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We are looking for volunteers to help coordinate the Sacrament of Baptism on Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Training will be provided. Time commitment is once a month. If you are interested, please contact Jeanette Britt at jeanette.britt@stcatherine-austin.org or (512) 892-2420, ext. 321.

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Knights of Columbus Council 8156 will hold its Annual Super Bowl BBQ. Brisket, Pork Butts and Ribs will be on sale in support of the Warrior & Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. Order your items by Sun., Feb. 6 at 9:00 p.m. at kofc8156.org/bbq. Pick up your order on Sun., Feb. 13 at the KOC smoker between 9 - 11 a.m. Want to learn more about the Knights of Columbus? Visit Knights.net and join us!

The City of Austin has moved into Stage 5 of Covid risk-based guidelines due to the Omicron variant spreading rapidly affecting both those who are vaccinated and those who are not. For these reasons, we are asking everyone at Mass to wear a mask and that unrelated people try to space themselves at least 3 feet apart. In January, we cannot allow groups to meet in the Parish Center. We may need to extend these limitations into February once we see how long this Omicron surge continues. We appreciate everyone's continued cooperation.

You may donate flowers in memory of a loved one or special occasion for a specific weekend. We ask for a donation of $90 for the altar flowers, $75 for the ambo flowers or $165 for both. To sign up for Altar Flowers, you will need to contact the Parish Office at (512) 892-2420 to see what weekends are currently available. To make the opportunity to sign up for altar flowers available to more members in the parish, we will release the dates available to sign up for flowers three times throughout the year.

The Knights of Columbus will be collecting diapers to take to the Texas Rally for Life on Sat., Jan. 22, for the Rally’s annual diaper drive for Pregnancy Resource Centers. Bring boxes of diapers (all sizes from newborn to size 6 will be accepted) to the narthex by Thursday, Jan. 20. Thank you for your generosity.

A special thank you to all our priests, deacons, musicians, lectors, ushers, Mass coordinators, and Ministers of Communion who give of their time to serve the community throughout the year and through this very holy season. A very special thank you to all the members of the Arts & Environment Committee for enabling us to celebrate in a beautifully decorated church. Blessings and gratitude to all!

On Saturday, January 1, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Mary is a model of holiness for us in her willingness to hear and obey God’s will. The Holy Day Mass will be held Sat., Jan. 1, at 10 a.m. (This is not a holy day of obligation.)

If you missed any of our seasonal events, such as Christmas in Siena, The Telling of the Christmas Story, or Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass dramatization, visit the Christmas 2021 page to view these videos.  Merry Christmas!  

The parish offices will be closed from Wed., Dec. 22 through Fri., Dec. 31. We wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Click here for the Christmas and Holiday Mass Schedules.

Please understand that our Christmas Masses are usually extremely crowded so the social distancing we do each weekend in both the Church and Johnson Hall will not be possible. The 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Masses on Christmas Eve have in the past been the most crowded. Those hopeful for any measure of social distancing should attend other Masses. We will live-stream our 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Masses on Christmas Eve and the 10:00 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day.

This is the last weekend to make a donation to our Christmas Giving Tree Project, which helps poor families in our geographic boundaries. We have only met about half of our goal so far and really need your help. If you are able, please purchase a gift card, write a check, donate online or put cash in the donation box on the Giving Tree table in the narthex. We will also accept donations on Monday, Dec. 6. Thank you for your generosity!

St. Catherine of Siena Parish offers members the opportunity to remember their loved ones by purchasing a Christmas Poinsettia to be used in decorating the church during the Christmas season. Click here for more information. Deadline to purchase is Mon., Dec. 6.

St. Catherine’s will host a Posada on Sun., Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m., after the 5:00 p.m. Mass. All families are invited to attend the Posada, the Bethlehem walk with Mary and Joseph as they look for a room for baby Jesus to be born. This will be an outdoor event. Sign up to bring a dessert to share!

The ACTS Community sponsored a "Trunk or Treat" on Fri., Oct. 29, in the West Parking Lot. Thanks to everyone who participated! View pictures of the event on this slideshow.

This month, we remember our beloved dead. We intercede for those who have gone before us in faith, that they are received and embraced by God. Here are some of the special ways to remember your departed loved ones in prayer at St. Catherine in November. Click this article to learn about the special ways to remember your departed loved ones at St. Catherine on November.

As the Christmas Season approaches, we wonder how we will get through all those traditions, and how to prepare for the holidays if we have recently lost a loved one. Join us on Tues., Nov. 16 at 10:30 a.m. for an online presentation by Lori Kruczek on dealing with grief during the holidays.

For those who need to update or renew EIM compliance, online EIM training is available until Jan. 2, 2022. Visit www.austindiocese.org/workshop to complete the online training today! After Jan. 2, 2022, those needing to renew will need to attend an in-person program.

We are pleased to announce we will be opening the campus for group meetings effective Mon., Oct. 18, 2021. We ask all ministry group leaders advise those attending that they must wear a mask covering both nose and mouth. As with the Church, the safety of everyone in attendance at the meeting is the responsibility of everyone. At this time, there are no size limitations imposed on any group, but we will not allow any food or beverages to be served. We will reevaluate this limitation once we reach stage 2. The requirement that all persons engaged in ministry, including catechists at every level and general volunteers, be vaccinated remains in effect.

All families to a special Halloween “Trunk or Treat” on Fri., Oct. 29. Everyone is welcome to this safe Halloween event for children where decorated cars/SUV trunks or pickup beds will distribute healthy candy treats. Come dressed in a Halloween costume or come as you are. The event will be held in the West Parking Lot and will begin with a Rosary at 6:00 p.m., followed by the “Trunk or Treat.”

Every October, we consider more deeply why every human life is valuable and reflect on how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. This is a time we can use to deepen our understanding of why, as Catholics, we "Respect Life" and what that looks like day-to-day. We are also in the midst of celebrating the year of St. Joseph. So, this year, we are looking to the witness of St. Joseph as a defender of life. Please visit the Respect Life table in the narthex for informational flyers.