EVENTS

ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH NEWS

A Letter from the Archbishop

letter from Archbishop

Sunday January 24, 2025

 

SAINT AUGUSTINE PRAYER CHAIN

If you would like to be a part of the St. Augustine Prayer Chain, please contact Marie Klotz at saintapraysingtown@gmail.com

 

SAINT AUGUSTINE ONE CALL

To be added to the St. Augustine one-call, please contact Fran Delegato at delegatof@outlook.com

 

Sonshine in a Bag

St. AUGUSTINE PARISH participated and supported “SONSHINE IN A BAG” food program. The Sonshine in a Bag program provides bags of food to refer students who they feel could benefit from receiving food from this program.

ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH NEWS

While traveling and you wish to find Catholic Services near your visiting area go to this website.

http://CatholicMassTime.org

 

Saint of the Week 
February 2, 2025

           St. Blaise
Feast Day February 3rd

 

You may be familiar with the annual “blessing of throats” that many parishes in the United States use to commemorate the beloved bishop and martyr. St. Blaise lived in the fourth century in Turkey and Armenia. Due to religious persecution, he was forced to flee and hide in a cave in the back country in order to save his life.

History has it that one day a group of hunters stumbled upon where St. Blaise was living. They found the bishop kneeling in prayer, surrounded by wolves, lions, and bears that he had tamed. The legend has it that as the hunters dragged Blaise off to prison, a mother came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat. At Blaise’s command, the child was able to cough up the bone and thus lived.

Today we remember the saint on his feast day by taking two candles, crossing them against the throat, and saying the following prayer: Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. ©LPi

 

Saint of the Week 
January 19, 2025

The Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle—(c.4-c.64)
                  Feast Day January 25th

St. Paul was named Saul of Tarsus before his conversion. He was born to a devout Jewish family who followed strict Pharisaic traditions for generations. He spoke Greek and was formally educated in Jewish culture, scripture, and traditions. As an adult he worked as a tentmaker as well as an enforcer for the Jewish leadership in their efforts against new Christian converts. He is known to have taken an active part in the stoning of St. Stephen, the first martyr, and considered himself to be a shining example of Judaism.

Saul’s conversation to Christianity took place while he was traveling to Damascus to persecute Christians there. According to Scripture, “a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 9:3-4). Stricken blind by the vision, Saul continued to Damascus where he was healed and immediately began meeting with other disciples in the area and preaching that Jesus is Lord. He changed his name to the Roman version of Saul, Paul, after his conversation because it was more common among the Gentiles.

For years he traveled all over the region starting churches and preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul’s letters to the communities he served make up thirteen of the books of the New Testament today. His writings encourage new believers to learn about Jesus through Scripture and prayer, partaking in the Eucharist, and serving those in need. He was eventually beheaded as part of systematic executions of Christian leaders in Rome. St. Paul is known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, and the most prolific Christian missionary of all time. St. Paul, pray for us!

 

Saint of the Week 
January 6, 2025

Saint John Neumann, Bishop 1811–1860
           Feast Day January 5th

     Saint John Neumann is the patron saint of educators, immigrants, and, due to the miracles that secured his canonization, sick children. This is a fitting patronage as he was a lover of education and learning from a very young age. In fact, when he was a child, his mother called him “my little bibliomaniac” due to his preoccupation with reading.   due to his preoccupation with reading. Born in 1811 Bohemia, in what is now the Czech Republic, he attended the university in Prague preparing for ordination. However, his local bishops were not ordaining new priests at the time because Bohemia was overstocked with priests. He inquired about ordination all over Europe but received the same answer everywhere. Not one to be deterred, John then applied to several United States dioceses. receiving no immediate responses, the saint took a leap of faith and decided to just immigrate to the United States in 1836, during his 25th year, with only $40 in his pocket. This risk paid off when he was ordained in New York a month later.

     Early in his priesthood he worked primarily as a missionary to German immigrants in Buffalo. His missionary work also created an opportunity for him to spend time in Maryland, Virginia, Michigan, and Ohio. When he was 29, he joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists), a congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to helping the poor and most abandoned. He was their first member to profess vows in the United States.

     In 1852, at the age of 41, Neumann became the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia. During this time, he organized the individual parochial schools in his region into a diocesan system. This change allowed Catholic schools to quickly increase the number of pupils enrolled by almost twentyfold. Over the course of his ministry, St. John expanded the number of Catholic schools in his diocese from 2 to 100! His passion for education extended to immigrants, like himself, and his love for learning languages made it possible for him to hear confessions in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, and Gaelic!

     A man of the people, he could often be found outside the church walls visiting people who were sick, staying in taverns and public houses to teach, and celebrating Mass in people’s homes at their kitchen tables. He was canonized on June 19, 1977, following three miracles, two of which regarded the healing of youth from grave illnesses. St. John Neumann was the first American man to be canonized a saint.

 

For More Saint of the Week

https://www.catholicsmart.com/saint-of-the-week/

 

ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH NEWS

Relevant Radio is a national Catholic radio station promoting the Faith here in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. Listen on 105.9 FM, on their #1 FREE Catholic app or at http://relevantradio.com.

 

ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH NEWS

Sunday October 1st. St. Augustine presented the (The Top 3 Reasons That I Became Catholic… and Always Will Be. The Dr. John Bergsma, a former Protestant Pastor’s story) was shown immediately after the 8:30 am Mass. Please fill free to view this presentation.

To View click below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06F4i4TtS1c

 

ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH NEWS

           

Congratulation, St. Augustine very own Ben Mersch son of Joyce and Steve Mersch was just ordained a Priest Saturday May 18, 2024