May 2016 | The Spirit of St. Louis

St. Louis @

May 2016

Theology of the

Body

“The body, in fact, and only the body, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine.”

- Saint John Paul II,Theology of the Body

What Is The Meaning and Purpose of My Life?

How Do I Find Happiness and Fulfillment?

If you’re wondering if there’s more to life than just “getting by” and are ready to focus on what really matters, then discover the extraordinary Catholic teaching known as the Theology of the Body. It will give you a revolutionary and fulfilling vision for life, as it offers a new way to authentically see yourself, your faith, your relationships, and your world.

Given to us by Pope Saint John Paul II, the Theology of the Body is healing deep personal wounds, renewing marriages, awakening vocations, and setting people free to live the life of greatness to which we are all called.

Introduction to the Theology of the Body

by Christopher West

WEDNESDAYS, MAY 11 - JUNE 29 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. WOZNIAK HALL To register, contact amy.allert@st-louis.org Study guides are $14.95 Childcare may be available upon request.

In An Introduction to the Theology of the Body: Discovering the Master Plan For Your Life, renowned author and theologian, Christopher West, unfolds God’s extraordinary plan for all of humanity. If you desire to live out the fullest meaning and purpose of your life, then join us for this amazing discovery!

A newsletter of st. louis catholic church • 7601 burnet road, austin, tx • www.st-louis.org

All High School Students (current 8th graders included) are invited to attend the Steubenville Youth Conference June 17th -19th in Dallas!

Spots Still Open - Cost: $225 - Scholarships Available Send questions or RSVP to Paul Stadelman at paul.stadelman@st-louis.org or visit steubenvilleconferences.com/youth/ for more info!

The Spirit of St. Louis

Welcome, Cindy Gee!

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Holiday May 30th

The Church and School offices will be closed on Monday May 30th for the Memorial Day holiday. They will reBack in early March, Fr. James open on Tuesday, May 31st for regularly Misko sent a letter home to School scheduled hours.

PRINCIPAL OF ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL

parents announcing the successful conclusion of his Principal search and the hiring of Mrs. Cindy Gee. Effective May 1st, Mrs. Gee will Divine Mercy Chaplet begin shadowing Dr. Tina Bailey Juarez, our Interim Principal, to During the Year of Mercy, we invite you learn the intricacies about running to join us in praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and selected prayers from the our parish school.

Diary of St. Faustina every Sunday at 3:00 p.m. in the Chapel. Bring your rosary and come join your fellow parishioners as we unite ourselves in prayer with our Holy Father. Check your bulletins for information on Divine Mercy Sunday activities, April 3rd.

Mrs. Gee comes with a wealth of experience in the field of education.

She is a product of Catholic education herself, graduating from St. Margaret Mary Elementary School and St. Gerard Catholic High School, both in San Antonio.

She received her Bachelor’s Degree in English and Physical Education from St. Mary’s University in San Publication Deadlines Antonio and her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas San Antonio.

The next monthly parish Her career includes teaching in the North East Independent School District in San Antonio, and the Austin and Del Valle Independent School Districts. In 1998, she moved to the Pflugerville School District where she served for one year as a Vice Principal and then eight years as Principal at either Windermere or Caldwell Elementary Schools. Mrs. Gee also served in the Superintendent’s office as the Executive Director of Elementary Instruction and as one of the Assistant Superintendents.

She comes to St. Louis with an extensive list of associations, development and leadership training programs that she has participated in over the years, not to mention community service and career related honors and awards she has received. Those credits plus the wonderful reviews from former parents, students and staff made Mrs. Gee a front-runner for the principal’s position.

newsletter will be the issue for June 2016. Thank you for submitting items no later than May 5th to evelyn. mcnair@st-louis.org or bulletin@stlouis.org

This year, the July-August issue of The Spirit of St. Louis will be a combined two-month edition. Please be planning and thinking ahead for the July-August articles that you want included. The deadline for that edition is Monday, June 6th. Thank you for your timely contributions in meeting that deadline.

She and her family are members of St. Elizabeth Parish in Pflugerville where she has served for many years as a Eucharistic Minister, Minister of Homebound Weekly bulletin deadlines are Communion, Hospital Communion Minister, Religious Education Catechist, always 10 days in advance of an intended and High School Confirmation Coordinator. weekend. Submit items to bulletin@

st-louis.org no later than Wednesdays

She will be working closely with Dr. Bailey to insure a seamless transition at noon. and to strategize ways to continue making our school academically sound. She hopes to perpetuate the traditions of St. Louis School that provide our children an environment to grow in their faith, with confidence that they will be well prepared for high school and beyond. Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Cindy Gee to our staff!

“…for His mercy endures forever.”

A LECTIO WITH PSALM 136 (135)

BY REV. DAVID TRAHAN The structure of the psalm itself leads one to think of a choir and a cantor, a verse and a response. The cantor leads the choir through a reflection on the marvelous wonders that the Lord has done for Israel in leading them out of Egypt into slavery. In a parish, we find the psalms in books or in the context of the Mass, but the psalms have always had a unique place as the voice of God’s people—first with the children of Abraham’s line, and then with the children of Abraham’s faith.

LORD, for He is good; The psalms give public voice to that which is most interior. Jeremiah’s Lamentations are a crie de cœur, true, but they are still primarily written word, at PSALM 136 most intended for spoken reading. The psalms are songs—they do not first give voice to an experience in a historical or eyewitness sense, but they give voice to the experience in a way that is not meant to explain, but to resonate.

“Praise the

for His mercy endures forever”

The truth, the feelings, the content of a psalm—of any song—is not simply something to be heard, reflected upon, or even remembered, but a song has the unique ability to becomes enmeshed within the heart of the one who hears it.

A story that is told, even a profoundly moving one, remains something that has happened to another. Music wells up from within and bridges the gap between the hearer and the other. When people hear a moving story, they may become emotional, but no-one has a desire to stand up and start dancing no matter how profound the narrative. Even a banal ballad can be something that, because it is carried along by music, invites a response from within, a desire to create, to compose, to join, to unite with the medium itself. Psalms, thus, are the Word’s invitation to harmonize, to unite ourselves to the music of Scripture and to allow ourselves to, as it were, be the psalm.

Psalm 136 (or 135 depending on the translation) is the great hymn of God’s mercy. It is one of the more obviously ‘musical’ psalms for us who do not read Hebrew because of its structure. The psalm is built from the antiphonal or call/ response form that we usually encounter psalms in the Mass with the Responsory or in the Liturgy of the Hours with the divided choir. The refrain of “for His mercy endures forever” re-echoes throughout the story that is told of God leading His people into freedom.

The cantor leads the choir with the triple command to “Praise!”, to praise the Lord because of His goodness, to praise the God to Whom all authority in heaven belongs, and to praise the God Whose power is not limited to the heavens but Whose lordship extends to the earth as well. Each command to praise is ‘explained’ by the choir as being right and just because of God’s mercy. The might and grandeur and splendor of God “Who does great deeds as none else can” (Knox trans.) is made manifest in His mercy—His mercy is His imperium, the authority and power by which He governs all that is.

The cantor then leads us to consider the marvels the Lord did, not just those that are ‘for our sake’, but in the simple joy and wonder of creation. The heavens are spread, the world below is wrought, the great lights are fashioned that allow us to measure the passing of time and to order our days in succession. All of these are manifestations of the mercy of God. Creation, creativity, is an aspect of mercy. An artist’s ‘passion’, the ‘suffering with’ the object to be brought forth, is precisely the ‘pangs of birth’ that allow something new to exist within the world. The ‘ache’ that accompanies the overwhelming need for whatever it is that the artist is making to be brought forth is an experience of ’misericordia’, of a suffering heart. Art is not supposed to be ‘mere’ aesthetics in the sense of a vacuous preoccupation, but is supposed to root one ever more deeply in the world of what is by expanding the possibilities of that world. That then demands that such a one become newly rooted ever-again in the world as it is in order to truly create rather than to simply indulge in interior preoccupation exteriorly.

The mercy of God does not stay at the level of ‘mere’ aesthetics either. Indeed, the mercy of God becomes quite

The Spirit of St. Louis

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Planning Marriage in the Future? enmeshed in the history and doings of Israel, reaching down to them in the midst of squalor and slavery to bring them forth into freedom. He does not shy away from their plight, sweeping aside those who seek to stand against the will of the Lord of All. He seeks them, desires them, finds them in their plight and does not simply provide palliative care to make them simply feel better about themselves or their situation, but He leads them forth in victory and triumph directly from the midst of their own poverty. It is not Israel’s doing that allows them to leave Egypt, but God’s. It is not through the aid of natural forces that Israel escapes—the sea stands before them as a mute barrier preventing them from reaching freedom and the desert withholds the possibility of life from any who seek to cross—but it is the power of God that pushes back even against Oceanus, against the ancient void that confined men to the world, against the privation of the desert to provide for His people a bounty in the midst of absence.

Even the machinations of other peoples are not beyond the reach of the mercy of God. Those who seek to undo the will of God are turned aside and cast down, their place being given over not to those who are more worthy, but to those who have, however grudgingly at times, followed the Lord. Even the most lukewarm of Israel who follows after God comes to share in a bounty prepared for them, not one they have to work for on their own.

The mercy of God is not something that demonstrates weakness, something that is used as a sop to try something different from simple power—it is the mercy of God that is power and might. This Year of Mercy is not a time to celebrate a weakness, as if God is giving in before the weight and darkness of sin, but a celebration of the Victor’s triumph of Easter, of the conquest and vanquishing of sin and death. God’s mercy created the world, and then in a greater outpouring of mercy than at the first, He recreated it anew. This jubilee is a time to allow that triumph to be one in which we share, both in seeking God’s mercy in our own lives, and especially by allowing ourselves to manifest His mercy through our lives. It is not weakness to be merciful, and it is not weakness to seek mercy, “…for His mercy endures forever.”

El Grupo del Santo Rosario María, Reyna de La Paz

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Invites the parish community to the crowning of Mary, Our Blessed Virgin Mother, May 8, 2016 in the church at 1:00 p.m.

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May Our Blessed Mother in heaven intercede for us all and may Our Lord God almighty bless us always

The Sacrament of Marriage involves many steps, but your faith community is here to assist you. While you don’t have to be a member to marry here, it is the support and tithes of our generous parishioners that make our marriage programs and facilities possible.

Consequently, fees for the rental of facilities are assessed according to parishioner or non-parishioner status. If you have been a registered member and documented giver (through checks or envelopes) for at least six months before coming in to plan a future wedding, you will be eligible for the discounted parishioner rate at a savings of $600. Call our Church Office for more information on this and all questions related to the marriage preparation process (512) 454-0384.

The Anointing of the Sick The Anointing of the Sick is offered every second Sunday of each month during the 9:00pm Compline service in the Chapel. Please join us Sunday, May 8, 2016. Compline is the last liturgical office of the day and this meditative service, held each Sunday, includes beautiful Gregorian chants of the Church. This is a wonderful prayerful way to end your weekend and prepare for the new week ahead.

Vacation Bible School Registration is now OPEN!

Join us for VBS here at St. Louis the week of June 27th!

Registration fees are $30 per child and include your child’s T-shirt and a CD of the music for the week, as well as snacks and a FABULOUS adventure learning about their Faith.

You may register by sending in this form and paying with check, cash, or on the ECDC website with credit card. *Be sure to mark the online payment “VBS”. The forms will also be available on the ECDC website.

Important note - Children attending ECDC have paid for VBS with their summer fees and DO NOT need to register or pay again.

Interested in a discount? Adult volunteers for VBS pay only $10 each for their children! Call or email Dona LeBlanc at 512-454-0384, ext. 244 or dona.leblanc@st-louis.org to volunteer. ALL REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE BY MAY 30TH. Space is limited. Children of volunteers are given priority.

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VBS REGISTRATION FORM Family name________________________________________________ Children’s names Ages/Grades T-shirt size _____________________________

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* please list T-shirt sizes for each child from the following choices: YS, YM, YL, AS, AM, AL, AXL, AXXL Total payment of $30 per child =______________________ Please, check one of the following: Cash Check #_______________ Online Credit Card - by name: ________________________________ Interested in volunteering? Please contact Dona BEFORE registering your children.

REMEMBER, ALL REGISTRATION FORMS AND PAYMENTS ARE DUE BY MAY 30TH.

The Spirit of St. Louis

BACCALAUREATE MASS All members of the Class of 2016 are invited to attend the Baccalaureate Mass Sunday, May 15 at 11:30 a.m. honoring your accomplishments.

IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD IS GRADUATING THIS YEAR, PLEASE RSVP TO PAUL.STADELMAN@ST-LOUIS.ORG BY FRIDAY MAY 13TH. GRADUATES ARE INVITED TO WEAR THEIR CAP AND GOWN TO THE MASS.

Diocesan Priests’ Conference On Tuesday, May 31st through Thursday, June 2nd (mid-day), our parish priests will be attending a Diocesan Conference out-of-town. Consequently, scheduled weekday Masses on those days will only be Communion services as listed below. Any Mass intentions scheduled for those dates and times have been rescheduled.

Tuesday, May 31 6:00pm Communion Service Wednesday, June 1 7:00am Communion Service Wednesday, June 1 12 Noon Communion Service

(No confessions that Wednesday at 11:15am) Thursday, June 2 7:00am Communion Service

Adoration Code Changed The after-hours code to the Adoration Chapel changed at the end of January. If you would like the key code for after-hours, please fill out an information sheet found on the table in the Adoration Chapel foyer and place it in the adjacent lockbox. You can also fill out a form in the Church Office during office hours and receive the code at that time. These measures have been taken to secure the safety of our after-hours adorers and we are grateful for your cooperation!

For more information or questions, please contact the Adoration Ministry team at adoration@st-louis.org or leave a message (512) 693-7022. Monday-Friday, the Adoration Chapel can be entered without a key code, using the unlocked glass door from the narthex into the Adoration Chapel foyer. That door is typically unlocked from 9am-5pm on those days.

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SANCTUARY CANDLE MEMORIALS The sanctuary candle is traditionally seen in Catholic churches, burning constantly to indicate the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.

At St. Louis, in both the main nave and the chapel, the sanctuary candles are burning high above the floor in beautifully ornate fixtures suspended from the ceiling. Parishioners are given the opportunity to memorialize a deceased loved one with a $10 contribution, selecting a specified week in which one or both of the two sanctuary candles will be burned in their honor.Visit the church office with your donation, the name of your loved one, your choice of sanctuary candle and the selected week. Memorials are denoted in the Main Nave (M/N) or Chapel (C). Memorials reserved since the last newsletter deadline include: May 1 – 7 In Memory of Alfred Garcia (M/N) May 8 – 14 In Memory of Mercedes C. Ramos

by Roland C. Ramos & Patricia R. Cantu (M/N)

New leadership in your ministry?

If you have elected new officers or other leadership in your ministry/ organization that meets on the St. Louis campus, be sure the new people are certified in the Ethics and Integrity in Ministry policies of the Diocese of Austin. They must have completed an Application for Ministry for a background check and should have attended an EIM workshop. Call Brenda Beltran (512) 454-0384 x 211 or contact her by email to report names of new leaders or to check on EIM status: brenda.beltran@st-louis. org

ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS PREPARING THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW WITH THE LIGHT OF CHRIST AS THEIR GUIDE

Success

STARTS HERE

WWW.SLCSAUSTIN.ORG 512-614-6622 2114 ST. JOSEPH STREET AUSTIN, TX 78757

f L

Resurrection Egg Hunt As we closed Holy Week, our 8th grade students participated in a Resurrection Egg Hunt with their Kindergarten buddies. 8th graders filled numbered eggs with different Easter Mysteries for their Kindergarten buddies to find. Once each Kindergarten student found 1-12, their buddy helped them open the eggs and prayerfully explained the symbol or bible verse inside. It was a great sight to see how carefully and patiently the 8th graders explained the mysteries to the younger ones.

Their relationships have flourished through this year and it shows when you see the care the older ones take with their younger buddies, and how Kinder gets excited when they see them. Our students continue to make us proud!

/SLCSAUSTIN @SLCSAUSTIN

Registration St. Louis Catholic School is now registering for the 2016-2017 school year! SLCS provides a rigorous curriculum for Pre-K4 through 8th grade that will help students achieve success beyond their time here. For a personal tour call our Registrar, Mrs. Dowling, at 512-614-6622, x245.

Forms and additional information are available on the school website at slcsaustin.org. We look forward to making your children part of the St. Louis Catholic School family!

Living Stations of the Cross Each year on Holy Thursday, the 8th grade students re-enact the Stations of the Cross. Students spent weeks in preparation for the re-enactment and portrayed a very powerful rendition of the journey Jesus took to the cross. Students, faculty, staff, and family members attended the presentation. Led by Middle School Religion Teacher, Mr. Willie Gomez, the performance received excellent reviews and it was a great sight to see.

The Spirit of St. Louis

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Knights of Columbus Soccer Shoot-out

Congratulations All Around

This Spring students in Grades 4 – 8 were recognized by the St. Louis Knights of Columbus Council #5967 members, Mr. Carlos Gonzalez and Mr. Lou Struble, for placing in this school year’s KC Soccer Competition in September, 2015. Each of these first place winners was gifted with a soccer ball in thanks for their efforts!

9 Year Old Category: Blake Adams, Star Rodriguez 10 Year Old Category: Remi Cicchini, Christina Hinojosa 11 Year Old Category: Emmanuel Avila, Sarina Soto 12 Year Old Category: Zach Lawson, Aimee Carrion 13 Year Old Category: Owen Scales, Adrianna Zapata 14 Year Old Category: Reagan Reitmeyer

Way to Go! IMPORTANT DATES May 27 8th Grade Graduation 6:30 p.m. - Main Church June 1 Last day of classes Half-Day

Welcome

MRS. GEE

St. Louis Catholic School graciously welcomes Mrs. Cindy Gee as our new Principal for the 2016-2017 school year. Mrs. Gee is a San Antonio native and product of Catholic education and comes to us with 30+ years of teaching and administrative experience in public education. We are excited to welcome her to our St. Louis family!

GUEST SPEAKERS:

CURTIS & MICHAELANN MARTIN | MATT & ADRIANNA BIRK DEACON DOM & TERESA TOMEO-PASTORE FR. CLAY HUNT | FR. ANTHONY ANDERSON SOLT MUSIC BY: DAVE & LAUREN MOORE

SUPPORTED BY:

The Spirit of St. Louis

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parish social MINISTRy SERVING THE NEEDIEST AMONG US

For Whom The Bell s Toll Please remember to keep in prayer the souls of those inmates who have been executed and those who may be executed. Pray also for the victims of crime, the executioner and all of their families.

MAY 2016

2 PA Stephen Treiber - Stayed 3 PA Shonda Dee Walter - Stay Likely 11 MO Earl Forrest 11 TX Terry Darnell Edwards 18 OH Angelo Fears - Reprieve Granted

ANNUAL DONATION DRIVE Representatives from Food Pantry and Mobile Loaves & Fishes will be handing-out bags for donations for the ministries on May 14th & 15th at all Masses. They ask that you bring them back on May 21st and 22nd at all Masses.

Thank you for your support.

ITEMS NEEDED: corn, brown rice, peanut butter, tuna or salmon, instant mashed potatoes, rolled/instant oats, canned meat, milk: shelf or dry, travel size toothpaste, travel size shaving cream, razors, socks.

Thursday Confession Times Change Effective May 5th, the Thursday confession schedule will be held before the weekly Spanish 6:00pm Mass rather than after Mass. Confessions will be from 5:00pm to 5:50pm. This change allows us to extend the time for confessions on Thursdays.

Cambio de Tiempo de las Confesiones del Jueves A partir del 5 de mayo las confesiones del JUEVES se realizaran antes de la Misa de 6:00 p.m. y no después de Misa. Habrá Confesiones de las 5:00 p.m. hasta las 5:50 p.m. Este nuevo horario nos ayuda a extender el tiempo de las confesiones de los jueves.

Is Your Information Correct?

Do we have your most up-to-date address and phone information?

Are you receiving church envelopes monthly or quarterly in the mail? If not, please contact Belinda at the church office to update your records (512) 454-0384 ext 201 or Belinda. bryant@st-louis.org

El Grupo del Santo Rosario María, Reyna de La Paz

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Invita a la Comunidad Parroquial venerar y coronar a Nuestra Bendita Madre, La Santísima Virgen María El 8 de mayo, 2016 en la Iglesia a la 1:00 p.m.

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Que Nuestra Bendita Madre del Cielo interceda por todos nosotros Y que Nuestro Señor Dios Todopoderoso nos Bendiga siempre

It’s time to Re-surface our Parking Lot! The Project 1. Repair all pot holes 2. Two inch overlay of brand new asphalt over entire parking lot 3. Re-striping by a Parking Lot engineer for best traffic flow

The Schedule The last week of June – the 2nd Week of July Working in sections so that parking is free for Sunday

The Cost - $150,000 How can I participate?

No contribution is too big or too small!

500 families x $300 = $150k 1000 families x $150 = $150k 2000 families x $75 = $150k Separate from your Sunday Tithe, place your contribution in collection basket indicating on your envelope or check memo line “parking-lot” or Bring your contribution by the Church Office any time

¡Es tiempo para repavimentar el estacionamiento!

The Spirit of St. Louis

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El Proyecto 1. Rellenar los baches 2. Recubrir el estacionamiento con asfalto nuevo ss

3. Un ingeniero de estacionamientos repintara las líneas para mejorar el flujo vehicular

El Horario Empezará la última semana de junio – la 2º semana de julio El Proyecto se realizará en secciones para que haya estacionamiento durante los domingos

El Costo - $150,000 ¿Cómo puedo ayudar? ¡Cada contribución cuenta!

500 familias x $300 = $150k 1000 familias x $150 = $150k 2000 familias x $75 = $150k Aparte de la contribución de cada domingo, ponga su donación en la cesta de la colecta y escribe en el sobre o en el cheque “estacionamiento” o Traiga su donación a la Oficina de la Iglesia a cualquier momento

TheSpirit Spiritof ofSt. St.Louis Louis The

CALLED FORTH – – THROUGH DISCERNMENT

not elected

On Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2016, the process of calling the newest Pastoral Council members from our community will begin. In years past, council members were identified by a small committee and then elected by a parish vote. This method, while sufficient for civil authority, is not adequate for a faith community which calls upon the wisdom of our Father, through discernment, to guide all aspects of our daily life. From its very beginning, the Church has called forth leaders through a discernment rooted in prayer and openness to the Holy Spirit. Thus, although we are unworthy to receive the wisdom of the Father, we rely on his mercy and guidance.

What is discernment?

Our faith understands discernment as the process of coming to our Heavenly Father and saying “I don’t know the answer.” It is a process that is Spirit-led. It involves prayer and a willingness to be open to the Holy Spirit’s presence and direction in your life and the life of the faith.

The discernment process is as old as the Church. The Apostles used discernment to choose a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:23-26) and the Church still uses it to this day to elect each Pope. Discernment is complimentary to stewardship.

Through discernment, the council will ask all St. Louis parishioners to examine and acknowledge their gifts from God and ask if they are being called to use those gifts in the service of the parish as parish leaders.

How will discernment take place at St. Louis Church?

On Pentecost Sunday of each year, the parishioners of St. Louis will be asked to prayerfully discern who they believe God is calling forth as leaders in this faith community. Persons may put forward their own name or the name of someone else. Those whose name’s have been called forth will be invited to two evenings of discernment where they will further reflect on God’s call as a servant to the St. Louis community. Following these evenings of prayer, current members of the Pastoral Council will consider those called to discern and seek the council of the Holy Spirit to select the new members.

What can I do to prepare for this discernment?

The best way to prepare for the discernment process at St. Louis is to pray. Is God calling you to serve this faith community as a member of the Pastoral Council? If the answer may be yes, then give our Father the opportunity to speak to your heart on the matter. Hearing God’s call is only possible when we take the time to listen.

For information please contact Peter Polito at pjpolito@gmail.com or (415) 994-3301.

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INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN

Altar Server?

Orientation for the new Altar Serving Class: Thursday, June 2, 2016 - 7:00 p.m.

This orientation is for new altar servers and their parents

Requirements to join the Altar Server Ministry: - Family must be registered parishioners of St. Louis King of France - Must have completed the 3rd grade - Must have received the Sacrament of Holy Communion

Parents will also have an orientation class separate from the students.

Any questions, and/or to register, please contact Elizabeth Polito, elizabeth.polito@st-louis.org or 512-454-0384, ext. 213

A few words about being an Altar Server from graduating Senior, Simon Scales (served 9 years): If I could say something to a person considering the Altar Server program at St. Louis Catholic Church it would be: “Go for it!� Being an altar server is so much fun. There is so much help and training provided that you will get the hang of it in no time. Plus, the upper class altar servers are at every Mass to help and guide you. Most importantly, the altar server program really deepens your relationship with Jesus Christ. At the yearly altar server retreat, the servers all hang out and have a great time together and also get to spend special time with Our Lord. Becoming an altar server was really a dream come true for me. I got especially excited about serving at Christmas and during the Triduum. These were my favorite Masses to serve because there is just so much more to do, the music is joyous and the vestments are so spectacular. I have really enjoyed my time as an altar server and will cherish all the memories serving at the altar has brought me. I’m sure you will too.

The Spirit of St. Louis

SENIOr MINISTRy

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FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART

Re-Envisioning the Virgin Mary Last July, a new exhibit was introduced at the Blanton Museum of Art on the University of Texas campus. Re-envisioning the Virgin Mary: Colonial Paintings from South America will be on exhibit through July 3, 2016. During May, the month of Mary, might be a good time to visit the museum with your family to see the representations of the Virgin that emerged within colonial Latin America during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The exhibit underscores the vast influence of Spain and the Catholic Church during those centuries and the transformation of the Virgin’s imagery as it traveled from Europe to the Americas. The “sculpture paintings”, created in the countries of Peru and Bolivia by indigenous artists, each reflect the local miracles attributed to Mary, which could be found in churches and holy places throughout these regions. Beyond the Marian iconography imported from Europe, these works reflect the artistic and cultural practices of South America and their localized traditions of Catholicism.

Parish Seniors are invited to join the Senior Trip to the Blanton Museum of Art on Friday, May 20th. The featured art is on loan from one of the country’s most distinguished collections of colonial South American art. It features pieces from the Marilynn and Carl Thoma Collection of Chicago, as well as from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection of New York.

Transportation for the Senior Trip will be by van for the first 14 to sign up. Others may follow or meet us at the Blanton (200 East Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.) The tour is from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Museum admission is $7.00 for ages 65+ and $9 for under 65 (free for Blanton members). Parking is available at the Brazos Garage next door to the Museum for $4.00 with a validated ticket. Please RSVP with the number attending by contacting our new Senior Coordinator, Jackie Forsyth at Jackie.forsyth@st-louis.org or (512) 454-0384 x 206.

Senior Ministry Offers AARP Smart Driver Course Senior Ministry once again will offer the AARP Smart Driver Course to senior parishioners on Thursday, May 19, from 9 am to 1 pm in Wozniak Hall’s Main Room.The course will update you on current road rules, defensive driving techniques and how to operate your vehicle more safely in today’s increasingly challenging driving environment. You’ll also learn how to manage and accommodate common age-related changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time.

Cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Cash or checks made payable to AARP are accepted. Please bring your AARP membership card if applicable, fee, and driver’s license to class. To register, call Jackie Forsyth at 512454-0384, x206, or e-mail her at jackie.forsyth@st-louis.org.

MAYBE THE MUSIC:

A Meditation

BY JUDY HORTON

Many years ago a colleague asked me what I got out of church. “It’s so boring,” he said. “Same old same old, week after week. I get more out of going out for a good four-mile run.” “Oh my gosh,” I said. “Going to Mass is the most exciting thing I do during the week!” He looked at me as if I were crazy.

“Really,” I said. “The whole of human life plays out every week in Mass. There’s music, stories, dialog, repentance and reconciliation, raging against the injustices of the world, more music, a collection for good works, a meal with wine… and more music.” “Yeah,” he said dubiously. “Well. Maybe the music.”

I thought of my friend recently as I walked out of St. Louis Mass, remembering the night a few years ago when our parish choir, and that of St. Austin’s, joined up to sing Louis Vierne’s Missa Solemmne, for choir and two organs, for the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple.

I wondered what kind of music, if any, was capable of shaking him to the core of his being, as I had been shaken singing this work. Why was music the one thing that…maybe…could draw him into a church?

Several years ago a book came out entitled, Why Catholics Can’t Sing. Well, of course we can, and we do, in this parish and all over the world. A friend told me of attending Mass in Beijing at a jam-packed Catholic church one Sunday and being astonished and delighted to hear all the familiar hymns robustly sung in a decidedly unfamiliar language. “That was my first time in China,” he said. “Everything was strange and confusing, exciting and exhausting. But the minute I walked into the church, I felt at peace and at home, and it was because of the music.”

Our musical heritage as Catholics is one of our greatest treasures, and we can be grateful for those parishes in our Diocese (and indeed in the whole Christian community) that both have and are willing to invest the resources to keep it alive and well.

I’ll never forget attending Evensong at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields some years ago on a visit to London. The service was everything I’d hoped for musically, but it was overcast by the aura of performance rather than service for worship. I was quite aware that this iconic Anglican Church had become a museum, and those in the pews were not parishioners but tourists like me.

Not at all the same as hearing your own parish choir sing a work like the Missa Solemmne, sitting next to your friends and family, in your church home, hearing your own priest intone the Mass, everything culminating in the reception of the divine body and blood of Christ.

These works—whether written yesterday or thousands of years ago— knit us together with our Christian brothers and sisters around the world and through time. They inspire, delight, instruct, and comfort us. They frame our “coming in and our going out” of this world.

And yet –think of this—in a sense they do not even exist until the organist sits down at the console, and the choir director lifts his hand and creates an instrument of incomparable power and beauty every Sunday for Mass. It’s pretty amazing, when you think about it. And I’ve no doubt that every Sunday someone comes through the doors at some church and sits down because of the music, and a soul finds its home.

The Spirit of St. Louis

OUR Sacraments - OUR Faith “The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build up the Body of Christ and, finally, to give worship to God.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church123)

ADULT BAPTISMS-CONFIRMATIONS-COMMUNIONS MARCH 26, 2016

William Brenson Abbott Sean William Balusek Nathan Carmichael Madison Xavier S. Inselmann Guadalupe Martinez-Soto

Ricardo Mayorga-Sanches Jr Monica Lee McClure Catherine Michelle Moya Tawny Rose Pinson Claudia Marino Serrano Ernest Warren Street

YOUTH BAPTISMS-CONFIRMATIONS-COMMUNIONS MARCH 26, 2016

Alexis Avellaneda-Carmona Jesus Vidal Aviles-Gonzalez Saul Benitez-Gonzalez Mikayla Camero Castillo-Valle Javier Jayden Cisneros Natasha Fay Cunningham Veronica Danielle Cunningham Jose Luis Diaz Katia Noemi Diaz Marsela Rosalie Escobedo-Garza Jennifer Alejandra Felix Josselyn Xiomara Felix Michael Galvez, Jr.

Denise Garcia-Anaya Diego Garcia-Paredes Eduardo Lopez-Montes Mariela Lopez-Montes Destiny Guadalupe Macedo-Serna Alex Gabriel Melendez-Lopez Ema Jelacia Melendez-Lopez Brandon Javier Millan-Banda Jocelin Pacheco-Anaya Jaisa Katherine Padilla Miguel Angel Suarez Brian Axl Valencia Fernando Antonio Vargas, Jr

ADULT PROFESSIONS OF FAITH-CONFIRMATIONS-COMMUNIONS MARCH 26, 2016

Kristin Ann Cavin Abbott Laura Ashley Oliver Hepler Janet Arlette Sims Kyle D. Snow

BAPTISM-CONFIRMATION-COMMUNION APRIL 2, 2016

Jimmy Torres III

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HIGH SCHOOL CONFIRMATIONS APRIL 2, 2016 (FIRST COMMUNIONS NOTED WITH *)

Esmeralda Abundis Kevin Acosta William Acosta Andrew Alvarez Jonathan Alvarez Maria Alvarez Yessenia Alvarez Maria Arriaga Claudia Balderas Arturo Barrera* Juan Barrera* Karla Barrera Jennifer Borden* Sarah Bradley Sergio Cabrera Delilah Castelan Maris Castelán Cecilia Castilleja Ethan Castillo Kimberly Ceballos Daniel De Lara Andrea Dunia Christopher Dunia

Isabel Dunia Luis Garcia* Roberto Garcia Saul Garcia Juliet Gorostieta Yulisa Guadarrama Catherine Hosek Hugo Jaimes Eduardo Juárez Brian Landaverde Rosaura Luna-Padron Edwin Macedo Linda Martinez Pablo Melendez Fatima Moreno Oscar Moreno Mikayla Morgan Martha Ruchamel-Myer Jessica Nava Daniel Ortiz Gisel Perez Jessica Pita Ariana Pouya David Zuñiga

Eliamar Ramirez Roxanne Ramirez Jimmy Reyes Litzy Rodriguez* Sarai Roldan Erika Rosas Gustavo Rosas Beatriz Ruiz Daniela Ruiz Nathan Sanchez Jazmin Toledo Agustin Ugarte-Carachure Hernan Ugarte-Carachure Martin Ugarte-Carachure Jasmine Valdez Melisa Vences Arismel Vences-Vences Roger Venegas Yuliza Villa Luis Villa-Guzman Natalie Willis Nicole Willis Omar Yañez

CONFIRMATIONS AND FIRST COMMUNIONS APRIL 2, 2016

Aislinn Acosta Richard Aguilar Samuel Aguilar-Moreira Chris Arellano Laura Arzola Marlen Arzola Pedro Arzola Jesus Azua Sergio Balderas Edwin Bardomiano-Montejano Juan Barrera Marisol Barrientos

Valerie Barrientos Joseph Borden Skylar Burke Jennifer Camacho Edson Carbajal Karen Carbajal Fabiola Cardoso Armando Castaneda Alyssa Castillo-Vasquez Victoria Conejo Sophia Dawson Jesse Delgado

Alexander Diaz Illana Diaz de Leon Tiffany Diaz de Leon Avey Dyer Guillermo Espindola Cristal Espinoza Estefania Espinoza Osmar Estrada Sofia Farelas William Felix Anayanci Garcia Bryan Garcia

The Spirit of St. Louis

CONFIRMATIONS AND FIRST COMMUNIONS CONTINUED APRIL 2, 2016

Maria Garcia Nadia Garcia Don Gaudin Adriana Gomez Ana Gomez Emely Gomez Lupita Gomez Nayeli Gomez Jason Gonzalez Javier Guerrero Anderzon Henriquez Angel Hernandez Camila Hernandez Letxy Hernandez Kevin Jaimes Ashley Jimenez Azul Juarez Kaitlyn Kruser Paloma Lavin Maria Leyva Letzibeth Macedo Alison Maldonado

Crystal Maldonado Elizabeth Marin Daniel Martinez Martin Martinez Marvella Martinez Alexis Millan Giselle Millan Harvey Morales Cyanna Moreno Destinee Moreno Alan Navarro Jessica Odu Judith Odu David Orocio Maria Ortega Stephanie Pedraza Ariceli Ramirez Junior Ramos Yeimi Rebollar Daniel Rodriguez Jose Rodriguez Luis Rodriguez

MARRIAGES & CONVALIDATIONS FEBRUARY 6 – MARCH 5, 2016

William Joseph Hepler & Laura Ashley Oliver Williams Jeovany Serrano Soriano & Claudia Marina Zambrano Pineda

RECENTLY DECEASED David Pileggi Denis Andrew Tracey Maria Lopez Sally Dumke Edythe Stepan

Pedro Rodriguez Arely Rojas Abril Rosas Alexander Rosas Gael Salgado Cristian SanJuan-Solano David Segura Josue Soberano Silke Soto Mariana Torres Miguel Trinidad Jaylin Ugarte Anthony Vazquez Juan Vera Kimberly Vera Yosverani Vera Giovanni Villa Kiara Villanueva Marina Villanueva Guillermo Yanez Emmanuel Zavaleta Rosalinda Zavaleta

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Around the Diocese and beyond Day of Reflection at Eagle’s Wings TUESDAY, MAY 10

Aging with Grace and Wisdom….a day of reflection will be held May 10th from 9:30am to 2:30pm at Eagle’s Wings Retreat Center in Burnet. During this day, specific attention will be given to six spiritual tasks of aging: leting go, no regrets, meaning, legacy, forgiveness and solitude.

The cost is $35 which includes a light breakfast and lunch.

To pre-register, visit www.ewrc.org

An Evening for the Ladies with Christ Child Society TUESDAY, MAY 10

This 7th annual event for the ladies has a “Fabulous 50’s” theme. The event will be held at 6:00pm at St. William Parish Hall in Round Rock. The fun will open with social time and appetizers, followed by a full meal and desserts. Entertainment will be provided by “Chris and Karen” Band. Dress attire is 1950’s style (poodle skirt, saddle shoes, bobbie socks and pony tails welcome).

The evening will include a testimonial by a benefactor of the Christ Child Society, which is a non-profit organization that has provided more than 6,000 layettes for newborns in need through various agencies. For more information about tickets, contact Mary Q. Smith at mqsmith@suddenlink.net or (512) 635-9338.

Cedarbrake Retreat Center Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton has a new webpage: www.cedarbrake.org Use this new site to find out about upcoming events, register for a retreat or to contact them for information!

June 3-5: Starting Anew – a Retreat for the Divorced This weekend retreat acknowledges the pain of divorce, but also looks to build new dreams and restore hope. The cost for the weekend is $210 (private room), $170 (shared room) and $95 for commuters. All meals are included.

For information or to register, contact Cedarbrake at cedarbrake@austindiocese.org or (254) 780-2436.

Pilgrimage – In the Footsteps of St. Paul OCTOBER 18-28, 2016

With Father James Ekeocha, Pastor of St. Luke Parish, Temple Cost: $3,598 from Austin 11 Days in Greece and a Greek Isles cruise Visit the Acropolis, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi and more!

Contact Kathy (979) 587-0595 or kpappenfort@hot.rr.com

St. Louis Women’s ACTS Retreat Registration The Spirit of St. Louis

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St.whoever Louis Women’s ACTS Retreat Registration “For wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his lifeWomen’s for my sake will saveRetreat it.”  LukeRegistration 9:24  St. Louis ACTS

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake willhis save Lukeit,9:24 “For whoever wishes to save lifeit.” willlose but whoever

June 16-19, 2016 loses his life for my sakeDown will save it.” Ranch Luke 9:24  Home June 16-19, 2016 20250 FM 619, Elgin, Texas Down Home Ranch June 16-19, 2016 20250 FM Home 619, Elgin, Texas Down Ranch 20250 FM 619, Elgin, Texas

ACTS is a Catholic retreat movement presented by parishioners for parishioners with the guidance of religious leaders. The goal of each retreat is to facilitate a deepening of our relationship with Jesus Christ, to renew ourselves spiritually, to give new meaning to our life, and build lastingwith friendships with members of ACTS is a Catholic retreat movement presented byprayer parishioners fortoparishioners the guidance of religious our parish leaders.

Thecommunities. goal of each retreat is to facilitate a deepening of our relationship with Jesus Christ, to renew ACTS is a Catholic retreat movement presented by parishioners for parishioners with the guidance of religious ourselves spiritually, to give new meaning to our prayer life, and to build lasting friendships with members of leaders.

Theretreat goal ofwill each retreat is to facilitate a deepening of our relationship with Christ,ending to renew Thisparish ACTS begin on Thursday evening, June 16 and continue through theJesus weekend with an our communities. ourselves spiritually, to give new meaning to our prayer life, and to build lasting friendships with members of 11:30 Mass on Sunday, June 19 at St. Louis Catholic Church at 7601 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757. our parish communities.

This ACTS retreat will begin on Thursday evening, June 16 and continue through the weekend ending with an The retreat cost is $160, payable Louis ACTS”.

Registration open Rd, for St. Louis,TXSt.78757.

Theresa and St. 11:30 Mass on Sunday, June 19 at to St.“St. Louis Catholic Church at 7601 is Burnet Austin, This ACTS retreat will begin on Thursday evening, June 16 and continue through the weekend ending with Albert the Great. Out of parish registrations will begin Monday, May 23 for any remaining openings.

To an 11:30 Mass onplace, Sunday, Junereturn 19 at St. Louis Catholicform Church 7601 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757. reserve your please andatinclude a $50for deposit payment.

Registration The retreat cost is $160, payable tothis “St.registration Louis ACTS”.

Registration is open St. Louis, St. Theresa and St.is on a first-come, first-served a waitingwill list thereafter.

Forms are23date and remaining time stamped upon receipt.

Albert the Great.

Out of basis, parishwith registrations begin Monday, May for any openings.

To The retreat cost is $160, payable to “St. Louis ACTS”.

Registration is open for St. Louis, St. Theresa and The $110 balance be due upon Thursday at St. Louisdeposit Catholic Church or any time St. prior reserve your place, will please return thischeck-in registration form evening and include a $50 payment.

Registration is onto a Albert the Great.

Outnote of parish registrations will begin Monday, May anyone 23 for any remaining openings.

To If you that date. **Please that financial hardship should not prevent from attending the retreat. first-come, first-served basis, with a waiting list thereafter. Forms are date and time stamped upon receipt. reserve yourto place, please return registration formor and include a as $50 depositnumber payment. Registration isare on a are$110 unable paywill the entire fee,this contact theThursday director co-director a limited The balance be due upon check-in evening at St. Louis Catholic Churchoforscholarships any time prior to first-come, first-served basis, with a waiting list thereafter.

Forms are date and time stamped upon receipt. available. that date. **Please note that financial hardship should not prevent anyone from attending the retreat. If you The $110 balance will be due upon check-in Thursday evening at St. Louis Catholic Church or any time prior to are unable to pay the entire fee, contact the director or co-director as a limited number of scholarships are that date. **Please note that financial hardship should not prevent anyone from attending Register online at: the retreat. If you available. Deliver or mail registration form to: are unable to pay the entire fee, contact the director or co-director as a limited number of scholarships are St. Louis Catholic Church Office available.

Burnet Roadform to: http://www.st-louis.org/groups Deliver or 7601 mail registration Register online at: 78757Office St. LouisAustin, CatholicTXChurch Deliver or mail registration form to: Register online at: www.st-louis.org/acts 7601 Burnet Road http://www.st-louis.org/groups St. Louis Catholic Church Office It is the policy of ACTS Missions and St. Louis Catholic Church that alcohol will not be a part of the retreat. The Austin, TX 78757 7601 Burnet Road http://www.st-louis.org/groups retreat center does not permit alcohol. Smoking is allowed only in designated areas. Platonic behavior only.

Austin, TX 78757 It is the policy of ACTS Missions and St. Louis Catholic Church that alcohol will not be a part of the retreat. The For further information regarding the retreat weekend, please the director Villarreal at only. retreat center does not permit alcohol.

Smoking is allowed onlycontact in designated areas.Leticia Platonic behavior Itlety@austin.rr.com is the policy of ACTSorMissions and St. co-director Louis Catholic Church that alcohol will not be a part oforthe retreat. The 512-423-1242, Susan Martinez at susanm83@gmail.com 512-454-0098, retreat center does not permit alcohol.

Smoking is allowed only in designated areas. Platonic behavior only. or further co-director Melinda Caballero at melcaballero1963@gmail.com or 512-417-2957.

For information regarding the retreat weekend, please contact the director Leticia Villarreal at lety@austin.rr.com or 512-423-1242, co-director Susan Martinez at susanm83@gmail.com or 512-454-0098, For further regarding the retreat weekend, contact the director Leticia at details, letter willinformation be sent toCaballero registered 7-10 daysplease prior to the providing you Villarreal with further orA co-director Melinda atretreatants melcaballero1963@gmail.com orretreat 512-417-2957. lety@austin.rr.com or 512-423-1242, co-director Martinez at susanm83@gmail.com or 512-454-0098, directions, and suggestions on what to bring for Susan the weekend. or co-director Melinda Caballero at melcaballero1963@gmail.com or 512-417-2957.

A letter will be sent to registered retreatants 7-10 days prior to the retreat providing you with further details, directions, and suggestions on what to bring for the weekend.

A letter will be sent to registered retreatants 7-10 days prior to the retreat providing you with further details, directions, and suggestions on what to bring for the weekend.

Please fill out and return registration form on reverse side

Please fill out and return registration form on reverse side

St. Louis Women’s ACTS Retreat Registration  June 16-19, 2016 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”  Luke 9:24  Please print clearly Name:

(As you would like it on your nametag)

Address:

(Street, city, state & zip code)

Home Phone:

Work Phone:

Cell Phone:

Email address: Parish or Church you attend:

(or religion if not affiliated with a parish or church)

Name two family members or close friends you would like praying for you during this retreat.

Name:

Relationship:

Cell: (

)

E-mail:

Name:

Relationship:

Cell: (

)

E-mail:

I have included my: [ ] $50 deposit or [ ] $160 retreat fee.

Checks can be made payable to St. Louis ACTS Indemnity and Waiver

I release and agree to and hold St. Louis Catholic Church of Austin, Texas, the Catholic Diocese of Austin, and their clergy, officers, agents, employees, and volunteers (Released Parties) harmless from any and all liability, claims, losses, or damages arising from or in connection with the St. Louis ACTS retreat. I assume all risk of injury or loss to my person and my property. I agree to indemnify the Released Parties from any liability, claim, demand, or damage caused by me or caused by my participation in the retreat.

Signature: ____________________________________ Date: ______ /______ /______

Medical Information

Please read and list all conditions which apply. All information will be kept confidential.

   

Please list any special dietary needs or restrictions: Do you have difficulty climbing stairs, walking on unpaved or uneven surfaces, other mobility problems (e.g. use cane, walker, wheelchair)? [ ] No [ ] Yes (please list) (Mobility challenges should NOT deter you from attending.)

Please list any medical conditions: I take the following medications:

  

I will bring to the retreat all necessary medications and directions, including dosage(s) and frequency of consumption.

In case of emergency persons at or associated with the retreat may transport me to a hospital for medical or surgical treatment.

In an emergency, please contact: ****MUST LIST AT LEAST ONE EMERGENCY CONTACT**** Name: Cell Phone: (

Family Doctor: Insurance Plan: Policy Number: Signature: Date:

Relationship: ___________________________________ Home Phone: ( )_____________________________

)

For Office Use Only

/

/

Application Received: Amount Received:  Cash  Paid Online Received by:

/ $  Check #

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