The Village...Climbing to Jesus with Mary

2010-07-26T12:52:00.003-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Hope you are all doing well! We had a very successful Art Fair Parking Fundraiser this past week, bringing in just over $3000 to support Village events this year. Praise God for his goodness! We had lots of fun playing board games, mafia, and just catching up. Thank you to all who helped support our Village!

Coming up Saturday, August 7th is the Village Retreat for Incoming Freshmen! Invitations have already gone out to well over a hundred St Thomas teens who will be the Class of 2014. As in past years, we need your help to welcome the new class and share survival tips for freshman year! Last year nearly 40 teens helped plan and attended this event. Our incoming freshmen are a diverse bunch, and we need teens from every nearby school to help welcome them in. To join our team, RSVP to me as soon as you can.

We will have three planning meetings- please attend each of these:

Thursday, 7/29 from 4-6pm

Monday, 8/2 from 4-6pm

Thursday, 8/5 from 4-6pm

Hope to see you all this Thursday, July 29th!!

2010-05-26T18:30:00.001-04:00

Dear Villagers,

We had a great Barbecue Bash this past weekend! There were just over 30 of us, and some great rounds of Hide and Seek Tag and Dodgeball. We grilled up some juicy hamburgers and hotdogs, and had flavor-changing gum for dessert!

The only sad thing is that the Barbecue means our Sunday night Village meetings are finished until the Fall. :( However, there will be loads of other exciting events going on throughout the summer.

Here are some things to get geeked for this summer:

* Dead Theologians Society is Continuing through summer on Thursdays from 7-8pm!
o We'll be back on starting Thursday, June 10th!
o Join us before and afterward for social time, including ice cream at Stucci's and other fun adventures...

* The Parish Hall is an African Safari for Vacation Bible School this June 21-June 25th!
o Join us to hangout with friends and teach the little ones about God's love
o Sign-up to Volunteer by returning the attached form!
o Can't help the week of VBS? Email back to help with decorations and snacks the week before.

* Steubenville Youth Conference is taking 14 of us on a roadtrip to Ohio July 9th- July 11th!
o Get excited for Mafia on the road, incredible speakers, and powerful Eucharistic Adoration

* Our Art Fair Parking Fundraiser is on July 21st- July 24th!
o Who knew you could keep the Village going financially by playing games, directing cars, and eating junk food?!

* Our Retreat for Incoming Freshmen is on for Saturday, August 7th!
o Join the planning team in July to help tailor school-specific survival tips for next year's freshmen class!

Village News: Barbecue Time!

2010-05-17T12:17:00.000-04:00

Dear Villagers,

We had an awesome round of Pop, Pop, Vinegar at Village last night. Four people drink, and one of them gets vinegar instead of Pop- everyone tries to figure out which one is actually drinking vinegar! Many honorable mentions, but I think consensus was with Nora of Huron High- who had a crazy awesome poker face!!

There was sweet dialogue as we answered the remaining questions from Villagers together- Why do some prayers go unanswered- How do you explain mortal & venial sins to a non-Catholic- How can I know who's talking, Satan or God? Awesome dialogue!

The highlight of the meeting was Eucharistic Adoration, and our Surprise Birthday Party for Father Bill! He was *so* surprised. Thank you to Annemarie for all of your help planning this!

Come out this Sunday from 4-7pm for our end of year Barbecue Bash here at St Thomas! We'll celebrate the coming of summer with dodgeball in the gym, hide and seek tag through the whole building, and great food. St Thomas is providing hamburgers, hotdogs, and tableware. Girls, please bring a side to share- and Guys, please bring a dessert to share. The barbecue will be loads of fun!

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"In Him a new age has dawned, the long reign of sin is ended, a broken world has been renewed, and man is once again made whole." -Eucharistic Prayer, Preface of Easter IV
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St Thomas Bulletin, Sunday 5/16
Click here to read the full St Thomas Church Bulletin from this past weekend.

No DTS this Thursday

Due to a time conflict, there will be no Dead Theologians Society meeting this Thursday or next Thursday. The Dead Theologians Society is a national movement to incorporate the lives of the Saints into the prayer life of the Church– that we would answer the call to live as they did.

* 7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (Elizabeth St door is always open)
* 8-8:30pm: snacks in the Parish Offices

Barbecue Bash This Sunday, 5/23 from 4-7pm

Join us here at St Thomas as we celebrate the end of our regular Sunday night meetings, and the coming of summer! We’ll bust out some dodgeball in the gym, hide and seek tag through the whole building, and grill out on the patio. Hot dogs & hamburgers will be provided.

Guys: please bring a dessert to share

Girls: please bring a side to share

Your Question of the Week: Are angels made in the image and likeness of God?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.” Man occupies a unique place in creation: (I) he is “in the image of God”; (II) in his own nature he unites the spiritual and material worlds; (III) he is created “male and female”; (IV) God established him in his friendship (CCC 355). So humanity does have a special place in the order of creation!

Disfigured by sin and death, man remains “in the image of God,” in the image of the Son, but is deprived “of the glory of God,” of his “likeness.” The promise made to Abraham inaugurates the economy of salvation, at the culmination of which the Son himself will assume that “image” and restore it in the Father’s “likeness” by giving it again its Glory, the Spirit who is “the giver of life” (CCC 705).

So man was definitely made in the image and likeness of God. Since the fall of Adam and Eve we are still born in the image of God but we have lost the likeness (See Catechism #705, 1700-1707).

Let’s talk about angels! The Old Testament theology included the belief in angels: the name applied to certain spiritual beings or intelligences of heavenly residence, employed by God as the ministers of His will. The Catechism does not speak specifically of angels and God’s image and likeness. However, the Catechism does note that among visible creatures only man is "able to know and love his creator," and "the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake" (Catechism, no. 356).

Angels are pure immortal spirits, of an incommunicable and immaterial substance, created by God, having the vital operations of intellection and volition. They have an intellect and a will; which is to say, they know and they love. Being intellectual creatures of incommunicable substance, angels are, therefore, persons. St Boetius defined person as a complete, individual, and incommunicable substance of a rational or intellectual nature, totally subsisting in itself.

The term image is reserved for the resemblance between God and man as being-intellect-will. Likeness refers to the possibility of friendship in Christ. The angels are included in both of these categories, so yes- angels are made in the image and likeness of God!

Sunday, Adoration Night!

2010-05-10T12:48:00.002-04:00

Dear Villagers,

We had a great time serving at the Detroit Rescue Mission Soup Kitchen this past Saturday. Although we got lost along the way, we had quite an adventure following 3 different GPS units, which often disagreed. Thank God, we made it at all!

The men who came for lunch were so friendly, and it was a powerful experience to be able to minister to Christ in the poor. We stopped at Wendy's for lunch on the way home to wrap up our adventure in Detroit! Thank you to the Rose family for helping drive us all out there. Don't miss the attached pics.

Come to Village this Sunday for our last regular Village meeting of the year, an Adoration night! Some beloved past games will make their appearance! Also, we've got 3-4 remaining questions from Villagers that need answers, so we'll gather into small groups to find answers together. Father Bill is joining us for our last Adoration night of the year, and afterward we'll have social time with pizza and a surprise party! ;)
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Barbara Conlon Shares on St Basil @ DTS this Thursday, 7-8pm

Come out this week to hear Parishioner Barb Conlon share on this holy man! The Dead Theologians Society is a national movement to incorporate the lives of the Saints into the prayer life of the Church– that we would answer the call to live as they did.

* 7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (Elizabeth St door is always open)
* 8-8:30pm: snacks in the Parish Offices

Eucharistic Adoration Night This Sunday, 5/16 from 5-6:30pm
God sends you daily bread to deal with every problem and trial! This week we’ll come together to ask God for the strength to finish out the school year strong! We’ll have pizza and social hangout afterward, with a surprise birthday party for someone we all love. :)

Your Question of the Week: How do I turn someone down?
Over the years we will all have to deal with the uncomfortable moment where we are asked out by someone we know we aren't interested in. When we become aware that someone we don't like is in to us, here are some things we tend to do in response.

1. Avoid the person altogether, surely their affection will dwindle...
2. Deny they like you, surely this will make them stop...
3. Be rude to them, surely they will get the hint...
4. Tell a friend to tell them that you don't like them...
5. Lie through your teeth about your availability or interest in dating...

Go ahead, identify the few approaches you tend to gravitate towards. Now I'll tell you why none of these are very helpful.

First, avoiding someone can be difficult, and you may miss out on some awesome social events. Also, it's sad that unwanted affection has to lead to the end of even a friendship, right? Second, denial. This one is fools gold, it never works. Ignoring problems just gives them time to fester and get bigger.

Third, being rude. So sad that this is often our go-to solution for these situations. There is no need to be unkind to others- as Catholics we are called to honor the opposite sex! Once again, how sad that unwanted affection has to lead to the end of a friendship, right?

Fourth, telling a friend to tell them. This has first grade written all over it! If you aren't ready to communicate face-to-face, maybe you aren't ready to date! No need to let this become an awkward situation with tons of people involved.

Fifth, lying! It's sad that people fall into these "white lies" because they are so terrified of dealing with conflict head-on. Just because you're getting some unwanted affection doesn't mean you have to sin, right?

So please avoid the above mentioned solutions, they all stink!! If someone likes you and you aren't interested, save everyone the awkwardness and ruptured friendships by addressing it head-on. Take the person aside, and as charitably as possible express that you aren't interested in them in that way, although you think they're a great guy/girl. Doing this charitably and one-on-one will show the other person that you respect them enough to address the situation privately and with dignity.

One last sentiment. I love facebook, texting, email, and telephones. However- addressing something like this really should be done in person. Challenge yourself to deal with this situation in person! Trust me, learning to resolve conflict is an invaluable tool!

Serving @ the Soup Kitchen!

2010-05-03T15:14:00.002-04:00

Dear Villagers,

We had a glorious Condiment Fight Club last night at our regular Village meeting! Villagers went head-to-head with ketchup, thousand island, and steak sauce to compete for the crown of victory. In the end, after valiant efforts from all, Annemarie Johnson emerged victorious! Her barrel of "Condiment X" (a mixture of teriyaki sauce, grape jelly, ketchup, and salad dressing) was equally frightening to all. She was awarded the crown of victory and $15 to Coldstone Creamery!

Our Bishops have told us that "a basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our faith recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first." It is our responsibility as Catholics to consider the needs of the poor and reach out with Christ's compassion!

This Saturday, 5/8 The Village has been invited to serve lunch at the Detroit Rescue Mission Soup Kitchen- where for over 100 years they have been providing hope to disadvantaged and homeless men, women and children.

Won't you come out this Saturday from 10:30am-2pm to provide lunch to nearly 150 people? Of all the great things to do on a Saturday- doesn't this top them all? Let's come together this Saturday to answer Jesus' call to feed His sheep! (John 21:17)

RSVP to Serve @ the DRM Soup Kitchen, Saturday 5/8
To ensure we have enough parent drivers, you must RSVP by this Wednesday 5/5 to bspizarny@sta2.org. Volunteer drivers are needed to transport our group to Detroit. We’re leaving St Thomas this Saturday at 10:30am, serving until 1pm, and arriving back at St Thomas by 2pm. The Detroit Rescue Mission has been sharing the Gospel by providing hope to the hopeless, abused, disadvantaged and homeless men, women and children for over 100 years.

St Bridget of Sweden @ Dead Theologians Society this Thursday, 7-8pm
Come out this week to hear Parishioner Terry Fremuth share on Saint Bridgette of Sweden, who he describes as a powerhouse of prayer! The Dead Theologians Society is a national movement to incorporate the lives of the Saints into the prayer life of the Church– that we would answer the call to live as they did.
* 7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (Elizabeth St door is always open)
* 8-8:30pm: snacks in the Parish Offices

No Regular Village Meeting this Sunday, 5/9- Happy Mother's Day!
Be sure to thank your Mothers for all the sacrifices they make for you! Join us in two weeks on Sunday 5/16 for a solid Eucharistic Adoration night, and a surprise birthday party for someone we all love. :)

Your Question of the Week: What do you do when you’re dating out of your faith?
First of all, it certainly is not wrong to date non-Catholics! That said, there are a few things to keep in mind. Ever notice how you pick up mannerisms of your friends? They say, ‘bad company corrupts good morals’. We become like the people we hang out with! If you date someone who doesn’t know or love God, you may find yourself praying less, and talking about your faith less. How might these small trends be exacerbated over a lifetime of marriage?

The goal of dating is to discern the vocation of marriage and who you are called to marry. The goal of marriage is to become holy and help your spouse get to heaven! It’s important to check whether or not you and your significant other have these same goals, even if you’re both “Catholic.”

Many Catholics are happily married to spouses who don’t share their beliefs. However, if your Catholic faith is an important part of your life, dating/marrying someone who doesn’t share your faith can be difficult. The Catechism warns us that mixed marriages can be difficult when it comes to raising children, Sunday morning, and even sexual morality (Catechism 1635). These things may seem really far away, but if you date and fall in love with someone without consideration for their religious beliefs, you may be opening up a whole bucket of heartbreak for yourself down the road!

If you do date someone of a different faith, keep in mind that you must accept that person as they are today- whether or not they may one day become Catholic. You cannot date a potential future version of someone- you can only date the reality of who they are today. While interfaith dating might lend itself to some great interfaith dialogues, it’s unfair to both of you if your future relationship hinges on someone converting.

Years ago I dated a man who wasn’t Catholic. After countless dialogues and books, we realized neither of us would compromise our beliefs, and there was no future for us in marriage. I sure wish we’d thought of some of these things beforehand, it might have saved us both a bit of heartache! :(

The Condiment Fight Club

2010-04-26T17:56:00.002-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Hope this finds you well. We had a great time last night at Village- we had a great time discussing Batman, Metropolitan Orlando, and Mountain Dew! Father Bill joined us for a time of Eucharistic Adoration, and we ate tons of pizza afterward. :)

Join everyone at Village this Sunday from 5-6:30pm for the Top Ten Prayer Tips- ten practical ways to improve your prayer life.

Following the Top Ten Prayer Tips will be a much beloved staple of Village life: The Condiment Fight Club!!! This Sunday come on out for the third annual Condiment Fight Club at Village. To compete in this epic one-on-one tournament, bring your own condiment and wear grubby clothes. No mustard allowed- it stains! Even if you aren’t a gladiator, come as you are to watch one of the messiest, most exciting tournaments ever!

St Gertrude @ Dead Theologians Society this Thursday, 7-8pm
This Thursday we'll discover the virtuous life of Saint Gertrude the Great, religious sister and mystic! The Dead Theologians Society is a national movement to incorporate the lives of the Saints into the prayer life of the Church– that we would answer the call to live as they did.

* 7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (Elizabeth St door is always open)
* 8-8:30pm: snacks in the Parish Offices

Fundraiser Night @ Big Boy this Wednesday from 5-9pm for St Vincent de Paul
Eat dinner at Big Boy this Wednesday night and 10% of all proceeds along with 100% of the tips will go to support the St Vincent de Paul Thrift Store! Come and hangout with other parishioners and families and interact with loads of "Celebrity Waiters" like Father Selvam, Father Bill, Deacon Warren, Deacon Jim, Beth Spizarny, and more!

Prayer & the Condiment Fight Club This Sunday, 5-6:30pm
Come on out this Sunday for the Top Ten Prayer Tips, followed by the third annual Condiment Fight Club! If you wish to be a Competitor in this epic one-on-one tournament, bring your own condiment and wear grubby clothes. No mustard is allowed, it stains! Even if you aren’t interested in becoming a Gladiator, come as you are to watch one of the most exciting tournaments of our time! The winner of each round is the person who gets the other person on the front and on the back with their condiment, first! Chat with older Villagers and Volunteers to get the low-down on strategies before the big night! :)

Serving @ the Detroit Rescue Mission Soup Kitchen, Saturday 5/8
In two weeks we’ll be joining our Christian brothers and sisters to serve lunch to 100-150 people in need! We’re leaving St Thomas at 10:30am, serving until 1pm, and back at St Thomas by 2pm. Volunteer drivers are needed to transport our group to Detroit. To ensure we have enough parent drivers, you must RSVP by Wednesday 5/5 to bspizarny@sta2.org. The Detroit Rescue Mission has been sharing the Gospel by providing hope to the hopeless, abused, disadvantaged and homeless men, women and children for over 100 years.

Your Question of the Week: Is using illegal drugs a mortal sin for a Catholic?

First, let’s discuss what might be behind a question like this...perhaps someone has offered you drugs...perhaps you’re simply wondering what the Church’s position is...perhaps you’re wondering how much you can get away with as far as your relationship with God is concerned. It’s kind of sad that so often we reduce our relationship with God to a game of how much we can get away with without getting burned.

Mortal sin destroys the grace of God in our heart– destroying our relationship with God and (if unrepented) depriving us of eternal life with God in heaven. If you really knew deep in your heart the reality of Hell and Heaven, would you continue to commit mortal sins? Would you do anything even remotely close to being a mortal sin?

There are three conditions for a sin to be a mortal sin- it must be grave matter, committed with full knowledge, and committed with full consent. (Catechism #1857) Without knowing whether or not the person had full knowledge or committed the act with full consent, the only condition we can address properly here is whether or not using illegal drugs is grave matter.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense.” (#2291) So yes, using illegal drugs is grave matter! If committed with full knowledge and full consent, it would constitute a mortal sin.

When comparing actions of non-Catholics and Catholics- the gravity of sins remains the same for both groups. The only condition that might vary is that non-Catholics may not be equipped with full knowledge that what they are doing is sinful.

Part 2: What would the Church teach about marijuana if it was legal?

Great question. Let’s unpack some of the reasons it is wrong to use marijuana right now: it’s illegal, it can be highly addictive, it can be a gate-way drug leading to more serious drug use, it often leads to loss of interest in everything (studies, relationships, sports, etc), and generally speaking parents forbid using marijuana. In addition, the Catholic Church is very clear in paragraph #2291 that drug use outside of medicinal purposes is morally wrong and Pope John Paul II campaigned for the illegalization of marijuana.

So even if marijuana was legal, wouldn’t we still be left with all the other bad stuff? Marijuana might not be the worst drug out there but there are some seriously bad things that come with drug use of any kind. Pray to St Joseph for strength!!

Eucharistic Adoration!

2010-04-19T14:23:00.000-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Hope all is well with you! We had a great time last night with Mark and Sarah and Matt and Louise. They played the Newlywed Game and we all got to laugh together about the ridiculous questions! After racing each other down a cluttered hallway in a relay of sorts, we got to hear the 2 couples advice for Dating Well. Since we typically focus on what *not* to do in dating relationships, we were excited to finally showcase how to have healthy-fun-holy relationships!

Join us this Sunday for games, our monthly night of Eucharistic Adoration and pizza! Now that we're (mostly) all squared away on dating relationships- the topic you've requested for this Sunday is "Improving Relationships with Family & Friends." So come on out for some great dialogue and discussion!

See below for more on:

Your Question of the Week: How can I share my faith with my Muslim friends?
This Thursday: Our Guest Speaker shares on St Maximilian Kolbe at Dead Theologians!
This Sunday: Eucharistic Adoration Night!

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The Village News 4/18

This Wed, 4/21 is Parish Life Night come on out for a great meal!

This Thurs, 4/22 Beth Ann Smith shares on St Maximilian Kolbe @ Dead Theologians
Come out this week to hear Parishioner Beth Ann Smith share on the virtuous life of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, hero of the Nazi Concentration Camps. The Dead Theologians Society is a national movement to incorporate the lives of the Saints into the prayer life of the Church– that we would answer the call to live as they did!
6:30pm: socializing in the Parish Offices
7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (Elizabeth St door is always open)
8-8:30pm: snacks in the Parish Offices

This Friday, 4/23 is a regular Grown-Up Soda Meeting. Volunteers, are we thinking Bubble?

This Sunday’s Village: Eucharistic Adoration Night
J R R Tolkien once said, "Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament...There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth.” The Village has a special devotion to the Eucharist– and we have a time of Eucharistic Adoration once each month! Don’t miss the social time with pizza afterward!

Contact Youth Minister Beth Spizarny at bspizarny@sta2.org or 734-545-0827.

Your Question of the Week: How can I share my faith with my Muslim friends?
The basic method is the same as sharing the gospel with any of your friends. The content of the gospel is the same for everyone: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16–17).

Tell your Muslim friends that God loves them and that, as a result, he sent his Son, Jesus, to make atonement for their sins so that they could spend eternity with God in heaven. Love is a keynote of Christianity that Islam lacks. In the words of one Muslim convert to Christianity, "Christianity is a religion of love; Islam is a religion of fear." Muslims do not have the kind of loving, intimate relationship with God that Christians do. Show that to them, talk about it—about how much you love God and want them to share in the feeling of God’s love, and that will help show them the light of the gospel.

Muslims are people of the Qur’an, much as Evangelical Christians are people of the Bible. Because the Qur’an is the basis of Islam, including its philosophy, we could discuss with them how the Qur’an came to be the basis. They believe that an angel gave the book to Mohammed while he was alone in the desert, who then dictated it to a secretary. They claim that they know the Qur’an is the word of God because people remembered it perfectly, it has been unchanged for so many years, and it uplifts their spirits when they read it. The Qur’an itself says that miracles are not necessary to prove a divine connection. We might discuss with Muslims that the Dead Sea Scrolls show that the Old Testament has been unchanged for more years than has the Qur’an

Discussing differences of faith must be done in the spirit of love, even if the questions are sharp or probing. In evangelization, we must always be "speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). Be sensitive to Muslim’s needs. Muslims are not allowed to eat pork or drink alcoholic beverages; and during the holy month of Ramadan (which often falls in August/September) they abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.

Many Catholics believe and pray that the conversion of Muslims will come through the Blessed Mother. The Qur’an has an entire chapter praising her. The Muslims hold her in great esteem as the mother of Jesus, but they have no devotion to her and no commemorations of her. In fact, Muslims have no devotion to anyone other than Allah. Intercessory prayers to the Blessed Mother are our best avenue. Our discussions may provide a seed.

Visit www.catholic.com, talk with Beth, or borrow Peaceable Witness Among Muslims from Beth’s library to learn more.

How to Date Well

2010-04-12T15:45:00.000-04:00

Dear Village Family,

Hope you are all doing well, so sad to return to school after such a wonderful Spring Vacation! Some of us celebrated the freedom by wandering at the Mall and getting frozen yogurt. :) Also great to see a number of Villagers at the Divine Mercy Sunday events yesterday in the Church! There was Eucharistic Adoration, and Confession, in addition to the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

This Sunday our regular Village Meetings are back on from 5-6:30pm! Our topic for this Sunday's meeting is How to Date Well. Over the past couple of years we've focused mainly on what not to do in dating relationships- now we'll focus on what to do! Anyone can date, but it takes character and discernment to date well! Two newlywed couples will be joining us this Sunday- Matt and Louise Vasievich along with Mark and Sarah Meinhart to share their stories and tips for how to date well. Both couples are longtime parishioners and active leaders at Generation Christ!

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How to Date Well, Sunday 4/18, 5-6:30pm

Join us this week in the Parish Offices for a night on Dating! Anyone can date– but it takes character and discernment to date well. Don’t miss this week’s Village meeting- we’re bringing in Matt and Louise Vasievich and Mark and Sarah Meinhart to share with us their tips for dating well! Get the tips from those who have already braved the dating world and emerged happily married.

Saint Irenaeus @ the Dead Theologians Society

Come out this Thursday to discover this holy man, who declared “The glory of God is man, fully alive!”

· 6:30pm: socializing in the Parish Offices

· 7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (Elizabeth St door is always open)

· 8-8:30pm: snacks in the Parish Offices

Retreat @ Franciscan University of Steubenville!
Spaces and partial scholarships are still available! Cost for participation is $235, all-inclusive. Registration is due ASAP. Final payments for those already signed up is due this Sunday, April 18th.

This July 9th-11th, join The Village @ St Thomas for our annual roadtrip to the Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference!

The Village has been attending these Youth Conferences since 2008, and our teens have unanimously found them to be challenging, inspiring, and lots of fun. This Youth Conference will feature at least one powerful hour of Eucharistic Adoration, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each day, nationally-renowned Catholic speakers, men’s and women’s time discussing the call to chastity, and two workshop sessions addressing a broad spectrum of topics.

Divine Mercy Events!

2010-04-07T11:48:00.002-04:00

Dear Village Family,

I hope this finds you well and refreshed after a beautiful Holy Week! Our Lord has risen from the grave, and conquered death. This is so exciting! I imagine your excitement is amplified by a week off of school- woot! Vacation is always wonderful. :)

Thank you, thank you to the 10+ teens who came out to help with Stations of the Cross at Glacier Hills last week, it was really special. Everything went smoothly, and many of those who attended said it had been years since they had been able to participate in the Stations! Some people arrived a half an hour early just to make sure they got a good seat. We also got to meet and encourage St Thomas' oldest Parishioner, Katherine Cole who is 103 years old! She said she didn't want to wrestle Chris Silva, she thought she might get hurt. :)

This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, which means there is cool stuff happening here at St Thomas with our entire Parish Family! The Divine Mercy Events are such a big deal that this year we're not having our regular meeting, so that we can all go to this together instead! In the year 2000 Pope John Paul II gave this feast day to the Church- a day to remember God's incredible mercy and pray for all sinners. Read this for more on Divine Mercy Sunday.

This Sunday instead of our regular Village Meeting we'll join our Parish Family from 2-4pm in the Church for:

* Eucharistic Adoration
* Personal Reflections
* Quiet Prayer
* Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet
* Opportunities for Confession

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga @ the Dead Theologians Society

Come out this week to discover this holy man, the patron saint of youth and purity!

· 6:30pm: socializing in the Parish Offices

· 7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (Elizabeth St door is always open)

· 8-8:30pm: snacks in the Parish Offices

Retreat @ Franciscan University of Steubenville!

Spaces and partial scholarships are still available! Cost for participation is $235, all-inclusive. Registration is due ASAP with a $70 deposit. The remaining $135 is not due until April 18th.

This July 9th-11th, join The Village @ St Thomas for our annual roadtrip to the Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference!

The Village has been attending these Youth Conferences since 2008, and our teens have unanimously found them to be challenging, inspiring, and lots of fun. This Youth Conference will feature at least one powerful hour of Eucharistic Adoration, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each day, nationally-renowned Catholic speakers, men’s and women’s time discussing the call to chastity, and two workshop sessions addressing a broad spectrum of topics.

Spring Retreat FAQ's

2010-03-08T15:31:00.002-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Great having so many of us together last night for some epic debating, and building towers with just newspaper and tape! Who knew earning Klondike bars could be so much fun?! Don't miss the pic of one of our winning teams...We did a few skits too, to show what *not* to do when having interfaith dialogues with your friends- because failure is a *great* teacher.

This coming Sunday is our monthly night of Eucharistic Adoration! Instead of our usual time and format, Father Bill has invited us to join the entire parish for a time of Eucharistic Adoration in the Church starting at 7pm. Coming to lead us in worship is Jim Cowan, a nationally known singer and songwriter. He's written so many of the songs we sing at Village (This is Jesus, for one!).

And now, a few FAQ's About Spring Retreat, 3/19-3/21:

--I have too much homework, how could I possibly go?

Our Spring Retreat begins Friday March 19th at 6:45pm, and ends Sunday March 21st at 12noon. Even if you've got loads of homework, you will have all day on Sunday to get it done! Besides, we'll have a couple hours of free time on Saturday. Bring some busy work along with you and you can get it done then.

--I don't know if we can afford it- are there scholarships?

Absolutely! The total cost is $60/person, but if you register today you pay just $50. Also, if your parents can help out over the weekend, you save more money! We can definitely do partial scholarships. No one will be turned away due to lack of money- we want you with us!

--I have something else going on that weekend, so I can't go, right?

Not necessarily! Our Spring Retreat is at St Thomas this year. We know that there are a few conflicts- a karate belt promotion, a water polo tournament, etc. If you want to come, email Beth Spizarny and we can chat to see if it can work! We're trying to get everyone in, no matter what their conflict. We're a family, and we want everyone to be there!

--Who else is going?

We often have teens come on Retreat who haven't ever come to any other Village stuff, so don't worry if you haven't been before. We're a super friendly group! If you're on Facebook, look for 'The Village @ St Thomas', we have a page, and an event for "Salt and Light, The Village Spring Retreat." You can see others who are coming! So far there's 13 people on board- from Richard, Huron, Skyline, and Pioneer.

--What is the point of a Retreat?

In a teen's own words, "This Village Retreat was a great way for me to return to God in the midst of a hectic world." It's all about reconnecting ourselves to Christ- really experiencing His love, and reconnecting ourselves to His Church. Our theme for this Retreat comes from Matthew chapter 5, when Jesus calls us to be the “salt of the earth...the light of the world!” Over the course of the weekend we'll experience real community like the early Church- we'll laugh together, pray together, share together, and run around playing ridiculous games. Together we will encounter Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and be blessed by God’s Real Presence in Eucharistic Adoration and the Holy Mass.
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Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati @ The Dead Theologians Society this Thursday
Come out this week to meet the mountain-climbing adventure-seeker from our own times who saw being Jesus’ disciple as the greatest adventure! At the Dead Theologians Society, we gather in the Church choir loft to listen to the life of a saint, and accept the challenge to be saints ourselves!

--6:30pm: Socializing in Parish Offices!
--7-8pm: Prayer in the Church choir loft
--8-8:30pm: Socializing & Snacks!

This Sunday 3/14: Eucharistic Adoration @ 7pm with Entire Parish!
This month we’re having our regular night of Eucharistic Adoration with the entire Saint Thomas Parish! The Village will be gathering in the Church at 7pm along with Generation Christ, and the entire Parish, for a powerful time of adoring Our Lord. Jim Cowan, a worship leader from Steubenville will be joining us for praise and worship!

Salt and Light ~ The Village Spring Retreat ~ March 19th-21st
Checkout registration forms at www.findthevillage.com for more info, or shoot me an email with any questions.

Your Question of the Week: Is there temptation in heaven? Why did the angels only get one chance?

The good news is, no! We will not have to endure temptation any longer when we are in heaven. Scripture tells us, “blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12) Scipture tells us that when depart from this world in a state of grace after enduring many temptations, we will be rewarded with God’s presence in heaven!

However, Satan was in heaven when he chose sin and was cast out to hell. Angels (like Satan) are very different from us. Angels are spiritual beings without bodies, who have a free will and an intellect that is far superior to ours. God created them in a state of holiness. He enabled them to make a free choice for or against him.

Angels exercise this free choice only once, because their intellect is so much higher than ours. As Jesus said, “those to whom much has been given, much will be expected.” (Luke 12:48) This is why they only get one choice! Those that made the choice for him were confirmed in their holiness. Those that chose against him lost their holiness.

Because we’re so weak, it’s easy to feel compassion or even a sense of injustice in this. Afterall, we all make mistakes now and then. Remember- angels were created with a stronger intellect and will than men are given. Also, keep in mind that the angels who were cast out of heaven used their free will to radically and irrevocably reject God and His sovereignty. This is no small matter!

Many theologians believe that in their pre-fallen state the angels were given a foreknowledge of humans (who would be inferior to them), as well as a foreknowledge that God himself (the second Person of the Trinity) would be incarnated as a man and redeem the universe through his death on the cross. This revelation angered Lucifer because it meant he and the other angels would have to worship God incarnate. Lucifer and the other angels who fell were so proud of being superior to men that their arrogance wouldn't allow them to worship Jesus Christ the God-Man. This refusal stemmed from pride. That is the theologian's theory.

Spring Retreat!

2010-03-03T14:22:00.001-05:00

Dear Villagers,

We had an intense game of Catch Phrase at Village this past Sunday, so much running and laughing. A big thank you to the Volunteers for doing such an awesome job in my absence! From what I hear there was some great dialogue about how to answer questions from non-Catholic Christians, fallen-away Catholics, and agnostics. We'll continue this focus on Interfaith Dialogues at Village this Sunday, 5-6:30pm.

So you may know already- Spring Retreat is coming up March 19th-March 21st! If you've been on a Village Retreat before, this one is going to be even better. Never been on one? Now is your chance! Our Spring Retreat is hosted in town at St Thomas, and if you sign up by Monday it's only $50! When your parents help out for just an hour and a half over the course of the weekend, you pay even less. Even if you have a schedule conflict over the weekend, you may still be able to come!

Our Spring Retreat Theme comes from Matthew chapter 5, when Jesus calls us to be the “salt of the earth...the light of the world!” Over the course of the weekend we'll experience real community like the early Church- we'll laugh together, pray together, share together, and run around playing ridiculous games. Retreats take friendships to the next level through explosive games, skits, small group bonding, and copious amounts of food. Together we will encounter Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and be blessed by God’s Real Presence in Eucharistic Adoration and the Holy Mass.

All high school students are welcome, bring your friends. Most importantly, we want *you* to join us!

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Blessed Kateri @ The Dead Theologians Society this Thursday
Come out this week to meet the courageous woman who declared that the cross was the source of all her happiness during her life, and who calls us to make it our source of happiness as well.

-6:30pm: Socializing in Parish Offices!
-7-8pm: Prayer in the Church choir loft
-8-8:30pm: Socializing & Snacks!

This Sunday's Village, 3/7: Interfaith Dialogues, Knowing Your Stuff
Join us this Sunday to learn ways to nurture relationships to make Interfaith Dialogues possible. Interfaith Dialogues are about building relationships! Sharing our faith with others isn’t just about having all the answers; it’s also about listening to others with compassion, asking questions, and building rapport. Strong relationships were a key element in the ministry of Jesus, and should therefore be integral to any form of evangelism today.

Salt and light ~ The Village Spring Retreat ~ March 19th-21st
Checkout www.findthevillage.com for more info!

Got loads of homework??
-Our Spring Retreat begins Friday March 19th at 6:45pm, and ends Sunday March 21st at 12noon. So even if you've got loads of homework, you will have all day on Sunday to get it done!

Don't know anyone who's coming??
-We often have teens come on Retreat who haven't ever come to any other Village stuff. We're a super friendly group!
-If you're on Facebook, look for 'The Village @ St Thomas', we have a page, and an event for Spring Retreat. You can see others who are coming!
-Stop on by our regular meeting this Sunday and meet a few friends!
-Checkout our group pic from Fall Retreat- know these ppl??

Been there, done that?
-If you've been on a Village retreat before, keep in mind that this one is going to be a little different!
-Our emphasis for this Retreat is on relationships, community, and finding the strength to answer Jesus' call to be "salt and light" in the world around us.
-Girls, some of you had to share showers on Fall Retreat- but you'll each get your own every morning!

Your Questions of the Week: Is divorce a sin?
The Catechism states that a valid marriage in the Catholic Church cannot be dissolved in any way besides death (#2382). Jesus said as much of marriage saying “'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate."-Matthew 19:5-6

Therefore, the Church does not recognize civil divorces- a couple that was once validly married in the Catholic Church is still married in the eyes of the Church. A civil divorce does not dissolve the marriage bond before God.

Obtaining a legal civil divorce, therefore, certainly does not free the spouses to marry again. If a couple is validly married in the Catholic Church, and one of them divorces their spouse legally and remarries another, that person commits the sin of adultery. As Jesus Himself said "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."-Mark 10:11-12

Receiving an anullment from the Catholic Church is something quite different from a legal divorce, although annulments are sometimes mistakenly called "Catholic divorces." In reality, annulments do not presume to end marriages at all but simply recognize and declare, after sufficient investigation, that a marriage never existed in the first place. If a marriage never really existed, then there is nothing to dissolve. Such situations can come about for one (or more) of three reasons: lack of sufficient capacity, failure to adequately consent, or violation of canonical form. Capacity involves a party’s ability to contract marriage. For example, a person who is currently married is incapable of attempting another marriage. Consent involves a party’s commitment to the marriage as the Church understands it. Form is the actual process of entering into marriage (i.e., the wedding). Those who were married in the Church and had their marriage anulled are free to marry.

Although civil divorce is not recognized by the Church, the Church recognizes the need for civil divorce in some circumstances. “If civil divorce is the only way to ensure certain legal rights, the care of the children, or the protection of inheritance, it can be tolerated and does not constitute a moral offense.” (Catechism #2383) Nonetheless, a civil divorce does not free the spouses to remarry.

That said, obtaining a civil divorce and remarrying “is a grave offense against the natural law…it claims to break the contract to which the spouses freely consented, to live with each other until death.” (Catechism #2384)

Interfaith Dialogues

2010-02-24T17:57:00.001-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Hope all is well with you! We had a massive game of Hide and Seek this past Sunday at Village, using the whole building! At your request we talked about Satan- who he is and how/why he tries to influence us for evil. We wrapped up the evening with a powerful time of Eucharistic Adoration followed by pizza and social time.

This week we're renewing our focus on being witnesses of God's love through Interfaith Dialogue. Join us this Sunday at our regular Village Meeting to get tips for discussing Catholicism with Protestant Christians, Agnostics, and fallen-away Catholics! The Catechism urges us to engage our contemporaries in meaningful dialogue about matters of faith saying, (#3) “Those who with God’s help have welcomed Christ’s call and freely responded to it are urged on by love of Christ to proclaim the good news everywhere in the world.”

In other news, Spring Retreat is just around the corner, the weekend of March 19th-21st! Registration forms are attached and will be distributed at Village this Sunday. Sign-up by Monday, March 8th, and pay just $50 per person in addition to being entered into our Early Bird Drawing!

Our Spring Retreat theme is "Salt and Light" from Jesus' words, "You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:13-14) Jesus calls us to be different from those around us! He calls us to be witnesses of His love in the world. Join us as we discern His calling on our lives, and what it means to be His witnesses from day to day!

-No Dead Theologians Society this Thursday 2/25

-This Sunday @ Village 5-6:30pm: Interfaith Dialogues- Knowing Your Stuff

-Spring Retreat is coming soon, 3/19-3/21!

-Your Questions of the Week:
---- Is being physically attractive as bad as we say it is?
---- As a Republican I support the Death Penalty, but as a Catholic I oppose it. What should I vote for?
------------------------

The Village News

No Dead Theologians Society this Thursday
Pray for Beth, she will be away on at a Youth Ministry Conference! Join us next week for a night of prayer, we’ll discover Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.

This Sunday, 2/28: Interfaith Dialogues, Knowing Your Stuff
Join us this Sunday to learn basic apologetics to equip you for dialogues with Protestant Christians, Agnostics, and other Catholics who have left the Church. The Catechism urges “those who with God’s help have welcomed Christ’s call and freely responded to it are urged on by love of Christ to proclaim the good news everywhere in the world.” (#3) We are called to proclaim the good news by engaging our contemporaries in meaningful discussions about faith- so they can know Jesus!

Steubenville High School Youth Conference, July 9-11th
Spaces are still available, but going fast. Cost for participation is $235, all-inclusive. Registration is due ASAP with a $70 deposit. The remaining $135 is not due until April 18th.

Spring Retreat is Coming- March 19th-21st!!
Spring Retreat is just around the corner, the weekend of March 19th-21st! Registration forms are attached and will be distributed at Village this Sunday. Sign-up by Monday, March 8th, and pay just $50 per person in addition to being entered into our Early Bird Drawing!

Join the Village @ St Thomas for a Lenten Retreat discerning God’s calling on our lives! As Catholics, Jesus calls us to be different. He calls us to be the “salt of the earth...the light of the world!” Together, we’ll discover what it means to walk closely with Jesus; how the Saints lived such holy sacramental lives; and how we can be witnesses of God’s love in the world!

Your Questions of the Week: Is being physically attractive as bad as we say it is?
Who said being physically attractive is bad? Good heavens NO! Beauty, inside and out, in people and in nature, are little pieces of heaven on earth; glimpses of Christ among us. We are God's masterpieces, the culmination of his creations. The world glorifies particular qualities, and that can impact our opinion of ourselves and how we view others. God appreciates each of our qualities just as he intended them. The difficulty with outside beauty is that it's the first thing you notice, so it's commonly objectified. Meaning, it's the ONLY thing you notice and appreciate about a person. However, as Christians, we are called to see each other as God sees us; appreciating every quality in a person, not just their physical characteristics. We were all made in the image and likeness of God.

Here’s more scripture on the goodness of beauty: "And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good."(Genesis 1:26) "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."(Psalm 139:13) “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well"(Psalm 139:14) "Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made." (Romans 1:20)

Your Questions of the Week: As a Republican I support the Death Penalty, but as a Catholic I oppose it. What should I vote for?
What the Church teaches on the Death Penalty: The Church upholds its traditional teaching that the state has the right and duty to protect general society from violent offenders, including by means of the death penalty if non-lethal means are insufficient to protect lives in an individual case. Today it is quite rare to find cases in which it would be impossible to suppress the offender in a non-lethal way; therefore the Church generally opposes the Death Penalty. Non-lethal means of suppressing criminals are in better conformity to the human dignity of the offender and prevent the state from growing callous and imprudent in its application of the death penalty. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2267)

Voting: Catholics have a moral obligation to promote the common good through the exercise of voting (Catechism #2240). But the Church goes further, saying that "a well-formed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law that contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals" (Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith 4).

The Voter’s Guide for Serious Catholics lists 5 non-negotiables: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning, and homosexual marriage. Absent from the Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics is anything about capital punishment. That’s because the Church does not give a blanket condemnation of capital punishment. Whether capital punishment should be employed is a prudential determination. As Karl Keating says, “One can be a good Catholic and oppose all applications of capital punishment, and one can be a good Catholic and endorse the use of the penalty.”

Your Choice: So it seems that the Church leaves your decision up to you on this one. As with every decision, you are encouraged to practice prayerful discernment before you decide. Ask yourself, what is more important to you, being a Republican through-and-through, or being a Catholic faithful to the Lord’s revelations in Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church? As long as you can answer that one right, it doesn’t matter what you decide.

Lent is (almost) here!

2010-02-15T15:10:00.001-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Twenty of us had a sweet time bowling this past Friday night, with Rob Peters putting the rest of us to shame with a 182! Checkout the attached pictures. More random Village hangouts to come in the near future!

Last night at Village we dug around in 20 pounds of dirt to discover rocks with crosses engraved on the side. It was dirty, wet, and squishy! Sometimes we need something sensational to bring us back to the basics of our faith. The Church needs Lent- each of us needs Lent to rediscover the Cross of Jesus!

As Pope John Paul once said, “Lent is a time of profound truth which brings conversion, restores hope and by putting everything in proper order brings peace and optimism.” We each need the reminder, that the self-denial that so often accompanies Lent brings peace and optimism. Our Lenten observances "put everything in proper order." When we thoughtfully increase our devotions to prayer, fasting and almsgiving- we are more closely united with Jesus and His Cross. Let us carry the Cross with Jesus this Lent!

In Deuteronomy we hear the promise, "It is the LORD who marches before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed." (31:8) Remember that Our Lord is with you! Let us to set out courageously on the journey towards Good Friday and Easter Sunday!

---St Paul Miki and Companions @ DTS this Thursday

---Next Sunday @ Village: Eucharistic Adoration, Short Talk on Satan

---A Few Spaces Remain for Steubenville; Spring Retreat is coming soon (3/19-3/21)

---Your Question of the Week: Is it a sin to listen to music pertaining to sex?

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“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.” -Joel 2: 12-13

The Village News 2/14

This Thursday, 7-8pm: St Paul Miki @ the Dead Theologians Society
Come out this week to meet the courageous man who as he was being martyred for the faith, looked to heaven and said “Lord into your hands I commend my spirit. Come to meet me, ye saints of God.”
--6:30pm: socializing in the Parish Offices
--7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
--8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

Next Sunday, 2/21: Eucharistic Adoration Night
J R R Tolkien once said, "Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament...There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth.” The Village has a special devotion to the Eucharist– and we have a time of Eucharistic Adoration once each month! The topic you’ve selected for next week: What’s the story on Satan?

Steubenville High School Youth Conference, July 9-11th
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”(John 1:14) Join us this summer for a transformative weekend! Cost for participation is $235, all-inclusive. Registration is due ASAP with a $70 deposit. Spaces are still available, but going fast. The remaining $135 is not due until April 18th. Register soon!

Spring Retreat is Coming Soon- March 19th-21st, Save the Date!

Your Question of the Week: Is listening to music pertaining to sex a sin?
Great question! A sin is “an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience- it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1849) Listening to music with sexually explicit lyrics and themes may be a sin, but it is certainly an occasion to sin.

Fr. John A. Hardon writes in his Modern Catholic Dictionary, that an occasion to sin is "Any person, place, or thing that of its nature or because of human frailty can lead one to do wrong, thereby committing sin." Certain things, such as pornographic images, are always, by their nature, occasions of sin, while other things may only be an occasion of sin for some. Perhaps the best way to think of near occasions of sin is to treat them as the moral equivalent of physical dangers. Just as we know we should stay alert when we're walking through a bad part of town at night, we need to be aware of the moral threats around us. Repeatedly refusing to avoid the near occasion of sin can be a sin itself. We aren't allowed deliberately to put our soul in peril. If a parent forbids a child from walking on top of a high stone wall, for fear that he might hurt himself, yet the child does so anyway, the child has sinned, even if he doesn't hurt himself. We should treat near occasions of sin in the same way.

Listening to sexually explicit music is an occasion to sin because it works against the normal formation of a healthy conscience. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “The education of the conscience is a lifelong task.” (#1784) While there are some circumstances in which one’s poorly formed conscience is not one’s own fault (Catechism #1792-1793), we also know that we are responsible for our own poorly formed conscience when we “take little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when our conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin.” (#1791)

Sexually explicit music destroys a healthy conscience by glorifying pre-marital sex as well as the objectification of both men and women. We know that sexual love is the ultimate gift of self- the promise to love another person faithfully for life, fruitfully, freely, and totally. Sexual love is reserved for the consummation of the Sacrament of Marriage! Any other message presented through the media is the counterfeit of true love, based on use. The opposite of love is not hatred- but rather use (Theology of the Body, Pope John Paul II). As far as objectification goes, it is a way of looking at men or women as objects for one’s own sexual gratification (using others), instead of sons and daughters of God with innate dignity.

Personally, there are some songs that I definitely won’t listen to. There are others that I simply turn the volume down for most of the song and listen only to one part. There are so many legit songs and artists out there, you can be choosy! Choose to stand up for your faith and the dignity of men & women with what you listen to! As Saint Paul says, “do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” –Romans 12:2

The Village News

2010-02-08T13:11:00.002-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Hope you are all doing well! This past Saturday a group of us went to St Andrew's Episcopal Church to help with their Breakfast Program. We served breakfast to nearly 200 disadvantaged men and women! Brian and Paul served the hot cereal, Clare served juice and milk, Erica and Ellen served rolls with ham and cheese- and Allison gave out the coffee. Renee and I helped where we were needed, and as a group we had an awesome time answering Jesus' call to "feed His sheep" (John 21:17) in a very literal way. Checkout the attached picture of Villagers Serving!

In other news, a bunch of us have decided it's high time we had a random Village hangout! The votes have been counted, and the result is a Bowling Social this Friday from 8-10pm. Come on out and join us at Colonial Lanes on South Industrial! We'll be bowling for a couple hours, and drinking unlimited pop. It only costs $6 to join the party, which includes shoes, pop and bowling. You absolutely must RSVP to me by this Wednesday 2/10 to ensure they reserve enough lanes for us. If at all possible, please submit your permission slip and money by then as well.
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The Village News 2/8

No Dead Theologians Society This Week
Read all about St Bernadette in her bio, and join us next Thursday from 7-8pm. Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow!

Bowling Social This Friday, 8-10pm
A bunch of us have decided it’s high time for a Village hangout! Therefore, we’re headed to Colonial Lanes this Friday 2/12 for some bowling and pop. We’ll be meeting at Colonial Lanes (1950 S Industrial Ann Arbor, MI 48104) at 8pm. Pickup will be there as well, at 10pm. Cost for participation is $6, and covers 2 hours of bowling, shoe rental, and pop. You absolutely must RSVP to me by this Wednesday 2/10 to ensure they reserve enough lanes for us. If at all possible, please submit your permission slip and money by then as well.

Sunday’s Village, 2/14: Observing the Three Pillars of Lent
As Pope John Paul II once said, “Lent is a time of profound truth, which brings conversion, restores hope and, by putting everything back in its proper place, brings peace and optimism.” The Church needs the season of Lent to help us prepare for Good Friday and Easter Sunday! The Church has given us three pillars which we should use to guide our personal Lenten practices– Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. Join us this Sunday to discover the Lenten call to holiness and how these three pillars can guide you on your path!

Steubenville High School Youth Conference, July 9-11th, Registration Due
Cost for participation is $235, all-inclusive. Registration is due this Sunday 2/14, with a $70 deposit. The remaining $135 is not due until April 18th. Spaces are still available, but going fast. Register soon!

The theme for the Youth Conference is, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) We'll be focusing on the gift of the Incarnation of Jesus! Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to grow in your faith and experience Our Lord in a powerful way! Harass Villagers who have gone before to find out what it's like.

Serving @ a Soup Kitchen!

2010-02-01T12:54:00.001-05:00

The Village
Real Questions. Real Dialogue. Real Faith.

Dear Villagers,

Hope all is well with you! Last night at Village we had an impressive game of dodge-ball that involved quite a bit of running, obstacles, and blindfolds. We talked about Marian Apparitions- moments in history where Mary appeared to people and gave them a special message for their time. Throughout the history of the Church, Mary continues to lead us to her son, Jesus!

As Pope John Paul II once said, “Mary was given to you to help you enter into a more authentic and more personal relationship with Jesus. Through her example, Mary teaches you to gaze on him with love, for He has loved us first. Through her intercession, she forms in you a disciple's heart able to listen to her Son.”

One aspect of being a disciple of Christ is service! As Christians we are Christ's body in the world- we are called to show His love for mankind through loving service. It is only when we give of ourselves that we discover the fullness of life that Jesus promised us (John 10:10). This Saturday The Village has been invited to serve at St Andrew's Episcopal Church's Breakfast Program- where for 25 years they have been providing a free meal to the poor and homeless of our society.

Jesus told us that what we do for the least of the brothers, we do for Him (Matthew 25:40). Won't you come out this Saturday from 7-10am to provide a warm breakfast to nearly 150 people? Of all the reasons to get up early- doesn't this top them all? Join me, Renee Sink, and a number of other Villagers as we answer Jesus' call to feed His sheep (John 21:17).

-RSVP to Serve this Saturday @ St Andrew's

-Meet St Blaise @ the Dead Theologians Society on Thursday

-No Regular Village Next Sunday- Enjoy the Superbowl!

-Your Question of the Week: One of my acquaintances needs help, but she won't talk to me. What can I do?

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This Thursday, 7-8pm: St Blaise @ the Dead Theologians Society
Join us as we discover St Blaise, a martyr for the faith who remained faithful until the end. Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow!
---6:30pm: socializing in the Parish Offices
----8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
---8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

RSVP to Serve at the St. Andrew’s Breakfast Program this Saturday 2/6 from 7-10am
Saturday, Feb 6th The Village be joining our Christian brothers and sisters to serve breakfast to 100-150 people in need! We’ll be meeting at St Thomas at 7am, serving until 9am, and catching the 9am Mass to finish! For over 25 years, men and women in need have made their way to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for a cup of coffee and a hot breakfast any day of the week. RSVP to Youth Minister Beth Spizarny as soon as you can!

Next Sunday, 2/7: No Regular Meeting, Enjoy the SuperBowl

Sign-up for the Steubenville High School Youth Conference
This July 9th-11th, join The Village @ St Thomas for our annual roadtrip to the Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference! Submit registration forms and $70 deposit by February 14th to guarantee your spot, as space is limited. Total cost is $235, all-inclusive.The Village has been attending these Youth Conferences since 2008. This Conference will feature at least one powerful hour of Eucharistic Adoration, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each day, nationally-renowned Catholic speakers, men’s and women’s time discussing the call to chastity, and two workshop s essions addressing a broad spectrum of topics.

Your Question of the Week: One of my acquaintances needs help, but she won't talk to me. What can I do?
This question has varying answers depending on your friend's circumstance. However, in relationships, the most important thing to always remember is that you can't control another persons actions or make choices for them. You are NOT responsible for their actions. You are only responsible for your own actions. So, your first step to help anyone in need is always to pray for them. Pray that your friend will find the help they need, even if it's not through you. Even when they refuse your help Christ is still always with them.

Your next step, if your friend doesn't want your help, is to suggest other resources that could help them. Sometimes, even the best friends, can't help with certain problems. While it can be frustrating not being the one your friend turns to in their time of need, recommending other places for them to turn is a bigger help than you can imagine. There are so many free resources around Ann Arbor. For help finding the right resources to recommend ask a trusted adult, like your Youth Minister, Beth Spizarny.

Always remember that if your friend is ever a danger to themselves or someone else, it is extremely important not to try and handle the situation yourself. Always immediately seek help from a trained professional. Speaking from experience, a teenager is not always equipped to handle their friends' issues. Know you are not the first to go through this, and unfortunately not the last. Sometimes asking for help from trained professionals is the hardest, most brave and wise thing you can do. Remember that Christ never leaves your friends' side, and He will never leave yours either.

Village News: Steubenville!

2010-01-25T16:01:00.001-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Hope all is well with each of you! With the gray skies above and the Ann Arbor Schools in the midst of Finals this week, Pope John Paul II's words about Our Mother Mary seem especially relevant "Know, that in difficult times…you are not alone: like [the disciple] John at the foot of the Cross, Jesus also gives his Mother to you so that she will comfort you with her tenderness.”

Last night at our regular Sunday night Village meeting we discovered three particular devotions to Our Lady- the Miraculous Medal, the Brown Scapular, and the Rosary. The Rosary is can lead us closer to Jesus! In the words of Pope John Paul II, "Simple yet profound, [the rosary] still remains, at the dawn of this third millennium, a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness.” Together we heard the challenge to avoid the empty recitation of the Rosary, choosing instead to pray the Rosary devoutly by contemplating on the mystery given for each decade. Friends, keep in mind that while devotion to Mary is certainly not necessary, it can be a powerful way to draw closer to Christ by asking Mary's intercession and imitating her way of life!

In other Village News, registration is now open for the Franciscan University of Steubenville Youth Conference this summer! The Village has been attending these Conferences for the past two years, and our teens have unanimously found them to be challenging, inspiring, and *so* fun. This Youth Conference will feature at least one powerful hour of Eucharistic Adoration, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each day, nationally-renowned Catholic speakers, men’s and women’s time discussing the call to chastity, and two workshop sessions addressing a broad spectrum of topics.

--Checkout the Steubenville promo video at http://www.franciscanyouth.com/

--Join us at Dead Theologians this Thursday from 7-8 to discover St Thomas Aquinas!

--Your Question of the Week, Answered Below: What is going to happen to all the people who never hear the Gospel?

The Village News 1/24

This Thursday, 7-8pm: St Thomas Aquinas @ the Dead Theologians Society
Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us this Thursday to discover the man who once said, "Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do.”
--6:30-7pm: gather in the Parish Offices for social time
--7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
--8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

Next Sunday’s Village: Decoding the Marian Apparitions
Marian Apparitions are moments in history where Mary appeared to someone and gave them a message for the world. There are nine major Marian Apparitions that have been approved by the Catholic Church, moments in time where Our Mother came to give us a very special message! While these apparitions do not improve or complete Christ’s definitive Revelation (Catechism of the Catholic Church #67), they bring us the advice of our loving Mother to return to God with all our hearts! Next Sunday we’ll focus in on her apparitions at Guadalupe (in 1531), Lourdes (in 1858), and Fatima (in 1917). What were her messages to the world– and how do they apply to us in 2010??

RSVP to Serve at the St. Andrew’s Breakfast Program, Saturday 2/6 from 7-10am
For over 25 years, men and women in need have made their way to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for a cup of coffee and a hot breakfast any day of the week. Saturday, Feb 6th we’ll be joining our Christian brothers and sisters to serve breakfast to 100-150 people in need! We’ll be meeting at St Thomas at 7am, serving until 9am, and catching the 9am Mass to finish! St Andrew’s has asked us to bring just 7 volunteers to help cook and serve breakfast, due to the size of their kitchen. RSVP to Youth Minister Beth Spizarny as soon as you can!

Sign-up for the Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference
This July 9th-11th, join The Village @ St Thomas for our annual road-trip to the Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference! The Village has been attending these Youth Conferences since 2008, and our teens have unanimously found them to be challenging, inspiring, and lots of fun. This Youth Conference will feature at least one powerful hour of Eucharistic Adoration, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each day, nationally-renowned Catholic speakers, men’s and women’s time discussing the call to chastity, and two workshop s essions addressing a broad spectrum of topics.

Your Question of the Week:
What is going to happen to all the people who never hear the Gospel?
Regardless of whether people know it or not, humankind was created in order to know, love, and serve God. In Romans 1:19-20, St. Paul writes: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.” In salvation history, God chose to reveal Himself after the Fall of Adam in many ways, culminating in the coming of His Son, Jesus, the New Adam. Jesus paid the debt for all sin through His Sacrifice so that all men may have the opportunity to be reconciled with God. The Gospel is the testimony of God’s desire to redeem humankind through Jesus, and the call to believe in Him as Lord. We know through Sacred Scripture that we can be saved from death only through the grace available through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8). Calling on Tradition, the Catechism states that “believing in Jesus Christ and in the One Who sent Him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvation” (CCC 161) and "outside the Church there is no salvation" (CCC 846).

So what happens to someone who—through no fault of his or her own—never has the chance to hear the Gospel, knows nothing of Jesus, but who may still live a good and exemplary life? Our Particular Judgment when we die is a reflection of our acceptance or rejection of God, and it is evidenced by how we have lived. We know that God has predestined no one to Hell (CCC 1037), so how do we reconcile this with the need to have faith in Jesus? What if a person never has the chance to specifically reject God because they are ignorant of the Gospel, or they do not even know about sin and redemption?

To answer this question, the Catechism quotes two documents from the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium and Ad Gentes: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do His will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience—those too may achieve eternal salvation” (CCC 847). "Although in ways known to Himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men." (CCC 848).

Through the mercy of God, people who do not know of Him directly can be saved, but that does not mean that they all will be saved. The Church reinforces the idea that relying on the mercy of God does not mean that we can abandon our direct call from Jesus to “go forth and make disciples of all nations.” Rather, it makes the need to accept that call even stronger.

Many today think that all people will go to Heaven. Some do not think that Hell can exist because a truly loving God would not condemn anyone. As Catholics, we know that this worldview is in error, that Heaven and Hell exist, and that God’s justice reflects our own choices and free will. We should pray for those who have never heard the Gospel and entrust them to His mercy, and we should also pray that we can be strengthened in our mission to bring God’s fullness of revelation in Jesus to everyone in the world. We are grateful to know Christ, and we entrust to our Blessed Mother those who do not yet know Him. We pray that she may help us and all others obtain the grace necessary for salvation.

Marian Devotion

2010-01-20T11:05:00.002-05:00

Dear Villagers,

This past Sunday's Pro-Life Youth Rally went really well! It was so encouraging to see hundreds of teens gathered together to pray for an end to abortion. The presenters answered some tough questions on cases of rape and incest- provided us with some great statistics and helpful arguments for conversing with others. For those of you who weren't able to attend, I'm posting the handout on www.findthevillage.com, it summarizes quite a bit of what was presented!

One small change to our Spring Calendar- our regular meeting for Feb 7th has been canceled due to the Super Bowl. Something tells me people won't want to miss that- and that includes me!

This past semester we've gotten numerous questions from Villagers about our Mother Mary. Was she really ever-virgin? What does it mean that she was immaculately conceived? Does Scripture say she was crowned the Queen of Heaven? How do we know she was assumed into heaven? The Catechism declares that devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship itself. This Sunday at our regular Village Meeting we'll rediscover the Blessed Virgin Mary who responded to the Angel Gabriel with those words of faith, "Be it done unto me according to thy word!"

* This Thursday: Come hear about St Elizabeth Ann Seton at the Dead Theologians Society!

* Your Question of the Week: So if I missed Sunday Mass and died in a car accident before I went to Confession would I go to hell?
-----------------------------

The Village News

Thursday 1/14, 7-8pm: St Elizabeth Ann Seton @ the Dead Theologians Society
Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us this Thursday.
----7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
----8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

Sunday’s Village: Mary & Marian Devotion
When the Angel Gabriel came to Mary– her response to God was simple: “Be it done unto me according to your will.” In these few words, she offered her life entirely to God. The Catechism declares that devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship itself (#971). Join us Sunday from 5-6:30pm as we discover Mary ever-virgin and ever-pure, Mother of God and our Mother!

The Village Serves at St. Andrew’s Breakfast Program, Saturday 2/6 from 7-10am
For over 25 years, men and women in need have made their way to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for a cup of coffee and a hot breakfast any day of the week. Saturday, Feb 6th we’ll be joining our Christian brothers and sisters to serve breakfast to 100-150 people in need! We’ll be meeting at St Thomas at 7am, serving until 9am, and catching the 9am Mass to finish! St Andrew’s has asked us to bring just 7 volunteers to help cook and serve breakfast, due to the size of their kitchen. RSVP to Youth Minister Beth Spizarny as soon as you can!

Sign-up for Steubenville High School Youth Conference 2010
This July 9th-11th, join The Village @ St Thomas for our annual roadtrip to the Franciscan University of Steubenville High School Youth Conference! Registration packets will be available online this week. Even Dominica and Tim Rhein are joining us again this year! The Village has been attending these Youth Conferences since 2008, and our teens have unanimously found them to be challenging, inspiring, and lots of fun. This Youth Conference will feature at least one powerful hour of Eucharistic Adoration, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each day, nationally-renowned Catholic speakers, men’s and women’s time discussing the call to chastity, and two workshop s essions addressing a broad spectrum of topics.

Your Question of the Week: So if I missed Sunday Mass and died in a car accident before I went to Confession would I go to hell?
Okay love the question, very moral theology meets real life. First off, the Church is very clear that missing Sunday Mass is grave matter- one of three required criteria that add up to make a sin a mortal sin. “For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1857)

Although the Church is quite clear that missing Mass is grave matter, it is conceivable that a person might miss Sunday Mass (grave matter) without having full knowledge that it is wrong to do so. It is even conceivable that a person might miss Sunday Mass without giving full consent. For example, a 7 year old is typically entirely dependent on their parents to drive them to Sunday Mass- so it is possible they might not be at fault for missing Sunday mass. In summary, the Catechism (#1861) clearly states that “although we can judge that an act is in itself grave matter, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.” So while we definitely know missing Sunday Mass is grave matter, there is no way we can judge whether it was a mortal sin when you missed Sunday Mass. Perhaps you know your own heart?

Mortal sin is *very* serious. “If a mortal sin is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness it causes exclusion from God’s heavenly kingdom and eternal death in hell,” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1861.

Okay, back to your question! In a sense, the Church does recognize a "reconciliation of desire.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines contrition as "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again" (# 1451). Were you sorry for missing Sunday Mass? "When contrition arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called ‘perfect’ (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible" (# 1452). So if you had committed a mortal sin- had not been to the Sacrament of Confession- were sorry for what you had done and intended to make it to Confession very soon: your conscience would probably be free from that mortal sin.

Friends, keep in mind that this isn’t just a game. The more you sin (even venial sins) the more your inclination to sin grows. Sin can have eternal consequences! One of the realities of the Christian life is that we never know when our hour of death will come. There is no need to be consumed with fear and anxiety- our Lord wants you to be with Him in heaven! However, you do need to stay sober and consider carefully your choices- avoid mortal sin at all costs. If you do stumble, get to Confession and repent. You wouldn’t wait months to make up with your friends after an awful fight- why wait to reconcile with God?

Pro-Life Youth Rally 1/17

2010-01-11T16:17:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who came out last night for our Spring Kickoff! We sure had some memorable moments: a powerful time of Eucharistic Adoration, Rob putting his foot- right hand- and left elbow in eggnog, and social time with pizza!

We also spent some time discussing our theme for Spring semester- "You are the salt of the earth, You are the light of the world," which comes to us from Matthew Chapter 5 as well as 2000's World Youth Day in Toronto. This semester we will prepare to be strong witnesses for Christ! Choosing to be a witness for Jesus, choosing to avoid sin and strive for holiness- this is the path to true happiness in life! See attachment for full Spring Calendar.

This Sunday in place of our regular Village Meeting we're heading out to Victorious Life Church of God for our Pro-Life Youth Rally with Christians from around the area! As we gather near the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we'll pray for an end to abortion. Veritas Detroit will be presenting reasons to be pro-life and ways you can be an advocate for life. There will also be a good amount of time dedicated to answering any questions you may have. St Andrew's in Saline, Christ the King, and St John's in Ypsilanti are all coming out for this annual event!

* Sunday's Pro-Life Youth Rally: transportation not provided but parent carpools are available, see below

* This Thursday: The Dead Theologians Society returns with St George!

* Your Question of the Week: Why is it a mortal sin to miss mass once or twice?

God Bless,Beth

The Village News

Sunday, 1/17, 7-9pm: Life Boat Pro-Life Youth Rally
This Sunday we will be gathering with Christians from around the area at Victorious Life Church of God in Ypsi, to pray for an end to abortion. At this annual Youth Rally local experts will help answer your questions about the pro-life movement while helping you identify ways you can be more pro-life in your everyday life! Come a little early if you’d like some free pizza– it will be served from 6:30-7pm! Village Volunteers will be there by 6:45pm. Meet us @ Victorious Life Church of God 860 East Clark Road Ypsilanti, MI 48197!

Transportation will not be provided, thank you for carpooling to cut back on costs! Do you need a ride? Contact one of the parents listed below who are driving carpools to this Youth Rally. Please note that these are not coordinated by St Thomas, and may be leaving from various locations at different times.

* Marie Williams mariewms@comcast.net - Huron School District
* Suzan Zick suzanzick@att.net - Skyline School District
* Cathy Dowling cathydowling@sbcglobal.net - Huron School District

Driving Directions:Take US-23 to Washtenaw Road, exit towards Ypsilanti.Turn left at Hogback/Carpenter Road. Turn right onto Clark Road, which becomes North Huron River Drive after 2 miles. Just after McDonald's, turn left at LeForge and continue for 1/2 mile. Turn right onto Clark Road.

This Thursday 1/14, 7-8pm: St George @ The Dead Theologians Society
Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us this Thursday.
6:30pm: social time in the Parish Offices
7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

Your Question of the Week: why is missing Mass once or twice a mortal sin?
First let’s call to mind the importance of the Mass. Each Sunday, we gather together as a Church with hearts filled with joy to worship Almighty God. We remember and profess our faith once again in the mystery of our salvation- that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. At Mass, each faithful Catholic is fed with abundant graces:

We are nourished by the Word of God-- God's eternal truth that has been revealed to us and recorded through the Holy Spirit. If we are in a state of grace, we have the opportunity to receive our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. We firmly believe that our Lord is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, and that we receive His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in Holy Communion.

With these things in mind, no one should simply think of attending Mass as fulfilling an obligation. To attend Mass is a privilege, and any faithful Catholic should want to attend Mass. However, because the Mass offers such precious gifts, provides the nourishment of great graces, and unites us as a Church, we do indeed have a sacred obligation to attend Mass. Remember that the Third Commandment stated, "Keep Holy the Sabbath."

Given how precious the Mass is the Code of Canon Law (#1246) proscribes… "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass" (#1247).Therefore, the Catechism teaches, "Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit grave sin" (#2181), and grave sin is one condition of a mortal sin. Note that missing mass when you are sick, or weather conditions are extremely unsafe is certainly not a sin- although you are strongly encouraged to spend time in prayer in some other way.

When a person negligently "bags Mass," to go shopping, catch-up on work, sleep a few extra hours, attend a social event, or not interrupt vacation, the person is allowing something to take the place of God. Something becomes more valuable than the Holy Eucharist. This is grave matter indeed! God must come first in our lives. On Sunday, our primary duty is to worship God at Mass as a Church and to be nourished with His grace.

Missing Mass on Sunday or another Holy Day of Obligation is certainly a sin. There are three conditions for a sin to be a mortal sin- it must be grave matter, committed with full knowledge that it is wrong, and committed with full consent. (Catechism #1857) Missing Mass is always grave matter. The other two conditions are not necessarily present in all Catholics when they miss Mass, although the act itself is always sinful. The moral of the story is, get to Mass on Sunday!! Ask around, others are always willing to give you a ride if you need.

The Village New Year's Eve Overnight!

2009-12-28T13:41:00.000-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Hope you all had a beautiful Christmas with quality family time. The Christmas message is deeply moving- God has not abandoned us! He draws near to us, entering into our humanity and offering us forgiveness for our sins. Year after year we are reminded of this great mystery: that the God of the universe became flesh and dwelt among us.

There is a universal longing in all of us to be given a fresh start, a new beginning. Jesus promised that He would make all things new in the book of Revelations, saying "Behold, I make all things new!" As we approach New Year's Eve and the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us look to our Mother who -through her surrender to God's will- allowed all of us to have a new beginning in Christ.

You're all invited to join the Village for our 4th Annual New Year's Eve Overnight! In past years we've had 20-35 teens and young adults come together for great food, board games, Mafia, huge games of Freeze Tag, Sardines, and Dodge ball!

In addition to all the fun, we will be beginning the new year with thoughtfulness and prayer. There is no better way to begin the New Year than prayer! We will be praying Night Prayer and Morning Prayer, and celebrating the last Mass of the calendar year, fulfilling the Mass Obligation for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The cost for participation is $15. Permission slip (attached) and money are due by Tuesday, December 29th. Parish Offices are open 8am-8pm both today- Monday 12/28 and Tuesday 12/29. Parent Volunteers are wanted to help with Overnight, see permission slip!

Merry Christmas and God Bless,
--

Fourth Annual Village New Year's Eve Overnight
Join the St Thomas High School Youth Group for an amazing New Year’s Eve Party! Our fourth annual New Year’s Eve party will feature great food, board games, Mafia, huge games of Freeze Tag, Sardines, and Dodgeball! In addition to all the fun, we will be beginning the new year with thoughtfulness and prayer. We will be praying Night Prayer and Morning Prayer, and celebrating the last Mass of the calendar year, fulfilling the Mass Obligation for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

All men will be sleeping in Room 250, the Youth Room. All women will be sleeping in the South School Building. Bring a sleeping bag & pillow, pajama’s, and any necessary toiletries. Showers will not be available during this overnight. Lights out will occur no later than 1:30am. Wake up and Morning Prayer will occur no earlier than 8:30am.

The cost for participation is $15 and helps offset costs to St Thomas. Final registration deadline is Tuesday, December 29th. [Parish Offices are open 8am-8pm both Monday 12/28 and Tuesday 12/29] In order to ensure a healthy ratio of adults to teens, there will be no exceptions to the final deadline. Teens are asked to bring a snack to share.

Schedule for New Year’s Eve Overnight:
10pm: Open Gym & Snacks outside Gym
11pm: Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
11:45pm: Watching the Ball Drop & Celebrating!
12am: Games in the Youth Room
1am: Night Prayer
1:30am: Lights Out
————————
8:30am: Wake up
9am: Morning Prayer
9:30am: Breakfast
10am: End of Overnight! :(

Packing List:
Snack to Share
Sleeping Bag & Pillow
Pajama’s
Toiletries– toothpaste, etc

Upcoming Village Events
There will be no regular Village Meetings or Dead Theologians Society Meetings until after Christmas Break.

Sunday night Village Meetings as well as weekly Dead Theologians Society Meetings will begin again starting Sunday, January 10th!

Stay tuned for the full calendar of Village events for January-June!

Fall Retreat!

2009-12-02T20:39:00.002-05:00

Dear Village Family,

Hope you are all well and had a brilliant Thanksgiving! I'm grateful that Thanksgiving led us into the Season of Advent, so we can properly prepare for our Lord's coming again.

Some of you have asked questions about our Retreat Center for next weekend's Fall Retreat. We are headed to Somerset Beach Campground, and will be staying in the Red Oak Lodge. Somerset Beach Campground owns a large expanse of land and has a number of large conference centers on site, as well as a separate Cafeteria Hall. We go to this site every other year for our Fall Retreat- and it has been great!

We will all be staying together in the Red Oak Lodge, which is carpeted, has internal heat & AC, as well as a fireplace in the main meeting space. The main meeting space is bordered on two sides by hallways (that do not touch). We designate one hallway for guy's rooms and one hallway for girl's rooms. All rooms have their own attached bathroom. For safety reasons- it's nice to have everyone under the same roof. We have never had a problem on retreat having the boys and girls under the same roof, and communicate clear and strict rules about no boys/girls being allowed in the room of the opposite gender. In order to avoid any future difficulties with this, I sleep in the main meeting space which separates the hallways.

Teens, if you aren't sure about whether or not to join us- let me just say I have seen some amazing transformation through Retreats! One teen said that when he came on our retreat he heard God's voice for the first time- and his life has been different ever since. So many teens have been overwhelmed by the realization of God's personal love for them. And in addition to taking your relationship with God to the next level, you'll have some quality time with other teens to develop solid friendships!

---The deadline for Fall Retreat registration is Monday, 12/7, after which there will be an additional $10 fee if space is available.

---This Thursday: St Francis Xavier @ The Dead Theologians Society!

---Your Question of the Week: "Mary and Joseph were seriously chaste their whole lives?"

You are in my prayers!
--------------------------

The Village News

This Thursday: St Francis Xavier @ The Dead Theologians Society
St Francis Xavier is known for being the greatest missionary in the history of the Church! St Francis Xavier once baptized over 40,000 people in just one month! Join us tomorrow as we celebrate his Feast Day by discovering the life he lived for God’s greater glory. Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us next week on Thursday from 6:30-8pm.

--6:30pm: social time in the Parish Offices
--7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
--8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

This Sunday: St John Vianney & the Year of the Priest
Pope Benedict XVI has announced that this is the Year of the Priest– in celebration of the 150th death anniversary of St John Vianney, patron of all parish priests. Our Pope called on our priests to follow in the footsteps of St John Vianney– to let themselves be captivated by Christ. Stop on by this Sunday from 5-6:30 as we discover the life of St John Vianney– explore the daily demands of our priests– and find practical ways to support our priests!

Fall Retreat, Next Weekend, 12/11-12/13
Village Retreatants escape from the stress and hectic schedule of everyday life to be welcomed into the rich prayer life of the Church with Morning Prayer and Night Prayer, in addition to Holy Mass. Together we will encounter Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and be blessed by God’s Real Presence in Eucharistic Adoration.

As G.K. Chesterton once said, “Seriousness is not a virtue!” Village Retreats are also packed with free time, prize giveaways, and games. Past favorites have included Mafia, Jenga Tournaments, Epic ERS Battles, Catch Phrase, and Ultimate Frisbee. Of course the staple of every true Village Retreat; we’ll be going on our late-night Taco Bell run Saturday night!

The name of our Retreat Center- Somerset Beach Campground- can be a bit misleading. They own a large expanse of land and have a number of large conference centers on site, as well as a separate Cafeteria Hall. We will all be staying together in the Red Oak Lodge, which is carpeted, has internal heat & AC, as well as a fireplace in the main meeting space. The main meeting space is bordered on two sides by hallways (that do not touch). We designate one hallway for guy's rooms and one hallway for girl's rooms. Each room has a private attached bathroom. We stayed at the Red Oak Lodge just two years ago for our Fall Retreat and had a great time!

Final registration for Fall Retreat is due Monday, 12/7, after which there will be an additional $10 late fee if space is still available.

Your Question of the Week: Mary and Joseph were seriously chaste their whole lives?
All Christians believe that Mary was a virgin before and at the time of the birth of her son Jesus. In fact, the Virgin Birth was promised by God through the Prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament: “The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” The Gospel of Matthew confirms that Mary conceived Jesus when she was yet a virgin and she and Joseph did not have marital relations before Jesus was born- see Matthew Chapter 1, Verses 18-25.

Now that said, some Christians believe that after Joseph and Mary were married they had children other than Jesus.

---To support this belief some will point to various scripture passages that refer to “Jesus’ brothers.” The trick is, Jesus and his contemporaries spoke Aramaic. The Aramaic language uses the same word to describe both brothers and cousins. In fact there is no way to distinguish a true blood brother in the language. That said, these passages cannot be used to prove that Joseph and Mary had children aside from Jesus.
---Some people believe Mary and Joseph had children aside from Jesus because the Gospel writers use the term “first-born” to describe Jesus. The first-born son had legal rights according to the Mosaic Law, so this would have been used to refer to an only child as well as the eldest of brothers. So there isn’t any real evidence here suggesting marital relations.

Neither the Gospels nor the accounts of the early Church suggest that Mary had any other children besides Jesus. In fact, the faithful have always held that Jesus was Mary’s only child and that she remained a virgin for her whole life. You can also check out a historical document called the Protoevangelium of James which was written around 120AD that supports this teaching of Mary’s perpetual virginity. As early as 293AD the Church Fathers explicitly spoke about Mary being ever virgin.

Today some Protestants are unaware of the early Church’s confidence regarding Mary’s perpetual virginity and the proper interpretation of "the brethren of the Lord." Yet even so- many of the Protestant Reformers themselves—Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli—honored the perpetual virginity of Mary and recognized it as the teaching of the Bible.

There have been a number of other marriages throughout history in which the husband and wife maintained perpetual virgins. For example, St Cecilia and her husband Valerius chose to live a married celibate life together! Their intention was to live a life focusing mostly on prayer and charitable works. In fact St Therese of Lisieux’s parents lived a married celibate life together for some time, until their parish priest encouraged them to bear children! Now that we know so much more about the proper role of sexual love in marriage, men and women are discouraged from living together as perpetual virgins. However God’s plan for Mary, the Mother of God, who held the Word Incarnate within her womb was pretty special, and according to His plan for her, she remained ever-virgin!

Here’s what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say:“The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man. In fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin". (#499)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-23T17:22:00.002-05:00

Dear Villagers,

What a blast we had last night with the ultimate Man versus Food Challenge! Together, we consumed copious amounts of Grass-flavored Jello, Squid (beefless) jerky, Lychee Gelatin Mounds, and of course- the iconic Durian Fruit from southeast Asia. As everyone discerned from the beginning, it was going to be a gross food challenge, and it was!

In addition to eating some sticky things, we talked about some pretty sticky things- Self-Harm, Alcohol Abuse, and Drug Abuse. We gave some practical tips to understand and support a friend in crisis. Please don't promise total confidentiality to a friend before you know what they're dealing with, it really is not in their best interest! To be a true friend, promise to keep total confidentiality except for cases where they are at risk of harming themselves or others. You are not a professional counselor, and it may be in their best interest to get help from a trained professional. See the bottom for a list of Resources to Help in Crises.

Self-Harm, Alcohol Abuse, and Drug Abuse are often used as an outlet to deal with a deeper emotional problem. Using these as an outlet in teen years can become addictive, creating an unhealthy behavior pattern that’s really hard to break! Never judge a friend who is dealing with these things, but encourage them that there are better outlets for the stress they're feeling. When God is faced with the 99 sheep who are fine and the 1 sheep who is lost, He will always go after the one lost sheep. Even though these behaviors can be sinful, know that God's love is passionate and forgiving. God's mercy is waiting for each of us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

---Registration forms for The Village Fall Retreat (12/11-12/13) are online at findthevillage.com. Get yours in by the Early Bird Registration Deadline- December 2nd, and you could win 5 lbs of Trolli sour gummy worms!

---Your Question of the Week: "Jason Evert really made me think…How do you say no when you’ve already said yes before?"

You are in my prayers,
-------------------------------

The Village News

Resources to Help in Crises:
Crisis Pregnancies 24-hour Hotline: 1-800-57WOMAN
Ozone House 24-hour Crisis Hotline: (734) 662-2222
National Addiction Assistance Helpline: 1-800-559-9503
Alcoholics Anonymous-Alateen: 1 (888) 4AL-ANON
Christian Teen Line: 1-800-394-HOPE [Mon-Sun 6pm-5am]
Contact Youth Minister Beth Spizarny at (734) 545-0827
Find a local Therapist at psychologytoday.com

This Thursday: No Dead Theologians Society
Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us next Thursday from 6:30-8pm when we'll be discussing St Francis Xavier.

This Sunday, 11/29: No Village Meeting
Enjoy your Thanksgiving! Check in with us next next Sunday 12/6 for "St John Vianney & the Year of the Priest!"

Fall Retreat 12/11-12/13: Overview & Early Bird Deadline
Okay, the votes are in, and our longsleeve Fall Retreat t-shirts are going to be black with green and blue text! Thank you for your votes.Check out the RSVP and Guest List for Fall Retreat by visiting 'The Village @ St Thomas' on Facebook. Retreats are unique opportunities to take friendships to the next level through explosive games, incredible speakers, small group sharing opportunities, and copious amounts of food. Village Retreatants escape from the hectic schedule of everyday life to be welcomed into the rich prayer life of the Church with Morning Prayer and Night Prayer, in addition to Holy Mass. Together we will encounter Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and be blessed by God’s Real Presence in Eucharistic Adoration. Register by Wednesday, December 2nd and you will be automatically entered into our early bird prize giveaway, nearly 5 pounds of Trolli Sour Gummy Worms!

Your Question of the Week: "Jason Evert really made me think…How do you say no when you’ve already said yes before?"

Dating in high school is so hard! Men and women are not fully developed, and insecurities on all sides can easily lead a couple to use one another rather than truly love one another. Know that you are not alone in trying to figure out how to say no when you’ve already said yes before. Typically what happens in most dating relationships gone bad is this: the boy pressures the girl to go further physically (for his own physical pleasure, or maybe because he thinks this is what he is supposed to do), the girl agrees to go further (so that she feels loved even if it’s just for a moment, or because she thinks this is what she is supposed to do). Friends, this is not real love! This is the worldly counterfeit love- in which men and women simply use one another to feel good without experiencing the meaningful depths of real love that loves the other for his or her own sake and not because of what the other can give.

Jesus was always really loving and forgiving towards men and women who had fallen into some unhealthy dating pattern. Think of the woman at the well who had been with many men, and Jesus looked on her with loving compassion and opened up for her the truth that God alone could quench her thirst for love! Remember how Jesus defended and forgave the woman caught in adultery when the crowd threw her at his feet? Know that if there is any sense of shame or fear of God seeing you differently- know that God waits for all of us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to embrace us in His forgiving love and give us a clean fresh start.

Okay, now on to your question!! The easiest way to say no when you’ve already said yes before- is to avoid the “near occasion of sin” by avoiding the circumstances in which you are likely to be tempted altogether. For example, in high school my friends would get together at someone’s house to “watch movies” which actually meant they were going to have a makeout session with their significant others. SO in this case, avoiding the movie night altogether is the easiest way to say no!!

Other ways to avoid temptation: 1. Ask some legit Christian friends to pray for you, to help you make good decisions. 2. Develop more friendships with those who are rejecting the empty worldly counterfeit of love. Having friends who are like-minded can give you more healthy outlets for fun social hangouts. 3. Tell anyone who pressures you to say yes that you are worth waiting for! Remember Jason’s line- love waits to give but lust can’t wait to take. If you are truly loved, they will wait to show you their love in a physical way. If they keep pressuring you, END IT. (A good friend of mine is on to Man #3 in her adult life- she’s walked away from 2 who said they would wait but still pressured her not to. Be strong! You are worth it!)

Here are a couple other ways to rebuild a Christian understanding of dating. Spend some time thinking about what physical affection means- for starters, affection is intended to be an outward sign of an inward reality. Secondly, make a list of physical boundaries that you would want to use in a dating relationship that would be pleasing to God. This way when the next situation comes along, you’re prepared!

Village News: Purity & Peer Counseling

2009-11-16T10:35:00.002-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Great to see so many of you out at Jason Evert's talk last night! It was neat to hear Jason cover so many different topics from a Catholic perspective- the real side effects of birth control, the proper role of sex in marriage, and real love versus lust. I highly recommend that you check out his website www.chastity.com, for more Q&A on Dating, How Far is Too Far, Pornography, Homosexuality, Birth Control, STD's, Starting Over, How to Stay Pure, and Vocations. Purity can be hard, so we must pray even harder asking God to help us- to make us the men and women that we are called to be!

At this Sunday's Village, we'll be discussing some tough issues, alcohol abuse- drug abuse- and self-harm. Research has shown that teens are much more likely to go to someone their own age when facing a crisis, rather than an adult. Are you prepared to be the Good Samaritan to a friend dealing with these hard situations? Have you struggled with any of these yourself? You are not alone! Join us Sunday for prayer along with practical tips to understand and support those you care about.

--Join us this Thursday for the Dead Theologians Society, meditating on the life of St Elizabeth of Hungary.

--Register for The Village Fall Retreat (12/11-12/13) by the Early Bird Registration Deadline- December 2nd, and you could win 5 lbs of Trolli sour gummy worms!

--Your Question of the Week: "How far can you go in a dating relationship without going against the Catholic Faith?"

You are in my prayers!
----------------------------------
The Village News

Recap: Service Day
Thank you to those who came out this past Saturday to help collect the donations for the Pregnancy Help Center! Last month, a number of Villagers and Volunteers flyered 400+ homes, requesting donations that would be picked up this past Saturday, 11/14. We raised awareness for the Pregnancy Help Center, and were able to collect nearly 5 boxes worth of supplies! Thank you, Villagers, for being Christ’s hands and feet in the world.

This Thursday, 6:30-8:30pm: Saint Elizabeth of Hungary @ Dead Theologians Society
Saint Elizabeth was born a real Princess, and lived a life of piety and sacrifice- an awesome Catholic Disney film! Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us this Thursday.
-6:30pm: social time in the Parish Offices
-7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
-8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

This Sunday's Village, 11/22: Peer Counseling Workshops
Most teens experiencing a crisis are more likely to go to a friend their own age for support, than an adult. Are you ready to be the Good Samaritan to a friend struggling with alcohol abuse, drug use, or self-harm? Have you struggled with any of these yourself? You are not alone! Join us this Sunday for an introduction to these tough topics from a Catholic perspective, and some tips to help you support a friend in the midst of some pretty nasty stuff.

Fall Retreat 12/11-12/13: Overview & Early Bird Deadline
Retreats are the high point of all youth ministry activity! Retreats are unique opportunities to take friendships to the next level through explosive games, incredible speakers, small group sharing opportunities, and copious amounts of food. Village Retreatants escape from the hectic schedule of everyday life to be welcomed into the rich prayer life of the Church with Morning Prayer and Night Prayer, in addition to Holy Mass. Together we will encounter Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and be blessed by God’s Real Presence in Eucharistic Adoration. Register by Wednesday, December 2nd and you will be automatically entered into our early bird prize giveaway, nearly 5 pounds of Trolli Sour Gummy Worms!

Your Question of the Week: "How far can you go in a dating relationship without going against the Catholic faith?"

Okay, first of all- there are Four Domains of Dating Relationships.
1. Spiritual: Pray together, Go to mass together, Talk about your prayer life together
2. Intellectual: Watch the news together, Read a book together! Talk!
3. Emotional: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) “Keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) Use all five Love Languages: Quality Time, Acts of Service, Verbal Affirmation, Gifts, Physical Affirmation
4. Physical: Commit yourself to living chastely! The great gift of sex is stripped of all meaning when it is given without life commitment of marriage

Okay, so within that framework, let’s talk about what physical affection means. Physical manifestations of affection are meant to be outward signs of inward realities. What are you expressing to your significant other through your affections? When our physical actions are an end in themselves, we are not treating the other as a person created for his or her own sake, but as a means to our own selfish physical satisfaction. Are we kissing the other person for our own physical gratification, or are we speaking to them of their goodness, and our affection for them? We are called to love the other person for their own sake- not to use them.

Sometimes we can give away too much of ourselves without realizing what it means. Sexual love represents the deepest intimacy you can have with another person! As Catholics, we are called to safeguard Chastity and the sanctity of marriage by avoiding all physical activities designed to sexually arouse the other person.

My last preface to the physical boundaries I’m going to give is this: We need to change our perspective from how much can I get away with, to how can I honor God and my future spouse with this dating relationship?

Here are some dating boundaries that have been passed on to me that I believe to be helpful in safeguarding against sin. First: avoid premarital sex, it is a mortal sin. Avoid passionate kissing. Always stay above the waist (oral sex is a mortal sin). Always keep all of your clothes on. Lying down together is a bad idea, it can lead to badness. Talk openly about the boundaries you find helpful- consider always keeping the door open, or only hanging out exclusively when someone else is nearby.

Again, let your physical actions be a reflection of your affection for the other, but keep the physical aspect of your relationship balanced with other domains. Know that in Christ there is always forgiveness, and there can always be a new beginning, a fresh start. If you fall, make sure you get to Confession to repent and receive Jesus’ forgiveness and mercy!

Village News: Jason Evert!

2009-11-11T12:56:00.002-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Thanks to everyone who came out to Village last Sunday! The girls had an *epic* marshmallow fight, and I hear that the guys built something out of duct tape and boxes that made it to the ceiling before being totally demolished. In addition we had some great dialogue about the "ideal man" and "ideal woman" put forward by the media. It was awesome comparing those false ideals with the ideal presented in the Scriptures by the lives of Jesus and Mary.

I've got some incredible news for you! This Sunday, the St Thomas Respect Life Committee is bringing in renown speaker Jason Evert to address Villagers, Grown-Up Soda teens, and teens from across the diocese. Jason and his wife Crystalina are known for handling sticky issues such as chastity, dating, Theology of the Body, and the struggle for purity- with wit and charm! Check them out online at www.chastity.com! Instead of our regular meeting this week, join hundreds of teens from our area as we gather to hear Jason Evert in the School Gym. Come early, as parking will be scarce! If possible, please bring the suggested $10 donation. Villagers, we're meeting in the Parish Hall for pizza at 6:30pm, and listening to Jason from 7pm to 8pm!

---Join us this Thursday for the Dead Theologians Society, meditating on the life of St Padre Pio...

---Join us this Saturday from 9am-1pm for our last Service Day of the semester!

---Your Question of the Week: "What is the Paraclete?"

-------------------------

The Village News

This Thursday, 6:30-8:30pm: Saint Padre Pio @ The Dead Theologians Society
This week our dead theologian is Padre Pio! He passed away just 40 years ago, a holy man in our own times. Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us this Thursday.
--6:30pm: social time in the Parish Offices
--7-8pm: gather in the Church choir loft for prayer (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
--8-8:30pm: return to Parish Offices for hot cocoa & snacks

This Saturday, 9am-1pm: Service Day
Last month 10 Villagers dropped fliers at over 300 homes, asking them to participate in our Collection Drive this Saturday, 11/14! At our Service Day Saturday (11/14, from 9-1pm!) we’ll celebrate morning Mass with the Parish, invite God’s blessing on our service with a prayer, collect donations for the Pregnancy Help Center, drop them at the Pregnancy Help Center, and have a short time for debriefing back at St Thomas over a pizza lunch.

Sunday 11/15, 6:30-8:30pm: Jason Evert, in place of Regular Village Meeting
Nationally renowned Catholic Speaker Jason Evert is coming to speak here at St Thomas, sponsored by the Respect Life Committee! Hundreds of teens are coming from across the Diocese of Lansing to hear him speak on Chastity, Dating, and Theology of the Body. Meet us in the Parish Hall for pizza at 6:30pm, and listen to Jason from 7pm to 8pm! Come early, parking will be scarce! If possible, please bring the suggested $10 donation.

Fall Retreat 12/11-12/13
Last year’s Fall Retreat was a blast! Brendan won 5lbs of Fun Dip, we had go-cart races, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Father Selvam celebrated Holy Mass for us on Sunday morning…Stay tuned for more on this year’s Fall Retreat!

Your Question of the Week: "What is the Paraclete?"
Translated, Paraclete means Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Teacher, Helper. ‘Paraclete’ is another word for the Holy Spirit that is used in John’s Gospel. According to St. John the mission of the Paraclete is to remain with the disciples after Jesus has withdrawn His visible presence from them; to inwardly reveal to them the teaching externally given by Christ and thus to be a witness to the doctrine and work of the Saviour.

At our Baptism, Catholics receive a share of the Holy Spirit, and when we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit! We receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit- wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, fear of the Lord, knowledge.

The Holy Spirit is a Person really distinct as such from the Father and the Son; He is God and consubstantial with the Father and the Son. When we close our monthly Village Adoration, we pray the Divine Praises together. Let’s close with the line on the Holy Spirit: “Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete!”

Lies in the Media!

2009-11-02T17:27:00.003-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Last night we got into Catholic Philosophy in some very practical ways! First we all competed in The Amazing Race which went all through the parish offices and school, and included some unethical ways to get ahead. Next, drawing from St Thomas Aquinas, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Veritatis Splendor, we studied a number of basic principles that can be used to determine the morality of various actions in everyday life.

Here are 6 principles for moral decision making:
---Principle 1: Good is to be done, evil is to be avoided.
---Principle 2: Some acts are objectively wrong all of the time.
---Principle 3: It is not acceptable to do evil in order to achieve some good end. (The ends don’t justify the means.)
---Principle 4: Avoid acts which are permissible for you but may cause scandal to others.
---Principle 5: The object, motive and circumstances must all be good for an act to be good.
---Principle 6: In certain cases, it is permissible to do a good action that causes a negative side effect. (Double Effect)

This Sunday, we're focusing on Lies in the Media. Those in marketing find your weaknesses, your insecurities, and exploit them to their advantage– to sell magazines, makeup, clothes, anything! This Sunday we’re having some quality men’s and women’s time to deconstruct some of the lies put forward by today’s media about who we are called to be as men and women!

----Join us Thursday from 7-8pm for the Dead Theologians Society, meditating on the life of St Therese of the Little Flower!

----Your Questions of the Week are: "Why did God make the Trinity?" and "What is a Novena and Where can I find one?"

You are in my prayers!
---------------------

The Village News

This Thursday: Dead Theologians Society
This week our dead theologian is Saint Therese of Lisieux! She is one of the most beloved Saints of all time. Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! Come on out and join us this Thursday!

--At 6:30pm we have social time in the Parish Offices
--From 7-8pm we gather in the Church choir loft for prayer with the Saints! (the Elizabeth St door is always open)
--Stay as late as 8:30pm enjoying hot cocoa, a yummy baked good and more snacks!

Next Sunday: Lies in the Media- Men’s and Women’s Time
Those in marketing find your weaknesses, your insecurities, and exploit them to their advantage– to sell magazines, makeup, clothes, anything! This Sunday we’re having for some quality men’s and women’s time to deconstruct some of the lies put forward by today’s media about who we are called to be as men and women! Inspired by a speaker at the Franciscan University of Steubenville Youth Conference, we’re going to strip away the myths we’ve been fed about what we should strive to be like– replacing the untruths with the truth found in our identity as men and women of God!

Upcoming Events
-----Service Day, Saturday 11/14, 9am-1pm:Last month 10 Villagers dropped fliers at over 300 homes, asking them to participate in our Collection Drive this Saturday, 11/14! At our Service Day Saturday (11/14, from 9-1pm!) we’ll celebrate morning Mass with the Parish, invite God’s blessing on our service with a prayer, collect donations for the Pregnancy Help Center, drop them at the Pregnancy Help Center, and have a short time for debriefing back at St Thomas over a pizza lunch.

-----Jason Evert, Sunday 11/15 in place of Regular Village Meeting: Nationally renowned Catholic Speaker Jason Evert is coming to speak here at St Thomas, sponsored by the Respect Life Committee! Teens will be coming here from across the Diocese of Lansing to hear him speak on Chastity, Dating, and Theology of the Body. Meet us in the Parish Hall for pizza at 6:30pm, and listen to Jason from 7pm to 8pm! Come early, parking will be scarce! Volunteers are needed to help setup for this event, serve food, direct visitors, and provide general hospitality- contact Barbara Grant-Yopko at bgyopko@att.net.

-----The Village Fall Retreat, December 11-13th:Did you know that there is a big ridiculous give-away for those who attend Fall Retreat? In ’06 we gave away 70 pounds of Tootsie Rolls, and in ’07 it was 20lbs of Big League Chew!! Last year we gave away 5 pounds of Fun Dip and 8 pounds of Bugle Chips!

Your Questions of the Week: Why did God make the Trinity?
God did not make the Trinity. God simply is three distinct persons in one essence. God the Father was not created- He existed from eternity. Similarly, the Son was not created- He was eternally begotten from the Father. Finally, the Holy Spirit was not created- He eternally proceeds from the Son and the Father.

Now if your question was why is God triune? We simply cannot know why God is triune, any more than we can know why God decided on a blue sky instead of a yellow one. The Holy Trinity is a deep mystery- what we do know we must hold fast, lest we stumble into untruth! We know that: God is One, God is three persons in one essence. We know that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are co-equal, and we know that The Trinity is a mystery that cannot be grasped by reason alone.

Your Questions of the Week: What is a Novena, and Where Can I find one?
A novena is a prayer/devotion that is repeated for nine days to obtain special graces. Novena’s are encouraged by the Catholic Church, and are a beautiful form of prayer. The goal of going through a novena is to ask for grace, and to deepen one's spiritual connection with God. Novenas are especially useful when one has a specific prayer request or needs help discerning a life decision.

Typically, people pray to specific saints when they make a novena. Someone who has lost something might pray to Saint Anthony, for example, asking for assistance with finding the item again. People can also pray to the Virgin Mary or to God. There are hundreds of novenas published in various collections of Catholic prayers and meditations, and people can also make up their own prayers. The prayer may be said at home or in Church, and some people meditate on the rosary as they say their novenas.

One of the most popular novenas is the Novena to the Little Flower- to Saint Therese of Lisieux. (She is our Dead Theologian this Thursday from 7-8pm in the Church choir loft!) It is a beautiful prayer of joining in the total surrender of Saint Therese, and asking God for spiritual purification and an answer to a specific question. Many who have prayed the Novena to Saint Therese have their prayer answered in the affirmative on the 9th day by receiving roses!

Here is the opening prayer to the Novena to Saint Therese: St. Thérèse, privileged Little Flower of Jesus and Mary, I approach you with childlike confidence and deep humility. I lay before you my desires, and beg that through your intercession they may be realized. Did you not promise to spend your heaven doing good upon earth? Grant me according to this promise the favors I am asking from you. Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through your intercession. Amen.

Great places to find a Novena- www.ewtn.com www.fisheaters.com

Village News: Catholic Philosophy 101

2009-10-26T15:43:00.001-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to our faithful Director of Faith Formation, Monica Pope, for an inspiring talk on the Holy Trinity last night! Father Eric Weber, a past parochial vicar of St Thomas once said that it is nearly impossible for anyone to speak for more than 10 minutes on the Blessed Trinity without committing heresy. With that stern admonition, Monica did a beautiful job elaborating on the truths that God has revealed to us about His Trinitarian nature! We must be careful not to lose the gift and mystery of the Trinity by trying to reduce it into our own terms. The Church has continuously called the Holy Trinity the central mystery of the Christian faith! For your further meditation, please see the attached scriptural meditations on the Trinity.

Here are a few truths we talked about last night:
1. In the unity of the one God, there are three distinct Persons. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #253, 254)
2. The Triune God consists of three Persons who are but one essence. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #202)
3. The end of all things is the inclusion of God's creatures into God's Trinitarian unity. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #260)

This Sunday, we're focusing on Catholic Philosophy. Catholic Philosophy presents us with a set of basic principles with which to determine the morality of various actions. Drawing from St Thomas Aquinas, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Veritatis Splendor, we’ll be examining some tough ethical questions through the lens of Catholic Philosophy and Moral Theology! Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 for another great Village meeting!

---This Thursday Night from 7-8pm, our Dead Theologians Society is focusing on St Francis of Assisi.

---Your Question of the Week is, "What does the Church officially teach on homosexuality?"

You are in my prayers!
--------------------------------

The Village News

This Thursday: Dead Theologians Society
This week our dead theologian is Saint Francis of Assisi! Join us this Thursday from 7-8pm for our (now) regular DTS meeting! We will gather in Beth’s office for snacks and social time starting at 6:30, move to the Church Choir Loft at 7pm, and have more snacks and social time from 8 to 8:30pm. Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow!

Next Sunday: Catholic Philosophy 101
Catholic Philosophy presents us with a set of basic principles with which to determine the morality of various actions. Drawing from St Thomas Aquinas, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Veritatis Splendor, we’ll be examining some tough ethical questions through the lens of Catholic Philosophy and Moral Theology! Join us this Sunday from 5-6:30 for a great Village meeting!

Next Sunday: Youth Council Meeting at 4pm Before Village
Attention Youth Council Members: Nealia Fil, Melissa Shelcusky, Erica Wells, Marina Argiero, Brendan Hufnagel, Tony Pilon, Ellen Dowling, Mike Megargle, Will Chavey, Sebastian Renteria, Tom Pilon, Danielle Arsenault, Chris Silva, Emma McClory, Robert Peters, Thomas Donahue, James Pope, and Isabel Pope.

Come by 4pm next Sunday, for the second (and last) Youth Council Meeting of the semester. The Youth Council meets 2x each semester to provide youth input to guide upcoming Village events. All those serveing as Team Leaders are a part of the Youth Council, as well as a number of teens who are not on any particular Team.

The Village Fall Retreat, December 11-13th
Did you know that every single Village Retreat has a late night Taco Bell run? This semester our retreat theme is “Lord, to whom shall we go?”! These words come from the Gospel of John Chapter 6, after Jesus promises to give His Body in the Eucharist. Many of his disciples think he has lost it, and stop following him. Jesus turns to his remaining disciples with the question- “Do you also want to leave?” The Apostle Peter replies, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Your Question of the Week: What does the Church officially teach on homosexuality?

Having same-sex attractions does not change who someone is in God’s eyes! Even if you have had feelings of same-sex attraction, this does not change who you are. You are not the sum of your thoughts or feelings- you are God’s Beloved Son or Daughter. Let’s start with the very meaning of sex- our very bodies show that man and woman are made for each other. Sexual love is a participation in God’s work as Creator, and is a gift of self to the beloved, in marriage. It is designed to be a total, faithful, and fruitful gift of self. Sex outside of the marriage vows is not a total, faithful, and fruitful gift of self- therefore the sexual act becomes the antithesis of love- use.

Those with homosexual desires are called, like all Christians, to live the virtue of chastity. Chastity means abstaining from sex outside of marriage, adopting a lifestyle that recognizes the true meaning of sex, and recognizing the goodness of being made male and female in God’s image. Homosexual desires are not in themselves sinful- it is only when one acts on the desires, or encourages the desires, that they become sinful. The homosexual act, acts intended to arouse or stimulate a sexual response from a person of the same sex, is opposed to God’s plan.

Sexual love is designed for a man and a woman in the context of marriage for two reasons. 1. We’re Called to be Fruitful: “God has willed to give the union of man and woman a special participation in his work of creation…“Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). Homosexual acts close the sexual act to the gift of life. 2. We’re Called to be Complementary: “Man, the image of God, was created “male and female” (Gen 1:27). Men and women are equal as persons and complementary as male and female. Marriage is instituted by the Creator as a form of life in which a communion of persons is realized involving the use of the sexual faculty.” (PBenedict)

Old and New Testament consistently condemn the homosexual act- Genesis 19:13, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-28, 32. “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" -1 Cor 6:9-10

Scientific studies on what leads people to embrace a gay lifestyle have produced mixed results. Some suggest there may be a genetic predisposition- so the actions cannot be sinful or unnatural, but many are born with a genetic disposition to alcoholism, but that does not mean these desires should be fulfilled. Some say that they were born with the desires; so the actions cannot be sinful or unnatural, but we are all born with many desires that are unnatural- alcoholism, masturbation, self-centeredness, etc. Having these desires is not wrong- but acting on them is.

Therefore, we are called to LOVE: those who have same-sex attractions and those who act on them “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” (Catechism 2358) Still, the Church’s effort to love and accept those with homosexual desires does not mean approving of their choices to act on these desires.

More Support + Resources: Courage- an outreach of the Church that ministers to those with same-sex attractions. Encourage- an apostolate of the Catholic Church which ministers to relatives and friends of persons with same-sex attractions. Check them out online!

The Holy Trinity

2009-10-21T14:12:00.001-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to Village Volunteer Laura, for an inspiring talk on Worship this past Sunday! Worshiping God is acknowledging our own littleness and recognizing God as infinite- as merciful Love itself. We are called to worship God through the Mass, through praise and worship music, and through vocal prayer. That said, St Paul challenges us to live our whole lives as worship- “I urge you therefore, brothers, remembering the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, dedicated and acceptable to God; that is the kind of worship for you, as sensible people.” In order to offer our very lives to God, we had a beautiful time of Eucharistic Adoration following Laura's talk with our Pastor, Father Bill. We can all use more time in front of the Jesus- present in the Eucharist!

This Sunday, we're focusing in on the Holy Trinity: Gift & Mystery. The mystery of the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life (Catechism of the Catholic Church #234). In addition, God's inmost Being as Holy Trinity is a mystery that is inaccessible to reason alone (Catechism of the Catholic Church #237). In other words, the Trinity is both the most essential teaching of our faith and a mystery about which we cannot know everything. That said, we can certainly know more than we do now! Join us at Village this Sunday to hear Guest Speaker and St Thomas Director of Faith Formation, Monica Pope, on the beauty and truth of the Most Blessed Trinity.

---This Thursday Night from 7-8pm, our Dead Theologians Society is focusing on St Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr.

---Your Question of the Week is, "Is it a sin to think about sex?"

You are in my prayers,
Beth

The Village News

This Thursday: Dead Theologians Society
This week our dead theologian is Saint Cecilia! Join us this Thursday from 7-8pm for our (now) regular DTS meeting! We will gather in Beth’s office for snacks and social time starting at 6:30, move to the Church Choir Loft at 7pm, and have more snacks and social time from 8 to 8:30pm. If things are busy, feel free to skip social time. Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society, or DTS, inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow!

Next Sunday 10/25: The Holy Trinity: Gift & Mystery
The mystery of the Holy Trinity is the most fundamental of our faith! The Trinity is a mystery in the sense that it is a religious truth about which we can't know everything. That said, we can certainly know and understand more than we do now! Join us Sunday from 5-6:30 to discover the Most Blessed Trinity and the surprising implications for our social & personal lives.

The Village Fall Retreat, December 11-13th
Did you know that every single Village Retreat is modeled after a World Youth Day? This semester we’re focusing on World Youth Day, 1996, “Lord, to whom shall we go?”! These words come from the Gospel of John Chapter 6, after Jesus proclaims Himself to be the living bread sent down from heaven to give life to the world! Jesus promises to give His Body in the Eucharist, and many of his disciples think he has lost it. Many of his disciples stopped following him, and Jesus turns to his remaining disciples with the question- “Do you also want to leave?” The Apostle Peter replies, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

More about The Village
Our mission is to prepare each of us for our encounter with the Risen Christ, especially in the Blessed Sacrament. Some of us may have doubts like our patron St Thomas did. Others have already joined St Thomas in those words of faith, "My Lord and My God!” Like St Thomas, we are asking real questions, having real dialogue, and developing real faith. The Village meets on Sunday nights from 5-6:30pm, in addition to having socials and service days. The highlight over and above all of these activities will be our Fall Retreat! Check us out online at www.findthevillage.com for more info. Youth Minister Beth Spizarny can be reached at St Thomas at 761-8606. For anything of an immediate nature you can call or text her cell, (734) 545-0827.

Your Question of the Week: Is it a sin to think about sex?
Each week I answer one of the very real questions you have asked me about living our Catholic Faith. This week, our question is a bit stickier than usual! Just thinking about sex is not a sin. We are sexual beings, and part of that is human nature and perfectly normal. Even St Augustine, a Bishop and Doctor of the Church, (and our Dead Theologian from last week!) struggled with thoughts about sex and lust. That said- we are also intelligent and spiritual beings, and we have the ability to control our fantasies and emotions. Many of our thoughts are random, but we have to learn to quickly discard those that can potentially be sinful. If sexual thoughts arise, we need reject these thoughts, recognizing that these thoughts may lead us to sin.

As Catholics we need to especially remember that we are created to know, love, and serve God. In addition to this call, we know from Theology of the Body that we are also called to love as He loves. Loving as God loves means that in the context of our vocation (marriage, religious life, single life, and priesthood) we are called to love faithfully, totally, and fruitfully. In the context of marriage, loving as God loves is possible through the faithful (loving your spouse for life!), total (not holding anything back!) and fruitful (open to life) gift of self in sexual love.

When we nurture thoughts about sex we objectify the opposite sex, wrongly see sexual love as self-gratification instead of a gift of self to your spouse, and we can even be tempted to self-centered forms of sexual love. Continually thinking about these things can create an unhealthy attachment to some pretty fleshly and lust-centered sins!

We need to learn to control our thoughts. Unlike animals, we as humans can not act on each and every urge that come along. St Alphonsus Liguori advised, “When an evil thought is presented to the mind, we must immediately endeavor to turn our thoughts to God, or to something which is indifferent. But the best rule is, instantly to invoke the names of Jesus and Mary, and to continue to invoke them until the temptation ceases."

Here’s another good prayer for times of temptation: "Father God, please wash my thoughts with the blood of Jesus and help me die to any sinful pleasure I have in them. Please forgive me for any sin I have committed in my thoughts. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

Time to Refuel

2009-10-12T14:17:00.000-04:00

It seems as though with the advent of October, the semester is in full force! The cold weather has come, and with it- exams and heavy homework. Villagers are busier than ever this month, with loads of schoolwork, fall sports, and the excitement of school plays and homecoming dances. Sometimes we can become so consumed with anxiety and busyness, that we think we'll get ahead if we skip regular prayer time, Village meetings, or even Sunday Mass! The frustrating thing is, when we stop nourishing our bodies with spiritual food, we start running low on energy and joy.

When we make time for Jesus, or better yet- when we surrender all of our time to Jesus, He will take care of everything else. Jesus calls to each of us in our busyness:

"If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?' All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil." (Gospel of Matthew 6:30-34)

This Sunday, you're all invited to come and take a load off. Jesus said, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Gospel of Matthew 11:28). God knows that we need rest from all of our activities, and He comes to each of us in the Eucharist to nourish us and give us strength to go on! As the Catechism says, “the church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love.” [Catechism of the Catholic Church #1380]

Come this Sunday for our monthly time of Eucharistic Adoration, and some real discussion on Whole Life Worship!

You are in my prayers,
Beth

The Village News

Next Sunday 10/18: Whole Life Worship
Join us this Sunday from 5-6:30pm for our monthly night of Eucharistic Adoration! “The church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love.” [Catechism of the Catholic Church #1380] This Sunday we’ll be discussing Whole Life Worship! When we experience times of worship as being boring, it’s because we just don’t understand what we’re doing. We were made to worship, and when we do we are fulfilling God’s highest vocation for man! Transform your experience of worship from just singing to just living for Him.

This Thursday: Dead Theologians Society
Join us this Thursday from 7-8pm for our (now) regular DTS meeting! We will gather in Beth’s Office for snacks and social time starting at 6:30, move to the Church Choir Loft at 7pm, and have more snacks and social time from 8 to 8:30pm. If things are busy, feel free to skip social time. DTS is an opportunity for you to encounter the Saints and receive the graces you need to become a Saint yourself!

Saturday's Service Day Recap
On the morn of October the 10th, 2009 Anno Domini, eight lonely sojourners set out on the ultimate journey. Vitalized by the 9 o’clock morning Mass, we set out to spread the word of a great ministry, The Pregnancy Help Center. Giving out more than 299 pamphlets to area residents, we entreated them to assist with physical or monetary donations to be collected next month! We then traversed to the aforesaid Pregnancy Help Center to witness firsthand the destination of next month’s collections. After the enlightening journey, we famished travelers returned to St Thomas the Apostle Parish for vittles; pizza, cheesy doodles, and an eclectic collection of beverages to celebrate our hard work! Join us next month, Saturday, 11/14, as we amass the munificent donations and transport them to the Pregnancy Help Center.

More about The Village:
Our mission is to prepare each of us for our encounter with the Risen Christ, especially in the Blessed Sacrament. Some of us may have doubts like our patron St Thomas did. Others have already joined St Thomas in those words of faith, "My Lord and My God!” Like St Thomas, we are asking real questions, having real dialogue, and developing real faith. The Village meets on Sunday nights from 5-6:30pm, in addition to having socials and service days. The highlight over and above all of these activities will be our Fall Retreat! Check us out online at www.findthevillage.com for more info.

Respect Life & Service Day

2009-10-05T17:13:00.001-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Wow! What a big weekend we had, with 83 Grown-Up Soda & Village teens at the Corn Maze on Friday night, and bunch of us at Life Chain- not to mention our regular Village meeting on Sunday. Last night we had Respect Life Night at Village, and we had special guests Beth Ann Smith and Paul Schulz join us from the St Thomas Respect Life Committee to field some of your questions! Mother Teresa once said of abortion, 'It is a poverty that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."

You asked some tough questions about the right to choose abortion in cases of rape- such a horrible situation. Rape is *never* okay, and a woman in this situation is certainly a victim of a morally reprehensible crime. All the same, women in this situation are encouraged to consider the many alternatives to aborting the life of the child. The innocent child should not be killed to make up for the sins of the father- especially when Adoption and Free Parenting Resources are so readily available.

Instead of just debating these issues- or simply sweeping the problem under the rug with indifference- we are going to do something to help! At our first Village Service Day this Saturday, we are going to do a clothing & supplies drive for the Pregnancy Help Center here in Ann Arbor. We will be putting fliers in people's doors letting them know about these local resources- and inviting them to make donations to the Pregnancy Help Center which we will be picking up next month.

---ArborVitae is a free medical clinic (below Starbucks on Liberty St, 734-994-8863) providing pregnancy testing, counseling, and ultrasounds all free of charge!

---The Pregnancy Help Center (at Packard and Platt, 734-975-4357) provides cribs, diapers, formula, and clothing free of charge!

---The Pregnancy Counseling Center provides free anonymous counseling support via their free hotline (734-434-3088)

Come this Saturday from 9am-1pm to reach out and make a difference in our community! We will meet for 9am Mass, pray together, perform some real service, visit the Pregnancy Help Center, and debrief over a pizza lunch here at St Thomas. Join us as we raise awareness about the *many* resources available to help those at risk of choosing abortion while supporting these local centers by collecting baby clothes. Please pray for this outreach, especially if you are unable to join us!

God Bless, Beth

The Village News 10/4

This Thursday Oct 8: First Dead Theologians Society
Join us this Thursday October 8th from 7-8pm for our (now) regular DTS meeting! We will gather in the Youth Room for snacks and social time starting at 6:30, move to the Church Choir Loft at 7:10pm, and have more snacks and social time from 8 to 8:30pm. If things are busy, feel free to skip social time. DTS is an opportunity for you to encounter the Saints and receive the graces you need to become a Saint yourself!

This Saturday Oct 10 from 9am-1pm: First Village Service Day
Join us this Saturday from 9-1pm for morning Mass, quick prayer, real service, and a short debriefing at the Parish over pizza. Please bring a note from your parents giving permission for you to come! We’ll be running a clothing drive for the Ann Arbor Pregnancy Help Center, and putting together care packages for our graduated Villagers off at college! Drivers & Volunteers are needed.

Taking inspiration from last year’s Spring Retreat, we now have monthly Service Days as an outreach of The Village! Pope John Paul promises us that “life flourishes in the gift of self to others…so that all can share the gifts they have received, in a spirit of solidarity, especially with the poor and the needy.”

Next Sunday: The Good News & Bad News about Free Will
Join us Sunday from 5-6:30pm for the real scoop on free will– why it is the best gift God gave to humanity and at the same time the hardest thing about being human! We’ll also delve into some of your questions...Why did God give us free will? Why does God allow evil in the world? How was free will weakened by Adam and Eve? Why did Protestant Reformers Calvin & Luther deny the existence of free will? Is it really free will if God already knows what we will choose?

Your Questions of the Week:
How do you explain modesty to an agnostic?

We live in an over sexualized world, and are constantly bombarded with the message that our body matters more than who we are inside. This can lead many of us, especially women, to a need for external validation about our appearance. We are called to dress modestly to guard our dignity as men and women. If we were explaining modesty to a Catholic, I would spend more time explaining where our dignity comes from- being made in the image of God and designed for relationship with Him. I would encourage your friend to know that whether she/he knows it or not, she/he is deeply loved by the God of the universe, and has incredible worth!

We are called to dress modestly to guard the sacredness of our own sexuality. Whether or not your friend believes as we do that sex is intended to be a promise made to one’s spouse to love them faithfully for life, freely, totally, and with an openness to having children- most people believe that sex is special. When we dress immodestly, we can encourage others to objectify us- to think of us as merely an object for their own sexual pleasure.

Remember that the opposite of love is not hate, but rather use. When others use us for what we can give, it is worse than if they were to hate us! We are each worthy of being loved for our own sake and not for what we can give. When we dress primarily to attract the opposite sex, we send the message that we are unsure of our own dignity, and might accept those who wish to use us instead of love us. When we dress primarily to be attractive, we send the message that we have dignity, and are worthy of being loved for our own sake and not just for what we can give to others.When we dress modestly we guard our dignity as men and women, we guard the sacredness of our own sexuality, and we encourage others to love us rather than simply use us!!

Is plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons a sin?
The Church does not have a specific teaching on elective (unnecessary) plastic surgery, but here’s what the Catechism does say, “If morality requires respect for the life of the body, it does not make it an absolute value. It rejects a neo-pagan notion that tends to promote the cult of the body, to sacrifice everything for it's sake, to idolize physical perfection and success at sports.” [#2289] The idea here is that getting plastic surgery probably entails idolizing physical perfection, and seeing the body as a full representation of who you are as an individual. You are so much more than your appearance! You are created with incredible dignity- made in God’s image and designed for relationship with him! Let us work towards accepting our bodies as they are, realizing that our dignity comes from God and not in comparing ourselves with overly photoshopped magazine covers! Beyond these reasons not to have plastic surgery, there are some pretty high costs and serious health risks that come along with it. Talk to your parents for more!

More about The Village
Our mission is to prepare each of us for our encounter with the Risen Christ, especially in the Blessed Sacrament. Some of us may have doubts like our patron St Thomas did. Others have already joined St Thomas in those words of faith, "My Lord and My God!” Like St Thomas, we are asking real questions, having real dialogue, and developing real faith. The Village meets on Sunday nights from 5-6:30pm, in addition to having socials and service days. The highlight over and above all of these activities will be our Fall Retreat! Check us out online at www.findthevillage.com for more info.

Corn Maze & Respect Life

2009-09-28T15:45:00.001-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to everyone for a successful inaugural Dead Theologians Society last night! We headed up to the Church Choir Loft, and were surrounded with Gregorian chant, candles, and statues of the Saints who have gone before us. We heard about the life of St Francis de Sales from David, one of our Village Volunteers. In addition there was time for questions, intercessory prayer, and a decade of the Rosary. The Dead Theologians Society motto is, 'Dead to the World, Alive in Christ' to remind us of how we are called to live. Starting next week, the Dead Theologians Society will meet on Thursday evenings from 7-8pm.

This Friday is our first Village Social, the Corn Maze & Bonfire! We'll be arranged into small groups and get lost in 8 acres of corn fields, then relax at a bonfire with s'mores. All high school students are welcome, bring your friends! The cost for participation is $8 and the deadline for registration is this Wednesday, 9/30.

October is Respect Life month! Join us next Sunday at our regular Village meeting from 5-6:30pm for Respect Life Night We’ll be getting into freedom and the right to choice, partial-birth abortion, cases of rape and incest, and the many alternatives to abortion. It is critical that we take a stand for the most vulnerable in our society, the unborn!

With our first three Village meetings behind us, we've averaged 32 teens each week, and more than 20 different teens have come for their first time! If you haven't been able to make it to The Village yet this year, come this Sunday. Join us to be challenged in your faith, build friendships with other Catholic teens, and encounter the Lord Jesus through prayer.

You are all in my prayers!

God Bless,
Beth
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www.findthevillage.com
www.thirstyforgus.com
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"The Cross is not a roadblock on the way to happiness; it is a ladder upon which one climbs to a heaven of love." -Bishop Fulton Sheen

The Village News 9/27

Corn Maze & Bonfire Social This Friday 10/2
Don't miss our social night at the Three Cedars Farm Corn Maze this Friday October 2nd! We’ll be wandering through a huge corn maze, enjoying a hayride, and cooking up some s’mores around the campfire. Drop off will be at Three Cedars Farm at 6:30pm, and pickup will be 9pm. All 7th -12th graders are welcome! Permission slips (attached/online) and money are due by this Wednesday September 30th.

Next Sunday: Life Chain & Respect Life Night 10/4

Next Sunday 10/4 marks the annual national Life Chain event at the corner of Washtenaw and Huron Parkway. Join Villagers there between 2 and 3:30pm for a peaceful pro-life demonstration. We’ll pray the rosary and hold family friendly signs to engage our community in dialogue about some tough issues!

Next Sunday 10/4 at our regular Village meeting from 5-6:30pm we’ll be getting into freedom and the right to choice, partial-birth abortion, cases of rape and incest, and the many alternatives to abortion. It is critical that we take a stand for the most vulnerable in our society, the unborn! We'll also have some guests with us from the St Thomas Respect Life Committee.

More about the Village:
The Village is an outreach of St Thomas the Apostle to all high school aged teens. As a group, our mission is to prepare each of us for our encounter with the Risen Christ, especially in the Blessed Sacrament. Some of us may have doubts like our patron St Thomas did. Others have already joined St Thomas in those words of faith, "My Lord and My God!” Like St Thomas, we are asking real questions, having real dialogue, and developing real faith. The Village meets on Sunday nights from 5-6:30pm. We also have socials and service days. The highlight over and above all of these activities will be our Fall Retreat- a chance for renewal, fun, and prayer!

Here’s Your Question of the Week: Why do we call priests 'Father', when Jesus told us not to?
You’re referring to the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 23:9 where Jesus says ““And call no man your father on earth- for you have one Father, who is in Heaven.” Jesus does not distinguish between spiritual fathers and biological fathers here. So if he meant this literally- we should probably come up with a new name for Papa and for Father Bill!

Check out the context of this verse, and you’ll see that this verse comes in an extensive chastisement of the Pharisees. Calling them hypocrites and blind guides, Jesus is saying that the Pharisees exalt themselves with honorary titles while trying to take honor that should go to God alone. Based on the context of this statement, the Church sees this verse not as a literal teaching against using the word “Father,” but rather a warning against the Pharisees and Scribes who were trying to usurp the fatherhood of God.

In addition to the context of this verse, the title of “Father” is used throughout the New Testament to refer to spiritual fathers.

Jesus, in the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16, has the rich man referring to Abraham as “father” several times.
Paul, in Romans 4, refers to Abraham as the “father” of the Gentiles- referring to spiritual fatherhood.
Stephen, the first Christian martyr in Acts of the Apostles 7, referred to the Jewish authorities and elders who were about to stone him as brothers and “fathers.” (As does Paul in Acts 22)

Since the Bible frequently speaks of this spiritual fatherhood, we Catholics acknowledge it and follow the custom of the apostles by calling priests "father." God has given a great gift to the Church in the spiritual fatherhood of the priesthood. As members of a parish, we have been committed to a priest’s spiritual care- therefore we affectionately call our priests “father.” Priests, in turn, follow the apostles’ biblical example by referring to members of their flock as "my son" or "my child" (cf. Gal. 4:19; 1 Tim. 1:18; 2 Tim. 2:1; Philem. 10; 1 Pet. 5:13; 1 John 2:1; 3 John 4).

Christ’s priests do have a role as spiritual fathers, and Jesus is not against acknowledging that. It is he who gave these men their role as spiritual fathers, and it is his Holy Spirit who recorded this role for us in the pages of Scripture. The important thing is to remember that our true Father is God the Fatherm, and that all aspects of fatherhood, biological and spiritual, are derived from Him.

The Village News!

2009-09-21T15:13:00.003-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to everyone who came and helped to make our first two Village Meetings so exciting! We had 48 teens at our first meeting, and between our two meetings- we've had 17 new teens who have come to The Village for the first time! It has been so good to get back into the rhythm of our weekly meetings on Sundays from 5-6:30pm here at the Church.

Last night John, one of our Village Volunteers, called us on to ditch the rulebook mentality towards our faith! Since the time of the Mosaic law our faith has often been reduced to simply following a rulebook, substituting the empty observance of rules for that active, living relationship with God. When we live according to this rulebook mentality we can become prideful and selfish- missing out on the communion with God that we are made for! Of course we don't want to just stop following the guidelines of the Church, we need that weekly Sunday Mass to nourish our faith and lead us deeper into worship! That said, it's so important for us to remember John's words- God doesn't just want our actions- he wants our hearts!

Join us this coming Sunday 9/27 for our Village Night, Introducing the Dead Theologians Society. The Dead Theologians Society is a Catholic apostolate for teens with chapters across the United States! Through the Saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society (DTS) inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow! This program is an opportunity for you to encounter the Saints and receive the graces you need to become Saints yourselves! Soon DTS will become a regular part of The Village, taking place on Thursday evenings in the church choir loft.

If you haven't been able to make it to The Village yet this year, come this Sunday! Join us to be challenged in your faith, build friendships with other Catholic teens, and encounter the Lord Jesus through prayer.

You are all in my prayers!

God Bless,
Beth
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Next Sunday: Introducing the Dead Theologians Society 9/27 from 5-6:30pm

Corn Maze & Bonfire Social 10/2
The Village and Grown-Up Soda are coming together for a social night at the Three Cedars Farm Corn Maze Friday October 2nd! We’ll be wandering through a huge corn maze, enjoying a hayride, and cooking up some s’mores around the campfire. Drop off will be at Three Cedars Farm at 6:30pm, and pickup will be 9pm. All 7th -12th graders are welcome! Permission slips (attached/online) and money are due by Wednesday September 30th.

More about the Village:
The Village is an outreach of St Thomas the Apostle to all high school aged teens. As a group, our mission is to prepare each of us for our encounter with the Risen Christ, especially in the Blessed Sacrament. Some of us may have doubts like our patron St Thomas did. Others have already joined St Thomas in those words of faith, "My Lord and My God!” Like St Thomas, we are asking real questions, having real dialogue, and developing real faith. The Village meets on Sunday nights from 5-6:30pm. We also have socials and service days. The highlight over and above all of these activities will be our Fall Retreat- a chance for renewal, fun, and prayer!

Here’s Your Question of the Week: Are Mormons Christian?
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Well, the short answer is... not exactly. What I mean is this. If you ask any Mormon they will tell you that they are, but no other source will tell you that.

In the book "The Joy of Sects,” it states, "Mormons embrace a moral code similar to that of most conservative Christian groups, but some of their dogma is unique and places them well outside the Christian mainstream. For instance, they believe that God the Father is a male being of flesh and bones, that Jesus Christ is God but that men can become gods and many in fact have done so, existing in a complex level of spiritual worlds."

It’s true that if you were to speak to a Mormon they seem to be talking about the same things as we believe. They use terms like "Trinity," and "Resurrection," and even "Heaven," but take an extra moment and ask them to define those words. They will give you some very different views than what we hold in the Catholic Church.

That said, Mormons are not evil...that is, not any more than anyone else has the potential to be. In fact, many of the moral teachings they have on family values are incredibly beautiful. I'm amazed at the devotion their young people have, even to the point of giving up two years of their lives to evangelize. There is a lot we can admire about them, but it is important for us to know that there are major differences in our beliefs, and these differences run deep.

All Night Lock In!

2009-08-12T16:20:00.003-04:00

Dear St Thomas Village Teens,

I hope all is well with you! I can't believe the summer is almost over. I also can't believe school supplies cost only $9 at Walmart! Seems like a bit of a stretch, no? At any rate, the approach of school does mean that weekly Village Meetings will soon be returning to our Sunday nights!!

To celebrate the advent of school and the return of Village Meetings, we're having a Fall Kickoff event- an All Night Lock In at Paradise Park in Novi, Michigan. Join us next Saturday August 22nd and you’ll enjoy unlimited go-karts, laser-tag, mini golf, trampolines, soccer cages, a climbing wall, video games, and movies! AND, we’ll be having a pizza party at midnight, an ice cream social at 3am, and a continental breakfast at 6am! If you think that sounds sweet, it gets better. This event only costs $25. Return payment and attached permission slip by next Wednesday, August 19th to get in on the action!

Sunday Mass will not be offered during this event, and it is not recommended that you plan to attend Mass Sunday morning, as you will be exhausted! Please attend Mass before arriving, or make plans to attend Sunday evening after a good long nap.

Saturday there is a 4:30pm Mass at St Thomas and a 5pm Mass at St Francis
Sunday there is a 5pm Mass at St Mary’s

Stay tuned for more information on our first Village Meeting, Sunday September 13th! Please contact me with any questions or concerns.

God Bless, Beth
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The Village is an outreach of St Thomas Catholic Church to all high school aged teens. Like our patron, St Thomas, we are asking real questions, having real dialogue and developing real faith!
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Andy Forbing has joined the Dominican Order of St Joseph, and is preparing to become a Religious Brother. Read his testimony and discover his new name!

It's That Time Again!

2009-07-10T18:07:00.000-04:00

Dear Village Family,

I hope this finds you all well! It feels like it has been too longsince we got the Village Family together. For those who weren't ableto attend, we had an amazing time at Steubenville a few weeks ago! There were 13 of us who went down, with John and I supervising. We had a great time together and had some powerfulexperiences with our Lord in the Sacraments. The theme was worshippingGod- above all else! Pictures to come.

Coming up next week is the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair. As always, TheVillage will be sponsoring the annual Art Fair Parking Fundraiser hereat St Thomas. All proceeds collected go to our Village budget forsocials and retreats. Because of this yearly fundraiser, we are ableto break even on all youth programming! Without this extra income, StThomas would probably be unable to offer 3 retreats each year,exciting socials, our regular weekly meeting, or pizza on Adorationnights- not to mention the excellent junk food we all love. :) Intoday's economy- this fundraiser is a huge deal for St Thomas, and itdirectly affects you!

I need **teens** to cover a number of shifts from next Wednesday, July15th, to Saturday, July 18th. Teens always have a blast at Art Fairparking- playing board games, eating junk food and chatting under thetent! Teens are responsible for accepting payment and directing carsto appropriate spots. Please see the timeslots below and let me knowthis week when you are available.

I need **parents** to help out by covering one to two shifts next weekalso. I am able to be there for much of the duration of theFundraiser, but I am unable to cover all 42 hours in addition to setupactivities earlier in the week. This can be a great opportunity to dosomething for St Thomas with your teen! Adult Volunteers and Parentsare responsible for supervising teens and assisting as needed withaccepting payment and directing cars. Please see the timeslots belowand let me know this week when you are available.

Due to everyone's finances these days, we will not be going to CedarPoint this year. :( Instead, this August we'll be trekking away fromSt Thomas for an all night lock-in, which will cost less than $30!

God Bless,Beth

BBQ Pictures Online!

2009-05-18T11:49:00.000-04:00

Just scroll through the pictures at- http://www.flickr.com/photos/findthevillage/3542987750/in/set-72157613407755809/

Village Barbecue Blowout!

2009-05-13T10:31:00.003-04:00

You’re invited to celebrate the end of the school year at the Village BBQ Blowout! We’ll play sports in the gym while grilling up some hot dogs and hamburgers on the patio– then memories of the year and more games! (Mafia, anyone?!)

This year brought awesome times in Adoration, real service to the poor around us, invisible jump rope dancing at our New Year's Eve bash, lots of pizza, great talks on dating- underage drinking- and discernment, sweet rewards in the childhood favorite- sardines, and so much more! Let's finish out our year strong, as we gather to congratulate our graduates, Claire, Halley, Karen, and Natasha! Share your favorite Village memory of the year by leaving a comment here... :)

What: Village Barbecue Blowout!

When: This Sunday, May 17th from 4-7pm

Where: St Thomas Parish, entrance and pickup by school gym

What to Bring: Men- a desert to share, Women– a side to share

Our Villagers Are Famous!

2009-05-06T11:37:00.002-04:00

http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20090501/NEWS01/905010302/1002/NEWS17/Teen+tops+in+history+writing+contest
Mike won an award, and basically they wrote up a bio and published it! :)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/06/us/06notredame.html?_r=1&ref=us
Halley was quoted by the NY Times in their cover story on Obama giving the Graduation Speech at Notre Dame! Although the article is a bit slanted, neat to see her on the center stage.
-->How do you think Catholics should respond to the Obama Notre Dame situation??

Village News: Discernment!

2009-05-01T13:15:00.004-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to everyone for the warm wishes and congratulations for my wedding to Kevin! We are getting settled into our new place after an adventurous honeymoon out in San Diego. We saw all sorts of fun animals, walked along the Pacific ocean, and had some authentic bubble tea! The first two weeks of married life have been great- we are really happy. :)

Thank you to Village Volunteer's Katie and John for running our meeting last week on Christian Leadership. From your surveys it sounds like it was a really inspiring night!

This week's meeting, Discernment for Dummies, is all about making tough decisions. What college will you attend… and what will your profession be? Who will you marry…and where will you live? The good news is that God has a plan for your life! “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) How can you know God's will for your life?? Join us Sunday as we discuss dummy-proof tips for spiritual discernment, followed by Eucharistic Adoration and then pizza!

This will be our last regular Village Meeting of the year, followed by our End of Year Barbecue Sunday May 17th! What dessert/side will you bring? Let us know!!

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Village News

Sunday's Village 5/3, Discernment for Dummies

No Village 5/10, Happy Mother’s Day! "Thank you, women who are mothers! You have sheltered human beings within yourselves in a unique experience of joy and travail. This experience makes you become God's own smile upon the newborn child, the one who guides your child's first steps, who helps it to grow, and who is the anchor as the child makes its way along the journey of life.” –Pope John Paul II, Letter to Women

End of Year Barbecue Blowout, 5/17 Join us here at St Thomas Sunday, May 17th from 4-7pm for our Village Barbeque Blow-Out. We’ll bust out some kickball and ultimate frisbee in the gym, grill out on the patio, play board games and share some memories from the year! Hot dogs, hamburgers, and tableware will be provided. Please Bring: Men: a desert to share, Women: a side to share.

Village News!

2009-03-30T16:03:00.002-04:00

Dear Village Family,

Thank you to so many volunteers, parents, and teens who helped to make our Spring Retreat such a meaningful experience! We sent teens out Saturday morning for 4 hours of service in the local community. Some went to serve in a Detroit Soup Kitchen, others visited with the elderly at Glacier Hills, and a group baked muffins for a local soup kitchen. Everyone returned with powerful stories of how they served Jesus in the 'least of the brothers'.

Beyond the service, there were some beautiful sacramental encounters with our Lord, especially Reconciliation. Several said they were consumed with anxiety beforehand, but afterwards they felt a weight was lifted! The Christian life is too hard to be lived without the graces we receive in the Sacraments. We are strongly encouraged to go to Confession regularly, especially during Lent. If you weren't able to join us, and haven't been to Reconciliation in awhile- don't be afraid to go! Our Lord is waiting to extend His mercy and forgiveness.

This coming Sunday will be our last Village for a couple of weeks! Join us as we prepare ourselves for Holy Week by praying the Stations of the Cross. Our meeting will be from 5-6:30pm, as usual.

You are all in my prayers!

----The Village News----

Fully Alive, Spring Retreat Pictures Now Online
http://www.flickr.com/photos/findthevillage/collections/72157607096833965/

Village 4/5: Behold The Man
As we hear those words of Pontius Pilate, ‘Behold, the Man’, let us hear the call to come and adore our Lord through the Stations of the Cross. Catholics are especially encouraged to celebrate the Stations of the Cross in the Lenten season. Join us next Sunday at Village for a prayerful look at the sufferings Jesus bore for our sins.

No Village 4/12- Happy Easter!

No Village 4/19- Congrats!

Are You Fully Alive?

2009-03-13T12:37:00.001-04:00

Our Spring Retreat is themed 'Fully Alive', after the moment in the Gospel of John where Christ says, "I have come that they might have life- and have it to the full." What does it mean to be fully alive? How can we discover the fullness of life that Jesus promises?

We will be mixing all the beloved elements of our Village Retreats with real service in the community. As Pope John Paul II once said, "life flourishes in the gift of self to others, in accordance with each person's vocation...so that all can share the gifts they have received, in a spirit of solidarity, especially with the poor and the needy."

Join us as we discover and serve Jesus in the poor! Be present for a powerful time of Eucharistic Adoration. Get excited for games in the gym, our late night Taco Bell run, and much much more! Registration deadline is this Monday 3/16 to avoid a $10 late fee.

This Sunday at our regular Village Meeting we will continue our focus on the three pillars of Lent: Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting. This week we will hear from Guest Speaker Mary Cavnar on Keeping the Fast!
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Fully Alive, The Village Spring Retreat, March 20-22ndThe Village Spring Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith, worship God, and have tons of fun! The goal of this retreat is to discover the fullness of life in Christ through real service to the poor around us. This retreat will include Mass, Reconciliation, talks, service in the local community, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, free time, games, and of course- our Late Night Taco Bell run! Deadline for to avoid late fee- Monday, March 16th. (Registration packet @ www.findthevillage.com.)

It's Retreat Time!

2009-03-02T18:45:00.003-05:00

A big thank you to our guest speaker last night, Sean Lavell, who spoke about the importance of using our time- talents- and treasure for the glory of God! We had some great games in the gym, and nearly 30 teens came out. Thanks to everyone who helped make it such a fun night!

Get ready- our Spring Retreat here at St Thomas is just around the corner! Mark off your schedule for Friday, March 20th to Sunday, March 22nd. Our theme is 'Fully Alive' and the goal of our Spring Retreat is to discover the fullness of life in Christ through real service to the poor. We'll be doing real service in the local community during the retreat! In addition, we'll have all the beloved components of our Village Retreats- Mass, Reconciliation, open gym, Eucharistic Adoration, Taco Bell, and our crazy prize giveaways. Early bird registration deadline is Wednesday, March 11th- to get in on the prize giveaways!

Join us Sunday for our regular Village Meeting from 5-6:30 as we continue our focus on the three pillars of Lent: Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting. This week we'll be covering the Top Ten Prayer Tips!

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Village News

Question of the Week (http://www.findthevillage.com/, Question of the Week)- What should I do for Lent??

Sunday's Village-- Top Ten Prayer Tips

As part of our Village Lenten Observance, we’ll be focusing on the three pillars of Lent: Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting. The Catechism tells us that prayer is a vital necessity- that prayer and the Christian life are inseparable. Join us next Sunday for the Top Ten Tips to improve your prayer life, and some time in Eucharistic Adoration!

Fully Alive, The Village Sring Retreat, March 20-22nd

The Village Spring Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith, worship God, and have tons of fun! The goal of this retreat is to discover the fullness of life in Christ through real service to the poor around us. This retreat will include Mass, Reconciliation, talks, service in the local community, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, free time, games, and of course- our Late Night Taco Bell run! Deadline for Early Bird Prizes- Wednesday, March 11th.

Beyond Rice Bowl: Whole Life Stewardship

2009-02-26T12:30:00.007-05:00

Praise God that Lent is finally upon us! Pope John Paul II once shared that “Lent is a time of profound truth which brings conversion,restores hope, and by putting everything back in its proper place, brings peace and optimism.”

Last week at Village you shared with us some of your past Lenten observances. Some of you have given up electronics, sweets, snacking between meals, ice cream, video games, pop, and red meat. Some of you have also added more prayer into your daily routines during Lent. Consider trying to attend *every* Village meeting this Lenten season, to help you grow closer to the Lord!

This year for Lent, Village will be focusing on the three pillars of the season- Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. This Sunday we'll be having guest speaker Sean Lavell address almsgiving. What does God ask of us as far as tithing goes? What does it mean to be a steward of what He has given us? Join us for some prayerful discussion!

I am praying that each of you would have a joyful and meaningful Lenten season!

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Village News

Question of the Week: "Do I have to forgive others to receive God's forgiveness?" (http://www.findthevillage.com/, Question of the Week)

Village Mtg Sunday 3/1, Beyond Rice Bowl: Whole Life Stewardship
As part of our Village Lenten Observance, we’ll be focusing on the three pillars of Lent: Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting. Join us Sunday for a special discussion on tithing! What does it mean to give alms, and why are we called to do it? How can we live as stewards of all that God has given us?

Fully Alive, The Village Sring Retreat, March 20-22nd
The goal of this retreat is to discover the fullness of life in Christ through real service to the poor around us. More info coming soon!

Ice Skating Friday!

2009-02-16T15:32:00.004-05:00

Thank you for another great Village meeting last night! We got to play 7 Up, my childhood favorite, and have some real dialogue on dating and physical boundaries.

You sure asked some tough questions! Don't miss the question of the week, "Can we talk about gay people and the Church's teachings? Huron is doing a play about a gay man- the Church says what?" Check the answer at www.findthevillage.com, Question of the Week.

The Village goes social this Friday! Join us over at Buhr Park for Ice Skating from 7-9pm, the deadline has been extended to this Wednesday. This was one of our most anticipated socials of the year- skating, playing keep away, eating snacks, and getting lots of time with friends. We need YOU to join us!! Permission slip at http://www.findthevillage.com/!

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The Village News February 15th, 2009

Village Ice Skating Social This Friday 2/20

Join the Village for a social night ice skating at Buhr Park Ice Arena from 7-9pm Friday, February 20th! The cost is $8 for skate rental, skating, and snacks. Permission slip (online) and money are due by Wednesday February 18th.

Next Village- Cracking the Our Father

Join us Sunday as we crack open the ancient prayer Jesus entrusted to us, the Our Father! You know it by heart- but do you understand it? How many times have you stumbled through it without mentally registering much meaning?

Last Chance for Steubenville...

A few spaces remain- call this week to get in on the trip! Join the Village for our annual roadtrip to the University of Steubenville this summer. Thousands of teens gather each year to grow in their faith as they participate in the Sacraments and hear some of the best Catholic speakers in the country! We will be going to Steubenville June 12-14th, 2009. The total cost for the retreat is $230, all-inclusive.

'Fully Alive'Spring Retreat is Coming….Save the date….March 20-22nd!

Sunday's Village- Dating and More!

2009-02-09T18:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Villagers,

Last night at Village, John gave a sweet talk on dating! John told us that we don't have to rush into dating just to be "like everyone else," that it's better to take our time and do it right. He talked about the worldly perspective on dating and contrasted that with the Godly perspective. For example, our focus in dating shouldn't be what we can *get* from the other person-God has shown us in Jesus that the goal of our lives (and dating!) is about *giving* to others!

Here's what you said about our Village night on Dating:

"I really liked John's talk, it made me rethink my views about dating. I've dated people for the wrong reasons before...now I'll really think about it before I date someone again."
"The talks and activities really explained dating from a view that I've never seen. I understand more now!"
"The talk recognized the difficulties facing teens today, thx for that."
"It was a good perspective on dating, good to know that it's okay to wait."

Join us this Sunday at Village for more specifics on Dating, and answers to your questions!!
Got a question for this Sunday?? Let us know here!
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The Village News 2/8

Next Village 2/15- In God’s Image
Join us this Sunday at Village for some separate men’s and women’s discussion! We’ll be talking about boundaries in dating, and all sorts of other stuff. It’ll be a great time to be together as men and women for some in depth dialogue.

Steubenville Registration Deadline- Next Sunday 2/15!
Checkout the promo video for this Summer’s Conference at http://www.franciscanyouth.com/! Join us for our annual roadtrip to the University of Steubenville this summer, June 12-14th, 2009. The total cost for the retreat is $230, all-inclusive. The due date for registration is February 15th, 2009.

Village Ice Skating Social Friday 2/20
Join the Village for a social night ice skating at Buhr Park Ice Arena from 7-9pm Friday, February 20th! The cost is $8 for skate rental, skating, and snacks. Permission slip (online) and money are due by Monday February 16th.

Sunday's Village- Dating!

2009-02-06T15:20:00.006-05:00

Greetings Villagers!

First of all, a big thank you to all who helped make the Confirmation Reception such a great success last Thursday. We had record attendance, and food to spare at the end. It was great fun working together to prepare vegetable trays, make punch, and wash dishes! Thank you for making time to serve the Church.

After our week off for the Superbowl, I am extra excited to see everyone this Sunday at Village for a night on dating. The Volunteers and I have some great activities planned that involve masking tape, candy, newspaper, and lots of questions! John will be leading our discussion about dating. What is dating, anyway? Who should you date? When should you date? Why? Join us to discuss these and many more questions all about dating!

Hope to see you Sunday,

Beth
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Village News

Sunday's Village 5-6:30 - The Dating Game

Join us this Sunday at Village for some quality discussion on dating! We’ll be talking about all the important stuff- Who, What, When, Why, and How. Don’t miss this opportunity to get some great dating tips and guidelines!

Steubenville Deadline Approaching!!

Join the Village for our annual roadtrip to Steubenville June 12-14th, 2009. Thousands of teens gather each year to grow in their faith as they participate in the Sacraments and hear some of the best Catholic speakers in the country! The total cost for the retreat is $230, all-inclusive. The due date for registration is February 15th, 2009.

New Pictures Posted

New pictures have been posted of Village Spring meetings and events! You can go to http://www.findthevillage.com/ and click on 'Meeting Pics', or simply click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/findthevillage/collections/72157607096833965/

Confirmation Reception!

2009-01-26T16:48:00.002-05:00

This Thursday night, January 29th, all St Thomas teens preparing for Confirmation will be sealed with the Holy Spirit! They will receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the strength to spread and defend the faith. They will be united more firmly in Christ through receiving Confirmation from Bishop Boyea of Lansing. This is certainly a cause for celebration!

In honor of those being confirmed, The Village is hosting a reception in the Parish Hall afterwards. Bishop Boyea will be stopping by, too! The Mass runs from 7-8:30pm. I am in need of Villagers to volunteer to help setup and clean up after the Reception.

If you are able, please arrive in the Parish Hall by 6:30, and plan on staying until 9:15pm. We will attend Mass and then jet over to receive the crowds!

Your RSVP???
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Village News

Village Hosts Confirmation Reception 1/29

The Village will be hosting a reception following the Confirmation Mass Thursday, January 29th. The Mass runs from 7-8:30pm, and the reception will follow. Even Bishop Earl Boyea will be joining us at the reception! Please arrive in the Parish Hall by 6:30, and plan on staying until 9:15pm. We will attend Mass and then jet over to receive the crowds!

No Regular Village Mtg Next Sunday 2/1

What is a Good Confession?

Don't miss the wisdom from Father James Conlon, Father Chas Canoy, and Father Pat Egan on how to make a good Confession! We had some great dialogue on these last night at Village. http://home.catholicweb.com/thevillage/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=232426&From=Home

New Pics Posted- Thanks, Mike!http://www.flickr.com/photos/findthevillage/collections/72157607096833965/

Retreat @ Franciscan University of Steubenville

Join the Village for our annual roadtrip to the University of Steubenville this summer. Thousands of teens gather each year to grow in their faith as they participate in the Sacraments and hear some of the best Catholic speakers in the country! The scripture that will guide the programming is: “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11)We will be going to Steubenville June 12-14th, 2009. This year we have 15 spaces available. The total cost for the retreat is $230, all-inclusive. The due date for registration is February 15th, 2009.

Apologetics Seminar!

2009-01-16T17:02:00.005-05:00

This week was one of the coldest ones yet, which is why I absolutely had to make it out to the petting farm to volunteer. Early Tuesday morning I made sure all the goats, chickens, horses and pigs had hay and water. Once that was done, I got to sweep the barn out. Eventually I was asked to wander out into the pastures to check on all the creatures out there. I brought some hay for the ibex goats, made sure the cows were all still alive, and gave the watusi some grain.

One of the best things about volunteering, is that people always ask you why you do it. Sometimes I can give an enthusiastic answer, and other times (when I'm cleaning out the pig stye) it can be harder to remember my motivation.

Our faith life is much the same. People are often fasinated when they meet someone who is into their faith, and they often ask why that faith means so much to us. Sometimes their curiosity can turn into a barrage of questions, one after another! Here are some questions that I get frequently- why do you have to go to Church every Sunday?? Why do you confess sins to a priest instead of to God himself? Why do you believe the bread turns into the Body of Christ at Mass?

If any of those sound familiar, perhaps you’ve gotten a question or two about your faith. Join us at Village this Sunday for an Apologetics Seminar! We'll be having a real discussion of these and many other questions that people ask about our faith!

Join in the dialogue: What is your favorite farm animal??

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Village Retreat @ Franciscan University of Steubenville
Join the Village for our annual roadtrip to the University of Steubenville this summer. Thousands of teens gather each year to grow in their faith as they participate in the Sacraments and hear some of the best Catholic speakers in the country!

The scripture that will guide the programming is: “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11

We will be going to Steubenville June 12-14th, 2009. This year we have 15 spaces available. The total cost for the retreat is $230, all-inclusive. The due date for registration is February 15th, 2009.

New Year's Eve!

2008-12-22T16:44:00.003-05:00

Hey Village Family,

It's that time again- time for the 3rd Annual Village New Year's EveOvernight! Join us this year for another amazing New Year's Eve Party!The cost is $8, and the deadline for registration is Sunday, December28th. Please note that the Parish Office is closed Wed Dec 25 throughSat Dec 27th. You can mail in your registration forms! :)

Our New Year's Eve party will feature great food, huge games of FreezeTag, Capture the Flag, Dodgeball, and more. We will have all theVillage-ness that you have come to love; we will be praying NightPrayer and Morning Prayer, and celebrating the last Mass of thecalendar year. All high school students are welcome- bring yourfriends! Please remember to bring a snack to share!

Do you have something fun that we could play with on our Village NewYear's Eve Overnight? Let us know here at the Village Blog!

God bless, and have a very **Merry Christmas**!

Adoration + Christmas Party!

2008-12-17T15:05:00.002-05:00

"The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us." What an incredible God we serve- who came to dwell among us, amidst all the brokenness of humanity. It sure is incredible that He came down from heaven to be with us, and that He remains with us always- in all of our anxieties and through every trial. What a special time Advent is to prepare our hearts for Christmas, to wonder at Jesus- God with us, Emmanuel!!

Advent sure is a busy season, and I am really looking forward to taking some time for stillness before the Lord in Adoration this Sunday at Village. Join us this Sunday for our monthly Adoration Night and our Village Family Christmas Party! It's time to break out the seasonal sweater vests and hoaky Santa hats!

This will be our last Village until January, join us for our New Year's Eve Overnight 12/31!! All high school students are welcome!

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The Third Annual Village New Year's Eve Overnight
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2008 9pm– Thursday, Jan 1, 2009 9am

Join the Village for an amazing New Year's Eve Party! Our New Year's Eve party will feature great food, huge games of Freeze Tag, Capture the Flag, Dodgeball, and more.

We will have all the Village-ness that you have come to love; we will be praying Night Prayer and Morning Prayer, and celebrating the last Mass of the calendar year. All high school students are welcome!

To register for the Village New Year's Eve Overnight return permission slip with $8 to help offset costs to St Thomas. Please bring a snack to share! Final registration deadline is December 28th, 2008.

Show and Tell!

2008-12-03T11:53:00.000-05:00

Hey Villagers,

At Village this Sunday we will be talking about Mother Mary- her role in the Church, and her role as our Mother. In gratitude to all of our Mothers, who listen to our silly stories- we will be having Show and Tell! Even pets are allowed if accompanied by an adult. Prizes will be given for: Most Surprising, Largest, Most Furry, and Most Ridiculous. Start planning now, friends!

Also- the Village is considering the idea of hosting a study hour Monday or Wednesday afternoon from 3-6pm here at the Church. It would be a time for Villagers and their friends to stop by, do some homework, watch some TV, listen to music, chat, and have a snack. Would you be interested? Would you come? Head to www.findthevillage.blogspot.com to vote. :)

God Bless!

The Village News December 3rd, 2008

Village 12/7 -Show and Tell
Sunday December 7th, we will be talking about Mother Mary! In gratitude to all of our Mothers, who listen to our silly stories- we will be having Show and Tell! You are allowed to bring anything except dead animals and items that are sexually explicit or related to drugs/alcohol. :) Pets are allowed if accompanied by an adult.

Your Vote Counts!
The Village is considering the idea of hosting a study hour Monday or Wednesday afternoon from 3-6pm here at the Church. It would be a time for Villagers and their friends to stop by, do some homework, watch some TV, listen to music, chat, and have a snack. Would you be interested? Would you come?

Communication
Check us out online at www.findthevillage.com! Youth Minister Beth Montgomery can be reached at St Thomas at 761-8606. For emergencies or other things of an immediate nature you can reach her on her cell, 545 0827. If she misses it, leave a message- she checks them regularly!

Questions of the Week
-If everything depends on free will, what good does prayer do, especially on important things (like the Election)?
-Catholics are supposed to practice chastity, but do most people actually do that? What is the percent that do/don't, and why is it so important?

Coming Soon: Show + Tell!

2008-11-24T11:58:00.002-05:00

Hey Villagers,

There will be no Village this Sunday 11/30- have a Happy Thanksgiving!

At our next Village we will be talking about Mother Mary- her role in the Church, and her role as our Mother. In gratitude to all of our Mothers, who listen to our silly stories- we will be having Show and Tell! Even pets are allowed if accompanied by an adult. Prizes will be given for: Most Surprising, Largest, Most Furry, and Most Ridiculous. Start planning now, friends!

Also- the Village is considering the idea of hosting a study hour Monday or Wednesday afternoon from 3-6pm here at the Church. It would be a time for Villagers and their friends to stop by, do some homework, watch some TV, listen to music, chat, and have a snack. Would you be interested? Would you come? Head to www.findthevillage.blogspot.com to vote. :)
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The Village News

No Village This Sunday 11/30- Happy Thanksgiving!

Next Village 12/7 -Show and Tell
Sunday December 7th, we will be talking about Mother Mary! In gratitude to all of our Mothers, who listen to our silly stories- we will be having Show and Tell! You are allowed to bring anything except dead animals and items that are sexually explicit or related to drugs/alcohol. :) Pets are allowed if accompanied by an adult.

Your Vote Counts!
The Village is considering the idea of hosting a study hour Monday or Wednesday afternoon from 3-6pm here at the Church. It would be a time for Villagers and their friends to stop by, do some homework, watch some TV, listen to music, chat, and have a snack. Would you be interested? Would you come?

Communication
Check us out online at www.findthevillage.com!

Questions of the Week
-If everything depends on free will, what good does prayer do, especially on important things (like the Election)?

-Catholics are supposed to practice chastity, but do most people actually do that? What is the percent that do/don't, and why is it so important?

Eating the Big Bang

2008-11-17T16:35:00.004-05:00

This week @ Village we'll be talking about Adam, Eve, and Evolution! What does the Catholic Church teach about evolution? Can creationism and evolution coexist? What was God's role in the process, if any? Can a Catholic believe in evolution? We'll be discussing all of these questions and more!

Also, don't forget that this Sunday (11/23) at Village is the food collection for "Feed Our Villagers!" We will be collecting all sorts of snacks for our Villagers to eat throughout the upcoming months. If everyone brings one or two snacks each we will be able to continue using our budgeted snack money for Pizza once a month on Adoration nights!

Finally, thank you to all of our great volunteers for leading men's and women's time yesterday. We had some great discussion of body image issues. In Genesis it says that "God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.” God has called our very bodies *good*, no matter what our own insecurities about them may be. He loves each of us unconditionally! You are all in my prayers. God bless you!

---- l The Village News l ----

Feed Our Villagers!

At our regular Village Meeting next Sunday 11/23, we will be collecting non-perishable snacks for our Villagers to eat throughout upcoming months. If everyone brings one or two snacks each we will be able to continue using our snack money for Pizza on Adoration nights!

This Week's Village- Adam, Eve, and Evolution

Next Sunday we will be talking about Evolution and Creationism. Is it wrong to believe in Evolution? Did Adam and Eve come from Apes? How long were the 6 days of Creation in Genesis? Come to discuss the Church's teaching on Evolution- and how it relates to your AP Bio class!

The Village Fall Retreat, "Come and See"

We have extra Retreat shirts!! Retreat Tshirts can be purchased for $5 from Beth, available in Size Small, Medium, and Large.

Question of the Week
Click on "comments" to read the Question of the Week, "What does the Church teach on Global Warming?"

Feed Our Villagers

2008-11-03T19:16:00.001-05:00

Dear Village Family,

One of my favorite memories growing up was sitting around the dinnertable telling stories about the day. Holidays were special because we would make all sorts of special treats -like popcorn balls or special bread shaped like bunnies.Food brought us together regularly, and preparing it together made us closer.

In so many ways, family life centered around food. The Village is like a family. We get hungry, and we are generally happier when we are fed! Aside from sleep, food is the easiest way to make a person happy.

There are two ways you can help to feed our Villagers! First, our Village Volunteers are with us here at St Thomas from 4pm until nearly 10pm each Sunday. It seemed sad not to have some food for them to eat, and Parents started volunteering to bring a simple dinner for them each week. We have a budget for youth programs, but we just don't have enough to cover this weekly dinner. Parents, please sign up to bring a dinner for our Volunteers! Teens, please ask your parents if they can help!

The second way you can help feed our Villagers is by bringing a non-perishable snack to Village on Sunday November 23rd. We will be collecting all sorts of snacks that night for our Villagers to eat throughout the upcoming months. If everyone brings one or two snacks each we will be able to continue using our budgeted snack money for Pizza on Adoration nights!

What's your favorite snack? Let us know!
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Village News

The Village Fall Retreat, "Come and See"
56 pictures from Fall Retreat are now online!!! Visit us at http://www.findthevillage.com/, click on Meeting Pics on the left, then click on More Pics, then on Fall Retreat 08. Or just go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/findthevillage/collections/72157607096833965/!

Next Week's Village- Peer Pressure and Alcohol
Next Sunday we'll be discussing peer pressure in all its forms, along with the Church's teaching on drinking alcohol. Both of these are issues that will play a stronger role in our lives throughout high school and into the college years. Join us as we discuss the impact of peer pressure in our lives and the Church's teachings on these relevant issues!

Feed Our Villagers

----Please sign up with Youth Minister Beth Montgomery to bring a dinner for the Village Volunteers. There is a budget for Youth Programs, but it does not cover our weekly Volunteer Dinner after Village. Our Volunteers are with us from 4pm until after Generation Christ at 9pm. Available dates include: 11/9, 11/16, 11/23, 12/07, 12/14, and 12/21. Be expecting a phone call from Beth Montgomery this week!

----At our regular Village Meeting on Sunday November 23rd, we will be collecting non-perishable snacks for our Villagers to eat throughout the upcoming months. If everyone brings one or two snacks each we will be able to continue using our snack money for Pizza on Adoration nights!

Grown Up Soda Social this Friday
Our next GUS meeting is a social night at Whirly Ball Ann Arbor this Friday, November 7th! This GUS social is free for GUS Volunteers if you RSVP to Beth by this Wednesday. Permission slips are required. We will meet at Whirly Ball (750 Phoenix Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48108) at 6:30pm, and pickup will be there as well, at 9pm. When you volunteer with GUS you become a Christian Role Model to young Catholics!

Come and See

2008-10-27T15:50:00.000-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to all who helped to make our Retreat this past weekend such a great success! We had an amazing time on our Fall Retreat 2008: Come and See. The highlights of our Retreat were Mass, Reconciliation, and Eucharistic Adoration Saturday night. We meditated on Pope John Paul II's World Youth Day Message from 1996.

Hear Pope John Paul's words spoken to your heart! "Dear young people, like the first disciples, follow Jesus! Do not be afraid to draw near to Him, to cross the threshold of his dwelling, to speak with Him, face to face, as you talk with a friend (Exodus 33:11). Do not be afraid of the «new life» He is offering. He Himself makes it possible for you to receive that life and practise it, with the help of his grace and the gift of his Spirit."

We also had fun doing a physical challenge course, racing go carts, and eating Taco Bell late at night! To see some pictures of Fall Retreat 2008, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/findthevillage/collections/72157607096833965/ and click on Fall Retreat 08. More pictures are still to come!!!

I know all the Volunteers and I look forward to seeing everyone this Sunday, especially those who weren't able to join us this past weekend. It will be great to all be together again for our Adoration night this Sunday. And hey- we'll have pizza, too!

Share your favorite Retreat experience!

Exhileration @ Village

2008-10-20T15:02:00.001-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Congratulations to all competitors in last nights game, "That Crazy Game With Wheels And Running!" If you blow up this picture you'll see some facial expressions of exhileration! Who knew learning about the divisions in the Church down through the ages would be so exhilerating? A special thanks to Tim Carpenter, our Director of Faith Formation at St Thomas for coming and speaking with us.

The only thing more fun than racing across a parking lot in a shopping cart- is go-kart racing with all of your friends! Today is the official deadline for this weekend's Fall Retreat- but space is still available if you want to come. :) Don't miss our Late night Taco Bell Run, Physical Challenge Course, Mass and Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and all sorts of crazy competitions... Not to mention- our good friend Father Selvam will be joining us for much of the weekend!

God Bless You All!

The News:

Next Week- No Village

Next Sunday we'll all be totally exhausted after a full weekend of go-kart racing, taco bell eating, challenge courses, Eucharistic Adoration, and real conversations!!! What say we skip our regular Village Meeting?! If you aren't able to join us on Retreat, please pray for us.

Familial Unity

2008-10-14T00:00:00.002-04:00

***Early Bird Registration Deadline for Spring Retreat***
Wednesday, October 15th

Dear Villagers,

This past weekend I headed out to New York for a family wedding! The wedding was complete with all of the traditions, white dress, beautiful vows of faithfulness, and lots of dancing. :)

So many times throughout the weekend I came back to the idea of unity. Families are the very structure of society, or as Pope John Paul II puts it, the smallest cell of the human family. It is in our family that we first experience unity- living together, depending upon one another and often sharing rooms! Each family is built on love, sacrifice, and the wedding promises of total, faithful, fruitful, and free love!

Throughout our rich Catholic history, God has compared His love for His people as the love of a Bridegroom for his Bride. When Jesus established the Church we came to see Him as the Bridegroom of His Church, the Bride. In the priesthood, we see men answering God's call to stand in His place as the Bridegroom caring for His Church the Bride.

Jesus prayed that His followers would remain in that familial unity throughout the history of the world. Just before he was handed over to suffer and die, he said, "I pray not only for these but also for those who through their teaching will come to believe in me. May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me." John 17:20-21

Join us this Sunday as Tim Carpenter leads us in a discussion of division through the history of the Church, along with Christ's own teachings on unity in our Christian family.

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Village News

The Village Fall Retreat, "Come and See" October 24-26, 2008, Cost $60

Register by Wed Oct 15th for early bird drawings, like Taco Bell Gift Cards, 5 lbs of Fun Dip, and more! Registrations postmarked October 15th will also be accepted. Registration deadline is Monday, October 20th.

The goal of this retreat is to discover the person of Jesus and allow our lives to be transformed by our encounter with Him. The Village Fall Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith, worship God, and have tons of fun! This retreat will include Mass,Reconciliation, solid talks, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, free time, games, go cart racing, and of course- our Late Night Taco Bell run!

Next Week @ Village- The Divided Christian Church

Grown Up Soda

Our next GUS meeting is this Friday October 17th from 6:30-8pm at St Thomas. This month's theme is Friendship in Chaos. When you volunteer with GUS you become a Christian Role Model to young Catholics. GUS is a very important ministry!

Communication

The Youth Minister Beth Montgomery can be reached at St Thomas at (734) 761-8606. For emergencies or other things of an immediate nature you can reach me on my cell. If I miss it, leave a message- I check them regularly!! :)

It's Retreat Time!

2008-10-08T11:24:00.002-04:00

Dear Village Family,

It's Retreat Time! This wonderful month of October will hold even morejoy than usual, as it contains our Village Fall Retreat. Our themethis fall is "Come and See" - those beautiful words of Jesus that gaverise to the adventures of those first disciples in Bethany.

The Village Fall Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith,worship God, and have tons of fun! The goal of this retreat is todiscover the person of Jesus and allow our lives to be transformed byour encounter with Him. This retreat will include Mass,Reconciliation, solid talks, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, freetime, games, go cart racing, challenge courses, and of course- ourLate Night Taco Bell run!

This year we will be retreat-ing at a new location, FaHoLo Camp andConference Center in Grass Lake- and the cost is much lower than inthe past, at only $60.

All those who register by Wednesday, October 15th will beautomatically entered into our drawings for early bird prizes- 5 lbsof Fun Dip, $25 to Taco Bell, and more!
______________________
The Village Fall Retreat, "Come and See"
October 24-26, 2008, Cost $60

The goal of this retreat is to discover the person of Jesus and allowour lives to be transformed by our encounter with Him.The Village Fall Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith,worship God, and have tons of fun!
This retreat will include Mass,Reconciliation, solid talks, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, freetime, games, go cart racing, and of course- our Late Night Taco Bellrun! Register by Wed Oct 15th for early bird drawings, like Taco BellGift Cards, 5 lbs of Fun Dip, and more!

Next Week- Saints through the Ages
Next Sunday we will plunge into more of the untapped wisdom of theChurch as we explore the Saints! We will discover how they havealtered the course of history by their surrender to God. Come todiscuss how God might use each of us to be His heroes in this day andage!

Grown Up Soda
Our next GUS meeting will be next Friday October 17th from 6:30-8pm atSt Thomas. This month's theme is Friendship in Chaos. When youvolunteer with GUS you become a Christian Role Model to youngCatholics. GUS is a very important ministry!

Discover the Mass!

2008-09-29T16:16:00.010-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Next Sunday we will be exploring the Mass. Last year we discussed how we could 'live' the Mass- Monday through Saturday! We talked about how the Mass is the starting place for 'whole life worship'.

This year, for the first time ever we will be doing a dry run through of the Mass led by Father Chas! We will delve into the truth that in each part of Holy Mass, we find the summary of God's love for us. Come to learn more about how the Mass has been constructed to lead you deeper in your encounter with Jesus.

Can you share one insight that you have had about the Mass, either taught or learned?

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Village News

Next Village 10/5: Exposition of the Mass

Corn Maize Social Friday, 10/3

We're headed to the Talladay Farm Corn Maize, this Friday October 3rd. Permission slips (online) and money are due today, Monday September 29.

Further Pro-Life Reading

US Conference of Catholic Bishops (http://www.usccb.org/)Articles on all Respect Life issues, including Bishop's Statement on Cloning

Right to Life (http://www.rtl.org/)Articles on Abortion Methods, Partial Birth Abortion, RU-486, Debate Resources, and Recent Legislation

National Catholic Bioethic Center'sEnd of Life Guide (www.ncbcenter.org/eol.asp):

Village Fall Retreat: Coming Soon!!!

Fall Retreat comes early this year, October 24-26th! Our Retreat theme is 'Come and See'. Keep your eyes peeled for more information to come!

Communication

Attn: Tom P, Robert P, Melissa S, Mike M, Karen D, and Peter W! The Youth Council will be meeting this Saturday 10/4 in the Parish Library at 9:30am. RSVP to Beth.

Respect Life!

2008-09-22T14:45:00.003-04:00

Dear Villagers, Great to see so many of you for our second Village of the year! Also, it was lots of fun to hit each other with the giant newspaper, and the sardines were fun too. :)

The word of the week is LIFE! As Catholics we are called to stand as a witness for the unborn, those who are so vulnerable of being aborted. Of course being pro-life includes so many other LIFE issues- such as embryonic stem cell research, end of life issues, birth control, and so much more. Thanks to your feedback this past week we will be developing a great plan for our "Respect Life" Village this Sunday.

But wait, there's more! In addition to discussing these issues in the safety and comfort of our church building- join us beforehand as we step out as activists in Ann Arbor at the corner of Washtenaw and Huron Parkway! This Sunday from 2-3:30pm is the annual Life Chain, a peaceful and prayerful witness of pro-lifers standing together for the unborn. This event is hosted by area churches, last year there were nearly 150 children, families and teens! Even Father Jeff came out last year and led us in the Rosary. Don't miss this annual event to pray and stand as a witness for LIFE!

God Bless You All!

The Village News

http://www.findthevillage.com/

Sept 21, 2008

Next Sunday- Life ChainLife Chain 2008!

Join Beth next Sunday from 2-3:30 on the corner of Washtenaw and Huron Parkway to hold loving prolife messages, like Adoption the Loving Option, and Abortion Kills Children. This is an annual event put on by Ann Arbor churches- bring the whole family!

Next Village 9/28

Join us next Sunday at Village from 5-6:30 as we discuss Pro Life Issues such as partial birth abortion, the ‘right’ to choice, embryonic stem cell research, end of life issues, and more. Come to learn how you can love God by raising awareness for the most vulnerable in our society- the unborn.

Hospitality Requests

If you weren’t able to this week, ***please*** bring a non-perishable snack to Village next Sunday. See Jacob and Nealia to bring a perishable snack once or twice. If everyone pitches in, we can afford pizza on Adoration Nights!

Corn Maize Social 10/3

We’re headed to the Talladay Farm Corn Maize, Friday October 3rd. What a great day to get lost in a ginormous field of corn! Drop off will be at Talladay Farms (6270 Judd Rd, Milan, MI 48160) at 6:30pm, and pickup will be there as well, at 9pm. All 7th -12th graders are welcome! Permission slips (online) and money are due Monday September 29.

Grown Up Soda

When you volunteer with GUS you become a Christian Role Model to young Catholics. GUS is such an important ministry! Due to the sensitive nature of volunteering with Middle School students, there is some paperwork to be done! All GUS Volunteers must fill out Responding to Grace, as well as the Diocesan Code of Conduct ASAP.

Village: Come and See

2008-09-15T14:56:00.004-04:00

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to everyone for a wonderful kickoff to our third year of Youth Ministry at St Thomas! With nearly 40 of us there last night, it was great to see so many new faces.

Our theme for the semester is 'Come and See', words Jesus spoke to the disciples when he first encountered them near Bethany. That invitation is issued to each of us at every moment! Christianity is not merely a philosophy- it is not about obligations or good works, but about an encounter with Christ.

Join us this semester at The Village as we Encounter Christ in Eucharistic Adoration and in one another. Pope John Paul II calls out to each of us- "only an encounter with Jesus can give full meaning to our lives!"

See below for the Village News!

--
Beth
Youth Minister St Thomas the Apostle
www.findthevillage.com

Village News

This Sunday 9/21:

Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 as we discuss Our Lord Jesus. Could he have been a good moral teacher but not God, as some suggest? Just who was Jesus of Nazareth- was He a Liar, a Lunatic, or Lord?

Hospitality Request:

Please bring a non-perishable snack to Village next Sunday. We will be storing everything, and using it throughout the semester for Village events.

Corn Maize Social Friday 10/3:

We’re headed to the Talladay Farm Corn Maize, Friday October 3rd. Drop off will be at Talladay Farms at 6:30pm, and pickup will be there as well, at 9pm. Permission slips (online) and money are due Monday September 29.

Grown Up Soda Teen Leaders:

Our Middle School Youth Group, GUS, is kicking off this Friday September 19th from 6:30-8pm. All GUS Volunteers must arrive by 6pm to prepare. Contact Beth if you are interested in volunteering with GUS! We will have an Orientation this Friday before GUS begins.

Thank You:

A huge thank you goes out to Bridget Fil and Andy Forbing, two of our amazing Village Volunteers who will be retiring from active ministry with The Village this year. Bridget and Andy have been with us for a year and a half, and have made a huge difference in the lives of our Villagers!

Picture- the winning small group!! holy cow, you were fast. :)

Favorite Village Moments!

2008-06-02T17:06:00.005-04:00

We asked you to share some of your favorite Village moments, and here's what you said....

Condiment Fight Club
Bubble Island social in the fall
Hayride at the Corn Maize
Adoration on Retreat
Canoeing (and not getting tipped!)
Cooties on Retreat
Prince Caspian Movie Night
Playing Groundees (Grounders?)
Tribal dancing in the Youth Room
Lobstering- football mascot house visits!
Retreat
Big League Chew-y Pancakes on Retreat
Taco Bell Runs on Retreat

Praise God for a successful school year and a full year of Village. It has been such a blessing to share this past year with each of you- we truly are a Village... each of us is unique, each of us is necessary. From our Fall Retreat, We Wish To See Jesus, to Spring Retreat, Put Out Into the Deep and everything in between, the Lord has been drawing each of us closer to Himself.

Join us this Sunday at our End of Year Barbecue Bash to celebrate this past year! Our barbecue last year was tons of fun- so let's make this one even better. :)

Got another favorite Village Moment? Share it with us!
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Village News

Village END OF YEAR BARBEQUE!
Join us at Gallup Park (near the bigger playground) Sunday, June 8th from 4-7pm for our Village Barbeque Blow-Out. We’ll bust out some Ultimate Frisbee, share some memories of the year, and eat some terrific food. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and tableware will be provided.

Please Bring:
---Men: a desert to share
---Women: a side to share
---Blanket to sit on

Youth Council Mtg
Attention: Tony, Doug, Laura, Ellen, Maria, Nealia, Peter, Robert, Mike, Tom, Karen, Melissa, and Dominica. Please come this Saturday June 7, at 9:30 for our last Youth Council Meeting of the school year. We’ll have foood…

Vacation Bible School
The St Thomas VBS runs from Monday, June 23rd through Friday, June 27th from 9-12noon. This year we will be discovering the Saints through music, games, crafts and more! Volunteers are still needed to help. Signup with Beth!

Summer plans
June 13-15th Steubenville Weekend Retreat
July 16-19 Art Fair Parking Fundraiser: Parents and teens are needed to cover 3 hour shifts for our annual Village fundraiser, Wednesday – Saturday!
July 20 Mon Cedar Point Trip

TBD Girls/Guys Nights, Small Groups, Socials- Kickball, Canoeing, Service Days, and Teaching the Youth Minister to Cook!

Admiring the Nostril Holes...

2008-05-28T11:34:00.005-04:00

Meet my pet turtle. He's very cute. He's green, usually wet, and has 2 very small perfect nostril holes in the center of his face. If you haven't met him before, his name is Irenaus. Some of his favorite activities are as follows- swimming against the water filter, chewing on his fake plants, and hanging onto his overturned flower pot with his nostrils just barely out of the water.

Turtles, especially mine, are fabulous creatures. Often when I arrive home I hear a great plop of Irenaus jumping off of his log and racing to hide from view. Turtles are very into self-preservation- and the slightest noise will send them flying back into their turtle-shell.

Most of us are like Irenaus- we are very interested in self-preservation, and we rarely see any good in suffering- or even being a bit outside of our comfort zone. Christ once said, "Unless a single grain of wheat falls into the ground, it remains a single grain. But if it dies it yields a rich harvest." (John 12:24) What did he mean by that??

The topic for this week's Village is Redemptive Suffering. Suffering is one of the great paradoxes of our Christian faith. First we have the simple question of why a good God would allow it- and looking to the Cross of Christ we realize suffering can bring about so much good. (Like the salvation of the whole world!)

Why *does* God allow suffering in the world? What good comes from our sufferings? What does it mean to ‘offer it up?’ What do other faiths teach about suffering? Join us this Sunday for our last regular Village and some great discussion of these deep questions.

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Village News

Next Sunday
Next week is our last regular Village meeting of the year!!! Join us next Sunday June 1st for games and a discussion on Redemptive Suffering!

Village END OF YEAR BARBEQUE!
Join us at Gallup Park (near the bigger playground) Sunday, June 8th from 4-7pm for our Village Barbeque Blow-Out. We’ll bust out some Ultimate Frisbee, share some memories of the year, and eat some terrific food. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and tableware will be provided.

Please Bring:
---Men: a desert to share
---Women: a side to share
---Blanket to sit on

Vacation Bible School
The St Thomas VBS runs from Monday, June 23rd through Friday, June 27th from 9-12noon. This year we will be discovering the Saints through music, games, crafts and more! Volunteers are still needed to help. Send Beth an email if you can help out!

Communication
--Hey Steubenville Cats- remember our group meeting is after this Sunday's meeting, 7-7:30pm. See you then!

--Youth Minister Beth Montgomery can be reached at anytime (seriously) on her cell phone, (734) 545 0827. If I don’t get to it in time- please leave a message and I’ll call you back!

--For Village events on the summer, be sure you’re on the Village email list serve! During the school year we send weekly updates, over the summer it will be less often.

Coming Home from Uganda

2008-05-23T10:27:00.002-04:00

Here's another one from Bridget! :)

Hello!

I am falling into such a routine and now I am leaving. Lately I have been spending my evenings at an orphanage near by - its like nothing I've ever experienced. When I arrive, I check in with the watchman (everyone here has a watchman), by the time I finish - the children have all gathered at the gate, singing and dancing to welcome me 'Ba -rid- a- jet' they say 'she is here'. As soon as I enter, I children jump into my arms, wrap around my legs, hold my hands and even my skirt - they have so much love to give!

Usually I just sit in the middle of them, holding as many babies as I can, they like to play with my hair and take my sandals. I taught them some American songs but our rhythm is not up to their standards... these children can sing and dance so well, even the toddlers can dance better than me.

The other day I brought some of the candy Bethany gave to me - I was expecting a mad rush but to my surprise (and awe) they shared... even some of the older ones (the older ones are only 6 or 7 years) unwrapped the candies for the toddlers before taking their own - they really have so much love especially for each other.

There is one girl, Sarah who is 19 but still stays with them because she is lame and mentally retarded. She gives so much to their community, she will sit in the middle of the infants and rock whoever is crying in her arms - I am so inspired by them all. The hardest part is leaving - I literally have to peel the children off of me.

Yesterday I went to Queen Elizabeth National Park, it was amazing. We saw elephants (my favorite), hippos, crocodiles and so many other amazing animals. The whole day I was thinking of the Creation story and then to top it off, on the way home their was a rainbow. As our driver always says, when he stops to show us the beauty of Uganda "God is so good to us".

I gave one of our Village retreat shirts to the girl who helps us at the convent. Her name is Maggie and she just loves it. She says she will pray for our whole Village.I can't wait to see you all.

Thank you for your prayers and support - I can feel them.

Under His Love,Bridget

From Bridget in Uganda!

2008-05-19T12:18:00.007-04:00

Hey Villagers! Bridget wrote to us from Uganda!! If you want to send her a message, email me and I will forward it. :)
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5/14/08

Holiota! (this is how we greet each other here)

I miss you all so much and wish you could be here too - I know you would love the village of Fort Portal. There are different types of bananas growing everywhere- did you know there was more than one type of banana? I didn't until I came here but I am learning... I eat so many each day, a large one for breakfast, small ones during our tea breaks and even unsweet cooked ones for dinner - I fear I will turn into a monkey :).

I spend my days in the Virika hospital- it is incredible how much I am learning. In the afternoon, the nurses gather in the hospital to sing the Rosary in their native language, Ritoro - it is very beautiful. I have not yet learned how to say the Rosary in Ritoro but I can greet people and communicate with the women in labor.

In the evening sometimes I go 'down town' to run errands - I have now mastered the art of riding a bota bota (motor bike) - even in the pouring rain. I think the Village should definitely invest in a bota bota.

I have also traveled to some of the surrounding smaller clinics in the more rural areas. When we go to these villages, the children get very excited to see us. They jump up and down and shout "Hello Mizzuno" (white person) - it makes me laugh.I pray for you all - especially when I go to mass in the morning (your midnight). Please pray for our patients, so many of the children are very sick with malaria. I can't wait to see you all!

Under His Love, Bridget

ps If you see Matthias, tell him I say happy feast day!

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5/19/08

Hello Village,

Just wanted to let you know I tried a new food? bone soup. Basically you take the bones of a cow and boil them until the taste comes out. When I get back I will make it for you. It tastes a bit like mucous.

Today I am going to an orphanage during my lunch break, I wish you could come too. My Ritoro is getting better, I even have a pet name now (everyone in this region is given one of 11 pet names that they use to greet each other). Mine is Abuele (?) you should ask Halley what hers is.

Under His Love, Bridget

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Village News

Join us next Sunday Feb 24th from 5-6:30 for our monthly time of Eucharistic Adoration! We’re going to be blessed with our teen Worship Band, and social time following Adoration.

Responding to Grace Decisions Made for Spring-Summer
Village Setup Team: James*, Tom, Chuck
Village Greeting Team: Melissa*, Bernard
Village Hospitality Team: Jacob*, Dominica
Village Community Team: Dominica*, Tom
Village Youth Council: Tony, Doug, Laura, Ellen, Maria, Nealia, Peter, Robert, Mike, Tom, Karen, Melissa, Dominica.

Grown Up Soda Scavenger Hunt
May 23rd is our last GUS, from 6:30-9pm. We will be having our annual GUS Photo Scavenger Hunt through all of downtown Ann Arbor, followed by pizza and ice cream here at St Thomas. GUS VOLUNTEERS NEED A PERMISSION SLIP, ALSO.

Summertime

2008-05-12T12:50:00.010-04:00

Most of my favorite memories of summertime involve lemonade. My best friend Catherine and I would sit for hours by the side of the road praying that people would stop at our lemonade stand. The $2 profit would keep our spirits up for days!

My mother would pour lemonade into paper dixie cups and freeze them. We would eat them by peeling away the paper cup as we ran around the neighborhood causing trouble. Every once in awhile, our excitement would result in a sticky lemonade spill in the freezer...

Lemonade *is* summer to me. Think of all your summer memories, kiddie pools, sidewalk chalk, building forts, blowing bubbles... and get excited for this Sunday's Village Street Carnival!

This Sunday at Village we will be having a social time outside for sidewalk chalk, jump roping, blowing bubbles, frisbee, lemonade, and watching the Condiment Fight Club!

The Condiment Fight Club is a gladiator style tournament, where 2 players battle each other with condiments. The first to slash the opposing player with mayo on the front and the back is the winner, and moves on to the next round. If you want to play, be sure to bring a condiment and wear grubby clothes.

Feel free to bring your pogo stick, hula hoop, or anything summer-y you can think of, and we'll blow off some of the restlessness of spring!

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Village News

Village Street Carnival!!
Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 for Social Night at the Village! We’ll be playing with sidewalk chalk, frisbee, jump rope, and watching the Condiment Fight Club! If you’re going to participate in the Condiment Fight Club, BYOC- Bring Your Own Condiment, no mustard allowed. Wear grubby clothes!!

Friday’s Village Social Canceled
Eerp. Due to a scheduling conflict, Friday night’s Social has been canceled. Some of us might go see Prince Caspian this Friday instead, RSVP to Betho if you’re interested!

Responding to Grace Decisions Made for Spring-Summer
Village Setup Team: James*, Tom, Chuck
Village Greeting Team: Melissa*, Bernard
Village Hospitality Team: Jacob*, Dominica
Village Community Team: Dominica*, Tom
Village Youth Council: Tony, Doug, Laura, Ellen, Maria, Nealia, Peter, Robert, Mike, Tom, Karen, Melissa, Dominica.

*=Team Leader

Grown Up Soda

-Our last GUS meeting is 5/23, a grand scavenger hunt through downtown.. GUS Volunteers need a permission slip, too. Be sure to bring one with you if you're going to help out!

From Uganda!

2008-05-06T17:07:00.001-04:00

Hey Villagers- Bridget wrote us!!!

I have been in Fort Portal only 3 days and there is so much to tell...I caught my first baby yesterday - it was like nothing else - the whole time I was praying the child and the mother would live - thanks be to God they did! This might sound silly but it was all I could think of - I don't think I have ever prayed that intensly.

I also assisted a delivery outside by the outhouses. The baby came, a breech that had to be recesitated - the nurse ran inside and left me with the mother. As I felt her abdomen I found there was a second child so I walked her into the unit and we delivered the second... I could go on and on but I only have a brief minute to email so...

The sisters are very nice to me - they are so welcoming and loving - it is even a bit overwhelming :). I am safe and learning so much - I am often humbled by what I encounter - this is very good for me.

Please send the Village my love. I will try to email more later.

In Christ, Bridget

ps. if you're looking for a moped, Uganda is the place to go... I believe there are more mopeds than cars here ... they call them "bota botas" because they were originally used to transfer them from "Border to Border"... now they are everywhere.

The Restlessness of Spring

2008-05-05T12:08:00.003-04:00

Spring is finally here! The blooming trees, bright blue sky, and warm sun have come to remind us of all that is good in the world. These are the days when we sneak outside with our hall pass to sit and listen to the wind rustle the leaves...and dream of dropping out of school!

The only problem with Spring is that the season speaks to us of the coming freedom of Summer, not yet ours to enjoy. In this gorgeous month of May AP tests loom, term papers keep us indoors, and Final exams become frighteningly imminent.

The good news is that Jesus is with us in our restlessness this month!! First, He speaks words of tender love in the midst of our wearyness, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

This past week we celebrated our last Dinner and Some Bible, and we finished up the book of 1 Peter! Our favorite passage was this one (Chapter 5: 6-10), take a read and see what He might say to you!

"Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.
The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ (Jesus) will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little."

One of our favorite pieces was the last verse, that after we have suffered a little while Jesus will strengthen and restore us. Hope something in there spoke to you in your restlessness, too!!

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Village News

Next Sunday
Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 for “Your Life Mission”- we’ll be talking about the mission God has for each of us. (Insert tear for no more men’s and women’s issue nights…)

Responding to Grace Applications Due Today
We will be deciding on the positions this week, and letting you know this coming Sunday! If you didn’t get a chance to turn it in- you can email it today or tom. Keep our discernment in your prayers. :)

GUS Friday
GUS is this Friday, May 9th! It is our last normal GUS, our final GUS is May 23rd, a ginormous Scavenger Hunt around A2. So GUS Volunteers let’s all make it by 6pm so we can take our Volunteer Pic!

Village Social *Next* Friday 5/16
Guess what?? We have another great social coming up next Friday May 16th! Be sure to put in your vote tonight for what it will be!

Misc Announcements
Youth Council- this Saturday 9:30am (frozen pizza for breakfast anyone?)

The Car Wash

2008-04-28T13:59:00.007-04:00

Twenty minutes into our Village Car Wash, we discovered we had NO WATER! The hookups for our hose weren't working, because the master water valve was shut off. :( So the 15 of us looked at each other, and began contemplating other options.

Massive game of hide and seek? Freeze tag in the street? Licking the cement? Every idea seemed like a lot of fun, but not necessarily helping the whole "Send Bridget to Africa" thing.

A resourceful David and Mike returned to us with the knowledge that Bella Vino had a working hose hookup!! Mike, Bridget and I trooped on over to beg for mercy. The Manager had pity on us and the Car Wash was back in business!!!

We were able to wash loads of cars- we made $450 in the end, enough to send along some supplies and help cover some of Bridget's land costs...ie, food and shelter. Bridget will be taking off this Thursday, for 18 hours of travel until touchdown in Uganda. Please keep her in your prayers especially this week, for safe travel and a blessed trip.
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Village News

Dinner and Some Bible Concludes!!!
Stop on by St Thomas this Thursday 7-8:30 for our very last Dinner and Some Bible. It’s time to wrap it up for the summer months! We’ll be eating great food, and then reading 1 Peter.

Last Chance for Leadership: Responding to Grace
"One can only find oneself in the sincere gift of self." Turn in your Teen Leader Application for Spring-Summer today! (I mean you!!!)

Next Sunday
Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 for a night on ‘Outside of Marriage’. We’ll have some time to talk about why marriage is so awesome, and what isn’t awesome outside of it.

Questioning India

2008-04-21T15:12:00.004-04:00

As many of you know, I spent 9 months volunteering with Mother Teresa's Sisters in Calcutta India. After a month or two of living in India, I started longing to get away to the countryside for a break from volunteering!

A quick gander through the Lonely Planet, and I discovered the Cable Car in Darjeeling. Basically, you climb into a metal bubble, suspended from the top by a cable- and it whisks you along at a fairly quick speed, hundreds of feet above the ground! "With an exhilerating drop to begin, the Darjeeling Cable Car whisks you hundreds of feet above the luxurious Rangeet Valley Tea Plantations, allowing for breath-taking views."

I was immediately sold. After convincing several friends that life was not fully lived without the Cable Car experience- off we went to Darjeeling, India! After a 7 hr train journey, and 4 hr winding jeep ride (complete with passengers throwing up along the way)- we arrived!

Ready for adventure, we stopped to ask the Hotel Manager a few questions. When he heard we were going to ride the Cable Car, he got very serious, and said "You really shouldn't ride that. People die quite often. Just last summer a few tourists died.*" My heart sank a little as I began to see the Cable Car was not in my future!

Happily, we found many other adventures in Darjeeling- like a zoo, a morning sunrise over the Himalaya's, and crazy strong cinnamon. Now looking back on the trip, I have realized the moral of the story. Smart people ask questions!

Our motto for The Village is "Real Questions, Real Dialogue, Real Faith." In order to have real faith- a faith that is our own, we must ask questions and enter the dialogue! As you may know, we have recently instituted a Question Box at Village: a place where you can ask any question about our Catholic faith- and every week we will answer one of your questions. Visit http://www.findthevillage.com/ to see past Questions!

What question do you have about our Catholic faith?

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Village News

Next Sunday
Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 for our second night on “Spike TV Meets Lifetime”- distinct callings. We’ll have more time to talk about what it means to be Men and Women of God!

Dinner and Some Bible: Thursdays 7-8:30
Stop on by St Thomas this week for Dinner and Some Bible. We’ll be eating some great food, and then reading some of the book of 1 Peter. It’s going to be a swell time- come hungry!

Service Car Wash this Saturday
Join us Saturday 4/26 from 4pm-6:30 for our Village Car Wash Fundraiser at the TCF Bank on the corner of Plymouth and Nixon. Proceeds go towards sending Village Volunteer Bridget Fil to Africa next month!! RSVP to Beth by Wednesday if you are able to help.

Other News
-“One can only find oneself in the sincere gift of self.” Are you ready to “Respond to Grace”?? Turn in your Teen Leader Application for Spring-Summer today!
-Our next GUS meeting is **this Friday** April 11th- Volunteers, please arrive by 6pm to setup.
-The remaining $155 for the Steubenville Youth Conference is due today, see Betho if you didn’t bring it tonight.

*Visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3205314.stm for news documentation of the accidents!! Eeekgads.

A Moped for Betho

2008-04-16T12:33:00.003-04:00

As you may have guessed, my latest obsession is to buy a moped!! I was driving in traffic last week, and this girl passed me on a bright yellow moped. Our eyes locked...her hair waved in the breeze, and we both just knew I was destined for something greater. I am destined to join the moped army!!

When I was in India I rented a motorcycle for a day, and zipped around for a day barely escaping death on several occasions. The dream of being able to escape death everyday at home could be even more fantastical! Stay tuned for more details.

What I'm really longing for, is adventure! Ultimately we all long for adventure- to be fully engaged, fully alive. Saint Irenaus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive." So the good news is that God wants adventure and fullness of life for us also!! Jesus says in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life- and have it to the full."

One adventure that we can all share in this next two months, is that Village Volunteer Bridget Fil is going to go to Uganda, Africa for a month of service in May!

As Christians, our mission is to know our identity in Christ- as His Beloved, His Chosen ones, and as those He has Called to serve Him in the world. Jesus says in Matthew 25:40, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to the least of my brothers, you did it to me.”

As Bridget goes to Africa, she is an ambassador for all of us of the love and concern we have for our fellow brothers and sisters there. Let us join with her in prayer, encouragement, and material support!

We will be having a Service Car Wash Fundraiser next next Saturday 4/26 from 4-6:30 to pay for her 'land' costs + send supplies for the people there. All are welcome to help out! RSVP to give me an idea of who will be there.

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News!

Next Sunday’s Village
Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 for “Spike TV Meets Lifetime”- distinct callings. We’ll have some awesome time to talk about what it means to be Men and Women of God.

Dinner and Some Bible: Thursdays 7-8:30
Stop on by St Thomas this week for Dinner and Some Bible. We’ll be eating some great food, and then reading some of the book of 1 Peter. It’s going to be a swell time- come hungry!

Village Service Day: Sending Bridget to Africa!! ;)
Join us Saturday 4/26 from 4pm-6:30 for our Village Car Wash Fundraiser at the TCF Bank on the corner of Plymouth and Nixon. Proceeds go towards sending Village Volunteer Bridget Fil to Africa next month!! RSVP to Beth.

Responding to Grace
“One can only find oneself in the sincere gift of self.” Are you ready to “Respond to Grace”?? Turn in your Teen Leader Application for Spring-Summer today!

Steubenville Summer Retreat
The remaining $155 for the Steubenville Youth Conference is due next Sunday, April 20th!

Boredom Worse Than Exhaustion!

2008-04-07T13:23:00.008-04:00

A new study* reports that it is better to have overworked employees than bored employees. Overworked employees tend to experience burnout, struggle with their personal lives, and produce lower quality work.

Those who are bored at work are less proud of their company, less inovative in their work, feel less valued by their employer, and have nearly no sense of accomplishment in their work. Certainly all of these attributes are easily transferred to those who are bored at school, or bored in their daily life.

Researchers have found that the longterm effects of bored employees are worse than the longterm effects of overworked employees!

Boredom can be a serious problem in every season of our lives-as a student, an employee, or even raising a family. We become restless because we are not engaged in the present. We might be running through life, or simply spectating- without considering how life could be different if we committed to the present moment.

The poet Rilke once said, "Is it possible that despite our discoveries and advances, despite our culture...and science, we have remained only on the surface of life?" As Christians we know that "One can only find oneself in the sincere gift of self." Do you feel bored in your daily life? In what ways might service help you to dive deeper in life?

As a part of 'Responding to Grace', we are opening up opportunities for Servant Leadership in the Village! We need Villagers to step forward to help lead and man several different teams- the Setup Team, Hospitality Team, Community Team, and the Greeting Team. Not only is this a great service opportunity, but you can put add this to those infamous college apps one day. :) Download the application from http://www.findthevillage.com/ today!

*http://www.sirota.com/pressrelease/1-Boredom-overwork_release_Final_NA.pdf

Village News:

Next Sunday
Join us next Sunday from 5-6:30 for our Village social night! We’ll have all the games you know and love from Recess as a kid. The chapel will be open for part of the night for those who wish to pray. :) A prize goes to whoever brings the most people. Please bring a snack to share.

Dinner and Some Bible: Thursdays 7-8:30
Stop on by St Thomas this week for Dinner and Some Bible. We’ll be eating some great food, and then reading some of the book of 1 Peter. It’s going to be a swell time- come hungry!

Responding to Grace

2008-04-02T13:52:00.012-04:00

Some Retreat highlights!

--Tom got a 'lucky' pancake with a whole packet of Big League Chew inside- blech

--Monica lost the hot water contest with my small group...ha ha...

--Jacob won MVP for Friday's icebreaker- he knew *everybody*!

--Laura won Most Likely To Sleep in the Wrong Girl's Cabin

--Mike won the Big League Chew...and showered the rest of us with generosity

--Ben and Theresa were champions of the water drinking game...or not.. ;)

--Bernard, Kathleen, and Stefani perfected the model's catwalk...

--And Irenaus and Bethany stopped by!

We meditated on the piece of scripture in which Jesus calls Peter to 'Put Out Into the Deep;' especially what this means in terms of daily discipleship.

We will be chatting more about the opportunity to 'Put Out Into the Deep' by responding to God's love through servant leadership in the Village. Visit http://www.findthevillage.com/ to download the 'Responding to Grace' Application to be a Teen Leader. It is exciting to see the many ways God has equipped us for these important ministries. :)

Looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday at Village!

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Village News

Dinner and Some Bible Canceled This Week

--We'll be starting up again next week!

Tragedy + New Life!

2008-03-24T17:32:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter! He is Risen! Just wanted to check in and say that we missed seeing you all yesterday- but hope you all had great celebrations with friends and family.

Someone mentioned on our blog that this was Serafini the turtle's first Easter! Sadly, there was a minor tragedy on Good Friday and Serafini passed away. Apparently he had been sick for awhile- and while the water brought him some rejuvenation...it was not enough to revive him!! :( You can imagine how disappointed I was, and I speak for Bethany and myself in sharing our sorrow with you.

The good news, is that I have a new pet Turtle, and his name is Irenaus (ear-i-nay-us) after St Irenaus! He is a *very* active little guy...great swimmer, and one tough cookie. As St Irenaus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Hopefully, the glory of God is also 'turtle' fully alive, because I do hope Irenaus is with us for longer than 2 weeks!

In this glorious Easter season, we remember the resurrection of Jesus to new life. We recall the truth, that one day we will see Jesus face to face! After recalling his death and resurrection, let us begin to prayerfully consider how we might follow him with greater conviction. How will you answer His call to 'Put Out Into the Deep Water"?

All of the Volunteers and I are looking forward to our Village Spring Retreat this weekend!!! Thirty of us are signed up so far, making this our biggest Retreat yet! If you have not signed up yet, there is still space available, but signup asap! We will see you at St Thomas this Friday at 6:30pm!

Turtles Like Water!

2008-03-17T14:31:00.002-04:00

So, about a week ago I got a pet Turtle! I named him Serafini (meaning 'finished'), and was all excited for the next 25 years of our pet-owner relationship. Around Saturday night I realized he wasn't moving around in his aquarium much- or eating anything! When I flipped him upside down- no reaction from the little turtle guy...

As I'm sure you understand, I became quite concerned. Last night, I added a couple inches of water- and he went nuts! He was swimming, swimming, swimming- and swimming. Finally, I had a happy turtle again. I guess turtles like water. I guess turtles are made for water!

I've been thinking a lot about what we are made for. This week, Holy Week, is the time that we relive Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection. If any week can tell us what we are made for- it is this one.

We are made to know, love, and serve Jesus. We are made to share in His sufferings for the redemption of the world. When we are walking with Jesus, we are like a turtle in water.

Join us this week as we draw close to Jesus, through leading the Parish Stations of the Cross this Friday.

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Village News

Holy Thursday- No Dinner + Some Bible
Dinner and Some Bible has been canceled due to it being Holy Thursday!! See you all at Mass at 7:30pm, for Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

Good Friday- Stations of the Cross
The Village will be leading the Stations of the Cross for the Parish this Friday starting at 7pm. We need at least 14 volunteers to do the Readings, and 4 Altar Servers to visit each Station carrying candles and the crucifix. Email me back if you are able to do either! If you wish to volunteer, you must arrive by 6:30pm. Stations usually go until 8:15 or 8:30pm.

No Village on Easter Sunday- Christ is Risen!

Spring Retreat, March 28-30th
Space is still available on the Village Spring Retreat, March 28-30th! Get your forms and money in by Easter to avoid a $10 late fee…join the 23 Villagers already signed up! Registration is limited; newly confirmed 8th graders are welcome.

Other News
---Do you have some pictures of Village? Email your pictures to me, and I'll put them on our website!

What's Up Ice Skating Glory??!

2008-03-10T15:43:00.006-04:00

This past friday there were nearly 30 of us out at Buhr Park for some crazy Ice Skating! Here are a few of the highlights...

-Karen wore the kiddie helmet for extra protection!

-A game of keepaway resulted in a few dangerous falls (Ahem...Robert...)

-Peter ran into the wall and fell down...(that *may* have been a little bit my fault...but who could say?)

-Bridget + Rachel started a few snowball fights with all the snow on the ice!

-After several tries, Tom discovered his true size in an Ice Hockey Skate to be a 12! :)

Do I hear sounds of Villagers going ice skating again someday?? Thanks to everyone who came out, and especially to the Volunteers for making sure none of us died. Thanks! :)

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Next Sunday
Join us next Sunday March 16th from 5-6:30 for games and a discussion of Sharing the Love through Service Evangelism.

Spring Retreat
Register by *next* Sunday, March 16th and you will be entered into our drawing to win A Year's Supply of Big League Chew! Don't miss the commercial- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GyEkvqtHPs. Registration is limited to the first 35 who sign up; newly confirmed 8th graders are welcome.

The Passion this Saturday 3/15, 7-9:30
A group of us have decided to watch Mel Gibson's the Passion in preparation for Holy Week! We're going to have pizza at 7, and then settle into the film. Everyone is welcome! Bring a pillow/blanket for comfort. Please be aware of the graphic nature of this film.

Dinner and Some Bible: Every Thursday 7-8:30
Stop on by St Thomas this week for Dinner and Some Bible. We'll be eating some great food, and then reading some of the book of 1 Peter. It's going to be swell0- come hungry!

Other News:
-----GUS IS THIS FRIDAY! GUS Volunteers, please come 6-9:15pm.
-----Eight spaces still remain for the Steubenville Youth Conference June 13-15…

Mushroom Barley Soup? Just Say NO!

2008-03-03T14:03:00.008-05:00

Last night Jason shared with us about Heaven, Hell and Purgatory.

We learned that “[Those in heaven] are hungry and satisfied, satisfied yet hungry- but they are far from bored with satiety or pained in their hunger.” [St Catherine of Sienna]

And my favorite- that “They will never hunger or thirst again; sun and scorching wind will never plague them, because the Lamb who is at the heart of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.” [Revelations 7]

The thing I keep thinking about, is that all goodness comes from God. Therefore- heaven is the absolute presence of all goodness, and hell is the absolute absence of all goodness.

What I'm trying to say here, is that Mushroom Barley Soup does not make the cut. There will be --absolutely--no-- Mushroom Barley Soup in heaven. This soup has no goodness in it. As you can see from the attached/below photo...the bits of barley are sqwooshy like worms- mixed with slippery mushrooms making an altogether wretched bowl of mostly tasteless mush.

This week- instead of trying to warm up with a bowl of nast (!) come on out this Friday Night for some fantastico Ice Skating!!! The Village is going Ice Skating this Friday, at Buhr Park from 7-9pm. Bring your permission slip and $10 with you on Friday.

LOST!

2008-02-27T19:26:00.005-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of being 'lost' these days...for a couple reasons.

1. I've become obsessed with the TV Show! Although I'm about 3 years behind the show, I love the idea of having no idea where you are... having to look for clues... and the adventure of chaos at every turn.

2. I seem to get lost quite a bit! This past weekend I roadtrip-ed it to Cincinnati with Rachel, only to get lost innumerable times! Maps and I don't get along- so I turn to Mapquest, only to be confused when signs don't read exactly as Mapquest said they would. Sunday afternoon I was wandering through downtown Cincinnati talking to Rob on the phone- only to realize I had gone 15 minutes in the wrong direction!

There are millions of ways to get lost in real life- wrong turns, confusion, anger, and sin to name a few. Of course recognizing that you are lost suggests there is somewhere you are trying to go!

As Catholics we are called to Put Out Into the Deep- to follow Jesus into the deep waters...to put our trust in Him to the test. It's easy to trust in Jesus when you stay in the shallow end. Jesus calls us to recognize *who* we are- and *what* we are called to! This semester, at Spring Retreat, we will be focusing on who we are.

Beloved. Chosen. Called.

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Village News:

Village Volunteer Changes: Bethany Thelen to focus more on Catholic Nursing Student Association

Catching a Goose

2008-02-20T13:18:00.003-05:00

Many of you know that I volunteer at the petting zoo over at Domino's farm once a week. I feed the sheep and the cows, take water to the 800lb pig, and chase around my favorite baby goat. Mostly, I do whatever they ask! This week I was asked to climb into a giant pen with geese and ducks, and catch two of them. Now, if we were together, I would ask for a show of hands to see how many of us have attempted this...Suffice to say it was *my* first time.

I managed to climb the wire fence...and I approached with all the stealth-ness I could muster. Perhaps the 8ft net gave me away, bc I think they knew I was coming! Finally, I managed to corner a couple of them, but my net got caught on on a root. Not wanting to lose the opportunity, I dove in to catch the goose with my arms! I imagine my dive was quite a ridiculous sight to behold..but I sure caught that goose.

We are often afraid to really dive for the things we want. We are afraid of looking foolish, or of trying our hardest and still failing. As we prepare for Spring Retreat, Jesus asks us to be courageous and to dive deeper into our faith. Our theme for the upcoming Spring Retreat is "Put Out Into the Deep"! This passage comes in Luke Chapter 5, when Jesus invites Peter to put his boat out into the deep for a catch. Peter had been fishing all night and caught nothing, but in his weariness he obeys and is richly rewarded. The goal of this retreat is to listen for the personal call of Jesus- to recognize that we are beloved, chosen, and called.

More information will be coming this Sunday about our Spring Retreat, March 28-30th.

Anybody have a funny story about a goose? Any farm animal?

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Spring Retreat Giveaway?

2008-02-13T16:24:00.001-05:00

Hey Teens! Now's your big chance to vote on what our Spring Retreat giveaway should be!! We could give away 40 lbs of Neco Wafers, http://www.candydirect.com/bars/Necco-Assorted.html, but word on the street is they're *sick*. What should it be, team??

Sticky, Messy Lives

2008-02-11T12:33:00.001-05:00

Last night Amy Winehouse won Grammy's in 5 out of the 6 categories she was nominated- including record of the year, song of the year (both for "Rehab") and best new artist.

People are having a hayday discussing her "rapid descent from promising newcomer to emaciated junkie." Not allowed a visa due to "narcotic abuse", Amy performed 2 songs in London before a smaller audience...for the first time in awhile- since her husband got sent to jail for assault and faking a trial...?

One thing we can see clearly from Amy (and kiddie pools of jello), is that life is messy. We try and fail, try harder, and fail yet again. Luckily for us, God doesn't love us because of what we do.

As Bridget explained last night- we are saved by grace! Jesus came and died in our place, not because we deserved to be saved- but because he loved us. “It is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace is not the end of the story- we are saved by grace through faith working in love. As St. Augustine said, “The God who created us without our participation has not willed to save us without our cooperation.” We must believe in Jesus, and show our faith through actions of love. As it says in James chapter 2, “Faith apart from works is dead.”

There are millions of ways we can allow God's grace to flower in us through our faith working in love. This week let's focus on our prayer lives. In prayer we meet God and learn of a love that is sincere, unconditional and eternal.

What are some of the things you pray for regularly?

What are some things you wish you prayed for more often?
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The Impossible

2008-02-04T16:48:00.000-05:00

In one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, the New York Giants beat the Patriots 17-14. With the Patriots undefeated all Season- and favored to win by 12, fans all over New England were left scratching their heads last night. With the Patriots 4 point lead at 2:42 remaining, only faith-filled fans would have imagined the Giants coming back to win the game.

"Look over the nations and see, and be utterly amazed! For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habbakuk 1:5

God accomplishes the impossible everyday!! As we begin the Holy season of Lent this week, let us not imagine that our Lenten Resolutions are dependant on our own strength lest we fail. As we prayerfully consider the ways in which we can renew our focus on prayer, almsgiving, and fasting-- let us remember that it is God who is at work in us. He is the one who gives us strength.

God can do incredible things through us, things we once thought impossible. Trust Him, trust that He will give you the strength to make sacrifices for Him this Lenten Season. He will give you the commitment to make that daily prayer time- the courage to make sacrifices with your time- the strength to let go of worldly attachments.

Take some time to decide what your Lenten commitments will be- and if you're up to it, post them anonymously on our blog. As you read the commitments of your brothers and sisters, remember to pray for them throughout Lent. :)

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Sunday's Village: Saved By The What?
Join us this Sunday from 5-6:30 for a redo of the old time classic, Saved by the Bell. Get the theme song stuck in your head at http://youtube.com/watch?v=2K4iTh1TL9g. We’ll be talking about Salvation, Lent, and doing a whole lot of very fun very stupid things.

Bible Study this Thursday, 7-8:30pm
Please RSVP if you will be joining us for Bible Study this week, so we can make sure we have enough food! Join Beth Montgomery and Volunteer Rachel Dudek in studying the book of 1 Peter this semester, on Thursday nights from 7-8:30pm here at St Thomas.

The Newest E-News

2008-01-31T17:46:00.000-05:00

Lent is quickly approaching- this week on Ash Wednesday we will be greeted with the words "Turn away from sin, and be faithful to the Gospel" as we begin our 40 day preparation for Easter. As Catholics we focus on 3 forms of conversion during Lent- prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Have you thought about what you will do for the Lenten season? The time is short, friends! The Lord longs for each of us to prayerfully consider what we might do to open our hearts more fully to His love. Lent is a great opportunity for us to get in shape spiritually.

How could you deepen your commitment to prayer this Lent? In what ways could you honor the Lord by observing a fast? How might you be a better steward of all that God has entrusted you with?

Here are a few ideas you might consider for Lent:

Pray the Rosary everyday
Read a chapter of a Gospel in the Bible everyday
Join the Village Thursday nights for Bible Study

Pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays

Examine your conscience each night
Give up eating sweets
Give up adding salt to your food
Give up adding condiments to your food

Tithe a portion of your allowance and give it to the poor
Intentionally spend time getting to know your siblings each week
Help your parents make dinner once or twice each week

What will *you* do for Lent?

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VILLAGE NEWS

No Village Sunday, 2/3 due to the Superbowl :(

Confirmation Reception Hosted by the Village Saturday, 2/2
Help setup for the Village Confirmation Reception this Saturday! Confirmation Mass begins at 11am, and Reception follows Mass. The goal here is to get to know those recently confirmed and let them know abt the Village! Wear a Village shirt if you have one. If you are able to attend the Mass that’s great, if not, please arrive by 12 noon to get things ready in the Parish Hall.

Steubenville Summer Retreat
Registration will be starting soon for the Steubenville Summer Youth Conference June 13-15! We have 25 spots reserved. Throughout the weekend we will spend time with Christ in Adoration, be fed by His Body and Blood at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, receive His forgiveness in Reconciliation, enter into praise and worship with powerful music, and be encouraged and challenged by some of the finest Catholic speakers in the country. Over 40,000 teens attend a Steubenville Conference every summer!!

Bible Study is Every Thursday, 7-8:30pm
Due to popular demand, our old Bible Study is coming back! Join Beth Montgomery and Volunteer Rachel Dudek in studying the book of 1 Peter this semester, on Thursday nights from 7-8:30pm here at St Thomas.

Beauty

2008-01-28T14:46:00.000-05:00

For my girls….

Ever heard the song Beautiful by Bethany Dillon? Well, if you haven't, then go on YouTube or something, and type it in, and listen to the song. The song is very powerful, and every single girl out there can relate to its lyrics. The song talks about a girl struggling to fit in with the "popular" crowd, and totally loosing sight of who she really is, but then she comes back to Jesus, and realizes she is beautiful in his eyes, and that is all that matters. here's a link to the song if you want to listen to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vu_nmZ1pXc

I know the society we live in today stereotypes the meaning of the word beautiful, but the beautiful they have is a vague, scary image of what beauty truly is. Beauty isn't necessarily the scarcely dressed fake actresses and models. Beauty is everywhere, but because of the world we live in today, we seem to loose sight of this. I think its time we brought true beauty back. True beauty isn't found in a magazine, its found deep in the hearts of a girl. [A Daughter of God!!]

If you look the word up (I went on dictionary.com), this is probably what you'll get, "wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying" wonderful…what a word. If you ask me, it describes each and every one of you. Because frankly, you are all wonderful, and amazing, and anyone who tells you otherwise must be under some delusion. You all are beautiful. Not hot, not sexy, but beautiful. Never ever forget that. It's something we all need to hear, and so I'm saying it. You all are BEAUTIFUL.

Love ya'll~Melissa
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Check out one of our own Beautiful Women, Sister Britt!! Here she is at the March for Life in DC last week. Please keep her in your prayers! (Thanks for the pic, Peters..!)

No Village Social

2008-01-03T17:12:00.000-05:00

Hey Team,

Woot for a great New Year's Eve Party!! There is no Village Social this week, 1/4- our next Village event will be our Disney Movie Night this Sunday from 5-8pm. Bring a snack to share, and all your favorite Disney cartoons! We'll be voting on which one to watch...

God Bless you all!!

Retreat Footage: Piano Man!

2007-12-19T16:31:00.000-05:00

Retreat Footage!

2007-12-19T16:23:00.000-05:00

Bringing it all together...

2007-12-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who made our Village Fall Retreat 2007 such a success! We Wish To See Jesus was a beautiful theme, to read the full address of Pope John Paul II (the one our Retreat was themed on) go here-

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/youth/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_20040301_xix-world-youth-day_en.html

Don't miss our next Village, this Sunday Dec 23rd, a night of Adoration and social time. :)

Finally, as we prepare for Christmas during this Advent season, let's make sure we don't miss http://icanhascheezburger.com/ and all it's hillarity...

Wiki Jesus!

2007-12-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

Directions for Play:
1. Go to Wikipedia

2. Click “Random Article” (in the box under the big ol’ Wiki puzzle logo)

3. Player has five (5) clicks to get from the random article to the article “Jesus”(A click constitutes as going from one page to another. If you click a link and it brings you further down the page, that is not a click.)1, 2, 3, GO!

4. Post your link path here so we can all see.

Youtube strikes again...

2007-11-26T14:56:00.000-05:00

So our Village Retreat will be even better than this Audition for a Beauty Pageant in 1993! This is truly tragic, had to share...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wffwg7pA0t8

A Villager Appeals!

2007-11-19T17:36:00.000-05:00

The time has once again come! Its…RETREAT TIME!! For those of you who have never had the chance of going on a Village Retreat, I really urge you to think about going to this upcoming one. Village Retreats happen to be one of the best times you will ever have. I mean who doesn't want to go to Taco Bell at a ridiculous hour?

But that's not the only thing that makes a Village Retreat so amazing. First of all, you are forced to be in the same place as a ton of other teens, thus you get to know people better and make new friends. Plus when you are given talks, you actually are told something that pertains to life as a teenager (shocker). Small groups are amazing, and people really listen to what you have to say.

And then you get to the amazing part – Eucharistic adoration. Spending time in front of the blessed sacrament is one of the most amazing parts of the entire retreat. It is plain to tell that God is present there – His love is so thick in the atmosphere. Spending some time with God present there, right in front of you, is so amazing, and quite am emotional time for some, and is something you will never ever forget.

So, let us recap shall we? The top reasons to go to a village retreat….you make amazing friends, you get a closer relationship with God, people really listen to you, you have the time of your life, and Jesus wants you to go (He wants you to get to know Him better).

So please come! I promise you that you won't forget any memory of this amazing time…and then you will go and bug people for weeks after telling them every single detail about the retreat. I really hope to see you there!

Connected to Calcutta

2007-11-12T15:29:00.000-05:00

Hey Villagers!

Through a friend, I have come into contact with Havilah, a young woman who is 23, and off to volunteer in Calcutta India for a year! A student of Ave Maria University, she is from rural Wisconsin originally. Tonight she sleeps in Delhi!

Please pray for her especially in the next 24 hours, as she will be soon boarding an Indian train bound for Calcutta- that may take anywhere from 18-36 hours. Additionally, as a young woman traveling alone they can also be slightly unsafe. Please pray for her!!

Luckily, some leftover donations from my stay there will be able to help her to stay there for longer than she might have been able to otherwise. God takes care of all the details when we are faithful to Him!

We can track all of her adventures at -- http://havilahs.blogspot.com, feel free to leave her comments!

From Sister Britt!

2007-10-24T12:42:00.000-04:00

This one comes from our own Britt, Mike's sister- who just went off to join the Sisters of the Virgin Matara this past August...as you can see, she is busy praying for us!
----------------------------

Dear Villagers,

Praised be Jesus Christ! Greetings from the convent- I pray that you have all had a safe, fun, and holy summer vacation! The last summer with my family was awesome.

Now I am beginning to get ready for convent classes- we will be learning subjects such as Intro to Philosophy, Mariology (the study of the Blessed Virgin), spanish, doctrine, spirituality, and more. They are going to be great! I am so excited.

I guess I should probably introduce myself, if there are new villagers, I am Britt Megargle. I am 17 and entered the convent of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara. It is a missionary community and is part of the family of the Incarnate Word (we have priests as well- Nate Dreyer will be one!) The community was started 19 years ago in Argentina and has spread to numerous countries throughout the world and currently there are around 750 sisters and about the same number of priests.

I am located in the DC area for my formation- which lasts about 4 years. I have been here for almost a month. There are 16 sisters so far in my class and that number is expected to grow. My class will grow until somewhere in the middle of this month then a new class will begin.. class meaning the sisters who will be in my same formation year.

A little bit more about religious life/my community, as a religious sister after first vows (a year generally- sometimes two).. (the vows being poverty, chastity, and obedience) we are considered brides of Christ. Christ is our bridegroom. The habit which is worn everyday is our wedding dress, we are espoused to Him. It is a powerful thing.

The religious life is also extraordinarily beautiful. It is a chance to see God's grace at work. Living with 30 women, in the same house everyday all day is proof that God is present. In my bedroom I have two other sisters and some rooms have upwards of three sets of bunkbeds (all full with sisters on the floor).

In my community the average age is somewhere in the early 20s. The sisters are amazing because they are on fire and striving to live a life solely dedicated to God. It is a difficult thing as we well know. But God provides the graces necessary to persevere.

The community is specially dedicated to Our Lady. We take a fourth vow of total consecration to Mary, and we are constantly singing and praying to her. We also have a dedication to the evangelization of the culture, and we do this by working in parishes as well as working with the youth. In addition to the spiritual works we perform, we have works of mercy- such as homes for the elderly, the handicapped, and children. It is so beautiful!

Poverty is something we embrace fully as well. We survive on donations. For example, the food we eat comes from benefactors. One week we might have three boxes of peaches, and then not see a peach for two months. It is a beautiful way of fully relying on God's providence.

As I said at the beginning of the letter, I am doing well. I am beginning to adjust to the life and love my sisters. The first two weeks were a little difficult, but God's grace has led me through as He always will!

Please pray for me, and that God's will continue to be performed! I will certainly keep you in my prayers. I had such a great time getting to know everyone last year. It was such a blessing from God to have the Village in my life. If you would like to write, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to ask me any questions that you have!

God Bless!

In the love of the Holy Family,

Sr. Britt Megargle
11311 Drumsteugh Lane
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774

From Nate the Smooth...

2007-10-03T15:06:00.000-04:00

Nate the Smooth was one of our Volunteers at the Village last year. This past summer, he declined his acceptance to Johns Hopkins Medical School to enter the Brothers of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, where he will study to become a priest. Check in with Beth for his contact info...
______________________________
Hi! I hope all is going well in Ann Arbor, and that you're keeping Betho out of trouble.

Life as a novice is kind of crazy- the only other native English speaker left, so I can go awhile without hearing any English!

Please pray for me, and know that I pray for y'all everyday!

In Christ,
Nate (the non-scruffy)

From our own Melissa S....

2007-10-03T15:04:00.000-04:00

Can you sue God?

What a question. Can you really sue God? I was listening to the radio today while coming home from school, and I heard the DJ talking about someone literally (and legally) suing God. If you google it, you'll come up with a bunch of hits. I did it myself, and this is what I got….the man is suing God for…guess….natural disasters. This man said he's suing God and "ordering Him to cease certain harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats."

My thought is this…can you really sue God? I man God is everything, how can you sue him? What reason do we really have to disregard everything God has ever done for us (ie. Gave us life!) And throw it all away b/c you don't agree with the war in Iraq (or something like that).

So if you have any comments on suing God…please post them. I'm still boggled as to why anyone would want to! I mean God is GREAT! Why try to change anything??

Luv ya's
~Mel

________________
Got a post for our blog?? Shoot it to Beth at bmontgomery@sta2.org, and she might post it!

God's Existence

2007-09-21T10:52:00.000-04:00

Hey Friends,

Here's another proof for the existence of God:

The human race is haunted by the desire to do what is right. People invariably defend their actions by arguing that those actions do not really contradict a basic standard of behavior, or that the standard was violated for good reasons.

The first five chapters of C. S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity (1953) discuss this objective norm to which people appeal and by which they expect others to abide. Lewis claims that although everyone knows about the law, everyone breaks it. He further asserts that something or somebody is behind this basic law. This obvious principle of behavior is not created by humans, but it is for humans to obey. Different people use different labels for this law -- traditional morality, moral law, the knowledge of right and wrong, virtue or the Way. We will call it the Natural Law. Natural Law shows that the Being behind the universe is intensely interested in fair play, unselfishness, courage, good faith, honesty and truthfulness.

Summed up more concisely;

In Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis makes the following argument:
1. There is a universal moral law.
2. If there is a universal moral law, then there must be a universal moral lawgiver.
3. Therefore, there must be a God.

Can you guys think of any examples of the Universal Moral Law in your day-to-day life?

Can't wait to see you all at the Social!! :) Yay for Bubble Island...

Beth

Its finally here!

2007-09-07T18:53:00.000-04:00

From our Melissa and Nemo...

With the Village just 2 mere days away, I'm sure we're all excited – I know I sure am. But with the start of the Village, it also brings us to think about our prayer lives. I'm sure all of us could think of something we can improve on, and all I'm saying is for you to think about what you want to improve on, and offer it to God during our first Village…who knows…maybe something magical will happen…..

Luv ya's, and can't wait to see you all

~Mel and Nemo

Ciao for now!

2007-08-22T16:36:00.000-04:00

Hey Villagers!
I leave for the Community of St. John on friday and wanted to write one last post. Mostly I just want to thank all of you for your faithfulness. It has been a blessing getting to know each of you and I am so thankful for the year the Lord has given us to grow in our faith together. The one thing I want to leave you with is something that our beloved Pope John Paul II said that has helped me tremendously in growing in my relationship with Jesus.

"Be not afraid" no matter what life brings, never be afraid of what Christ is calling you to do. Christ will always give you the courage and strength to fulfill his will!

You all will be in my thoughts and prayers. Have a wonderful year at the VILLAGE!!!

God bless you!

CLIMBING TO JESUS WITH MARY

So long Sister Britt!

2007-08-22T16:24:00.000-04:00

From our own Mr. Megargle, Googuly Bear...

As we all know now, Britt has left for the convent and has gone on to become
a Servant (for those of you who do not know the name, it is The Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara). On the account that you probably won't be able to ask her what we did, I have decided to share what we did with Britt during her final days. On Friday we went to Montreal for a day and visited the Cathedral of St. Joseph before going white water rafting (Woot!) in Maine for the weekend. On Monday we came to North Conway, New Hampshire and spent several days there walking around town and meeting the Servants. Finally on Wednesday, we went to Mass with the Servants before saying Adios! to Britt and leaving to drive home. So please pray for her, and she'll be praying for you guys.

So long Sister Britt! Viva La Re Hem!

No Good in Goodbye

2007-08-10T16:37:00.000-04:00

From our own Melissa...
------------------

There are times in our lives when we have to say goodbye. In the Village's case it was to our beloved Britt Megargle, Teresa Monticello, and Nate Haverland. These three amazing people have all gone their separate ways in order to fulfill the call of God. While all three of them will be missed terribly, we all know that they will always be with us in our hearts and prayers.

I'm sure we all have many many stories of different ways that these three people have touched our hearts and lives. Heck – I could go on for pages about tons of stories about them – but I won't. We don't have to. We all know that these three people shine so brightly with the light of Christ, and that's enough.

So, in the short – keep in your heart. They are really amazing people, and I know they don't want to be forgotten. Keep them in your prayers!!

And with that, I'm done!!!

Luv ya's

~Mel (and Nemo)

Got Something To Share?

2007-07-16T15:29:00.000-04:00

Hey Villagers--

If you would like to share with us your thoughts on Scripture, Prayer, Moral Issues, or the Church- please email me at bmontgomery@sta2.org, and I might post it!!

God Bless,
Beth Montgomery
Youth Minister