Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Entering Holy Week
We now enter into the holiest week of the year.  Hopefully we have persevered through Lent and we have grown in our trust of the Lord.  Perhaps we feel that we have failed miserably.  Even so rejoice for the Lord is merciful.  There is still time this week to renew your commitment - God can do a lot even in a short time.  All of our penance and prayer and fasting is meant to lead us to deeper trust.  Ever more reliance on God’s grace is what leads us to holiness.  Every little sacrifice, every small choice for God rather than a sensual pleasure or worldly pursuit is an opportunity for God to work more in our lives. Our Holy Week schedule is Holy Thursday 7pm, Good Friday 3pm, Easter Vigil 8:30pm, Easter Sunday (regular schedule) 8am, 9:30 EF Mass, and 11:30am.  Also, we will continue our custom of blessing Easter food and baskets on Holy Saturday at 1pm. 

Don’t be afraid to take extra time to pray, if possible, take time off work to participate on Good Friday. Make this week different from every other week. This will help us keep our priority on God and the great blessings He offers us.

Divine Mercy Novena
The Divine Mercy Devotion is very powerful and at this time of year it is fitting to pray the Novena attached to it.  It begins on Good Friday (4/15).  I will lead people in the Divine Mercy chaplet following the Good Friday Service.  The Chaplet will begin at 4:30pm.  We will pray the chaplet after the daily Masses of Easter week. The novena ends on Divine Mercy Sunday (4/24).  We will be praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet after each of the Sunday Masses as part of our time of Eucharistic Adoration.  Also, you can follow from home on the intervening days on our Facebook page. Please join us for this great devotion.

“Roamin’ Catholics”
An ancient custom in Rome on Holy Thursday night is after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, people would process to the nearby churches to visit our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Visiting other places showed our communion with all Catholics and how the Lord is present to us all.  Every year I stay in the church most of the evening seeing the different groups and families come from nearby parishes as they roam to see 4,5,6 and sometimes 7 different churches!  This year I will keep the doors open as long as necessary.  Don’t be afraid to make a pilgrimage yourself or with others.  Call other parishes and see how late they will be open. Make plans to visit and spend time with the Lord to prepare for Good Friday.

Faith Formation Nights to Return in May
It has been a while, but Faith Formation Sessions are returning.  We used to have them on Sunday mornings, but with our current Mass schedule that will not work.  Some comments have come saying they would prefer sessions not on Sunday anyway.  So, we are going to try the first and third Mondays of the month from 6-7pm.  Our men’s and women’s groups meet on the second and fourth Mondays, so this will complement that schedule.  The session will be in the church and include at least some time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.  When we get closer more details will be published, but in the meantime please feel free to contact the rectory to recommend any appropriate topics. 



Have a Blessed Passiontide.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Pfr