Shortly after John XXIII was elected to the papacy, a reporter from a newspaper in the city of Rome requested an interview with the new pope. Pope John agreed to the interview, and invited the reporter to take a tour of the Vatican.

While pope John was showing the reporter around the Vatican the reporter asked, “Holy Father, how many people work in the Vatican?” Pope John replied, “About half.”

Our diocesan Pastoral Center staff have taken to heart the Vatican work ethic. They wind down their productivity a week or so before Thanksgiving, and really don’t begin to hit their stride again until around Super Bowl Sunday.

I have been trying, for almost a month, to get approval for the contract for our stained glass. I’ve begun to think that I might have gotten more substantive results from a “Letter to Santa.” I had hoped to have a preliminary design ready to show you before the end of the year, but that is no longer a possibility. I expect that it will be a few more weeks before we have a preliminary design on paper.

In the meantime, if you are interested in what the windows might eventually look like, I can show you photos of some other stained glass projects that have been produced by our artist. Our windows will be created specifically to suit our Chapel, but the photographs of the artist’s work will give you an idea of the type of windows she produces. As soon as I receive the preliminary drawings from the artist I will put them on display in the Chapel. Please continue to pray for a successful completion to our project.

Pot-Luck & Bible Study every Wednesday, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Catholic Student Center. CSU events for the Spring Semester will be listed on the CSU Activity Calendar.

The Five Love Languages for Singles - Because we are created in the image and likeness of God who is Himself love, the deepest yearning of our hearts is to love and be loved. The way we express love to those people around us is usually our “primary love language”. Learning to “speak” the love languages of the people in our lives will in turn help us improve all of our relationships. Join us in discovering the joy of expressing love, and feeling truly loved in return!
Date: Thursdays, (January 7 - February 18, 2010)
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Place: Christ The King, Mary Martha Hall, Rooms 203
For this study you will need the book “The Five Love Languages for Singles” by Gary Chapman available in most bookstores. If you prefer that we order a copy of the book for you, please let us know by January 3, 2010.

Fat Monday - Mardi Gras, which in French translates to “Fat Tuesday”, gets its name from the tradition of slaughtering and feasting upon a fattened calf the day before the season of Lent begins. In the same tradition, but on the Monday before Ash Wednesday, we invite you to join us for a veritable feast - $5 burger with fries – at Green Iguana’s. Come!
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: Place: Green Iguana’s (1200 N. Westshore Blvd., Tampa FL 33607, 813-868-7600)

Feeding the Hungry - Come spend a few hours of your Sunday with us feeding the homeless of Tampa Bay. We’ll be joining THORN Ministries, a spiritually inspired humanitarian outreach ministry that is totally reliant on Divine Providence for everything from the food to the volunteers. It will be a concrete way to love and serve the Lord and lessen the suffering of the poor during Lent. Join us and see for yourself!
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Place: E. Columbus Dr., just east of N. 50th Street

Here are some resources to help parents protect their children from on-line predators.

A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety published by the FBI.

CyberFaith - a site maintained by Sadlier Publishing that provides screened sites and links.