St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Newsletter — April 2021

April 2021

ST. VINCENT de PAUL

CATHOLIC PARISH

Spending Easter with the Saints

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Steadfast in Faith and Devotion: St. Catherine of Siena Give Thanks to the Lord, It Is Right and Just Bear Collection Ministry Provides Essential Comfort and Prayers The Engler Family Gratefully Embraces Opportunities to Serve God at St. Vincent de Paul

5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org

By NICHOLAS SENZ

aster Sunday, the greatest feast on the Church’s calendar — Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen! The Lenten focus on penance is transformed into the joy of the resurrection, conquering sin and death, and redeeming us. We celebrate with family dinners, baskets of candy, and other festivities. What a shame it’s only one day.

Except it’s not!

Easter is not just a day, but an entire season of the liturgical year. Just as Lent lasts 40 days, the Easter season following it lasts 50 days, until the great feast of Pentecost, where we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the “birth” of the church. We ought not limit our Easter joy to one day a year. The saints show us how to do this.

St. Paul, the great apostle and missionary, reminds us that Easter ought to live in our hearts always. He put it starkly: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14). But because Christ has been raised, we will be, too — He is “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Because Christ rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, we can receive forgiveness of sins, be born as new creatures in Christ through Baptism, and have communion with God. This truth should be at the center of our lives and animate everything that we do.

This mindset was summarized well by St. Augustine, the great fourthcentury bishop, and Doctor of the Church. He is credited with the famous phrase, “We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song.” As Christians, continued on back cover

ST. VINCENT de PAUL STEADFAST IN FAITH AND DEVOTION:

St. Catherine of Siena

On April 29, we celebrate the feast day of a doctor of the Church — one who remained absolutely devoted to living her life for Christ, even in the face of familial misunderstanding in her youth, and through societal opposition and turmoil during her later years. As stewards in our fast-paced, highly technical — and often fractured — world, we can always look to the life and example of St. Catherine of Siena, and strive to remain steadfast in our faith while facing our own modern-day challenges.

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orn in mid-14th-century Italy to a large family, and in the midst of a plague outbreak, St. Catherine of Siena was her parents’ 25th child, although half of her siblings did not survive through childhood. Young Catherine resisted her family’s desire for her to marry — she even went so far as to begin fasting and cutting her hair short in protest.

Her parents eventually relented, as Catherine strived to humbly serve her own family, treating her own father as Jesus, her mother as Mary, and her brothers as the apostles.

Such was Catherine’s desire to remain in service to her own family that instead of entering a convent, she joined the Third Order of St. Dominic at age 18. This enabled her to continue serving her family at home, even as she was part of a religious society. In time, she learned to read and began giving her family’s own possessions to those in need — even though her parents didn’t necessarily approve of her entirely altruistic approach to service.

Continuing with her faithful devotion as part of the Third Order of St. Dominic, Catherine developed a following of her own, as she wrote letters offering spiritual encouragement and instruction. Controversy would ensue, as her writings began to comment on public matters through her firm lens of faith.

In the midst of these spiritual developments, at age 21, Catherine underwent a profound change, as she experienced what she called her “mystical marriage to Christ.” Through this experience, she was directed to help the poor and the sick.

Catherine began serving those in need in hospitals and homes, which inspired followers to assist in these important missions of service, love and mercy. Furthermore, she continued to comment on public matters, petitioning for peace in the midst of political fracture and strife. This continued through the Great Schism, beginning in 1378, as Catherine spent two years — the last years of her life — in Rome, praying and pleading for unity in the Church, and for the cause of Pope Urban VI.

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By January 1380, Catherine was gravely ill, unable to eat or drink — shortly thereafter, she lost the use of her legs. At only 33 years old, she would pass away on April 29, 1380.

She was canonized nearly a century later, in 1461.

Despite her short life, St. Catherine of Siena made a profound impact on the Church through her spiritually direct writings, her work serving those in need, and in preserving the unity of the Church in the face of great societal upheavals — all while being singularly devoted to living a life for Christ.

Her status led her to be declared a co-patron of Italy (alongside St. Francis of Assisi) in 1939. And in 1970, Pope Paul VI declared St. Catherine of Siena a doctor of the Church.

A Letter From Our Pastor

Give Thanks to the Lord, It Is Right and Just Dear Parishioners,

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very time I prepare my monthly letter to you in this newsletter, I am reminded of how blessed I am. Being a priest truly is a blessing. While the job is not always easy — a pastor has many responsibilities — the rewards are equally humbling.

As we complete our preparations and then share in our celebrations of the Triduum and Easter, I am also prompted to think about the holiest things I do. By far, the holiest is celebrating Mass, and especially consecrating the holy bread and wine so Christ is present among us. The very word “consecration” literally means “association with the sacred.” To have that duty is incredible. I have never taken it for granted, and although it may appear at times to be somewhat automatic, it never is for me.

Almost all of us are familiar with the Mass, and with what we do and say leading up to the high point — the Eucharist. But I think we must guard against becoming too casual in our responses and what we say. That is what I work to avoid, but I believe you need to work just as diligently to make sure that you are listening, hearing and being aware of what you are saying. For us as Catholics, the Mass is the most important and sacred act in the Church.

I suppose I could write a whole series of letters or articles on the meaning of everything we say and do at Mass, but I was thinking of one exchange in particular during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It is something we may say in sort of a habitual way, but I firmly believe each of us must truly consider what we are saying.

I say to you, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” and you respond, “It is right and just.” Think about what that means, because it is very much at the heart of stewardship. I am saying we need to thank God, show gratitude for everything we are and everything with which we are gifted — and you, at least in words, acknowledge that doing that is exactly what we need to do.

The Mass is filled with statements and exchanges of that sort, and I would ask that we think about what they truly mean.

Even the simple exchange between the Eucharistic Minister and you at the actual reception of the Host is heavy with meaning. We say, “the Body of Christ,” and you reply “amen.” In that instance, “amen” means “yes, I do believe this is Jesus.” Like myself, you are blessed.

Sometimes we just need to realize it. Happy Easter!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Philip Brembah Pastor

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ST. VINCENT de PAUL Bear Collection Ministry Provides

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embers of our St. Vincent de Paul Bear Collection Ministry may be the ones seeking and gathering and delivering stuffed teddy bears to young patients at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth — but to Mary Ellis, ministry founder, it is God who is making it all work.

“The thing about this ministry is that God is running it — it has nothing to do with me,” Mary says. “God is working this. It’s a true ministry in that way. We’re just the arms and legs of it.”

What the ministry has done since 2008 is collect stuffed teddy bears, typically in Pack and Play playpens placed in the church. When the playpens are full, the bears are gathered, blessed, and delivered to the Pastoral Care Department at the hospital. The bears are given to patients ranging from newborns in the NICU department to teens up to 18 years of age.

The bears are the children’s to keep and take home.

Each bear is given along with the poem The Legend of the Prayer Bear by Annie Miller, which includes the stanza: “Every time I feel afraid, I’ll hug my Prayer Bear tight.

For I have friends who care for me.

And I will be all right.”

Others collect and donate the bears, including several area schools, Girl Scout troops, women’s groups, and two area jewelry stores — Jared and Kay Jewelers, who donate packaged bears from holiday promotions.

Bobby and Lisa Burke with Patsy McDaniel of the Pastoral Care Department at Cook Children’s, and volunteers.

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All the bears collected must follow the hospital’s guidelines for sizes and construction.

“Our goal is to bring comfort and prayers to the children,” Mary says. “The ministry developed out of a need. I’m just a minister answering a request.”

Since the pandemic has placed restrictions on how the bears are collected and distributed, the number of bears typically given to the hospital has declined. In normal times, however, the hospital distributes about 15,000 bears each year.

The ministry’s origins are with a prayer chain that Mary Ellis belonged to here at St. Vincent. The members would pray for the patients at Cook Children’s. One day, Mary received an email from Patsy McDaniel, the chaplain in the Pastoral Care Department at the hospital, saying the department had run out of bears.

“We started collecting a few bears and had them blessed, and donated,” Mary says. “That year, I was retiring from teaching and had extra time, so I suggested to the Prayer Chain that we continue collecting bears. We put an announcement in the bulletin, and placed a box in the parish office.”

Our parishioners quickly filled that box, and the ministry began in earnest.

A three-person leadership team was organized with Mary overseeing special projects, Wendy Perez coordinating and Malena Serrano assisting.

Membership grew in the ministry as our parishioners could see that their participation would be an opportunity to practice stewardship.

(From left) ministry members Dennis Sell, Pastoral Care Director Patsy McDaniel, Mary Ellis (Bear Ministry leader team member and ministry founder), Laura Rose, and leader team member Malena Serrano.

Essential Comfort and Prayers “It’s a really simple way of sharing with people who are afraid or alone,” Wendy says. “It’s nice to give a physical item to someone.”

“Our parishioners have embraced this ministry,” Mary says.

As the ministry’s work became well known, Mary has found that she receives unexpected donations of cash and bears.

“We get bears or cash or because the giver’s hearts are tied to Cook Children’s,” Mary says. “They pay it forward.

Mothers tell me, ‘I rock my child to sleep with the bear’ or ‘My child got a bear, so I donate.’”

In another instance of serendipity, Mary inadvertently called a wrong number, and the woman on that number called her back when Mary left a message. “‘I’m not the lady you were calling, but do you need bears?’” the woman asked.

“I said, ‘I collect bears for Cook Children’s,’” Mary says.

The woman had an extensive collection of new bears that she offered to the ministry.

“There were bins of bears,” Mary says. “There are stories like that. God is working this.”

While the children receiving the bears are blessed with prayers from others, children who collect and donate bears also receive the blessings of helping other children who are suffering.

“When I started this, I had the idea of children helping children,” Mary says.

The act of collecting and donating bears enables youngsters to become aware of the needs of other children like themselves. On the occasions of school children visiting the hospital, they also are made aware of career opportunities in helping others.

As pandemic restrictions are eased in the future, the regular collection playpens will once again be put in use.

Anyone with questions about ministry may call Wendy Perez at the parish office at 817-478-8206, ext. 209.

Fr. Philip blesses the bears before they are taken to Cook Children’s Medical Center.

Karla and Frida Rodriguez organize bears with their mother, Malena Serrano.

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ST. VINCENT de PAUL THE ENGLER FAMILY Gratefully

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(From left) Mason, Jennifer, Paul and Grant Engler enjoy being involved with various ministries at our parish.

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tewardship is a journey. It’s a journey that can begin by simply joining one ministry — and before you know it, you’re sharing your time and talents in various ways. Paul and Jennifer Engler and their children, Grant, 18, and Mason, 13, have taken this journey and now find themselves helping in several ministries at St. Vincent de Paul.

Paul serves as a cantor and sings in the choir. Jennifer and Grant serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion.

Mason plays the cello with the choir. But the Engler family wasn’t always this busy at our parish. After becoming parishioners at. St. Vincent de Paul about seven years before, they realized something was missing from Sunday Mass.

“It was interesting being in church and realizing that something was missing,” Jennifer says. “It wasn’t the homily or words for the Bible — it was our lack of involvement. We needed to be a part of something to feel like we were contributing.”

Paul says the couple used the excuse of raising young children or being too busy with work. But one day, after they had begun attending Mass at St. Vincent de Paul, Jennifer asked Paul, “When are you going to sing again?”

“Shortly after that, someone spoke during the homily about stewardship,” Paul says. “They told the congregation ‘You can even do something once a month to help out.’ I knew right there that they were right and I couldn’t use those excuses anymore.

God has given us so much. We have to give back, as well.”

Embraces Opportunities to Serve God at St. Vincent de Paul So Paul, Jennifer, and their children have taken that advice. During the 2020 Christmas season, the Engler family contributed to the virtual Christmas concert. Paul sang and Mason played the cello as part of a trio with Director of Liturgy and Music Kevin Keil on the piano. The piece of music was composed by Kevin and is titled “Joseph’s Lullaby.”

Grant videotaped and edited the concert.

Grant and Mason both agree that being involved at St. Vincent de Paul is an important and meaningful part of their lives.

“I feel closer to God when I am involved,” Mason says. “I also listen better to the homily when I am a part of the Mass — the words connect more.”

Mason enjoys taking his talents in playing the cello to God and the people of our parish. Paul enjoys having Mason with him at choir practices and having the opportunity to contribute their musical talents together.

“When you add the cello to a musical piece, it just takes it to another level,” Paul says. “It just goes so much further for people’s spirituality with the voice and instruments.”

Grant says his mom nudged him to consider serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion when he was going through Confirmation. He has missed serving during the pandemic because it is so meaningful to him.

For Paul, being involved as part of our parish worship experience — serving as a cantor and in the choir — is so meaningful to his faith.

“Being able to worship to music takes me to another level of connectivity with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit,” he says. “Sometimes, when I am singing I have to take myself out of the moment because I forget where I am.”

For Jennifer, serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is a very important part of her faith life. She feels blessed to be able to

distribute the Body and Blood of Jesus to her fellow parishioners.

“When I distribute Communion, I am reminded of the sacrifices Jesus made for us,” she says. “I hope that every day I am better modeling — for my kids and my students, my friends and my family — the sacrifice that was made for us by Jesus.”

Paul and Jennifer made the move to Texas about 18 years ago, when Jennifer accepted a position as a faculty member at Texas Christian University.

Paul works at Dannon Yogurt as an industrialization manager. While Paul was raised Catholic, Jennifer went through the RCIA process in 2002 when the couple lived in Minnesota. Now, they are so thankful for the community they have found at St. Vincent de Paul. They both agree that being involved at St. Vincent de Paul has strengthened their family and faith life, more than they could have ever imagined.

“We pray a lot more at home and we pray openly in restaurants now,” Jennifer says. “There’s a difference in our lives. It’s like we opened the door and He came in. That’s what God does.”

Paul and Jennifer particularly appreciate their fellow parishioners and the example set by Fr. Philip Brembah.

“Father always says, ‘God is good all the time — all the time, God is good,’” Jennifer says. “We love that and we believe it to be very true.”

“The people here are so service-oriented,” Paul adds. “I believe we are called to leave this world a better place than when we came into it. The people at this parish live that out.”

The Engler family encourages everyone to find ways to use their talents to get involved at St. Vincent de Paul.

“If you find a way to even give back just once a month, you will be amazed what it can do for yourself or someone else,” Paul says. “If we can all give a little bit, it can go a long way.”

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ST. VINCENT de PAUL 5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org

MASSES Saturday Vigil: 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

Weekdays: (M/T/Th/Fr) 8:45 a.m. in the church

(Wed) 6:00 p.m. in the church

Holy Days: 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Confessions: Saturday: 4-5 p.m. in the chapel

Spending Easter with the Saints we should define ourselves as those who believe in the Easter mystery and are transformed by our participation in it through the sacraments — most especially, the Eucharist.

This was illustrated well by St. Justin Martyr, a philosopher turned Christian apologist. In 150 AD, St. Justin wrote a defense of Christianity to the Roman emperor and senate. He told them that Christians gather for worship on Sunday because “Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead.” Every Sunday is “the Lord’s day,” a commemoration of the resurrection. Every Sunday is a “mini-Easter.”

So, when the Easter baskets are put away, don’t put your Easter joy away with them. Let it live the whole year through. Christ is risen, alleluia!

continued from front cover

Easter is not just a day, but an entire season of the liturgical year. Just as Lent lasts 40 days, the Easter season following it lasts 50 days, until the great feast of Pentecost, where we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the “birth” of the church. We ought not limit our Easter joy to one day a year.