ST. PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH

IN THIS ISSUE

• Pastor’s Pen Page 2

• Confirmation Page 3

• Parish Happenings Pages 4 & 5

• SWAG Fair Page 6

• Welcome to the Church

Page 7

Page 2

Happy Easter!

I find my mind returning over and over these days

to a comment made by a gentleman whom I was

preparing for joining the Catholic faith by baptism

at Easter. As we talked about resurrection – Jesus’s

and ours – and what that life will be like beyond

space and time, as we are united totally to God,

the source of our existence and

the goal for which we are

made, the ecstasy of a union

unmediated by any materiality

in between, he kept murmuring,

“That will be so beautiful! That

will be so beautiful!” He kept

repeating, “I want to be

baptized so bad!”

Indeed it will beautiful, and he

made the correct connection.

As our natural life begins at

conception, nine months before

we see what has been

happening in the secret

withinness of the womb, so

at Easter we celebrate the

awesome fact that that new life

has already begun in us when

we are baptized into the death

and resurrection of Jesus. The

reality is so beautiful, so

beautiful! We should be as

amazed and grateful at what

has already begun at our

baptism as he was anticipating

baptism in the future. At Easter,

especially in the power of the Vigil liturgy, we let it

sink in – no wonder we celebrate to the hilt these

days!

We can’t ever really imagine such a life, of

course, so we use analogies to help us – the

mystery of spring, as all around us life bursts forth

out of the deathly-cold grip of winter: flowers and

bunnies and chicks and eggs – the mystery of

metamorphosis, how the same animal can go into

a chrysalis a lumbering caterpillar and emerge from

it a gossamer butterfly, able to flit and fly – the

mystery of the seed, which is the comparison that

Paul used with the Corinthians, where the same

individual is planted in the ground in one form and

dies to that way of being in order to rise, not as a

big seed but as a plant, a completely different form

of its being, suited for the very different kind of life it

will now have. But the metaphors and analogies

are just that – comparisons still within the realm of

carbon-based life forms inhabiting a material world

of space and time, and so completely inadequate

to the true reality.

The popular culture kind of dumbs this down,

“airbrushes our hope” as the Archbishop of

Canterbury recently said, as if at Easter we

celebrate the comparisons rather than the reality,

as if we merely rejoice over the

change of season, for example.

I always have to smile, wanly,

at seeing those violet colors

being used in commercial

Easter decorations – no, no; it’s

been so long since you’ve been

in church you’ve got Lent

confused with Easter!, I want to

say. So if Easter is going to be

more than bunnies and peeps,

it’s going to have to be up to us.

I can’t say I’ve given much

thought to the intellectual life

of caterpillars, but I wonder if

a butterfly speaking the same

language could get through

to them – say, the way Jesus

has come back to us and told

us not to fear death, that it’s all

going to be massively worth it?

Actually, who cares about

caterpillars – let’s let Jesus get

it across to us! It will be so

beautiful, so beautiful – and it

begins now in the baptism we

celebrate at Easter. Let’s not

airbrush our hope out, but live in ways that proclaim

it loud and clear: Jesus is risen! And “we who were

baptized into Christ Jesus were…buried with him

through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ

was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,

we too might live in newness of life. For if we have

grown into union with him through a death like his,

we shall also be united with him in a like

resurrection.” (Rom 6:3-5) Here’s to that Easter

“newness of life” – it’s so beautiful, so beautiful!

Page 3

Scott Adelman

Owen Austin

Adam Baker

Isabella Barcus

Morgan Baxter

Kennedy Beursken

Zoey Blair

Brooke Bleile

Charlie Bleile-Morrin

Jacob Carper

Claire Ceccoli

Anthony Cefalu

Curtis Deiderick

Steven DeLeon

Camille Endsley

Olivia Englert

Jésus Garcia

Ryan Gross

Emma Hammer-Huber

Luke Haynes

Logan Haynes

Isabella Herrig

Olivia Hosack

Michelle Isais

Nathan Juby

Mara Lesch

Samantha Lippert

Emma Livengood

Cecilia Martinez

Ania Matheny

Noah McClintock

Kylie McDonnell

Benjamin Meyer

Gavin Moffit

Fabian Negrete

Juan Negrete

Gwenyth Olcott

Samuel Parker

Jessica Penwell

Hannah Phillips

Bryson Powers

Emma Rice

Madalin Risner

Christian Rospert

Jesse Ruffing

Rosa Sabala

Salma Sabala

Elyssa Schaffer

Danielle Smith

Marlaina Sowers

Myron Stoll

Samuel Tokarsky

Elian Vargas

Rosa Villalobos

Nicholas Winslow

Nathan Winslow

Pieter Wise

Gavin Wynn

Gabriel Zamano

Confirmation 2017

Page 4

Page 5

New Parishioners: Brad & Sarah Davis

Sons, Hudson & Weston

Rebecca Libassi

Brian & Elizabeth Lindenberger

Children, Julian, Connor, Cole & Ryke

Jorgie Paull

Brian & Jennifer Rizzo

Children, Gabriel, Isabelle, Jennifer & Rocco

Weddings: Joseph & Mary Caizzo

Herbert & Mary Grigat

Jason & Samantha Hartman

Chris & Audrey Tomasulo

Deaths: Jean Myers

Valerie O’Brien

Maureen Prack

Phyllis Smith

Kenneth Spaar

Robert Stein

David Thomas

Margaret Ann Sanders-Weller

Baptisms: Audrey (Easterday) Tomasulo

Krosby Hartman Son of Jason & Samantha Hartman

Sylvia Belle Meinzer Daughter of Adam & Abby Meinzer

Charlotte Mingallon

Lincoln William Worcester Son of Zeb & Mary Worcester

Connor Patrick Stein Son of Troy & Stacy Stein

Thea Lynn Ulmer Daughter of Tully & Ashley Ulmer

Hayden Patricia House Daughter of Julianna House

Elsie Michelle Schild Daughter of Brandon & Loren Schild

Page 6

Last summer, 43 St. Paul parishioners participated as

vendors in our very first S.W.A.G. event, and many

more participated as shoppers. S.W.A.G. stands for

Serve With A Gift. Each of those 43 parishioners

brought one thing that God has gifted them with

and made a little money for our parish using that

gift. By the end of the day, our first S.W.A.G. fair

gave back over $5,500 to our parish to help with

financial needs.

This summer we are doing it all again! Please, save

the date: Sunday, August 6, 2017. Think about the

many gifts God has given you and how you might

share one of those gifts on that day. Some of the

items for sale last year included; florals, books,

rosaries, baptismal gowns, kettle corn, cupcakes,

lemonade, music, fudge, woodworking items, wind

chimes, homemade soap, honey, metal ornaments,

electric transformers, scarves, cross stitched

bookmarks, games, cards, rent a bike, family

photos, crocheted items, cookies, sauerkraut balls,

loads of topsoil, and a 10-minute massage! You are

only limited by your imagination! This year we will

have Tom Sloma partnering with Sharon Pabst to

offer a family photo shoot in front of his Model T.

You can get an 8 x 10 for just $25.

How do you get started? Fill out a registration form

found in the back of the church or on our parish

website, or call Val French at 419-706-3374. Then

start making or planning your items or activity. You

can set up your space on August 6, beginning at

9:00 am at the Norwalk Reservoir. The sale will run

from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm. We are making some

improvements in publicity and set-up. One thing to

remember is that none of the vendors can take

credit cards. Many of our shoppers said that they

wished they had brought more cash or their

checkbook.

At 4:00 pm, we will attend mass together and bring

up our proceeds during the offertory. This is the most

touching part of the day as people tell what they

sold and how much they are giving back. We will

always remember the look on Msgr. Ken’s face,

with that beautiful smile of his, as person after

person placed their envelope in the basket and

reported what they had done. It was very simple

yet so moving. Some made a few dollars and others

made a few hundred dollars. Each one was an

important part of the day, building community and

sharing their gifts. Msgr. Ken looked totally awed, as

we all were, by the outpouring of generosity and

fun participation by so many.

The committee members provide all the publicity,

map out spaces, keep an updated list of

participants, take care of parking, and assist you

with any needs that day. This is a day to promote

fun and some funds. It is about building our

community and being living examples of our faith.

It is a celebration of your talent - 1 day, 1 gift, 100%

profits returned to our parish.

The SWAG Committee:

Monserrat Carrillo, Steve Frazee, Val French,

Pat Krause, Bev Sedlock, Becky Switalski

Welcome to the Church! RCIA Children have been the inspiration behind this year’s Rite of Christian Initiation program.

Receiving full membership into the Catholic Church at this year’s Easter Vigil were: one

mother and her son, another mother whose children led her to the Church, and a third

person who is a child herself.

Samantha Hartman, a baptized Catholic, and her husband, Jason, a Lutheran, were

leading busy lives when their first child was born in 2008. She was studying to become a

registered nurse when Krosby came along. A daughter, Journey, followed in 2015.

“We decided we needed to build a religious foundation for our children,” said Samantha.

The couple decided to attend St. Paul and to send Krosby to Norwalk Catholic School,

where he is now a second grader. As Krosby learned more and more about the Catholic

faith, neither parent could discuss specifics with him or answer with certainty his many

questions.

“That was it, my prayers were answered. Krosby wanted more, so we decided to join RCIA.

I started taking Krosby with me,” Samantha said. “As the year has gone on, our hearts and

bond have become stronger. Going through this process with Krosby gave me the courage

and strength to do what is right. To keep going even though there was full time school,

family, working part-time, it felt like I was losing a battle at times. I asked for help and what

I hadn’t realized was God gave me the help I needed.”

Samantha was confirmed. Krosby was baptized, received Communion and was confirmed.

Samantha said Krosby has been an inspiration to the household. “Seeing the love for Jesus in the eyes of our

child has been the most eye-opening experience.”

At one time, Audrey Easterday was attending two and sometimes three Masses a week.

She wasn’t even Catholic. In fact, she had no religious background at all when she met her

husband, Chris, in 2006. They married and two children followed – Gabriella and Anthony.

Chris was Catholic; the kids were baptized. They attended first the Early Childhood Center,

and are now at Norwalk Catholic Elementary. Gabbi is a second grader, where she will

soon make her First Holy Communion and Anthony is a first grader.

“When Gabbi was in kindergarten, I would attend the children’s Mass on Thursdays at St.

Mary’s. As the kids grew, I’d attend the Wednesday school Mass at St. Paul and the

Thursday Mass with Anthony at St. Mary’s. Then there was Sunday Mass as a family,” she

recalled. “I felt the need to join my family in their faith journey.”

There was a wedding at the Easter Vigil. Together as a family, Chris and Audrey with their children celebrated

their marriage in the Church.

“Everyone in the Church has been a huge support and blessing in my life. It’s been a wonderful beginning to

my journey.”

Charlotte Mingallon was excited about getting baptized.

“I’m gonna kneel in the water while the priest sprinkles me. I feel real excited. I feel I will be

closer to Jesus,” she said recently.

Charlotte also will receive Communion and Confirmation. Charlotte is a second grader at

Norwalk Catholic Elementary. She is the daughter of Ellen Heinz and Denis Mingallon.

"I'm very happy to have Charlotte baptized in St. Paul

Church," said Charlotte's mom, Ellen Heinz. "Charlotte's

love and passion for the Church and the religion are

tremendous, and have so much meaning for her at this

age. Our entire family is coming from out of state to celebrate with us."

Charlotte and Krosby will still celebrate Holy Communion with their

classmates later this month; it just won’t be a first for them.

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Phone: 419-668-6044 Fax: 419-663-5770 E-mail: lisah@stpaulchurch.org

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Thank You!

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For your generous support of my Senior Service Project

~ Jarod Schnellinger