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Mass Intentions: Week of March 22nd
| Day | Time | Intention | Requested By | Living or Deceased |
| Saturday | 5:00 p.m. | Lydia Arias | Father Tim | Deceased |
| Sunday | 9:00 a.m. | Maureen Kissinger Joseph Gredd (40th Anniversary) | Helen Gredd Helen Gredd | Deceased Deceased |
| 11:00 a.m. | For the Parishioners | |||
| Monday | 8:00 a.m. | No Mass | ||
| Tuesday | 8:00 a.m. | Holy Souls in Purgatory | The Danahy and Sammel Families | |
| Wednesday | 8:00 a.m. | Bridget Horvath | The Haase Family | Deceased |
| Thursday | 8:00 a.m. | For the Parishioners | ||
| Friday | 8:00 a.m. | Gary Malunis | The Parish | Deceased |
| Saturday | 12:00 p.m. | Anointing of the Sick | ||
| 5:00 p.m. | John Cleaver Kelly Joseph Oths (40th Anniversary) | Stephen and Janet Kelly The Farrell Family | Deceased Deceased | |
| Sunday | 9:00 a.m. | Kathleen Dwyer Mary Ann Pilon | Peggy Morrow Doris E. Motl | Deceased Deceased |
| 11:00 a.m. | Father Joseph Dietz Michael Madden | David Impastato His Family | Deceased Deceased |
Week of March 22nd
From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Parishioners,
Lent should be simple, meaningful, and peaceful. The focus should be on our sins and on the ‘doing’. However, the true focus should be on the cross/crucifix.
The cross/crucifix is one of the central symbols of Christianity. The cross contains two wooden beams without the corpus (body); whereas the crucifix consists of the cross with the corpus (body). While growing up as a Methodist, I wore a cross. When I converted to Catholicism, my mom allowed me to select a crucifix from her jewelry store. I have been wearing it for almost 45 years. Whether you wear a cross or crucifix both are a strong symbol of the blood poured out for our salvation.
In two weeks, Christians will celebrate Good Friday with a simple, meaningful, and peaceful liturgy. According to the Church’s ancient tradition, MASS IS NOT CELEBRATED ON THIS DAY. One of the most moving parts is Part II: The Adoration of the Holy Cross. The revised English translation now calls it Adoration, a word we reserve only for God. Catholics do not adore Mary, saints or statues. However, we do offer degrees of veneration.
The cross holds a special place of honor not only on this day, but at the center of the Liturgy, which begins with, “Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the Savior of the world.” It was where the limbs of Christ were stretched, on which his precious blood was spilled, and on which he died. Here, one could see how a cross is preferred over a crucifix, because we are venerating the instrument of our redemption.
The faithful will have an opportunity to come forward to venerate/adore. In some large churches, there are several stations and in others just one. The practice of kissing the cross on Good Friday dates back to the fourth century, where the faithful in Jerusalem had in their possession what they believed to be the true cross.
Today, the faithful may adore the cross on Good Friday in any way they choose: a kiss, a touch, a bow, a genuflection or standing in silence with or without their shoes. What will you do? As this act of devotion unfolds, a variety of songs are sung acapella or with minimal use of the organ, piano or a musical instrument to support this profound gesture. One of the most poignant song sung and reflects the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the nature of this day, causing deep emotions and reverence, is:
Where You There When They Crucified My Lord
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
We Adore You O Christ, and we praise you.
Fr. Tim
The Word of God
Reading I: Ezekiel 37: 12-14 The prophet “sees” the future as something present to him, and he sets it before his hearers (and readers). He does this with the promise of resurrection given him by God as the abiding Holy Spirit.
Reading II: Romans 8: 8-11 The Spirit dwells within us, so when God resurrects our mortal bodies, He completes the process of adoption that began with our Baptism.
The Gospel: John 11:1-45, or 11:3-7, 17, 20- 27, 33b-45 The raising of Lazarus is the sixth of the seven “signs” that Jesus performs in John’s gospel, which gives full support to Jesus’ claim to “give life.” For our purposes, note verse 35: “Jesus wept.”