Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: Hosanna! These are the words we hear today from the Gospel of Mark as we gather on Palm Sunday and wave our palm branches and start our procession. Hosanna is an important word for us to remember because it means “save now”! That is what Jesus does for us. But this Sunday is also called Passion Sunday because the mood changes quickly as we hear the Gospel account of the events that led to Jesus’ condemnation and death. We must journey with Jesus and remember the sacrifice he made for us. This will allow us to experience the new life shared with us through his Resurrection. As we begin Holy Week today and prepare ourselves for the celebration of Easter, may we have the courage to follow Christ on this journey!
Today begins Holy Week, the most beautiful and sacred time of the whole Church year. Our liturgies this week are filled with ritual and symbol and help us understand the deep mystery and meaning of our Catholic Christian faith. This is why we gather together as a community several times this week. We need to be here in order to share fully in the joy of Easter. As our Holy Father, Pope Francis, stated, during Holy Week we recall the great love story between God and us as we encounter the Passion, Death, & Resurrection of Jesus, contemplate the depth of his love for us and commit ourselves to his way of love.
So, in gratitude for all Jesus has done for us, we gather on Holy Thursday for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and hear the story of Jesus giving himself to his disciples at the Last Supper. We also remember our faith is rooted in service as we imitate Jesus in the washing of feet. On Good Friday, we gather for Stations of the Cross at 3:00pm and then again at 7:00pm for the Veneration of the Cross and Communion. We remember that this instrument of Christ’s death becomes the means of our salvation. On Holy Saturday night we gather around the fire for the great Easter Vigil and hear the stories of our faith and celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation with those joining our Catholic faith. These three days are called the Triduum and are really one celebration that leads us to the light of Easter morning. I hope you will take time to be with us this week. Please take note of the Holy Week and Easter Sunday schedule included in this bulletin.
An important element of our Holy Week services is the presence of our elect and candidates who have been preparing to join the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil. Please keep them in your prayers as they take this important step on their faith journey. Many Blessings!
In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues to speak about his impending death and the glory of his Resurrection. He uses metaphorical language when he announces his “hour”: The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies it produces much fruit. Christ is the grain of wheat that dies in order to bear much fruit for those who believe in him and follow his ways. Through our faith in Jesus, we are called to die to self so that we can be transformed by Christ and bear the good fruit of faith in our lives. Our Lenten journey is an opportunity each year to die to those things in our lives that do not produce good fruit and allow ourselves to experience the joy of new life that comes through Christ.
This weekend the elect and candidates from our parish are celebrating the final Scrutiny Rite as they prepare to join the Catholic faith at Easter. Each one of them has their own unique story, but each of them has been led by God to make this powerful statement of faith. Our responsibility as a faith community is to pray for them and nurture their faith through our example. Sometimes we cradle Catholics can take for granted all that we have been given. Our elect and candidates remind us of the precious gift that has been shared with us through Christ. Please keep them in your prayers and help them feel welcome.
As we get closer to Easter, please help us beautify the church for this special season by making an Easter Flower Offering. You can make a donation in memory or honor of a loved one by using the Easter Flower envelope included in your March packet or using your own envelope clearly marked for Easter Flowers. You can also give Online. We appreciate your contribution.
Next weekend, March 23-24, is Palm/Passion Sunday. As we begin each Mass with the blessing of palms and the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, this celebration is also our annual entry into Holy Week. Weather permitting, we will gather outside for the beginning of each Mass. Please try to arrive a little early in order to pick up your palms and gather outside for the procession. And WEAR RED in honor of the day!
Join us for our next Agape Latte presentation this Thursday, March 21, at 6:30pm. This is an opportunity for adults in the parish to gather in a casual setting for an enriching faith conversation and refreshments. Parishioners Dave & Denise Brummel will be sharing their faith journey.
Don’t forget about our Parish Reconciliation Service this Monday, March 18, at 6:30pm. All of us are encouraged to celebrate the sacrament in preparation for Easter. There will be a number of priests hearing confessions. Please join us.
Have a blessed St. Patrick’s Day weekend!!
Many Blessings!
The Gospel for this Fourth Sunday of Lent contains the famous passage from John 3:16 – For God so loved the world…. but it also has Jesus saying to Nicodemus: Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. Jesus is making a connection to his own death on the Cross and the fact that he will be lifted up for the salvation of all, a true example of God’s great love for us. We are also reminded in this passage that through our belief in Jesus we will share in the gift of eternal life, for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. God sent Jesus to us out of love and through him the true light has been revealed and we are invited to live in the light. As we continue our Lenten journey, may we turn away from the darkness of sin and always embrace the light of Christ’s love.
Thank you to everyone who attended our Lenten Parish Mission with Fr. Ricky Manalo. We had great attendance each night of the Mission and I heard many good comments from parishioners. A big thanks to Mary Pat Storms for planning and coordinating all the details of the Mission, to Jane O’Brien and the volunteers who helped with the receptions each night, and to the parishioners who provided rides and meals for Fr. Ricky throughout the Mission. This was a special time to gather together during Lent.
This Sunday, March 10, our parish is honoring St. Joseph with our St. Joseph Table. This is a beautiful tradition that celebrates Joseph, who as the earthly father of Jesus and the righteous man who upheld the dignity of Mary is a model for us all. The St. Joseph Table will be blessed following the 10:00 a.m. Mass this Sunday and then the pasta meal, cookies, and other items will be available until 2:00 p.m. In keeping with tradition, all proceeds from the event will go to our service partners to support the great work they do in helping those in need. Be sure to invite your family and friends to come along. Come enjoy the day.
This week we have our annual Leadership Dinner for those who serve in leadership positions in the various ministries and organizations of our parish. This is a time to give thanks for their service and to also reflect on ways we can continue to grow and thrive as a parish community. Please pray for those who share their gifts as leaders in our parish.
Our Parish Lenten Reconciliation Service is Monday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m. All of us are encouraged to celebrate this sacrament of God’s forgiveness in preparation for Easter. There will be a number of priests from area parishes to help with the service. Mark your calendar to join us.
Many Blessings!
The Gospel for this Third Sunday of Lent is the story of the cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus drove out the marketplace that had been set up in the temple area and overturned the tables saying: Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace. Jesus was seeking to restore the religious nature of the Temple and allow those who entered to focus on their relationship with God. Jesus also uses this incident to foretell his Resurrection and identify himself as the new Temple of God. Jesus is reminding us that if we truly want to encounter God, it is not about a physical structure, but about entering into life with him. The season of Lent is an opportunity to turn away from the marketplace that rises up all around us and focus on deepening our relationship with Christ. What do we need to drive out of our lives so as to give ourselves more fully to following Christ?
Thank you to everyone who supported our School Endowment Fund in February. Through your generosity, we raised over $100,000. This amount will be matched by the Loretto Foundation. We are grateful for their support of our Endowment and for their help in raising this amazing amount so we can provide scholarships to future students.
As we move toward the recent diocesan change in the age of Confirmation, we will be holding a couple of parent meetings this week for parents of current 7th & 8th graders. The meetings are at 7:00pm on Monday, March 4 or Tuesday, March 5 in the Auditorium. At least one parent is asked to attend. The children do not need to attend. Please be sure to sign up for the meeting you will attend by using the QR code in the bulletin or by calling Michael in the Youth Ministry Office.
Our parish St. Joseph Table is next Sunday, March 10, in the Auditorium following the 10:00am Mass. We will begin with the blessing of the table and then food will be served until 2:00pm. This is a wonderful tradition to honor St. Joseph and also practice the Lenten discipline of almsgiving as all proceeds will benefit those in need served by our service partner, Uplift. A delicious pasta meal will be served for a free will donation and there will be plenty of Italian cookies and other items available to purchase. Invite your family and friends to join you.
Please take advantage of the opportunities to deepen your faith during this Lenten season. Don’t forget to join us on Fridays during Lent for Stations of the Cross at 6:30pm. This Friday, the Knights of Columbus from our parish will be leading Stations. You can come to the delicious Fish Fry that begins at 5:00pm and then join us for Stations in the church. Also, there are additional daily Masses during the week and three additional times for Confession. Se the details in the bulletin and our website.
Many Blessings!