March 2017
Have A
“Let-Go” Lent
most of it is junk, so that’s a no-brainer…it goes in
the dumpster.
For things that need to be given away, we
have a few choices: through the Peru ministry,
Many of you may have seen EARC, or The Hope Center, we can help others.
commercials on TV for a marSome items with a sellable value, perhaps go
ketplace called “Let-Go” A
to “Let-Go” and give a nice percentage back to
sight to get rid of and get paid
our Rice Bowl project or the Samaritan House.
for some of the stuff all of us have been carrying
I know for many of us Lent is a time of giving
around for awhile. This gave me an idea for this
something up or taking something on. Perhaps
Lent.
for some of us, this is the best of both worlds.
Whether one chooses to use “Let-Go” or just
We are giving up all that “stuff”, helping those in
wants to clean out the excess stuff, I am extendneed and creating a greater space for Jesus in the
ing this invitation for each of you to join me this
process.
Lenten Season in getting rid of, giving away, or
Whether you choose to do something like this
selling a grocery sack full of stuff each day.
or follow another path, please know my main
I know this may seem like a lot, yet as I was
hope and prayer is for all of us to have a more
looking through my closets, I came to realize it is
spirit filled Lenten experience as we prepare to
time for a major (and I do mean MAJOR) spring
enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery.
cleaning exercise…and perhaps for some an
Sincerely in Christ,
“exorcise” to toss out the “demons” of accumuFr. Ray K. Ackerman,
lated “stuff” that crowds out the freedom to bePastor
come closer to Jesus Christ this Lent and beyond.
For the things to get rid of, I have discovered
SMILING
HELPING
HANDS
St. John’s Youth spent their
day out of school at Sister
Barbara's Pantry: 290 snack
bags made, restocked food
shelves, 8 flats of pansies,
12 bags of mulch laid, and
many trash bags for garden
clean up. St John's teens are
amazing!
The Pantry is modeled after
The Corporal Works of
Mercy.
“Feed The Hungry”
“Clothe the Naked”
"Give Shelter to the
Homeless"
srbjpantry.com
Outreach Pillar
Our Ministries

Communion to the
Homebound

Funeral Dinners

Co-Dependents
Anonymous (CoDA)

Crisis Counseling

Ongoing Counseling

Support Groups

Spiritual Direction

Parish Nursing Ministry

Health Education

Tai Ji Quan

Prison Ministries

Project Gabriel Ministry

St. Joseph’s Corp
Handyman Service

Time Out

Evangelization

Catholics Returning
Home

Parish Lenten Mission

Cook’s Night Out

Giving Tree Ministry

Ida Freeman School
Ministry

Samaritan House

Thanksgiving Dinner

Zachary House Ministry

Peru Partnership
Find the Olive
Leaf
Email location to
[email protected]
New lands
by Karen Pourbabaee
“Go forth from the land
of your kinsfolk…to a
land that I will show
you.”
Genesis 12:1 NAB
Like Abraham, many of us have gone
forth from familiar lands. Most of us
have not lived in our hometowns or
even home states throughout our lifetimes. Some have even been called to
new countries! As children, perhaps
we moved to other places because of
parental job changes, leaving places we
called home for uncertain abodes. Later
we may have relocated to complete
education, follow a spouse in marriage,
or for our own career moves. It’s not
easy to leave what we once knew and
loved, leaving behind memories and
loved ones.
First, listen regularly and intently to
God’s call, being open to embrace new
places and ways of living. God beckons
us to new spiritual landscapes, to leave
lands more difficult to walk away from.
Many times over we must walk from the
land of pride to the place of humility.
From bitterness and anger to the land
of forgiveness. From grief and despair
to His oasis of comfort. We must leave
the guilt and condemnation trap and
allow Him to deliver us to the land of
Mercy. What other lands have you been
called to leave and journey toward? Are
you willing to leave for new lands?
All of these new lands He will show
you… these cities within His kingdom.
We’re invited throughout our earthly
pilgrimage to travel and explore His
heavenly realm. To leave behind that
which hinders, keeping us from destiny.
To walk bravely into new lands of service and ministry. When you hear that
beckon call, let faith arise and start
walking. Only one step He asks of you,
then He shall walk with you. Like Abraham, father of our faith, go forth!
The Knight’s of Columbus
will hold a Fish Fry at the
beginning and end of Lent.
Friday, March 3, 2017
&
Friday, April 7, 2017
5:00 pm, St John’s Commons
Dear Lord… give me the faith and courage of Abraham to rise to Your call and
follow You to unknown places, for it is
there I will find my destiny and become
all You have created me to be. Amen.
Karen is a Christian freelance writer who
has just published her debut book, ACADIAN MELODY, a celebration of French
Catholic Cajun culture. It's available now
at Amazon or Barnes & Noble websites." She is also part of a multi-author
series of books, Mixed Blessings, which
launched its first publication Dec.1,
2015. Karen continues as a regular devotional contributor to Faithwriters.com
It's almost time for the
10th Annual Oklahoma Catholic
Women's Conference!
The conference will be held on Saturday,
March 25 at the Reed Center in Midwest City.
Registration forms are available online
www.OCWConference.com
What is a Witness? - This talk will explore the reality that
the gospels are eyewitness accounts of God’s amazing encounter with humanity. I will outline how a “Witness” is one
who has encountered God and then shares their encounter
with others. I will share some of my own witness stories to
illustrate my topic.
We Are Witnesses of the Mysteries of God - Our “faith
story” is our participation in the Mystery of the Incarnation—
God becoming real in this world here and now. What does it
mean to share your faith story and how do you do that? What
is the role of apologetics in evangelization? Why is Evangelization necessary? How do you deal with the tough questions?
We Are Stewards of the Mysteries of God - This talk
will tie in with a deeper understanding of the Sacraments—
which are the Mysteries of God. As God became incarnate
and continues to come to us through physical means he gives
us a share in that action. Stewardship of our finances, our
love, our relationships are all ways to make God’s love visible
and active in the world.
EVENT
SPOTLIGHT
March 1

Ash Wednesday
March 3

Knight’s Fish Fry
March 5
God has created each of us uniquely – to play a
unique role in our time and our world. But how
do we figure out what God is asking us to do? If
he is calling us, why can’t we hear him more
clearly? What will we have to take on or give up
if we follow his call?
lived out these questions, Called walks through
the importance of vocation, how to discern vocation as more than just a job, considering the
priesthood and consecrated life, and the deeper
meaning of marriage.
The CALLED program is one of many for young
These are the questions we’ll explore together in adults available on FORMED.ORG. Log in using
Called: Discover Your Vocation. With firsthand
Parish Code WN7CV2
accounts and insights from presenters who’ve

Knight’s Pancakes

Children’s Liturgy
March 9

March 20

“Discovering God Together:
Catholic Family Festival,” 9:00 am - 5:00 pm,
April 22, at St. Gregory’s University. Sessions
for adults, youth and children.
Child care provided for children ages 1-5.
archokc.org/new-evangelization/up-coming-events
Disciple Testimony
velop that personal relationship
with Jesus that is the very reason for our faith.
as my husband. Which was not
always the case, since I am a
convert. And, I’m getting to
By Toni Calvey
build community with others in
parishioner since 2008
Last year, Kevin and I were in
the first CCO Discipleship groups our parish and share this key
component of our spiritual
at St. John’s. The Discipleship
I grew up as an only child atprocess is the way our Archdio- walks. I hope you, too, will join
tending public schools and an
cese is now forming “intentional us in learning how to build on
Assembly of God church. I’m
disciples,” and teaching them to our Catholic faith to live your
now a Catholic homeschooling
whole life “in the Spirit.”
mother of five. Talk about a God have that Spirit-inspired life change! Thanks to inspired “on fire”
personal relationship
the great faith of my husband,
Kevin, I converted in 2010 at St. with Jesus that
John’s. I have always had a per- should be the USUAL
result of our Catholic
sonal relationship with Jesus.
My Catholic faith has expanded faith. Kevin and I now
my relationship with our Lord as facilitate a Discipleship class at St.
I could never have imagined - I
John’s. Being involved
can now have Him IN me
in this process has
through the Eucharist! And I
enriched my faith
have 2000 years of Catholic
immeasurably! I have
teaching to guide me now.
Sadly, I see many Catholics who fallen in love with
my Lord like never
don’t seem to fully appreciate
before. I speak the
the Church, perhaps because
same faith language
they were never taught to de-
Lenten Penance Rite
March 24

Cook’s Night Out
March 27-29

The Archdiocese of OKC presents
Healthy Brain
Presentation
Parish Lenten Mission
April 2

Knight’s Pancakes

Children’s Liturgy
April 7

Knight’s Fish Fry
April 9

Palm Sunday
April 13

Holy Thursday
April 14

Good Friday
April 15

PYC Easter Egg Hunt
April 16

Easter—He Is Risen
April 28

Cook’s Night Out
April 30

First Communion
May 14

Knight’s Pancakes
May 25

Ascension
May 29

Offices Closed—
Memorial Day
Complete calendar
stjohn-catholic.org
St. John the Baptist
Catholic Church
900 South Littler
P.O. Box 510
Edmond, OK
73083
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Spiritual Communion
starts with communal prayer, and classroom prayers are recited at planned times
By Laura Gallagher, Principal
throughout the day. This year, we have
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic
started reciting a communal Act of Spiritual
School
One of the hallmarks of a Catholic school Communion each afternoon. In a Spiritual
is the emphasis on the school as a commu- Communion, we, with contrite and humble
hearts, ask our Lord to come to us in the
nity – a community of persons and, more
importantly, a genuine community of faith. same way He would if we were able to receive the Sacrament. This allows us the
In this community of faith, prayer is a noropportunity for Eucharistic grace every day
mal part of the school day. Students learn
to pray in times of sorrow and joy, in times as a school community, and develops within
of disappointment and celebration, of diffi- each of us a deeper union with Christ, just
culty and success. Such prayer teaches stu- as He desires to be with us.
An Act of Spiritual Communion
dents that they belong to the communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are
of saints, a community that knows no
truly present in the Holy Euchabounds. The sacrament of the Eucharist
rist. I love You above all things,
marks the rhythm of a Catholic school’s life.
and I desire to receive You into my
Regular school liturgies, Catholic devotions
soul. Since I cannot at this moment
and celebrating the Church’s liturgical year
receive
You
sacramentally, come at least
all have a significant place in everyday
spiritually
into
my heart. I embrace You as if
ecclesial life and are evident in Catholic
You
were
already
there and unite myself
schools.
wholly
to
You.
Never
permit me to be
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School is
separated from You. Amen.
true to its Catholic identity. Each morning
SAVE THE DATE
PARISH BLOCK PARTY
(AKA PARISH PICNIC)
Saturday, June 24
NEW this year: FOOD TRUCKS
and much more
A Servant’s Heart is published by the Stewardship Committee for the Parishioners of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church to share the talents
of our members. Visit St. John’s at stjohn-catholic.org. To contact the editor: [email protected] or 405-340-0691.