bulletin 4-10-16

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

ST. NICHOLAS PARISH From the Pastor’s Desk Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter. Yesterday Bishop Campbell confirmed the young adults of Muskingum County in a single ceremony at St. Thomas Church. Now that they are Confirmed and enjoying the fullness of the Sacraments of Initiation, I hope to see them at mass every Sunday. That sounds like wishful thinking, but it is the duty of every Catholic to fulfill this obligation, attendance at Sunday mass. It is the Catholic way of life. It is the habit of living the faith every day. Sunday mass, the Celebration of the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian Faith. Our faith does not grow stronger unless we make every effort with the grace of God to achieve that end. The other day I was reading “The American Heritage Dictionary”. Well I wasn’t reading for my enjoyment, I was on a mission. More than needing some food for thought I was looking for something to help me clarify my thoughts. I needed some definitions. During this time of year I receive many requests for letters of recommendation or verification for someone who has been requested to be a godparent or sponsor. Ordinarily this sounds like a very simple thing. For many who are requesting this letter it is perceived as one annoyance or an inconvenience. Some don’t understand the necessity for this document and see it as a worthless exercise and actually get angry. The latter is usually the reaction of a non-practicing Catholic. So I went to the dictionary searching for the word “sponsor” as a starting point. According to the American Heritage Dictionary… the definition for “sponsor” is as follows: “1. One who assumes responsibility for a person or group during a period of instruction, apprenticeship, or probation. 2. One who vouches for the suitability of a candidate for admission. 3. A legislator who proposes and urges the adoptions of a bill. 4. One who presents a candidate for baptism or confirmation; a godparent. 5. A business enterprise that pays for a radio or television program usually in return for advertising time. Of Latin origin: from the word…’spondere’, ‘to make a solemn pledge’.” The matter for legislating and advertising we can overlook. The secular understanding includes elements of assuming responsibility for a person and the vouching for the suitability of a candidate. The religious definition specifically indicates the presenting of a candidate for baptism or confirmation. Assuming responsibility and vouching presumes that the one who is sponsoring has a particularly important role to play. To make a longer story short, the sponsor must be one who knows what the candidate seeks to enter because the sponsor already has membership in that which the candidate seeks. The sponsor must also know if the candidate is properly prepared to fulfill the requirements necessary for this entrance. A poor sponsor would be one who is not a full and participating member. A poor sponsor would be one who does not know the suitability and personal development of the sponsoring candidate. Plus there is the level of commitment on the part of the sponsor. An example: I would make a poor if not an awful sponsor for an individual who wants to join the Masonic Lodge since I am not a Mason myself. (I use this as an extreme point to make the point.) I have no idea about the working of the Masons, their meetings or responsibilities. This being the case I would never be allowed to be a sponsor. That only makes sense. Those types of rules for sponsorship are strictly held and are reasonable.

My query is more about Catholicism. When a letter of recommendation is requested from a Pastor it requires the Pastor to use his authority to validate a sponsor’s suitability. This is a greater responsibility than most people understand. The request is for the validation of the sponsor as a practicing Catholic. This goes beyond the “sponsor” being a baptized Catholic. We all know many baptized Catholics who have not darkened the doors of a church in years. Thus how can a Pastor determine if an individual is a practicing Catholic in order to be a godparent or a sponsor? The good news is that there are certain minimal ways of determining this. These minimal standards are not impossible. In fact they are very simple. However, sometimes the simplest things are not always the easiest thing to do. The starting point is most obvious. Is the sponsor a registered parishioner? This little requirement has been the biggest roadblock for many individuals. At times the individual is simply not registered in the parish. This happens a lot and of course causes great distress. If the individual is a registered parishioner we move on to the next requirement. Is this person known by the Pastor or is a practicing Catholic? Some parishioners the Pastor knows by sight and name. It is true that in a large parish that a Pastor cannot know everyone. Thus there is a very minimal way to determine whether the individual is participating: mass attendance and the individual has made some sort of contribution in the last year. Most pastors do not want to look at contributions. However, there has to be some token of proof of activity over the last year, or two or three. This is not ideal but it is a minimal indication whether the individual has actually darkened the doors of the church: offertory contributions. Referring to the previous mentioned example; an organization like the Masons would not consider an individual to be an active member, much less a sponsoring individual, if that individual never attended meetings, activities or at least paid some dues at one time. If this is the minimal standard for secular organizations why do people expect it to be different in the Church? Besides, membership in the Church is the most important community we can belong to in this world. Maybe the reality is that very few take the Catholic Church as serious as they would some other organization. Maybe many do not understand the importance of the Church and the Sacraments for our salvation. Maybe this points to the haphazard way we live a Catholics. When requests for letters of recommendation come in it is rarely the individual needing the letter who makes the request. Hmmm. Many times it is the mother of the future sponsor who is making the request on behalf of a son or daughter. It is somewhat insulting, unintentional for sure, that the Pastor does not have a first-person encounter with the requesting party. Many times the letter is for a person who no longer lives here in the parish. So what is the Pastor to do? That person is simply not a parishioner. This is usually followed with the statement that the individual was baptized here, or went to the parish school. This doesn’t prove or verify that the individual is presently a practicing Catholic. A practicing Catholic of a particular parish is one who lives and is registered in the parish, worships at the parish church and contributes to the care and mission of the Church. To ask a Pastor to sign a document that states that an individual is a practicing Catholic and there is no minimal evidence that indicates this fact is to ask a Pastor to put their good name on

APRIL 10, 2016 a document that is not true or verifiable. This is disrespectful to the Pastor. The individual who needs the document validating that they are a registered and practicing Catholic should make the request him/herself. They should not go through a second person. In our Pre-Sacramental instructions we express that all sponsors need to fulfill this duty. The godparent or sponsor needs to make the contact with their Pastor. When it comes to the Sacrament of Confirmation a good example of personal responsibility is shown to the one who is the confirmation candidate. It shows a level of personal maturity in the faith. For those who will have children baptized or confirmed it is very important to seek a godparent or sponsor who is a practicing Catholic. This should be the primary criterion for choosing a godparent or sponsor. When this is not considered first it becomes the most distressing factor when preparing for the reception of a Sacrament. It becomes distressful for the requesting parties as well as for any Pastor. No one wants this to be the case. It can be avoided. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the requesting parties. It is almost an exasperation to wonder why Catholics don’t do what Catholics are supposed to do in these simple matters. The responsibilities of Catholics are not impossible. They are part of a way of life that is good, devout and lead to greater holiness. It only becomes difficult when Catholics are not living their faith. Let us all pray for a greater effort in living of the faith. Father Ralko

Church Support April 3, 2016 OFFERTORY Diocesan Tax Fenwick Subsidy Rosecrans subsidy Available for Parish Operations Parish Operating Expenses Religious Education Expenses Other Income Weekly deficit May God bless you for supporting your parish

$12,852.00 $ (650.00) $(3,060.00) ($290.00) $8,852.00 $(8,200.00) $(800.00) $2,300.00 $ 2152.00

This week we pray Week III of the Liturgy of the hours. We pray for the following who have died recently: John W. Bradford

We welcome into the Church this weekend through Baptism: Charlotte Marie Hamsher, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Hamsher

YOUTH GROUP Sunday, April 10th, breakfast following the 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Masses. St. Nicholas Church Basement Students should arrive at 7:00 a.m. to help with set up. Strong! An all male retreat will be held Saturday April 30Sunday May 1.This all male overnight camping adventure requires registration with a fee of $15.00 per person. Students will meet at the St. Nicholas Teen Center on Saturday afternoon and travel to Coshocton where they will attend Mass followed by an outdoor adventure that includes preparing and cooking their own meals over the campfire, hear motivating talks, great music and make new friends. Guys ages 13-18 are invited! Contact Patty for more information (740) 453-5173. The Daughters of Isabella seek to promote the welfare of the community in accordance with the teachings and rules of the Catholic Church through unity, friendship and charity. All women age 16 and up are welcome to join us. The next meeting is Tuesday, April 12th at 6:00 p.m. at the St. Nicholas Parish Office. 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 gutwrenching but inspiring stories of divorce and recovery. You’ll cry, laugh and be encouraged. PLEASE JOIN US. The group begins Monday, March 28, 2016 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/ BISHOP ROSECRANS ATHLETIC BOOSTERS Recent Booster Mania winners: Paul Ritchey, Patricia DownsShrider, Mark Dosch, Shellie Downs, Mark Moyer, Jerry Burtosevich, Mike Musselman and Margaret Paul REMINDER Please remember to contact the parish office if you have recently moved, had a new baby or changed your phone number. Or if you have a family member who is hospitalized or in a nursing home and would like pastoral visits, please contact the office. Also if you have adult children who have their own residence or are age 25 or over and live with their parents and wish to be a registered member of St. Nicholas Church, they need to fill out a registration form (available in front pews or at the parish office). This will allow us to maintain accurate and up to date parish records. Thank you for your help.

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER LITURGICAL MINISTERS SCHEDULE It is your responsibility to find a substitute if needed. April 17, 2016 Fourth Sunday of Easter Saturday, April 16 @ 5:15 p.m. Lector: Nancy Susa, Bill Sullivan Server: Bill Altier, Nicholas Hoffer Eucharistic Minister – Coord: Ted Lacy Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Charlotte Snider, Dan Snider Eucharistic Minister: Judi Peterson, Don Susa, Susie Altier, Jim Pottmeyer

What’s Happening in Our Parish MONDAY, April 11, St. Stanislaus 8:00 a.m., Mass: Sr. Mary Elizabeth Noll, Church 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Sign Language Class, Parish Office 7:00 p.m., Catholic Divorce Survival Guide, Parish Office

TUESDAY, April 12 8:00 a.m., Mass: Robert Ralko, Church

WEDNESDAY, April 13, St. Martin I 8:10 a.m., School Mass: Selma LaAsmar, birthday, Church

7:00 p.m., R.C.I.A., Parish Office, lower level

Sunday, April 17 @7:30 a.m. Lector: Tom C. Pitcock, Stephanie Bridwell Server: David Eppley, Libby Pratt Eucharistic Minister- Coord: Jim Hillis Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Margaret Kronenbitter, Patrick Durant Eucharistic Minister: Sue Hillis

THURSDAY, April 14

Sunday, April 17 @ 9:30 a.m. Lector: Janis Maziar, Susan Thompson Server: Thomas Bernath, Will Bernath Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Claire Tiberio Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Dan Sylvester, Cheryl Sylvester Eucharistic Minister: Gerald Tiberio, Rosalyn Headington, Jane Durant, Tom A. Durant

SATURDAY, April 16 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Confessions, Church

Sunday, April 17 @ 11:30 a.m. Lector: Patty Logan, Sam Palleschi Server: Victoria Hall, Rex Hankinson Eucharistic Minister - Coord: Jim McKee Eucharistic Minister - Wash Vessel: Dodi Sealock, Mike Musselman Eucharistic Minister: Karen Hardman, Corinne Musselman, Paula Peterson, Scott Peterson

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.

8:00 a.m., Mass: Bill & Christine Kolopajlo, Anniversary, Church

FRIDAY, April 15 8:00 a.m., Mass: Joanne Burson, Church

Fourth Sunday of Easter SATURDAY, April 16 5:15 a.m. Mass: Hope E. Buchanan, Church SUNDAY, April 17 7:30 a.m., Mass: St. Nicholas Parishioners, Church 9:30 a.m., Mass: Reg Grear, Church 9:45 a.m. Religious Education, School 11:30 a.m., Mass: Ephrem Gerst, Church

Readings for Week of April 11, 2016 Mon. . . . . . . . Tues. . . . . . . . Wed . . . . . . . . Thurs. . . . . . . . Fri. . . . . . . . . . Sat. . . . . . . . . . Sun . . . . . . . .

Acts 6:8-15 Acts 7:51-8:1a Acts 8: 1b-8 Acts 8:26-40 Acts 9:1-20 Acts 9:31-42 Acts 13:14, 4352

Jn 6:22-29 Jn 6:30-35 Jn 6:35-40 Jn 6:44-51 Jn 6:52-59 Jn 6:60-69 Jn 10:27-30

INCOME TAX If you would like to have a record of your donations to the Church for tax purposes, please fill in your envelope number, name and address or email and place it in the collection basket. A statement will be sent to you. Envelope No._____________________________ Name___________________________________ Address_________________________________or Email address____________________________