Annoucements:

Tax Preparation Volunteers Needed

Become a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Volunteer and join a dedicated group of community volunteers!  As part of its Paths of HOPE program, Catholic Charities offers free tax preparation to those with low-moderate incomes. Tax Law Training is provided by the City of Phoenix and by Valley of the Sun United Way through January.  The local VITA site will be: Catholic Charities Community Services, 1825 West Northern Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85021. Contact Melissa Dunmore to enroll – 602-749-4464 or mdunmore@cc-az.org.  Click here for job description.

CTA - Van Pooling/Parking:

The parish has partnered with Community Transportation Alliance, Inc. (CTA) to use parish's parking lot as a pick-up/drop-off point for CTA's private van service established to reduce the costs associated with daily commuting and provide you with alternative public transportation.  Click here for more information/pricing.  Click here for information about Church van service fees. Click here for website listing of parking locations.

Scrip and 2011 Entertainment Book Programs:

Support Women's Club fundraising programs - proceeds will be directed towards church electrical and lighting upgrades; click here for more info.

Deacon Fred Giesner Installed

Deacon Fred Giesner’s installation of his assignment to the Community of the Blessed Sacrament was held on August 14, 2011 at the 8:30am Mass. At this joyous occasion, we celebrated Deacon Fred’s gifts of service to our parish. Dcn. Fred was born in St. Paul Minnesota and attended Assumption Catholic School. After graduating from Mechanic Arts High School, he left home and worked for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. In 1951 he entered the US Marine Corps where he spent 8 years - two on active duty and six in the reserve. In 1957 he graduated from college and spent the next 40 years in business where he advanced to president of a Minneapolis Fortune 500 company.

Dcn. Fred moved to Arizona in 1984, entered the diaconate in 1988 and was ordained in 1993. His assignments have included Blessed Sacrament, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, and St. Patrick’s. He and his wife Mae have been married for 27 years and have 6 children, 8 grandchildren and 1 great grand child. Please welcome Deacon Fred and Mae to our community!

Parish Featured on A&E Program

A&E show - Billy the Exterminator recently filmed at our parish the capturing of a Javelena loose on parish property.  It was the August 2, 2011 opening show for his 4th season on A&E.  Click here to watch the episode.

Graced by Christ - Parish Lenten Mission

Fr. Dominic Briese, O.P. led 2011's Spiritual Lenten Mission.  Attendees heard exciting narratives about Palm Sunday, The Last Supper and the Resurrection, as well as, prayed the Rosary before each session.  Fr. Dominic provided very positive views of how God graces our Catholic Community. The mission helped attendees to feel they can touch God’s healing and go forth to share the Good News of Christ. On the last night of the mission, attendees were healed through the Sacraments of Anointing and Reconciliation. Attendees were encouraged to be fully alive in Christ by recalling our Baptism, celebrating Eucharist, and reaffirming our Confirmation as full witnesses to Jesus in the world.  Fr. Dominic shared a mix of great Scripture stories, Sacramental Teachings, and my Paschal experiences of life, death, and resurrection, along with joy and laughter.  Attendees left feeling closer to God and graced by Christ.  To learn more about Fr. Dominic click here.

Faith Community Nurse

If you are Interested in becoming a Faith Community Nurse at our parish, eMail or call Dr. Honora Norton, Parish Manager, at 480-948-8370 X223. Click here for job description.

CTODP Matching

Never given to CTODP?  Only YOU can help us raise $400,000 in matching scholarship funds!  There’s never been a better time to support Catholic education.  Now you can give to CTODP by April 15th, 2011 and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on your 2010 Arizona taxes!  (Max credits $500 single / $1,000 married).  And as a special offer to first-time donors only, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by an anonymous corporate donor, up to $400,000 total.  A $25 gift becomes $50; $100 becomes $200—and you can get the donation back when you do your taxes. Visit www.catholictuition.org/match for information or donate by phone at 1-888-TAX-CRDT (888-829-2738). Get your gift doubled today!

Kino Institute

Check out Kino Institute for classes held at Kino Institute. The Diocese of Phoenix through the Kino Institute provides continuing education for all adults in a variety of formats: 2-Year Certificate Programs; Adult Enrichment Classes; Various Workshops; Catechetical Symposium; and Leadership Conferences.

Welcome Deacon Jim Nazzal

Deacon Jim Nazzal, recently assigned to our parish, was ordained November 4, 2006, in the same class with Deacon Bob Evans. Jim has been married to his wife Barbara for over 47 years. They have three sons, three  daughters-in law and six grandchildren.  Born in Jerusalem, Jim grew up in Milwaukee where he met Barbara. They were “high school sweethearts” so Jim says he has no idea how old he is! Moving to Bellevue, WA for 15 years, Jim, Barbara and their family enjoyed the relatively temperate, but wet, climate of the Pacific Northwest. Needing to “dry out”, Jim and Barbara moved to Phoenix in 1994. After working in the corporate world for 30 years, Jim began his own business as a manufacturer’s rep for several companies.  Dcn. Jim first served at his home parish of St. Joan of Arc, where he was involved in several ministries.  During the past two years, Dcn. Jim’s assignment has been at St. Joseph, Phoenix.  Deacon Jim says: “Being assigned to the Community of the Blessed Sacrament is a gift from God…a gift that I accept in the spirit of the Vatican Council II documents where we are all being asked “to carry on the work of Christ…to bear witness to the truth, to save and not to judge, to serve and not to be served.”  I look forward to offering myself to the Community of the Blessed Sacrament – in service and in joy.”  Click here for pictures of Deacon Jim's installation celebration.

Welcome Auxiliary Bishop of Phoenix the Most Reverend Eduardo Alanis Nevares:

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Rev. Eduardo Alanis Nevares to be the first Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix on Monday, May 11, 2010.     Nevares, age 56, was born in San Antonio, Texas. He was ordained to priesthood in 1981 after attending numerous seminaries in Missouri, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas. He became a part of the religious community of the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette and from 1993 to 2002, was a pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Lufkin, Texas.   Bishop Nevares was the vocation director of the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette and of the Diocese of Tyler, in Texas. Bishop Nevares has taken on the duty of serving the Diocese of Phoenix in its entirety, including the counties of Mohave, Coconino, Yavapai, and Maricopa. The Diocese is home to just over three-fourth of a million Catholics out of the 4.5 million people in the population.  

The Bishop’s Rite of Episcopal Ordination was held July 19, 2010 at Saint Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church in Avondale, AZ.   Watch video of Ordination.  With more than 20 bishops present from throughout the West, including soon-to-retire Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles, Bishop Nevares was elevated to their ranks through a series of prayers, laying-on of hands and presentation of items that designate him as a bishop.  Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix led the service. He was assisted in the ordination by Archbishop Michael Sheehan of Santa Fe, who led the Diocese of Phoenix briefly prior to Olmsted's arrival, and Bishop Alvaro Corrada of Tyler, Texas, Nevares' hometown.  In his homily, Bishop Olmsted encouraged Bishop Nevares, who will function as his right-hand man, to serve the faithful with courage.  "The office of bishop is one of service, not of prestige," Olmsted said. "It is our privilege and our duty to serve and not be served, to put others' needs ahead of our own and to resist all temptation to lord it over anyone."

Our Fr. Tom Celebrates 68 years of Priesthood:

On June 14th, the parish staff gathered to celebrate Rev. Thomas Walsh's 68th year of priesthood. Father Tom was ordained in 1942 in his home town of San Francisco. He first came to Arizona in 1960 as a parish priest and at the All Saints Catholic Newman Center at Arizona State University. Fr. Tom continues to keep busy with 8AM Daily Mass (Monday- Wed and Friday's), weekend Masses and limited office hours. Fr. Pat, our associate priests, deacons, parish staff, parishioners and visitors are thrilled to have Fr. Tom call Blessed Sacrament his home - he is well loved by all.

Welcome Fr. George:

Born and raised in Minnesota, Msgr. George Schroeder (he prefers to be called "Father"), studied at Crosier Seminary, Onamia, MN and completed his studies at St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, MN. He was ordained for the Diocese of Duluth on June 2, 1962. Following four different assignments as assistant pastor in various parishes, Fr. George was Catholic Campus Pastor at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, for some 12 years and was also Diocesan Communications Director during that time. In 1982 he moved to the Archdiocese of Denver as Director of Campus Ministry for northern Colorado and then, in 1993 was named pastor at Holy Name Parish, Steamboat Springs, and St. Martin of Tours, Oak Creek.  In 2005, Archbishop Chaput asked him to be Vicar for Clergy, a position he served in until the Fall of 2007 when he retired here to the Valley of the Sun where most of his family now live. Previously, he assisted at Scottsdale's St. Patrick's Parish and now is assisting here at Blessed Sacrament.  We welcome Fr. George to the Community of the Blessed Sacrament and wish him well.

Charity & Development Appeal (CDA):

To donate online click here.

Fair Trade Coffee:

• "Fair-trade-Just Coffee" sales is sponsored by Just faith Small Christian Community.  In-stock coffee is sold-out.  This summer, order Just Coffee products online at www.justcoffee.org or complete an order form available at the parish office. Coffee may be picked up in the parish office two weeks after the order is placed.

Foreclosure Scams - Common Grace:

• Click here for info Arizona Attorney General shared at a Interfaith forum. 

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