St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church 2414 Seventeenth Street, Gulfport, Mississippi 39501

Telephone (228) 864-2272 Fax (228) 864-2273 Email: stjohnthee@cableone.net Website: stjohngulfport.org

Staff: Rev. Ryan McCoy, Pastor Deacon David Allen, Pastoral Associate Deacon Rick Conason, Pastoral Associate Sr. Mary Kealy, PBVM, Pastoral Associate Teri Patton, Parish Secretary Masses: Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m. First Saturday Devotion: 9:00 a.m. Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 a.m., 6:00 p.m. Daily Mass: Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. Spanish Mass: Sunday, 2:00p.m. Holy Days: 6:00 p.m., Vigil, 7:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. Confession: Before and after every Mass; and anytime on request

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time October 2, 2016

FAITH IN ACTION Today's scriptures are situated in the midst of a long lesson on the vocation of discipleship. Over the last several weeks we have heard about our calling to be humble, to detach ourselves from worldly possessions, to give and receive forgiveness, and to care for those in need. In the next two weeks we will hear about our calling to give thanks in all things and to perse-vere in faithfulness until the end. This Sunday our attention is focused on the gift of faith, a gift that is meant not to be put on a shelf, but to be put into ac-tion. Habakkuk offers us a good example. He believes that God will answer prayers and intervene on behalf of the suffer-ing. He puts this faith into action in the form of an urgent plea to God, and receives a vision that his faith will surely be rewarded. In the Gospel, the image of faith the size of a mustard seed illustrates the power of faith well used. The story of the faithful servants reminds us that putting our faith into action is an essential requirement of the vocation of discipleship. "STIR INTO FLAME THE GIFT YOU HAVE FROM GOD" The Spirit has many means of enkindling and tending the flame of faith within us--nature, life experiences, our Christian companions, the sacraments, the scriptures, Church teaching, and the life of service. We are indeed blessed to receive such a gift. Yet that precious flame can fade into a mere ember unless we stoke it into a blazing fire from which others can de-rive warmth and light. The reading from Timothy encourages us to put our faith into action "with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us" (2 Timothy 1:14). The Spirit will increase not only our faith, but our "power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7) when we respond to the Christian vocation to put the gift of faith into action. Copyright (c) 2006, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time October 2, 2016

Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us.

— Psalm 95:6

LET GO AND LET GOD Many twelve-step programs use the phrase “Let go and let God.” In all their simplicity, these five words are the heart of today’s readings. For people who struggle with addictive behavior, these words plainly remind us that we can’t

manage, control, or manipulate certain areas of our lives. How many times can we look back in our lives and find evidence of some plan at work other than our own? These are the moments when, for whatever reasons, we let someone greater than ourselves work the plan. We proba-bly didn’t even recognize at the time that we were letting go of anything, but in retrospect, we see God’s hand and loving presence. It is our awareness of these moments that gives us the courage and initiative to let go again later on. It is this courage and initiative that are high-lighted in today’s readings. We come to call it “faith.” Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Welcome to St. John the Evangelist Parish!

If you are new to the parish and have not yet registered, please fill out one of the registration forms on the back table or go to our website,

stjohngulfport.org and click on the “New Parishioner” tab.

C.C.D. (Grades K-12) ................ Sundays, 9:00-10:15 A.M. Knights of Columbus...... 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 7:00 P.M. K C Ladies Auxiliary..................... 3rd Tuesday, 6:30 P.M. R.C.I.A. ................................................ Mondays, 6:30 P.M. St. Vincent de Paul................... 2nd Wednesday, 9:00 A.M. Young At Heart............................... 4th Thursday, 12 Noon

Happy birthday wishes– Buddy Cospelich & Kevin Killegrew celebrate Oct. 1; Mary Scarborough & Terra McHugh celebrate Oct. 3; Margaret Haydel, Darlene Hophan & Nicole McCord celebrate Oct. 4; Donald Dedeaux celebrates Oct. 5; Lionel

Bradley & Christi Morand celebrate Oct. 6; David Mal-ley celebrates Oct. 7. May God Bless them with many more Happy Birthdays!

XLT Adoration Every Tuesday, at 7pm. Come enjoy some one-on-one time with Jesus for an hour He wants to hear your trou-bles, your needs, your joys, your prayers...come and ADORE Him! If you've never been, let this be your invitation. Adoration with live worship music. Confessions will be available. Everyone is welcome!!

The 39th Annual Rosary Rally and Mass for Peace will be held on Friday October 7th, Feast of Our Lady of the Mercy, 6:00 PM at Holy Family Parish, 22342 Evangeline Rd, Pass Christian MS. The rosary will begin at 6:00pm; Mass at 7:00pm. Bishop Morin will be the celebrant.

Silver Rose Rosary Service Knights of Columbus, Bishop Gunn Council 1583 will host the Silver Rose Rosary Service at St. John the Evan-gelist, Wednesday, October 5 at 7pm.

The month of October is “Respect Life Month”

Each year, October is designated as Respect Life Month by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and this year’s theme is “Moved by Mercy.”

It draws on a quote from Pope Francis: “We are called to show mercy because mercy has been shown to us.” The yearlong observance aims to help us understand, value and become engaged with supporting the dignity of the human person, and therefore the gift of every life.

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, one of the best known of all Catholic devotions, and one of the most popu-lar devotions in Christendom, and the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7. We will recite the Rosary 30 minutes before

each Mass during the month of October.

We extend our deepest sympathy to Susie Mamaril and family in the loss of her sister-n-law Paz Cabasa. May God reward Paz with Eternal Rest, Light and Peace and may He com-fort her family in their sorrow.

Hurricane Prayer O Heavenly Father, all the elements of nature obey your command. Calm the storms that threaten us and turn our fear into praise of your goodness. Pro-tect us from hurricanes and disasters of nature. We pray through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Annual Parish Drawdown and Silent Auction Is Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 6:30 p.m.

in Presentation Hall. The doors will open at 6pm and the drawdown will start at 6:30pm. There will be delicious food and drink avail-able for everyone. The tickets are $100 and will admit 4 people. This drawdown is to assist our parish with the rising cost of insurance and maintenance of our buildings and other parish projects. The success of the drawdown and silent auction depends on everyone’s participation. Tickets are $100 for a chance to win $10,000. If you are unable to purchase a whole ticket, you may share with someone for $50 or three people for $25. We encourage every adult parishioner to actively participate by purchasing a draw-down ticket and donating items for the silent auction. Si-lent auction items can be dropped off at the parish office. Tickets are available in the Parish office Monday-Friday from 10am-5pm.

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intentions for October Universal: Journalists That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics. Evangelization: World Mission Day That World Mission Day may renew within all Christian communities the joy of the Gospel and the responsibility to announce it.

Jubilee Year of Mercy October 2, 2016

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Jubilee of Marian Devotion begins next Saturday

“How long, O LORD?” (Habakkuk 1:2). With Habak-kuk’s question echoing across twenty-six hundred years, Respect Life Sunday finds all life claiming sanctuary in our hearts: unborn infant, senior citizen, immigrant and refugee, imprisoned and addicted, people burdened with illness and disabilities of body, mind, or spirit. Even Mother Earth, Pope Francis notes in Laudato Si’, bears scars of disrespect for the life she nurtures and sustains. Life is still threatened, as in Habakkuk’s day, with ruin and misery, “destruction and violence, . . . strife and clamorous discord” (see 1:3). Since our efforts so often seem ineffective, we “unprofitable servants” cry with the apostles, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:10, 5). But Jesus’ reply might be paraphrased, “Not quantity—quality.” Next weekend marks the Jubilee Year of Mercy’s special devotion to Mary, whose willingness to shelter Jesus in her womb and stand at the foot of his cross bears witness to the qualities that Jesus expects our faith to manifest: the willingness to trust, to risk, and to dare to speak up for life. —Peter Scagnelli, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.

Reflecting on God's Word We celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on the anniversary of his death, which occurred on October 4, 1226. Per-haps the most beloved of all saints, Francis is quoted as saying, "Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words." Signs of faith were evident throughout his life. Faith empowered him to give away his possessions, to embrace lepers, and to endure deep suffering. Faith gave him a joyful spirit and a love for all of creation. His faith drew others to Christ in the Franciscan order. And Francis received the ultimate sign of faith--the stigmata. In today's scriptures we see many signs of faith that preach louder than words. Habakkuk shows his faith by his urgent plea to God. God tells him that "the just one, because of his faith, shall live" (Habakkuk 2:4). In the second reading we hear that faith shows forth in love, self-control, and the strength to bear hardship. In the Gospel Jesus tells the disciples that faith can work miracles, but the most reliable sign of faith is a life lived in steadfast service to the Lord.

--Virginia Stillwell Copyright (c) 2012, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK Saturday: +Mary and Ludovic Lee Sunday: 8:00am- +Danny Spreitler; +Sarah Corne; +Vincent & Helen Dauro; +Johnny & Betty Fayard; +Matthew & Thelma Serpa 10:30am– +Patrick Holley 6:00- People of the Parish Monday: +Anne Haddock Tuesday: Special Int. of Martha Solomon Wednesday: +Mackie Fayard Thursday Special Int. of Martha Solomon Friday: +Edward Panter

Gil Bailey Katherine E. Bailey David Bell Jr. Mary Ann Bishop Melissa Bowles Carol Campbell Nunzio Caranna Nanette Carpenter Buddy Cospelich James Doles Betty Ferguson JonViolet Flickinger Mary Kay Gaspard Dan & Lorraine Goad Oren Haddock Jordan Hoang

Loyce & Nick Hyre Roy Jones Margaret Jowers Mary Kealy Florence Keppner Norbert Keppner Les Knighton Gary Lacy Joann Liner S J Marengo Jace Mathews Celeste McInnis Cherie Mennis Msgr Mercier Linda Mitchell

Sophia Nuchereno Jay & Sheila Poolson Roland Riel Gaynelle Saucier Wayne Saucier Ken Saxon Austin Seymour Felecia Vann Rosemary White James Williams Ginger Worth Doan The Xinh

Please Remember in Your Prayers

Prayer is the door through which all God’s Graces comes to us -St. Theresa of Avila

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — In spite of violence, destruction, and ruin, the just person, because of faith, will live (Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4). Psalm — If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Psalm 95). Second Reading — Bear hardship with the strength that comes from God (2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14). Gospel — Lord, increase our faith! (Luke 17:5-10). The English translation of the Psalm Responses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, Interna-tional Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday: Gal 1:6-12; Ps 111:1b-2, 7-9, 10c; Lk 10:25-37 Tuesday: Gal 1:13-24; Ps 139:1b-3, 13-15; Lk 10:38-42 Wednesday: Gal 2:1-2, 7-14; Ps 117:1bc, 2; Lk 11:1-4 Thursday: Gal 3:1-5; Lk 1:69-75; Lk 11:5-13 Friday: Gal 3:7-14; Ps 111:1b-6; Lk 11:15-26 Saturday: Gal 3:22-29; Ps 105:2-7; Lk 11:27-28 Sunday: 2 Kgs 5:14-17; Ps 98:1-4; 2 Tm 2:8-13; Lk 17:11-19

SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time; Respect Life Sunday; Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year 5777) begins at sunset Tuesday: St. Francis of Assisi Thursday: St. Bruno; Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher Friday: Our Lady of the Rosary; First Friday Saturday: Blessed Virgin Mary

The second collection at all Masses this weekend is for the Catholic School support. The second collection next week-end is for Church maintenance.

Collections September 24-25 Identifiable: $3143 Unidentifiable: $997 ACH: $20 Catholic School Support: $445 Children’s Collection: $21

Thank you for your generosity!

TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION In the mid-1960s, many religious congregations that had maintained a custom of assigning new names to their members allowed a return to baptismal names. The prac-tice stems from the origins of monastic life, when a desire to flee the world and its enchantments caused a severe break with family life and commitments. A new name signified that the old person had died and a new one was coming to life. Some orders even spread funeral palls over their entrants and tolled the funeral bell. On a practi-cal level, in a crowded monastery of a few hundred monks or nuns, it made sense not to have six Brother Al-frics or nine Sister Clares. The one name, one person rule worked well. In more recent times, a young woman entering the convent might be given her parents’ names as a way of honoring their generosity, so Hilda might become Sister Philip Margaret after her father and mother. A cherished name in the order might be bestowed on a newcomer so that there would always be a Brother Owen around, or a young person might adopt the name of a beloved saint. A handful of religious congregations, like Mother Barat’s Religious of the Sacred Heart, always used family names. Many monasteries still bestow a new name at the end of probation. Other religious institutes have revived the cus-tom of changing their candidates’ names at the end of no-vitiate, although for the most part religious who were around at the time of the Council were happy to get their baptismal names back. A few, of course, cherished their acquired names and have held on to them, so convents still hold the creativity badge for naming. Where else to-day can you find great names today like Madeleva, Siena, and Celestina? —Rev. James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co.

Please support our Bulletin Advertisers! Please take a bulletin home with you and look at all our advertisers. We deeply appreciate their gener-osity and their support of our parish. When you pa-tronize them, please thank them for their support of our parish.

If you or anyone in your family is ill at home or in the hospital and would like us to visit you-please call the parish office at 864-2272.

Calendar of Events Oct 2 Mary’s Day Celebration, 10:30am Mass 4 XLT Adoration, 7pm 5 KC’s Silver Rose Rosary Service, 7pm 26 Ministry Appreciation Dinner, Presentation Hall 6pm 31 All Saints Vigil Mass 6pm Nov 1 All Saints, Mass 7am & Noon 2 All Souls, Commemoration of all the faithful departed, Mass 7am 2 Mass for Deceased Parishioners, 6pm 12 Drawdown, Presentation Hall 6pm 22 Anointing of the Sick, 11:15am 24 Thanksgiving Day, Mass 7am Dec 7 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception,

We really appreciate those who donate toward the flowers for our church. We have only 1 weekend in October scheduled. If you would like to have flowers placed in church, please contact the parish office at 228 864-2272.

We have a prayer group that meets every Thursday af-ternoon from 5:15-6:15pm. Everyone is invited to join us. For more information call the Parish office, 864-2272.

Weekly prayer group Thursday’s at 10:00am. Call An-nette Seymour 326-0851.

Prayer Groups

Ministry Appreciation Dinner! We are most grateful to the parishioners who serve in the ministries of our church. By working together as members of one family, we con-tinue to make the kingdom of God present in our commu-nity. Our 11th Annual Ministry Appreciation Dinner will be on Wednesday, October 26 at 6:00 pm in Presentation Hall. There is a sign up sheet on the center table in the back of church. Please let us know if you will attend.

A Memorial Mass for St. John Parishioners and Friends who died during the year will be celebrated on Wednes-day, November 2 at 6:00pm. We invite all parishioners who lost a loved one in the past year to join in this cele-bration. A slide presentation featuring the deceased will be given. Please send a picture of your loved one for the slide presentation. This picture will be returned to you after the celebration. Please call the parish office by Octo-ber 21 and let us know how many family members will attend. Refreshments will be served after Mass.