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Catholic convert to speak in January

Registration begins Monday, November 15, for a special all-day session in January with Dr. Scott Hahn, a former Presbyterian minister who converted to Catholicism in 1986.

Dr. Hahn is a popular speaker who has given more than 800 talks across the country and overseas. He appears regularly on EWTN. He is the author of many books on theological subjects, including Rome Sweet Home, which chronicles the process of conversion of him and his wife, Kimberly.

Hahn boasted as a young minister of having converted some Catholics to what he called a purer Christianity. However, he and his wife began to have doubts when they became convinced that contraception was against God's law.

The more he studied the differences between Catholicism and Protestant denominations, the more he became convinced that Catholicism was the true church. Hahn credits the Catholic organization Opus Dei with influencing his conversion.

The Spend a Day with Dr. Scott Hahn runs 10 a.m to 3 p.m. January 29 at Light of Christ Catholic Church in Clearwater. An optional Mass begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by registration and refreshments. Tickets are $20 each and include a box lunch.

You may register in advance at www.locchurch.org or at the Light of Christ rectory. Call (727) 386-9248 for more information.

Dr. Hahn's topics for the day will be The Lamb's Supper, Letter & Spirit and Why Scripture Matters.

Dr. Hahn is one of the featured speakers for Lighthouse Catholic Media. His books and CDs are available in the narthex at church.

The Gospel this Sunday

November 14, 2010
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Luke 21:5-19

While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here--
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."

Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,’ and 'The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.

"Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."

• Read the first and second readings and the Responsorial Psalm

– United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

St. Raphael Memorial Crucifixes now available

When St. Raphael Catholic School started using the space near the entrance of the old church for a band room, some of the pews had to go.

Parishioner Don Mattick saw an opportunity. Don’t discard those pews, he said. He had plans for them. He saw possibilities for that fine old walnut wood.

Don and parishioner Tony d’Abramo have created beautiful handmade memorial crucifixes from the old wood. The second batch of them is now being prepared and is available at the parish gift shop.

Each piece is hand sanded and individually custom fitted. The handcrafted items are not varnished or stained. The natural wood is hand rubbed with linseed oil to bring out the grain and natural color. Each cross is branded with the initials of the church burned into the wood at the base.

There are three sizes, 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch, and metal and resin corpora from which to choose. They can be made to hang on a wall or be freestanding with a small block pedestal. Prices range from $20 to $32.

Although the material has been cut and prepared the crucifixes have not all been constructed yet. They will be completed when orders are placed for them.

Don (far left) and Tony started working together a couple of years ago after Tony retired. Their first project was to build choir robe cabinets in the hallway between Meeting Room A and the church. Since then they’ve tackled other projects around the parish. Over time, Don has been instrumental in acquiring woodworking equipment he and Tony now use. Not long ago Don bought nearly a whole workshop of equipment from the Missionaries of Africa retirement home on Seventh Avenue near the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle.

In addition to the crucifixes, there are several small tables in the church constructed from wood of the old pews.

Crucifixes are not only for sale at the gift shop but some have been created for a special purpose. Ten crucifixes are hung throughout the parish campus, including the priests’ rooms, the sacristan and altar servers rooms, and meeting rooms A and B.

This is actually the third batch of handmade crucifixes for St. Raphael. The first was created from scrap wood from building the beams in the new church in late 2005. There were 59 crucifixes in that edition. Then, in 2007, there were 98 in the first batch using wood from the old pews. This third edition will include 44 crucifixes.

Not all the pews will be used for the crucifix project. Some were sold to parishioners and others who wanted a unique furniture piece for their home. There are pews still available. Longer ones are $300. Shorter ones are $200.

Don and Tony extend an invitation to anyone who wants to help with the various parish building projects. Recently the two have been putting windows into doors in the church office to make it easy to see if the priests have visitors without disturbing them.

Don suggests that young parishioners who have a desire to do woodworking but don’t have the experience and skills needed would be particularly welcome. He’s happy to pass on his knowledge. Don recalls being taught woodworking by a master carpenter so showed him how to do a task then made him do it.

“I’d love to pass some of that on,” Don says.

Photos by Jane Winstead

The return of Matthew Kelly – on CD

Parishioners who heard Matthew Kelly when he came to St. Raphael may be delighted to learn of his new CD, Our Lives Change When Our Habits Change.

Kelly (left), the Australian-born motivational speaker who wrote Rediscovering Catholicism, visited our parish in January as part of a three-day mission in the Tampa Bay area.

Kelly challenges Catholics to wake up the sleeping giant that is the Catholic Church. He urges us to become a billboard for the faith by becoming "the best version of ourselves."

It is similar to the message he brings to secular audiences in his role as corporate motivational speaker tending to such clients as Chick-fil-A, FedEx, McDonalds, 3M, and Pepsi.

But Kelly was raised Catholic, and it is to those roots he returns when he embarks on missions like the one that brought him to St. Raphael. Recordings of Kelly's Catholic missions are distributed by Lighthouse Catholic Media. This new CD can be ordered here. The parish gets a donation back on any CD club subscriptions.

Parishioner Julie Musselman has made Lighthouse CDs and books available in the narthex at the church. Stop by the Lighthouse display for CDs and books from other dynamic Catholic speakers.