WYD Fundraiser for Steven Stapleton

One of our classmates, Steven, is participating in a fund raiser for his travels to Australia for World Youth Day. On April 20th, St. John Neumann will be hosting a movie and dinner night at St. John Neumann Church in Canton. For just $10, you can bring your family, have a bowl of quality, home-made soup and watch a movie about the
life of John Paul II.

Attending this movie and dinner night would be a great way to support Steven and have a great time!

Quotes from Golf Champion

Interesting quotes from the Master's Golf tournament champion...

Johnson, who describes himself as “just a normal guy,” from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is married and has a three-month-old son.

“My Christian faith is very important to me,” Johnson said. “It was very special to win the Masters golf tournament on Easter Sunday. I am very blessed. I would like to thank God. I felt Jesus Christ with me on the golf course every step of the way.”

“Being Easter, my goal was to glorify God and hopefully I did that today,” he said, crediting PGA Tour chaplain Larry Moody, of Search Ministry, for the weekly Bible study that Johnson said allowed him to remain peaceful during the final round, reported the Baptist Press April 9.

“On the 18th green, seeing my wife and our new baby, my parents and brother, I started to get emotional,” Johnson said. “I tried to stay in the moment and just started praying.”

Box Bar Theology

S.E. Michigan theology on tap this week
I might be attending this local theology-on-tap this week. I've been to a couple of these events before and found them very enjoyable (and even a little educational):

Theology on Tap: Back by popular demand! For young adults!

Thursday, April 12th, 2007 8:00pm - 11:00pm

The topic will be RESURRECTION! THE FRUITS OF THE CROSS IN DAILY WORK. Topic to be presented by Sr. John Dominic Rasmussen O.P., Co-Founder of Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.

Event will be held at Box Bar 777 W. Ann Arbor Trail Plymouth, MI 48170.

Contact Jeremy Priest for further information at 231-392-2652 or at jpriest@madonna.edu

Must be 21 with I.D. to be served alcohol.

Catholic Heart Attack

A man suffered a serious heart attack and had open heart bypass surgery. He wakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at a Catholic hospital As he was recovering, a nun asked him questions regarding how he would like to pay for his treatment. She asked if he had health insurance.

He replied, in a raspy voice, "No health insurance."

The nun asked if he had money in the bank.

He replied, "No money in the bank."

The nun asked, "Do you have a relative who could help you?"

He said, "I only have a spinster sister, who is a nun."

The nun became agitated and announced loudly, "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God."

The patient replied, "Send the bill to my brother in law.

Help Brandon Get to WYD 2008

Spiritual Warfare : Faith and Fiction

Presented by

Father Ron Browne and Father John Riccardo

Friday, April 27, 2007 at 7:30 pm

St Gerald Parish and Social Hall
21300 Farmington Road
Farmington MI

$20 per person or $40 per family

Childcare provided free of charge

Contact Brandon Ekblad at jekblad11@comcast.net or 734-446-1995 for tickets. This is a World Youth Day fundraiser event. Tickets on sale through April 20, 2007

God Bless!!

Next Meeting 4/19/07

This is a Palm Pilate






This is what I call Palm Sunday



Remember, next meeting is on April 19 in Rooms 19-23 at 7:30 and we are on Lesson 17.

Seminarian Brian Buckley to Give Conversion Story

Mark your calendars for April 19th for Brian Buckley's testimony. Brian is in his second year in theology and will be ordained in two years, God willing.

Passion Lesson Available

St. Thomas a'Becket Scripture Study is going to take a 5-week retreat and study the Passion Story Narratives.

Starting March 1, we will start our study and journey with Jesus from the Mt. of Olives right to Calvary. STAB CSS has the 5-week study notes, questions, answers, etc. and a copy will be made available for every student. What is different about this study is instead of watching a DVD of Fr. Winslow, we will watch a portion of the movie, The Passion of the Christ. Each DVD segment will correspond to the pertinent lesson.

Click below for each of the five lessons on The Passion of the Christ.

Lesson 1, Lesson 2, Lesson 3, Lesson 4, Lesson 5

Interesting Quote From Head of Italian Bishops

The question is: Should the Church get involved in Politics or should the "public square" be completely secular?

The Italian Bishop, Bagnasco, 64, said in an interview "Secularism is civil and political autonomy in relation to the religious sphere but not in relation to the moral sphere."

In other words, in the arena of the moral law, the secular voice has no authority.

Attention Battlestar Fan

Lt. Kara Thrace aka Starbuck
I can't believe that she's gone.

Fr. Mathew to Speak

Fr. Mathew

Fr. Mathew will give a short talk to the St. Thomas a'Becket Catholic Scripture Study this Thursday, March 8, 2007. Please remember the poor and bring nonperishable food for the St. Vincent De Paul Society.

Passion Lesson 2 Worksheet

Jesus Before the Chief Priests


Click below for Passion Lesson 2 Worksheet

Passion Lesson 2 Worksheet

What is Truth?

Jesus Before Pilate
Please join us as we continue our 5-week journey of Jesus’ Passion, The Story of Redemptive Suffering. This week, we read about “Jesus before the Chief Priests.” Jesus was accused of blasphemy, a crime punishable by death. But Roman law at that time forbids the Jewish people to execute criminals. That’s why Jesus was taken to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. Next week, we look at Pilate’s famous statement, “What is Truth?”

If you are interested in attending, please contact Mark Stapleton at (734) 495-9956 or email him at: mstapletonpe@yahoo.com so we can get you a study guide free of charge.

John Paul II Relic and Prayer Cards

The congregation for saints has launched their cause for sainthood for John Paul II. As part of this campaign, they are making prayer cards and second class relics available for the asking. Of course, these are free of charge since you can't sell relics.

email to:

postulazione.giovannipaoloii@vicariatusurbis.org

Win a Rosary!!

Remember, The first person who explains to the class on Thursday the Jewish Tradition on how Lucifer became the devil will win a handmade all-twine knotted rosary complete with instructions on how to say the rosary. The answer can be found on this blog (check the Archives section).

Passion Lesson 1 Worksheet

Click below for the Passion Lesson 1 Worksheet

Passion Lesson 1 Worksheet

Passion Lesson Available

Come and Get It!!


If you need a hard copy of the Passion Lessons, there are 10 copies available in the Parrish office. Please feel free to pick up a copy. If you would rather download the lesson, please see the relevant post below.

Fr. Mathew's Wisdom

Fr. Mathew

From this week's Chancellor. These words of Fr. Mathew's really touched me.

Fasting is one of the ancient practices linked to Lent. Even in the basic level it helps us to know how it feels to be hungry. We spend
most of our time enjoying our material needs. As we give up food
for few hours it helps to remind us to think about our spiritual life,
which is more important than our material life. Often Lent’s meaning
has been reduced to the level of giving up something for the sake of doing it. Fasting should be linked to our concern for those who are
forced to fast by their poverty, those who suffer from the injustices of
economic and political structures, and those who are ‘in need’ for any
reason. God speaks to us through prophet Isaiah: “This, rather, is the
fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke;
sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the
homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.” (Is. 58: 6-7). Almsgiving is a sign of our care for
those in need and also an expression of our gratitude for
everything God has given to us. Whatever we have, we received as
a gift from God. It is our responsibility to share those material riches with those who cannot afford to have the basic needs of human life.

Father Mathew will be joining our class on March 8th.

CSS During Lent

During this season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, STAB CSS has decided to participate indeed. In lieu of treats and coffee for ourselves during the Lenten portion of our study sessions, we will dedicate ourselves to bringing in food for the poor to class - especially boxed (not so much canned) goods.

Please consider bringing dry goods to the Lenten meetings. Deborah has volunteered to track our donation overall and report back to the group what we accomplish!

Lesson 16 Worksheet

Click below for Lesson 16 Worksheet.

Lesson 16 Worksheet