AUGUST 21, 2016 21ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

215 THOMAS MORE DR. | ELGIN, IL 60123-5054 | (847) 888-1682

MISSION STATEMENT As Gospel stewards, grateful for

what God has given, St. Thomas

More Catholic Church

community commits itself to the

renewal of parish life through

evangelization, worship,

outreach to the poor, and

community living.

CONNECT WITH US St Thomas More Catholic Church

OUR WEBSITE www.stthomasmorechurch.org

ROSARY prayed before the 8:30 am Mass

MASS TIMES Saturday: 5:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00, 10:00 am & 12:00 pm

Weekday: Monday-Friday 8:30 am

CONFESSIONS Wednesday 9:00-10:00 am,

Saturday 3:30-4:30 pm or by

appointment

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Wednesday, 9:00 am

until Benediction, 4:00 pm

St. Thomas More Parish

Reverend Msgr. Bill Clausen S.T.L. Roger Schmidt-brother of Bev Kittler

KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS…..

Christine Baczeik, Helen Baier, Fr. Bob Balog, Gerard Barnicle, Virgil Beard, Margaret Brantley, Gracie Canning, Leola Christopherson, Theresa Cortesi, Edna Enriquez,

Federico Enriquez, Enrico Espina, Ed Frederick, James Frederick, Mary Fusek, Linda Girardi, Cathy Hanes, Michele Ingram, Mel Janczak, Michael Keafer, Dennis Kittler, Ken Kline, Karen Kurelo, Robert Larson, Carol Legenza, Reynaldo Mangila, Mike McCall, Gloria Neitzel,

Bruce Newberg, Tho Nguyen, Marian Peterson, Hannah Perkins, Chuck Pruter, Lutie Regan, Manzella Rocco, Patrice Romano, Cindy Schoeps, Diane Schumacher, Frank Scislowski, David Snelson, Larry Sorce, Lee Thomas, John Urquhart, Judy VanHaxleden, Dan Weiler, Carolyn Wisniewski

PARISH OFFICE STAFF

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SACRAMENTS Reconciliation: Wednesday 9:00-10:00 am,

Saturday 3:30-4:30 pm or by appointment.

Baptism: The Sacrament of Baptism is celebrated on

the first and third weekends of the month at 1:00 pm

or during the 5:00 pm or 12:00 pm Masses. Parents

need to be registered members and should be

faithful in attending Mass. Participation in a

baptismal preparation class is required. Please call

Sharon Hall at the parish office to make an

appointment: 847.888.1682 extension 16.

Matrimony: Arrangements should be made at least

six months in advance. Couples must meet with a

priest to set a date and must participate in a

marriage preparation program.

Anointing of the Sick: By appointment.

SICK & HOMEBOUND If you are unable to come to church and would like

to receive Holy Communion, please call the parish

office: 847.888.1682.

2 | RESOURCES & INFORMATION

WELCOME TO ST. THOMAS MORE

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St. Vincent de Paul - In the name of Jesus,

Vincentians, strive to comfort, feed, clothe,

and assist those in need. We serve in person,

keeping all things confidential preserving

dignity. Call 847.628.5170 and leave a message on the

24 hour answering service.

Life Matters - Any woman who is pregnant and in need

can turn for help to the pro-life movement. Never feel alone,

call Project Rachel at 800.593.2273 the Life Center at 847.622.1235 or Fox Valley Pregnancy at 847.697.0200.

DEACON DAYS 2016

Meetings on Sept. 17, Oct. 15 and Dec. 3rd are open to those

men between the ages of 35

and 55 who may be interested in

serving the Church as a Permanent

Deacon in the Rockford Diocese.

Attendance at one of the meetings

is mandatory for application to the

Diocesan Permanent Diaconate

Formation Program. Married men

must attend with their wives.

During these meetings an overview

of the formation program and

the application process will be

presented. Please speak with your

Pastor about your interest before

planning on attending. For more

information, call 815.399.4300.

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE August 7, 2016……………...…..$21,665

August 14, 2016………………... $15,090

AUGUST REVERSE COLLECTION Donations can be brought to the church

on August 27/28. Your generous donations will be given to the Crisis

Center, Food Pantry and St. Vincent

de Paul. Thank you for your kindness!

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

SEMINAR

On Saturday, September 3rd, the New Life Charismatic Prayer group of St. Mary

Parish in Huntley is presenting their annual one day seminar entitled

“The Gifts of Holy Spirit” where you will

learn about these powerful gifts. You will

understand how the presence and

power of the Holy Spirit is essential for

the life of Christians and the Catholic

Church. Save the date and join us to

awaken the Holy Spirit in your life! Call

Shirley Allen at 224.654.8596 to register.

The apostles were uneducated, hard

working men who led quiet simple lives.

Courageous, articulate and bold they

were not. But, on Pentecost, “they

received power from on high”; the

power of the Holy Spirit. The gifts offered

and granted to the apostles that day

changed them and the world forever.

How did this handful of men explode

with confidence and boldness? How did

they articulate the truths that Jesus

shared with them for three years? How

could they now stand up for and justify

the very man they had abandoned?

How?...Through the Charismatic Gifts of

the Holy Spirit.

Most importantly: These powers were

not temporary or intended for just the

few in the upper room. They were for all

believers in Jesus, then and today!

ADULT CHOIR

Adult Choir will begin rehearsals on

Wednesday, September 7th from

7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Lancaster Room.

The choir sings at the 5 p.m. Saturday Mass the 1st weekend of the month and

the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass from September to June, as well as other special liturgies, including Confirmation,

Midnight Mass and Holy Week. If you are interested in joining the choir, or would like to learn more, please contact our music director,

Jeanne Anne Aukofer, at 847-888-1682 or jaukofer@stthomasmorechurch.org.

WILL YOU BE A MESSENGER OF MERCY? Would you help someone on their healing journey by

offering a “spiritual bouquet” of prayers for women attending

the Project Rachel Post-Abortion Healing Retreat on October 7-8, 2016? Spiritual bouquets and notes of encouragement may be submitted by email to

ProjectRachelRockford@gmail.com. To help sponsor a participant,

direct donations to the “LIFEOffice” Attn: PR RETREAT (PO Box 7044,

Rockford, IL 61125). Thank you for your generosity! Call for retreat info:

815.387.3379.

“DESIGNS OF MERCY” Fox Valley Pregnancy Center invites you to our

Celebration Banquet “Designs of Mercy” on Thursday, September 8 from 6-9 pm at the Q Center in St. Charles,

IL. Featured keynote speaker is Kristan Hawkins, President

of Students for Life of America. Dinner is complimentary. Details and

online registration at www.CelebrationBanquet2016.Eventbrite.com. All

proceeds benefit the Center’s pro-life mission to help women and couples

facing unexpected pregnancy in our community. Questions?

Call 847.697.0200.

TIME, TALENT, TREASURE & NEWS | 3

FIRST RESPONDERS MASS

ATTEND THIS WEEKEND-8/27 A special Mass of thanks for police,

firefighters, EMT’s, Paramedics and

Military. The Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill

Assembly #2381, cordially invite you to join us in prayer and

recognition of those who stand in

harms way for our Safety and

Protection.

All Faiths are welcome. The Mass is

Saturday, August 27th at 1:30 pm

at St. Mary’s in Huntley, IL. A hospitality gathering is directly after.

The Mass celebrant is the Most

Reverend David J. Malloy DD, JCL.

S.T.D., Bishop of Rockford. Please RSVP to: Bill Wenzloff at 847.915.9214 or demodude@hotmail.com.

Sunday: Is 66:18-21/Ps 117:1-2/Heb 12:5-7, 11-13

Lk 13:22-30

Monday: 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12/Ps 96:1-5/Mt 23:13-22

Tuesday: 2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17/Ps 96:10-13/Mt 23:23-26

Wednesday: Rv 21:9b-14/Ps 145:10-13, 17-18/Jn 1:45-51

Thursday: 1 Cor 1:1-9/Ps 145:2-7/Mt 24:42-51

Friday: 1 Cor 1:17-25/Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11

Mt 25:1-13

Saturday: 1 Cor 1:26-31/Ps 33:12-13, 18-21/Mt 25:14-30

Next Sunday: Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29/Ps 68:4-7, 10-11

Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a/Lk 14:1, 7-14

Jesus passed through towns and

villages, teaching as he went and

making his way to Jerusalem. Someone

asked him, "Lord, will only a few people

be saved?" He answered them, "Strive

to enter through the narrow gate." - Lk 13:22-24a

Word of Life for the Week “A political society endures when it seeks, as a

vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the

growth of all its members, especially those in situations

of greater vulnerability or risk.” - Pope Francis, Address

to the Joint Session of the U.S. Congress

SAINT OF THE WEEK ~ ST. MONICA

21th Sunday in Ordinary Time "Behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last." For

Jesus' original audience, this reference was meant for those Jews who presumed

their salvation while judging others as being unworthy of entering the kingdom of

God. Jesus was always quick to teach that believing in him was what mattered,

not membership in a certain class or a particular religious circle. Therefore, some

of the (last) Gentiles who professed faith in Jesus were ready to enter the kingdom

before some of the (first) Jews who rejected the Messiah.

But we should not assume that this Gospel was only for those people in that time and place. Today, there is

perhaps a different stratum of first and last. In our Christian era, we can be tempted to have the same

presumptuous attitude that afflicted too many of the Jewish contemporaries of Christ. We can think that our

salvation is assured just because we bear the title Christian. Likewise, we can fall prey to the idea that we are

somehow better or more deserving of Christ's mercy than those who do not "belong" to our Church. This simply

isn't true. God's mercy is available to everyone who humbly recognizes one's need for it. The minute we become

complacent or overconfident, we close ourselves off to the gift of mercy God offers to the repentant sinner.

Jesus tells us today that we must "strive to enter through the narrow gate." This means that we must not take the

easy road of presumption, assuming that we are in good shape because we look like most of the people

around us. On the contrary, Jesus calls us to take the more challenging road of real repentance in order to

"recline at table in the kingdom of God."

AUGUST 27TH

Saint Monica,

also known as

Monica of Hippo,

was an early

Christian saint

and the mother of St. Augustine

of Hippo. She is remembered

and honored in most Christian

denominations, albeit on

different feast days, for her

outstanding Christian virtues,

particularly the suffering caused

by her husband's adultery, and

her prayerful life dedicated to

the reformation of her son, who

wrote extensively of her pious

acts and life with her in his

Confessions. Popular Christian

legends recall Saint Monica

weeping every night for her son

Augustine. She was born 331 AD

and died 387 AD.

She was a mother, noble

woman and a woman who was

truly great, for the reason that

she never sought to be so. She

understood the sphere in which

a woman’s work in the world

must usually lie. She suffered

bravely, forgot herself to others,

remained faithful to her noble

ideals and led her life truly along

the lines that God had laid

down for her. She ruled as a

queen among those with whom

her life was cast. Her influence

was great and far reaching.

SCRIPTURE VERSE OF THE WEEK

4 | FOCUS ON THE WORD

READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 21, 2016

On behalf of the

teachers and staff

of St. Thomas More

School, I wish to welcome our

returning families and our new

families! We are looking forward

to the renewed energy that the

beginning of the school year offers.

Our school mission is to provide

an academic environment which

is centered around Christ, and

designed to promote the total

development of the child, both

intellectually as well as spiritually.

This is accomplished by the

St. Thomas More School and

parish community empowering

each child with a Catholic

curriculum which instills faith,

promotes academic excellence,

fosters creativity, welcomes

change and diversity, and

integrates technology.

As we further develop our

community’s next generation,

both spiritually and academically,

grounded in the Catholic faith,

the school is fully committed to

assisting parents in fulfilling their

responsibility of nurturing the

continued spiritual and academic

growth of their children. As a

school community we recognize

individual talents and abilities

and offer an excellent academic

program that allows each student

to develop to their fullest extent

as a whole and responsible

Catholic person. We seek to

empower each student, guided

by the grace and power of the

Holy Spirit, with values, knowledge

and the skills required to thrive

and positively contribute in

today’s Church and the world.

Sincerely,

Ann Hawkinson, Principal

DISCERN THE GIFT OF

VOLUNTEERISM

We are in need of funeral

volunteers for our parish.

When we celebrate a funeral at

St. Thomas More, we have a

volunteer who helps to welcome

family and guests and makes them

feel at ease when they have

questions. They offer guidance to

those who have volunteered to be

lectors or gift bearers and give

direction in unfamiliar territory.

Funerals can be a confusing time

for guests, so it’s wonderful to have

a friendly face to assist. If you think

you would be able to share your

time and talent to assist families

during this difficult time, please call

the church office at 847-888-1682.

HOPE FOR

HAITIANS

For an

evening in the tropics, join us for

the 15th Anniversary for Hope for Haitians. It will be held on Saturday,

August 27th at Giovanni’s

Restaurant in Rockford. Register

today at www.hopeforhaitians.org.

REGISTER NOW!

Religious Education (CCD) Classes

begin September 7th.

Michelle Tack

Director of RE

How to register?

Go to stthomasmorechurch.org- Faith Formation and download

registration form on our website. Return forms to the parish office,

RE office (school building), drop into the collection basket at all

Masses or email mtack@stthomasmorechurch.org

Registration Weekend is August 27th and 28th and will be held after

Masses in the church Gathering Space. If you have questions,

please contact Michelle Tack at 847.888.4887 or mtack@stthomasmorechurch.org.

Are You Interested in Becoming Catholic? Linda McEwan RCIA Coordinator

We invite you to consider the RCIA Program

(Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) here at St. Thomas More Parish.

We welcome you to come to our Open House to answer questions

about the program on Wednesday, August 31st at 7 pm. For more

information, please leave a message for Linda at 847.888.1682 or

contact her at lmcewan@stthomasmorechurch.org.

PARISH & COMMUNITY EVENTS | 5

PARISH CALENDAR

6 | CALENDARS & SCHEDULES

LITURGICAL ROLES

WEEKEND: August 27/28

Presiders

5:00 pm Father Rich

8:00 am Msgr. Linster

10:00 am Father Rich

12:00 pm Father Rich

Altar Servers

5:00 pm T Jannusch, K A Tiu, J von Rohr

8:00 am H I Garcia, M & L Jackson

10:00 am R Coyle, F & G Thompson

12:00 pm C Costales, E Mendoza, M Peebles

Lectors

5:00 pm O Tiu

8:00 am B Sprangers, D Rothgeb

10:00 am K Thompson, B Harrington

12:00 pm M Mangondaya

Musicians

5:00 pm T Pobojewski, S Ward, G Andorka, J A Aukofer

8:00 am P Sajdak, H Relihan

10:00 am J Garza, C Powers, J A Aukofer

12:00 pm M Lee, R & M Arcales, E & M Nguyen, N Trevino

Eucharistic Ministers

5:00 pm B Malone, D Schramm, J McCreight,

E Reckamp, J Taeyaerts, G Stevens, F Celarek

8:00 am M Schultz, R Callahan, L Heuer, L Carlsen,

L Becci, J Roder, B Dombrowski

10:00 am J Radcliffe, A & L Gaston, A Santarromana,

D Varley, E Rafael, B Burchill, B Newton,

M Pechay

12:00 pm J Gutierrez, N Balbuena, D Escanilla

Monday, August 22

8:30 am Betty Miles, Theresa Bek

Tuesday, August 23

8:30 am Viateur & Emilie Saindon, Fred Taeyaerts

Wednesday, August 24

8:30 am Felipe Kalaw, Greg Sloan-special intention

Thursday, August 25

8:30 am Regina Lauder-special intention

McKay Family-special intention

Friday, August 26

8:30 am Jackson Li, Patricia Ricks

Saturday, August 27

5:00 pm Rev. Arthur Rosinski, M.M, Richard Miller

Sunday, August 28

8:00 am People of St. Thomas More, Marie Gruber

10:00 am Bruce Heiser, Regina Siwietz

12:00 pm Felicisimo Ventocilla, Dennis Kubiak

DATE TIME EVENT

Monday

August 22

9:00 am

7:00 pm

Book Club

-Westminster Room

Bible Study

-Westminster Room

Tuesday

August 23

7:00 pm

St. Vincent de Paul

-Chelsea Room

Wednesday

August 24

9:00 am

4:00 pm

6:00 pm

6:30 pm

Eucharistic Adoration

-Chapel

Benediction-Chapel

RCIA-Chelsea Room

Bible Study

-Westminster Room

Thursday

August 25

9:00 am

6:30 pm

Intercessory Prayer

-Tudor Room

Servant Choir

-Lancaster Room

Friday

August 26

No meetings scheduled

Saturday

August 27

5:00 pm

Servant Choir

-Lancaster Room

After Masses

Next Week

♦ Religious Education (RE)

♦ Reverse Collection

♦ St. Vincent de Paul

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time