St Paul Catholic Church

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Madison will host a dinner with Sister Mara Grace and Sister Jacinta of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia on Tuesday September 17. Women ages 15 and older are invited to attend, meet the Sisters, and learn more about religious life. The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia are also known as the "Nashville Dominicans" and are dedicated to education and religious formation as well as contemplative Dominican practices. Please contact Rachel Granger using the information on the shared flyer to reserve a seat at the dinner. You may visit https://www.nashvilledominican.org to learn more about the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia.

Edit: If the email address on the flyer does not work, please use rgranger (at) stjohnbchurch (dot) org.

- flyer from St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and shared by request

Thank you to all those who offered prayers and support following the unexpected passing of Regina Mathen, sister of Father Charley Alookaran at Our Lady, Queen of the Universe OLQU Catholic Church in Huntsville. Father Charley returned to the parish and celebrated Masses this weekend.

- message from the OLQU Catholic Church parish bulletin

This weekend is the last weekend to sign up for the 2024/2025 Religious Education School Year at St. Paul. Registration will be held in the Church Hall on Saturday, 5:45 pm-8:00 pm and in the Youth Room in the Hall on Sunday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Bring a copy of your child’s Baptism certificate if one has not already been provided.
A Food Sale benefitting Saint Paul Catholic School, will also be held this Sunday, August 25th, in the Church Hall from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Join us for great food and sign up your children for religious education.

Este fin de semana es el último fin de semana para inscribirse en el Año Escolar de Educación Religiosa 2024/2025 en St. Paul. La inscripción se llevará a cabo en el Salón de la Iglesia el sábado, de 5:45 p.m. a 8:00 p.m. y en el Salón de Jóvenes en el Salón el domingo, de 9:00 a.m. a 1:00 p.m. Traiga una copia del certificado de bautismo de su hijo, si aún no se le ha proporcionado uno.
El domingo 25 de agosto se llevará a cabo una venta de alimentos a beneficio de la Escuela Católica San Pablo en el Salón de la Iglesia de 9:00 a.m. a 1:00 p.m.
Únase a nosotros para disfrutar de una excelente comida e inscriba a sus hijos en la educación religiosa.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Charley's sister in India. She passed away yesterday unexpectedly. Let us keep Father and his family in our prayers. 🙏🏻

Religious Education Registration for the 2024/2025 school year will be held in the Church Hall on the following dates:

Saturdays – 5:45pm-7:00pm: August 17, August 24
Sundays – 9:00am-1:00pm: August 18, August 25

Registration closes on August 25, 2024. No registration forms will be accepted after this date! Please bring a copy of the child’s baptismal certificate if one has not already been submitted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
La inscripción de Educación Religiosa para el año escolar 2024/2025 se llevará a cabo en el Salón de la Iglesia en las siguientes fechas:

Sábados: 5:45 p. m. a 7:00 p. m.: 17 de agosto, 24 de agosto
Domingos: 9:00 a. m. a 1:00 p. m.: 18 de agosto, 25 de agosto

La inscripción cierra el 25 de agosto de 2024. ¡No se aceptarán formularios de inscripción después de esta fecha! Por favor traiga una copia del certificado de bautismo del niño si aún no lo ha presentado.

Are you planning to help with Religious Education, Faith Formation, Youth Group, or other youth activities at your parish during the school year? Are you a seasoned volunteer who needs to update your training? All adults who work with children and youth in the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama are required to have current Youth Protection certification and to successfully complete a background check. Free Youth Protection training is offered online in English and Spanish at https://virtusonline.org/virtus (look for the "Protecting God's Children®" program). Background check forms are available from parish offices and from the diocese.

St Paul Catholic Church in Athens will celebrate First Communion this weekend during the 6:30 PM Mass on Saturday April 6 and the 10:30 AM Mass on Sunday April 7. Please offer a prayer for all those who will receive the Eucharist for the first time!

Confessions will be held for the Confirmation Students on Wednesday, April 3rd at 4:30 in the church. This is a requirement for all students preparing for Confirmation. No Confirmation class will be held that evening.

Las confesiones se llevarán a cabo para los estudiantes de confirmación el miércoles 3 de abril a las 4:30 en la iglesia. Este es un requisito para todos los estudiantes que se preparan para la confirmación. No se llevará a cabo ninguna clase de confirmación esa noche.

The Decorating Committee did an amazing decorating job again. Thank you for sharing your time and talents in service to our parish.

Saint Paul will host an Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday after the 10:30 mass. Meet in the church Hall for a hotdog and pizza lunch before the egg hunt. The Easter Bunny will be on hand to greet all our egg hunters.

Come meet Dr. Sue at our Open House and visit our colorful, interactive classrooms! Rote learning and large class sizes ARE A THING OF THE PAST at St. Paul Catholic School! We meet our littles where they are, with playful, concentrated learning that aligns with the high educational standards our parents expect. Visit us at Open House on April 9, from 5 PM - 7 PM. We are located at 1900 US 72 W, Athens, Alabama. classes # experienced educators

Saint Joseph Catholic Church-Huntsville, Al will host an outdoor Easter Sunrise Mass at 6:00 AM on Easter Sunday morning, March 31, at Monte Sano State Park Huntsville, AL. This Mass is an annual Huntsville tradition celebrated by Father Joseph Lubrano, SDS. It is open to everyone who would like to attend. It will be celebrated at the park's overlook, which is near the small pavilion.

- Sunrise Mass photo from 2018 by Linda Pohuski

The Food Pantry at St Paul Catholic Church in Athens is currently in need of canned tuna, canned chunk chicken, Spam, spaghetti, bags of rice, dried beans, and instant potatoes. A food pantry donation is a great tangible way to practice almsgiving during Lent!

St. Paul Catholic School in Athens now has its own page www.facebook.com/stpaulschoolathens and website www.stpaulcatholic.school! The school is located at St Paul Catholic Church in Athens and currently offers K-3, K-4, and Kindergarten classes in a faith-based environment with small class sizes using a standards based curriculum that guides children in their early academic, social, and spiritual development. The school will hold an open house on March 4. Wchool tours can be scheduled through the website, by emailing dir (dot) school (at) stpaulathens (dot) org, or by calling 256 232 4191.

Do you know about the indulgenced Prayer before a Crucifix? On Fridays during Lent, Catholics may obtain a plenary indulgence by offering this prayer before a Crucifix after receiving Holy Communion. On other days of the year, they may do the same to obtain a partial indulgence. The usual conditions for obtaining an indulgence apply.

"Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus while before Your face I humbly kneel, and, with burning soul, pray and beseech You to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity; true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment, while I contemplate, with great love and tender pity, Your five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me and calling to mind the words which David, Your prophet, said to You, my Jesus: 'They have pierced My hands and My feet, they have numbered all My bones.' Amen."

This prayer is found in many books and missals, although the specifics of the indulgence may not be listed and there may be slight variations in wording. The prayer is also available online from many different websites. A copy is included in our Lent 2024 album www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.792886156217687.

- Holy Spirit Catholic Church -Huntsville, Alabama parish photo

Shroud of Turin Day of Recollection Hidden away in the countryside of Northern Alabama, the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament is a peaceful place of spiritual renewal and prayer. The Shrine, visited by thousands each year, is also home to Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, where the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration live a life con...

La reunión de padres de familia delos niños de Primera Comunión se realizará en el salón el día 28 de enero a las 12:15pm.

The meeting for parents of First Communion students will be held in the Hall on January 28th at 12:15pm.

Dear friends,

Since the parking lot is clean of snow on the west side of the church and behind the church, I am going to celebrate two masses - one at 3 pm and the other at 4:15 pm tomorrow afternoon. Only those who can safely arrive at the church should attend. They will have to avoid possible pieces of ice to reach the sidewalk and the entrances on the front and west side.

Be careful and may God bless you.

Father Tom

Queridos amigos,

Dado que el estacionamiento está limpio de nieve en el lado oeste de la iglesia y detrás de la iglesia, voy a celebrar dos misas - una a las 3 pm y la otra a las 4:15 pm mañana por la tarde. Sólo aquellos que puedan llegar con seguridad a la iglesia deben asistir. Tendrán que evitar posibles trozos de hielo para llegar a la banqueta y a las entradas del frente y del lado oeste.

Tengan cuidado y que Dios los bendiga.

Padre Tom

Mensaje de P. Tom a los feligreses:

Queridos amigos,
Espero que estén ens sus hogares seguros y protegidos de dicho clima.

Desafortunadamente el clima no nos permite reunirnos para nuestra misa de esta noche (20 de enero). Hay más hielo en el estacionamiento que podría evaporarse mañana por la tarde con el sol. Si el estacionamiento está seguro para caminar mañana, por la tarde tendremos dos misas para aquellos a quienes les resulte seguro y cómodo conducir hacia la iglesia. Los horarios de misa se les notificarán mañana por este medio o vía correo electrónico.

¡Manténganse a salvo y que Dios los bendiga!

Padre Tom

This message from Fr. Tom was emailed to parishioners:

Dear friends,
Hope you are staying “in” and safe, and able to find ways to fight the “blues”.

Unfortunately the weather does not permit us to come together for worship tonight (Jan. 20th). There is some more ice on the parking lots which might vaporize by tomorrow afternoon because of the bright sun. If the parking lots are safe to walk on, we will have two Masses tomorrow afternoon for those who find it safe and comfortable to drive out of their areas over to the church. The Mass times will be notified to you tomorrow.

Stay safe and God bless !

Fr Tom