMEC SHORES

As a parish fundraiser, we are looking for a

chairperson(s) to take on this event. If you are

able to help, please contact the parish office

at 629-0315. Other Lenten Friday Fish Frys. . . . . .

St. Pius V, Singler Hall, Grand & Utah, St. Louis, MO .

Serving from 4:00 pm — 7:30 pm. $10 full plate or $5

1/2 plate. Fried or Baked Cod and Fried Catfish.

Join them for a night filled with live music, drinks,

great food and a fantastic community. The have a

“go” room.

St. John’s Gildehaus, Villa Ridge, MO. Serving from

4:30 pm until 8:00 pm. Serving Fried Cod, Fried Cat-

fish, and Baked Cod. Adults $13, Children 6 –12

$5.00 Carry outs available.

St. Francis of Assisi, Luebbering, MO. Serving from 4:30

pm until 7:00 pm. Hand-battered Cod & Catfish.

Adults $11.00, Child 6 — 11 $5.00. Dine In or Carry

Out.

St. Francis Borgia Grade School, Washington, MO.

Catfish & Cod Fillet. MARCH 29th Only. Serving 4:00

pm until 7:00 pm. Adults $11.00 Child 6—11 $5.00.

Under 6 free. Carry outs available.

Ladies Sodality Meeting

Tuesday, March 19th

6:00 pm Church Basement

Note: Date changed due to Lenten

Mission — March 10th thru 12th.

Join Us For “Card Party”

Thursday, March 14th — 1:00 pm Knights of Columbus Hall

The card party includes pinochle and bridge. The cost is $4.00 for the day and includes

refreshments, snacks and a dessert. Don’t forget the prizes that you might win!

There is also a 50/50 drawing — $1.00

Canceled if bad weather (school closings)

KC Breakfast Buffet — Sunday, March 17th

7:00 am until 11:00 am at the KC Hall

(No April Breakfast To Be Held) Think Spring!

St. Clair, MO 5

THIS WEEK IN OUR PARISH

DATE EVENT TIME

Mon 03/11 Mass Parish Lenten Mission

8:00 am 6:30 pm

Tues 03/12 Mass Parish Lenten Mission

8:00 am 6:30 pm

Wed 03/13 Mass PSR Confessions (Parishioners afterwards)

8:00 am 6:00 pm

Thurs 03/14 Mass Adoration Card Party (KC Hall)

8:00 am 8:30 am 1:00 pm

Fri 03/15 Mass Knights of Columbus Fish Fry (KC Hall)

8:00 am 4:00 pm

Sat 03/16 Confessions Mass St. Pat’s Bingo (KC Hall—Doors open 5PM)

3:30 pm 4:30 pm 7:00 pm

Sun

03/17 Mass Mass

8:00 am 10:30 am

LITURGICAL MINISTERS - MARCH 16TH & 17TH

DATE SERVERS LECTORS EUCHARISTIC GIFT BEARERS

03/16

4:30 pm Gary Papin

CeCe DeMaris Jenny Via

Pat Gebken

Joan Wells Volunteers

03/17

8:00 am

Messenger Brothers

Wyatt & Cole Horton

Keegan Horst Ruth Cordia Ruth & Art Cordia

Paul Savage

Family

03/17

10:30 am

Grace Wild

Arianna Myers

David Braun Mia Trautman

Jeanine Lewis

Joyce Willis

Bryan Martin

Family

03/17 Collection Counters: Kathy Maupin, Debbie Marshaus, Rita Davis

Readings For The Week Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15 [Jn 6:63b]/

Mt 25:31-46

Tuesday: Is 55:10-11/Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 [18b]/

Mt 6:7-15

Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 [19b]/

Lk 11:29-32

Thursday: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25/Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3,

7c-8 [3a]/Mt 7:7-12

Friday: Ez 18:21-28/Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 [3]/Mt

5:20-26

Saturday: Dt 26:16-19/Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 [1b]/Mt 5:43

48

March 9th — March 17th

WEEKEND, MARCH 9TH & MARCH 10TH

SAT. 4:30 PM † CATHERINE SCHOMAKER

SUN. 8:00 AM † JOHN BORGMEYER

10:30 AM † PEOPLE OF THE PARISH

MONDAY, MARCH 11TH

8:00 AM † MSGR. EDWARD W. REILLY

TUESDAY, MARCH 12TH

8:00 AM † MICHAEL LEE PRATT

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13TH

8:00 AM † GARY GEBKEN

THURSDAY, MARCH 14TH

8:00 AM † WAYNE MYERS

FRIDAY, MARCH 15TH

8:00 AM † THERESA TILLISON

WEEKEND, MARCH 16TH & MARCH 17TH

SAT. 4:30 PM † HARLEY HEDGE SUN. 8:00 AM † PEOPLE OF THE PARISH

10:30 AM † RUTH M. GOODMAN

PLEASE PRAY FOR

OUR MILITARY MEMBERS Please remember in your prayers

the following military personnel:

SGT Drew Alsop — US Army, Erin Arent — US Navy, Jeff Arent — U.S. Marines, SGT Jamie Bucher—USAF,

Jason Burton — US Navy, PFC Timothy Colton—US Army

Scott Daugherty, Coty DeClue — USAF, SGT Cameron Earley — US Army,

SGT Tyler Earley — US Army, Clay Fisher — US Marines,

SPC Tyler Grogan — US Army, Matthew Martin — US Navy, Logan Moore — USAF, Monty Perkins, And Andrew Snodgrass — US Navy.

WE PRAY FOR OUR LOVED ONES May God Provide Health and

Comfort to:

6 Welcome to St. Clare Catholic Church

March John Starbuck and John Evans.

January

Elena Vance, Gordon Friend, Charlotte Hagedorn,

Tiffany Shults, Debbie Clark, Jackie Windler, Tim Davis,

Dillion Shadrick, Wendy Peters, John Vogelgesang,

Lori Mayer and Sandy Stecher. Week of March 3rd

Offertory Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2,946.00 Loose Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67.00 Total Money For Operating Capital $ 3,013.00

Restricted Funds

Parish Improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270.00 Building Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 Total $ 271.00

Monthly Offertory Total To Date: $ 3,013.00

March Collection Goal: $ 17,500.00

Thanks be to God for the generosity of our Parishioners!

“I have now brought you the first fruits of the

products of the soil which you, O Lord,

have given to me.”

-Deuteronomy 26:10

This line from the Old Testament offers two

challenges. First, do you give to God from your

“first fruits”, the best that you have to offer, or do

you give from what is leftover? Second, do you

recognize that everything you have has been

given to you by God? Ask God for a grateful and

generous heart, every day, in all circumstances.

February Angie Hagedorn, Michelle Richards, Joe Simon,

Alicia Filla, Maggie Hopkins,

Joann Haynes, Alberta Kindel,

Gordon Monk, Claude Friend,

Sharon Schuermann, Sharon Havin, and

Richard Williams.

“Where your treasure is, there your

heart will be also.” - Luke 12:34

A bequest is a specific provision in your will or living trust,

leaving money or other assets to a person or institution. If

you would like to bequeath money or other assets to your

church, contact your parish office or the Archdiocese.

St. Louise de Marillac

God calls us in every stage of life. This

week is the feast of Louise de Marillac.

As a young girl, she felt called to the

religious life. However, she received

advice to marry instead. Her husband

died 12 years into their marriage. In

the wake of her husband's death, she

met St. Vincent de Paul.

She was greatly inspired by his work with the poor,

and he became her spiritual director. She began a

training center out of her own home to train other

young woman to serve the poor and sick. This

became the Sisters of Charity. The religious order

began to grow, as slowly more sisters joined to work in

hospitals and orphanages across France. The Sisters of

Charity now serve worldwide. When your life takes an

unexpected turn, consider where God might be

calling you!

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back, the

sunshine warm upon your face.

May the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And, until we meet again may GOD hold you in

the palm of his hand.

SUNDAY MARCH 17TH

St. Clair, MO 7

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