2314 Third Avenue, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361 (308)632-2541

Mailing address: PO Box 349, Scottsbluff, NE 69363-0349 Fax: 308-632-2146 Website: www.st-agnes-church.com

Parish Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9am - Noon & 1pm - 4pm

Rev. Vincent L. Parsons

Pastor

Sr. Vera Meis, C.S.J. Pastoral Minister

Mass Schedule:

(October - May) Saturday: 4:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 am (June - September) Saturday 6:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 & 10:00 am Monday, Tues, Wed, Friday 7 am

Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays one hour prior to evening Mass or by appointment (632-2541)

Sacrament of Baptism Please call the Parish Office

January 13, 2019

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

L isten to this very interesting dialogue in our gospel today which initiated a miracle: When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does this concern me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers: “Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus told the servers, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” The headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serve good wine first, and then when the people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus gave them the best wine, but more than that, he gave himself. It is the precious GIFT OF LOVE that embraces two hearts to become one. It is still that love that make the Sacrament of Matrimony relevant in this modern age. Read this story: A young wife was just operated on the face and her mouth was twisted. One of the nerves of the muscle of the couth was cut which caused the twisting of the mouth. Her mouth will be like that forever. Her young husband was in the room, standing beside her. And the young woman asked the doctor, “Will my mouth always be like this?” The doctor answered, “Yes, forever; the nerve was cut.” Then tears began to fall from her eyes. But the husband smiled and said: “I like it. It’s cute.” Then he asked his wife, “Can I kiss you?” The wife was hesitant, yet, the husband was persistent. Then he bowed to kiss her, and you can imagine how he twisted his mouth to accommodate hers. And after the kiss, the young man said, “You see, our kiss still works. It is as sweet as ever.” Husbands and wives, does your kiss still work and is it sweet as ever? That gift of love of Jesus to the couple at the wedding in Cana is still the same finest wine of love that Jesus offers to you today. It is still the love that makes your kiss work and be as sweet as ever. It is still the love that creates wonders and makes miracles. However, everything is not sugarcoated. There will be times that you will experience discordant relationships. But trust in God! Allow him to enter into your lives when things get unsettled. God will be in your hearts to refocus your lives to something memorable and inspirational. He will sit beside you, so that whatever wrong you will do, God will embrace them with his grace and forgiveness. Eventually, he will enrich your love for each other. Always keep the finest wine in your relationship to make your lives spin with joy and laughter forever. God bless you all.

Page 2 Year C January 20, 2019

The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Monday, January 21, 2019 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: †John Bush by Jerry & Jeannette Fitzgerald Communal Rosary (4:45 pm) Liturgy of the Hours (5:10 pm) Tuesday, January 22, 2019 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: Pro-Populo (For the People) Tuesday Discussion Group (8-9 am) Liturgy of the Hours (5:30 pm) Wednesday, January 23, 2019 Daily Mass (8:15am) Intention: In Thanksgiving by Lucille Koenig Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Contemplative Prayer Group (6:00pm)

Thursday, January 24, 2019 Daily Mass (9:30am) at Heritage Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Friday, January 25, 2019 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: †Mary E. Gion by Larry Gion Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Saturday, January 26, 2019 Weekend Mass (4:00pm) Intention: †John Bush by David & Diane Morehead & Family Sunday, January 27, 2019 Weekend Mass (8:00am) Intention: †Earl Langel by Jim & Nancy Kerr Weekend Mass (10:30am) Intention: For the Parish

This Week’s Schedule

S a i n t A g n e s

C a t h o l i c C h u r c h

Today’s Readings Isaiah 62: 1-5

Psalm 96 1Corinthians 12: 4-11

John 2:1-11

Parish Administration (308) 632-2541 / (308) 632-2146 (Fax)

office@st-agnes-church.com www.st-agnes-church.com

Pastor

Rev. Vincent L. Parsons (ext. 2) pastor@st-agnes-church.com

Pastoral Minister Sr. Vera Meis (ext. 4)

srvera@st-agnes-church.com Director of Religious Education

Mrs. Terri Calvert (ext.5) dre@st-agnes-church.com Church Office Manager Theresa Trevino (ext. 3)

office@st-agnes-church.com School Head Teacher

Mrs. Julie Brown (632-6918) office@stagnesonline.org School Office Manager

Teresa Johnson (632-6918) office@stagnesonline.org

Page 3 the second Sunday in ordinary time

Important Dates To Remember In 2018

Jan. 28 - Feb 1st Catholic Schools Week Jan. 30 Mass @ 8:15 with Bishop Hanefeldt for Catholic Schools Week Feb. 1 - First Friday Adoration Feb. 8-9Women’s Retreat Feb. 12 Young @ Heart

Server Schedule Jan 26 4pm Osiris Saucedo Gianna Gonzales Jan 27 8am Logan Zulkoski Emily Esselstein 10:30am Natalie Williams Ty Corr

Lector Schedule Jan 26 4pm Carmen Trevino Jan 27 8am David Nash 10:30am Chris Burbach

Mass Intentions Special Requests

Requesting a Mass to be said for a loved one is a special way to honor either someone still living, or one who has gone ahead of us to the

next stage of life in Christ. If someone dear to you is having a birthday, anniversary, or a new baby, what better way to honor

them? The suggested donation for a Mass is $10. For more information,

contact the parish office (632-2541).

Monday: Heb 5:1-10; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 2:18-22

Tuesday: Heb 6:10-20; Ps 111:1-2, 4-5, 9, 10c; Mk 2:23-28, or any of a number of readings for the Day of Prayer

Wednesday: Heb 7:1-3, 15-17; Ps 110:1-4; Mk 3:1-6

Thursday: Heb 7:25 — 8:6; Ps 40 :7-10, 17; Mk 3:7-12 Friday: Acts 22:3-16 or 9:1-22;

Ps 117:1bc, 2; Mk 16:15-18

Saturday: 2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9 or Ps 96:1-3, 7-8a, 10; Mk 3:20-21

Sunday: Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Ps 19:8-10, 15; 1 Cor 12:12-30 [12-14, 27]; Lk 1:1 -4; 4:14-21

This Week’s Readings Finance Corner Sunday Collections

& ATW Giving

January 13, 2019 Actual $5529.75 ATW $4278.00 Budget $9000.00 Surplus (Deficit) $807.75 Haiti/Uganda $1576.00

January Totals Actual $12360.75 ATW $8948.00 Budget $18000.00 Surplus (Deficit) $3308.75 Next Sunday’s 2nd collection is for

VCNIN

Our Lady of Guadalupe Knights of

Columbus is having an “All You Can Eat

Breakfast Buffet” on Sunday January 20th

from 8am-Noon at the Guadalupe Center

1200 East 9th St. Scottsbluff Adults $9 Kids $4

Knights of Columbus Assembly 1874 7th Annual

February 2, 2019 5:00pm - 9:00pm $40.00 per person Price Includes: Chili, Sandwiches, Beverages plus Fun Money! Live Auction will be at 9:00pm KC Hall • 1729 1st Avenue • Scottsbluff

•Must be 21 to attend•

Looking Good The best mirror is a friend’s eyes. —Gaelic proverb

Page 4 January 20, 2019

As the story goes, there was a woman had no water well and therefore needed to carry two large clay pots down to a nearby stream to obtain her water. She used a yoke across her shoul-ders to carry the pots to and from the stream. Now one pot held water well, and none was lost on the walk back to the house. The other pot, however, had a crack in its side so that it leaked water. In fact, it leaked enough that by the time the woman returned to her house the pot was only half full.

Now the pot with the crack felt badly for it was unable to function optimally. The woman never was able to return to her house with two full pots of water. After several years, the pot final-ly said to the woman, “I think my usefulness has passed. You should get another pot. Then you will have two full pots of water each time you return from the stream.”

The woman answered, “I have kept you, dear pot, for all these years as you have provided me a valuable service. When I walk back from the stream, the leak in your side waters the flowers I have planted along the path. Every day I have flowers to cut and put in my house that brings beauty into my home.

This story shows the importance of recognizing while we are not perfect, we still can contribute to others. We may think we are incapable or unworthy to act in the Lord’s behalf. However, we offer more to others than we imagine even in our self-perceived brokenness. We may be called to act even when we do not feel prepared.

Mary with confidence asks Jesus to intercede for the married couple even though it is not yet time for Jesus to begin his ministry. Jesus tells his mother, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) Unaffected, Mary, knowing her son and his capabilities, instructs the servers to do as Jesus tells them. Jesus recognizes the needs of the bride and groom are a priority and in his love performs the miracle of changing of water into wine. Mary is aware that it is only through the Lord will we find satisfaction for our needs.

Thus this is how Jesus begins his ministry to the nations. He models for us to be less worried about the ordering of things feeling prepared and more concerned with those who are seeking relief. The Holy Spirit, if we allow him to work in us, will provide us with the graces to perform great actions in the name of the Lord. The capability to go beyond our abilities comes from the power of the Holy Spirit to act upon us, to fill us with the grace to accomplish faith-filled deeds.

Jesus used his divine nature through miracles so that we would believe that he is the Son of God. He did not use his divine actions to teach us how to walk in his footsteps. Instead, he used his human nature to help us understand how we should act on his behalf, to pray, to love and to serve. These simple rules of life will provide us with the filling of our hearts with peace knowing that we are drawing closer to the kingdom.

As Mary tells us in her last direct quote from the Bible “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5) If we follow her advice, listen-ing to the words of Jesus, the normal water of our lives will be changed into the wine of spiritual joy and fruitfulness. Let faith direct us in actions that Jesus modeled for us. We become extraordinary people because the Holy Spirit offers us a strength that no human can accomplish alone.

A life of service in the name of the Lord is the highest calling for any of us. Many believe that this statement implies the life as a priest or a religious sister. However, to follow Jesus remains the call for each of us regardless of the life vocation we pursue. We cannot come to truly know him unless we listen and respond to his call. Those who act only on behalf of personal glory and financial rewards fail to recognize the miracles that he daily provides. If we remove Jesus from our lives, there will be no relief from the emp-tiness experienced by those who fail to heed the words of Jesus.

He is ‘the stone rejected by you,* the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12)

You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the Lord, a royal diadem held by your God

-Isaiah 62:3

Page 5 the second Sunday in ordinary time

Women’s Retreat Feb 8th & 9th 2019 Finding Peace and Joy: A Catholic Women’s

Retreat by Heather Renshaw

“Buckle up, because you’re on the road to a more joyful, more peaceful, more faithful life. Along the way, Heather offers tips for getting past the inevitable roadblocks, the “GPS” for finding your way (it’s Scripture), and roadside assistance courtesy of the saints.” 1) Friday February 8th 7pm - 8pm Retreat Session 1 2) Saturday February 9th 9:30am - coffee social with Heather 10:00am - Retreat Session 2 12:00pm - Lunch provided

L i v i n g O u r C a t h o l i c F a i t h

Registration Form Name: . Phone Number: . $15 Registration (Saturday Lunch Included) **Make Checks Payable to: St. Agnes Altar Society*** Please register and pay by February 2nd, 2019. Turn this form into the St. Agnes Parish office or drop in the collection basket at any of the weekend masses. For any questions or additional information please contact: Kristin Schiff at 308-765-0213 or email Kristin.Schiff.9@gmail.com We look forward to seeing you at the retreat!

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Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: John 2:1-11

On the Way to Mass: What can you give to the world? What might happen if you do so? On the Way Home From Mass: How can you encourage another to follow the will of God? Living the Word: Give each family member water in a see-through cup and some red food coloring. Ask family member to name the kind acts they have seen each other perform. As each person names these kindnesses, add a drop of food coloring to the water. With every act of naming, see how much more the water changes. Noticing someone’s spark can help that spark grow. When you are finished, drink up and celebrate the uniqueness that is each person.

Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families

2018-2019

Find Us On

Facebook Twitter: stagnes-church

Instagram: st.agnescatholicchurch

Parish Website www.st-agnes-church.com

myParish App In the App Store on your phone or

tablet

January

Schedules

Grade School Formation Sessions

Grades Pre-K - 5th meet from 9:15-10:15 a.m. in the school building. January: 6th, 13th, 20th, & 27th

Middle School Formation Sessions

Grades 6th-8th meet Wednesday evenings from 7-8:15 p.m. in the school building. January: 2nd - No formation sessions , 9th, 16th, 23rd, & 30th

High School (CYM) Formation Sessions

CYM Youth (10th-11th) gather in catechist’s homes & CYM Youth (9th) meet in the Office Basement from 7-8:15 p.m. January: 2nd - No formation sessions , 9th, 16th, 23rd, & 30th

11th Grade CYM Youth

CYM & Confirmation Formation Sessions

Jan. 2nd - No formation

Jan. 9th- Confirmation (Garden Room)

Jan. 13th - Confirmation Retreat

Begins with 10:30 Mass

Jan. 16th - CYM (leader’s home)

Jan. 23rd - Confirmation (Garden Room)

Jan. 30th - CYM (leader’s home)

Page 6 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

R_ligious E^u][tion Progr[m Email—dre@st-agnes-church.com Religious Education Office—308-635-1362

Meet the 2019 Confirmation Candidates

My name is Trayton Travnicek. My parents are Tommy and Heather Travnicek. My siblings are Trace and Tallee. I go to Scottsbluff Senior High School. I am a junior, I am in football, rodeo, wrestling, FFA, and Skills USA. I work for Rod Adams Farm. My goal following Confirmation is to be a strong Catholic young man.

First Communion Dates to Remember

First Reconciliation

Saturday, Jan. 19th at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will follow in the Garden

Room

Parent Meeting Sunday, Jan. 20th at 9:30 a.m.

In the Learning Center of the school

Why Do Catholics Do That?

Why do Catholics need to share their faith?

Catholicism about having a relationship with Jesus Christ, who shows God’s love to us. God became man, died and rose from the dead, and re-opened Heaven for us. At Mass, he strengthens us with his Body and Blood in the Eucharist. Our faith tells us that the perfect, infinite love we seek has a face and a name. Like the Woman at the Well, once we encounter Christ, we can’t keep him to ourselves. We have to share him.

Partners in Faith - January 2019

Going Bananas for Jesus XX will be held March 29-31, 2019 in Grand Island. This event is for grades 7th-12th. The

Diocese of Grand Island Youth Ministry Office has mandated many changes to participate in this event. If you are interested in attending please contact Terri Calvert in the RE Office 308-635-1362 or Email dre@st-agnes-church.com by 1/31/19

Celebrate your Catholic family Strong Catholic families strengthen our neigh-borhoods, communities and the entire Church. “Christian marriage and family build up the Church” (Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consor-tio, #15). Celebrate yours. Catholic parents are instruments of God’s love. Children learn about God’s love from their parents and we help to shape their rela-tionship with God. There are few jobs that are as important. Catholic families breed respect. Our children know they are valued because we care about their behavior and hold them accountable as followers of Christ. Catholic parents provide struc-ture and boundaries and enforce family rules. We help our youngsters develop good manners and respectful behavior. Catholic families practice modesty. Catholics are called to control pas-sions and avoid public and private sin. Christian parents have to make tough choices about how children dress and act, so we encourage chil-dren to behave in a manner befitting a temple of the Holy Spirit. Catholic parents model self-sacrifice. We set aside our personal de-sires for the good of our family, our parish, and our community. Scripture Lessons:

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21; Jesus proclaims the Good News In this passage, Jesus returned home to Nazareth to teach in the synagogue. Je-sus began by reading the prophecy of Isaiah about the coming of the Messiah, who would come to “bring glad tidings to the poor.” Then, to the surprise of his listeners, he said, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” He announced he was the long-awaited Messiah. They must have been shocked. They

were expecting the Messiah to be a worldly king who would overthrow the Romans. They didn’t expect the Messiah to come from humble Naz-areth and be killed by the Romans. And they definitely didn’t expect him to rise from the dead.

What can a parent do? The Good News is that God came to save us, heal us, and set us free from sin. He wants us ready for love and eternal life. There are people who need to hear the Good News of God’s saving love. Teach children that by helping those in need, praying for them, and doing what’s right even when it’s hard, they are sharing the Good News.

Partners in Faith - January 2019

Page 7 January 20, 2019

Page 8 January 20, 2019

Connecting Students and Families through Faith January 20, 2018

School Newsletter

St. Agnes Catholic School 205 E 23rd, Scottsbluff, NE

Ph: 308-632-6918

Tuesday, January 22nd 10:00 K-2nd Grade Midwest Theater

for The Very Hungry Caterpillar Wednesday, January 23rd

Mass @ 8:15 Thursday, January 24th

Reading Rodeo 1st & 2nd Grade Friday, January 25th

Penny Carnival Kick-off

Honor Roll Breakfast

Thirty-one 3rd-5th grade students were recognized at the 2nd quarter Honor Roll

breakfast held on Tuesday, January 15th in the school learning center. Students enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and

sausage before the start of the school day. Congratulations to these students for all

their hard work in the 2nd quarter.

Monday, Jan 21 Pancakes Sausage Patti Potato Triangle Spinach w/red pepper Orange Wedges Helpers: Shannen Sierra Shannon Hafner

Tuesday, Jan 22 Hot Dog on a Bun Baked Beans Carrots w/ranch Peaches Helpers: Toni Warburton Kristin Schiff

Wednesday, Jan 23 Chicken Sandwich w/honey mustard sauce Au Gratin Potatoes Corn Applesauce Helpers: Kristin Schiff Douglas Wheeler

Thursday, Jan 24 Cheese Quesadilla Broccoli w/ranch Spanish Rice w/peas Fruit Cocktail Helpers: Josh Hill Sundee Hill

Friday, Jan 25 Spaghetti w/marinara sauce & meat balls Green Beans 1/2 Banana Cookie Helpers: Kristin Schiff Redo Celli

Hot Lunch Menu for January 21st - January 25th, 2019

What’s Happening at St. Agnes School………... Recognizing Our Achievements

The 2nd quarter awards ceremony was held on Monday, Jan. 14th. All students in Pre-K-5th grade were recognized for their success in the 2nd quarter. Students received awards for improvement, conduct, effort,

academic achievement in various subjects, honor roll and simply working to be the best version of themselves. We are extremely proud of the growth in each student this past quarter and look forward to more great things

in the 2nd semester.

Welcoming the New Year Kindergarten students welcomed the start of the 2nd semester with a New Year’s Party. Students were decked out in top hats

and tiaras while enjoying bubbly juice and snacks. A dance party followed. The students are excited and ready for more great

learning in 2019.

Rotary Dictionaries St. Agnes 3rd grade students were excited to receive their own personal dictionary courtesy of the Scottsbluff/Gering Rotary Club. This organization supports youth programs and provides a student dictionary to every 3rd grade student in Scottsbluff and Gering on a yearly basis. The dictionaries arrived just in time to start their vocabulary and dictionary use unit, so the 3rd graders were quite thrilled. Our thanks to the Rotary Club for including us in this wonderful program.

Honor Roll Students

Improvement Awards Good Conduct Awards

Library Students of the Quarter P.E. Students of the Quarter

Music Students of the Quarter

Classroom News………...

Fifth Grade Class By Liz Salazar

We have just come back from our Christmas break. We enjoyed this time of rest and relaxation and are ready to work very hard to face the second half of this school year. The fifth graders are already working hard in the first few days of the new year! In reading, we have finished the novels that we were reading before the break. We will begin reading new novels this week. We will be reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, and Report to the Principal’s Office by Jerry Spinelli. In math, we have begun our weekly Math Talks. This week, we focused on finding different processes to solve single digit multiplication. We found that we could come up with six different ways to demonstrate the solution to a multiplication problem. We will have a different topic each week. We are also creating a set of cards as a resource for each student to have to use to help themselves. In science, we have started a new unit on fossils. We are learning about how they form and what kind of information can be learned from working with fossils. We are also learning about how fossils have been changed into fossils fuels. The topic of fossils is very interesting to the class.

Pre-K Class By Elise Gurrola

Happy New Year! We have entered into the second semester...wow it’s hard to believe we are nearly half way done with the school year! Pre-K has made so much improvement since the beginning of the year. We are making our way through the alphabet and are almost finished with learning all of the uppercase letters. Next we will learn lowercase letters, focus more on letter sounds and learn some more sight words. In religion, we are learning how to pray the rosary. We have learned what the rosary looks like, where we start to pray and the first prayer that we say. The

students love learning about it and we are having so much fun along the way. During our first week back, we made “fake snow” by using baking soda and white coconut conditioner. We put this in the sand/water table. We are using our fine motor skills when playing with this by using scoopers and small cups. In handwriting, we are working hard on letter writing and number writing. I am so proud of how far these little ones have come since the beginning of the year!