YOUTH ACTIVITIES

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Area Wide Vacation Bible School to be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Springfield; Sunday, June 14 Thursday June 18th from 6:00-8:30 PM each evening. The theme for this year is "Climb Aboard for Rocky Railroad; Jesus Power Pull Us Through! Local parishes work together to create this adventure for students entering Grades K-6. We also are looking for adult volunteers and high school youth volunteers. The cost is $35 per student which will include snacks and a t-shirt. Parents will also have to fill out a registration form by May 31st. If you have questions or would like to apply for financial aid, please contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org. ( As of now, Vacation Bible School is a go! We will keep up updated on any changes.)

Steubenville 2020 For our high school students, as of today, Steubenville is still a go for July 17-19 on the campus of MSU. If we have anyone who has signed up and plans to opt out, please contact Iris by May 1st. In addition, if anyone would like to be placed on the substitute list for Steubenville, please contact Iris at Ibounds@sta-cathedral.org

From the Pastor's Desk - Holy Week

From the Pastor’s Desk,

This week is the holiest week of the Church year and it has become the saddest week. Not only are people dying due to COVID-19, but we are all sheltering in place away from each other. Instead of celebrations with palm branches, washing of feet, reverencing the cross, blessing the fire, holding lit candles and baptizing new Catholics we are celebrating behind locked doors away from the people. My thoughts over the past week have gone to the early Christians during the Roman persecutions; the Catholic persecutions of the first century here in our own country; the English persecutions of the Catholic Irish; the Nazis persecutions during WWII. Maybe we need this time to reflect on how blessed we have been to live in our great country.

Palm Sunday recalls the scene in Jerusalem when our Lord entered the city riding on a donkey, and the people spread their garments and palm branches before him so that even the hooves of the donkey didn’t touch the ground. However exultant the crowd becomes, the crowd that will curse him a few days later calling for His crucifixion. As the mood of the liturgy changes, we are challenged to ask ourselves, “What do I expect of Jesus?

The Triduum begins with the evening Liturgy on Holy Thursday with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The first reading gives the background for the Passover Meal. The second reading contains some of the earliest written accounts of the Lord’s Supper. The Gospel presents Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. The washing of the feet of the disciples by Christ, is an example of the humbleness each Christian should possess. This Thursday there will be no washing of feet, no stripping of the altar, nor procession, but I invite you to stay with us in prayer for an hour following Mass.

Good Friday will truly be a sober day of the entire Church year. There are no decorations and no Mass this day. It is a day of fasting. We simply prostrate in humble submission before the Word and the glorious cross of Christ. The first reading tells of the glory of the cross, the second reading speaks of the great high priest who has passed through the heavens; the Christian mystery. The climax of the readings is the proclamation of the Passion of Christ according to John’s Gospel. John’s Gospel allows the majesty of Jesus to shine forth as He carries his cross alone. He is victorious on the cross; Jesus reigns from the tree. Following the Passion we pray the solemn form of the General Intercessions, this year there is a special prayer due to the COVID 19. The second part of the Good Friday liturgy is unique to this day, a wooden cross is brought into the sanctuary to reverence with a touch or a kiss. This is a remembrance of the days when the early Christians reverenced a replica of the true cross. We reverence a reminder of that instrument of torture, cruelty and death; because through it Christ has given us our Salvation. The Good Friday service concludes with a simple Communion Service with the Eucharist from Holy Thursday’s Liturgy.

Holy Saturday will begin with the Paschal Candle which has been prepared ahead of time lit and the Easter Proclamation proclaimed. The Liturgy of the Word then takes place, followed by the Renewal of Baptismal Promises. The Liturgy of the Eucharist then Follows.

Easter Sunday I will use again the Renewal of Baptismal Promises during the Mass.

The formula of general confession: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. Amen.

From the Pastor's Desk

This past week was truly strange.  With businesses downtown closed, with schools closed due to spring break, with the office on less hours, with rainy weather, few cars on Jefferson Street, it reminded me of the ice storm of 2007 without the ice and thankfully with electricity.  Our world has changed in just a matter of a few weeks.  If we were watching the international news, we should not have been surprised.  Our world is so interconnected that we are not living isolated from our world neighbors.  It was only a matter of time before the virus came to our country as Americans returned home from vacations or work overseas.

Over the weekend as I prayed and mediated, I tried to find the silver lining.  For all of those infected, for those who have died and will die because of the virus I am saddened and place them before our loving God.  For the rest of us I hope we learn to look at who and what is truly important in our lives.  In my own life I have slowed down considerable, taking more time to walk around St. Agnes campus, more time to pray and reflect.  For families I hope you spend the time together, eating meals together, talking with one another and not racing off to the next sporting event, theater or friends, because those things should not be happening. 

My thoughts have been centering upon the love and mercy of God.  God does not cause evil but He does allow it to happen since this is earth and not heaven.  May we learn how to care for one another in our homes, within ourselves so that we can love others more like Christ.  Time is the most precious thing we have and now we have hours, days of it to spend with those whom we should love the most.  And in the use of all this time, I urge all of us to spend time in prayer as families.  Parents as you were instructed at the baptism of your children you accepted the responsibility of the teaching of your children in the practice of our faith, to love God and to follow the Ten Commandments.  Work with your children as they struggle to adapt to learning without a teacher present in the room, and without coming to Mass so that once the crisis is past we will all be stronger.  As Fr. Joseph and I celebrate our daily mass, we are keeping all of you in prayer, in the loving hands of God.

In Memorial

St. Agnes Cathedral lost its beloved long time friend and employee, Judy Rippee, March 17th, 2020. Arrangements will be held in memorial as soon as it is possible. “The family of Judy sends out its sincere thanks to all who made Judy a priority with help, prayers and friendship during her illness. You are all in our prayers.”

From The Pastor’s Desk

Since the beginning of my priesthood thirty eight years ago, I have seen the development of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick. When I was a boy, I remember the Sacrament being only for those who were at the moment of death, or in danger of dying. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church Fathers went back to the earlier Church and studied the Sacrament, thus the sacrament has evolved to where it is today. As soon as anyone of the church begins to be in serious sickness, old age or in danger of death, they may receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration whether it takes place in the family home, a hospital or in church, whether it is celebrated for a single sick person, or a whole group of sick persons, or at the scene of an accident. It is very fitting to celebrate the sacrament within the Eucharist, the memorial of the Lord’s Passover. The celebration of the sacrament includes the following principal elements: the “priests of the Church” in silence lay hands on the sick, they pray over them in the faith of the Church, then they are anointed with the oil of the sick which had been blessed by the Bishop at the Chrism Mass. The oil is placed upon their forehead and on the palms of each hand. The first grace of the sacrament is one of strengthening, peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of the serious illness or the frailty of old age. This grace is a gift of the Holy Spirit who renews trust and faith in God and strengthens against temptations of evil, the temptations of discouragement or anguish, or fear of death. This assistance from the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit is meant to lead the person to healing of soul, but also of the body or mind if such is God’s will. If any sins have been committed, their sins will be forgiven. (Council of Trent) Coming from the Letter of the Hebrews in the New Testament, “by the grace of this sacrament, the sick person receives the strength and the gift of uniting themselves more closely to Christ’s Passion.” By celebrating the Sacrament of the Church, the communion of saints also intercede for the benefit of the person. I encourage everyone who is seriously ill, going to have surgery, living in the frailty of old age, or in the danger of death to celebrate this healing sacrament of God’s love. Sr. Elizabeth, goes to South Cox each week day to visit Catholic patients and one of the questions she asks, “Would you like to be anointed?”, many times brings forth answers like, “I’m not dying!” The sacrament of the sick is for all of us in need of healing. Please do not feel or think that you need to be dying to receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.

Letter from Bishop Rice

Letter from Bishop Rice suspends all public celebrations of the Mass until further notice, including daily Mass, effective 6 p.m., March 17, 2020. If you haven't already done so, please "like" your local parish's social media site and monitor its Webpage. Encourage friends to "like" the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau here, on this page, where Bishop Edward Rice will celebrate Mass LIVE from Springfield on Sun., March 22, at 9 a.m. Should you have questions regarding a particular parish/mission/chapel, please contact them directly. Thank you for your patience as we navigate this new environment. The text of Bishop's letter is to follow: Dear Clergy, Religious, and Faithful of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, It is with a heavy heart, yet with confidence that this is the correct decision, that I decree that effective at 6 p.m., March 17, 2020, and until further notice, all public celebrations of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau are suspended. The general dispensation to attend Sunday Mass remains in force until further notice. I will be celebrating Mass in Springfield “Live” via the diocesan Facebook page on Sun., March 22, at 9 a.m. Please encourage parishioners that if they haven’t already done so, to “like” the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau on Facebook as well as follow the local parish or mission on social media for the most recent information available. I make the decision to suspend public Masses out of an overabundance of concern for the long-term health and wellbeing of the People of God of the diocese. In addition, I must be concerned for the health and wellbeing of the priests entrusted to my care. Finally, local health departments and government agencies are now setting limits on how many people can gather in one place. We must cooperate with our local government leaders for the common good. Therefore: *All Masses offered by priests are to be private, according to the Liturgical Norms and not open to the public. Pastors are reminded of their canonical obligation to offer one Mass per week for the people. *All the faithful should participate in “local” Live-streamed Masses, or on EWTN, or their local Catholic radio station on Sundays and Holy Week. *Praying the Sunday Scriptures as a family, along with a Spiritual Communion, the Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and other devotions are encouraged. *Funeral Masses are to be offered for the deceased with only immediate family present. Christian Burial could be recommended with a Memorial Mass at a later date. No funeral meals are to be held. *Weddings may be celebrated with only the couple, parents, witnesses, and priest/deacon. *Baptisms outside of Mass may be celebrated with only the parents, godparents, and immediate family present. *Quinceaneras are to be postponed. *Confessions/Anointing of the Sick/sick calls to the home should be arranged privately. *All Stations of the Cross, Liturgy of the Hours are to be cancelled or Live-streamed. *All events, meetings, Bible study, etc., are to be cancelled until further notice. *Confirmations, First Reconciliation, First Communions are to be postponed until after this crisis has ended. *Unless otherwise determined at a later date, this also applies to Holy Week and Easter Sunday. *The Chrism Mass will be celebrated but with priests ONLY. These may be Live-streamed. Will notify parishes at a later time. *As our churches are typically open in the morning, I encourage visits to the Blessed Sacrament, especially for St. Joseph Day, March 19, and the Annunciation, March 25. *The Triduum could be celebrated for the Elect/Candidates only (at the discretion of the pastor). *The Elect/Candidates can also be received later in the Easter Season. I am grateful for the suggestions of so many of the priests who have called with their ideas. I want to echo the words of Pope Francis, and “thank the ‘creativity of priests’ who think of ‘thousands of ways to being close to the people, so that the people do not feel abandoned, priests with apostolic zeal.’” I encourage pastors to be creative in meeting the spiritual needs of the people without violating the local health departments. Dr. Gene Aug, Interim Superintendent of Catholic Schools, has been working with the principals of our schools so that the education of our children continues while they are at home. On behalf of our pastors, I ask our people to continue to support your parish financially with your weekly donations so the bills can be paid and payroll met. This may be a good time to participate in Online giving. I thank you for your generosity. Let us remember to pray for all medical personnel who come in contact with the virus. Let us pray for those searching for a cure. Let us remember those who have fallen ill. Let us pray for those who have died. May Our Lady, Help of Christians along with St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us and grant us peace and protection.

From The Pastor’s Desk

The ashes of Ash Wednesday have washed away and the Lenten Season is quickly passing. The first two weeks of Lent and our communal Penance Service has passed as have several others in the Springfield area. The question each of us should be asking ourselves, “Thus far, has my Lenten Journey been productive?” or am I simply going to church on Sunday?
The days of the priest standing at the ambo and telling the people what they were going to do during Lent are
over. The days of going to confession every Saturday if you wanted to go to Holy Communion are in the past. The days of placing the priest upon a pedestal, have simply gone forever, and I believe all these changes to be for the better. However, that means that everyone has to take more authority upon themselves if the priest is not going to be telling you what you are to do. You are now charged with your own spiritual decision making guided by the Church.
Lent should be different than the rest of the Church year. It should be set aside not only by the Church, but also by the people as a spiritual time to prepare for the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. This is the whole reason Christ came to earth. It is through His dying that our Redemption is found and it is in His rising that we rise to be with Him in His Fathers’ Kingdom. It is not too late to make this Lent different, but we need to start now if we haven’t already done so. It would not hurt anyone to give up something we like. It would not hurt anyone to read a little each day in the Bible, or spend a little extra time in prayer, or do something for an elderly neighbor. The list of things we could do, could go on forever. The important thing is that we DO SOMETHING.
When I met with our Confirmation Candidates I tried to impress upon them the importance to become a person/ people of prayer. That does not mean that we need to spend hours in prayer each day, although that would not be bad. Being a person of prayer means taking the Lord along with you throughout your day. Begin the day with a whispered thought/prayer as you get dressed for the day, on the way to work/school thank the Lord for the day/the gasoline in your gas tank, that you are not walking to work as so many people in the world. How about thanking the Lord for your job/your freedom to go to school. If it is going to be a hard day at work/school let the Lord be by your side, invite Him along. Whispered thoughts/prayers do not take time, they take effort, a conscious effort to include the Lord in whatever you are doing.
May your Lent be a time refreshing you with energy, enthusiasm through the graces of God.

PARISH SCHOOL OF RELIGION MASS

Our Parish School of Religion will have a special Mass on Sunday, March 29th at the 11:30am Mass. The young
people enrolled in our PSR program will assist as lectors, gift bearers and by singing in the choir. Family and friends - please join us in this Celebration of the Mass.

Youth Needed:
Sunday, March 29th, 6:00-7:00pm: Meet at the Gardens where we will play Bingo with the
residents. Come back to St. Agnes cafeteria from 7:00- 8:00 where we will have snacks and help fill Easter Eggs for our parish Easter Egg Hunt. Contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org for more information.

CONFIRMATION 2020

On March 14, at the 5:00pm Mass, 29 young people
from our parish were confirmed by Bishop Edward Rice.
Please keep the following young people, their families
and their sponsors in your prayers as they continue on
their Catholic faith journey: Ethan Bell, Robert Brown, Nhat
Bui. Alexander Byram, Dan Carroll, Mya Davis, Kaydie
Demster, Elizabeth Fairchild, Joseph Fairchild, Tristen
Gosnell, Long Hoang, David Le, Phien Le, Rose Pham Le,
Tam Le, Tien Le, Annabelle Moore, Ian Morgan, Vanessa
Ngo, Phuong Tran Nguyen, Truong Nguyen, Peggy
Nwodo, Emily Phan, Isabella Rangel, Benjamin Rapp,
Brandon Duy Truong, Jay Vo, Charles Waterhouse, Gina
Wittu and Benjamin Yarnall.

AREA PENANCE SERVICES

March 15, Sunday - Sacred Heart, Bolivar 3pm
March 16, Monday - Holy Trinity, Springfield 7pm
March 22, Sunday - Our Lady of the Cove, Kimberling City 3pm
March 22, Sunday - St Francis de Sales, Lebanon 3pm
March 29, Sunday - St. Joseph, Billings 4pm
March 29, Sunday - Our Lady of the Lake, Branson 4pm
March 29, Sunday - Holy Trinity, Marshfield 4pm
March 29, Sunday - Sacred Heart, Conway 7pm
March 30, Monday - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 7pm
March 31, Tuesday - St. Joseph, Springfield 7pm

From The Pastor’s Desk

We have moved from Ordinary Time to the Lenten Season. Each season of the Church Liturgical year has
different emphasis. Advent is the season of looking to the future. Isaiah prophesying 700 years before the birth of Christ gave the people hope when all seemed lost. All the prophets beginning with Moses pointed to the coming of the Messiah. They sought to motivate the people to plan for the future, when God would send a savior.
We are a people who plan for the future. We plan for short term as well as long term events. We plan for our
vacations, we plan for our retirement. In a parish setting we plan our liturgical celebrations and liturgies, we plan for our buildings’ upkeep, we plan budgets to follow, we plan for growth as well as what we believe will be the future needs.
Over the five and half years since I have come to St. Agnes Cathedral we have accomplished much in providing for safety, especially the front of the Cathedral, the new doors of the Cathedral, new LED lighting in much of the school, the new carpet in the Cathedral, new doors in the school, the addition of cameras throughout the school, the removal of the old convent which was deteriorating from the roof to the outside brick walls. The construction of the new storage building for the school, the parish, health care, PCCW, Knights of Columbus, and Scouts, has fulfilled a great need that every parish has, storage for things that are only used a few times a year or for items that need to be stored for future use. All of this has been accomplished without having to ask for money. Much has been accomplished through our bingo
funds and through people making private donations.
Since I have come to St. Agnes I constantly hear people expressing their desire for a parish building for parish
functions, not a cafeteria for students, but a large enough space for the parish to host dinners and different events. The Vietnamese community is also needing a larger space than the school cafeteria for dinners. After discussing with our Parish Council, Finance Committee and the Vietnamese Council President, Fr. Mac and I sat down to talk with the Bishop several weeks ago. The Bishop asked for a line drawing of a building from an architect just to look at what space is available for building and the estimated cost. If this is the direction we are moving toward, I do not want to use money on a professional fund raiser to tell us whether or not we can afford to build. If we truly want and need a facility then I believe our parish communities here at St. Agnes can raise the money needed to build.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Knights Breakfast: The next Knights sponsored breakfast is scheduled for March 15th after the 7:00 & 8:30 Masses. Come join us for biscuits & gravy and all the extras.

AREA PENANCE SERVICES

March 9, Monday - St. Francis of Assisi, Nixa 7pm
March 10, Tuesday - St Agnes - 7pm
March 15, Sunday - Sacred Heart, Bolivar 3pm
March 16, Monday - Holy Trinity, Springfield 7pm
March 22, Sunday - Our Lady of the Cove, Kimberling City 3pm
March 22, Sunday - St Francis de Sales, Lebanon 3pm
March 29, Sunday - St. Joseph, Billings 4pm
March 29, Sunday - Our Lady of the Lake, Branson 4pm
March 29, Sunday - Holy Trinity, Marshfield 4pm
March 29, Sunday - Sacred Heart, Conway 7pm
March 30, Monday - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Spfld 7pm
March 31, Tuesday - St. Joseph, Springfield 7pm

Youth Activities

Stations of the Cross for Families
Our Parish School of Religion program will sponsor Stations of the Cross for families & parishioners on Sunday, March 8th at 10:00 AM. The Stations will be held in the cafeteria & are very appropriate for our young people. Come grab a donut and then stay for Stations.

Youth in grades 8-12: Mark your calendar. The Open gym/ Dodgeball tournament is today in the St. Agnes Gym from 6:00-8:00pm. Bring a team ready to play! Great opportunity to invite other youth from outside the parish. We will provide pizza, drinks and other snacks. There will also be board games for those who do not wish to play dodge ball or basketball. We do ask that each person attending make a $2 donation to attend. This money will be donated to the "Lenten Mission of Mercy" sponsored by Bishop Rice. This money will benefit "Whole Kids Outreach", an organization serving the most poverty stricken communities in our diocese.
Come join us!

Confirmation 2020
Bishop Edward Rice with confirm 29 young people of the parish on Sat, March 14th at the 5:00 P.M. Mass. Please pray for these young people, their sponsors and their families that the sacrament of Confirmation will strengthen their faith in the coming years. There will be a reception immediately following the Confirmation Mass in the St. Agnes

Lenten Lock-In for Youth Adventure Program Members
Our annual Lenten Lock-In will be held Saturday/Sunday, March 21-22 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Springfield. All members in Kindergarten-5th grade in Scouts, American Heritage Girls, Trail Life USA, Little Flowers, etc. are invited. Those in 2nd-5th will be invited to spend the night. (6th-12th graders are invited to help out on Saturday night only.) For more information or to register, visit https:// dioscg.formstack.com/forms/lentenlockin or call the Office of Youth Formation, 417-866-0841.

IGNITE
Youth in grades 7-8 are invited to attend a Diocesan Youth Conference specifically for 7th & 8th graders. This is a one day conference titled "Ignite" and will be held in West Plains. The date is March 28th from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM at the West Plains Theater of the Civic Center. Parents are encouraged to attend with their child. Bishop Edward Rice along with other nationally known speakers will speak at the event. The cost is $25 and will include lunch and a tshirt. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish will be taking a bus and have a few open seats they will open to other parishes. Register online by March 6th at to dioscg.formstack.com/forms/youth_conf_registration. With more questions, contact Iris at ibounds@sta-cathedral.org.

WE ARE CALLED

Lent began last Wednesday, but you still have time to join Mathew Kelly’s free computer program. Simply go into DynamicCatholic.com, and then type in BEST LENT EVER 2020. You will be asked to enter your name and email address twice and then send. You will receive a brief message from Mathew each morning. If you would like one of his free Lenten Journals to spend a few minutes in quiet contemplation, call me at 889-7052. We still have some Journals left.
Beginning March 2, we would like to invite you to join us in small groups to share thoughts, ideas, and fellowship. We’ll meet in the Upper room in of the grade school each Monday at 6:10 for those who would like to attend the 5:30 Mass. Let’s do Lent together!
Ginny Smithberg

From The Pastor’s Desk

The month of March is our month to highlight the Knights of Columbus. The Knights of Columbus are found in many of our parishes throughout our diocese, although they stand apart from the parishes. I am not very active with our council here at St. Agnes, simply because of all the different hats that I already wear; diocesan, helping to cover South Cox, North Cox Hospitals, foundation boards and directing the theater at the high school.
To follow what our bishop in the past has written to our Knights here in the Diocese, “As Catholic gentlemen, we are called to a life of service. We are called to care for our families, serve our communities and serve our Holy Mother Church.” It is a great and wonderful opportunity that exists for Catholic men to answer the call to serve by becoming a member of the Knights of Columbus.
The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by a simple parish priest who had the vision and foresight to
conceive of an organization which would provide Catholic men the opportunity to live their faith through charitable works, caring for their families and defending the Catholic faith. There are almost 2 million Knights located in 15 countries. They are a strong moral example in a time in which our cultures and societies promote secularism over service to others.
The Knights of Columbus here in the United States donated more than $185.7 million to charitable causes and over 76.7 million hours in charitable work in 2018.
I congratulate all of our Knights here at the St. Agnes Knights of Columbus Council, as well as those members
throughout our Diocese who work hard in the support of the Church and their charitable causes. I invite any male over the age of 18 to learn more about the Knights of Columbus and ask the question of whether or not the Knights might not be the organization for them to grow in their faith, serving the church, their family and their communities.
Pope Francis has asked that the Church go to the peripheries. The Supreme Grand Knight said that, “We can reach half way around the globe to help those in need and we can reach to our neighbor next door. And we do that every day. That makes us witnesses to the faith.” We invite you to consider becoming a part of an international organization of Catholic men whose work involves helping others in need.

Youth Activities

CONFIRMATION NEWS…
Our final Confirmation session is today, Sunday, March 1st from 3:00-4:30 in the cafeteria: All candidates should bring their sponsor or a representative of their sponsor to attend this session. This session is mandatory. Confirmation will be Saturday, March 14th at the 5:00pm Mass.
Youth in grades 8-12: Mark your calendar. St. Agnes will sponsor an Open gym/Dodgeball tournament on Sunday, March 8th in the St. Agnes Gym from 6:00-8:00pm. Bring a team ready to play! Great opportunity to invite other youth from outside the parish. We will provide pizza, drinks and other snacks. There will also be board games for those who do not wish to play dodge ball or
basketball. We do ask that each person attending make a $2 donation to attend. This money will be donated to the "Lenten Mission of Mercy" sponsored by Bishop Rice. This money will benefit "Whole Kids Outreach", an
organization serving the most poverty stricken communities in our diocese. Come join us!

WE ARE CALLED

Lent began last Wednesday, but you still have time to join Mathew Kelly’s free computer program. Simply go into DynamicCatholic.com, and then type in BEST LENT EVER 2020. You will be asked to enter your name and email address twice and then send. You will receive a brief message from Mathew each morning. If you would like one of his free Lenten Journals to spend a few minutes in quiet contemplation, call me at 889-7052. We still have some Journals left.
Beginning March 2, we would like to invite you to join us in small groups to share thoughts, ideas, and fellowship. We’ll meet in the Upper room in of the grade school each Monday at 6:10 for those who would like to attend the 5:30 Mass. Let’s do Lent together!
Ginny Smithberg

ST VINCENT DE PAUL

Jesus said, “WHEN YOU GIVE TO THE NEEDY DO NOT LET YOUR RIGHT HAND KNOW WHAT YOUR LEFT HAND IS DOING,” but I believe that it is a good time for parishioners to know what our church does with the money you give for the poor through your contributions to St Vincent de Paul and the Giving boxes during Lent.
Every month our St Vincent de Paul contributes 25% of your donations to the Well of Life at 418 S Kimbrough where we feed the poor who can now come once a month for food. Our church and 7 other churches have been doing this for over 15 years. Some of our parishioners volunteer there. In addition, in the month of February, St Vincent de Paul helped 2 families with temporary housing, provided 180 bus passes for the Well of Life to give to those in need of transport to appointments or job interviews, helped 45 people with utilities, gave 17 gas vouchers, and helped 90 families with food when working at Crosslines food pantry.
Additionally, our parish continues to help Grace United Methodist Church each month with personal items and protein foods for their closet and supports the cost of doing laundry for the homeless there at the church.

From The Pastor’s Desk

This year has been liturgically calm since the end of the Christmas Season.  We have had seven Sundays of Ordinary Time before Lent.  That was enough time to take down my Christmas décor and think about preparing for Lent.  Ash Wednesday is this coming Wednesday.  Our sanctuary is bare of greenery with bare branches and vines and a purple altar cloth.  Oh yes it is that time again.  A time that when I was a kid, there was that question of what I was giving up to “mortify the flesh”, it meant give up something I really like to eat or do. 

Now that I am an adult, not counting that I am a priest, the more important question is “what am I’m going to do EXTRA during this season?”  The question that many people, myself included may ask of ourselves, how can I fit a new activity into my schedule that already is filled to overflowing?  I’m too busy, and most of you are also.  We’ll never “find the time” for Lent or any other new activity.  We don’t “save” time for a day when we need more time.  We live time day by day, moment by moment.  No one’s going to give us more time and our time is not to be given to someone else who is needing a few extra hours in the day.  God has already given us all the time we will ever need.  We need to live and plan smarter.

If we are going to do more of something: Lenten extras, Easter preparations or celebrations of anything, we are going to have to do less of something else.  That is the essential rule of time management:  if you want a half hour here, you have to take a half hour from there.  It is a tradeoff.  DO NOT take that time from sleeping and from nurturing personal relationships.  Robbing yourself of sleep will take your energy, enthusiasm, efficiency, and none of us are spending enough time with the really important people in your life.

When I meet with our Confirmation Candidates I try to impress upon them the importance to become a person/people of prayer.  That does not mean that we need to spend hours in prayer each day, although that would not be bad.  Being a person of prayer means taking the Lord along with you throughout your day.  Begin the day with a whispered thought/prayer as you get dressed for the day, on the way to work/school thank the Lord for the day/the gasoline in your gas tank, that you are not walking to work as so many people in the world.  How about thanking the Lord for your job/your freedom to go to school.  If it is going to be a hard day at work/school let the Lord be by your side, invite Him along.  Whispered thoughts/prayers do not take time, they take effort, a conscious effort to include the Lord in whatever you are doing.  May your Lent be a time refreshing you with energy, enthusiasm through the graces of God.