• Welcome
• Bienvenido

Welcome!

Dear Friends of St. Andrew's,

From the founding of our Parish in 1958, we have grown and developed with Sierra Vista - as partners in building up this great community we call home.

Over the decades, we sought to be active participants in every aspect of community life. We believe that serving the common good and making this city a place where people come first, where the least and most easily-overlooked are served and cared for, and where the quality of life is enhanced for all our fellow citizens, is an essential witness to our faith.

We hope our parish church is a place where all experience the Presence of God and the welcome of God's People. We pray that its beauty will speak a wordless invitation to those who are seeking, those who are wearied by life's burdens and those who are drawn to lift their hearts in prayer.

We thank God for giving us this opportunity to extend His blessings and to share our church and campus facilities with the Sierra Vista community.
The pulse of St. Andrew's is reflected through our ministries and individual parishoner efforts.  I hope to highlight these achievements and bring focus to upcoming events in the article following this message.

Yours because His,

Fr. Greg Adolf
Pastor

Bienvenido

Estimados amigos de San Andrés,

Desde la fundación de nuestra Parroquia en 1958, hemos crecido y nos hemos desarrollado junto con Sierra Vista construyendo esta gran comunidad la cual llamamos nuestra casa.

A través de las décadas hemos tratado de participar activamente en todos los aspectos, dentro de nuestra comunidad.  Creemos que un testigo esencial de nuestra fe es el servir al bien común y el hacer de esta ciudad un lugar para quienes lo más importante es su gente, donde los más necesitados y los más olvidados son servidos y cuidados, y donde la calidad de vida es mejorada para todos nuestros ciudadanos.

Deseamos que nuestra parroquia sea un lugar donde todos puedan sentir la Presencia de Dios y se sientan bienvenidos como hijos de Él.  Rogamos que su belleza les haga una invitación silenciosa a aquellos quienes están en busca de Dios, a aquellos quienes se encuentran abrumados por los problemas de la vida, y a aquellos quienes han sido llamados a levantar sus almas en oración.

Agradecemos a Dios por darnos esta oportunidad de extender sus bendiciones y de compartir nuestra iglesia y nuestras facilidades con la comunidad de Sierra Vista.

El servicio de San Andrés está reflejado en nuestros ministerios y los esfuerzos individuales de nuestros parroquianos.  Espero que podamos realzar estos logros y llevar enfoque a futuros eventos los cuales mencionamos en el artículo debajo de este mensaje.

 

Suyo en Cristo,

 

Padre Greg Adolf

Pastor

 

...that next Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of the Presentation?

This Feast is always on the 2nd of February, (40 days after Christmas), and commemorates the day when Mary and Joseph “presented” our Lord in the Temple, according to the dictates of Jewish Law (Leviticus 13), when Mary was ritually “purified” from childbirth. In the older calendar, this was a Marian Feast – the “Purification” – but in the liturgical reforms of 1963, the emphasis was placed on our Lord’s “epiphany” to the aged Simeon and Anna in the Temple!

The old English name for the Feast, “Candle Mass,” was common because the Mass was often preceded by the blessing and distribution of candles – at least since the 7th Century – to symbolize Simeon’s greeting of Christ as the “glory of Israel and the Light for the Gentiles”. (Luke 2:32)

At this weekend’s Masses, candles will be blessed and distributed – and you can certainly bring your own candles for blessing!

Faith in “things unseen” can be bolstered by things seen – ‘sacramentals’, like holy water and blessed candles! Especially during a storm (including those within), forgetfulness of the Lord’s power to save can threaten the peace of our hearts and minds. And so, the popular devotion of lighting a ‘blessed candle’ – blessed at Candlemas, of course – for protection, if not from the storm, then at least from the thunder and lightning of fear itself!

In many Catholic countries, Candlemas is celebrated as the conclusion to the Christmas Season, and the last of the season’s greenery and lights are taken down!

Thank you to ALL who joined us for the 30th Annual Catholic Appeal Dinner-with-the-Bishop, and to all of those who worked ‘behind the scenes’ to make this the most memorable kick-off celebration ever!  Special thanks to our wonderful Office Staff, who planned and created the decorations; our Life Teens, who served the Dinner; our Folklorico Dance Group, who provided the entertainment, and, of course, our wonderful Knights of Columbus, Bishop Salpointe Council – who, once again, for the 30th time! – provided the Hall, the Dinner, and the opportunity to come together as the Family of God at St. Andrew’s and Good Shepherd Mission!

“No one knows the sins the “Good Thief” had committed. No one should care. All that matters in life is that we should discover our own “Today” of Divine forgiveness.”

                                                                                              - Fr. Romanus Cessario, O.P. (1944-    )

GOOD NEIGHBOR ALLIANCE – our community’s only homeless shelter, welcoming families, as well as individuals – is seeking help from the Christian Community.

GNA needs help in the preparation of meals for our residents!

If churches or ministry groups within our churches could assist us, we are looking for help on 2nd Wednesdays, 2nd Fridays, and 4th Thursdays every month!

For more information, please call Good Neighbor Alliance at 439-0776, to learn how you can help our neighbors in need! “I was hungry, and you fed Me. . .” (Matthew 25:35).