Karen immediately got work on her first day- she spent her first few hours counting the weekly plate collection and hasn't slowed down since! She quickly observed that, "Under Father Steve's leadership it is clear that the parish stand are sincerely seeking to be the best possible stewards of the talent and treasure entrusted to them". She is not only well "versed" in parish finance operations from her previous role, she is also a licensed CPA and Chartered Financial Analyst (in the state of New York). She brings with her over 30 years of financial experience with roles as an auditor, stock analyst, controller and then Chief Financial Officer for a reinsurance company that traded on the NYSE, an adjunct instructor and consultant.

Karen has oversight of the parish financial operations and looks forward to engaging parish volunteers to work with her. "We are a very busy parish and there are many tasks that need to be done to manage the operations and deliver high quality financial reporting to Father Steve and Finance Council, all while keeping costs down". She will develop several recurring volunteer roles for a wide range of skill sets---for those with little finance experience to those who love accounting--and would like to "count" you in! Look for more information coming soon in the bulletin.

Karen and her husband Paul just celebrated 34 beautiful years of marriage and have two very active rescue dogs. "My creative outlet, to balance my analytical accounting brain, is sewing and machine embroidery".

Please join us in giving Karen a warm Saint Thomas welcome!

Father Steve gives an update on our preschool grand opening! Enjoy this video message and learn more about our continuing efforts to GROW our COMMUNITY beginning with the littlest among us!

All are welcome to ATTEND the preschool dedication on September 25th @10:00am

Karen immediately got work on her first day- she spent her first few hours counting the weekly plate collection and hasn't slowed down since! She quickly observed that, "Under Father Steve's leadership it is clear that the parish stand are sincerely seeking to be the best possible stewards of the talent and treasure entrusted to them". She is not only well "versed" in parish finance operations from her previous role, she is also a licensed CPA and Chartered Financial Analyst (in the state of New York). She brings with her over 30 years of financial experience with roles as an auditor, stock analyst, controller and then Chief Financial Officer for a reinsurance company that traded on the NYSE, an adjunct instructor and consultant.

Karen has oversight of the parish financial operations and looks forward to engaging parish volunteers to work with her. "We are a very busy parish and there are many tasks that need to be done to manage the operations and deliver high quality financial reporting to Father Steve and Finance Council, all while keeping costs down". She will develop several recurring volunteer roles for a wide range of skill sets---for those with little finance experience to those who love accounting--and would like to "count" you in! Look for more information coming soon in the bulletin.

Karen and her husband Paul just celebrated 34 beautiful years of marriage and have two very active rescue dogs. "My creative outlet, to balance my analytical accounting brain, is sewing and machine embroidery".

Please join us in giving Karen a warm Saint Thomas welcome!

Father Steve gives an update on our preschool grand opening! Enjoy this video message and learn more about our continuing efforts to GROW our COMMUNITY beginning with the littlest among us!

All are welcome to ATTEND the preschool dedication on September 25th @10:00am

After a statewide search, we are pleased to announce that the new Preschool Director for St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School is Mrs. Annemarie Mansour. Mrs. Mansour has served as the Preschool Director at Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten in Phoenix for the last three years. She has a strong background in early childhood development, program planning, faculty and staff development, admissions, marketing and business administration. In addition, Mrs. Mansour has taught children, ages two through Kindergarten. This classroom experience is important since the Preschool Director position for the upcoming school year includes teaching the new three day 3’s program.

Annemarie and her husband Nick have two children who have graduated from Saint Thomas the Apostle, Nick and Isabelle, and have two who currently attend STA, 3rd grader Joseph and 6th grader Marissa. Mrs. Mansour received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Child Development from Saint Mary’s College of California, and her Master’s Degree in Psychology from Palo Alto University. Prior to moving to Phoenix in 2011 her family lived in Maryland. There she served on the board and worked at her children’s preschool as well as worked as a Family Behavioral Specialist, helping families with children ages 0-5 manage behavior problems to ready their children for kindergarten.

“The timing of this opportunity feels to me to be divinely inspired. I am thrilled to able to use my knowledge and experience for the greater good of the community that I love! A school launch will certainly be a challenge, however, knowing the people that I will be working with and the community I will be working for gives me both faith and confidence to take on this challenge.”

We are so blessed to have her on board during this important and exciting time in the life of STA!

Dear STA Family,

Recently we celebrated the Baccleaurate Mass and the 8th Grade Graduation at our parish school.  In a world and a culture that can be downright discouraging, these events serve as a shining light of hope!  These families chose to entrust the academic and spiritual formation of their children, outside the home, with our amazing faculty and staff.  The result is an outstanding group of young men and women who have received dedicated preparation for the intellectual and spiritual challenges that lie ahead.

 

I asked that our entire parish dedicate some prayer time this week for all of the parish students - regardless of where they attend school - making the leap to high school.  All of our children need our love, our support, our strength and our prayers.  Please also pray for these children’s  parents, that they are granted the wisdom to know how to reach their children and successfully help them navigate the cultural and spiritual land mines that lay ahead.

 

In Christ May All Things Be Glorified,

Father Steve

Dear STA Family,

I am heartened and gratified by the wonderful response to the capital campaign since our kick off weekend! It is awesome to see things moving so quickly — and to see how the very specific skills and talents we need at every stage and phase arrive exactly when we need them! On that note, I want to thank everyone who has participated in this critical effort thus far. I further want to share a perspective on “fundraising” that you may not have considered before. A renowned theologian, whom I greatly respect, describes it simply like this:

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Easter Sunday is the greatest of all feast days in the Church! It is from this day that all other Sunday celebrations takes their origin becoming “mini Easter Sundays”. This celebration is marked most especially by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is this crucial event that changes everything. Without the Resurrection, Jesus is just a man with some interesting teachings. With the Resurrection, He is Lord and God. As Saint Paul says, “without the Resurrection we are the most pitiable of all people”. The Resurrection of Jesus breathed life into the Christian Church and still breaths it into each of us today!

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As we celebrate this year of mercy I can't help but think about forgiveness! Something which is so difficult for many of us to do but so necessary for the followers of Jesus. Over and over again we here Jesus speak to us about forgiveness. In the Lords Prayer we here hear Jesus say that we must forgive the sins of others if we want God to forgive us. “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Jesus goes on to say quite directly that if we do not forgive others than God will not forgive us either! So forgiveness is necessary for the disciple of Jesus!

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The forty days of Lent in the Catholic tradition revolve around the three pillars of fasting, prayer, and alms giving. Because these all require a bit of sacrifice on our part, it is often difficult to get excited about the Lenten season. Many actually begin the season of Lent with a huge Mardi Gras celebration in “preparation” for the sacrifices ahead. What I am proposing today is a purposeful shift in your perspective on Lent that could actually change your outlook. Instead of emphasizing the sacrifices we are making, we should focus on the LOVE that inspires it!

During the Lenten season we retell the story of God’s love for us. We remember the passion and death of Jesus and the fact that He loves us so much He was willing to suffer and die for us. The main thing we are called to do in return is to love Him back. The three pillars of fasting, prayer and alms giving are specific “acts of love” that we can engage in to show God that we do indeed love Him back!

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During Lent our RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) candidates participate in important ceremonies that bring them ever closer to realizing their Catholic dream. This is the time when the unbaptized catechumens and previously baptized candidates enter into immediate preparation for the Easter sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. This period focuses on purification and enlightenment, and is characterized by deep prayer and turning away from sin.

To highlight this important formation, the Church gives us specific rites (public ceremonies) to mark the progress of the candidates. Those already baptized will participate in the Penitential Rite on February 21 at the 11am Mass. The community is lead by the priest in prayer for the candidates and their deliverance from evil. For the unbaptized catechumens, Lent is abundant with rites. 

The Rite of Election is the first ceremony when, based on the declaration of their sponsors, the catechumens receive a change of status in the Church. No longer are they catechumens (receiving intensive catechetical instruction); they are now “elect”, affirmed by the Bishop to receive the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist). This ceremony takes place in two parts. The first is a “sending forth” from our community that will occur at the 11am Mass on February 14. The second part is the actual Rite of Election, later that afternoon, presided over by Bishop Olmsted at the Saint Simon and Jude Cathedral. This ceremony includes catechumens from all around the Diocese of Phoenix. 

Finally, a version of a Penitential Rite called Scrutinies, will be offered for three consecutive Sundays (2/28, 3/6 and 3/13) at the 11 am mass at STA. The Elect will be held up for public prayer so that they can be released from the power of evil.

 

We ask that you keep our catechumens and candidates in your prayers during this important time, as they prepare to be fully initiated into the Church, the living body of Christ, at the Easter Vigil Mass.

In Christ,
Eric Westby
Director of Catechesis