Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Times

January 29, 2023

The Beatitudes

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

Special thanks to all who participated and attended the last VIRTUS session.  The next VIRTUS session, "Protecting God's Children" will be in the Parish Office on February 4th, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.   I ask that all parents and anyone who has any contact with children please attend this next session on Saturday Feb. 4, 2023.  This is a requirement of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and the National Office of Catholic Bishops.  Thanks for your understanding and participation.  Also, anyone who has already been VIRTUS trained, please make sure you are up to date current with your online monthly bulletins.

Mark your calendars for a special fashion FUN Raiser.  The Centennial Fashion Show is Saturday, Feb. 18th, starting at 2 p.m.  This is a Centennial event that has had a great team of volunteers, along with the help of Karen Carter as the leader and a host of special parishioner models to add to the fun.  Special foods will be provided and catered for this FUN event.  Please attend.

Thank you Igor Amouzouvi, who has volunteered to train and support our St. Elizabeth Altar Servers.  All youngsters who have made their First Holy Communion are eligible to sign up and learn to be an Altar Server. Your help is needed.  I would like to have three servers at the 10 a.m. Mass and 1 or 2 for the 8:30 a.m. Mass. 

Next week, we start Black History Month.  We are honored to have Msgr. Walter Barrett to celebrate our Mass next week, Feb. 5, 2023 at the 8:30 a.m. Mass.  Please, if possible, get up early and join Msgr. Barrett for the 8:30 Mass next Sunday, Feb. 5th.

+ Fr. Jim Arsenault, Pastor

~ Image Source

It Happened at Mass Today! January 29, 2023 ~ Photos by Lula Lamb

 This Happened at Mass Today!

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 29, 2023

Virtus Training Completed!
Receiving their Certificates!

Remembering St. Blaise Day
Blessing of the Throats

Senator Tim Kaine addressing the Church!

Tim presents Fr. Jim with An American Flag
That has been flown over the U.S. Capitol
In Honor of St. Elizabeth Church Centennial!

~ Photos by Lula Lamb

Misc. Photos from Mass at St. Elizabeth Church - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - January 22, 2023 - Photos by Lula Lamb

 Misc. Photos

Mass at St. Elizabeth Church

January 22, 2023

~ Photos by Lula Lamb

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - January 22, 2023

 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 22, 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

As a Catholic Church, we have the duty and obligation to educate our youth in the Catholic Faith and prepare all the young faithful for the Sacraments of the Church.

We have been blessed to have Liz Wiznerowicz as our director of faith formation; however, the last two years have been a challenge with COVID and conducting Religious Education via Zoom.  Many children are not meeting in class or on Zoom.  We need families to register with the parish so we can contact you using email, phone and text messages to attend faith formation.  

We thank Liz for her love for the children and outstanding teaching skills.  As well as her special passion to help our newest families with our Saturday school and summer school programs. But Liz needs our help.  Parents, you can help by making sure your children attend our Sunday classes at 11:15 a.m. in the parish office.  High school students will meet this Sunday at Holy Rosary at 2 p.m.  We also need at least one parent volunteer for classes each Sunday.  Please see this bulletin's insert for a Religious Ed Calendar.

So far, we have a few folks who have volunteered to help with religious education.  They are Deacon Chris, David Woodburn and Denise Letendre.

We are thrilled to welcome Erin Cleary as part-time Religious Education Administer. Erin has years of experience in Catholic Education as a student, over 2 years as a Youth Leader/teacher and a team member of the Life Teen Program.  Erin has attended Saint Gertrude High School and is a graduate of East Carolina University.  We welcome Erin Cleary to our staff.  To contact Erin, email:  ecleary@stelizcc.org 

All adults are called to model our faith by faithful attendance at Mass and teaching our children and grandchildren the fundamentals of our faith:  the Sign of the Cross, Our Father and Hail Mary, and the basics of the Mass and Sacraments of the Church.

+ Fr. Jim Arsenault, Pastor   

~ Image Source

Fr. Jim's Jots - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 15, 2023

 The Baptism of Jesus

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 15, 2023

FR. JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!

We are back to "the wearing of the Green" also known as Ordinary Time.  Lent starts with Ash Wednesday on February 22nd. Mass for the distribution of Ashes will be at 6 p.m.  Please mark your calendars.

Thanks to those who have volunteered to be a Religious Education teacher/helper.  We are in need of a few more folks to help our young people learn our faith.  This is a very limited time commitment, but the rewards are limitless.  Our children need your help.  Many are from households where English is a second language, so more volunteers are needed to help teach the basics - the "Sign of the Cross, the Hail Mary, and the Our Father".  It is also a great way to meet our new families and some truly wonderful kids eager to learn.

All adults are asked to look on the Catholic Diocese of Richmond or VIRTUS website and sign up for our VIRTUS session for "Protecting God's Children".  To sign up, please visit www.virtusonline.org/virtus.  Click on "First Time Registrant" to register.  For more information, please see this Sunday's Bulletin Insert.

Sadly, another Priest has died - Fr. Stephen McNally, who was assigned to two parishes near Roanoke, VA.  His funeral will be Tuesday, January 17th, at noon at Our Lady of Nazareth in Roanoke.  I will be leaving on Monday, January 16th to spend the day in Blacksburg visiting friends from my former parish.  Please pray for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and our priests.  This has been a difficult time.

Also, we are having a Parish Council meeting this Thursday, January 19th.  You can always contact your parish council representative to get a new item or topic of concern on the agenda.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim Arsenault

Pastor

~ Image Source

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday - January 15, 2023 - Lighting a Candle - St. Elizabeth Church ~ Photos by Lula Lamb

 St. Elizabeth Church

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday

January 15, 2023

Lighting a Candle

~ Photos by Lula Lamb

Fr. Jim's Jots - Feast of the Epiphany - January 8, 2023

Feast of the Epiphany

January 8, 2023

 

FR. JIM'S JOTS

Happy New Year and may the Lord bless you and your family and friends with good health and a peaceful 2023 year.

The Office of Black Catholics for the Diocese of Richmond has appointed a new Director, Fr. Tochi Iwuji.  His email is tiwuji@richmonddiocese.org. Fr. Tochi started this assignment January 1, 2023.  We give thanks for Msgr. Walter Barrett who came out of retirement and was the Director of the Office of Black Catholics during this interim period.

A Day of Reflection will be held on March 18, 2023 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Glen Allen.  The day of reflection will be facilitated by Sr. Cora Marie Billings.  The Office of Black Catholics is inviting African American and African Immigrant parishioners to participate in this Diocesan Day of Reflection.  If you are interested, please contact the Office of Black Catholics at 804-622-5241 or email obc@richmonddiocese.org.

We need your help.  If you have not registered with the parish, please do so.  There are purple folders in the back of church with registration forms and other helpful registration information.  Also, if you have moved, changed emails or added a child to your home, please contact the parish office with updated information.

Blessings in 2023,

Fr. Jim Arsenault

Pastor

~ Image Source

FR. JIM'S JOTS - New Year's Day 2023 - Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God - January 1, 2023

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

January 1, 2023

 

FR. JIM'S JOTS

Blessings and Happy New Year!

Prayer for Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

St. Francis of Assisi

+ Fr. Jim

~ Image Source

Baptism of Kurt Andrew - 10 a.m. Mass at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - New Year's Day - January 1, 2023

 Kurt Andrew Baptism

10 a.m. Mass

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

January 1, 2023

Baptism

Choir

 ~ Photos taken from Zoom