Saint Agnes 5/8/24 Saint Agnes 5/8/24

From the Pastor’s Desk

The month of May is traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. May from the earliest days of the Church has held Mary with a special devotion. Beginning at the end of the 13th century the Catholic Church has emphasized the month of May as a time of honor and devotion. The month of May is part of the Easter Season, between Easter and Pentecost. In 1945, Pope Pius XII established the feast of the Queenship of Mary on May 31, solidifying May as a Marian month.

Our Vietnamese Community here at St. Agnes holds Mary in the highest regard due to her protection through her son, Jesus Christ during the persecution in Vietnam in 1798 in which over 100,000 was killed.

The association of Mary with flowers has been a part of the liturgy for many centuries. Mary is often shown with flower imagery which comes from books of the Bible, in the form of Canticles found in Wisdom, Proverbs and Sirach. This symbolism emphasizes her purity, beauty and spiritual blossoming. Hopefully this will help us to understand our Vietnamese Community use of flowers during the Month of May in honoring Mary.

This weekend as we remember our mothers, whether living or deceased, remember them in prayer. The flowers are nice, taking them out to lunch or dinner is great, but remember them in prayer. Our mothers spent countless hours in prayer for each of us. The nights they stayed awake until we walked in the back door. All the chauffeuring to music events, sporting events, to the pool, to the movies, you name it, our mothers did it out of love. So spend some time in prayer for them, because God knows how much prayer our mothers have sent heavenward for us, their sons and daughters.

This coming Tuesday evening we will celebrate the 2024 Graduation Mass for St. Agnes Cathedral Grade School. My prayers are with each of the graduates as they end one part of their lives to begin another. I thank their parents who entrusted their children for us to teach, coach, but especially to help guide them in their spiritual growth

Saint Agnes 5/8/24 Saint Agnes 5/8/24

AFTER 13 ½ YEARS

I have decided to complete my ministry here at St Agnes Cathedral at the end of June so that I can move back to IL where most of the Sisters of my community live. Though in my 64 years as a vowed Adorer of the Blood of Christ, I have worked at 8 schools, 4 hospitals, a hospice, a home for mentally challenged men and 3 parishes this will be the most difficult change of my life for several reasons. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have had to get to know many of you and hope to keep in touch. Thank you for your goodness to me. Pray for me as I will for you. Sister Elizabeth Ann Weiler, ASC

Saint Agnes 5/8/24 Saint Agnes 5/8/24

ANNUAL PARISH GARAGE SALE

Plans are being made for the annual parish garage sale! The dates are set for June 6th, 7th and 8th and it will be held in the St. Agnes gym. The garage sale could not happen without the cooperation of so many in our parish. Volunteers are needed at all stages of the event, set up, marking and organization of the donated items. If you feel that you can help, please call the parish office to sign up. Whether you donate 2 hours of your time or more, you are appreciated. Please leave your phone number or email address when you call.

Drop off dates will begin after the 5:00 PM on Sat, May 25th, after the 8:00 AM & 11:30 AM Masses on Sun, May 26th. Please bring your items to the St. Agnes gym. We will also have drop offs after the Masses on Sat, June 1st and Sunday June 2nd. We appreciate all of the items, but we do ask that you do not donate old tires, tv's, computers, clothing and non working appliances. We will accept purses and shoes. We also request that you double check items so that they are clean.We thank you for your generosity of donations and of your time. Proceeds from this event will go to the building of our parish center. Please check our Facebook page and the bulletin for additional information. You can also email Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org to sign up or gain additional information.

Saint Agnes 5/8/24 Saint Agnes 5/8/24

Congratulations

to our 19 young people who received their First Eucharist on Sunday, May 5th during a special Liturgy held at 2:30. A special thank you to our families who supported their children in preparing for the sacrament. We also thank Father Lewis and the teachers who shared their faith with these children. A special thank you to those who helped to make the Mass a special occasion. Thank you to our musicians, servers and the office staff who prepared the program and certificates. We also thank our wonderful volunteers who helped with set up, serving and cleanup for the reception. As a parish, keep these young people in your prayers so they will continue to grow in the love of the Eucharist. Congratulations to Emilie Bosserman, Kyle Haring, Aubrey Harris, Ella Marie Herman, Ava Hicks, Gwenyth Johnson, Millie McBride, Ethan McGeeney, Thomas Graham Morris, Henry "Hank" Mount, Avery Parnell, Carver Parnell, Autumn Saylor, Rhyker Schmidt, Reese Smithson, Elinora Thomas, Alison Wand, Rowen Wilke & Anna Wright.

Saint Agnes 5/1/24 Saint Agnes 5/1/24

From the Pastor’s Desk:

Yes it is spring time and with the month of May we celebrate graduations both in the high schools as well as grade schools. We celebrate Mother’s Day, First Holy Communion and in some parishes Confirmation. Throughout the Diocese it is the month each year that our Bishop comes to us in our Diocesan Development Appeal, commonly known as DDF. Each parish and each mission is a part of the larger church, or Diocese of Springfield Cape Girardeau.

The funds which are collected enables our Diocese to offer our parishes and parishioners many different areas of ministry that parishes would not be able to provide on their own.

The DDF provides for: 1) Family Life Ministries, helping those preparing for marriage, 2) Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, those coming into the Church, 3) Social Ministry, all different aspects of reaching out to those who have no voice, or need a stronger voice in our society, 4) Campus Ministry, helping to staff priests on 2 of our public college campuses 5) Tribunal, those who are seeking annulments for their broken marriages, 6) Vocations/Seminarians, continuing to reach out to young men and women searching a religious vocation, 7) Youth Ministry, which includes Camp Re-New-All, Catholic Scouting, College Campus Ministry, 8) Office Of Worship, providing for all the Diocesan Liturgies, 9) The Mirror, our Diocesan Newspaper keeping us informed with all that is happening in our Diocese, 10) Catholic Schools, guided by our superintendent, 11) Finance Office, overseeing the monies of the Diocese as well as guiding parishes.

I ask that everyone study the above paragraph to see how many different areas of ministry affect your life, or the life of your family. There are more areas, but for the most part these are the major areas of ministry that are supported by our gift to the Diocesan Development Fund. Please be as generous as you have in the past years, or make a first time gift this year if you have not given in previous years.

Saint Agnes 5/1/24 Saint Agnes 5/1/24

DDF SUNDAY

The 2024 Diocesan Development Fund appeal will be held the weekend of May 4-5, at all Masses. Please be generous. Our parish goal this year is $143,645. To date, we have had 37 people pledge $13,844.00 towards our goal. Remember to turn in your cards regardless of whether you can or cannot give this year and please pray for a successful campaign.

Saint Agnes 5/1/24 Saint Agnes 5/1/24

ANNUAL PARISH GARAGE SALE

Plans are being made for our annual parish Garage Sale! The dates for the sale will be June 6th, 7th and 8th! This garage sale could not happen without the help of so many in our parish! Volunteers are needed to help sort, mark and organize all the goodies we receive for the sale. Drop off dates of goodies will be held beginning May 25th and May 26th. You can drop off items at the St. Agnes gym after the 5:00 PM Mass on the 25rh and after the 8:00 AM Mass and 11:30 AM Mass on the 26th. Start cleaning out those closets, cabinets, attics and basements! This year, we will not take clothing, computer monitors, tv's or tires. We will take purses and shoes! If you have specific questions or would like to volunteer, please call the parish office to sign up. We will be sharing more information about work hours for the sale in upcoming bulletins and announcements. All proceeds from the sale will benefit our building fund for our new parish center. You can also email Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org with specific questions.

Saint Agnes 5/1/24 Saint Agnes 5/1/24

Ladies Appreciation Morning: Sunday, May 12th from 9:00 AM-11:00 AM in the St. Agnes Cafeteria!

Ladies of the parish, you are invited to join us in the cafeteria on Sunday! All are invited whether you are a Mom, a grandma, an aunt, a sister, or a friend, we want to celebrate your many contributions to our St. Agnes Parish. There will be coffee, juice, pastries, fruits and much more. Please join us! Stay and get to know others in our parish. We want to thank you for all that you do to help in our parish. Hope to see you there!

Saint Agnes 4/22/24 Saint Agnes 4/22/24

From the Pastor’s Desk:

The Second Vatican Council called the Eucharist, “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The Eucharist strengthens the Church to be Christ’s Body in the world. Eucharist means “thanksgiving.” As Jesus gave thanks at the Last Supper, we give thanks in the liturgy of the Eucharist, the central sacrament of the Catholic Church.

Jesus is present in the Mass in three ways: first, in the assembled “Body of Christ,” gathered to pray in his name; second, in the Word of Scripture; and third, in the bread and wine that, by the power of the Holy Spirit and the words of Christ, truly become His Body and Blood. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the sacrament’s purpose is our “intimate union” with Christ. After receiving communion, we spend a few quiet moments giving thanks to Jesus for the gift of himself.

We give thanks for all creation, symbolized by the gifts of bread and wine. We give thanks for Jesus’ Paschal sacrifice which redeemed us. We give thanks for the continuing sanctification of the Church, nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. Most of all, we give thanks for the REAL PRESENCE of Christ.

Next weekend here at St. Agnes Cathedral nineteen of our young people will receive Holy Communion for the first time. From this time until the Lord calls them home, the Eucharist will be available to them, as well as to all practicing Catholics. The Eucharist is that special gift from God in which He can come into each of us individually to give us the grace and the guidance we need; Christ coming into us in that most special and intimate way. We become one with Christ, as Christ becomes one with us. May the Lord bless our young people.

As I stressed to the parents in our parent meeting at the beginning of the First Communion preparation, it is so important that we, as adults, provide a living example of worship to our young people. It is not enough to simply explain it to them. It is not enough to just go through the actions. We need to live our faith. Living our faith means attending Sunday Mass and worshiping God on His day, the day of the Resurrection. Each Sunday is a miniature Easter. When we choose not to go to Sunday Mass, we are saying that the vacation time, or the floating on the river, or the ball game, is more important than our eternity with God. We are approaching summer, which means vacations and weekends at the lake–please take the time to go to church. Out of all the hours He has given you during the week, take the time to give back to the Lord this one hour.

The 2024 Diocesan Development Fund appeal will be held the weekend of May 4-5, at all Masses. Please be generous. Our parish goal this year is $143,645. To date, we have had 16 people pledge $7,595.00 towards our goal. Remember to turn in your cards regardless of whether you can or cannot give this year and please pray for a successful campaign.

Saint Agnes 4/22/24 Saint Agnes 4/22/24

ANNUAL PARISH GARAGE SALE

Saint Agnes 4/22/24 Saint Agnes 4/22/24

Mark Your Calendars Vacation Bible School: June 18th-22nd

St. Agnes Parish will be combining with SEAS, IC & other Springfield parishes for "Diving into Friendship with God". Children who are entering Kindergarten through 6th grade are eligible to attend this fun, faith filled adventure filled with Bible Stories, saints, science adventures, outdoor fun and food. Registration forms are available in the parish office, St. Agnes School, or in the Cathedral. This is open to children who may not be Catholic too. You do not have to be members of the parish so invite neighbors, family members and friends. ALL ARE Welcome. Contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org for more information. We also need adult and teen volunteers. "Come SCUBA with us!"

Saint Agnes 4/22/24 Saint Agnes 4/22/24

ANNUAL KNIGHTS GOLF TOURNAMENT BENEFITS LIFEHOUSE

Play golf “fore” a good cause!

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri is excited to partner with the Knights of Columbus for its Charity Golf Tournament. The proceeds of the tournament benefit LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home in Springfield. Join us at Fremont Hills Country Club on Mon., June 24, for a fun day of golf and giving back! Time: Noon - shotgun start. Sponsorships are available now, and registration for teams and individuals is open. For more information, consult www.CCSOMO.org or Call Craig Henley, (573) 999-3939; Tom Samsel, (417) 861-4173; or Russ Pignon, (417) 848-1468.

Saint Agnes 4/17/24 Saint Agnes 4/17/24

From the Pastor’s Desk:

This weekend is celebrated as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. In our prayers at Mass we pray especially for Vocations to the priesthood, religious life and for holy marriages.

We might expect that the concept of a religious vocation may be difficult for a young person to understand, however I am surprised how many adults many times misunderstand the concept of vocation, especially as it pertains to their lives. Do we have a vocation shortage today? The simple answer is “NO”, the larger answer is “YES”. We need to understand that all people have been called, through our baptism to live a life in Christ, filled with the Gospel values, to share with one another the Good News of Jesus in our daily lives. We might live this vocation as a religious, a priest or deacon. Perhaps we might live it as a mom or dad, a husband, or a wife. We might live this vocation as a single person. How we understand our call to live the Gospel values in our life is our discernment of our vocation. So we do not have a vocation shortage, we have a shortage of ordained ministers, consecrated Brothers and Sisters.

It takes prayer and careful discernment to know if you are being called to priesthood or religious life, and eventually you have to enter a seminary or convent to be sure. Formation takes years and you can leave the seminary or religious life at any time. One of the big questions that young people talk with me about who are looking at a religious vocation is that of celibacy. Contrary to what we see in the media, sex is not the key to happiness. Yes God made us with strong sexual desires, which find their proper expression in marriage, but not only is celibacy possible, it is a sign of the reality of heaven, since no one is married in heaven according to the scriptures. Both Jesus and St. Paul recommend celibacy for those who are called. (Matthew 19:10-12; I Cor. 7:34)

In looking back over my life as a priest, my vocation has led me to serve in places where people are hurting and where people are celebrating life. My vocation has been to young people as well as to our seniors. I have taught in our Catholic Schools, in parishes, in Camp Renewal, been spiritual directors of TEC, Cursillo’s, Happening’s, and serving on different Diocesan committees. I have tried to use the gifts and talents that God has given me to help lead others to a deeper relationship with God. Many different surveys show that one profession consistently ranks number one for personal happiness, Clergy, and religious sisters and brothers. They are some of the longest-living people in the world. This weekend please keep our seminarians in prayer, that they will answer God’s call in their lives, whatever that call be. Please pray for all young people who are considering a religious vocation.

Saint Agnes 4/17/24 Saint Agnes 4/17/24

Youth Activities

Congratulations! to Avery & Carver Parnell who were both Baptized on Sunday April 7th after the 11:30 AM Mass. Avery and Carver are the children of Todd & Ashley Parnell. Please pray for the children and parents as they continue to grow in the blessings of Christ's love.

Congratulations to Mila Grace Minter who was baptized on April 6th here at St. Agnes Cathedral. Mila is the daughter of Michael and Ashley Minter of our parish. Please pray for Mila as she continues to grow in the love of Christ.

Please pray for the 19 children of our parish who will receive their First Eucharist on Sunday, May 5th at a special liturgy at 2:30 PM in the Cathedral. Families and friends are invited to attend a reception to be held in the cafeteria after the Mass. We are looking for volunteers who may like to assist in the simple reception that will follow the Mass. If you can assist with the reception, please contact Iris Bounds at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org.

Saint Agnes 4/17/24 Saint Agnes 4/17/24

VBS 2024!

Saint Agnes 4/17/24 Saint Agnes 4/17/24

2024 Midwest March for Life

Please join Bishop Rice, Sr Janine, and thousands across Missouri to proclaim the dignity of every person, born or unborn.

Date: Wednesday, May 01, 2024

Time: 8am - 3pm

Location: Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO

Cost of the March: Free

· Buses will leave from two locations: Cape Girardeau at 5:00am and Springfield at 6:00am. Seats are limited.

· Deadline to register for the bus: Friday, March 28

Note: All adults riding the bus will be asked to complete safety environment training. This is because we will have youth riding the buses with us. Thank you for your cooperation.

Saint Agnes 4/4/24 Saint Agnes 4/4/24

From the Pastor’s Desk:

We are celebrating the key, central event of our Catholic, Christian faith. Jesus Christ had broken the bonds of death. Jesus had come back from the dead. As the Easter Candle was blessed and lit, then carried into our darkened church at the beginning of the Easter Vigil we proclaimed Christ risen from the dead. We cannot prove the Resurrection to someone who is not open to such a faith experience. None of the Gospels describes how the Resurrection took place. The Gospels do describe the Crucifixion, for death is an event that every human being will experience as part of their human life.

The Resurrection is something that only God has done and therefore is not a part of our human experience. It did truly happen, but it is a trans-historical event—a divine intervention into human history. Thus an event that historians cannot prove or disprove. God’s actions are not the subject of historical proof.

According to the Gospels, Jesus’ family and friends finally recognized Him. They knew his voice, they touched Him, they shared meals with him. He was not a ghost. The Gospels very definitely emphasized the physical characteristics of His appearance. However, the Gospels also made it clear that there was something different about the risen Christ. He was no longer subject to the limitations that mortality places upon us. Once risen, Jesus was present to his friends without them at first knowing Him. He could enter rooms where the doors were shut. He could appear suddenly and just as suddenly disappear, as he did with the two disciples when He broke bread at Emmaus.

Easter began the season of celebration and hope. In the eyes of the world, Good Friday ended in a catastrophic event. But in the darkness of the night of Holy Saturday, it became quite clear that the devil had lost the fight—death no longer had power over us. Our faith and the hope that springs from it declares that, through the power of God, life will win in the end. Despite what this world throws against the followers of Christ, there is the hope of being with our loved ones once more, sharing paradise with them and with our loving God forever.

Those four words spoken at the grave by the angel, “He has been raised,” are words that sent a shock through the entire universe. The impossible had happened—life from the grave. Our human story was no longer birth, life, and death. It had become birth, life, death, and eternal life. That first Easter was not just a happy ending to Jesus’ story; it was a radical new beginning for the human race. With the Easter Vigil, we began the great celebration of the Easter Season. The purple of Lent and the red of the Passion have been put away, and we celebrate Jesus breaking the bonds of death for us all. CHRIST HAS RISEN!

Saint Agnes 4/4/24 Saint Agnes 4/4/24

First Eucharist families:

If you have a child who will be receiving First Eucharist, there will be a retreat for the families on Sat, April 13th beginning at 9:30. We will meet in the cathedral at 9:30 for rehearsal and after rehearsal, we will move to the cafeteria where we will work on making the First Eucharist banners, write petitions and assign readings. We will have all the materials needed for the banners, but families are encouraged to bring any special items that they may want on the banners to be displayed. Snacks will be provided. We are looking for families to help with setup and snacks. We are also asking that any child who would like to do a reading or petition to contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org. If you have questions, please call the parish office. Please continue to pray for our young people who will receive their First Eucharist on Sunday, May 5th at 2:30 PM

Saint Agnes 4/4/24 Saint Agnes 4/4/24

EASTER MEMORIAL FLOWERS

In Memory of:

Dorsey Roe Jr.

Sonia Tabilon

Nonna Jean Wood

Gary Roe

James M Emery

Roy Eugene Roe

Ramon Enrique Tiong Sr.

Deceased members of Bounds & Prenger Families

Saint Agnes 3/26/24 Saint Agnes 3/26/24

From the Pastor’s Desk:

According to the Gospels, it took some time for Jesus’ family and friends to finally recognize Him. They knew his voice, they touched Him, and they shared meals with him. He was not a ghost. The Gospels very definitely emphasized the physical characteristics of His appearance. However, the Gospels also made it clear that there was something different about the risen Christ. He was no longer subject to the limitations that mortality places upon us. Once risen, Jesus was present to his friends without them at first knowing Him. He could enter rooms where the doors were shut. He could appear suddenly and just as suddenly disappear, as he did with the two disciples when He broke bread at Emmaus.

Today begins the season of celebration and hope. In the eyes of the world, Good Friday had ended in a catastrophic event. But in the darkness of the night of Holy Saturday, it became quite clear that the devil had lost the fight—death no longer had power over us. Our faith and the hope that springs from it declares that, through the power of God, life will win in the end. Despite what this world throws against the followers of Christ, there is the hope of being with our loved ones once more, sharing paradise with them and with our loving God forever.

Those four words spoken at the grave by the angel, “He has been raised,” are words that sent a shock through the entire universe. The impossible had happened—life from the grave. Our human story was no longer birth, life, and death. It had become birth, life, death, and eternal life. That first Easter was not just a happy ending to Jesus’ story; it was a radical new beginning for the human race. With the Easter Vigil, we began the great celebration of the Easter Season. The purple of Lent and the red of the Passion have been put away, and we celebrate Jesus risen from the grave. HAPPY EASTER