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2011 Parish Report
01/23/2012
Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic ChurchJacksonville, TexasSummary of 2011SACRAMENTSv # Children Baptized ......... 105v # First Holy Communions . 42v # Confirmations ................ 56v # Adults baptized ................. 1v # Adults received into the Church 3v # Marriages ......................... 8v # Deaths - ............................ 6v # Children in Faith Formation 350v # of Catechists..................... 10v # People with Ethics certification - 120 FINANCIAL· Operating Income: ................ $290,407.58 · Operating Expenses:............. $290,566.33 · Building Fund Income: .......... $144,460.45 · Building Fund Expenses:....... $144,725.76 · Prosperity Bank note balance as of12/31/11: $1,267,681.00 | Special Collections 2011 | | | Black & Indian Home Mission | $1,627.00 | | Campaign for Human Development | $1,413.00 | | Catholic Communication Campaign | $1,191.00 | | Catholic Home Mission | $1,872.00 | | Catholic Relief Services | $750.00 | | Catholic Schools | $1,484.00 | | Catholic University | $1,528.00 | | Church in Latin America | $1,006.00 | | Eastern Europe | $1,115.00 | | Holy Land | $741.00 | | Japan Disaster Relief | $2,883.00 | | Mission Sunday | $1,355.00 | | Operation Rice Bowl | $786.00 | | Peter's Pence | $1,329.00 | | Retirement-Religious | $1,896.00 | | Seminarian Fund | $4,404.00 | | Social Ministries | $19,548.50 | | | | Total given to charities | $44,928.50 |
Please note: the Social Ministries collections provide food for our St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry and helps pregnant women through our Gabriel Project and Alternative LivingHere is a summary of our activities in 2011. SPIRITUAL· Adults series on the mass, Introduction to the Bible, and Saint Matthew· Altar Server “Boot Camp”· Blessing of Cemeteries· Blessing of Pets· Christmas parade· Cemetery of the Innocents· Epiphany Party· Gran Baille de Quince Años· Lenten Fish Frys· Lenten Retreats· Life Chain· Novenas to Immaculate Conception, Divine Mercy, · One man preparing for ordination as a Deacon· Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration· Thanksgiving Community Prayer Service· Three men trained as Instituted Acolytes· Wednesday evening prayer· Weekly Holy Hour’s· Wheelchair ramps, free program SOCIAL MINISTRIES§ “Totus Tuus” summer education program§ Air conditioners, 69 given away for free§ Birthday cards sent to all children § Blood drive§ Christmas gifts for families§ Citizenship classes§ Coats for kids§ Community garden§ Dumpster enclosure§ English as Second Language classes§ Fans, 160 given away for free§ Flu shot clinics Mammogram van§ Four summer swimming pool nights§ Health screening§ Income taxes free preparation§ Moved St. V de Paul into old church§ Nursing home visitation§ Prison ministry§ Senior Fun Day§ Stuff the Van for school supplies§ Summer food program§ Water slide days FACILITIES· New roof on old church· Replaced roof fasteners on Hall/School· New St. Jude statue· Refinished chalice· Standby generator for Hall/School· Purchased floor burnisher· Metal, cardboard & computer recycling· Installed drain on west side of new church.· Replaced lights and ballasts in hall/school· Installed new water heater in hall kitchen.· Saint Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, over 1,000 families given food every month, more than 4,000 people were given food. Goals for 2012v Cammo & Pearls fundraising eventv More lights for parking lotv Parish Nursing Program v Park benches outside of the new churchv Soccer fieldv Yard signs I am very grateful for all the desire to grow spiritually during this past year. Why are the “social ministries” we provide so important? Read the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 25. Did you know: Taps plays on our parish bells every night at 9:00 p.m.Please look at our website: www.oloschurch.com or visit us on Facebook: Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.Our church is handicapped accessible.
Linked Destinies
01/13/2012
Our Destinies Are Linked, Reminds PopeEmphasizes Need to Rediscover RelationshipsVATICAN CITY, JAN. 12, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says that to overcome the challenges facing the world today, we need to remember that "the destiny of each of us is linked to that of everyone else."The Pope said this today as he received in audience authorities of the City of Rome, the Region of Lazio, and the Province of Rome, in a traditional meeting for the exchange of New Year greetings."The challenges we are currently facing are numerous and complex, and can be overcome only if we reinforce our awareness that the destiny of each of us is linked to that of everyone else. For this reason ... acceptance, solidarity and legality are fundamental values," he said.The Holy Father classified the present crisis as "an opportunity for the entire community to verify whether the values upon which social life is founded have generated a society that is just, fair and united, or whether it is necessary to undertake a profound rethink in order to rediscover values which ... not only favor economic recovery, but which are also attentive to promoting the integral good of human beings."According to the Vatican Information Service, Benedict XVI expressed the view that the roots of the current crisis lie in "individualism which clouds the interpersonal dimension of man and leads him to close himself into his own little world, concerned first and foremost with satisfying his own needs and desires with scant concern for others."The consequences of such a mentality are "speculation in housing, increasing difficulty for young people to enter the world of work, the solitude suffered by so many elderly, the anonymity which often characterizes urban life, and the sometimes superficial attention paid to situations of marginalization and poverty," he warned.More humanThe Pontiff said the first step toward creating a more human society is "to rediscover relationships as the constituent element of our lives."Man is called to live in relation with other people and with God, Who alone "is capable of welcoming man unconditionally and of giving him infinite love," he affirmed.Institutions must nourish and increase the awareness that we all form part of the same structure, encouraging values of acceptance, solidarity and legality, Benedict XVI declared. He invited his audience to develop ways to integrate people into the social fabric, so that "individuals may learn to consider the place in which they reside as a 'common home.'"Acceptance must be accompanied by solidarity, because "charity and justice require that, in times of need, those with the greatest resources should look after the disadvantaged," the Holy Father added.FamiliesBenedict XVI insisted that institutions must give particular support to families, especially large families, and he invited the authorities "to defend the family founded on marriage as an essential cell of society." They must also show solidarity toward young people, "who are most penalized by the lack of work, ... implementing policies which ensure fairly priced accommodation and which help to guarantee employment," so as to avoid the risk that young people "fall victim to criminal organizations offering easy takings."Finally, the Pope turned his attention to the need "to promote a culture of legality, helping citizens to understand that law exists to channel the many positive energies that exist in society, and thus to promote the common good. ... Institutions have the task ... of issuing just and fair provisions, also taking account of the law which God inscribed in man's heart, and which everyone can understand through reason."
Pontiff: Be More Radical in Following Christ
07/03/2010
Calls Saying Yes to God a "Beautiful Experience"VATICAN CITY, JUNE 27, 2010 (Zenit.org).- On the last Sunday of the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart, Benedict XVI invited the faithful to be more willing and radical in responding to a call from Christ.
The Pope made these comments today in a short address before praying the midday Angelus with crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square, which he dedicated to the theme of "Christ's call and its demands."
"Whoever has the fortune to know a young man or young woman who leaves their family, their studies or work to consecrate himself or herself to God [...] has before him a living example of radical response to the divine calling," the Holy Father began.
He called the affirmative response to God's call "one of the most beautiful experiences that one has in the Church," in which one sees "the Lord’s action in people’s lives, touch[es] it with one’s hand; experienc[es] that God is not an abstract entity, but a Reality so great and powerful that he can fill man’s heart in a super-abundant way. He is a Person who is alive and near, who loves us and asks us to love him."
The Holy Father reflected on several passages from the Gospel in which Christ is "very demanding" with several disciples who express their desire to follow him. Christ informs the would-be disciples that "whoever chooses to work with him in God’s field cannot change his mind," and must "completely sever his familial bonds."
"These demands might appear too harsh," Benedict XVI continued, "but in reality they express the newness and absolute priority of the Kingdom of God that is made present in the Person himself of Jesus Christ. In the final analysis it is the radicality that is owed to the Love of God, whom Jesus is the first to obey."
The Pontiff continued: "Whoever renounces everything, even himself, to follow Jesus, enters into a new dimension of freedom that St. Paul defines as 'walking according to the Spirit.'
"'Christ has freed us for freedom!' the Apostle writes, and explains that this new form of freedom acquired for us by Christ consists in being 'in the service of each other.'
"Freedom and love coincide! Obeying one’s own egoism, on the contrary, leads to rivalry and conflict."
Parish Directory
07/25/2008
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