Entries for January 2025

Dear Parishioners:

Every year the archdiocese celebrates Catholic Schools. The Archdiocese of St. Louis is abundantly blessed with so many wonderful Catholic schools. Many areas of our country are not as blessed as we are. Please consider catholic Schools. Thanks to all who support Catholic education in our parish and in our Archdiocese.

There are over 105 Catholic grade schools and 27 Catholic high schools to choose from, plus 2 Catholic colleges at Fontbonne and St. Louis University. In our Archdiocese, there are also over a hundred P.S.R. programs, such as we have here at The Church of the Annunziata.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our teachers both here at our Learning Center School, our PSR school and throughout our Archdiocese for their dedicated ministry to our youth. The lessons learned at our schools help to enhance the faith that is lived in our homes. It is with great joy that I commend our student body (these young men and women and all our youth) to you and ask that you keep them in your prayers.

Teachers are members of a vitally important profession. They teach essential skills and concepts; they nurture curiosity and a sense of wonder; they cultivate abilities and interests and give their students a sense of significance and purpose.

In the context of a Catholic school, however, the work of the teacher (administrator) takes on a new dimension. At Annunziata it is referred to as a vocation – a calling to become part of something of great significance; in this case, to share in the Church’s mission. In their own way, teachers and administrators in Catholic schools follow the example of Jesus to reach out to others and spread the good news about life and its purpose.

I would also like to particularly thank our principal Ms. Gerre Book, our CRE Mrs. Caroline Hall, and our parents as first teachers for their leadership and guidance; besides enriching our over 130 students academically, morally, and interpersonally they along with our teachers help to prepare our children for the reception of the sacraments. This coming spring our second graders will receive their First Communion. Just last December our Second Graders received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time, as they partook of the healing and forgiving love of our God.

Blessings!

Msgr. John Shamleffer

Read More >

Dear Parishioners:

I pray that all survived the snow and cold this past week.  While some were unable to attend our service I wanted to share with you some thoughts on the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, as we concluded our Christmas season. Epiphany is a Feast Day within the Church’s liturgical celebration of Christmas. In the current Western tradition, we associate it with the “Visit of the Magi,” recounted in Matthew’s Gospel. (Mt 2:1-12). Epiphany is traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, (Twelfth Night), January 6th. In the Catholic dioceses of the United States this feast has been moved to the Sunday after the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God.

Epiphany takes its name from the Greek epiphania, a manifestation. Jesus, born quietly in Bethlehem’s stable, is revealed, or made manifest, as the Son of God.  In the recognition of Him by the Magi, the Christ, He is revealed to the “nations.”

The Feast Day is associated with three events in the life of Christ when His divinity shines through His humanity: the adoration of the Magi; the baptism of Christ in the Jordan (Mt 3); and the first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana, (Jn 2), The latter two of these were designated as Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002. In these “Mysteries of Light,” we meditate on the revelation of Jesus as the Divine Son of the Father.

There are many traditions associated with the Epiphany.  One of them is The Blessing of Chalk and Doorways

This activity involves blessing chalk, which, then is used to mark the doorways of our homes with the year (2025) and the initials of the traditional names of the Three Kings:

Caspar (C)

Melchior (M)

Balthasar (B)

Families take blessed chalk and ideally the Dad and Mom, mark the frame of the entrance to the home with the date and initials:

20 + C + M + B + 23

The practice invokes a blessing on all those who live in the house, and – in remembrance of the Magi - all visitors to the home.

Christmas Blessings!

Msgr John Shamleffer

Read More >