Saint Agnes Saint Agnes

From the Pastor’s Desk:

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. God’s actions are seen, understood and accepted through our faith.

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. God’s actions are seen, understood and accepted through our faith.

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

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED at LIFEHOUSE CRISIS MATERNITY HOME

LifeHouse is bursting at the seams with 15 residents, ten babies, and four toddlers! Ladies, if you have a heart for holding babies and the occasional three-year-old, we have daytime, evening, and weekend hours available. Also, with so many residents who need to go to various appointments, we urgently need transportation volunteers

LifeHouse is bursting at the seams with 15 residents, ten babies, and four toddlers! Ladies, if you have a heart for holding babies and the occasional three-year-old, we have daytime, evening, and weekend hours available. Also, with so many residents who need to go to various appointments, we urgently need transportation volunteers. If you have a few hours per week or month to help our mothers and babies, please get in touch with Jill Guise at 417-720-4213 or jguise@ccsomo.org. Thank you!

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EASTER EGG HUNT TIME is here!

Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held Easter Sunday morning. March 31st at 11:00 AM! The Hunt will be held on the soccer field! The Easter Bunny will be joining us as well. ALL are welcome, but please be on time because we will start promptly at 11:00 AM.

Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held Easter Sunday morning. March 31st at 11:00 AM! The Hunt will be held on the soccer field! The Easter Bunny will be joining us as well. ALL are welcome, but please be on time because we will start promptly at 11:00 AM. In case of rain, the Hunt will be held in the St. Agnes gym. Pray for good weather. We are still asking for donations of wrapped Easter candy to fill the eggs. If you would like to bring the plastic eggs already stuffed, that is great too. We can use people to help "hide" the eggs on Easter morning. This is a great opportunity for youth to get some service hours for a fun event. Call Iris at the parish office or email ibounds@sta-cathedral.org.

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First Communion

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.

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

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From the Pastor’s Desk:

Each day we make hundreds of choices.  Some of those choices involve making a moral decision.  How do we make that decision?  Is it the same way as choosing which shirt or blouse to wear that day?  In making a moral decision, we are called to follow our conscience.  Our conscience is actually our sense of the moral goodness or evil of something.  Each of us has a duty to listen to God, to listen to the facts, to discern right from wrong, and finally, the responsibility to choose what is right.  Morality is the “rightness or wrongness of an action.”

Each day we make hundreds of choices.  Some of those choices involve making a moral decision.  How do we make that decision?  Is it the same way as choosing which shirt or blouse to wear that day?  In making a moral decision, we are called to follow our conscience.  Our conscience is actually our sense of the moral goodness or evil of something.  Each of us has a duty to listen to God, to listen to the facts, to discern right from wrong, and finally, the responsibility to choose what is right.  Morality is the “rightness or wrongness of an action.”

 

The question arises, especially in our society today, “How do we form our conscience?”  Our conscience is formed by our faith in God and in God’s teachings.  For the Muslim, conscience is formed through the Quran.  For the Jew, conscience is formed through the Old Testament.  For the Christian, the conscience is formed through Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament, and for the Catholic Christian, our conscience is formed through Jesus’ teachings along with 2000 years of Catholic teachings.  Unfortunately in our society today many let the internet or society decide the rightness or wrongness of an issue.

 

When we look at moral issues today, many of these issues may not have been present at the time of Christ or the early church.  However, there are issues that may have been close to, or of the same area.  There were no nuclear weapons before the 1940s, but even in the Roman Empire, in the time of the Crusades, there were terrible wars that caused complete destruction of civilizations, even genocide.  When the Catholic Church makes a decision on the morality of an issue such as abortion or gay marriage, it does not make that decision quickly or easily.  Part of the study of that issue is to look to the past.  What did the early church— the church that was coming from Christ through the Apostles— have to say on that issue or an issue close to it?  The Catholic Church struggles in looking at the morality of certain issues, and sometimes the Church and her Bishops must make unpopular decisions concerning those issues.

 

What we cannot allow is for modern society to form our conscience.  Neither can we allow politicians or even courts of law to form our conscience.  All of these change as the winds of time blow.  For years our society has been driven by the news media and Hollywood.  Now in the technological age it is driven by social media and our society centers around the “me, myself, and I” attitude.  Thus, we have continued to have a huge percentage of divorces since the 1990s. We have huge debts that destroy companies and threaten even our government.  Major banks and companies have gone into bankruptcy.  We have become a consumer society that has spent our children’s future.  We do not need everything shown on the internet.  We do not need to continue to have the biggest, fastest, and newest of everything.

 

The Church not only has the right, it has the obligation to speak out on moral issues.  If the Church remains silent from the pulpit, it becomes only a feel-good organization of service and does not follow in the footsteps of our founder, JESUS CHRIST.  As you study the issues on the upcoming ballot in November, and as you look at those who are running, ask yourself one question: “What would Jesus do?”

 

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BREAKFAST

The Knights did not serve our monthly breakfast in February due to our efforts for the fish fry.  However, this month we are back.  Breakfast (pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, etc.) will be served on March 17th after the 8:00 AM Mass.  Please come join us.

The Knights did not serve our monthly breakfast in February due to our efforts for the fish fry.  However, this month we are back.  Breakfast (pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, etc.) will be served on March 17th after the 8:00 AM Mass.  Please come join us.

 

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CONFIRMATION

Congratulations to our young people who were Confirmed at the 5:00 Mass  on  March 3rd by Bishop Edward Rice!  Congratulations to

Congratulations to our young people who were Confirmed at the 5:00 Mass  on  March 3rd by Bishop Edward Rice!  Congratulations to Aubrey Bettinger, Leah Hicks, Noah Hicks, Madison Hoang, Andrew Jones, Augustine Jones, Julius Kuria, Griffy Laney, Alex Nguyen, Alexis Nguyen, Annabelle Nguyen, Melody Nguyen, Thien Phong Pham, Lucas Todd, Gavin Williams and Ryan Wilson.  Chloe Auzias de Turenne and Marcus Johnson will be confirmed during the Easter Vigil Mass.  We thank our teachers, Rosemary Driscoll, Troy Cronkhite and Sister Grace Nguyen, CMR for helping to prepare these young people for Confirmation. We also thank Kevin Otradovec, Ryan Villapiano. Lynn Vogel and our choirs for helping to make the Liturgy so beautiful!  A special thank you to all those who also helped with the reception.  Please keep these young people, their families and sponsors in your prayers as they continue their faith journey.  As Bishop Rice said in his homily, remember this simple prayer, "Come Holy Spirit!"

 

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EASTER  EGG HUNT

Easter Egg Time: St Agnes will again sponsor the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday March 31st at 11:00 AM. We could not make this event happen without the donations of wrapped candy! We also will need volunteers to help “hide” the eggs on Easter morning. Bring all donations to the parish office or contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org if you would like to volunteer. Thanks so much!!

Easter Egg Time: St Agnes will again sponsor the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday March 31st at 11:00 AM. We could not make this event happen without the donations of wrapped candy! We also will need volunteers to help “hide” the eggs on Easter morning. Bring all donations to the parish office or contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org if you would like to volunteer. Thanks so much!!

 

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From the Pastor’s Desk:

We are already weeks past from ASH WEDNESDAY as we celebrate the third Sunday of LENT. Lent is a time of prayer, penance and of course fasting. We all know about these three, but we may get lazy about half the way through the season and ask ourselves if it is important or even worth it. Perhaps we even ask ourselves, “why do anything at all?” Lent is a special season that is meant to be noticed. It is meant to make an impact upon us. However to make an impact we have to do something.

We are already weeks past from ASH WEDNESDAY as we celebrate the third Sunday of LENT. Lent is a time of prayer, penance and of course fasting. We all know about these three, but we may get lazy about half the way through the season and ask ourselves if it is important or even worth it. Perhaps we even ask ourselves, “why do anything at all?” Lent is a special season that is meant to be noticed. It is meant to make an impact upon us. However to make an impact we have to do something.

Within the Catholic Church there is such a richness of prayer. Prayer forms are found in either private or communal and within either there is a large variety. Within the communal during Lent we have two daily masses and the Stations of the Cross on Fridays evening concluding with Adoration and Benediction. There is always private prayer through Sacred Scripture as well as the opportunity to stop by and visit with our Eucharistic Lord from 9am to 6 pm each day. Take the time, make the time for added prayer.

Penance is something that we Americans do not like to hear about. We look at it as a punishment. That is a misconception. Penance is an action that is to be used to help us look deep within ourselves and change ourselves to become more like Christ. In our penance we are to pay more attention to God and the things of God. In the past, people thought of Lent as a personal retreat, forty days to get in spiritual shape by Easter. The opening prayer of the liturgy on Ash Wednesday spelled out clearly the proper meaning of the Season of Lent, “Father in heaven, the light of your truth bestows sight to the darkness of sinful eyes. May this season of repentance bring us the blessing of your forgiveness and the gift of your light.” If we make the Lenten journey with open hearts and minds, we will arrive at the tomb and see that it is surrounded by the light of the resurrected Christ.

Fasting also is a concept that we Americans do not want to hear. We have so much and take so much for granted, that fasting has a negative response for many people. When we fast we are denying ourselves to physically identify with the poor who have so little. The difference is that we can go to our refrigerators or freezers, whereas the poor may not even have a refrigerator. By denying ourselves wine, steak, ice cream, soda, or candy we should then be able to have alms to give to the poor. Alms are not what we give in the Sunday collection. Alms are the extra we give to help the poor. The discipline of Lent is to help us become more aware of others around us. To make us ready to be present at the empty tomb on Easter with more than an Easter basket full of candy. Let us have full hearts of God’s love.

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St Vincent de Paul Society

Thank you to all who have supported St Vincent

de Paul Society during this past year. We have

assisted the Well of Life and Crosslines each

month. Also, we have provided 224 gas

vouchers, 1, 920 bus passes, and have given

utility assistance to 135 families, many of whom were in

crisis. Your generosity is making it possible for us to serve so

many people in need. Thank you.

Thank you to all who have supported St Vincent

de Paul Society during this past year. We have

assisted the Well of Life and Crosslines each

month. Also, we have provided 224 gas

vouchers, 1, 920 bus passes, and have given

utility assistance to 135 families, many of whom were in

crisis. Your generosity is making it possible for us to serve so

many people in need. Thank you.

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EASTER EGG HUNT

Ladies! Mark your calendars! St Agnes Cathedral invites you to a morning of Reflection, Saturday March 23rd. Bishop Emeritus John Leibrecht will be our featured speaker. The morning will begin with the Sacrifice of the Mass at 9:00 AM in the chapel. The morning will continue with Reflections on Women of the Bible, discussion, fellowship & of course good food.

Ladies! Mark your calendars! St Agnes Cathedral invites you to a morning of Reflection, Saturday March 23rd. Bishop Emeritus John Leibrecht will be our featured speaker. The morning will begin with the Sacrifice of the Mass at 9:00 AM in the chapel. The morning will continue with Reflections on Women of the Bible, discussion, fellowship & of course good food. All ages are invited! Invite your friends from other parishes & anyone who may want to hear a positive message from Bishop John! What a wonderful way to begin Holy Week! We do ask that you call to let us know how many will be attending. You can RSVP by calling the parish office at 831-3565!

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EASTER EGG HUNT

Easter Egg Time: St Agnes will again sponsor the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday March 31st at 11:00 AM. We could not make this event happen without the donations of plastic eggs & wrapped candy! Please feel free to recycle all those Easter eggs you may have in your home! We also appreciate it when you fill those eggs before you bring them in.

Easter Egg Time: St Agnes will again sponsor the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday March 31st at 11:00 AM. We could not make this event happen without the donations of plastic eggs & wrapped candy! Please feel free to recycle all those Easter eggs you may have in your home! We also appreciate it when you fill those eggs before you bring them in. We also will need volunteers to help “hide” the eggs on Easter morning. Bring all donations to the parish office or contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org if you would like to volunteer. Thanks so much!!

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From the Pastor’s Desk:

We already find ourselves beginning the second week of Lent. Are we walking with Jesus on the road to Calvary? What are we doing to make a difference in our spiritual lives? Lent is that time to look deep within ourselves to become a better person knowing that he suffered and died for us because of our sinfulness.

Pope Francis has given some suggestions if you have not already decided on what to give up or fast from during the Lenten Season.

We already find ourselves beginning the second week of Lent. Are we walking with Jesus on the road to Calvary? What are we doing to make a difference in our spiritual lives? Lent is that time to look deep within ourselves to become a better person knowing that he suffered and died for us because of our sinfulness.

Pope Francis has given some suggestions if you have not already decided on what to give up or fast from during the Lenten Season.

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.

Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and trust in God.

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to be a better person. Use one or two of the above suggestions from the Holy Father this Lenten Season.

I want to thank everyone who gave on Ash Wednesday to help us minister to the Poor. Our Lenten Alms Boxes will be at the doors of the Cathedral throughout Lent. PRAYER, FASTING & ALMSGIVING. Celebrate Lent by living your faith.

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THE MIRROR SUBSCRIPTION

It’s that time of the year again! The Diocese will send us a bill in the coming weeks for each St. Agnes parishioner to receive the weekly newspaper. Each subscription is $14.00. Last year’s bill was $8,498.00 . Parishioner contributions this year so far are 1,793.25 Please be sure to use your Mirror envelope and if possible include gift subscriptions for parishioners who may not be able to afford theirs.

It’s that time of the year again! The Diocese will send us a bill in the coming weeks for each St. Agnes parishioner to receive the weekly newspaper. Each subscription is $14.00. Last year’s bill was $8,498.00 . Parishioner contributions this year so far are 1,793.25 Please be sure to use your Mirror envelope and if possible include gift subscriptions for parishioners who may not be able to afford theirs.

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Camp Renewal

Camp Renewal Registration for 2024 has begun; Camp

Renewal will be celebrating 50 years here in the

diocese. Children who will be entering the 5th grade-9th

grade are eligible to attend. Youth in 10 grade or

above are needed to serve as camp

Camp Renewal Registration for 2024 has begun; Camp

Renewal will be celebrating 50 years here in the

diocese. Children who will be entering the 5th grade-9th

grade are eligible to attend. Youth in 10 grade or

above are needed to serve as camp

counselors. Registration forms are available in the parish

office, the school or in the cathedral. You can also

register online by going to https://

dioscg.formstack.com/form/camp re new all. Some

sessions fill up quickly so do not wait too long.

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Easter Egg Time:

Easter Egg Time: St Agnes will again sponsor the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday March 31st at 11:00 AM. We could not make this event happen without the donations of plastic eggs & wrapped candy! Please feel free to recycle all those Easter eggs you may have in your home!

Easter Egg Time: St Agnes will again sponsor the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday March 31st at 11:00 AM. We could not make this event happen without the donations of plastic eggs & wrapped candy! Please feel free to recycle all those Easter eggs you may have in your home! We also appreciate it when you fill those eggs before you bring them in. We also will need volunteers to help “hide” the eggs on Easter morning. Bring all donations to the parish office or contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org if you would like to volunteer. Thanks so much!!

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From the Pastor’s Desk:

Many Christian denominations observe the Season of Lent, but do they, do we truly understand the season.  In the first three centuries of Christianity, most Christians prepared for Easter by fasting and praying for three days.  It did vary from city to city.  In Rome the length of preparation was three weeks.  The word Lent comes from the Middle English word LENTEN, meaning springtime, the time of lengthening days. 

Many Christian denominations observe the Season of Lent, but do they, do we truly understand the season.  In the first three centuries of Christianity, most Christians prepared for Easter by fasting and praying for three days.  It did vary from city to city.  In Rome the length of preparation was three weeks.  The word Lent comes from the Middle English word LENTEN, meaning springtime, the time of lengthening days.  In both the Old and New Testaments there can be found “doing penance”.  In its early three week time, Lent was the period of intense spiritual and liturgical preparation for catechumens before they were baptized at the Easter Vigil and many of the members of the Christian community walked with the catechumens.  Over the centuries Lent developed like all liturgical seasons to the season we recognize today.

 

The forty days developed because it is the length of the fast and temptation of Jesus in the desert.  Also in part of our early Christian past many practiced the forty day time frame of fasting beginning right after Epiphany, a time which stressed prayer and penance. 

 

Once Christianity became widespread and most people were baptized as infants, Lent lost the connection to the preparation of catechumens.  However, the themes of repentance and fasting became the dominant them of Lent.  The II Vatican Council restored the order of catechumens and most adult converts to Catholicism are baptized at the Easter Vigil, thus the early Church’s baptismal meaning of Lent has once again become important.

 

The celebration of Ash Wednesday comes from the late third to the early fourth centuries and traditionally begins the Season of Lent.  Scholars and theologians continue to “discuss” when Lent actually begins and ends.  Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are not a part of Lent, they are the special days called the Triduum.  That would mean Lent ends at sunset on Holy Thursday evening.

 

In celebrating the Season of Lent, we are to fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays.  Fasting means to limit food to one full meal on those days with the other two meals being much smaller.  Abstinence means not eating meat, although fish is allowed.

 

Walk with the Lord this Lenten Season in Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving for the Poor.

 

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Knight Meeting:  Our monthly meeting will be this Tuesday, Feb. 20th, 7:00 PM, in the Dining Room portion of the cafeteria.  We will talk about the weekend's fish fry, membership, dues, etc.  Please join us.

Knight Meeting:  Our monthly meeting will be this Tuesday, Feb. 20th, 7:00 PM, in the Dining Room portion of the cafeteria.  We will talk about the weekend's fish fry, membership, dues, etc.  Please join us.

 

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Ladies of the Parish:

Mark your calendars for the "Morning of Reflection" to be held on Sat, March 23 beginning at 9:00 AM.  Our featured speaker will be Bishop Emeritus John Leibrecht.  More details to follow;  Hope to see all of you there.

Mark your calendars for the "Morning of Reflection" to be held on Sat, March 23 beginning at 9:00 AM.  Our featured speaker will be Bishop Emeritus John Leibrecht.  More details to follow;  Hope to see all of you there.

 

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Steubenville 2024

Calling all high schoolers! In our ever-changing world, Jesus is the answer to the longing of our hearts for meaning, fulfillment, security, and love. Join hundreds of Catholic teens at Steubenville Mid-America on July 12-14, 2024 to be illuminated in the light of Christ. All rising freshmen in high school through rising freshmen in college are invited to attend this retreat with our group.

Calling all high schoolers! In our ever-changing world, Jesus is the answer to the longing of our hearts for meaning, fulfillment, security, and love. Join hundreds of Catholic teens at Steubenville Mid-America on July 12-14, 2024 to be illuminated in the light of Christ. All rising freshmen in high school through rising freshmen in college are invited to attend this retreat with our group.

Sign up with the QR link below by February 5th to save your spot!

Contact Ronnie Bohrer at rbohrer@sta-cathedral.org for more information.

 

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