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SAINT ANTHONY

PARISH

Dear Parishioners,

With today’s feast, our Christmas season ends, and we begin the next chapter of our Church year. Moving through the liturgical year is like reading through the chapters of a book or watching the seasons of a television series. Season one is Advent, focused on eager anticipation for the Messiah. Season two is Christmas, focused on celebrating the Incarnation: God with us. Season three is Jesus’ ministry and today is episode one: his baptism.

After Jesus had been baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove and a voice was heard affirming him as the beloved Son.

Jesus instituted baptism as a sacrament – an outward sign of inward grace. At baptisms now, we may not see the Holy Spirit descend like a dove, but we see the sacred chrism poured out, symbolizing the gift of the Holy Spirit. We may not hear the Father’s voice from heaven, but we hear God’s word spoken through Scripture. Jesus may not be there in person, but the ordained minister stands in his place, following his commission to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Through these words and actions of baptism, we are given the grace of salvation through the power of the Holy Trinity. We need this because we cannot save ourselves. Left to our own devices, we succumb to worldly desires and take up godless ways. Our only hope is for God in his kindness and mercy to save us by the Holy Spirit, poured out on us through Jesus our Savior. So, we are saved, not because of any righteous deeds we have done, but because of the mercy and love of God.

Sometimes Catholics are criticized for baptizing babies, who cannot speak for themselves. But infant baptism can be a powerful demonstration of the generosity and kindness of God’s saving love. What sort of righteous deeds can an infant do to earn grace? How temperately and devoutly can a baby behave? None of that matters; they receive the grace of the sacrament all the same. Grace is not for those who can earn it, it is for those upon whom God bestows it, and often God prefers the most vulnerable, most humble, and most needy to bless.

On this feast, we give thanks for the saving grace of the sacrament and the generosity with which it is given. The next time we participate in a baptism, let us look to see the Holy Spirit, hear the voice of the Father, feel the presence of his beloved Son, and know how much we are blessed.

Blessings,

Fr. Tad

UCCC 2022

Life as a college student or young adult often feels like a blur of chaos and noise. Amidst the demands from professors, students, coworkers, family, and the culture as a whole, the search for the peace that our hearts long for often seems futile. This year’s conference is aimed at helping university students and young professionals develop the disposition necessary to invite God into their interior lives and allow Him to calm the storms that distress their souls, despite turbulent exterior circumstances that arise.

For the past 9 years, UCCC has been hosted by different UC campuses to

plan an entire four-day weekend full of workshops, fellowship activities, liturgies, and sacraments. This year's conference will be held at the University of California, Berkeley.

So won’t you join us?

We'd love to have you as our guest!

More info and registration details can be found at cacatholics.org, or

on Facebook/Instagram @ucccofficial

New Wednesday Night Bible Study Group

Come, join the Wednesday Night Bible Study Group as it begins a new study program in the New Year. Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life, an award winning program that includes video filmed in the Holy Land, explores the entirety of Jesus’ life—who he is, what he is really like, what he taught, what he did for our salvation, and what all of this means for us as Catholics today. Come, be inspired to center your entire life on Christ as you get to know and love him in an ever-deeper and more intimate way.

The group will meet every other week on Wednesdays at 7 pm beginning on January 19, with options to participate in person or online. For more details, please contact Son Nguyen at 985-707-4786 or [email protected]

Religious Education, NOVA, and OASIS have all started, but there is still time to register if you haven't already! Don't miss this opportunity to plug into our faith formation and youth ministry programs!

Visit parish website https://churchstanthony.com/ for details.

Registration links below

Click Here to Register for Religious Education

Click here to Register for Youth Ministry

CALLING TO BECOME AN ALTAR SERVER

It’s slowly becoming the time to call upon our children to come back to church and to be engaged in the life of the parish by becoming an Altar Server. We would like to call upon boys and girls who have already received the 1^st Holy Communion to register for this program. Parents, please, help your children to do so if they express such a desire to become an Altar Server. You can submit the name of your child to the Parish Office by email.

We are aspiring for a life giving and vibrant liturgy! Your kids will have an important role in it.

Revs Vs Sems Tickets 2022

Please contact the office for tickets to the next Revs Vs Sems Basketball game on Friday, Jan. 28th at St. Francis High School. The cost per ticket is $5.00 and we have a limited amount, so do not miss out on this fun family event in support of our young seminarians.

Sunday Mass is an important part of our Catholic faith. The unexpected spread of the COVID-19 virus has challenged the way we experience the Eucharist. After needing to shelter in place, we prepare to reinstate the obligation of attending mass as cases begin to drop and the vaccination rates increase. Let us reflect on the sacrifices that were made throughout the pandemic and ask the Holy Spirit to ignite and guide us back into the house of our Father. We are invited by God to gather as a community at Holy Mass: “Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to His Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.” (Catechism 2182) This weekly Holy Day is a gift to our spiritual nourishment, happiness, and eternal salvation. Let us once again stand and celebrate with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDING MASS

We encounter the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist
Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist as spiritual nourishment because He loves us
There are many graces we receive from the Mass
Encountering Christ in the Eucharist is life-changing
We connect with our faith-based community