Sunday, January 31st - The Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CHEERS! - A MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR
Cheers!
We begin a new week today and a new month on Monday: February, the shortest month of the year with only 28 days. In this first week of February, there are several special feasts.
The first one is on Tuesday, February 2. This day has a host of titles:
1. February 2
2. Tuesday
3. Groundhog Day: if Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania sees its shadow, it will retreat and winter will persist for six more weeks; but if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.
4. The Presentation of the Lord: this feast commemorates the 40th day after Christmas when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple to be presented to God.
5. Purification Day: this commemorates the custom of having the mother of a male child blessed and purified. So, Mary also received this purification blessing in the Temple.
6. World Day for Consecrated Life: a day to honor and bless those women and men who “have chosen to follow Christ by the practice of the evangelical counsels”, that its, religious women (sisters and nuns) and men (priests, brothers and monks).
7. Candlemas Day: when Simeon blessed Jesus on this day, in his prayer he said that this child would be a “light for revelation to the Gentiles”.
1. February 2
2. Tuesday
3. Groundhog Day: if Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania sees its shadow, it will retreat and winter will persist for six more weeks; but if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early.
4. The Presentation of the Lord: this feast commemorates the 40th day after Christmas when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple to be presented to God.
5. Purification Day: this commemorates the custom of having the mother of a male child blessed and purified. So, Mary also received this purification blessing in the Temple.
6. World Day for Consecrated Life: a day to honor and bless those women and men who “have chosen to follow Christ by the practice of the evangelical counsels”, that its, religious women (sisters and nuns) and men (priests, brothers and monks).
7. Candlemas Day: when Simeon blessed Jesus on this day, in his prayer he said that this child would be a “light for revelation to the Gentiles”.
So, because of this last “day”, I will bless candles at the 7:30 a.m. Mass. They can be any kind of candle: dinner, globe, vigil, tea lights, birthday etc. They should be new, that is, never used. You will keep them with you in the pew and I will bless them.
Wednesday, February 3, is the feast of St. Blaise, a fourth-century martyr from Armenia. A legend has it that a mother came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat. At Blaise’s command, the child was able to cough up the bone. Father Joe, who is celebrating Mass that day, will bless throats at the end of Mass. Because of the pandemic, there will be no individual blessing, but Father Joe will extend his hands over all in attendance and pray the traditional blessing.
Of course, in the first week of every month, we observe the devotions of First Friday, honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and First Saturday, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary — this week on February 5 and 6 respectively.
I hope that many of you can attend these special Masses.
Have a good week. God bless you.
Fr. Bill
NEWS FROM THE PARISH
Blessing of Throats
Wednesday, February 3rd 7:30am Mass
A general, all-congregation, blessing of throats will be given at this Mass. Individual blessings will not be administered this year due to Covid regulations.
New Directive for Mass
In a new directive from the Bishop, can now increase Mass attendance to 400 people per Mass. Please remember if you are attending Mass to follow all protocols to help keep everyone safe. All Masses still require registration.
When attending Mass, please make sure you/your family are 6-feet away from other people/families.
Weekly Mass signups are emailed out each week on Wednesday at 7pm. Signups can also be accessed through our website.
We are here to serve you. Please offer any other suggestions by placing a comment to this email as to what you would like to see in this bulletin.
Do you need a prayer? Would you like to pray for someone? You can reply directly to this email (which will create a private comment) or click the 'Reply' button to leave a public comment.
We are united to one another through our prayer. We are praying for you. You are not alone.
A WELL-BUILT FAITH
Mondays 7:00 - 8:00pm
This 13-week series is for the following:
1. Catechumens: those adults, NEVER BAPTIZED, who wish to join the Roman Catholic Church.
2. Candidates: those adults, ALREADY BAPTIZED in another Christian denomination, who wish to join the Roman Catholic Church.
3. Confirmandi: those adults who are CATHOLIC, but have never received First Communion and/or Confirmation.
4. Other interested adults: ANYONE who wants to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith.
A Well-Built Faith: A Catholic’s Guide to Knowing and Sharing What We Believe (This book will be available at the sessions)
Schedule:
February 1st: Sin, Salvation & the Cross of Jesus
February 8th: Worship & Liturgy
February 15th: Sacraments of Initiation
February 22nd: Sacraments of Healing
Sessions continue in February and March.
These sessions will be Live Streamed. Link on our Website.
MOMENT OF THE WEEK
Vegas SNOW! For many of us, Tuesday morning we all woke up to a beautiful sight...snow in our Las Vegas valley. While we may get our annual snow shower here in Vegas, we know that it only sticks to the ground every couple of years. This year, the conditions were perfect on Tuesday morning for a fresh blanket of snow in many of our neighborhoods. While most of the snow melted by noon on Tuesday, it was still a gift and blessing to share this beautiful sight!
YOUR OPINION MATTERS
What is Your Opinion of Snow in Las Vegas?
I love it! I wished it snowed more here in Vegas!
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I moved to Vegas to get out of the snow
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Its nice...in the mountains
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It's good...every other year or so...
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Feel free to add your opinions, feedback, and suggestions in the comments section.
Last weeks (Jan. 24th) Question Results: #1 Green Bay Packers (that didn't happen)
GOSPEL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Read the Readings from this Sunday, the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28
Use the following discussion/reflection questions in your families, with your spouse, your friends, or even as personal journal questions:
1. What does it mean to harden your heart? How does our culture reveal a hardening of the heart? Do you believe this to be true about your everyday life?
2. What does it take to place your full trust in Jesus, to allow your heart to be open to His Word?
3. When have you heard God’s voice? What does it sound like? What has He asked of you or revealed to you in those moments?
4. How are you revealing the voice and heart of God to those around you?
THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
February 2nd celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. The Presentation, which is celebrated 40 days after Christmas, is not mentioned in the other Gospels. Only Luke tells the story, most likely because he writes for Gentile Christians who are not familiar with the Jewish rite of presentation and purification. In addition, the intent of Luke’s Gospel is to show that God’s promise to Israel, fulfilled in Jesus, extends to Gentiles.
Luke recognizes Joseph and Mary as faithful Jews who bring Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. Here they present their firstborn son to the Lord. Jesus is thus consecrated as required by the Law of Moses. Present in the temple at this time are Simeon and Anna. Both are awaiting the restoration of God’s rule in Israel.
Simeon had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would see Christ the Lord, the Messiah, before he died. The holy man immediately recognized the infant Jesus as the promised Savior, a “light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” Anna also recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise of redemption and spoke about him to all.
WEEKLY WORSHIP
“I think we felt like it was important from the very beginning and felt like it was cool to be able to write a song that almost talks about the lack of resolution; how what you’re in the midst of and where you’re headed the x-factor in all of that is that you’re actually not all alone. Regardless of what circumstances you’re in or facing, you’ve never been alone. You never are alone. You never will be alone.” – Chris Davenport (Hillsong UNITED)
ANGEL TREE 2020
November 28th - December 13th
This year’s Angel Tree project will be a little different. As you are aware several things are different from prior years: We are practicing social distancing and many schools have not reopened. Many families are without jobs through no fault of their own. The agencies are at a disadvantage since they must use fewer volunteers to assist in their Christmas gift giving programs. We are limited in space for storage and the number of volunteers we can use at one time. Therefore, we are asking everyone to try something new this year…
After all the Masses on the weekend of November 21st & 22nd, volunteers will be handing out a special Angel tag as you leave Mass. Please consider taking one or two to help a child in need this Christmas. If you are unable to attend Mass and watch virtually, we have inserted an Angel tag in the bulletin that you can print, cut out and attach to your stocking. We will also leave some Angels in a basket in the gathering space of the church if you attend morning Mass during the week.
Here is what we are asking:
Please purchase a 16”-18” Christmas stocking and a Target, Walmart, Visa, etc. gift card (minimum $25). Please be sure to write the amount of your gift card somewhere on the card. You may choose the age and gender (newborn - teenagers) of your Angel just be sure to write that information on the back of the Angel. Put the gift card in the stocking and fill the rest of the stocking with little fun items you think your Angel would enjoy receiving. For many children this might be the only gift they will receive this year. After you have purchased the items and filled your stocking attach your Angel tag to the stocking and follow the directions on the back of the Angel tag. It is important that you give your stocking to one of the volunteers either on Wednesdays or on the weekend before all the Masses.
If you are unable to shop or would like us to shop for you, please put your donation (checks payable to Holy Spirit) in an envelope and label it “Angel Tree”. You can also go online to our website www.holyspiritlv.org, go to “Give On Line” and select “Angel Tree. Donations in the Poor Box will also assist with this project.
Thank you for rising to this new challenge and making this Christmas special for many deserving children. God bless you!
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
January 31 - February 6
A Catholic Education is a Precious Gift…
…and teaches more than strong academics; it teaches lessons for life. The combination of a rigorous curriculum with active faith and values, prepares our students to confidently meet the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. Families deserve the best education for their children. Our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Las Vegas provide that education!
There are hundreds of reasons to choose a Catholic education for your son or daughter. Here are a few of our favorite reasons:
- We offer an education that combines Catholic faith and teachings with academic excellence.
- We partner with parents in the faith formation of their children.
- We set high standards for student achievement and help them succeed.
- We have a 99% high school graduation rate, and 85% of our graduates attend college.
- We teach respect, and prepare students to be productive citizens.
Information about Bishop Gorman High School Placement Exam listed below.
LOSS HURTS: CHILDREN'S GRIEF SUPPORT
Death, Divorce, Incarceration Deployment, Covid-19 Issues, Health Issues
DRAW IT OUT CHILDREN’S GRIEF SUPPORT
AGES 5-15 - OFFERED VIA ZOOM
- Safe and Confidential
- Decreases sense of aloneness
- Increases self-esteem
- Develops coping skills for loss
- Helps develop new life plan
For More Information, Contact: Connie Theisen kidshopeholyspirit@gmail.com 970-216-8977
Register Below
DIVORCE MINISTRY SUPPORT
This group provides support for divorced individuals, meeting every Thursday at 7pm (now via Zoom). Resources are provided which group members discuss and members share their experiences in a safe environment. The group process helps divorced individuals navigate through this difficult time and move towards healing and inner peace.
Contact: Barb Fraser 702-459-7778
LENT FISH FRY KNIGHTS
“Drive-thru” Fish Fry
Friday February 5th (First FRYDAY Fish Fry)
AND Every Friday in Lent from 5-7pm (Beginning Friday, February 19th)
in the Holy Spirit Parking Lot
$9.00 for deep fried fish, fries & coleslaw.
$7.00 for chicken tenders, fries & coleslaw.
Sponsored by our Knights of Columbus
WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
February 20th - 21st, 2021
Enjoy and experience the Marriage Encounter in the comfort of your own home as we continue to practice necessary protocol and still enrich marriages. Give us a call for more details, to sign up and get suggestions on how to make the virtual experience something special and enriching.
Wayne & Marcia Kessler, 702-283-3480 or 702-274-2846.
GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
Gift Shop Hours:
Open after all weekend liturgies and
Monday - Friday 8am - 12pm & 1pm - 4pm
Saturdays 8am -12pm
Saturdays 8am -12pm
OUR COMMUNITY
Below is information about Holy Spirit! Access the information by clicking on the links below. If, for any reason, you cannot find what you are looking for, please call our office 702-459-7778
OUR MINISTRIES
Below is information about some of our ministries and groups at Holy Spirit. Access this information by clicking on the links below. For additional information, please call our office 702-459-7778
WAYS TO GIVE
IN PERSON: Drop it off at the office or Use the kiosk in the lobby of the Church
AT MASS: Put it in the collection basket at the altar steps when you attend Mass
MAIL: Send it through the mail (5830 Mesa Park Drive, LV, NV 89135)
ONLINE: Use our on-line e-tithing system (www.holyspiritlv.org); click “On-line Giving”
BY PHONE: Text "Assist" to (702)500-1938
Thank you for your generosity to Your parish!
"Listen with the ear of your heart."
St. Benedict of Nursia