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5th Sunday in Ordinary Time | February 5, 2023 |
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Jesus calls his disciples “salt of the world.” No one eats just salt. So, Christians are not meant to replace or do away with the world. They are meant to be agents of preservation and glorification. Read more...
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Concern America Craft Sale this Sunday - and virtually all week
Beautiful handmade craft items from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Bangladesh are for sale after all the Sunday morning Masses this weekend.
This craft sale event is also virtually available for the week of Feb. 6-12. During this time, you can shop online at https://marketplace.concernamerica.org/store/c1/Featured_Products.html#/.
Take advantage of Free Shipping when you spend $75 or more by using coupon code# SLE23 at checkout. Also please add the name of our church (St. Luke the Evangelist) to the ‘note to sender’ section of checkout!
By your purchase of these gift items, you support the work of Concern America and help to provide a fair and just wage for many materially poor families. We invite you to think about honoring your family & friends in a very special way by choosing gifts with meaning & purpose.
Concern America is an international development organization based in Santa Ana, CA. For more information, call (714) 953-8575 or visit www.concernamerica.org.
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New Bereavement Support Sessions
St. Luke Church will offer an eight-week Bereavement Support Program for those who have lost someone dear. The program is open to all faiths, non-threatening, caring and very loving toward those who have suffered a loss.
The two-hour sessions will run from Thursday, Feb. 9, through March 30. Sessions will be held at 7:00 pm in the Parish Resource Center (located in the Rectory). The only cost involved is $14.00 for the workbook. If this is a hardship for you, please notify the Pastoral Office at (626) 291-5900. Call the office to make a reservation or more details.
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Next Weekend is St. Vincent de Paul St. Luke Pantry Weekend
Although our pantry is well stocked, we need your help with specific items. We are requesting donations of the following items: pasta sauce, peanut butter, jelly, and canned ravioli/spaghetti. Shopping carts will be at the church exists next weekend, Feb. 11-12, after all the Masses for your donations.
Thank you for your support! The St. Luke Food Pantry is now open, by appointment. If you know of anyone in the parish community in need of food, please have them call St. Luke SVdP at (626) 684-2914.
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Senior Citizen Bingo & Potluck
The next Senior Citizen Bingo & Potluck will be Monday, Feb. 13 (rescheduled from Feb. 5), at Noon in the Parish Hall. Cards are $3 each or 2 for $5, and they are good for the afternoon. Bingo games will follow lunch. There will also be a 50/50 Raffle. All are welcome! Questions? Contact Joan Sutton at (626) 824-2105.
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Crafting Angels Begin Easter Project
The Crafting Angels will be “flying again” starting Monday, Feb. 13, to brighten the Easter season with gifts for the sick, disabled, homebound, and hospitalized members of our Temple City community. The handmade gifts are specially made by these dear angels weekly on Mondays, 10:00 am-Noon, for a six-week period from Feb. 13 through March 20.
All are welcome to join! The time is filled with joyful visiting, praying, sharing ideas, learning from each other, laughing, and refreshments. Materials and food are provided. Bring a mask as we will work inside. Contact Emily Avila at (626) 285-4243 for location details and if you have questions.
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St. Luke Ministry of Moms Sharing (M.O.M.S.) Meeting
Please join us on Saturday, Feb. 18, 10:00 am-1:00 pm, for the next St. Luke MOMS meeting. The Kick-off meeting was Jan. 28 - there is still time to join us!
The Ministry of Mothers Sharing (MOMS) is a study/support group for women to share, learn and bond in our Catholic Christian Faith, while gaining insight into our mission as mothers, whether we are biological, step, adoptive or spiritual moms.
We meet in the St. Luke Parish Resource Center (Library) on Saturday mornings once a month from January through June. We will commence our study of You’re Worth It! (Dynamic Catholic) by Danielle Bean. Women who are not mothers are also welcome! Please e-mail us for more information at stlukemoms@gmail.com.
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Ash Wednesday - February 22
On this day of fasting and abstinence, we are signed with ashes and reminded to turn away from sin and follow the Gospel. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of our 40-day Lenten journey of repentance in preparation for Easter.
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Mass & Ash Distribution
9:00 am • 6:00 pm
Prayer Service & Ash Distribution at 2:00 pm
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Join Us for Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross will be offered at 4:30 pm on Lenten Fridays beginning March 3 in the church. More details coming soon.
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Lenten Fish Dinners Return
The Knights of Columbus St. Luke Council #9128 will host Fish Dinners on Fridays during Lent from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall (Feb. 24-March 17). The menu will include the traditional Baked Salmon Dinner and Fish Taco Dinner. Come join us for this annual gathering for the St. Luke Community.
Helpers are needed for preparation and serving. Preparation is the Thursday before the dinners from 1:00-3:00 pm. Server helpers begin at 5:00 pm on the Fridays of the dinners. More details coming soon.
Mark Your Calendars!
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Lenten Penance Service
Monday, March 6 • 7:00 pm
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Lenten Reflection
Monday, March 20 • 7:00 pm
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Your Gifts Support Our Parish
Our thanks to the many generous individuals and families of our parish!
These gifts benefit the parish in so many ways, including helping to meet everyday expenses for liturgy, faith formation, and operations. For your convenience, gifts may be made several ways:
Envelope Users: Offertory envelopes can be placed in collection baskets during weekend Masses, mailed to the Parish Office, or dropped in the office mailbox.
Online Donations: Click the Make a Donation button on the Homepage of the parish website to give electronically one-time or make a recurring gift (or click on the button below).
By Phone: Call Vanco at 1-800-675-7430 Monday-Friday between 6:00 am and 4:00 pm to make your contribution as well (Our parish client ID is ES11182).
May God Bless You and Your Family for Your Continued Generosity!
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LIFE, JUSTICE & PEACE SPOTLIGHT |
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Prostitution and Human Trafficking
A new law went into effect in California on January 1, 2023. Senate Bill 357 repealed the misdemeanor law against loitering in public with intent to commit prostitution. This is part of a growing movement in California that aims to legalize prostitution or “sex work.” While SB 357 doesn’t legalize prostitution, it prevents law enforcement from deterring the most dangerous form of prostitution affecting our poorest neighborhoods: street walking.
Advocates claim that legalizing prostitution would protect the health and safety of all involved, protect prostitutes from abuse and decrease barriers to reporting assaults to the police. However, in places where this has been tried, quite the opposite occurred. Experts from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation tell us, “Legalization has been tried many times, in many places, in many forms, over many decades, and failed every time.”
What actually does happen when “sex work” is legalized? The sex trade and sex trafficking skyrocket. Fully decriminalizing prostitution would allow traffickers and pimps to scour the community for women and children to victimize without fear of consequences.
As legalized prostitution expands, so too does human trafficking. Prior to SB 357, California police used the state’s previous loitering law as a key tool to punish pimps and traffickers. It acted as the foundation for probable cause to begin investigations because it allowed law enforcement to identify victims and separate them from their exploiters. With the decriminalization of prostitution, it is nearly impossible to identify victims of sex trafficking.
The gravity of all this can seem overwhelming. What can we do? We can educate ourselves and others, and we can pray!
For over a decade, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has been a national leader in advocacy and education to eradicate sex and labor trafficking. To learn more about the USCCB’s anti-human trafficking programs and what they currently do, visit their webpage at https://www.usccb.org/topics/anti-trafficking-program.
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the International Union of Superiors General has designated February 8 as an annual day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking.
On February 8, Catholics all over the world are encouraged to host or attend prayer services to create greater awareness about this phenomenon. Through prayer, we not only reflect on the experiences of those who have suffered through this affront to human dignity, but also comfort, strengthen, and help empower survivors.
February 8 is also the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy. Once Josephine was freed, she became a Canossian nun and dedicated her life to sharing her testament of deliverance from slavery and comforting the poor and suffering. She was declared a Saint in 2000. Let us ask the intercession of St. Josephine Bakhita.
O St. Bakhita,
Assist all those who are trapped in a state of slavery; Intercede with God on their behalf so that they will be released from their chains of captivity.
Those whom man enslaves, let God set free. Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and let them look to you as an example of hope and faith.
Help all survivors find healing from their wounds. We ask for your prayers and intercessions for those enslaved among us. Amen.
St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us!
~St. Luke Life, Justice and Peace Ministry
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Saints and Observances
Week of February 5, 2023
Sunday
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday
St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Wednesday
St. Jerome Emiliani
St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin
Friday
St. Scholastica, Virgin
Saturday
Our Lady of Lourdes
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The E-bulletin is a supplement to the Parish Sunday Bulletin and is sent weekly to the e-mail address(s) in parishioners' registration records in our Gabriel Software Database. To update your parish records, click here or call the Pastoral Office. Please do not use the "Update Profile" link below.
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Parish Mission Statement
St. Luke the Evangelist Parish is a Roman Catholic Community
dedicated to carrying out the Gospel message of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our mission is to - welcome, evangelize and educate; provide spiritual nourishment;
promote Christian values; foster peace and justice; encourage service to others.
Pastoral Office
5605 Cloverly Ave., Temple City, CA 91780
Monday-Friday: 8:30 am-4:30 pm (Closed Noon-1:00 pm)
(626) 291-5900 |(626) 287-2332 (FAX) | www.stluketemplecity.org
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