Jesus was convinced that if he were going to spend himself for others by his preaching and healing ministry, he would repeatedly have to summon spiritual reinforcements. He knew that he could not live without prayer, because his teaching and healing ministry drained him of power. For example, after describing how the woman who had touched Jesus’ garment was instantly healed, Mark remarks: “Jesus knew that power had gone out of him”. The “deserted place” to which Jesus went to pray was not actually a desert. Rather, it was a place where he he could be free from distractions -- a place where he could give himself unreservedly to prayer. He went there, not so much to escape the pressures of life, as to refresh himself for further service. Jesus' prayer is a prayer of perfect praise and thanksgiving to the Father; it is a prayer of petition for himself and for us; and it also a model for the prayer of His disciples. Our daily activities also drain us of our spiritual power and vitality.  Our mission of bearing witness to God requires spiritual energy which comes to us through daily anointing by the Holy Spirit. Hence, we, too, need to be recharged spiritually and rejuvenated every day by prayer – listening to God and talking to Him.

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COLLECTION RESULTS: Regular Collection: $13,276.00 Maintenance and Repairs: $1,056.00

CATHOLIC CHARITIES: This is the final reporting weekend for Catholic Charities at St. Matthew's. To date we have fallen considerably below our goal for 2021. Please take a minute to fill out a pledge card today and either place it into the collection or the mail. Many throughout the Archdiocese rely upon our generosity and the success of this campaign.

 

Our Prayer List

Chip Andrus, Rick Arguelo, Thomas Bennett, Theresa Brannon, Samuel Branum, Frances Bridges, Gaylord Brinnon, Lelia Burkes, Cullen Calametti, Mary Ann Calametti, Malcolm Calametti, Gene Carney, John Carney, Sandi Clark, Pete Cobb, Michael Lambert Collins, Garrett Colvin, Ella Comer, Art Conlon, Deacon Joe Connick, Kevin Connick, Mary Connick, Anthony (Tony) Constantine, Kathy Conwell, Teddy Covington, Ken Crane, Jeff Crawford, Frances Crist, Dr. Debbie Davis, Mike Deming, Duncan Family, Charlie Elliott, Jim Ellis, Mike Ellis, Carolyn Fairey, Susan Naman Fillers, Linda Fobs, Howard Fowler, Maureen Frost, Spencer Frost, Joe Gable, Dell Garner, Shay Schjott Gautreaux, Ann Geisenheimer, Flora Gilbert, Sheila Green, Patsy Brown Habeeb, Dee Dee Hand, Midge Harden, Christine Harrison, Mat Hartley, Mark Haynes, Katie Henley, Amanda Herring, Blakely Herring, Willie Hill, Parker Hollinghead, Slade Hooks, Claudette Howard, Mary Howell, Robert Howell, Michael Hudson, Kim Hughes, Jerry Ingle, Nelson Iturbe, Sharon Jemison, Shelley Judd, Fred Karkowski, Coy Kirkland, Judy Knowles, Michael J. Knowles, Paul Knowles, Emma Koppersmith, Logan Kynes, Sam Love, Floyd Laurendine, Angie Leon, Patsy Conn Lilley, Frances Luckie, Marcia Luckie, Sage Lyon III, Betsy Mabry, Joanne Maceluch, Mary Martin, Joyce Masters, Christine Mayhall, Brian McArdle, Herbert McClamy, Shirley Cayton McDonald, Geraldine McGlasker, Butch McPherson, Kelly McPhillips, Woodie McPhillips, Bender Middlekauff, Franklin Millette, Shannon Milling, K. P. Mixon, Edna Moffett, Tom Murray, Kate Myers, Gerard Neely, Sue Neely, Trinity Neno, Will Nichols, Ginny Noletto, Tony Odom, Lee Pace, Ross Partridge, Betty Patrick, Larry Patterson, Wilford Paul, Emma Perkins, Marie Perkins, Neil Pouliot, Fringella Preston, Walter Haywood Prine, Louise Pruitt, Carolyn Pryor, Sheri Reddington, Barbara and Tommy Repoll, Mary Rooney, Davis Saratt, Lucille Scott, Mary S. Seibert, Dell Sharbrough, Carol Shepherd, Phil Smith, Eric Speas, Toodie Spikes, Allison Repoll Spillman, Caroline Stapleton, Rose Story, Nita Sutton, Noni Swails, David Taylor, Anita Toole, Penny Townsend, Irene Troy, Abbie Vaughn, Margie McKay Wadsworth, Bert Wainwright, David Wainwright, Artemise N. Walker, Bill Watkins, Johnny Watts, Michael Watts, Darlene Pennington Wilson, Michael Wilson, John Paul Wilson, Ralph Wilson, Jr., Taylor Wright.

Please inform the church office with any mistakes, additions or removals. Thank you.

 

MASS INTENTIONS:

Saturday, February 6	Ross Pritchard (D)	Tuesday, February 9	Trinity Neno (L)
Sunday, February 7	Florence Bowdoin (D)	Wednesday, February 10	Susan Fillers (L)
Monday, February 8	Megan Demeranville (D)	Thursday, February 11	Doris and Alex Habeeb (D)
Saturday, February 13	Deacon Joe Connick (L)

 

Respect Life Announcements

Mary's Shelter Gulf Coast is having a “Be My Valentine” draw down on Saturday, February 13,2021. The location of the draw down will be both online and at Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church in Gulf Shores from 1:00 until 3:30 PM. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased online at secure.qgiv.com/for/bmv. The last ticket drawn will win $10,000. Your donation helps the Mary's Shelter mission to give pregnant women and their children a living home and needed support. For additional information please call Marianne Byrd at (251)986-6200.

The Holy Father's prayer intention for February: We pray for women who are victims of violence, that they may be protected by society and have their sufferings considered and heeded.

2021 SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

January 10	Living Faith Booklets	July 4	Peter's Pence
January 31	Maintenance and Repairs	July 11	Missionary Co-op
February 21	Black & Indian Missions	July 25	Maintenance and Repairs
February 28	Maintenance and Repairs	August 1	Church in Latin America
March 7	Easter Flowers	August 15	Home Missions
March 14	Catholic Relief	August 29	Maintenance and Repairs
March 28	Maintenance and Repairs	September 19	Catholic University
April 2	Holy Land	September 26	Maintenance and Repair
April 4	Church in Central/Eastern Europe	October 10	All Souls Offering
April 25	Maintenance and Repairs	October 24	Propagation of the Faith
May 2	Catholic Week	October 31	Maintenance and Repairs
May 23	Catholic Communications	November 21	Campaign for Human Dev.
May 30	Maintenance and Repairs	November 28	Maintenance and Repairs
June 20	Seminarians	December 5	Christmas Flowers
June 27	Maintenance and Repairs	December 12	Retired Religious
December 26	Maintenance and Repairs