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St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Crystal Lake, IL5th Sunday of LentFr. John R Evans, PastorParochial VicarsReverend Charles Fitzpatrick,Reverend Akan Simon,Reverend William TunarosaPermanent DeaconsMr. Allen Bondi,Mr. Neal CarpenterMr. Jose Aguilar Hispanic

Pastor's CornerMy dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,May Christ, Who walked to Calvary, guide and strengthen youthis week!This week begins a section of Lent known as Passiontide.Previously, we have been remembering “that we are dust,”recalling our sins and weaknesses, and turning from them.Now, we up the ante! We focus more specifically on Christ’slove for us, in how much He suffered for us.The hymns of this time of year are among my favorite.Maybe, perhaps, because they are sung on Calvary inJerusalem, every single day. It’s like, these hymns just grabme, kidnap me, and bring me back to Calvary, each time wehit these wonderful two weeks.“Faithful Cross above all others, one and only noble Tree! None in foliage,none in blossom, none in fruit your peer may be! Sweet the wood, and sweetthe iron, and your Load, most sweet is He!” As awesome as the Cross is, theOne it holds is infinitely more so!We then look at this Cross, holding our Lord upon it, and say “Bend yourboughs, O Tree of Glory, all your ridged branches bend, for awhile the ancienttemper that your birth bestowed, suspend! And the Lord of earth and heaven,gently on your bosom tend!” Our first parents were defeated on a tree; buton a tree, we won!The highlight of our years is coming; let’s get ready!In Christ,Fr. EvansThe Via Dolorosa is a processional route in the OldCity of Jerusalem, believed to be the path that Jesuswalked on the way to his crucifixion. The windingroute from the former Antonia Fortress to theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre — a distance of about600 metres — is a celebrated place of Christianpilgrimage

The feast of the Annunciation, now recognizedas a solemnity, was first celebrated in the fourthor fifth century. Its central focus is theIncarnation: God has become one of us. From alleternity God had decided that the SecondPerson of the Blessed Trinity should becomehuman. Now, as Luke 1:26-38 tells us, thedecision is being realized. The God-Manembraces all humanity, indeed all creation, tobring it to God in one great act of love. Becausehuman beings have rejected God, Jesus willaccept a life of suffering and an agonizingdeath: “No one has greater love than this, to laydown one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).Mary has an important role to play in God’splan. From all eternity, God destined her to bethe mother of Jesus and closely related to him inthe creation and redemption of the world. Wecould say that God’s decrees of creation andredemption are joined in the decree ofIncarnation. Because Mary is God’s instrumentin the Incarnation, she has a role to play withJesus in creation and redemption. It is aGod-given role. It is God’s grace frombeginning to end. Mary becomes the eminentfigure she is only by God’s grace. She is theempty space where God could act. Everythingshe is she owes to the Trinity.Mary is the virgin-mother who fulfills Isaiah7:14 in a way that Isaiah could not haveimagined. She is united with her son in carryingout the will of God (Psalm 40:8-9; Hebrews10:7-9; Luke 1:38).Together with Jesus, the privileged and gracedMary is the link between heaven and earth. Sheis the human being who best, after Jesus,exemplifies the possibilities of humanexistence. She received into her lowliness theinfinite love of God. She shows how an ordinaryhuman being can reflect God in the ordinarycircumstances of life. She exemplifies what theChurch and every member of the Church ismeant to become. She is the ultimate product ofthe creative and redemptive power of God. Shemanifests what the Incarnation is meant toaccomplish for all of.www.franciscanmedia.orgMass Intention for the WeekMonday, March 227:00Noon Sydney & Magdalene Kamysz Anton MlinarichTuesday, March 23; St. Turibius ofMongrovejo7:00Noon Rosalie Wiggs Tim RothJeremy Lemke, Special IntentionErnest Tusa, Special IntentionWednesday, March 247:00Noon Souls of the Faithful DepartedGerald L. Boulet Family, Living &Deceased Aaron WojewodaThursday, March 25; TheAnnunciation of the Lord7:00Noon Dolores KochGeorge Boulet, Special Intention Souls of the Faithful Departed Helen MantelFriday, March 267:00 Mr. & Mrs. Peter F. BarciakNoon Mary FarleySaturday, March 274:30 Dolores Johnson Esther UelmenSunday, March 287:30 Vernon Keller9:00 Paul Yaney Richard Questel10:30 Carolyn Rausch David RauschNoon Fraley Family, Special Intention5:30 The People of St. Thomas Parish,Living & DeceasedPlease visit or call the Parish Center to schedule a Mass Intention

Readings of the WeekSunday: Jer 31:31-34/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13,14-15 [12a]/Heb 5:7-9/Jn 12:20-33 or Ez37:12-14/ Rom 8:8-11/Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6,7-8 [7]/Jn 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27,33b-45Monday: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 or13:41c-62/Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 [4ab]/Jn 8:1-11Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9/Ps 102:2-3, 16-18,19-21 [2]/Jn 8:21-30Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95/Dn3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 [52b]/Jn 8:31-42Thursday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10/Ps 40:7-8, 8-9,10, 11 [8a, 9a]/Heb 10:4-10/Lk 1:26-38Friday: Jer 20:10-13/Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4,5-6, 7 [cf. 7]/Jn 10:31-42Saturday: Ez 37:21-28/Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd,13 [cf. 10d]/Jn 11:45-56Next Sunday: Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16/Is50:4-7/Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24[2a]/Phil 2:6-11/Mk 14:1—15:47 or 15:1-39AdorationCandlesINTENTIONS3/14-3/27Please pray for the deceasedJohn EdwardDonahueEileen FitzpatrickRaffertyPlease pray for the sick:Baby Sean TrainorCelebrants: March 22,-March 26, 2021:3/22-7:00 am -Fr. Simon, Noon - Fr.Evans3/23-7:00 am -Fr.Evans, Noon -Fr. Simon3/24-7:00 am -Fr.Evans, Noon - Fr.Simon3/25-7:00 am -Fr.Fitzpatrick, Noon-Fr.Simon3/26- 7:00 am -Fr.Evans, Noon- Fr.FitzpatrickSunday Masses:March 27-March 28, 20214:30 pm: Fr. Evans-Lector; Clare Ossman/John Stefani7:30 am: Fr.Evans-Lector; John Streit/Mike Jasinski9:00 am: Fr. Fitzpatrick-Lector; Anna Wojcik/Mark PrzybylskiWidger Family &Rule Family10:30 am: Fr.Fitzpatrick-Lector;Jeff Ladd, Sr/Deacon NealNoon: Fr.Simon-Lector; John Sinski/Judy Wiedenfeld5:30 pm: Fr.Simon -Lector; Barb Ladd/Cindy Milone

Special LentenConfessionSchedule:Monday5Pm-6PMStatEver ions of thy Friday e Cross7pm3/26No 8amConfessionon Weekend CollectionMarch 14, 2021For Palm Sunday Mass we will NOThave a procession as in previous Years.Palms will be handed to you after massonly. A reminder Overflow is beingoffered in the community room formasses and will be live streamed.Sunday Budget: 39,231.00Collection:EFT:On-Line:Actual: 16,222.10 2,519.50 15,381.50 34,123.10Overage: Budget Shortage - 5,107.90Hispanic Collection 2,307.20

Check out our updated website, same address new lookUnder “Faith” you can findRCIA/Adult confirmationAdult MinistryFr. Simon’s Church in NigeriaI need Sacraments Contact form& I want to Register with the parish formHoly Thursday April 1, No MorningMass8:00 pm massAdoration in the Church tillMidnightGood Friday April 2, No MorningMass12:00pm Liturgical Service2:00pm Stations of the Cross7:30pm Liturgical ServiceHoly Saturday, April 3, No 4:30pmMass10:00am Blessing of the EasterBasket7:30pm Easter VigilEaster Sunday, April 4 Mass 7:30 am,9:00am, 10:30am, 12:00pmOverflow in the Community Room

Are you asleep?Today Jesus is called to the grave of a dear friend who had recentlydied. Martha cries out that if Jesus were closer, her brother Lazaruswould not have died.Remember from the First Sunday in Lent that death and sin areconnected and that life is seen as living a faith-filled life? That is whatis happening in this Gospel. Living as a disciple of Christ can give usthe ability for a life everlasting in the presence of God.What in our lives needs to be uncovered, as Lazarus is unwrapped ofhis burial clothes and returned to live with his loved ones?As we move closer to Easter Sunday, let us ask God to unwrap orunbind that which needs to be healed so that we may live a life that ispleasing to God.Confessionstart atOak StreetChurch9am12pm1pm8pm

The word of the week for the 5th week ofLent is Glorify.The Hebrew word “Kavod” means "glory", "respect", "honor", and "majesty".How will you glorify the Father this week?Congratulations to our Confirmandi

Little Saints Preschool staffand students participated in asuper fun tradition.WackyWednesday! Everyone hadfun wearing silly, wacky,backwards, and mismatchedclothing to preschool. Some ofour friends chose to createspirited hairstyles. We evenhad some of our little oneswearing two different shoes.What a fantastic way toremember that life should befilled with laughter and joy.

PARISH CENTER HOURS: M-Th 9-5 Fr 9-NoonStaffLocationsAdministrative Services: (815) 455-5400Donna Kothera, Parish Secretary- Ext. 400Patricia Roatch, Financial Secretary-Ext. 413Melinda Popp, Financial Assistant/Bulletin Editor -Ext. 405Director of Youth & Evangelization (815) 455-9037Patrick Haviland, DirectorMaureen Sullivan, SecretaryMusic & Liturgy:Sarah Wright, Music Director-Ext. 416Meg Struttman, Administrative Assistant-Ext. 417Religious Education: (815) 455-9787Charlotte Kolodzik, DirectorChristina Benkert, SecretaryRenee Lyons, CoordinatorOak St Church:451 W TerraCotta Ave.Crystal Lake, IL60014Pierson StChurch453 Pierson St.Crystal Lake, IL60014Parish Office:272 King St.Crystal Lake, IL60014815-455-5400School:265 King St.Crystal Lake, IL60014815-459-0496Pre-School:454 Lake St.Crystal Lake,IL60014Marian CentralHigh SchoolWoodstock, ILReceptionists: Ext: 406www.Marian.com815-338-4220Renee Lyons,Kris Noonan, Nancy LeibforthHispanic Ministry:(815) 356-0860Reverend William Tunarosa, Parochial VicarMarissa Lopez, Hispanic Ministry SecretaryIrene Garcia, Hispanic Ministry SecretaryJose Guimaray- jguimaray@stthomascl.churchSt. Thomas School (815) 459-0496Gina Houston, PrincipalGina Ruffalo, Vice PrincipalMichelle Boppart, Director of DevelopmentSt. Thomas Little Saints PreschoolJennifer Gallien, DirectorResourcesLittle Christopher ResaleShoppe:469 Lake St., Crystal Lake, IL815-459-9442Tues. 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Th.10:00 am - 3:00 pm,Donations acceptedMon. 9:00 - 11:00 am,Tues. 10:00 am - 1:00 pm,Th. 10:00 - 3:00 pmCrystal Lake FoodPantry:42 East St., CrystalLake, IL815-455-0961M, W, F - 10:00am-2:00 pmTh - 5:00 - 7:00 pmSat. - 9:00 am - st.thomasclSt. Thomas Outreach:469 Lake St., CrystalLake, IL815-455-1249Please call for /saintthomascl