Dear Parishioners,
One of my favorite liturgies to celebrate is that of the baptism of a baby or a young child. To begin the child on their spiritual road through the waters of Baptism is a great celebration. I know that some people moan and groan a little, “Oh, a baptism at Mass today. We will be here forever.” However if you notice it adds very little time to the celebration of the Mass. If the baptism is worked into the liturgy as it is meant to be: parts of the Mass are omitted because of the baptism itself.
It is so important for baptisms to take place within the Sunday Liturgy, because a person, young or old is being brought into God’s family and we are that family. Baptism is not a “biological family” thing, or a “personal” thing; it is a “God” thing, and it makes us a “parish family.” All the sacraments are parish celebrations, taking place within the parish community is important for the parish.
Baptism is a great responsibility for the parents, as well as for the parish family. The parents are asked a series of questions: You are asking to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him/her in the practice of the faith. (Do you understand what you are asking?) It will be your duty to bring him/her up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor. ( Do you clearly understand what you are undertak-ing?) Then later in the rite: Is it your will that (child’s name) should be baptized in the faith of the Church, which we have all professed with you?
Baptism is the beginning on the spiritual journey to Heaven, and it is the responsibility of the parents and the parish community to help that young person along the road. Parents are the first teachers of their children in the ways of the Faith and the re-sponsibility of the parish community is to provide added religious education in our Faith. It is much easier to provide the reli-gious education in a Catholic School setting, but that does not mean that those who do not go to a parochial school are left along the side of the road without religious instruction. On Sundays we have are PSR, Parish School of Religion. It is an im-portant ministry within our parish, since all of our young people do not attend a Catholic grade school or high school.
All of this letter explains why Baptisms within the context of the Mass are so important and why these celebrations are among my favorites.
CONGRATULATIONS!
CONGRATULATIONS!
St. Agnes Cathedral Parish congratulates Harper and Grayson Brown who were Baptized on Sunday, July 27th during the 11:30 AM Mass. Grayson and Harper are the children of Adam and Miranda Brown. Please keep the Brown family in prayer as they continue to grow in faith and in grace.
BACK TO PSR PARTY!!
AUGUST 17, 2025 –12:30 pm
We will have a Taco Fiesta and celebrate Young Saints
GRADES K-8
Families are busy and may often ask “Why should I enroll my child in the Parish School of Religion?”
Children are welcome and appreciated as Children of God with small class sizes to enhance learning.
Families have special needs and circumstances –we consider those: we have a special needs class.
We prepare children for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation.
We feature special parish activities for families: all teachers are Virtus-trained faithful Catholics.
Even if your family may not have participated recently, you will be warmly welcomed!
For more info: call Iris at 417 831-3565 or email at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org
CLOW
Children's Liturgy of the Word will begin on Sunday, August 24th during the 11:30 AM Mass. CLOW is open to children preschool through 2nd grade. Virtus trained leaders share the Sunday readings with these children at a level that they can understand. All children are welcome and there is no need to register. We can still use volunteers who may serve as substitutes for our regular teachers. All teachers need to be Virtus trained. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please call the parish office.
Dear Parishioners
The Catholic Church began the moment Jesus sent the apostles forth, “to preach, teach and baptize until the end of time”.
That instruction is still with us today. Since Jesus’ ascension, the Church has gone through different eras of time, with each
era having it’s good and bad aspects. In each era, the Church has struggled and has grown through the Holy Spirit.
In the first 500 years of the Church the doctrines and teachings were confirmed and the Church went from a time of persecution
to a time of privilege as it became the favored religion of the Roman Empire. That in itself brought its own problems
from wealth to some persecution on the part of the Church.
Next came the “Dark Ages”. This time period saw the collapse of the Roman Empire and the loss of knowledge, engineering,
stability, clean drinking water, as well as medicine. The Church became the one single force in the Western world,
however with the loss of so much knowledge, much superstition evolved in the church and society.
The Dark Ages only ended when Crusaders began to bring back knowledge of engineering and medicine along with
Greek philosophy from the East. In the 1200s the Church began many of the universities of Europe, as the Church was a
major patron of education and scientific inquiry. That brought new challenges for the Church which saw some of its teachings
challenged and power slip away.
Over the past 400 years the Church has become a major supporter of scientific and medical research. Clergy, sisters,
and monks have contributed to various fields of science and medicine. The Church has funded numerous hospitals and
research institutions worldwide. The Church’s teachings have often emphasized the compatibility of faith and reason, suggesting
that both science and theology seek truth.
In the last 50 years the Catholic Church has recognized the importance of scientific findings in areas like evolution and
environmental science. Pope Francis had integrated scientific conclusions into his teachings and emphasized the need for
true stewardship of the environment based on scientific understanding. Science and the Catholic Church have had a mix of
conflict and collaboration, with rising tensions at times, while being a major advancement of scientific knowledge. The
relationship highlights the potential for needed dialogue between faith and science.
BACK TO PSR PARTY!!
AUGUST 17, 2025 –12:30 pm
We will have a Taco Fiesta and celebrate Young
Saints
GRADES K-8
Families are busy and may often ask “Why should I enroll
my child in the Parish School of Religion?”
Children are welcome and appreciated as Children of
God with small class sizes to enhance learning.
Families have special needs and circumstances –we
consider those: we have a special needs class.
We prepare children for First reconciliation, First Eucharist
and Confirmation.
We feature special parish activities for families: all
teachers are Virtus-trained faithful Catholics.
Even if your family may not have participated recently,
you will be warmly welcomed!
For more info: call Iris at 417 831-3565 or
email at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org
Congratulations
Congratulations to Ambrose Robert Dill who was Baptized on
Sat, July 19th at St. Agnes Cathedral. Robert was Baptized by
Rev Andrew Williams and is the son of Asa and Abigail
Dill. Please keep Ambrose in prayer so that he will continue to
grow in the graces of Baptism.
Special Needs PSR class: As we prepare for our upcoming
Parish School of Religion year, we invite families with children of
special needs to consider joining our Parish School of Religion
Special Needs program here at St. Agnes Cathedral. We have a
certified special needs Teacher and aide who works with our
families. We will also prepare our students for sacraments
including Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation. We
meet on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM in St. Agnes School. We
also invite youth from other parishes to join us on Sunday
mornings. Contact Iris Bounds at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org for
more information.
THANK YOU!!
A heartfelt thank you to our St Agnes family who
have shown our family so much support during this
time of grief at the loss of our son , James (Jim). We
thank Father Lewis, Sister Catherine and the office staff. A very
special thank you to Kevin & Genevieve Otradovec for the
beautiful music at Jim’s Mass. Thank you to those who helped at
the luncheon . We have been blessed with Masses, food, cards,
messages, phone calls & lots of prayers and hugs. We
appreciate our St. Agnes family so VERY much! Blessings!
-Bounds Family
JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE
The two cathedrals of the diocese, St. Agnes Cathedral, Springfield, and St. Mary of the Annunciation Cathedral, Cape Girardeau, are the designated locations for the Jubilee Year of Hope. In St. Mary Cathedral, to the front left, pilgrims may find an actual relic of the True Cross. In St. Agnes Cathedral, near the Blessed Sacrament, pilgrims will find a crucifix on display. As part of the Jubilee Year, those who participate in the sacrament of penance and reconciliation and attend Holy Mass along with the reception of Holy Communion within a 20-day period of visiting the cathedral—praying the Nicene or Apostles Creed, the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father—may receive a plenary indulgence. Additional information can be found on the diocesan Website at https://dioscg.org/year-of-jubilee-2025/
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Margaret & Samuel Moore whose son, Charles David was Baptized at the 5:00 PM Mass on Saturday, June 7th. Fr Lewis Hejna officiated at the Baptism. Please keep the family in prayer as they grow in faith!
Attention Seniors!
Mark your calendars to join us for an Indoor Picnic!
It will be held in the Dining Room on Thursday, June 19th, from 12:00 – 2:00. A variety of small sandwiches will be provided, along with baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw, chips, fresh fruit, iced tea and lemonade. Feel free to bring a side dish or dessert, but it is not necessary! After our luncheon, we will be creating small succulent gardens in teacups, along with a variety of other types of containers. Plan on taking these home to enjoy or share with a friend! Hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, please contact Yvonne Heath (417) 414-7320.
From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Parishioners,
The Ascension of Our Lord occurred 40 days after Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter. It is the final act of our redemption that Christ began at His birth and continued through the Triduum. On this day, the risen Christ, in the sight of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven. The reality of Christ's Ascension is so important that the different Christian creeds all affirm, in the words of the Apostles' Creed; that "He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead." The denial of the Ascension is as grave a departure from Christian teaching as is denial of Christ's Resurrection.
Christ's bodily Ascension foreshadows our own entrance into Heaven not simply as souls, after our death, but as glorified bodies, after the resurrection of the dead at the Final Judgment. In redeeming mankind, Christ not only offered salvation to our souls but began the restoration of the material world itself to the glory that God intended before Adam's fall.
The Feast of the Ascension marks the beginning of nine days of prayer before the descent of the Holy Spirit. Before His Ascension, Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit to His apostles. Their prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit, which began on Ascension Thursday, ended with the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, ten days later.
In the 1990s The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops began to look at moving the celebration to the following Sunday. Many countries had already done so in the 70s and 80s. Several reasons were given, the two most important being: 1) Ascension is so important to our Christian Faith; 2) celebrating it on Sunday meant more people would truly celebrate it.
As of Friday May 23, summer began. The school year, 2024–2025, has finished. What a glorious season of the year, but then I enjoy all seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. As we enter the summer months, I always take a look at our prayer life, especially regarding weekend Mass. Can’t we just pray at home, or on the lake, or on the mountain top and do just as well in our relationship with God?
The Mass is the best expression of what it is to be a Catholic. It is the very first thing that the early Christians felt they needed to do. After Pentecost, they recalled that Jesus had instructed them to gather for the “breaking of the bread” (their way of speaking about the Mass). In this way, they believed they would experience the presence of the Risen Lord. Wherever you are during the summer, take the time to go to Sunday Mass, take the time to pray. Please do not take a vacation from God.
interested in being on parish council please contact me at 417-831-3565
Attention Seniors!
Mark your calendars to join us for an Indoor Picnic!
It will be held in the Dining Room on Thursday, June 19th, from 12:00 – 2:00. A variety of small sandwiches will be provided, along with baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw, chips, fresh fruit, iced tea and lemonade. Feel free to bring a side dish or dessert, but it is not necessary! After our luncheon, we will be creating small succulent gardens in teacups, along with a variety of other types of containers. Plan on taking these home to enjoy or share with a friend! Hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, please contact Yvonne Heath (417) 414-7320.
BABY DIAPERS WANTED!
Please help St. Vincent de Paul gather diapers to donate to the needy. We will be collecting them from May 25th through June 8th. Bring unopened packs of diapers of any size to the parish office. Call the front office at (417) 831-3565 with any questions.
Welcome to St Agnes Cathedral
We welcome the following to St. Agnes parish:
Colton, Katelyn and Adalyn Witt
Heather Allison
Rhonda Thacker
Joshua, Sarah, Kaya, and Ada McClanahan
Christopher Armon, Marie Stark and Candice Stark-Hernandez
Sean and Laura Whipple
Dear Parishioners,
I have waited until the dust has settled to write about our new pope elected on May 8. I must admit I did not think I would ever see an American Pope in my life time for many reasons which I will not write about since they are my reasons and thoughts. I want to spend my time looking at what being “pope” really is all about.
The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Catholic Church which includes the Latin as well as many as 23-28 other rites. Our Latin Rite is the largest, but the Catechism of the Catholic Church lists the different rites which are equally valid with different liturgical traditions, with different forms of liturgy, often based on cultural and language differences, but all in UNION with the BISHOP OF ROME, the POPE. To give an example, is the Rite of SYRO MALABAR of which Fr. Jobi Joseph our associate pastor belongs.
The Holy Father is to be the father of all the churches, regardless of their culture or their country’s politics. For some who do not understand the spiritual role of the Holy Father, they may see Pope Leo XIV as a pope who will accept the Catholic Church in the United States to be his guide. What makes Pope Leo XIV a great choice is that he was born and raised here in the US, lived for over 20 years in Peru and then around 2 years in Rome. He has two passports, both American and Peruvian.
He has some of an understanding of the conservative as well as the liberal aspects of the Catholic Church in the US, along with our government. I personally believe that Pope Leo will be a Pope for the people caring especially for the poor and the immigrants.
In one of my short trips I went to Honduras on a mission trip. The poverty of the poor is beyond anything we can truly understand. I watched small children digging in the city dumps to find plastic bottles and aluminum cans to sell so they could buy something to eat. On one of my trips we were asked to bring tooth brushes, combs, pencils to give to the children so they could trade for food. Feeding and helping these forgotten peoples were what had made our country great, but no longer. Years ago we had wrist bands that had the phrase “What would Jesus Do?”, our country has for the most part, has forgotten that Jesus fed the hungry.
Whether people like Pope Leo XIV or not, I believe that he will continue to speak for the poor, the homeless and the immigrants. Remember the Holy Family was poor, fled leaving their home behind as they became immigrants in a foreign land.
Anyone interested in being on parish council please contact me at 417-831-3565
NO COFFEE AND DONUTS ‘TIL FALL
Coffee & Donuts will take a summer break. St Agnes would like to thank Fran Overboe for her generosity in preparing the coffee almost every Sunday so that fellow parishioners could come together after the 8:00 AM Mass! We will resume coffee & donuts in August. We are also looking for a few more volunteers who might be able to sub to help prepare the coffee! Please call the office if you would like to volunteer!
Volunteers needed:
St. Agnes Cathedral is looking for a few more faith filled people who might be willing to help with Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) on a substitute basis. Individuals do need to be Virtus trained. Contact the parish office if interested.
BABY DIAPERS WANTED!
Please help St. Vincent de Paul gather diapers to donate to the needy. We will be collecting them from May 25th through June 8th. Bring unopened packs of diapers of any size to the parish office. Call the front office at (417) 831-3565 with any questions.
Dear Parishioners,
Here is what happens upon the death of the ruling pope. Before the election of a new pope, most of the cardinals who lead the Vatican’s
administration called the Roman Curia, will leave their offices so a new pope can appoint his own staff. There are three exceptions:
the camerlengo, who takes charge of property and money matters; the vicar of Rome, who continues to provide for the pastoral
needs of the people of Rome; and the major penitentiary, the official who grants absolutions and dispensations.
Until a conclave to elect the new pope opens, cardinals in Rome will meet daily in a “general congregation” presided over by the
dean of the college. Attendance is optional for cardinals age 80 and over, and they do not vote in the conclave. All cardinals under
the age of 80 are eligible to vote for a new pope. There are 138 cardinals eligible as I am writing, to vote in a conclave to elect a
new pope, however 14 Cardinal electors will lose their right to vote this year due to age.
To ensure that electors in a papal conclave are sequestered, away from any outside influences, all voting cardinals are housed in the
Domus Sancta Martha (St. Martha’s House), a plain but capable $20 million hotel built just for this purpose by Pope John Paul II in
1996. Once the conclave begins, a cardinal-elector may leave only because of illness or other serious reason accepted by a majority
of his fellow cardinals. Everyone associated with a conclave—doctors, nurses, confessors, masters of liturgical ceremonies, sacristans
and various priest assistants, and housekeeping and catering staff—must swear never to tell anything they learn about the election.
A conclave opens in the morning with a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. In the afternoon, the cardinals, vested in scarlet robes, walk in
procession in order of seniority from the Pauline Chapel in the Apostolic Palace to the Sistine Chapel, to the chant of the ninth-century
Latin hymn, “Veni, Creator Spiritus.” The cardinals take an oath of secrecy. They swear to accept no interference in the election and
to observe the rules set down in the Apostolic Constitution on the election of a pope.
Following a meditation by a priest, whom the cardinals have chosen earlier, voting can begin immediately or the next morning. The
cardinals walk to the altar, one by one, holding the ballot aloft. Each cardinal kneels briefly to pray and on rising declares, “I call as
my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge that my vote is given to the one whom, before God, I think should be elected.” He
then places the ballot on a plate which covers a receptacle, usually a chalice. Lifting the paten, he allows the ballot to drop into the
receptacle.
The ballots are counted and if the number of ballots is correct, the scrutineers begin the count seated at a table in front of the altar.
The first scrutineer unfolds each ballot, silently notes the name written on it, and hands it to the second scrutineer who does the same,
and hands it on to the third scrutineer who reads the name aloud and records it. At the end of the count, the scrutineers announce the
total number of votes each candidate has received. The candidate who has received two-thirds of the votes of those present is elected
pope.
Thank you to all the ministers, choirs, musicians, decorators and everyone else who helped make our Lenten and
Easter celebrations beautiful.