PARISH POST

Masking: For those who are not yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19, masks are required for Masses and all other indoor parish activities, ages three and up. Once again this directive extends to all indoor liturgies and events/meetings held on parish property, including but not limited to funerals, weddings, Eucharistic adoration, meetings of parish staff and committees, formation programs, etc. The wearing of masks is optional for fully-vaccinated individuals.

In accordance with Kentucky State and Archdiocesan guidelines, masks are required for all visitors, students and staff within our Parish School. In accordance with these guidelines, we also ask all visitors, students, and staff to please wear a mask upon entry to both the Parish and School Offices.

Social Distancing: St. Albert encourages social distancing between family groups.

Livestream Mass: St. Albert offers our livestream Mass Saturdays at 5:00pm or anytime after; available to view at https://stalbert.org.

Handwashing: Please wash your hands regularly and use hand sanitizer when washing with soap and water is not possible.
Sanitizing: St. Albert will continue to sanitize surfaces regularly and provide hand sanitizer in all buildings.

If you or anyone in your household is running a fever or not feeling well, please remain home and seek medical evaluation before returning to campus.

If you have any questions regarding the Coronavirus and best practices please visit https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19.

Vaccine Information

Pope Francis is recently quoted as saying:

"Getting the vaccines that are authorized by the respective authorities is an act of love. And helping the majority of people to do so is an act of love...Getting vaccinated is a simple yet profound way to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable.” (Source: Ad Council)

Please visit https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-covid-vaccine for information on COVID-19 vaccines and where you can receive yours today.

Again, thank you for helping keep our community safe! May God Bless St. Albert the Great!

WORDS OF REFLECTION

Resolutions

Written by

Emily Bowling

Director of Stewardship and Communications

My family and I take a slightly different approach to New Year's Resolutions than is traditional. Rather than taking up or following some random 'resolution' that we know we will abandon after a month, we choose a word for the year to embody. A word or phrase that will be kept in our mind and spirit as we journey through life's daily trials. On New Year's Eve, I asked my Goddaughter what her 2022 word was. After some thought, she said "bold". For her, a timid 8 year old, being bold is the perfect word. I asked her to explain her word further. For her "bold" means standing up for herself when she would rather be quiet, making new friends, and drawing closer to Jesus. I told her that I thought that was the best word I had heard yet for the New Year. For to be bold isn't just something she would try and eventually let go of like traditional New Year's resolutions. No. Boldness will walk with her, just like Jesus, day in and day out throughout 2022. And hopefully will help her to continue to grow spiritually and to ask questions about how she can live her life to its fullest potential as the year goes on. And like Jesus, that word will push her to open up her heart just a little more each day to the possibilities of joy and service.

So I invite you to come up with your Word of 2022. Will it be "bold"? Or perhaps "patient" like me? Whatever word you chose, let it wash over you. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you through it. And be open to the new possibilities that will come to you. Happy New Year!

WORSHIP

mASS & rECONCILIATION uPDATES

Beginning Saturday, January 8th a Communion Service will be offered in place of Saturday morning Mass. Reconciliation will be offered on the second and fourth Saturday of the month from 3:45-4:45pm.

Additionally, our Thursday school Mass will take place during the 8:30am daily Mass whenever school is in session for the foreseeable future. All daily Mass attendees are welcome to celebrate the Mass with the school at 8:30am on Thursdays.

We share with you a listing of other nearby Mass times:

St. Margaret Mary - 7813 Shelbyville Road:

Monday - Friday 8:15 a.m. and Noon

Saturday 8:15 a.m.

Holy Spirit - 3345 Lexington Road

Monday - Friday 8:15 a.m.

Holy Trinity - 501 Cherrywood Road

Monday,Wednesday,Friday 8:15 a.m.

Tuesday and Thursdays 5 p.m.

Our Lady of Lourdes - 508 Breckinridge Lane

Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday Noon

STEWARDSHIP

2021 CSA: Almost There!

Donate at www.ArchLou.org/CSA.

Thanks to those who have already responded with a gift to the 2021 Catholic Services Appeal! There is still plenty of time to respond with a gift to this year’s Appeal. Gifts may be made through our parish office or online at www.ArchLou.org/CSA. We encourage you to make a gift to the CSA this Advent. All funds go to provide support to over 100 ministries spread throughout the Archdiocese of Louisville!

TITHES & OFFERINGS

Now is the perfect time to catch up on your tithing contributions for the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year. If you have any questions about where you stand for this year's tithing please contact the parish office. Thank you!

RECEIVED AS OF January 2nd (Numbers reflect all collections from 12/6/2021-1/2/2022):

Cash & Check: $73,281.19

Online Giving: $50,407.00

Total Received as of January 2nd for Fiscal Year 2021-22: $791,009.71

Total Needed for Budget: $806,884.47

Total Over/Under Budget: ($15,874.76)

Thank you to all who have blessed St. Albert the Great with gifts of treasure! It is through your generosity that our parish is able to meet our financial obligations and continue God's work of supporting and serving our community and those in need.

HOW CAN I GIVE TO ST. ALBERT?

Use Online Giving (scan the featured QR code, visit www.stalbert.org, or download the Give+App--available free in Apple and Android app stores).
Text 877-254-4667 your gift amount and follow the prompts. Click here for more information about Text-to-Give.
Mail gifts of treasure to the Parish Office. Our mailing address is 1395 Girard Drive, Louisville, KY 40222.
Drop off donations to the Parish Office or leave securely in the black security mailbox located on the brick wall to the immediate left of the Parish Office entrance doors.
Planned Giving: Visit https://stalbert.org/giving for more information.

Please call 425-3940 with any questions about giving.

Thank you for your generosity!

LIFELONG FORMATION & EDUCATION

The Chosen Bible Study!

Join us in watching the TV series The Chosen with discussion following. Learn more about the series at thechosen.tv

When: Tuesday mornings and evenings beginning January 18th

Times: 11:30am to 1:00pm - St. Joseph's Room (church)

and 7:00 - 8:30pm - Parish Life Complex

All are welcome to come Listen - Discuss - Reflect!

RSVP: Diane Thompson, dtcourtreporter@hotmail.com, or 770-722-0443

NURSERY!

Did you know that we have free Nursery care for children 5 and under during the 10:30 am Mass? Parents may drop off children in the Sacred Heart Center for quality care and play time!

PREP will resume classes this Sunday, January 9th!

Due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day PREP will not meet on Sunday, January 16th.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD

Children’s Liturgy of the Word is offered during 10:30am Mass! The ministry is intended for children ages 4-7. No registration is needed. The children must wear masks and are dismissed before the First Reading to Visitation Hall and return during the Preparation of the Gifts. There will be no Children's Liturgy of the Word Sunday, December 26th.

PARISH SCHOOL

bUNCO nIGHT!

8th Grade Trip Fundraiser

Come join us for a BUNCO Night Wednesday 1/12! Funds will go to support the upcoming 8th Grade Excursion Trip to Washington, DC and New York. Tickets on sale now for $20.

Bring your spare change for a coin drive and a dish to share! Doors open at 7:00pm on the 12th.

Good Food, Good Cause, and Good Times!

BUY TICKETS HERE!

Catholic School Tuition Assistance Applications Open

Need-based tuition assistance is available for families attending Catholic schools, and the tuition assistance application portal is open! Last year nearly $19 million in tuition assistance was distributed to families with children in grades K-12. Completed forms and a small application fee must be completed between November 15, 2021 and January 31, 2022. Copies of your 2020 tax returns and W2s are submitted with the application form. Go to www.ceflou.org to apply online.

Complete only one FACTS application for your family, including all students in the family (elementary and high school) on the same form. FACTS will send a need evaluation to all funding sources for which each family could qualify as well as the schools you have listed on the form. For questions about the application form, call the FACTS parent help line at (866) 315-9262.

PASTORAL CARE

Divorce Care Group

DivorceCare is a weekly seminar/support group that helps divorced or separated people heal from the hurt. It provides a warm, caring, and confidential environment in which participants can learn practical information and gain hope for the future.

January 25 – April 26, Tuesdays 6:30 – 8:30pm

St. Margaret Mary, 7813 Shelbyville Rd.

If you already have a workbook there are no additional fees.

Contact: Denise Ruiz, 426-1588 ext. 126 or druiz@stmm.org

Divorce Care for Kids

DivorceCare for Kids, DC4K, provides a safe, fun place where your children will learn to understand their feelings, express their emotions appropriately, feel better about themselves and develop coping skills.

January 25 – April 26, Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

St. Margaret Mary, 7813 Shelbyville Rd.

Donation: $25

RSVP appreciated to Denise Ruiz at 426-1588 ext. 126 or druiz@stmm.org

Nourish For Caregivers

Virtually every one of us will care for a loved one at some time in our life. Though rewarding, it’s not always easy. Nourish for Caregivers is for anyone juggling the challenges of everyday life, health, career and caring for an aging parent, spouse or grandparent, in town or at a distance. Nourish provides caregivers a faith perspective, as well as practical and emotional supports, useful tools, and shared experience. Discover the blessings that come from caring for another. Be nourished.

This group will meet on the second Wednesday of the month from 7 – 8:30 p.m. If you want to join in person we will be at St. Margaret Mary in the Spirituality Center. If you are unable to join in person, you can participate by Zoom. Please register by emailing Denise Ruiz at druiz@stmm.org, to receive the Zoom link or call at 690-2834 for more information.

SOCIAL CONCERNS

Tornado Relief: Goods Collection POstponed

The Social Concerns team has decided to postpone the collection of items to assist in the needs of those impacted by the tornadoes this December. It appears the primary need continues to be monetary donations vs. goods. We will continue to monitor the needs of the tornado victims and will plan a goods collection in the near future.

If you still wish to give a monetary gift to the tornado relief, please send a check to the Archdiocese of Louisville (ATTN: 2021 Owensboro Relief, 3940 Poplar Level Road, Louisville, KY 40213-1463) with “2021 Owensboro Relief" written in the memo line.

Loaves & Fishes Update

Please mark your calendars with these dates of food collections. The food is always picked up on the first Sunday of each month after the 10:30 Mass. Please know that you can put your food in the boxes any time that you are there. We want to make it as convenient as possible for you. Our food pantries are always so appreciative of St Albert’s generosity. Our first collection of 2022 will be February 6.

Feb. St Vincent De Paul
March. EACM
April. Sr Visitor
May St Ignatius
June Schuhmann Center
July St Vincent De Paul
Aug. Sr Visitor
Sept. St Ignatius
Oct. Schuhmann Center

Right to Life Signatures

Jan 8th and 9th we will be collecting signatures for the Right to Life after each Mass in the Gathering Space. Cost is $5.00 a signature and will be posted in the Record.

Catholic charities volunteers

How are those New Year’s resolutions going? If you resolved to make a difference this year, please consider visiting residents in long-term care facilities with our Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. Catholic Charities serves families in 15 counties, and much of the work is befriending residents, 60 percent of whom have no visitors other than our volunteers. Please email Moira at mbrennan@archlou.org for more information. cclou.org

YOUTH MINISTRY

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH RETREAT!

The Archdiocese Office of Youth and Young Adults presents, "Enough - A Story Of God's Grace" for any 9th-12th graders February 11-13 Cost is $110 - St. Albert the Great will pay half! DEADLINE: January 28 at www.archlou.org/youth

JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH RETREAT!

The Archdiocese Office of Youth and Young Adults presents, "Rooted - A Winter Retreat" for any current 7th-8th Graders February 25-27. Cost is $110 - St. Albert the Great will pay half! DEADLINE: January 28 at www.archlou.org/youth

Click on the 'Online Event Sign Ups' link to register for these amazing events!

COMMUNITY

Safe Environment Workshops

The Archdiocese of Louisville is committed to ensuring that children and youth who worship, study or participate in church-sponsored activities can do so in the safest and most secure setting possible. In an effort to fulfill this commitment, all employees or volunteers who have contact with children or youth (18 and under) for ANY length of time are required to participate in one of the 2-hour Safe Environment Training Workshops. We invite you to attend one of the upcoming workshops if you wish to volunteer within our parish.

1/17/22 6:30 p.m., Incarnation, 2229 Lower Hunters Trace, 40216 Gymnasium

1/26/22 6:30 p.m., St. Albert the Great, 1395 Girard Drive, 40222 PLC

Visit archlou.org/safe for more upcoming dates.

Adult Enrichment Class

Join us as we examine the ancient biblical cultures, peoples, places, and writings and explore the meaning and impact on our life of faith today. We invite you to join us on Zoom; Thursdays 7:00-8:30 pm OR Fridays 10:00-11:30 am. Call Lynnette (502-802-5966) to register (no fee) and receive the link to the class.

Scheduled in January 2022:

January 6-7. Egyptian Culture

January 13-14. Minoan & Mycenaean Culture

January 20-21. Greek Culture

January 27-28. Persian Culture

Click Here for a Full Calendar

Young Catholic Professionals Executive Speaker Series

On Tuesday, January 18 at 7 p.m., Young Catholics (ages 21-40) of all professions are invited to join us at The Overlook at St. Thomas (6800 Steeprun Rd, Louisville, 40241) for YCP Louisville's January Executive Speaker Series, featuring David and Julie Schneider. Together, David, currently the CEO of Rem Brands, and Julie, a custom homebuilder, have successfully balanced demanding professions, raising five children and their own partnership in marriage and business. For more information and to register (appreciated but not required), please visit: tinyurl.com/YCPDavidandJulie. We hope to see you there!

THANK YOU & GOD BLESS OUR COMMUNITY!