vol 23 no 16
January 25, 2015 - Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
+ Jonah 3: 1-5, 10 + 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31 + Mark 1: 14-20 +
Mass this Sunday at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm
Mass Intentions:
| Sunday | 1.25 | 10:30 am 6:30 pm | For the SAU Community |
| Monday | 1.26 | Noon | + Charleen O'Connell |
| Tuesday | 1.27 | 4:30pm | + Howard Hannon |
| Wednesday | 1.28 | 9:15pm | For student intentions |
| Thursday | 1.29 | 4:30pm | + Rev. Pasquale Ferrarra |
| Friday | 1.30 | Noon | + Rev. William Dawson |
This Week's Activities Include:
Sunday: RCIA 11:30am (Lower Chapel)
Monday: Music Ministry 6pm (Chapel); Brewed Awakening 8pm (Gathering Space)
Tuesday: Bridge Bible Fellowship 8:40pm (Chapel)
Wednesday: Ambrosians for Peace and Justice 8pm (Lower Chapel); Sacrament of Reconciliation 8:30pm (Chapel); Mass and More 9:15pm (Grotto)
Campus Ministry Offices - Lower Chapel
333-6132 or ministry@sau.edu
Fr. Chuck Adam, Chaplain
Chris Clow, Director of Music and Liturgy
Kaitlin Depuydt, Director of Service and Social Justice
Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, Director of Faith Formation
Tom Prior, Grad Assistant
A Silence Louder than Words
Sometimes the work of overcoming hatred in our world seems like a game of “whac-a-mole.” Just when you think you’ve overcome one awful encounter with bigotry, another angry event pops up in front of you. That’s exactly what seems to be happening this week. As we conclude a celebration of Civil Rights Week at SAU, honoring those who endured so much for the struggle to gain equal rights for all human beings in our country, we are made aware of planned protests in our community from members of the Westboro Baptist Church. This group, which by the way is neither Baptist nor a church, preaches a message of hatred and divisiveness wherever they go. But their attempt to divide people seems to have had an opposite effect in the Quad Cities. Leaders of Christian churches in our area are standing together with each other and with leaders of others faiths promoting a message of peace and respecting our nation’s prized freedom of speech, with a response of staying silent. Silence, in this instance at least, is a positive response. It’s a display of choosing not to return hate for hate. And silence is a refusal to give this hate group the attention that merely feeds their vitriol.
What lessons are we learning from this experience? First, that that we can be strongly united when we are faced with situations aimed to divide us. The unity of all people of faith and good will is an incredible force for good. As Imam Saad Baig of the Islamic Center of the Quad Cities said this week, “Showing this support for other faith communities makes it clear that this is a peaceful community. This response makes the strength of our relationships in this community solidly clear.”
Secondly, we learn that although we should never shy away from confronting intolerance, when all else fails, silence may be the best response. Sometimes nasty, negative, and outrageous things are best not dignified by any other action. If it only worsens a situation to by confronting someone who persists in the use of racist, homophobic, sexist, or other stereotypical jokes and slurs, then a protest of walking away is a very courageous way to respond. If we have learned such things from this experience, this Civil Rights Week will have been an exceptionally educational one for all of us. ---Fr. Chuck
•Brewed Awakening
Discussion this week will be “Stepping into Service,” and feature students sharing their experiences from past service trips. With the spring break service trips deadline quickly approaching, former service trip students will discuss how engaging in service can impact the lives of others and ourselves. They will also explain how service is an integral aspect of what it means to be Ambrosian. Join us for coffee and hot chocolate drinks in the Chapel Gathering Space on Monday, January 26 at 8pm.
•Spring Break Service Trips Deadline
Where will YOU make a difference this March? Time is running out to get your application form in for one of our Spring Break service trips! Trips are going to East St. Louis, IL; Detroit, MI; Cleveland, OH; and Eastern Kentucky! The Application deadline has been extended to Wednesday, January 28th. Turn it in to Campus Ministry, with a deposit of the first $25 of your trip cost. Scholarships are available. Email ministry@sau.edu or stop by Lower Chapel #114 to pick up an application or to learn more about the trips.
•Music Ministry
All SAU students are invited to join Music Ministry. Practices are Monday nights at 6pm. Contact Chris Clow at ministry@sau.edu to learn more!
•Service on Saturday
Our weekly Service on Saturday activity starts up this weekend, January 24th, and our spaces are full! Thanks for your response to service! Join us next Saturday January 31st from 1:30-4pm as we help with BINGO and visit with the senior residents at the Kahl Home. Email ministry@sau.edu to join us next Saturday.
•Super Bowl of Caring
Ambrosians for Peace & Justice invite you to make a difference as you prepare to watch the Super Bowl on February 1st. Raffle tickets for gift cards to local establishments will be sold for $1 . Also for $2, you can enter your best guess answers to Super Bowl questions with a chance to win 50% of the guess donations. Donations raised will be given to a charity that cares for youth in at-risk situations. Visit APJ members at the table during lunch this week to place your guesses, or see them at “The Big Game Party” on Super Bowl Sunday in the cafeteria.
•Sign Up!
At the beginning of each semester we offer sign ups for all of the campus ministry activities – from liturgical ministers to service. Stop by our offices in the lower chapel or email ministry@sau.edu. We appreciate the generous involvement of all Ambrosians.
•Liturgical Ministers
A schedule for 2nd semester liturgical ministers (lectors, extraordinary ministers of holy communion, server/sacristan, and greeters/ushers) will be created soon. If you didn’t serve last semester and you are interested this semester, please contact campus ministry at ministry@sau.edu.
•Becoming Catholic/Confirmation Preparation
Anyone interested in becoming Catholic, learning more about Catholicism or preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact Tammy Norcross-Reitzler at ministry@sau.edu. We meet on Sundays in the lower chapel after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
•Spring Semester Retreats
*The 2015 Spring Antioch Retreat (a weekend away from campus for prayer, reflection, faith conversations, and recreation) will be February 27 -March 1st. Watch the bulletin for registration information.
*The Spring Busy Student Retreat (½ hour daily personal prayer and ½ hour daily meetings with a spiritual guide right on campus) will be April 12-16th.
•Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies - June 11-14, July 9-12
Interested in youth ministry? The Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies program is for you! This summer program equips participants with the experience, tools, and resources to assist them in all avenues of youth ministry. Earn your certificate in just two summers, and courses can be taken for Theology credit! Find out more and get an application: go to (www.sau.edu/Campus_Ministry) or email Chris Clow at ministry@sau.edu.
