Watch our Sunday services online. We will stream live at 5:00 p.m. Saturday (Vigil Mass), 10:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. Sunday at https://www.sttheresa.cc/online-mass. In addition to the live stream of our services, check our Homilies Playlist on our Youtube channel.

The reconciliation schedule will remain the same during the closure. Sunday obligation to attend Mass and Holy Days continues to be suspended. In-person gatherings on parish campuses are allowed only for programs of sacramental preparation. This permission for in-person catechetical gatherings does not include adult bible studies, conferences, or special presentations.

 Previous Week Mass Attendance

February 13th - February 14th

Saturday 5:00 p.m. Mass attendees - 126

Sunday 10:00 a.m. Mass attendees - 150

Sunday 5:30 p.m. Mass attendees - 49

Online views - 644

The church office will be closed until further notice, but our staff is working remotely to serve you, please see our parish directory at the end of this note.
If you have any questions, please call 713-869-3783 or email us at info@sttheresa.cc

Please plan accordingly, thank you for your consideration.

The Servant of God, Fr. Luigi Giussani lived and proposed Christianity as an encounter, an event, and a love story. For him, Faith lived out in communion, is the foundation of the true liberation of man. Thus, in the 1950s around him, grew up a friendship that later became a Catholic Movement called Communion and Liberation (CL) that has spread to over ninety countries. CL members will be present at that mass. Communion and Liberation, in its essence, is a proposal for education in the Catholic faith. It is an education that doesn’t end at a certain age but lasts a lifetime because it is always being renewed and deepened. The same is true of the Gospel, which reveals new discoveries even after we’ve heard them a thousand times. The same is true in the experience of love, artistic creativity, and even in the simplicity of everyday life. The search for what is true, beautiful, and good, and for happiness is neverending. This is Christianity: the adventure of life, not a kind of training for life.  

Lent an excellent opportunity for spiritual growth and the time set aside to prepare us to renew our baptismal promises, something still foundational in our life. 

(Todos los viernes durante la cuaresma se rezará el Via Crucis en la iglesia a las 8:00 p.m. solo en persona, no habra transmición en linea).

 

I was visiting a historic cemetery adjacent to a church where I preached recently on behalf of Unbound. As I stood at one gravesite, a vehicle pulled up alongside me. The driver rolled down the window and identified himself as a descendant of the man whose grave I happened to be looking at. We talked a bit and the conversation turned to his own life and the difficulty of his struggle with COVID-19, personally and as a family man and member of his community. “I’m very close,” he admitted, “to having a ‘Come to Jesus moment.’”

The origin of that expression likely goes back to the kind of dramatic moment of conversion represented by an “altar call,” but today it’s often used in a more informal sense to describe any moment of realization and truth that requires a reassessment of priorities.

 

Sometimes, when a new Unbound sponsor is filling out a form, I’ll ask what led him or her to decide to offer their support for a child, youth or elder in need. Often, it seems to be the result of a sudden, intuitive perception, a moment of realization or an opportunity to express a deeply felt need to make a significant difference in another person’s or family’s life. I truly believe that to one degree or another, every sponsor who fills out a form does so as the result of a “Come to Jesus Moment” that I’m privileged to witness. We have words in our language that seem alike and are often used interchangeably. For example, “remorse” and “repentance.” Both suggest that we’ve done something wrong and we won’t do it again. But, on this first Sunday of Lent, the repentance Jesus is calling us to involves a deeper inner change. Lent challenges us to discern if there is some more significant change we are being called to.

Let the discernment begin.  

Father, as we begin another Lent that one word, “repent,” says it all. Hearing it, help us to accept its challenge. Or, as another prayer puts it, “give us the courage to change what needs to be changed.” Amen.

This reflection for the First Sunday of Lent was written by Unbound preacher Father David Noone.  

supporting Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, as they strive to keep the blood supply stocked during Covid-19. 
The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has created a safe and well-sanitized process for those wishing to donate. As an added bonus, blood donors receive a free Covid antibody test. Anyone from the community is invited to make an appointment and give blood.  Find more information and register to give blood at https://www.commitforlife.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/333236

The sealing of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation is the final sacrament of initiation into the Catholic Church. If you have not received this wonderful sacrament, we encourage you to do so!  

Baptized Catholic adults who need to prepare and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation are welcome to register for our upcoming preparation classes. Please contact Jackie Dumoit, j.dumoit@sttheresa.cc, for more information.  

We’re going to give you some ideas for the Lenten Season, perhaps you’ll choose to take one of these challenges to rediscover the beauty and power of our call to be co-redeemers with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Challenge #11:  Admit your sins to God. Ask his forgiveness and accept it with gratitude, thanksgiving, and humility. Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Can’t remember how? Here’s a simple guide with some tips. Tell Fr. Phil it’s been a while, and ask him to guide you through it. St. Theresa offers confessions on SATURDAY: 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM, THURSDAY: 5:30 PM to 6:15 PM, and by appointment. Please call Fr. Phil at 346-335-1803. 

Challenge #12: You wouldn’t attempt to pass a class without studying the materials or take on a new job without knowing what is expected of you. Making Christ the center of your life is no different; make a commitment to read the Sunday scriptures before Sunday Mass. In the same way that reading up on football players, opposing teams, and coaching strategies will help you experience a game more fully, familiarizing yourself with the readings ahead of time will help you experience them in a deeper way on Sunday. 

Challenge #13: Working from home often means working with terrible posture. Make it a point to sit up straight while you sit at your laptop or watch TV. Your body is a reflection of God's image. Take care of it. If you are conscious of your posture, think about a habit that has kept you from being whom God is calling you to be. Consciously give up that habit for Lent. 

Challenge #14: Donate one thing each day, For example, you could donate a lightly worn piece of clothing or a blanket, a toy, a book, or a can of food. Can't find a thing to donate? Leave a tip on your next fast food meal or leave a dollar on a donation jar. Everything counts at this time where a lot of people are in great need.

Challenge #15: Pray for somebody. As you’re walking the streets, driving the highways, or waiting for a meeting to start, pick out a person who appears to be in need and pray for that person. Everyone is in need of God's love.

Challenge #16: Try a new spiritual practice. Come or sign up for an hour of Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday, between 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. It's essential to have two or more adorers each hour so that Jesus is not left alone. If you would like to commit to adore our Lord for one hour per week, please contact Diana Sepulveda at dsepulveda@smithcarr.com 

Challenge #17: Wake up a half-hour earlier and spend that extra time reading a devotional, doing some light exercise, or savoring your morning coffee and breakfast.

Challenge #18: Whenever you find yourself in a feedback loop of negative thoughts, try to think of three things you're thankful for. 

Challenge #19: Use media to spread the Word of God or post a photo about the themes of Lent on a visual, personal level. 

Challenge #20: Create your own Friday fish fry at home! There are tons of recipes online that you can cook. It’s not the healthiest thing in the world, but a fun Catholic tradition to help you abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. 

Get to know your lectors. This week the following parishioners will be reading at mass:

Saturday, February 20, 2021, 5:00 p.m. 

Roy Hughes
Tom Wright 

Sunday, February 21, 2021, 10:00 a.m.
Donna Yanowski
Ken Yanowski

Sunday, February 21, 2021, 5:30 p.m.

Greg Krauss
Ana Schick 

If you want to participate in this ministry or if you want more information about lectors, please contact Jackie Dumoit at 346-335-1813 or at  j.dumoit@sttheresa.cc.

Flowers for the altar entirely depend on the sponsorship from your dedications. Schedule a dedication today! Please place your request two weeks in advance of your dedication date. For more information please contact Mary-Ann Virgilio at maryann.virgilio@sttheresa.cc or call 352-212-2961.

This Year Steps for Students Has Gone Virtual
Visit our St. Theresa Steps for Students Team Page:

St. Theresa- Houston - Steps for Students 5K (steps4students.org) 
Register and join the St. Theresa Team.

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