The Holy Week schedule is as follows: Holy Thursday 7:00 pm, Good Friday Service 3:00 pm; Easter Vigil, Saturday Evening 8:30 pm. Easter Sunday 8:00 am, 10:00 am
The Holy Week schedule is as follows: Holy Thursday 7:00 pm, Good Friday Service 3:00 pm; Easter Vigil, Saturday Evening 8:30 pm. Easter Sunday 8:00 am, 10:00 am
You can keep up with the progress of the reconstruction of our Religious Education building on our Facebook page and our website. Notice the brick work going up all around the new building.
In this Sunday’s Gospel reading we have one of the most well known and most quoted verses of the bible. “God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.” During Lent, we enter into a time of purification and penance. We are called to live out the mandate that Jesus has set for us. As he came to give us salvation and redemption, we are called to carry forth his love to bring about the kingdom of God here on Earth.
Our parish spring will be held on April 28, 2024. You can purchase raffle tickets online https://www.sthyacinth.org/spring-festival-2024-raffle . Save the date for fun, food and prizes.
In this Sunday’s Gospel we witness the glory of Jesus in the transfiguration and how this transformation foreshadows the glory to be given to all who remain faithful to him. We are pleasing to Jesus when we live as he did. We experience Jesus’ presence in the goodness and kindness of others, in the community gathered for liturgy and prayer and is transformed by that love in which we share.
With the beginning of Lenten season, we enter the desert with Jesus. In this Sundays reading, Jesus grapples with he most basic state of humanity : Temptation during his forty days in the desert. In the gospel, Jesus directly interfaces with evil one and overcomes. We all will face temptations in this life, and we must realize that with every temptation, there is a way out of the temptation. We are able to overcome our temptations because of Jesus , through his suffering dying and rising again, gives us the strength to do so.
At all the masses this weekend, we will invite everyone who is going through a major illness to come forward to be anointed along with inviting the community to pray for all those who are ill in our community.
Prayer for DSF 2024 Loving Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, with grateful hearts we acknowledge that We are the Lord’s. In sending your beloved Son, you made us your sons and daughters and summon us to respond in thanksgiving as we help those in need. Inspire us to give generously to the Diocesan Services Fund, so that the saving mission of Jesus may be continued in the world. Bless this campaign which we undertake in your name, and grant that by serving you in those most in need, we may show forth the power of Christ in all we do. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
One year ago, this week on January 24, 2023, a Tornado that nearly destroyed our community of Deer Park. We are still grateful to God for safely delivering us all through the storm. Now the real work begins again. If you have been following the progress on the rebuild on our Facebook page, you see there has been a tremendous about of progress. Please continue to pray for the community of Deer Park and the St. Hyacinth community.
Construction update: As you can see, the new building is going up at a steady pace. The metal frame structure is being reinforced and is being attached to the Church walls of the Narthex. Particle board is going up around the frame of the building. The St. Hyacinth statue has been moved into storage to protect it from the reconstruction of the Narthex side of the complex. Concrete is being poured around the building and the contractors will be delivering more concrete over the next few days. In the meantime, we have installed new exit doors to Guyot Hall, and we currently working with the contractors on the new lighting for the Hall as well. The new flooring for Guyot Hall will be installed once the parish offices are moved to the new building. Progress is happening. Thank you for your patience and generosity
“Behold the Lamb of God” is the gospel passage that John the Baptist begins Sunday’s passage. We know these words very well because they are a part of the Eucharistic celebration. As we enter the season of Ordinary time, we are called to delve deeper into our own relationship with the Lamb of God. As we witness the closeness of Jesus’s disciples, we are called to be close to Him as well.
On this celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord we are called to ask God to lead us closer to the kingdom. God leads us just as surely as the star led the magi to Bethlehem. We are not in control, but we must trust in God’s loving presence and sure guidance. As we start a new year, this is the best opportunity to ask God to guide us through our lives in a new way. Let’s try not to limit God, but allow an limitless God to guide us through all the wonderful possibilities of our lives. The Epiphany story is our story and shows us all the ways in which God calls each of us. Like the Magi in the Gospel story, we experience the guidance of God sometimes as brightly as the star that shown on the magi. Now as we are shone the light of Christ in our lives, it is up to us to follow that light in our lives to make a better world for the rest of humanity.
The presentation of Jesus in the temple shows us the gift of intergenerational relationships. A righteous and devout elder, Simeon, meets Mary , Joseph and Jesus in the Temple. Simeon response to the sight of the baby Jesus was with awe and wonder. The wise prophet recognizes Jesus as the one who will being salvation upon all the people. In the Gospel, Simeon and Anna provide Mary and Jospeh with perspective and remind the new parents of their son’s identity. They go on to affirm Jesus’s mission to be the light of the world. Through the gospel readings, we are called to reflect on the intergenerational relationships we have. Families are all called to encourage each other and draw on their own experiences for the betterment of the whole. Like Jesus, each of us is part of a large system of support. We are called to be there for one another.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Christ came on earth to reveal an extraordinary message, the message of love, joy and happiness. Christ asks us to have love for one another, to be reconciled to one another, to accept one another. Each of us has been entrusted with a special gift, a sacred responsibility: to show others how the mystery of God is among us. With gratitude for how you have graced the last several years of my life journey, I am holding you in heart and prayer this Christmas season, asking God to bless you with courage and peace. We wish you a Wonder-filled Christmas and every blessing as we welcome the Christ-Child into our hearts and into our homes. The heart of the Christmas story is that in Jesus ‘God has visited his people’. Let us make him welcome. I pray for all that the grace of the Christmas message will brighten our lives, renew our faith and strengthen our bonds of friendship. The message of the Christ-Child is a message of peace, goodness and hope. It is a message that our world needs to hear today. Here at St. Hyacinth, we are endeavoring to work in many and diverse ways to continue to forward this message of Jesus. On a personal level, we are greatly heartened and encouraged by the number of people who attend Church and continue to support our parish. As pastor I am so uplifted by the huge number of people who minister alongside us. In truth these volunteers are the heart of the parish. Working together we aim to have a parish that is inclusive where everyone is and feels welcome. As my eleventh Christmas here at St. Hyacinth, I have been made to feel tremendously at home, and for that I thank so many of you who have welcomed me. The message of Christmas keeps hope alive in our hearts because it is a message that tells us God-is-with-us, Emmanuel. We pray that the presence of the Christ-Child will grace your home during this Christmas season and throughout the coming year. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior at Christmas, I pray that the light of Christ will shine in the hearts and homes of all, especially the families of St. Hyacinth. Jesus is the Light which is the hope and joy of men and women all over the world, the radiant light of God’s glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. I am holding you all in heart and prayers this Christmas season, asking God to bless you with courage and peace. Please, don’t forget to say AMEN this Christmas! Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to all! Fr. Reginald
In the Gospel reading this week, the Angel Gabriels’s message to Mary is that God no takes up residence in human flesh. In the midst of the situation, God will bring forth a blessing and salvation to all. The same Holy Spirit that came upon Mary has been promised to us. God is with us always. In this last week in the season of Advent, we enter into the preparation of the new season of Christmas like that of an expectant parent. We prepare our homes and hearts to celebrate anew the birth of Jesus, God with us. In choosing to follow Jesus we are on an extraordinary journey that will take us throughout our world to spread the good news to everyone we meet. As we are told in this week’s Gospel to “Do not be afraid” we cannot be afraid to proclaim Jesus in our lives.
Church Tradition lets us know that the third Sunday of Advent is “Gaudete,” “Rejoice,” Sunday, named after the entrance antiphon in the Roman Missal. At the midpoint of our season, the liturgy overflows with rejoicing. This season is meant to show the joy of our faith in Christ the Light. The season of Advent encourages us to make time in our preparations to joyfully greet Jesus in the Christmas season. The Advent candle for the 3rd Sunday of Advent symbolizes Joy with the "Shepherd’s Candle" reminding us of the Joy the world experienced at the coming birth of Jesus. Notice Like John the Baptist, we all play a role in revealing and announcing Jesus Christ to the world. Just as the prophet Isaiah announces a year of the lord, we are called to use the action of announcing all the ways in which God has been there for us. We are all called to reach out to those that are less fortunate, to make sure that the good news of Jesus is heard and seen in the world.
FORMED is the revolutionary digital online platform that gives STHY parishioners unprecedented free access to video-based study programs, feature films, audio presentations, and eBooks from the Church’s foremost presenters. With your free access to FORMED, 24/7 on your television, smart phone, laptop, I-pad, or Kindle, you can in preparation for the Advent season I am challenging everyone to watch Rooted, a new program on FORMED. Rooted is a new 22-episode series, on FORMED, that guides Catholics through a daily Advent reflection using the Jesse Tree model traditionally practiced by families. Each seven-minute episode introduces the ancestors of Jesus Christ, shares a Scripture passage, and offers an engaging, practical reflection. Hosted by Dr. Scott Hefelfinger, Rooted helps viewers apply the passage and related teachings to each day of Advent, guided by the Church’s teaching. Episodes begin on December 3, the First Sunday of Advent, and end on December 24, the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Our parish Password to FORMED.org is 77536.
FORMED is the revolutionary digital online platform that gives STHY parishioners unprecedented free access to video-based study programs, feature films, audio presentations, and eBooks from the Church’s foremost presenters. With your free access to FORMED, 24/7 on your television, smart phone, laptop, I-pad, or Kindle, you can in preparation for the Advent season I am challenging everyone to watch Rooted, a new program on FORMED. Rooted is a new 22-episode series, on FORMED, that guides Catholics through a daily Advent reflection using the Jesse Tree model traditionally practiced by families. Each seven-minute episode introduces the ancestors of Jesus Christ, shares a Scripture passage, and offers an engaging, practical reflection. Hosted by Dr. Scott Hefelfinger, Rooted helps viewers apply the passage and related teachings to each day of Advent, guided by the Church’s teaching. Episodes begin on December 3, the First Sunday of Advent, and end on December 24, the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Our parish Password to FORMED.org is 77536. This year the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a Holy Day of obligation, there will be two special Masses on Friday December 8th at 8:00 am 7:00 pm .
The 2023 SVDP Angel Tree project will be adjusted to accommodate the limited use of the Church facilities. For this year we are asking everyone to donate $25 gift cards from Walmart, Target or Marshalls only. Once you purchase the gift cards, bring them back to church and place them in the regular collection. Thank you for your generosity towards those in our community that are less fortunate. The Angel Tree gift card collection will end on Sunday December 3rd. With the busy times of the Season of Advent right around the corner, enrolling in online giving is a great way to ensure your gifts of treasure to St. Hyacinth are received even if you may be out of town. Please go to https://www.sthyacinth.org/online-giving and register for online giving or to simply give online. Thank you in advance for your suppo