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RCIA
RCIA Thanks to SJTW Parish Community
by Katie McCarty
We joyfully celebrated the sacraments for our RCIA candidate at the Easter Vigil April 3rd. There are always so many to thank, as the bringing to faith of any person involves our entire community and beyond.
In the humblest attempt to reach out to each of you and say a heartfelt "thank you", I offer gratitude to our team, to our special guest presenters, to our parish clergy who offered teaching and special liturgies, to our Worship team and all choir members and musicians, who enhanced our celebrations and faith through the gift of music and script. I offer deep "thank you" to each of you who prayed especially for us in this process of a faith journey, especially each parishioner who prayed for us, and who sent cards or support to our candidate.
Your contributions to our faith experiences have meant something important.
Thank you very much.
Welcome!
by Katie McCarty
Our parish community applauds and welcomes Amanda Lensing into our Catholic faith.
Amanda has celebrated her Profession of Faith, was confirmed in the Holy Spirit and has shared in Eucharist with us.
Congrats Amanda. Thank you to you and your family for all you have and will share with us.
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever." Psalm 118:1-2 (from Easter Sunday Responsorial Psalm)
During this Resurrection season of Easter, we, as a parish community, offer up our prayers, our needs, our sufferings, our losses--all for the graces that come through fortitude and endurance. We thank you Lord, for the Pray-ers of our community--those members of the Healing Prayer Team who have offered prayer in solidarity with us.
The members of the Healing Prayer Ministry continue to be available to pray for your personal prayer needs and concerns. Our prayer ministers are trained in holding any individual prayer in confidence.You may send your short prayer requests to kmccarty@sjtw.net. Each prayer request will be confidentially passed along to one person to hold you and your intention in prayer.
Happy Easter. We wish you renewed strength and courage. The Healing Prayer Ministry Team
Create a Clean Heart in Me, O God
by Katie McCarty
Each Tuesday evening when the RCIA group meets, we have taken on a new habit for 2021. We have opened our Sunday reading to the Responsorial Psalm, and together we have prayed this psalm...whatever each Sunday gives us.
These are among the powerful Scripture pieces we've repeated in prayer--
"Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant."
"I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living."
"Lord, you have the words of everlasting life."
"The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."
and for this Sunday's Response: "Create a clean heart in me, O God."
These beautiful and rhythmic prayers allow us to settle our souls perhaps and consider how this season of Lent calls us to improve and cleanse our minds, how to be better in our words and actions, and how to come closer and closer to the best self that God wants us to be.
Please continue to pray for our RCIA candidate, Amanda. She is so appreciative of your prayers and cards and thoughts of her this Lent. -