One faith community, two worship sites
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
22 April 2022 Volume 121
April 19, 2022
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,   
 
Post-Easter was always a significant moment in my early childhood. Currently because of allergies and stuffed up sinuses I can hardly smell even the most pungent odors. But as a boy, the smell of fresh spring grass heralded the baseball season and I would make my way to Russell Square Park for spring practice.
 
Oh, I know that spring starts on the calendar March 21, but spring doesn’t really occur until certain things happen. One was post-Easter celebration. It was time for little league baseball. You must remember that like television during the period of the sixties there were only three channels (CBS, NBC, ABC). This was also true for “kids” sports. There were no soccer clubs. There was football, basketball and occasionally hockey but never as organized as baseball.
 
Baseball was in the blood of almost every kid during my childhood days. If you weren’t playing organized ball, you would be playing softball (sixteen-inch variety) in the open lots surrounding your home or fast pitch where you drew a box on a wall and fired a rubber ball, and the box determined strikes and balls. You relied on the integrity of your opponent to tell the truth on those close pitches that is, unless the ball was wet and would leave a mark on the box. There was no doubt that baseball was king.
 
In preparation, I would pull out my baseball glove which was a Rawlings Tony Kubek (shortstop for the New York Yankees) that had been tucked away during the late fall and winter season. I would begin oiling the glove, removing the stiffness that happened during the long fall and winter months. There was also one more piece of apparatus in my baseball arsenal, and that was my trusted 29-inch Louisville slugger Eddie Mathews baseball bat. I loved that bat and took it everywhere a game was played. I used it so much that eventually it splintered, and I had to discard it. I was heartbroken, like I had lost a good friend.
 
I played for the Phillies and could always swing a bat. Baseball dominated my interest, until I went to the minor seminary where basketball was king and I became a loyal subject.
 
One of the activities after practice at Russell Square Park was making your way to confessions. St. Michael the Archangel Church was directly across from the park, and confessions took place there at 3 p.m. every Saturday. In some sense, it’s ironic that confessions and little league baseball in my mind would go together. Decades later St. Pope John Paul II would declare the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. Reminding us of God’s Mercy and Love in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
 
So, if you are smelling the spring grass and thinking about the Brewers’ season, make your way to confession and examine how you followed Jesus’ command to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  
 
Sincerely, 
 
 
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee                              
April 23-24 Worship Aid
Safe Environment Week

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee recognizes April 24th – April 30th as Safe Environment Awareness Week. Each year in the month of April, which is recognized around the country as child abuse prevention month, we dedicate a week to elevating the general awareness of the Church’s efforts to keep our children safe. We want people to know that we are committed to maintaining safe environments in our parishes and schools through adult child abuse prevention training; criminal background checks for all clergy, volunteers working with minors, and employees; safety training for children in each grade level; and adhering to all mandatory reporting requirement laws. 

Did You Know… The Safe Environment Program in the Catholic Church is not only making our parishes and schools safe places for our children, youth, and vulnerable adults. We hope that all clergy, employees, and volunteers’ task themselves with protecting the young and vulnerable in their workplaces, neighborhoods, communities, and even their own homes. Our goal is greater than just safe environments within the four walls of our parishes and schools, but safer communities for all God’s children to live, learn and grow. 


Archbishop Listecki would like every parish to make the following proclamation available.
St Thomas Volunteer Recognition Event
Save the Date

On Thursday June 2, 2022, during the St. Thomas Country Fair, the parish wishes to recognize all of our volunteers for their efforts in supporting our parish. If you volunteered at any time in the last year for any event, the St. Thomas Country Fair committee will be providing a free dinner and drink ticket for all parish volunteers as a small token of our appreciation. We will also have a nice door prize to present to a lucky winner.

Meal and drink tickets will be handed out at St. Thomas after each Mass during the mini-ministry fair the weekend of May 21-22. You can also stop by the parish office and pick up your tickets during normal business hours during the month of May. All volunteers are invited! Please be sure to stop by and pick up your tickets in advance of the fair.

Thank you for all you do at St. Thomas
megaphone_icon_vector.jpg
Time is running out

We would like EVERY parish family in our new St. Clare and St. Thomas pictorial directory. We need EVERYONE to make an appointment for a portrait session and there are only a few dates left to choose from. Please consider setting an appointment TODAY. St Clare and St Thomas parishioners are welcome to schedule for the remaining dates:

Remaining Dates to choose from include:
Location: St. Thomas 2:00 - 8:30pm
May 10th thru 13th

Location: St. Thomas 10:30 - 4:30 pm
May 14 (only remaining Saturday date)


ONLINE SCHEDULING INSTRUCTIONS
FOR FAMILY APPOINTMENT SETTING
 
Go to the Universal Church Directories website
 
  • Click on the box on the right side of the homepage entitled “photography appointment scheduling login”
  • Enter your church code wi175
  • Enter your church password photos
  • Click on the Enter button
  • Click on the desired photography date
  • Click on the Reserve Time button beside the desired photography appointment time
  • Enter the appropriate information in all required fields (indicated by the asterisk)
  • Enter your email address if a confirmation email is desired
  • Click on the Schedule Appointment button at the bottom of the screen to reserve the photography appointment time in your family’s name
  • If you have more than five family members being photographed, please reserve two appointments consecutively (such as 6:00 and 6:10)
  • Print the next screen to use as a reminder of your family’s photography appointment
 
Contact Kelly Hill (STA) 262-534-2255 or Sue Brunner (SC) 262-895-2729 to change or cancel your photography appointment
Dear St. Thomas & St. Clare families,
 
We have a family in our St. Thomas Preschool that needs our prayers and support!  
Please click the link below to help support the Ziarek family!
Food Service Preschool Cook
Under the direction of the Preschool Director, the Food Service Cook is responsible for the daily operations of the hot lunch program. This includes, but is not limited to, food preparation, serving lunches, management of the food service, conformance of food quality, nutrition and productivity standards. Team participation and exhibiting a positive, collaborative skill set is essential.  

Some duties include:
  • Insure food service operations are established within budgetary guidelines
  • Follow proper receiving, storage, and preparation techniques to insure that all food items are maintained at a high quality until consumed 
  • Plan, implement, and review all lunch/snack menus based on USDA CACFP nutrition standards
  • Adjusts menus for children with special dietary needs 
  • Part-time position (approximately 15 hrs week) during school year only (summers off!)


To Apply
Please send resume to Erika Rondeau at erondeau@saintthomaswaterford.org

Phone
262-534-2265 ext. 221
St Thomas Country Fair Is Back For 2022 And We Need Your Help
 
Mark your calendar for our St. Thomas Country Fair which will be held June 2-5, 2022. We have amazing food, music and more lined up for everyone to enjoy.

We are in need of auction item donations. Items that are creative, fun and unique always generate excitement. New items only please. Cash donations are also greatly appreciated. Get some friends together and create a basket full of your favorite selections. Sporting event tickets! Gift Certificates! Big or small, we can combine with other items so please consider donating. Contact Kathy Weinkauf at 262-716-1939 if you have a donation or a question.

We also need help in selling our Grand Raffle tickets. Over $10,000 in prizes will be given away. Please consider picking up a few tickets in the St. Thomas Gathering Space.

Finally, hundreds of volunteers are needed over the 4 day event to make our fair a success. Please consider signing up for a shift or two. We have jobs for all ages and abilities. Click on the link below or contact Blaise Beaulier at 262-598-6515 with any questions.

Volunteer with the button below and thank you in advance for your help!
Pope Francis Wants Your Opinion
 
Over the coming months, Catholics from around the world will be participating in a worldwide Synod, or consultation process. Lend your voice to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's response to Pope Francis' Synod on Synodality! What would you like the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and Pope Francis to know? Click the link below and provide your input via a short survey.
We would like to highlight and thank a few of our loyal sponsors in each email.
St. Thomas and St Clare thanks you very much!
A complete list of all our sponsors can be found on our website. Please support them whenever possible
St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Clare of Assisi parishes
Waterford and Wind Lake, WI.