Today is the first Sunday of what is shaping up to be a busy month for us at CtR, even with Spring Break on the horizon next week. It’s the 3rd Sunday of Lent, and the 31 days of March will take us all the way to the doorstep of
Easter, which falls on April 1 this year. Let us continue to keep the hallmark disciplines of the season – prayer, fasting and almsgiving – foremost in our hearts as we make our way to the glory of the cross.
I want to thank everyone who came out to experience our
Lenten Parish Mission two weeks ago. It was an incredible three days of life in the Spirit with Fr. Bruce Nieli, CSP. We had big crowds in the morning and evening sessions and the response from nearly everyone was describing what a blessing it was for our parish community. The “Live Lent” neighborhood small groups that formed out of the sessions have already begun to meet and I’m hearing great initial reports from them as well. In a real sense, the mission was a blessing that keeps on giving as people come together to break open God’s Word and are empowered to make it known in their lives and community.
Please join me in thanking
Christy Wright, our director of Family Life, who worked tirelessly to bring the mission to life. She did a phenomenal job in coordinating so many of our ministries to work together over the three days, and was more than ably aided by her core team of Jim and Nancy Unverferth and Mike and Mary Jones.
In other news, my sincere thanks goes out to all who participated and/or supported the 13th annual
Steps for Students 5K Run/Walk a few weeks ago to benefit the 60 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. I’m happy to say that CtR had one of the largest contingents in the race with 572 registrants. Thanks to your generous support and the efforts of everyone we raised more than $105,000 (included in that number is $85,000 from the
Chili Cook-Off last November) all of which – 100 percent – comes right back to us to benefit our own CtR Catholic School. And with that big push from CtR, it took the total raised for all schools over the $1 million mark in support Catholic education. Thank you to all who donated to make that possible!
The rain held off and we had good weather for the race. It’s a well organized and coordinated event, and every year I’m impressed by the number of people, young and old, who come out to participate. I highly encourage you to join us next year. It’s open to everyone and is a great family event. My sincere thanks to
Megan Dillingham, our director of Advancement, who did a phenomenal job of organizing everyone for the CtR team. She was ably assisted by a group of dedicated volunteers who made race day go so smoothly.
Thanks to everyone who donated to me, Fr. Ralph and Deacon Bill Bradley. I took it easy on those guys and let them beat me to the finish line, but everyone who participated, either by running, walking or simply donating, was a champion, and the real winner was Catholic education. We will use our proceeds at CtR Catholic School to fund scholarships and financial aid for families who need assistance in providing a Catholic education for their children, as well as other initiatives for our students throughout the year. Thank you again for your great support of Steps for Students.
You will notice we have updated numbers on page 3 in the bulletin for our annual
Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) drive at CtR. Our goal, as determined by the cardinal’s office, is $305,000. Thank you to the 483 families who have already made a pledge. We’re a little over halfway to meeting our goal in pledges, though I suspect the Archdiocese is slightly behind in entering data. If you have not done so already, please take a moment to make your pledge to help the more than 60 pastoral ministries of the Archdiocese that no one parish could do on its own, but that together we can all make possible. Forms are available in the narthex of the church, or you may
donate online, or by clicking on the link on our parish website. That’s how I made my pledge and I found it to be fast, secure and painless! Let us all do our part to bring Christ to others. Thank you for your support of the DSF.
Finally, next Sunday is our annual
St. Joseph’s Altar pasta luncheon and bake sale in the Parish Hall. We’ll start with the blessing of the altar, which will be beautifully decorated with all manner of baked goods and treats, at 10:30 a.m. (following the 9 a.m. Mass), and then the serving line will be open continuously until 1:30 p.m. so others can attend after the 11 a.m. Mass and still have time to stop by afterward. Dinners are $6 for adults and $3 for children, while kids 5 and under are free. All proceeds from the dinner and bake sale go to benefit Cypress Assistance Ministries. It’s become a beloved tradition here at CtR each March and the ladies of the parish do a great job of making it a wonderful event for the whole parish.
What is a St. Joseph Altar? It’s a traditional way that Catholics of Italian descent honor their patron saint, the beloved husband of Mary, St. Joseph, whose feast day is March 19. It involves two things that are at the heart of what it means to be an Italian Catholic, namely family and food! There is a big pasta meal that is served, but the real centerpiece is the elaborate altar that is built. It’s usually several levels and includes all manner of Italian homemade cookies and sweets, bread and wine. Tradition dictates that after you enjoy your pasta meal you stop by and select an item from the altar (nearly everything is homemade and for sale) to take home with you. It’s a feast for the eyes and stomach. Regardless of your heritage, on this day, everyone is Italian! Please plan on joining us. Mangia bene!