Athens Catholic Teens (ACT) will be traveling to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky to work with a missionary priest for the 5th year in a row from July 16-20. We need your help to make this year a success. Please consider donating school supplies (for the students at the Mission school), New socks & kids/adult T-shirts (for the students at the Mission school), Gift cards to Wal-Mart or Lowe's (for food & supplies during our stay), gas cards (to help defray the cost of travel), and/or cases of water. The teens and our volunteers do everything from painting and building wheelchair ramps to cleaning and refurbishing structures around the town. Please drop off donations in the boxes marked in the vestibule at St. Paul or in the gathering space at Christ the King. Please contact Mary Catherine (mkennedy@athenscatholic.org) at the Parish Office for more information. Thank you for your continued support of ACT!
The Faith Build Coalition cleared just over $975 from the scrap metal drive. Thank you to all who contributed. Also, the dedication of the 53rd Habitat home in Southeast Ohio was held this past Friday. Congratulations to the Bolin family, the Faith Build Coalition, Habitat ReStore and all the volunteers for their hard work! The Habitat ReStore is always looking for volunteers. For more information contact Molly (restore@habitatseo.org or 589-5865). For those of you who have been wondering, the Taste of Athens is scheduled for November; details will be coming soon.
We need folks to deliver food to needy families in the area. The number of families in need of food has grown, so the need for more delivery people is more important than ever. During the month of February 2014, for example, VDP volunteers delivered food to 1,018 people in Athens County, a staggering number of people needing something as simple as food for their families! There are several delivery days available for anyone interested in volunteering. Training is easy, and the commitment usually is for once a month, every month, throughout the year. Please consider joining the St. Vincent de Paul Society in their mission to help the needy. Contact Kathy Baca for more information at 740-590-9965 or kathleenbaca@gmail.com
Parishes throughout the Diocese are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to the Basilica for the celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Patroness of the Diocese of Steubenville on Saturday, June 28, 2014. Confessions will be heard from 8:30 - 9:30 A.M. Mass will be offered by Bishop Jeffrey Monforton at 10:00 A.M. A continental breakfast in the Basilica Social Hall will follow the Mass, and tours of the Basilica will be offered throughout the morning.
A note from Fr. Mark regarding the new altar at St. Paul, projects at both churches, and upcoming items this summer. (Click the title to read the full article.)
It is the time of year to enroll or re-enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards Program. The funds raised offset the amount of money needed from the parish for Religious Education. Visit http://www.krogercommunityrewards.com , click on "Columbus, OH" and click on "enroll" to register for the first time. To re-enroll, go to http://www.krogercommunityrewards.com and SIGN IN then follow the prompts. The Rewards Number for our parishes is 80963. THANK YOU to all who contributed to the fund by enrolling. From June 2013 to May 2014 we earned $3,416.00!
Join our seminarian Matthew Gossett as he leads us through a series to help foster a love of scripture while exploring the fundamentals of the spiritual life. The series will cover Lectio Divina, communal prayer (Liturgy of the Hours and the sacraments), and private prayer. The series will begin on Monday, June 16, at 10:00 AM in the Parish Center and will continue on Monday mornings through the end of July.
This week, we received a thank you from the Athens County Habitat for Humanity: "Thank you so much for your contribution to Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio. Your donation will help us provide homes for more families in need. Thank you for supporting affordable housing in Athens County!" -- Ken Oehlers
Childcare during the 10:00 AM Mass at Christ the King will resume on June 1 in the room just off the gathering space. This program is intended for children one to three years of age. Please contact Nancy Denhart for more information. Also, the 10:00 Faith Formation Program for the four-and five-year-olds will resume this Fall, 2014.
On Friday, June 6, members of the St. Francis Society will attend the 8:15 AM Mass at St. Paul Church. Following Mass, the group will travel to the Hocking Hills Market in Logan, and we will have lunch at the diner. All seniors (50 years of age and older ) as well as their spouses are invited to join us!
Thanks to the following volunteers who came to the recent Spring Clean-Up at Mt. Calvary Cemetery: Rick & Eileen Sirois, Ann Mulligan, Gary Schumacher, Renee Baum, Angela Cross, David Ingram and Dave Montle. We would also like to thank (CLC) - Carla Rosler and Trudy Montle for providing a healthy lunch for our volunteers. All did a great job in wrestling poison ivy, vines, branches, and tree limbs. In addition, a special thanks to John Lavelle. Last Tuesday, John and Rick trimmed the trees on the main road leading into the cemetery. On Wednesday, John returned and hauled several large piles of tree limbs to the compost area. John is 81 years young! Thanks for your work and dedication! We look forward to seeing you all again next spring.
We are looking for folks to deliver food to area needy. The number of families in need of food has grown, and so the need for more food delivery volunteers is more important than ever.... (Click the title to read more.)
We ask your prayers for Deacon Tom Nelson who will be ordained to the priesthood Friday, May 16 at 7:00 PM in Steubenville. Fr. Tom will celebrate his first Mass Sunday, May 18, 4:30 PM at St. Joseph Church in Ironton. Also, Fr. Tom will be celebrating Masses at Christ the King and St. Paul Churches on the weekend of May 24/25. To honor him, we will have a reception following the 5:00 PM Mass at CTK and a reception between the two morning Masses at St. Paul. Please plan to stop by and congratulate Fr. Tom!
The CLC will meet Monday, May 12 at the Parish Center at 6:30 PM. Please phone regrets to Jody, 797-2266, or Lori, 797-9040. The CLC is having a Pampered Chef Fundraiser following their meeting at 7:00 PM on Monday, May 12, in the Parish Center. The money we raise will go to help children's projects, ACT, and Vacation Bible School. Catalogs are available in the back of church. If you cannot attend, you can still order by visiting www.pamperedchef.biz/maryann2, look up CLC as the hostess, and place your order. Alternatively, you can call Mary Ann at 664-3632.
St. Paul Cemetery Clean Up is planned for Saturday, May 10 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Bring garden tools, gloves, shears, pruners, gas hedgers, chainsaws, pole saws, and wheelbarrows. A box lunch will be provided or BYO, and water (lunch will be eaten at the cemetery). RSVP to Wendy at the Parish Office as soon as possible, please! Rain date is May 17. Park at the top of the hill and slightly off the pavement to allow for movement of a small trailer.
Members of our Athens Catholic Teens and Ohio University Newman Catholic Community took part in the OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital Race for a Reason. The groups raised over $7,000 in donations toward their respective programs. The high school students will use the money to help pay for a trip to the summer youth conferences at Franciscan University of Steubenville and also for their annual mission trip to Paintsville, KY. The Newman Community is using the funds raised to help with the cost of a pilgrimage to Rome this coming January. Thanks to all who support campus and youth ministry in Athens!
During the month of May, the Rosary will be prayed 20 minutes prior to weekend Masses at Christ the King, and directly after the Sunday Masses at St. Paul. If you are interested in leading the rosary at CTK, please contact Carol Wasko (592-1778 or ccwasko@intelliwave.com).
We will have May Crowning on May 4 at both churches. All children of the parishes are invited to honor Mary the Mother of God by joining a procession to place flowers before her after she is crowned. Flowers will be provided or can be brought from your home. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to Mass. May Crowning at Christ the King is at the 10:00 AM mass, and at St. Paul at 11:30 AM Mass. The First Holy Communion children are encouraged to wear their First Holy Communion outfits.
On Sunday, April 13, beginning at 10:30 AM, the Religious Education program is sponsoring a special event to learn about and prepare for Holy Week. Each family will proceed through four stations: Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, Good Friday and Resurrection. There are three opportunities to participate in the Walk: 10:30 A.M, 10:45 A.M. or following the 10:00 Mass at 11:20 A.M. Registration is required, and can be found on the Religious Education page of the Parish website. The Resurrection station will also be the annual Easter Egg Hunt for the older students. All in the parish are invited to attend.
