Our parish now provides "Online Giving"
When you participate, your gift will be securely transferred directly into the parish bank account.
Every Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
Every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
Living out Christmas in the New Year
How do we live out the message of Christmas in the New Year, rather than pack it away with the ornaments?
Each year, the Octave Day of Christmas falls on the first day of the New Year, on which we also celebrate the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.
Her open heart and courageous “yes” to God show us how to live year-round—with hearts open to the Lord, following where He leads. We are called to place our trust in Him, to enter compassionately into the suffering of others, and to love one another as Christ loves us. Like Our Blessed Mother welcomed Jesus, we are called to cherish and protect the gift of human life, at every stage and in every circumstance.
One way to live out the message of Christmas and follow Our Lady’s example is to join 9 Days for Life, a novena for the protection of human life, taking place Thursday, January 21 – Friday, January 29. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life.
Join today at www.9daysforlife.com
Reprinted (excerpted) from 9 Days for Life, copyright © 2019, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved.
St. Anthony the Abbot is
As part of our mission to Courageously Living the Gospel, our parish is collaborating with churches in our deanery to provide educational offerings free of charge to parishioners and the general public.
FREE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Dealing with Loss and Grief - Father Tom Madden, Pastor of St. Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows parish in Masaryktown will be offering a free three-part series on Loss and Grief that will cover:
Father Madden has a Master's of Divinity from St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach and a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling from USF. He is heavily involved in working with COVID-related death situations and families who have experienced its effects.
The series will be offered virtually via Zoom over three consecutive Wednesdays at 1:00 pm and repeated at 7:00 pm
Part 1 - January 27th
Part 2 - February 3rd
Part 3 - February 10th
(You may still sign up if you missed the Jan. 27th session.)
Register in advance for the 1 PM sessions at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpduyrrjMtEtEgTw5osPyIjP46-kA3qhVm.
For the 7 PM sessions, please register at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvfuigpj8iE92eYn1YhVdXhrawGnifK2IH.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the virtual meeting. Questions regarding this series may be sent to [email protected].
This educational series is part of a collaborative effort with the parishes in our deanery to provide free educational offerings to parishioners and the general public as part of our mission to Courageously Living the Gospel.
JMJ
My Dear Friends in Christ,
In today’s First Reading the prophet Jonah begrudgingly warns the people of Nineveh that if they don’t repent of their sins, they’ll be destroyed. The Ninevites were enemies of Israel, which is why Jonah did not want them to be saved, but the Lord did. The Ninevites didn’t even worship the Lord, but they believed He would follow through on His warning. They expressed their sorrow for whatever they had done wrong, and the Lord spared them. Repentance is the first step of conversion. Our Lord at the start of His public ministry, which we recall in today’s Gospel, invited people to “Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Paul in today’s Second Reading reminds us that if we get stuck on the things of this world, we will pass away just like them. Christian life implies a healthy detachment from the things of this world. Detachment is not the same as renunciation. It’s not always about giving things up; instead, it is about using them properly to help you from here to eternity. It means relationships that do not separate you from your most important relationship: with God; not letting sorrow drive you to despair and self-destruction, spiritual or otherwise; not being so superficial and goofy in the light of your duties that you let down Our Lord or anyone else; purchasing what you need, not necessarily what you want, resisting the itch of consumerism or keeping up with the neighbor and lastly, not treating this world as if it is the be all and end all of things, but as something to help you live happily one day in Heaven.
In today’s Gospel Our Lord begins His ministry with a simple message and recruits four disciples who would soon become His apostles. John the Baptist had preached repentance, like Jonah, and was now under arrest. Our Lord goes beyond Jonah, starting at Galilee: He not only preached repentance, but the Gospel, the Good News able to not just forgive believers, but to transform them and transform the world. He intends that message to reach the whole world. Our Lord presents an opportunity for forgiveness and transformation that should not be passed up: “The kingdom of God is at hand.” The Kingdom is not something that will come at the end of history. It comes with Christ (the King) Himself and is meant to spread and grow, transforming the world. With Simon, Andrew, James, and John He took it one step further: He invited them to be His disciples and to help Him with his work.
It didn’t mean abandoning the talents they had, just using them in a renewed way. Simon and Andrew would now be fishers of men. James and John left behind their family, their business, and their colleagues to follow Our Lord. Ultimately all four apostles laid down their lives to show that Our Lord was the one thing necessary for them. No matter what level of discipleship to which you are called, it always implies leaving something behind for the sake of something greater. It means leaving beside sin as the road to nowhere, but it can also mean leaving aside good things for the sake of more important, spiritual ones.
Our Patron St. Anthony the Abbot goes by many names throughout Church history. He is known also as Anthony of Egypt, of the Desert, and the Great. St.Athanasius in his Life of St. Anthony described the call of St. Anthony of Egypt, as simply hearing the Gospel to which we listen to every Mass and putting it into practice. Anthony was somewhere between 18-20 years old when he and his sister lost their parents and gained a considerable inheritance. Around six months later he was walking to church and thinking about how the Apostles had left everything to follow Our Lord (see Matthew 4:20), and the disciples in the Acts of the Apostles had sold everything to give to the Church (see Acts 4:35).
As he entered the church, the Gospel of the Rich Young Man was being read, specifically, Our Lord’s invitation to sell his possessions and follow Christ (Matthew 19:21), and he did just that, doing what the Rich Young Man could not do. Anthony sold everything he had inherited from his parents, including three hundred acres of land, and, except for a small reserve to provide for his sister, gave the rest to the poor.
Another day, returning to Church, he took the invitation to not worry about tomorrow to heart (see Matthew 6:34) and sold the rest of his possessions and started pursuing what would become the hermitical life, entrusting his sister to the care of a community of consecrated virgins. St. Anthony the Abbot responded radically to Our Lord’s call, simply by accepting the Gospel and putting it into practice. We may not receive such a radical call, but we all have room to put the Gospel more into practice in our lives.
Detachment implies leaving something behind for the sake of something greater. Here are some practical steps toward greater detachment that you can try this week. Check your drawers, closets, and shelves and give away to the poor those things that you can live without. How long has it been sitting there untouched? If it’s been over a year, donate it. You don’t need it.
Do you regret that you haven’t spent quality time with someone in your life, or let a feud isolate you from a friend? Has someone done something you’re having a hard time forgiving? Reconnect and remind someone how much you love them. Forgive. Ask for forgiveness and say you are sorry.
Spend some time reading Scripture instead of surfing the web or watching dumb videos on YouTube or TikTok and stop reading tweets on Twitter or wasting time on Instagram or Facebook. Spend some quiet time in prayer to examine your life and see whether the way you are living it would please Our Lord. Ask Him to help you see beyond the status quo and strive to improve yourself spiritually.
Oremus pro Invicem
Fr. Pecchie
A Note of Thanks!
I am overwhelmed by the kindness and concern shown for myself, but especially my mother, during our recent bout with Covid 19. We are proof positive that the doom and gloom of the media regarding this illness is not the only reality. That being said, I would not wish it on anybody. I am especially grateful for all the care packages left at my door. From soup to nuts, to meals and treats. I am most grateful. As many left no name to thank personally, you know who you are and I offer an Ave on your behalf.
Dear St. Anthony The Abbot Parishioner,
In an effort to keep us all spiritually close while we are physically apart, we are livestreaming Mass with Fr. Pecchie from St. Anthony The Abbot, daily at 8:00 a.m. EDT, and every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. EDT.
Please visit our Facebook events page to RSVP to upcoming livestream Masses.
For those in need...
St. Vincent de Paul
352-797-4898
Leave a message and someone will contact you.
Looking for the perfect place to host a special event?
Call our office for more information
352-796-2096
Subject: With a Father's Heart (Apostolic Letter on St. Joseph)
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Subject: Christifideles Laici...On Christ's Faithful...St.John Paul II
How do you deepen your relationship with Jesus? By spending time studying God's word in Scripture.
Content: Books of James...1st, 2nd Peter...1st, 2nd, 3rd John...Jude
The Bible is our Soul's GPS to lead us to God in a deeper relationship and the roadmap to heaven. WARNING: Bible usage can be habit forming. Regular scripture reading can cause loss of anxiety and fear, and possible loss of appetite for impatience and anger. Symptoms include: increased love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If SYMPTOMS PERSIST, just "PRAISE THE LORD!"
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about the Catholic faith and what it means to be Catholic, please call Michele in the parish office, Tuesday - Thursday
Classes for grades K-6 in Heffernan Hall(Snacks available for K-6 students)
(balance of the month is home study)
(Pizza available for purchase at 6:00 pm)
Gathered around the fire for fellowship & Fr. Pecchie's teachings (07/16/20)
Fr. Pecchie helping us better understand our faith
Faith and fellowship (08/13/20)
Learn more about your faith in a comfortable atmosphere
Did you know that Bishop Gregory Parkes is on YouTube, he has a radio show, and he records a Sunday Gospel reflection each week? Through media, he shares the hope of Christ with thousands of people each week. You can hear uplifting information about our Catholic community and also learn more about what our faith teaches on relevant topics. Take some time to connect more with your faith by connecting with Bishop Parkes.
EVERY TUESDAYDoors open at 8:30 AM
Early Bird starts at 10:30 AM
BINGO follows
Baptism of baby Madison
Born 05-03-1991 --- Died 10/12/2006 (leukemia)
1. "The Virgin Mary is the only woman in my life."
2. “The more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.”
3. “By standing before the Eucharistic Christ, we become holy.”
4. “There are people who suffer much more than me.”
5. “Continuously ask your guardian angel for help. Your guardian angel has to become your best friend.”
6. “Do not be afraid because with the Incarnation of Jesus, death becomes life, and there’s no need to escape: in eternal life, something extraordinary awaits us.”
7. “Jerusalem is right on our doorstep.”
8. "All people are born as originals but many die as photocopies”
9. "To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan”.
10. “Sadness is looking at ourselves, happiness is looking towards God.”
11. “Not me, but God.”
12. “The more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven".
13. “The only thing we have to ask God for, in prayer, is the desire to be holy.”
14. “Our soul is like a hot air balloon. If by chance there is a mortal sin, the soul falls to the ground. Confession is like the fire underneath the balloon enabling the soul to rise again. . . It is important to go to confession often.”
15. “I am happy to die because I have lived my life without wasting a minute on those things which do not please God.”
16. “Our goal must be infinite, not the finite. The infinite is our homeland. Heaven has been waiting for us forever.”
17. “The Eucharist is the highway to heaven.”
