St. Thomas Aquinas Parish

New Translation of the Mass!

siteplan

"And with your spirit?!?" But we've been saying "And also with you," forever!

"Consubstantial with the father?!?" Where did that fancy word come from?

Confused about the changes at Mass? You are certainly not the only one.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled!" November 27th marked the beginning of the new liturgical year and the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal. Fortunately, there are booklets in the pews to assist you at Mass! And we understand that it will be a LONG time before we don't hear at least a few people replying "And also with you!" at Mass. But you may have questions and we are here to help:

Learn More Here

Preliminary Site Plan!

"My dear parishioners,

This letter shares some very important information with you! It is the result of much study, thought, and prayer on behalf of many people. It presents us with a very exciting, yet very challenging new goal for our parish, which I believe will give great glory to God and be of wonderful service to our parish for many years to come. Please give it a careful reading!"

msgr_sig_block4

- Msgr. Doug Raun

Looking to increase your biblical knowledge?

GA_logo Four new Great Adventure Bible Study Groups are forming soon! Click below for a class details and registration information!

Pastor's Corner - 2/5/2012

msgr3 My dear family,

Last Sunday in the bulletin was placed the brochure for our annual Parish Pilgrimage to the shrines of Italy, the home of so many of the great saints, and including a visit to the Eternal City of Rome. Every Catholic should try to visit the Capital; of the Church, the city of Sts. Peter and Paul, at least once in their life, to experience the Church in its living heart.

What will make this trip all the more wonderful is that we will be able to attend the Solemn High Mass in St. Peter's where our seminarian, Simon Carion, will be ordained deacon. This is a wonderful opportunity, and I hope many of you will be able to join us. If you need more information, just contact the parish office.

(Yes, I know that the brochure said that we will have an audience with Pope John Paul II. Now that would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience! :-) Of course it will be with Pope Benedict XVI - provided that he is in Rome at the time. This is what happens when you pastor recycles old programs without proofreading them as carefully as he should!)

**********

Simon's ordination is not the only ordination this year. On May 26th, two of our parishioners will be ordained at 10:00 am in the Cathedral in Santa Fe- Deacon Scott McKee to the priesthood, and Daniel Gutierrez to the deaconate. Plan ahead. Right now we have five seminarians from our parish - what a grace. Pray for them, and pray for more vocations!

**********

Next weekend I will be in Houston for the installation of Fr. Steenson as the Ordinary of the Angelicans-become-Catholics in the United States. I will be back Monday morning.

A blessed week,

msgr_sig_block4

Msgr. Doug Raun

Pastor's Corner - 1/29/2012

msgr3 My dear family,

Today we celebrate the feast of our beloved patron, St. Thomas Aquinas, in our parish. May our heavenly patron always intercede for us to have a deep faith in our Holy Catholic Church and in the Holy Eucharist.

**********

Today is also the start of Catholic Schools Week. One of the greatest blessings in our parish is our school. It is thanks to you that our wonderful facility is paid off, and that we have almost full enrollment in our school. We thank those parents who are able to make the sacrifice of giving their children the great gift of a Catholic education!

**********

This week we have two minor feast days - Thursday, Feb. 2, is the feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple - Candlemas Day. We will bless candles at the Masses on that day, and you are invited to bring your own candles to be blessed. Then Friday, Feb. 3rd, is the Feast of St. Blaise - we will have the traditional blessings of throats after all Masses.

A blessed week,

msgr_sig_block4

Msgr. Doug Raun

Pastor's Corner - 1/22/2012

msgr3 My dear family,

Today is the anniversary of the infamous Supreme Court decision known as "Roe v. Wade". It is a day for us to pray for the protection of all human life from conception until natural death, and to recommit ourselves to working for the culture of life to prevail in our time.

**********

Next Sunday we keep the feast of our beloved patron, Saint Thomas Aquinas, in our parish. As is our custom, the children from our school will be participating at all the Masses.

Also, as we do every year on our feast, our beloved Sisters will make an appeal for the financial support of the Religious Teachers Filippini. We all know how much our parish owes to the work of our sisters among us - I hope we will respond generously to the collection at the end of next Sunday's Mass.

**********

As you may have read about, our former vicar, Fr. Jeffery Steenson, the former Episcopal Bishop who was ordained a Catholic priest at our parish, has been appointed by our Holy Father the Pope as the first Ordinary for the former Episcopalians who have become Catholic in the United States.

What is this all about? In the past few years a number of Episcopal ministers, and even entire Episcopal parishes, have become Catholic. It is the wish of the Holy Father that these former Episcopalians be allowed to keep a special identity, especially in the various liturgical customs that are unique to Anglicism. Of course this will be done in conformity with the Catholic Faith, which they have accepted in full. To this end, the Holy Father has created an "Ordinariate", which is kind of like a diocese for these communities of formerly Anglican Catholics. Fr. Steenson has been appointed the "Ordinary", which means he will have the authority that a bishop would have over these communities, but remaining a priest himself. This is a gracious act of the Holy Father in welcoming these Episcopalians who are entering the Catholic Church, and of course a great responsibility for Fr. Steenson.

Please keep him in your prayers.

A blessed week to you all!

msgr_sig_block4

Msgr. Doug Raun