APRIL | 2022
CONTENT PAGE 3
Easter Gratitude
PAGE 4 Community Supports Our Sister Parish in Haiti
Building a Bridge of Faith and Compassion PAGE 6
St. Peter Catholic Church Quarterly Financial Report
PAGE 7
Responding to the Glory of Christ’s Resurrection at Easter
GETTING TO KNOW OUR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS,
KRISTIN GEORGE AND CARMEN GRIFFITH Blessed with the Opportunity to Teach Our Littlest Learners
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reschool students are our littlest learners. The 3-year-olds start the year having likely never been in a school setting, and everything is new to them. In their excitement to attend school, their endless energy is applied to everything they do. We are blessed with two wonderful preschool teachers at St. Peter Catholic School — Kristin George, who teaches the 3-year-old class, and Carmen Griffith, who teaches the 4-year-old class. Mrs. George has been a teacher for 20 years — seven of those here at St. Peter’s. Ms. Griffith has spent most of her adult life working with children and has been at St. Peter’s for 19 years. She’s happy to say that the preschool program has grown since she started, and has enjoyed every single student she’s worked with over the years. “I’ve always wanted the students to be excited to come to school,” Ms. Griffith says. continued on page 2
(From left) Carmen Griffith and Kristin George
ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Getting to Know Our Preschool Teachers, Kristin George and Carmen Griffith continued from front cover “I want them to know they are loved and safe.” Both love the wonderful environment at the school. Everyone wants to see one another succeed, and that is truly beautiful — staff members work as a team for the good of the students. “We want every one of our students to grow to their God-given potential,” Mrs. George says. “At St. Peter’s, it’s really a family,” Ms. Griffith says. “It’s been fun to watch multiple children in a family go through the program.” For both teachers, preschool is such a wonderful age. The students enjoy everything about school, from learning to playtime. “I have worked with children pretty much my whole life,” Ms. Griffith says. “I’ve found the age I want to work with, and that’s 4-yearolds.” Mrs. George most enjoys teaching the students about Jesus and the Bible. “It is inspirational to see them grasp God’s love and power,” she says. “Their eyes light up, and their hands shoot up in the air to find out more.” Ms. Griffith enjoys teaching language and literacy. “It’s great to lay the foundation for them to be great readers,” she says. Both teachers love teaching at a place where they can openly share the faith. God is weaved into everything, and the children learn that all the trials and joys of life can be brought to God. “Teaching the faith gives me hope that our next leaders can and will make the world a better place to live,” Mrs. George says. “We can take Jesus with us everywhere we
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go,” Ms. Griffith says. “I make sure the kids know that just because they are little doesn’t mean Jesus doesn’t hear their prayers. Jesus listens to them and loves them.” Ms. Griffith taught in the program long before Mrs. George came to St. Peter’s. Mrs. George appreciates how Ms. Griffith has always been there for her and extends her gratitude for all of Ms. Griffith’s support and guidance. “Ms. Griffith couldn’t have provided any more time or effort in helping me feel confident,” Mrs. George says. “I am so thankful for her.” Ms. Griffith shares the sentiment — the two teachers make a great team. “It’s nice to have a teaching partner to bring questions to,” Ms. Griffith says. “They know how it is to work with kids this age.” In her free time, Mrs. George loves napping, reading, cooking, and spending time with family, including her two daughters. Ms. Griffith loves to read, do crafts and spend time with her two children and two grandchildren. She also loves being in the backyard with her two dogs.
“We can take Jesus with us everywhere we go. I make sure the kids know that just because they are little doesn’t mean Jesus doesn’t hear their prayers. Jesus listens to them and loves them.” — CARMEN GRIFFITH
A LETTER FROM OUR PASTOR
EASTER GRATITUDE Dear Parishioners,
E
aster Sunday comes late this year, not until April 17, almost as late a date on which it can fall. The method for determining the date of Easter was settled by the ancient Church according to a complicated formula that allows it to fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25. Most of us are very content simply to look it up on a liturgical calendar. But one feature of a late April celebration is how the days are getting noticeably longer each day as we move into the heart of springtime. As a matter of fact, the English word Lent is related to the Anglo-Saxon word meaning, “to lengthen,” for spring is the season when the days grow longer. Even though most Americans do not live in rural settings or agricultural environments like our ancestors did, we still find joy in the longer days that contrast with the early nightfall that we experienced at Christmas. So, when Lent is over and Easter arrives, our spirits naturally delight as we leave the winter behind. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying Easter is some sort of spring festival. The central theme of the Christian festival of Easter is clear. It celebrates what happened once for all 2,000 years ago when Jesus of Nazareth died on the Cross and was raised back to life on the third day by God the Father. This event took place during the Jewish observance of Passover, which comes during the spring, which is why we celebrate Easter then. So, then, we have two reasons to celebrate at
Easter. Primary, of course, is our yearly remembrance of the victory of Jesus Christ over sin, Satan, and death. But we can also rejoice in the coming of spring, which melts the snows of winter and brings us beautiful flowers in bloom. In their pastoral letter on stewardship, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops defined who a Christian steward is. It has several parts, but the first aspect they noted is that a Christian steward is “one who receives God’s gifts gratefully.” The bishops don’t distinguish between gifts from God that are spiritual and material ones. After all, “God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good” (Gen 1:31). The first step in becoming a good steward is to receive what God gives, to recognize that these gifts come from God, and to be grateful for them. So then as we celebrate Easter with gratitude for what God continues to do for us in both the material and spiritual spheres, we can resolve to use all we have received — the time, the talent, and the treasure entrusted to us, the beauty of the natural world, and the hope of eternal life — as stewards who use them for God’s glory and the welfare of his people. In Christ, Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Enlow
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ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
COMMUNITY SUPPORTS OU
Building a Bridge of F
T
he Catholic Church is a universal church, and here at St. Peter, we live that identity in a special way. You may have noticed the Haitian flag in the narthex of the church — just one reminder of our sister parish in Haiti. Our Lady of the Assumption is a Catholic parish in PasseReine, Haiti, with two mission churches, St. John the Baptist and St. Leo the Great. All three churches are led by Fr. Delix Michel. Marilena Frier serves as one of the co-chairs of the Haiti Sister Parish Committee and she has witnessed this relationship grow since it began in 2015. “We see our job as being a bridge between St. Peter and Our Lady of the Assumption parishes,” Marilena says. “But this isn’t just a one-way bridge. Both are committed to one another through prayer and mutual respect.” Marilena visited Our Lady of the Assumption herself in 2016 and was struck by the faith of the people there, in spite of the poverty so common in the area. “Their devotion to God is truly amazing,” she says. “They have so little but the importance of going to church is a high priority for them. It was really eye-opening for all of us.” Fr. Michel served in the Diocese of Springfield for over 20 years before returning to Haiti. Each year, Fr. Leo and Fr. Michel discuss goals for the sister parish. Then, the committee looks at ways it can assist in achieving those goals. For the last three years, Fr. Michel’s primary goal has been to feed his people, followed by education of his youth and supply of basic needs for his parishioners. This past Christmas, with our help, he provided food to 256 families. Through our Education Program, individual parishioners and ministries sponsored the education of 28 students. Our Twinning Program has sent much-needed items to our sister parish. Some of those included stretchers, water filtration systems, personal care products, church linens, socks, and underwear.
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UR SISTER PARISH IN HAITI
Faith and Compassion “People have been very supportive of what we do,” Marilena says. “We have a lot of ministries at our church so people have a lot of opportunities to show their love for God. So many choose to be part of the Haiti Sister Parish Committee and support it.” In 2019, Fr. Michel brought three of his parishioners to visit us at St. Peter. Families hosted them in their homes and gave them the opportunity to experience things here — including the St. Louis Zoo. This visit made the relationship between the parishes all the more real. “It was something that we’ll never forget,” Marilena says. Although travel has been on hold throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we plan to continue these visits in the future. In the meantime, Fr. Michel sends us videos to keep us connected and show us how our support ensures that the people are able to have access to the sacraments that are so vital to our faith.
“We see our job as being a bridge between St. Peter and Our Lady of the Assumption parishes. But this isn’t just a one-way bridge. Both are committed to one another through prayer and mutual respect.” — MARILENA FRIER If you are interested in learning more about our sister parish, contact Marilena Frier at friermarilena@gmail.com or Stephanie and Derek Fimmen at stephmuratori@yahoo.com.
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ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
ST. PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT Jul - Dec 2021 INCOME Regular Church Support Other Sources of Parish Support Investment Income Restricted Income Tuition Income
909,471.21 133,260.32 15,602.21 568,783.47 815,668.25
822,002.03 25,920.37 15,237.00 459,185.02 817,038.21
TOTAL INCOME
2,442,785.46
2,139,382.63
Payroll Expenses Contractual Services Utilities Insurance - Property & Liability Repairs and Maintenance Equipment and Furniture Professional Fees Support to Other Parishes Religious Education Expenses Parish Organization Expense ACSA Expense Tithe Expense Other Expenses
1,288,943.22 18,744.38 42,468.43 24,380.03 58,706.74 71,405.70 2,101.30 0.00 4,059.76 32,453.22 0.00 61,928.00 42,771.24
1,118,044.95 10,553.37 34,764.39 23,667.84 20,373.34 127,992.16 682.30 30,000.00 3,386.42 26,490.34 95,634.00 0.00 18,837.36
TOTAL EXPENSE
1,647,962.02
1,510,426.47
794,823.44
628,956.16
NET INCOME
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Jul - Dec 2020
RESPONDING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AT EASTER Dying, He Destroyed Our Death; Rising, He Restored Our Life “He
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again
from the dead” – APOSTLES’ CREED
A
s we have recently come to the end of our Lenten journey toward Easter, let us take a moment to meditate on three pivotal lines from the ancient creed, which comprise the central events of our redemption. Far from being a mere myth or legend, in Jerusalem around the year 30 A.D., Jesus Christ — the Son of God made man — was tortured at the hands of the Romans. He was flogged, beaten, spit upon, and crowned with thorns. He was made to carry the cross through the crowded streets to Golgotha and, once there, He was crucified — He was nailed to a cross and died. Just as someday we will each be laid in our graves, Jesus was laid in His. The most obvious question that confronts the observer of this horrific reality is “why?” Luckily, Christ made the impetus for His self-sacrifice quite clear: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14-15). The reasons Christ died on the cross are twofold, one negative and one positive. The negative cause is sin. Only in witnessing the cost of redemption — the death of the Son of God — can we begin to comprehend the profound magnitude of sin: “You have been purchased at a price,” says St. Paul (1 Cor 6:20).
Conversely, Christ willingly accepted the cross because of love. St. John famously says, “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” (Jn 3:16). Uniting these two causes, St. Paul says, “God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). In His limitless compassion, Christ entered into the fullness of human suffering — physical torment, emotional agony, and utter isolation — so that He might share complete solidarity with mankind. Accordingly, His passion and death not only accomplished our redemption but by the cross, He also showed us the way to true discipleship. For Christ taught His disciples long before His crucifixion, “if anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). Christ’s covenant is the final and perfect covenant between God and man, and it is a covenant of love, with Christ Himself as its high priest. Nevertheless, this covenant is not based on love as popular culture conceives of it, but love as Christ displayed it: “The way we came to know love was that He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16). Joined with the passion, Christ’s Resurrection is the key to the entire Gospel — for in rising from the dead, Jesus proved true His bold promises. He had prophesied to the apostles, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again” (Jn 10:18). The Resurrection vindicates this promise and validates His teaching and miracles. Furthermore, Christ, “the firstborn from the continued on back cover
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RESPONDING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AT EASTER dead,” opened the door to eternal life and to new creation (Col 1:18). Out of the darkness of despair, the scattered and frightened disciples saw the risen Christ and were renewed and transformed. Filled with faith in the crucified and resurrected Savior, they evangelized the known world. St. Paul summarizes the centrality of the redemptive power of the Easter Triduum with his characteristic zeal: “If Christ has not been raised, then empty (too) is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we
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testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:14-17). This Easter, let us respond to the glory of Christ’s Resurrection by exclaiming, as St. Thomas the Apostle did, “My Lord and my God!” And may each of us be filled with faith in God of our salvation, hope in the rewards He has won for us, and love for Him who has deigned to bestow them on us.
This Easter, let us respond to the glory of Christ’s Resurrection by exclaiming, as St. Thomas the Apostle did, “My Lord and my God!” And may each of us be filled with faith in God of our salvation, hope in the rewards He has won for us, and love for Him who has deigned to bestow them on us. MASS SCHEDULE Weekend Masses Saturday: 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Weekday Masses Mon-Sat: 8:00 a.m., except for Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m.
Reconciliation Saturday: 7:30-7:50 a.m., 3:30-4:30 p.m. or by appointment
