Bulletin – Feast of the Epiphany 1/7/24
SAINT CHRISTOPHER CATHOLIC CHURCH
39 West 200 South, Kanab UT 84741
Office: (435) 644-3414 [Please leave a message and we will respond as quickly as possible]
stccc@kanab.net
WEBSITE: kanabcatholicchurch.org
Sacramental Minister Rev. Richard T. Sherman, Kanab, UT
SATURDAY VIGIL MASS 5:30 PM (Suspended Indefinitely)
SUNDAY MASS 9:00 AM
MASS DURING THE WEEK: MONDAY – SATURDAY: 8:00 AM
CONFESSIONS BY APPOINTMENT
NOTE: If you have a sacramental emergency after parish office hours, please call 435-673-2604 for assistance.
New Years Message from Bishop Solis – “The new year presents other opportunities and possibilities to us, for which we are grateful: The grace of God is always present, but it is up to us to make it a reality in our lives to create a new era of love, justice and peace by becoming responsible stewards of God’s blessings, builders of unity, and instruments of change in transforming the world to be a much better place.” (Excerpt from 12/29/23 Intermountain Catholic)
THANK YOU again toall who contributed your many gifts to our Advent and Christmas liturgies as well as for adorning our sacred and social space with the beauty and colors of the seasons. So much is done every year with such a small group of people. The whole process comes off so efficiently that it’s sometimes easy to take all these efforts for granted. Hopefully we never let this happen. Bless you and may you experience all the graces that come with your service. Fr. Rick
Social Hour after Sunday Mass – Coffee, juice and bagels or muffins are served up along with some fabulous conversation.
Our next OPEN-DOOR SATURDAY is January 20, 2024 from 10:00 AM-Noon. If you have friends or relatives that are interested in the Catholic faith, or are thinking of returning to the Church, please tell them about us and have them stop by. We would love to meet with them! OPEN DOOR is scheduled every first and third Saturday of the month.
FINANCIAL REPORT: December 31, 2023: Offertory: $1492; Christmas: $280 (Total $2050); Donations Mail: $65; Mass Stipends: $360. Thank You!!
You can also donate on-line at kanabcatholicchurch.org
PRAY FOR HEALING: Fr. Michael Buckley, Sophia Anderson, Suzy Lingwall, Doug Ingram, Don Hodgkins, Dan Thornton, Victims of Natural Disasters, Warfare Casualties. Our Wounded Veterans. If you have specific prayer requests, please leave us a phone message or send us an email. We will get your intentions on the list. We also remember all the sick and infirm at our daily Masses.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Thursday from 4 to 5:00 PM.
Community Rosary: After the Monday morning Mass
Vocations Office Prayer for the Week – from the Diocese of Salt Lake City
Lord Jesus Christ, Shepherd of souls, who called the apostles to be fishers of men, raise up new apostles in your holy Church. Teach them that to serve you is to reign: to possess you is to possess all things. Kindle in the hearts of our people the fire of zeal for souls. Make them eager to spread your Kingdom upon earth. Grant them courage to follow you, who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. From <https://www.catholicity.com/prayer/prayer-for-vocations-to-the-priesthood.html>
Vocations Terminology and Definitions:
Apostolic — A word to describe religious orders active in society and the world, perhaps performing services such as teaching, ministering to the sick, or going on mission to proclaim the Gospel.
Apostolate — The type of work or mission through which a religious order’s particular charism is lived out.
Please pray for our Seminarians as they go back to classes soon. We hope that their training is fruitful for our Diocese and the people of Utah.
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Homily and Scripture Reflection – Epiphany, MT 2:1-12
After a long and holy Advent/Christmas season, please actually take the time to meditate over these questions and write out the answers. This extra effort can be a great assistance to the pastoral plan process in our Diocese and Deanery.
When they finally encountered Jesus, the Magi immediately fell prostrate and worshipped Jesus. Because of their diligent search and their hope for something
real and genuinely good, they recognized the real King.
Their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, perhaps prepared them more than they could have previously imagined, to see in Jesus: a king, (gold); a high priest (frankincense used in a sacrificial offering); and a human person (whose body at death would be prepared with myrrh).
In contrast to Herod, Jesus does not cause suffering, but rather takes on the suffering of all humanity by taking on our condition in all our vulnerability. Jesus is a teacher, a healer, a shepherd and the model of a just and benevolent king.
The takeaway for today might be our own self-examination:
There are many influential people in our world who would love our complete allegiance (and probably our money). Perhaps they would like to make up the rules that guide our lives, just like a king. Who is our king and how did we recognize him or her among all the other imposters?
How long and far was our journey to finally encounter the real King?
Who was our King or Queen (or god?) in our 20’s?
In our 30’s?
In our 40’s?
In our 50’s?
In our 60’s?
In our 70’s?
How did we notice the LIGHT, the KING, during those decades of our lives? How did we ‘go home by a different way’? How did we share this experience with others?
What gifts did we bring and lay at his manger or his feet?
How can we know if our king is building a kingdom of true justice and peace?
What does the Kingdom of God look like? How can we help build such a Kingdom starting today? Please be as specific as possible. Make this a meditation for the week.
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“Mercy is the greatest attribute of God.” St. Faustina