Next Sunday: Third Sunday of Lent Celebrant : Fr. Tharp
Please remember: No Tuesday evening Confessions at St. Ann
for next week !
We have Confirmation at St. Ann on Tuesday March 15. REMEMBER however that we DO have the Lenten Pastoral Region Penance Service for both parishes at Sacred Heard on Wednesday, March 30. There will be multiple priests available to hear your confession.
Again, that’s the St. Ann/Sacred Heart Communal Penance Service on Wednesday, March 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Lenten Devotions
I will have Stations of the Cross and Benediction at St. Ann on the Friday evenings of Lent at 7:00 p.m. (Good Friday of Holy Week is different) and Stations of the Cross during Lent on Sunday Afternoons at Sacred Heart at 3:00 p.m.
Dietary Rules of Lent
Rules of Fasting and Abstinence are not intended to do any harm. They are designed to make us aware of “why” we are fasting or abstaining. The self-deprivation reminds us that Jesus died on the cross for us. Our act of penance reminds us of who we are and why we do what we do. During Lent, Catholics are asked to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent, and fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Abstinence simply means “abstaining from meat.” The flesh of mammals and birds (essentially any animal that is warm blooded) is considered meat. The flesh of reptiles, fish (cold blooded), bird “eggs” and cheese are not considered meat. The chicken itself is warm blooded and thus is considered meat. Anyone fourteen years of age or older who will not be physically harmed by the diet is asked to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent.
We define fasting for Lenten purposes as meaning eating only one regular meal and two smaller meals or snacks, with no eating between meals. Fasting only applies on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and then only to those between the ages of 18 and 59 who have no medical problem aggravated by the practice.
CMA
If you have already pledged or donated; I am appreciative! If you have not received your card in the mail, please consider taking one and filling it out with a pledge or gift. You can put a stamp on the envelope and mail it if you wish, but I recommend simply bringing your completed envelope to Mass and dropping it in the collection basket.
If you are filling out the informational part of the card, please be certain to include on the last line titled “parish” either St. Ann Parish Hamilton # 906 or Sacred Heart Parish Fairfield # 746. Including the number assures us that any rebate from donation will be directed to our parishes and not to some other parish of the same name. There are multiple parishes in our Archdiocese named Sacred Heart as well as St. Ann.
DO NOT FALL FOR SCAMS!!!!
(You may be wondering why I keep running this same warning week after week? The reason is that I continue to get calls from parishioners concerned that I may have been arrested in a foreign country without money, or need you to buy cash cards for someone who is dying, or some other deception or fabrication. The scammers have even found a way to harvest my voice from the YOUTUBE Masses, and mimic me over the telephone. The “scammers” are indeed immoral and destined for the fires of Hell; but they always seem to exhibit sinister creativity. Please remember the following:)
Remember I NEVER solicit funds, donations, favors, or any request of any kind over the telephone, text, email, carrier pigeon, drone, etc. NEVER! Do not allow yourself to be taken in by scammers. Even if they have my recorded voice, it is computer generated! It is not me!!!
Reminder for volunteers who work with or around children
If you are a volunteer classroom parent in the school, a coach, drama club volunteer, scout volunteer, etc. please note that you should have been moved to the Safe Parish program. Fulfillment of this requirement is mandatory for anyone working with children. Please contact your parish safe environment coordination if you are uncertain whether you are registered or approved.
Please be aware that failure to register with and complete the requirements of Safe Parish will result in your inability to continue to work with or around children in any parish and/or school setting. We have been informed by the Archdiocese that there can be NO EXCEPTIONS.
Live Streaming a precept Mass from St. Ann and Sacred Heart each week
Since I live stream both the 4:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart and the 5:15 p.m. at St. Ann; I usually manage to live stream both, but on rare occasions the internet is out at one or the other location. If this happens, be assured that I will make every effort to correct the malfunction before the next weekend.
Please remember to access the Sacred Heart / St. Ann Pastoral Region You Tube site by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVLLqbEY5hKWinwz069MVcg
Reflection on Scripture:
The transfiguration was a private revelation for Peter, James, and John. But this private revelation became very important in retrospect after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The death of Jesus becomes known to the world at that time. His resurrection and ascension are testified to by many first hand witnesses, but the teaching of the faith was imparted to the Apostles. Together with St. Paul who had his own revelation on the road to Damascus, Apostolic Tradition is the source of what we know in faith. It is the Apostolic tradition that is carried on today by the bishops (successors to the apostles) of the Catholic Church and the Bishop of Rome. This continuity is essential to validate the testimony of Peter, James, and John. It is also essential to understand the magisterial authority of the bishops when in union with Rome. Jesus did not feel the need to leave us a signed photo of the transfiguration! Rather he left the sacraments and other holy tradition so we could know the truth. The truth is that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the Good News. Jesus is our only hope.
NEXT WEEK (The Third Sunday of Lent)
Ex 3:1-8a, 10-12
1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12
Lk 13:1-9
Theme: God gives us an abundance of second chances!