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On Palm Sunday the Catholic Church celebrates the day in which Christ, in order to generously fulfill the Will of God, solemnly entered Jerusalem where He would die for our salvation. With palms we glorify and praise the King of Kings, who has come into this world in the form of a slave to offer to humanity the greatest service possible: “give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28).
The question that comes with Palm Sunday is this: Does the rightful king come to save or to be saved? The Messiah did not come to be saved, but to save. In that, Christ came to serve humanity for the very reason that God's people need a Savior. We must meditate more intensely on the great mystery of the passion and death of Jesus. In commemorating this coming Palm Sunday, let us reflect on our service to others as an act of Christ’s love and servanthood to humanity. Read more on practical ways you can serve others at From Fr. Chuck
Catholics from around the state descended upon the Texas State Capitol on Tuesday. Learn what they talked to representatives about at Advocate Now! And make sure you reach out to your state legislators to promote Catholic values in our state!
Bothered by political tensions in Congress and at the State Capital? Looking for practical tools to talk to someone you disagree with politically? Join the JustMatters Want to Talk? Communication Tools for Divided Times small group! It will be held in person on Friday mornings from 8:30-10:30 a.m., with a NEW START DATE of April 14. For details and to sign up go to JustMatters.
Mark your calendars for this coming Holy Week, Triduum, and Easter liturgies. Join us for these special events - Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday liturgies and Mass. You can find the latest Mass times posted at Lent.
As a reminder, there will be no Reconciliation on Holy Saturday. We also remind you that donations are being
accepted for Easter Mass Altar decorations. Be a part of our Easter tradition at St. Austin as we decorate the church with Easter flowers. Remember a loved one or give thanks for the blessings in your life with flowers at the altar for Easter. You can make your suggested offering of $20 by Venmo or online using the button below to find our usual payment platforms. To learn more and donate, please visit Easter Flowers.
St. Austin Catholic Parish would like to introduce you to one of our new staff members! Read about our new Stewardship Director at Staff.
What’s coming up in our community? ~
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The 2023 SACS Grand Tour bikeathon will be held on Saturday, April 22 at the Veloway. SACS Eagles aim to raise $95,000! Learn more at SACS.
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On Saturday, April 22 after the 5 p.m. Mass, the third Spirit of Hecker Awards will commence. This event is open for you to invite your loved ones as we celebrate our honoree(s) both online and in the Ministry Center. Stay tuned for more info to follow!
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On April 24 at 6:30 p.m., will be the iACT Hope Awards! St. Austin Catholic Parish is recognized by our partners at Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT). To learn more, please visit iACT Hope Awards.
Our new Beacon of Hope Property development is on the up and up! Check out the latest updates at Construction Updates.
Farewell and See You Soon. A lovely letter of retirement from our former Communications & Stewardship Director, Mitzi Eastman.
Beloved community,
In my first message to you three eventful years ago, I observed that nothing is constant but change. Now, on the threshold of more exciting change for our parish, I'm eager to introduce you to Lysa Kraft, our new Director of Stewardship, and our new Director of Communications, Brandon Woodson. They bring energy, enthusiasm, talent, and vision to support us as we move boldly into our bright future. I know they will receive your warm welcome and encouragement - both have servant's hearts.
Thank you for your patience, generosity, and kindness over these past three years. This is far from a farewell as St. Austin's remains my spiritual home. I'd like to acknowledge with gratitude those with whom I've collaborated: my colleagues on the staff; Fr. Chuck our shepherd/builder who reminded me to pray for peace but also assured me that anger was okay (even Jesus flipped tables); Fr. Rich and Diane with whom I consulted for program direction; Fr. Paolo and Stephen - gifts of the Holy Spirit - who brought expertise and skills needed to build the virtual community that kept us connected during our time together apart. And to my team - my interns, Stanley Sifuentes, Faizaan Ali, and Cristela Jones, whose youthful energy, confidence in all things tech, and creativity enhanced the work we did, and my dear mentor and copyeditor, Mary Alice Brown, whose love for our parish helped ensure that our communications and website reflect the people and mission of our parish.
Thank you for the depth and breadth of the time, talent, and treasure you give to our parish. Only through YOU are we able to bring God's Word, His Love, to our time and place. Thank you for being you. God bless you and keep you brave and strong.
~Mitzi
We Give Thanks For You All!
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