Happy New Year! I hope your year is off to a good start. Prayers for peace and mercy as we immerse ourselves in Ordinary Time.

As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, I'd like to extend my appreciation to our school families and staff for their contributions to our food bank and backpack program. Our school families are also energetic participants in our Fall and Spring Service Days. Each Friday, our 8th grade students diligently help pack around 300 (!) bags for our backpack program.

Food Bank

people served - 319

families - 111

Backpack Program

bags distributed - 1171

PREPARES

Thanks to a grant from PREPARES, we are able to distribute diapers to families with little ones through our food bank. In December, we served 4 families with diapers from the grant and 4 additional families from your support.

EGG CARTONS

I'm sure you've noticed the price of eggs increasing! Our food bank is trying some new sources for eggs, but that requires us to repack them. Please keep donating your clean egg cartons! Thank you.

Rent assistance - 11

Utilities assistance - 11

Thank you for your continued support of our Servants of St. Teresa. Your financial donations help us to provide rental and utilities assistance. During the winter months, that also includes propane vouchers for those who use propane to heat their living space or cook food. If you haven't set up a recurring donation, you can do so online.

Afternoon volunteers needed! We are looking to train 2-3 volunteers to help with our financial assistance calls. If interested in training for this vital position, please contact Morningstar at the parish office.

In 2019, after years of investigation (which is not unusual in causes for sainthood), Pope Francis

declared that Augustus Tolton can be given the title of Venerable which is the end of the initial

stages toward canonization. At this stage, Tolton—like others with the status of Venerable—can

be venerated in a specific part of the Church. In this case, it would be in Chicago and other parts

of Illinois in which Tolton had served.

What this further means is that the Church in America—one of the main promoters of Tolton’s

cause for sainthood—is waiting and praying for two verifiable miracles to be granted through the

intercession of Venerable Augustus Tolton. When one miracle takes place, Augustus Tolton can

be elevated to the status of Blessed and given wider veneration. When a second miracle takes

place, he will then be elevated to the status of full sainthood and will be canonized at the Vatican.

It is through the Rosary, the name and cause of Venerable Augustus Tolton can manifest in

miracles. In our parishes, there are people who are in need of healing.

Families can ask that the parish join in asking for the intercession of Augustus Tolton, hoping that

God might grant healing as one major step in his canonization process. We should offer up our

Rosary for healing in the name of Tolton. As a faith community at every chance we get, we will

include an intention asking for Augustus Tolton’s intercession for healing. Whether this intention

is granted or not, families will know that we as a faith community have joined together in the

doubly noble cause of desiring Augustus Tolton’s canonization as well as the healing of our

parishioners.

Read more about Venerable Tolton by clicking on Biography below.

(Source: Words pronounced by Fr. Tirso Villaverde, Pastor at Saint Julie Billiart, Tinley Park, Illinois.

14)

Earlier this month, our catechumens were anointed. Please pray for them as they discern readiness for the Rite of Election in March and reception of sacraments of initiation at Easter Vigil.

Sign up for your own free subscription to the WSCC newsletter here. Each Friday during the legislative session, you'll receive instructions for how to weigh-in on active legislation. Live your faith by raising your voice.

Here's an example:

SB 5284 Improving Washington's solid waste management outcomes. Too much of consumer packaging and paper products in Washington are landfilled or incinerated, negatively impacting our care of Creation. This bill provides incentives for producers to rethink packaging practices, reduce packaging and use materials that are reusable, compostable, and recyclable. It will be heard in the Senate Energy, Environment and Technology committee on Jan. 28 at 1:30. Sign in pro prior to noon on the 28th.

Our missionary action is to email your U.S. members of Congress, asking them to demonstrate U.S. leadership in addressing global hunger and the effects of climate change on vulnerable communities worldwide.

Why is this action important?

We need the support of legislators from both sides of the aisle to advance lasting policy changes that uphold human dignity and foster a world where all people can thrive. As the 119th Congress begins this month, your communications with congressional offices will help nurture new and existing relationships and set a solid foundation for building strong bipartisan support in Congress. In the coming weeks, congressional leadership will be setting the legislative agenda and priorities for the next two years. This is an important time to ensure the needs of our global family are kept fresh in the minds of lawmakers. As a constituent, your voice is extremely important, and members want to hear from you.

Find detailed instructions in the attachment below.

Email: morningstars@allsaintsparish.com
Website: https://allsaintsparish.com/outreach
Location: 204 6th Ave SW, Puyallup, WA, USA
Phone: 253-848-2000