News/Save the Dates/Reminders
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NEWLY UPDATED: Download our 2021 Lenten Calendar of Events HERE
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Diocese Lenten Resources HERE
- Friday Stations of the Cross at 5:30 pm in the Church
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From Bishop Joensen: MASK MANDATE and STATEMENT ON COVID VACCINE
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Youth Group for High School students resumes on Wednesdays from 7:30 - 9:00 pm in the lower level. If you have questions, reach out to Mary Currie at youthministry@staugustin.org.
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A Note from
Fr. Christopher Pisut
Friday, February 19, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
With Ash Wednesday this past week we have now embarked upon the first week of Lent. While strictly speaking we are not required to give up anything or perform any penitential acts it is definitely within the spirit of Lent to do so. To this end we have our regularly scheduled Stations of the Cross in the Church on Friday’s at 5:30 and we also are having a weekly Holy Hour from 6:00-7:00 on Tuesday’s. Of course, we are required to abstain from meat on Friday’s and the Knights of Columbus are having two Fish Bakes for take out on March 5 and 26 from 5:30-7:30 to help in this endeavor. Lent is a wonderful time of the Christian year to prepare for the celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection but in and of itself it is a good opportunity for us to take stock of our lives and focus on really living the Christian life.
Monday, February 22, is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter (d. 64 AD). In the apse of St Peter's Basilica in Rome is the monument to the Chair of the Apostle, in the form of a great bronze throne supported by the statues of four Doctors of the Church: two from the West, St Augustine and St Ambrose, and two from the East: St John Chrysostom and St Athanasius. This chair, known as the Cathedra Petri (Latin, "Chair of Peter") is in the back of the chamber, behind the famous altar, on the far, back wall, below the well-known, stained glass image depicting the Holy Spirit as a dove. Most notably, the famous Italian artist and architect Bernini (1598-1680) created the current display. While this is no doubt a great work of art and edifying for the faithful this feast does not actually commemorate the physical chair of St. Peter but rather the authority of his office. This feast recalls the mission of teacher and pastor conferred by Christ on Peter and continued in an unbroken line down to the present Pope. That is what sets us Catholics apart from other Christians. With this feast we celebrate the unity of the Church, founded upon the Apostle, and renew our assent to the Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff (his teaching office), extended both to truths which are solemnly defined ex cathedra (from the chair) and to all the acts of the ordinary Magisterium. The feast of the Chair of Saint Peter at Rome has been celebrated from the early days of the Christian era. St. Peter, pray for us.
February 23, is the feast of St. Polycarp of Smyrna, bishop and martyr (c. 69 – c. 155). Polycarp (the name is Greek for much fruit) was a disciple of Saint John the Apostle and friend of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, was a revered Christian leader during the first half of the second century. Saint Ignatius, on his way to Rome to be martyred, visited Polycarp at Smyrna, and later at Troas wrote him a personal letter. The Churches of Asia Minor recognized Polycarp’s leadership by choosing him as a representative to discuss with Pope Anicetus the date of the Easter celebration in Rome - a major controversy in the early Church. Only one of the many letters written by Polycarp has been preserved, the one he wrote to the Church of Philippi in Macedonia. At 86, Polycarp was led into the crowded Smyrna stadium to be burned alive. Tradition tells us that the flames did not harm him, and he was finally killed by a dagger. The centurion ordered the saint’s body burned. The “Acts” or account of Polycarp’s martyrdom are the earliest preserved, fully reliable account of a Christian martyr’s death. He died in 155. He is the patron saint of earaches. You can call upon him whenever you get tired of listening to my homilies. St. Polycarp, pray for us.
Lastly, less than two weeks ago Bishop Joensen was here to celebrate Confirmation. Things went well and by all accounts we had a successful Confirmation program this past year. A major key to that success was Mary Currie, our new youth minister, who has worked to improve our Confirmation program. She was hired just last year and has also been assisting our Director of Religious Education Janis Falk. She is a recent graduate of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in theology. See, faith and science really do walk hand-in-hand. She is currently working on her certificate in Youth Ministry from the McGrath Institute at Notre Dame. A native of Chicago, her family has recently moved to Des Moines and they have been converted to the benefits of this great city. Speaking of conversion, she is also the daughter of renowned Catholic Apologist David Currie, author of the wonderful book Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic. I strongly suggest you read it. Mary has been a great and much needed addition to our staff, filling a long-standing void in our program. I invite you to welcome her if you have not already done so.
Fr. Pisut
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Mask Mandate Implemented in Diocese
In a letter to the faithful of the Des Moines Diocese, Bishop William Joensen announced a mask mandate. He's doing this to protect our ability to continue to publicly celebrate Mass and sacraments.
Extended through April 11, 2021.
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including Feast Day articles, Lenten information,
St. Augustin clothing for sale, an article on honoring the year of
St. Joseph with a consecration, and much more!
~Please continue to support our Vendors!
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2020 was a lot of things, but one you might not have been aware of was it being the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the St. Augustin Parish community!
(not the building, that wasn’t dedicated until 1924.) The Confirmation team has created a website with a variety of St. Augustin apparel and gear as a fundraiser for the annual Christmas Shoebox gift project for needy children in the Des Moines area. Check the website out today--the last day to purchase items is Tuesday, February 23rd. Items should be ready for pickup at St. Augustin the week before spring break. Please contact Mary Currie if you have any questions at youthministry@staugustin.org.
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UPDATED!
2021 St. Augustin Lenten Calendar
Join us this Lent for an expanded morning Mass schedule, Holy Hour on Tuesday evenings, Friday evening Stations of the Cross, Fish Bakes, a Novena to St. Joseph, and much more!
(UPDATES: Holy Saturday 8:00 pm and no Living Stations on Good Friday)
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The Knights of Columbus and parish are coming together to offer two new services. One is a Thursday-only food delivery from Price Chopper to your home. The other service will be to offer rides to appointments on an “as needed” basis.
Please call the office at (515) 255-1175 for help with either. Watch our website and Facebook for updates.
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If you are homebound or in the hospital and would like a clergy visit, please contact the parish office with your contact information at (515) 255-1175 or info@staugustin.org.
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