September 2023 STOCCC Gazette

4

Additional Liturgical Dates for September

8 Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

9 Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest

13 Memorial of Saint John

Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

14 Feast of theExaltationof the Holy Cross

15 Memorial of OurLady of Sorrows

16 Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

20 Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim

Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Hasang, and Companions, Martyrs

21 Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

23 Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest

27 Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest

29 Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels

30 Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

CHURCH CALENDAR

Stations of the Cross video is found on the website at: www.stoccc.org

• September 1, Friday, 6:30 pm, First Friday Mass in the Chapel

• September 3, Sunday, 10:30 am, Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time LIVE STREAM AND MASS

• September 6, Wednesday, 9:00 am, Morning Mass on Saint Teresa of Calcutta Facebook

• September 9, Saturday, 8:00 am, PARKING LOT GANG POPUP

• September 10, Sunday, 10:30 am, Twenty

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time LIVE

STREAM AND MASS

• September 10, Sunday, After Mass, H.O.M. MEETING

• September 13, Wednesday, 9:00 am, Morning Mass on Saint Teresa of Calcutta Facebook

• September 17, Sunday, 10:30 am, Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time LIVE

STREAM AND MASS

• September 20, Wednesday, 9:00 am, Morning Mass on Saint Teresa of Calcutta Facebook

• September 21. 7:00 pm, Third Thursday

Billfoolery, Dirty Minds Game

• September 24, Sunday, 10:30 am, Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time LIVE STREAM AND MASS

• September 27, Wednesday, 9:00 am, Morning Mass on Saint Teresa of Calcutta Facebook

For Readings Visit: https://bible.usccb.org/

FELLOWSHIP AFTER MASS:

Wearebackupwithrefreshmentsinthe TeresaRoomfollowingMass.Coffeeand water,cookiesorpastries.Thereisasign-up sheetonthewallintheTeresaRoomjust overthefellowshiptable.Pleasewriteyour nameontheSundayforwhichyouwantto bringcookies;thechurchprovidesdrinks. Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasecontact CindyGiddensorPaulaThomasBaker All

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 4TH

BIRTHDAYS

HAPPENINGS

Upcoming Birthday and anniversaries for the month

ANNIVERSARY

Frank Matzelle

David Borzenski 3 Sep

Andrew Thomas 5 Sep

Cindy Giddens 9 Sep

Cynthia DeMarco 16 Sep

D.A Marx and Dee Spano

September 5, 2017

Patriot Day

Observed by: United States

Type: Patriotic

Date: September 11

Frequency: Annual

President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney on September 11, 2004, Lead a Moment of Silence on the South Lawn with White House staff and families of victims of 9/11.

Two bright lights from the foundations of the Twin Towers shine into the night sky over lower Manhattan.

Jesus was fed up with politics, too!

In Jesus’ time, communities were deeply divided by bitter differences in religious beliefs, political positions, income inequality, legal status, and ethnic differences. Sound familiar?

Jesus lived in the middle of a culture war, too. And though the political systems were different (not exactly a representative democracy), the greed, hypocrisy, and oppression different groups used to get their way were very similar. Let’s set the scene.

Jesus was born at the height of the Roman Empire’s power. They’d conquered most of the known world, and Israel was no exception. Unlike previous empires that would try to destroy cultures by displacing conquered peoples’ leaders, the Romans didn’t force people to change their religion or customs as long as they kept their obligations to the empire. Rome would install a client king (a puppet government) and exact tribute (cash) in lots of different ways. Families were charged taxes per person farmers on crops, fishermen on catches, and travelers were charged fees to use the roads. This was in addition to local business and religious taxes charged by priests.

In Israel, political and religious factions were one and the same. Back then, it was Pharisees and Sadducees. Today, we have conservatives and liberals.

The Pharisees were the most religiously conservative leaders. They had the most influence among the common working poor, who were the majority. They believed that a king would come one day to conquer Rome with violence and free their nation. Some preyed upon a mostly illiterate population by adding extra rules and requirements that were designed to force the working poor into a posture of subjugation. The Sadducees were wealthy aristocrats who had a vested financial interest in Roman rule. They were in charge of the temple, and they didn’t believe any savior king was coming. They made themselves wealthy by exacting unfair taxes and fees from the labor of their own people and by contriving money-making schemes that forced the poor to pay exorbitant prices to participate in temple sacrifice a critical part of their religion. There were Zealot groups who hid in the hills and violently resisted Roman occupation, and then there were the Samaritans, often oppressed and marginalized because of their racial and ethnic identities.

And so, the common farmer, fisherman, or craftsman’s family lived through a highly volatile political period. Overbearing religious leaders who despised and oppressed them, wealthy elites who ripped them off, racial and ethnic tension with neighbors, and sporadic violent outbreaks between an oppressive occupying army.

So where was Jesus in all of this? Did he align with the religious elites? With the wealthy and powerful? Or did he start an uprising to overthrow them? None of the above.

He went from town to town, offering hope, new life, and modeling a different way to live and to change the world. Instead of pursuing power, money, or religious authority, he shared a loving and sacrificially generous way of living. He chose not to go along with the schemes others used to impact the world. Instead, he championed a better way. And so, each of these political groups saw him as a threat. The Pharisees recognized his movement as an affront to their authority exposing the hypocrisy of their practices. The Sadducees saw Jesus as a threat to their power and wealth because he exposed their money-making schemes. The Zealots violently rejected one of the essential themes of Jesus’ movement: love your enemy. In the end, it took all three of these groups to have him killed. A Zealot (Judas) betrayed his location to those seeking to arrest him, the Sadducees brought him before the Romans to be executed, and when the Romans couldn’t find a crime committed, the Pharisees rallied the people to force Rome’s hand.

Isn’t it funny how political foes can come together to destroy a common enemy that threatens their designs? But in spite of their best efforts, his execution was only the beginning of a movement that continues to impact the world thousands of years later. Jesus’ movement was so impactful because he actively resisted and rejected participating in culture-war politics.

Scripture Reference: Matthew 9:35-38; Luke 19:10

HOUSE OF MINISTRY MEETING

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH 12:15 TERESA ROOM

Is It One Category Or, All Three?

TIME, TALENT, TREASURES

1) Time – Live Mass, Live Stream, or Participation in events (Live or Zoom)

2) Talent – Adding Input to Gazette, Parking Lot Gang, Inspiring Others, etc.

3) Treasures – Ensuring Church Meets Its Needs. Online Giving in Website @ stoccc.org or App @ Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community

Purpose of this Newsletter: One format in which to “Keep the lines of Communication OPEN” and inform the congregation, friends, and guests of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community of what ishappening.

SAINT TERESA OF CALCUTTA CATHOLICCOMMUNITY STATS:

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:

3803 HAINES ROAD NORTH, ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA 33703

MAILING ADDRESS:

SAINT TERESA OFCALCUTTA CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

P.O. BOX 47921, ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA 33743

PHONE NUMBER IS: 727-245-0102

Line #1 is the Church Office

Line #2 is Father Victor Ray

Line #3 is Prayer Request

Line #4 is Healing Ministry

Existing Ministry Teams:

HOUSE OF MINISTRIES

Moderator: William Schwartz

Assistant Moderator: Michelle Mazuros

Financial: Jon Laubscher

Advertising: Michelle Mazuros

Card Ministry: Paula Thomas Baker

Decorations: Cindy and Dennis Giddens, Susanna Glisson

Hospitality: Paula Thomas Baker, Cindy Giddens

Liturgical: Alexandra Kahn

Media: William Schwartz

Outreach: Cindy Giddens

Parking Lot Gang: Shelli and Kelvin Muncy, Frank Matzelle

Welcome: Susanna Glisson

Immediate Needed Ministries: Records Keeper Planning Marketing Future Goals Mats Ministry

Pastor is Father Victor Ray

HOUSE OF TRUSTEES

President: William Schwartz

Vice President: Michelle Mazuros

Treasurer: Jon Laubscher

Legal: Catherine E. Blackburn, Esquire

If anyone is interested in participating in an Existing Ministry, please contact the Ministry Leader. If anyone is interested in Leading any of the Immediate Needed Ministries, Please contact Father Victor Ray or William Schwartz.

Remember that Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Community follows the principles of: TIME TALENT TREASURE

FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK.COM/ST. TERESA OF CALCUTTA CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

YOUTUBE AT SAINT TERESA OF CALCUTTA CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

TWITTER AT STOCCC2

INSTAGRAM AT STOCCCLOVE

APP AT SAINT TERESA OF CALCUTTA CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

You can easily connect to all, on our Website: www.stoccc.org