If your child will be absent for Sunday PSR class please: email: dlbader@sttm.org or
on Sunday morning, call: 513-753-2548
Our First Readings is from the New Testament and reveals a wonderful community of people who were close to Jesus and
His Apostles - there were many witnesses to attest to the Truth of the Gospel and the miraculous events related to it.
As one, they shared everything to better help each other come to know and share the faith. We learn later in Acts that this unified cooperation did not last as their community expanded - some were less willing to give than others. While we can't have a utopia here on earth (because of man's fallen nature), we should be unified in praying for all people while helping those persons God moves into our lives to help.

The Responsorial Psalm celebrates the perfect, pure, and everlasting love of God. From Him comes our aid and reason for joy. While the worldly might reject you, your obedience is building God's Kingdom.

The Second Reading comes from St. John's letters reminding us that the commandments (like our own house rules) exist not to place burdens on people, but to prevent greater burdens imposed by the natural consequences of poor choices. God's commandments teach what are the good choices - He doesn't define them as a good choice as a test, rather He makes clear what choices yield long-term joy - in this life and the next - regardless of the world's view.
For example:
Society now actively promotes any sexual activity from kindergarten up and without regard to marital state. The natural consequence is a child created not through a loving relationship, but in a moment of selfish pleasure - leading to the life-long guilt and heartache following an abortion, the sorrow of placing a child up for adoption, or the daily struggles in raising a beloved child without a loving spouse's aid.
Society doesn't warn of these lifelong and far-reaching consequences.
Jesus saves us from our sins eternal consequences -
bringing hope and God's abundant blessings to aid in every situation,
but all the suffering could be avoided if we heed His Word.
There are a number of important events in this Gospel!
Jesus appears for the first time to the Apostles, who are hiding behind a locked door, wondering what happened to Jesus' missing Body.
He not only reveals Himself,
He immediately commissions them to take up His Mission!
But they are to both tell people what they've witnessed and learned, and do what Jesus did - even forgiving others' sins!
The Sacrament of Reconciliation now exists!
Then Thomas, who'd known and heard Jesus for quite a long time- and knew well the Apostles - doesn't believe the other 10 Apostles joyful stories about seeing Jesus. Would more witnesses have convinced him? Perhaps for this reason Jesus appears again,
to be the physical proof Thomas needs.
The great news - you and I are blessed!
Because we have not seen Jesus as did Thomas, and yet we believe.
And the final words of the Gospel make clear that many other words were spoken by Jesus, teachings given and actions done, that are not written down - there were too many to record them all!
Thus, the Apostles passed on verbally the Tradition of our Church,
to guide understandings so that we are united in one belief
- fulfilling Jesus' prayer that we might all be one.
Newsy Notes
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First Communion
March Activities should be completed and send pictures.
Begin presentation in April's Marian and send feedback.
Send pictures and feedback to: dlbader@sttm.org

First Communion is on May 16, Noon Mass at STM
There is no rehearsal and no other meeting dates.
Individual pictures will be taken after the First Communion Mass

Current 8th grade Confirmation
It was a great retreat!
Thank you to all confirmandi for their active participation!
Finish the Decision Point Lessons!
Confirmation Celebration on May 2, Noon Mass at STM

Current 7th grade Confirmation
Complete Decision Point Chapter 2 together!
If you missed our group meeting, first complete Chapter 1.
We'd love to hear your youth's feedback.
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April
11th -Divine Mercy Sunday - Novena begins after Good Friday Mass
Receive the special benefits available only once a year
through this devotion!
May
2nd - 8th Grade Confirmation at STM at NOON Mass
16th - First Communion Celebration at NOON Mass at STM
Meditations
“Ultimately, in the battle against lies and violence,
truth and love have no other weapon
than the witness of suffering."
– Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI
Greetings Parents!

             So our new puppy is adorable and our slightly PTSD shepherd has become her caretaker - blossoming into a wonderful playmate, guard, and even disciplinarian. She has not, however, taken over housebreaking or managing the puppy's tendency to chew and bite everything, as in EVERYTHING! Getting somewhat exasperated with her, my son, to whom she belong, is called to Aisle 1 or Aisle 2 for in-home cleanup more frequently than he'd like. And the natural need to chew has cost multiple gaming headsets and scratched up arms.

It's taken a bit, but my sons have finally accepted that at less than 3 months old, while she looks fully capable of behaving like an adult dog, her brain is not yet there. Imagine a 3 month old human baby never soiling a diaper or knowing that biting is wrong! So we need to work with her as she is now. Determined to chew on a corner of one loveseat, we encased it in cardboard, and now she chews the cardboard only. Don't want to cleanup floors and carpets? Take her out frequently. Don't want your hands chewed? Always have a toy to substitute for a hand. We can't change her nature, so we need to recognize it and work with it.

In the same way, God created us for perfection and placed us in a perfect place- the Garden of Eden. But He knew our nature, given free will, was not to be as perfectly loving and trusting in goodness. So He knew we would fall, but He knew He could bring greater things from the Fall - a closer relationship with Him after we die in this life - and so He permitted it and works with it. Knowing that our physical desires are strong, He gives us physical connections to Himself - incense, beautiful churches, songs, actions in the Mass, and most importantly - His Body and Blood. He doesn't need any of this - our singing, our presence, our love, our praise - we do! He is pleased with it, we bring Him happiness, but His greatest happiness is seeing us do what is best for us - and for others. For this brings us closer to Him and to being able to share in heaven with Him.

While we are far from being dogs, consider that a dog who persists in biting and creating cleanups - well beyond the normal time - are often given up because their behavior is incompatible with the home life. Rather than joining and expanding family harmony, it persists in disrupting it. For us, God knows we struggle throughout our life to overcome unhealthy physical desires. He knows our nature and pours out many graces to help us in this task. We must seek, accept, and use these graces.

This Sunday we have an incredible opportunity for a unique and powerful Reconciliation through the Divine Mercy devotion - given to St. Faustina less than a 100 years ago by Jesus Himself!! Learn more at the buttons above!!

Hug your children tight , remind them how much you - and God - love them and will always forgive them for true sorrow. Tell them about God's Divine Mercy - they NEED to know this Truth! May God bless you and your family abundantly!

- Linda Bader, CRE St.Thomas More

P.S. Did you know.... Pope Benedict was born in 1927 into a faith-filled home that fortified him through the rise and spread of the Nazi's - even witnessing his parish priest being beaten before a Mass. Entering the seminary, he and his classmates were drafted into the military, but he never fired a shot. After the war he continued his formation and was ordained a priest in 1951. Eventually he became a university professor and a theological advisor and expert at Vatican II, and was ordained a bishop, archbishop, then cardinal and appointed to numerous positions having relationships to various countries and organizations.

A motto he chose was, "Fellow Worker in the Truth," because he dedicated his life to sharing God's Truth as God revealed it then safeguarded it in the Catholic Church. His many publications seek to bring to all people the Light of Understanding these truths in our current world. After shepherding the Church for 8 years, he resigned to a life of solitude and prayer, stating that to perform well the role of Pope required more strength than he could continue to give.

Other Popes who have resigned... An early pope resigned when he was forced into a labor camp, but wanted to enable the Church to elect a new, free, pope. Two other popes were forcibly deposed by governments, and political maneuvering forced a man into the role of pope, three times, the intermediary popes dying in between. Another was elected at an elderly age and resigned after a few years. Finally, again because of political maneuvering, there were 3 men identified by different political entities as the pope. Eventually, all three resigned to enable restoring unity by electing a new pope.