Saint Cecilia Parish - St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church

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January 27, 2013 The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear Parishioners,
We celebrate the Lord’s Day on this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Gospel
passage which is proclaimed in our liturgical assembly is from the first chapter of the
Gospel of Luke. This year in the Sunday lectionary (the book of scripture readings) is
cycle C from which the Gospel of Luke is read. In today’s Gospel periscope we find the words of the
Evangelist being addressed to “the most excellent Theophilus.” Scripture scholars have a number of theories of who
this might be. In this passage the evangelist gives his reason for writing, “…so that you may realize the certainty of the
teachings you have received.” Indeed, the Holy Gospel is the teaching of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is the daily companion for those enrolled in Catholic schools. Today across our nation we begin
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK, the annual celebration of Catholic education. Catholic schools have been on the forefront
of preparing tomorrow’s leaders with a solid education in math, the sciences, the humanities and much more.
Each day this scholastic work is accompanied by the teaching of the Lord Jesus so that our young people are being
formed by virtues and characteristics which are absent in other academic environments. This formation is truly
“holistic”, the entire person is being shaped by the things of earth and those of heaven.
The continued growth and success of our parish school depends upon YOU! I ask that, if your child does not attend
our school, you consider enrolling him/her in our great school. Please call our principal, Mrs. Annie Mitchell for information
and a tour. Also, help us in our advertisement of the school. Your good witness is the best marketing tool
we have! Lastly, thank you for your donation in today’s second collection which benefits our school. God bless you
and please consider remembering our school as you prepare your last will and testament.
Hopefully from heaven you will be able to see the blessings which our parish school receives
as a result of your faith and generosity.
SUPPORTING CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IS PARTNERING WITH THE GOSPEL!
God bless you,
Father Zig
ST. ANGELA MERICI, Virgin
January 27
Born in 1474 at Desenzano on the shore of Lake Garda, Italy, St. Angela Merci became a tertiary of St. Francis
at fifteen years of age. In a vision God revealed to her that she would establish a “company” to promote the
welfare of souls. At Desenzano she established a school for the instruction of young girls and a second school
at Bescia. She gathered around her twelve religious companions and founded the Ursulines at Brescia.
St. Angela was of a reflective bent and possibly the first to grasp the changed role of women in the society
transformed by the Renaissance. She envisaged that those who joined her would remain in the world but devote
themselves to every type of corporal and spiritual work of mercy, with special emphasis on education.
However, her idea of education was very different from that of a convent school. She preferred to send her followers to reach
girls in their own families. Through this she hoped to effect an improvement in social conditions. For it was her belief that
“disorder in society is the result of disorder in the family:” Her idea of a religious order of women without distinctive habit and
without solemn vows and enclosure was also in advance of her times—although her Order was obliged to adopt the canonical
safeguards then required of all nuns.
On November 25,1535, the solemn canonical institution of the company of St. Ursula took place in the4 Oratory of the Piazza del
Duomo. As a patron, St. Angela chose St. Ursula because every since here martyrdom, St. Ursula was regarded as the ideal type
of Christian virginity.
In the year of her death 1540, it was estimated that at least half the town of Brescia was Lutheran or Calvinist. However, the
schools of the Ursulines did their share in strengthening and extending Catholicism and in safeguarding Italy from what we now
term “modern unbelief.” she was canonized in 1807 by Pope Pius VII.
PRAYER: Lord, let St. Angela never cease commending us to Your kindness. By ways imitating her charity and prudence may we succeed in
keeping Your teachings and preserving good morals. Amen
Taken from, Lives of the Saints, Catholic Booking Publishing Company, 1999 New Jersey
580-St. Cecilia