ST. THERESA CATHOLIC CHURCH 

The saints are members of the Church who are with Christ in heaven praying for those in the Church who are still on their pilgrimage of faith. The saints in this year’s edition of 52 Sundays all share one thing in common: they are martyrs of the Church.  Saints help us see how our ordinary lives can be lived out in extraordinary ways.

January 15, 1842-August 8, 1909

Mary Helen was born in Melbourne, Australia, the oldest of eight children. Mary’s parents were immigrants to Australia who raised their children in the Catholic faith. Because the MacKillop family farm was struggling financially, Mary went to work as a clerk in Melbourne when she was 14 years old. Later, she took a job as a governess for her aunt and uncle in Penola, South Australia. Mary worked taking care of the children and teaching them, but she also invited the poor farm children in the area to come and be taught as well.

Two years later, Mary opened her own boarding school, which is now known as Bayview College. Then a local priest asked Mary and her sisters to open a Catholic school in Penola. She and her sisters opened the school inside a stable. In 1867, Mary founded the first native Australian religious order, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. She took vows as Sister Mary of the Cross. The Josephites, or the “Brown Joeys” (because of their plain brown habits) grew in number, and by the end of 1869, more than 70 sisters were educating children in 21 different schools in Australia. The Josephites also worked with orphans, the poor, the incurably ill, and those in prison.

Sadly, Mother MacKillop was later wrongly accused of stealing money from her religious order and excommunicated in 1871. Years later, the truth came out and her excommunication was lifted, and Mother MacKillop continued to teach and serve the poor until her death in 1909.She was canonized on October 17, 2010.

•How does the story of St. Mary MacKillop inspire you?

.‍RECIPE OF THE WEEK:

Impossible Pie

Enjoy this Aussie recipe that has a creamy vanilla and coconut flavor.

4 eggs

½ cup butter, melted

½ cup plain flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup coconut

2 cups milk

2 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients together and pour mixture into a greased pie tin. Bake at 340 F for one hour.When it bakes it forms its own crust with filling.

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/vanilla-impossible-pie-recipe/vsf53lp5?r=recipes/c82b5dr0&h=galleries

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‍‍FAMILY FUN:   

Australian Family Games

Celebrate the day with some Australian Family Games in honor of St. Mary MacKillop.

Australians celebrate their national day –Australia Day –on January 26th, which is mid-summer in Australia. Much like our Fourth of July, Australians celebrate withbeach parties, parades, and family gatherings. On this mid-summer day, go to a local beach or your backyard and try the following games and family activities Aussie style:

•Toss the Thong (aka Flip Flop) –Have a contest to see who can toss their flip flop the farthest.

•Toss a frisbee or football.

•Nibble on a shortbread biscuit to make it resemble the shape of Australia. The closest one wins!

•Create an obstacle course and do an egg and spoon race.

FAMILY PRAYER

Stewardship Prayer

In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about a good and faithful steward. Spend time praying to be good stewards.

Loving God, you alone are the source of every good gift, of the vast array of our universe, and the mystery of each human life. We praise you and thank you for your tender, faithful love.

Everything we are and everything we have is your gift. After having created us, you have given us into the keeping of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Fill our minds with his truth and our hearts with his love, that in his spirit we may be bonded together as a family and in a community of faith a parish family, a caring people.

In the name and Spirit of Jesus, we commit ourselves to be good stewards of the gifts entrusted to us, to share our time, our talents, and our material gifts as an outward sign of the treasure we hold in Jesus. Amen.

(Adapted from Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers.)

August 7, 2022

How many candles do you see in the church today?
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¿Cuántas velas ves en la iglesia hoy?
Unleashing the Gospel in your Family
(Desatando el evangelio en tu familia)

Jesus tells us not to be afraid. List the top three things that cause you fear or anxiety. Each daythis week, bring these things to God in prayer.
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Jesús nos dice que no tengamos miedo. Enumere las tres cosas principales que le causan miedo o ansiedad. Cada día de esta semana, lleva estas cosas a Dios en oración.

‍TAKE TIME TO CHAT

•In the first part of today’s Gospel, Jesus is teaching us that you can tell what a person really loves by what he/she treasures the most. Jesus wants us to treasure the kingdom of God more than anything else. Why?

•In the second part of today’s Gospel, Jesus wants us to be alert for his return.What can we do to be ready for Jesus?

•Jesus wants us to always behave as his faithful disciples. What can we do to be better disciples of Jesus?

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Fun Facts! ~ ¡Datos curiosos!

Hurricane season begins today, June 1st and continues through November 30th. Are you ready? NOW is the time to prepare. O Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea, pray for us!
Some local, state, and federal resources may be found at the following link: https://www.dosp.org/insurance/hurricane-season/

Prayer for Protection during Hurricane Season

O God, Master of this passing world,
hear the humble voices of your children.
The Sea of Galilee obeyed Your order and returned to its former quietude.
You are still the Master of land and sea.
We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control;
the Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant,
can awake from its seeming lethargy,
overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land,
and spread chaos and disaster.
During this hurricane season we turn to You, O loving Father.
Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid
and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with passing of time.
O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our beloved Mother,
we ask you to plead with your Son on our behalf,
so that spared from the calamities common to this area
and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son
to reach the heavenly Jerusalem, where a stormless eternity awaits us. Amen.

[Composed by Most Rev. Maurice Schexnayder (1895-1981),Second Bishop of Lafayette (1956-1973), following Hurricane Audrey in 1957]
#courageouslyliving