FATHER JIM'S JOTS - St. Elizabeth Church - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - January 26, 2025

 St Elizabeth Church

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 26, 2025

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

During significant years or milestones, the church celebrates a jubilee.  Pope Francis has proclaimed 2025 to be a Jubilee Year with the theme:  Pilgrims of Hope.  We are called to be a people of hope.  I am asking all parish groups to think and pray about how we can put into action, perhaps monthly, a prayer, a service project, educational event or retreat centered around the message of Hope.

Sr. Anns James and Connie Hom are asking for help with brainstorming these ideas.  On the other page of this bulletin are more resources for the Jubilee Year as well as an invite to join a small group to help plan a possible Jubilee Event.  Very little time commitment is required and we hope that you will contact Connie so that all can be involved in this important celebration; not just our Parish but also the Universal Church.

The following is an excerpt from Pope Francis delivered on January 20, 2025:  Pope Francis calls President Trump's plans of mass deportation of immigrants "a disgrace."  The Pope made the comments during an evening talk show.  Pope Francis said he prayed that America would live up to its ideals of being a "land of opportunity and welcome for all."

Many U.S. bishops have firmly opposed Trump's deportation plan, with the incoming Archbishop of Washington D.C. Cardinal Robert McElroy saying such policies were "incompatible with Catholic doctrine,"  We as a church universal are committed to defending the rights of all people and protection of their human dignity.

Please join us to plan for our Jubilee Year so that we can be united to spread the Gospel Good News of Hope.

To read the entire article on Pope Francis' statement, please visit: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/pope-francis-calls-trumps-plans-of-mass-deportation-of-immigrants-a-disgrace 

To read the entire article on the USCCB's official statement, please visit: https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/executive-actions-will-subject-vulnerable-families-and-children-grave-danger-says-bishop 

If you have attended one of the Capital Campaign House Meetings that took place over December and January, please turn in your pledge card if you have not done so.  You can turn this in by mailing it to the Parish Office or via the collection on Sunday.  Please make sure that your pledge card is attached to your first initial contribution so that we can add it to our records.  You can pick up your pledge card on Sunday if you have not done so already.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim, Pastor 

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Fr. Jim's Jots - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - January 23, 2022

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 23, 2022

Fr. Jim's Jots

Greetings!

Special thanks to George Strother, Barbara Vaughan, Larry Williford and Cathy Woodson who have volunteered for years to make our past Jazz Festivals a huge success.  It's understandable that after years of this major task, all have let me know they no longer wish to or are not able to volunteer for the Jazz Festival in 2022.  All are asking for younger parishioners to volunteer and keep things going if possible.  I am sure all the former team members of the past Jazz Festivals will be a resource and give past materials and answer questions.

That being said, we are looking for new volunteers to help with the Jazz Festival of 2022!  Areas where volunteers are needed include:  hiring bands, creating a schedule of events for the day, ordering food trucks, security, set-up, clean-up, advertising, tickets and tickets sales, sponsors, booth creation, ice-cream truck, city permit to close street, beer and wine license, etc.

Wow!! That's a lot of work!! But if we do not get volunteers to help with the 2022 Jazz Festival, we will NOT be able to host this event.  If you are at all interested, please contact Fr. Jim at jarsenault@richmonddiocese.org or the parish office and leave me a voice message at 804-329-4599, ext. 11.

+Blessings for the New Year+

Fr. Jim

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