St. Timothy Catholic Church Newsletter — January 2022

Living the Mission

Join Us for Our Parish Retreat An Opportunity to Reflect on Our Blessings and Draw Closer to the Lord

F E AT U R I N G M S G R . J O H N C I P P E L — J A N . 2 8 - 2 9

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s Catholics, we regularly hear the word “Eucharist.” But how many of us know what that term means? Eucharist comes from the Greek eucharistia for “thanksgiving.” Indeed, our participation in the celebration of the Mass demonstrates our gratitude for the blessings the Lord has given us!

Thanksgiving and gratitude are the themes of Msgr. John Cippel’s retreat here at St. Timothy’s on Jan. 28-29. All are invited to join us for the three parts of this retreat in the evening on Friday as well as the morning and afternoon on Saturday. A priest of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Msgr. Cippel recently celebrated 60 years since his ordination. He has been retired as a pastor for over 10 years but continues to be active in priestly ministry particularly through spiritual direction. Living his vocation, he has learned that proper formation — from youth programs like Life-

teen to seminary formation — is critical for engaging in the faith.

During the retreat, Msgr. Cippel will help us identify the Lord’s blessings in our lives and evaluate how we can utilize these blessings to serve our families and greater community.

“Often, we get so caught up in the dayto-day of our lives, we fail to see and recognize the goodness in which the Lord has blessed us,” Msgr. Cippel says. “Our participation in the Mass each Sunday is more than going through the routine week after week, as it reflects our thanks to the Lord for giving us His Son.” In the Catholic faith, community is one of our greatest blessings. It’s through the intentional participation of the parish community to support each other through ministries and the sacraments that we all truly grow. Msgr. continued on page 5

January 2022 In this Issue

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Stewardship: New Year’s Resolutions

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January 26 — Sts. Timothy and Titus

Parish Community Prepares to Celebrate 20 Years of Our Church Building in 2022

The Feast of the Epiphany: Jan. 6 Celebrating the Revelation of God to Mankind

The Women’s Retreat: A Valuable Opportunity to Connect With God and One Another

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17512 Lakeshore Rd. Lutz, FL 33558 www.sainttims.org

STEWARDSHIP:

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New Year’s Resolutions

he New Year has arrived, and many of us have been busy making — and trying to keep — our New Year’s resolutions; some of which are geared toward health and fitness. After all, possessing good overall health is critical to our well-being. Others may try to eliminate a particularly bad habit such as smoking or swearing. Still, many of us plan things we have always wanted to do, but never did.

As the days continue many of us find our good-intentioned resolutions to be fading fast, which can result in us giving into our temptations and returning to our old ways. We are only human, right? Discouraged by this yearly failure, some of us don’t even bother making New Year’s resolutions anymore, especially if we feel like we won’t succeed.

Maybe our failures lie in both how we make our resolutions and what resolutions we actually choose.

What we need to understand is the “root” of our resolution. For example, if you resolve to eat less candy to drop those recently added holiday pounds, is the “root” of your resolution a selfish one — wanting to look better since you overindulged? Or, are you genuinely seeking to stop giving in to each “sweet tooth” craving by practicing mortification — giving up of a personal pleasure to glorify God? If the “root” is a selfish one, only to benefit yourself, then it is often difficult to keep in the long run.

However, if we are trying to glorify God, our mission is much more important and worth keeping.

Tying your New Year’s resolutions into the principles of stewardship — giving of your time, talent and treasure back to God — is a great way to ensure that the “root” of your resolution is right on track! For instance, resolving to pray each evening before going to bed glorifies God, brings you peace before slumber, and allows you to grow in your relationship with Christ. The “root” is pure. Your desire to keep it will be stronger and make it easier for you to keep. In the same way, resolving to return your talents to God by helping others in need is an excellent choice in creating a selfless resolution with

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the right “root.” Furthermore, resolving to re-evaluate your finances is also extremely important, and the beginning of a new year is a great time to do it. Are you giving back to God out of gratitude for all He has given you? Or are you merely dropping a dollar or two in the collection basket?

If you are not where you would like to be as a good steward — either with sharing your time, talent or treasure — you can resolve to do better. The New Year is a perfect opportunity to start anew and become the good steward that God desires each of us to become. And when we choose selfless things that build His kingdom instead of ours, we are sure to not only stay on track, but to succeed!

A Letter From Our Pastor

January 26 — Sts. Timothy and Titus Dear Friends in Christ,

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uring this month, we celebrate our parish’s patronal feast day. Jan. 26 is the Feast of Saints Timothy and Titus. St. Timothy shares this day with St. Titus, two close friends and co-workers with St. Paul on his missionary journeys and pastoral work among the Gentiles. Both served the Church as bishops — Timothy served in Ephesus and Titus went to Crete.

Three New Testament letters are addressed to them by St. Paul: two to St. Timothy and one to St. Titus. They are often referred to as the Pastoral Letters.

In them, St. Paul gives rulings and advice about the governance of those communities, which were under the threat of false teachers. Guidelines about church organization and about the roles of ministers are also given. By means of this pastoral advice, St. Paul desired to train these men to be good and faithful shepherds of their flocks.

Paul tells Timothy: “...I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.

So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord…

but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God” (2 Timothy 1: 6-8).

So, I extend to all our St. Timothy parish family a happy and holy feast day.

Through the intercession of St. Timothy, may we be strong and credible witnesses of our faith to others, never being ashamed of our testimony to our Lord.

Because St. Timothy and St. Titus were bishops, let us pray in a special way for our local Bishop Gregory Parkes and for all bishops, that they may be inspired by the life and witness of these holy pastors as they strive to be good and faithful shepherds of the flocks entrusted to their pastoral care.

Saints Timothy and Titus, pray for us.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. John Blum Pastor

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Parish Community Prepares to Celebrate 20

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On Dec. 7, 2002, we were blessed to officially dedicate our current St. Timothy’s building and parish hall.

n Dec. 7, 2002, we were blessed to officially dedicate our current church and parish hall. In December of this year, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this event. Our parish has been around since the 1980s when St. Paul Catholic Church was growing so rapidly that expansion was needed. St. Timothy started as a mission parish of St. Paul and our name derives from the fact that St. Timothy was a disciple of St. Paul and our former church was dedicated on May 24, 1987.

The 32,000 square feet of the church can seat more than 1,300 people. It is truly a wonderful place to call our parish home. Deacon Jerry Crall has been part of this parish since the very beginning and served on the construction committee for the current church.

“It’s amazing how fast 20 years can pass by,” he says.

Both the building and community are so important to Deacon Jerry.

“I have served here for all of my 34 years in the diaconate ministry,” he says. “This parish is where my children were raised and celebrated many sacraments. This is where my wife and I live out and practice our faith and share that with the community.”

Deacon Jerry feels so blessed to be living out his vocation at St. Timothy. After all, an important aspect of calling our parish “home” is our wonderful community.

“This is a very dynamic and welcoming community of people,” Deacon Jerry says.

After the disruptions and closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deacon Jerry looks forward to seeing more people return to ministries and in-person Mass in 2022.

“We are in the throes of the resurrection,” he says. “This is a very vibrant and social community, and I am excited to see people coming home.”

In addition, Deacon Jerry is thankful that Fr. John Blum was able to be properly installed in early December. It’s always monumental to welcome a new pastor at a parish, and it was nice to finally give a formal welcome to Fr. Blum.

We will commemorate the 20th anniversary in December 2022. This being an anniversary year, let’s take the time to explore some of the symbolism in our worship space and campus.

As you drive up to the parish, the crucifix on the dome reminds us of our Christianity, with the dome symbolizing

0 Years of Our Church Building in 2022 the hill of Calvary. All of the water spaces are a reminder of our Baptism. Even the walk from our vehicle to St. Timothy is symbolic — we are leaving everyday life to enter a sacred place.

The Baptismal Font is octagonal — in fact, there is a lot of octagonal symbolism throughout the building. The octagon symbolizes the seven days of creation with the eighth day often associated with Baptism and the resurrection. Sunday was considered this eighth day by the early Christians.

The 12 pillars that uphold the structure are octagonal and signify the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles. The windows are arranged in threes to signify the Holy Trinity.

There is much more to learn about the symbolism at St. Timothy. We encourage all to take the time to learn as we celebrate our 20th year in our current parish home.

If you would like to learn more about St. Timothy, please visit

www.sainttims.org. Stay tuned to the parish bulletin and website for events to celebrate our parish home’s 20th anniversary later this year.

Upcoming Parish Retreat Cippel recalls the impact of both hospitality and gratitude on his parish community.

“Once we implemented the stewardship model, we saw a sharp incline in the number of people engaging in parish activities and stepping outside their comfort zones to serve others,” he says. “They recognized their time and talents, thanked the Lord for these gifts, and shared them with our community.”

A joyous man and history buff, Msgr. Cippel hopes all in the St. Timothy community will prayerfully consider joining him and others in the community for the retreat later this month.

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“Often, we get so caught up in the day-today of our lives, we fail to see and recognize the goodness in which the Lord has blessed us. Our participation in the Mass each Sunday is more than going through the routine week after week, as it reflects our thanks to the Lord for giving us His Son.” — M S G R . J O H N C I P P EL

If you would like more information about the upcoming retreat, please call the parish off ice at 813-968-1077, or visit the parish website at www.sainttims.org.

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The Feast of the Epiphany

Celebrating the Revelation of God to Mankind

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hile “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is one of the most popular and widely recorded Christmas carols in America and Europe, its lyrics are rarely recognized as referring to the 12 days that stretch from Christmas Day on Dec. 25 until the glorious Feast of the Epiphany, which is celebrated on a Sunday between January 2-8.

The Feast of the Epiphany, which originated in the Eastern Church, marks the end of the Christmas season and is intended to celebrate the revelation of God to mankind in human form through the person of Jesus. The word “epiphany” is taken from a Greek word meaning “appearance” or “manifestation,” and finds its earliest reference as a Christian feast in the fourth century.

But exactly which “manifestation” of Christ Jesus do we recognize on the Feast of the Epiphany? The Western Church reserves Jan. 6 as the commemoration of the coming of the Magi. These three men, traditionally named Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, travel in haste towards the Christ Child and remain an undying testimony to the long pilgrimage of peoples in search of salvation.

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On the Feast of the Epiphany in 2007, Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged that this celebration makes clear not only man’s pilgrimage towards God, but also God’s pilgrimage towards man in the person of Jesus Christ. He spoke of the glorious incarnation with these words: “It was out of love that He made Himself history in our history.”

On the Feast of the Epiphany, therefore, we come to realize that we are all on a pilgrimage towards Christ; the source of salvation. This pilgrimage is unique to each and every one of us, but results in a universal and dynamic experience — a constant “growing closer” between God and us. It is for this opportunity that we rejoice!

In the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “Happy are those who, while possessing the truth, search more earnestly for it in order to renew it, deepen it and transmit it to others. Happy also are those who, not having found it, are working toward it with a sincere heart. May they seek the light of tomorrow with the light of today until they reach the fullness of light.”

Now when asked: “What occurs on the 12th day of Christmas?” we can respond with joyful certitude: “Epiphany!”

On the Feast of the Epiphany, we come to realize that we are all on a pilgrimage towards Christ, the source of salvation.

This pilgrimage is unique to each and every man, but results in a universal and dynamic experience — a constant “growing closer” between God and man. It is for this opportunity that we rejoice!

The Women’s Retreat:

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A Valuable Opportunity to Connect With God and One Another

s we settle into the new year, the women of our parish can look forward to the opportunity to grow in relationship with God and share in fellowship, as St. Timothy’s hosts a women’s retreat at the end of January. Leading the retreat is Karen May, a Catholic writer and inspirational speaker.

Karen, who hails from Austin, Texas, has a passion for helping others find a true and deep relationship with God. “My husband was an atheist,” she says. “He was my high school sweetheart and for 10 years, he attended Mass on Sundays with me. He would challenge and question things about the faith. And because he never stopped asking, I had to keep searching for answers.

Through that searching, I personally discovered that the Church isn’t just about the rules that it sets — it is about the God who loves you.

“Thanks to this journey of searching for answers to his questions, I found a deep, meaningful and personal relationship with God,” she adds. continued on back cover

“God places something on my heart and I just can’t keep it to myself. I get to share the Good News — and it IS good news!

There are so many things in the world that are telling us there is no good news, but God has given us all this grace. I get to be upfront and deliver this message. I get to see it change people — I can physically see it relieve the stress and anxiety that people carry. I get to be on the front lines of God’s work and I am so grateful for this calling.”

— Karen May, Women's Retreat Leader

Speaker and author Karen May will be leading our upcoming retreat.

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17512 Lakeshore Road Lutz, FL 33558 813-968-1077 www.sainttims.org

The Women’s Retreat Karen’s work of blogging and writing began when she would text encouragements and messages to the students in the youth group that she ran.

“I told them to bring their questions!” she says. “I am not going to give you the answers, but I will tell you where to find them. My mantra is this — ‘I am not going to tell you about Jesus, I am going to introduce you to Him.’” Karen’s enthusiasm for sharing Jesus with others is palpable.

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“God places something on my heart and I just can’t keep it to myself,” she says. “I get to share the Good News — and it IS good news! There are so many things in the world that are telling us there is no good news, but God has given us all this grace. I get to be upfront and deliver this message. I get to see it change people — I can physically see it relieve the stress and anxiety that people carry.

I get to be on the front lines of God’s work and I am so grateful for this calling.”

The women’s retreat will take place on Jan. 22 at the Bethany Center, starting at 8 a.m. and ending with Mass at 3 p.m. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

In addition to Karen’s presentation, there will be time for discussion and prayer.

All women are welcome.

Registration information is located on the parish website at www.sainttims.org — the registration deadline is Jan. 7.

Mass Schedule

Saturday Vigil: 5:30 p.m. • Sunday: 7:30, 9, 11 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. • Daily: Mon-Sat 9 a.m., Wed 6. p.m. • Holy Days: 9 a.m. & 7 p.m. Vigil: 7 p.m.