St. Paul Catholic Church

We have a new page on our website for the ACTS community.  If you are intereted in getting to know more about this origization or want contact information follow the link below:

ACTS

This area will be used for Mornings With Jesus updates and links.  Click below if you wish to pay tuition online.

Online Payments

For those who are just visiting or "looking" for a new church community, we extend a huge welcome! We think you will find St. Paul to be warm, dynamic and a place to encounter Christ on a personal level. Please contact the office or members of the Welcome Ministry (in the foyer on the second weekend of each month) to register or for more information. Parishioners interested in serving as part of the Welcome Ministry are needed. Thank you! 

Our new email address is:
welcomeministry@saintpaulaustin.org

Join us on Saturday nights for Bingo at St. Paul Catholic Church.  Doors open at 6:00 pm and Bingo is from 7:17 to 9:00 pm.  For dates and times follow the link below.

Bingo Schedule

Join us for a once­in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to the places where Jesus lived, taught, died and rose! Father Johnson will be our Spir­itual Director on this 10-day trip from October 5-14, with only a cost of $3395. For more information contact Gina at ginarollman65@gmail.com or Best Catholic Pilgrim­ages at info@religious-travel.com. 

At its core, tithing is an acknowledgement that the gifts or talents we have were entrusted to us by God, and are intended to be used for His glory and to spread the gospel. Tithing allows parishes to meet day-to-day needs, allocate funds for emergencies and fund future projects. It is understood, that as a community of faith, we are to provide for the needs of the Church. Fr. Hector Vega recommends that we fulfill the needs by tithing 5% of our income to the parish, 4% to charities of our choice, and 1% to the Diocese.

Listed below are tithing guidelines that may help you in deciding your recommended weekly sacrifice to the parish.
 

This week we celebrate Jesus' rising from the dead. May our faith in His resurrection be as strong and sincere as the little girl in the following true story. 

A missionary to Africa relates the following story.
 
"One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but, in spite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year­old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incuba­tor. 

Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly, in distress, to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. "All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm." The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the pra­yer time, one ten year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our children. "Please, God," she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomo­rrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon." 

While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of a corol­lary, "And while you are about it, would you please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?" As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen?" I just did not believe that God could do this. The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. 

I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the verandah, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage chil­dren. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then came a box of mixed raisins. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the ..... could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out-yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle! I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!" Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted. Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really lo­ves her?" That parcel had been on the way for five months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child- five months before in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "that afternoon." 

Greetings from India! 

It has been a few days since I am in India visiting my sick brother Thomas. He is diagnosed with thyroid cancer and go­ing through chemo treatment. At the moment, the doctors do not know how he is going to recover. Prayers and support can help him a lot. It is my great joy that many parishioners pray for his recovery. Thank you from bottom of my heart for your support in this difficult moment. I spend a lot of time with him and his family. He is 65 years old and has three children and 5 grandchildren. It is very painful to see him suffering. 

However, in this Holy Week, I try to place this difficult moment on to the cross of the Lord who walked through much more pain and isolation with the hope of the peaceful and joyful res­urrection. 

From India, I wish you and your family a peaceful and joyful Easter. 

Fr. Johnson 

Applications for the 2019 Knights of Co­lumbus scholarships are now available. All members of St. Paul and their immediate family members are eligible to ap­ply for these scholarships, which will be for a minimum of $500. Anyone undertaking any kind of post-high school stud­ies at any institution is eligible to apply. The deadline for applying is April 28. Application packets are available in the church foyer, or you can print out a PDF version of the application by going to council10209.org and clicking on the link. If you have any questions please contact Sean McGee at seanmcgeek@gmail.com.

Knights of Columbus Houston Astro's Bus Trip 
Save the date, June 16th Toronto Blue Jays vs Houston Astros. $70 per person. We will have 2 busses so we can double our fun. That is Father's Day. Call My Van Dinh 737-247-0033 or Bill Hoa­gland 512-971-6822 to get signed up. 

Dear Friends, 

The Encountering Christ campaign, strengthened by your prayer, will allow us to build a vibrant and secure future for the Diocese of Austin in a spirit of stewardship and unity. St. Paul will receive 30% of all funds collected up until our parish goal of $820,000. If we surpass our goal, we will receive 70% of the funds raised above the goal. With the $246,000 coming back to the parish, we will work toward purchasing property for a new church. 
 

Campaign Prayer
 

Good and gracious God,
source of wisdom and generosity,
who, through your ever-present Holy Spirit,
has bestowed upon our diocese in every generation
the means to accomplish the mission of the church,
we humbly ask for the grace to lovingly respond
to your Spirit, leading us in the service of the Gospel
through this Encountering Christ campaign.

May we experience a deep and profound encounter with Christ
so that, transformed through faith, hope and love,
we are moved to respond to the needs of the marginalized,
raise up vibrant parishes, form fruitful ministries
and call forth pastoral leaders.

Asking the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
may the work of this campaign be pleasing to you,
as we await, in joyful hope,
the fullness of your glory.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.