bulletin 04-30-2017

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

ST. NICHOLAS PARISH From the Pastor’s Desk This weekend we observe the Third Sunday of Easter. This is also the fifth Sunday of the month and that means that we take up a special collection for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Members of our parish chapter will be “Holding the Hat” at the doors of the church after mass. Your generosity has been well noted in the past and the need is ever present. There is a great need in our community and the Society has helped many people. We also support the various charitable service agencies in the area: Christ’s Table, The Salvation Army, Eastside Ministries and Catholic Social Services. We support these wonderful organizations that are well organized and are helpful in avoiding the duplication of services. Again, your generosity is greatly appreciated. Next Sunday we will be celebrating First Holy Communion Sunday. Our parish second graders will be making their First Communion during the 11:30 mass. So for those who usually attend the 11:30 Sunday Mass be prepared for a larger than usual crowd. Secondly, let us keep our First Communion Class in our thoughts and prayers as they prepare themselves for this most important encounter with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Tomorrow, May 1st, is the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. In more recent times there has been a renewed interest in St. Joseph. This interest has come about in terms of an urgent need for a stronger faith life for Christian men. In light of this there have been a number of books and reflections written on St. Joseph. This seems to be a curious thing since we find so little written in reference to St. Joseph in the Gospels. Nevertheless, there are a few important details that give us a healthy insight into St. Joseph. There are a number of titles given to St. Joseph in which we honor him. We know that he holds the title of “Husband of Mary” the mother of Jesus. St. Joseph is the “Foster Father of Jesus”. We claim him to be the “Patron Saint of Workers”, which we acknowledge and celebrate on May 1st. St. Joseph is also the “Protector of the Church”, a title given him in light of his being the protector of the Holy Family. In essence he is a wonderful Model for all Christian Men. We find in the Gospel of St. Matthew (1:19) a very important detail about St. Joseph: he was a “Righteous Man”. In revealing this seemingly minute detail in the Gospel we are told a great deal about Joseph. This little description indicates that St. Joseph was a man who was right with God. This being right with God or righteousness, is not something that is hidden within ones character, it is something that has a physical manifestation. Righteousness cannot be hidden. It is expressed in devotion. It indicates one who is devout. Joseph can be safely said to be a pious and prayerful man. As a devout Jew he was one who prayed, was familiar with the scriptures, attended synagogue and followed the commandments. His right relationship with God was also reflected in his relationship with others. It is unavoidable. As a basic application for the Christian man, there is nothing wrong with being right with God. The Christian man is to be a man of devotion who is right with God. Just consider what the opposite manifestation would be like. Quite frankly there is no advantage for not being a devout, righteous Christian man. St. Joseph was engaged to Mary. In short, he was a man who loved Mary. His being right with God necessarily set him right with others. In regards to Mary, who was with child but before it was revealed to him in a dream, was planning on divorcing her quietly so as not to shame her publically. As a man who is right with God, this was an act of humility and

compassion. Once it was revealed to him that Mary was with child by the power of the Holy Spirit and not fully understanding what this meant, he humbly welcomed her into his home as his wife. St. Joseph humbly submitted to the will of God. As we have read about the events leading up to the birth of Jesus, the departure into Egypt and then back to Nazareth etc. we find St. Joseph as the humble servant of God dedicated to the will of God in lovingly sacrificing much to protect and provide for Mary and the child. The righteous man, Joseph, could do no other. The bottom line for the Christian man, there is nothing wrong with being a loving devout husband. We only have to consider the opposite. There is no advantage or positive with not being a righteous, loving devout husband. St. Joseph loved Jesus. In the course of events, along with Mary, St. Joseph welcomed Jesus into his life and loved him. As a righteous devout man he could do no other. Jesus changed St. Joseph’s life. The welcoming of a child into a family requires a great deal of self-sacrificing love. The demands of generosity, care, providing safety and the means of survival are drawn out of a man by the welcoming of a child into the family. This also demands loving guidance for life. The righteous man is bound to set an example of religious virtue. He can do no other. Again, consider the opposite. There is nothing positive or of any advantage for a Christian man to neglect his children, not to provide for his children or set a virtuous example. Nor is it advantageous not to allow children to bring out the very best within the Christian man. St. Joseph the righteous man was a man who in his relationship with God was very much aware of his blessings. One of those blessing was his skill and talents. In growing closer to God one becomes very much aware of oneself: accounting for one’s talents and our faults. Being called by God for his special role in providing for Mary and Jesus, St. Joseph used his skills and talents in service of God’s plan. St. Joseph worked to provide for his family. Later in the Gospel we hear the people comment that Jesus was a “carpenter the son of Joseph and Mary”; one of their neighbors. St. Joseph obviously taught and shared his talents with Jesus. St. Joseph’s talents were not just for himself but were given for service to others. Properly ordered, work finds its dignity when it is offered for the good of others. St. Joseph is referred to as the “Patron Saint for Workers”. It is present in our nature that we have the need to work. As a righteous man, St. Joseph models for workers the virtue of using one’s talents and skills for the good of others: family and community. It is a reflection of God’s creative activity, who has given stewardship of his creation to humanity. In reflection of God’s creative activity the righteous man acts in the same manner. All we have to do is consider the opposite and realize that there is no advantage in having the ability to be creative and the ability to work and not to graciously offer it to others. Tomorrow as we honor “St. Joseph the Worker”, we recall that he was right with God, who loved and welcomed Mary and Jesus into his life and was generous with his talents, we see a model for the Christian man. It is a great challenge and a great advantage for all Christian men to be right with God, to love and welcome the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Son Jesus Christ into our lives, and to be generous with the gifts and talents of our lives with others. To do the opposite has no verifiable advantage or good outcome for the Christian man. Honoring St. Joseph we pray for his intercession and guidance to help us to be good and devout Christians in the world. Meditating on his seemingly quiet and simple life we find a

APRIL 30, 2017 wellspring of inspiration for gracious living. St. Joseph, pray for us. Have a great Easter Season. Father Ralko NOTE WELL: Tuesday May 2nd is an Election Day. There are local issues on this off-season ballet. Unfortunately these voting days attract very few voters. So this is a reminder for all to check out the ballet and vote on Tuesday. I am not very sure but I think there is one issue on the ballet that concerns Zanesville. There are others for the outlying areas. So it is important to take a little time so that whatever issues are on the ballet are not decided by a small percentage of the people. Let us do our part. LASTLY: Father Thomas Kamau will be away for the month of May. Therefore we will not have a Thursday morning mass. We will resume that mass when he returns from visiting his family in Kenya. Safe travels Fr. Thomas.

Church Support APRIL 23, 2017 OFFERTORY $6,987.00 Diocesan Tax ($650.00) Fenwick Subsidy ($3,060.00) Rosecrans subsidy ($290.00) Available for Parish Operations $2,987.00 Parish Operating Expenses ($8,200.00) Religious Education Expenses ($800.00) Other Income $2,300.00 Weekly deficit ($3,713.00) May God bless you for supporting your parish

Thank you and God Bless. This week we pray Week III of the Liturgy of the hours.

We pray for those who have died recently: Barbara Miller Last Sunday we welcomed into the Church through baptism, Oakie Patrick Bates son of Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Bates ZANESVILLE CATHOLIC TEENS NEWS

SUNDAY, APRIL 30TH 4:00-6:00 p.m. JOINT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL EVENT Join us as we bid farewell to Senior Leaders Matthew Mulholland and Jonathan Black.

St. Vincent DePaul will “hold the hat”, this weekend. Please be generous. Thank you.

PRAY THE ROSARY IN MAY Before each Mass during the month of May, St. Nicholas will pray the rosary together. Come 20 minutes before Mass time and join other parishioners. If you would like to volunteer to lead the Rosary, please call Mary Lou Staker at 740-453-7141. FIRST HOLY COMMUNION St. Nicholas will celebrate our second graders of Bishop Fenwick School and St. Nicholas Parish School of Religion at their First Holy Communion Mass, Sunday, May 7 at 11:30 a.m. Please pray for them as they prepare to receive Jesus for the first time. MOTHER’S DAY SIGNATURE AD Honor your mother (living or deceased) by placing her name in the Mother’s Day ad in the Zanesville Times Recorder for a small donation. Sign up after any Mass the weekends of April 29-30 and May 6-7. DIVORCED? Is anyone in YOUR family DIVORCED? The Catholic’s DIVORCE SURVIVAL Guide 12-week program features 30-minute DVD shows each week that cover topics of shock, denial, anger, grief, guilt, forgiveness, money, the courts, the kids, the ex-spouse, annulment, dating, sexuality, spirituality, remarriage or staying single, and much more. Whether you got divorced ten days ago or ten years ago, the program offers valuable insight for everyone. The DVD series includes Catholic men and women who share their gut-wrenching but inspiring stories of divorce and recovery. You’ll cry, laugh and be encouraged. PLEASE JOIN US. The group begins Friday, April 28, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Nicholas Parish Office upstairs meeting room (955 East Main Street). The program is free and includes a “Personal Survival Guide”. Find comfort and counsel consistent with Catholic teachings. Sorry, no child care available. Call the St. Nicholas Parish Office to register. - For more information about The Catholic’s DIVORCE SURVIVAL Guide go to http://www.catholicsdivorce.com/ Living the Gospel in Faith, Hope, and Charity, the theme of the 2017 Bishop’s Annual Appeal reminds us of who we are as a Faith Community. Next weekend is Commitment Weekend for the Appeal. Through this annual campaign, we are given the opportunity to support the programs and ministries that benefit so many; education of our children in their Faith, adult and youth programs, social concerns ministries, marriage preparation and the education and support of our seminarians and deacons. Your gift and your prayers will help to make this year’s appeal a success. Our parish is asked to raise $75,114.00 this year for the appeal. Every contribution counts and every dollar that we raise over the stated goal will be returned to our parish to be used to directly benefit our community here at St. Nicholas. We are blessed with much; let us respond generously to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. Passion and Purpose for Marriage What’s the most important word in a marriage? What is really going on in your wife’s head? What do you wish your husband knew about you? Join Dynamic Catholic and Dr. Allen Hunt at St. Catharine of Siena Church, 500 S. Gould Rd., Columbus, on Sunday, May 7, at 12:30 p.m., and discover key ingredients to a healthy and happy marriage. Take your relationship to a whole new level! Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased at www.DynamicCatholic.com/Columbus or by calling 859.980.7900!

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER LITURGICAL MINISTERS SCHEDULE It is your responsibility to find a substitute if needed. May 7, 2017- Fourth Sunday of Easter

What’s Happening in Our Parish MONDAY, May 1, St. Joseph the Worker 8:00 a.m., Mass: Roger Eppley, anniversary, Church

Saturday, May 6 @ 5:15 p.m. Lector: Diane Hoffer, Nancy Susa Server: Ronald Davis, Nicholas Hoffer Eucharistic Minister – Coord: Margaret Kronenbitter Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Pauline Davis, Diana Dunn Eucharistic Minister: Judi Peterson, Larry Taylor, Don Susa, Laurie Harmon

TUESDAY, May 2, St. Athanasius 8:00 a.m., Mass: Judith Radigan, Church

WEDNESDAY, May 3, SS. Philip and James 8:10 a.m., Mass: Sally Fleer, Church

THURSDAY, May 4

Sunday, May 7 @7:30 a.m. Lector: Sue Hillis, Susan Thompson Server: Luke Pratt, Libby Pratt Eucharistic Minister- Coord: Jim Hillis Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Carolyn Arnold, Jeff Shawger Eucharistic Minister: Philip Kocoloski

NO MASS

Sunday, May 7 @ 9:30 a.m. Lector: Keena Hansel, Rocky Rowe Server: Thomas Bernath, Will Bernath Eucharistic Minister - Coord: John Haswell Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Dan Sylvester, Cheryl Sylvester Eucharistic Minister: Erin Roush, Gerald Tiberio, Claire Tiberio, Linda Haswell

SATURDAY, May 6

Sunday, May 7 @ 11:30 a.m. Lector: Sam Palleschi, Paul Nestor Server: Wesley Nestor, Tyler Mell Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Paul Ritchey Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Molly Ritchey, Corinne Musselman Eucharistic Minister: Karen Hardman, Mike Musselman, Sandy Black, Janis Maziar

Our thoughts and prayers remain with those serving our country at this time and with their loved ones at home. We pray for a safe homecoming and that the world may one day be at peace. PLEASE REMEMBER ST. NICHOLAS PARISH IN YOUR WILL. CALL THE PARISH OFFICE AT 453-0597 FOR MORE DETAILS. Please join us each Monday at St. Nicholas Church at 2:00 P.M. as we gather to pray the Rosary asking Our Lady’s Intercession for the many needs of our nation, community, and parish.

FRIDAY, May 5 Adoration until 4:00 p.m., Church 8:00 a.m., Mass: Doris Lake, Church

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER 5:15 p.m., Mass: Mike Harrison, Church

SUNDAY, May 7 7:30 a.m., Mass: deceased members of Monsignor Dury Council 505 Knights of Columbus, Church 9:30 a.m., Mass: Henry Sulens, Church 9:45 a.m., Religious Education, School 11:30 a.m., Mass: St. Nicholas Parishioners, Church 11:30 a.m., First Holy Communion Mass, Church

Readings for Week of May 1, 2017 Mon. . . . . . . . Tues. . . . . . . . Wed . . . . . . . . Thurs. . . . . . . . Fri. . . . . . . . . . Sat. . . . . . . . . . Sun . . . . . . . .

Acts 6:8-15 Acts 7:51-8:1a 1 Cor 15:1-8 Acts 8:26-40 Acts 9:1-20 Acts 9:31-42 Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Jn 6:22-29 Jn 6:30-35 Jn 14:6-14 Jn 6:44-51 Jn 6:52-59 Jn 6:60-69 Jn 10:1-10