Peter & Paul C AT H O L I C C H U R C H

Transcription

1 Saints Peter & Paul C AT H O L I C C H U R C H 902 East Ninth Street Hopkinsville, KY Established 1872 OUR MISSION STATEMENT We are a Roman Catholic Community of Christians called to be a priestly people, a household of faith, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a beacon of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church shining for Jesus Christ in the heart of Christian County. MASS SCHEDULE Saturday evening... 5:00 PM Sunday... 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM Misa en Español... 2:00 PM, 10:30 PM Monday - Saturday... 8:00 AM Wednesday... 5:30 PM Thursday MISA EN ESPAÑOL... 5:30 PM First Friday of each month... 6:00 PM Rev. Fr. Richard Meredith, Pastor crmeredith@stsppchurch.org Rev. Fr. Al Bremer, Parochial Vicar frbremer@bellsouth.net Rev. Fr. Basilio Az Cuc, Parochial Vicar bazcuc@stsppchuch.org Permanent Deacon, Mr. Tim Barnes tdbarnes@stsppchurch.org Permanent Deacon, Dr. Bill Sweet wesweet@stsppchurch.org PARISH OFFICE PHONE: (270) PARISH FAX: (270) PARISH WEBSITE: DIOCESAN WEBSITE: VATICAN WEBSITE: OFFICE HOURS: 8 AM - 5 PM Monday Friday (Closed Noon -1:00 pm Daily) SCHOOL TELEPHONE: (270) SCHOOL FAX: (270) SCHOOL WEBSITE: Tru h Radio WSPP 93.5 FM Saints Peter and Paul Assistance: Saints Peter and Paul Thrift Store: MEMBERSHIP IN THE PARISH We give a sincere welcome to all new families moving into our Parish. Please register in the Parish Office as soon as possible. Families who plan to move from our parish community are asked to inform us. Bulletin material deadline: Monday at noon in writing or . April 2, 2017 Fifth Sunday Of Lent

2 2 SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY MINISTRY TO THE SICK Please notify the Parish Office upon admission of a family member into any hospital or nursing home. Any parishioner who is ill or infirm may request anointing by calling the Parish Office, PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION This is a devotion whereby members of the parish unite in taking hours of Adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament during the day and throughout the night, seven days a week. (Code required for evenings.) There is a regular schedule of adorers but all are welcome to stop in for a visit. Parishioners are encouraged to sign up for a scheduled weekly Adoration time. Please contact Bill & Jenny Rush at , if you are interested in adopting an hour or if you can be a substitute or prayer partner. Available hours: 4 am Tuesdays, 1am Wednesdays, (7am Thursday needs prayer partner), 11 pm Fridays, 3 am Saturdays. Parish Pastoral Council Robin Bilan, Vice-Chair, Education rcbilan@hotmail.com Jim Creighton, Spiritual Life creighton.jim@gmail.com Libby Downs, Pastoral Associate...ljdowns@stsppchurch.org Norma Folz, Worship...nbfolz@gmail.com Gary Harden, Family Life...garyharden@gmail.com Sarah Kranz, Principal...skranz@stsppschool.org Fran Marko, Secretary..franmarko@gmail.com Joe Mezzoni, Chair/Admin... joemezzoni216@att.net Social Concerns.. PARISH STAFF Tom Buehrle (twbuehrle@att.net)...director Of Stewardship Brenda Chaudoin (bchaudoin@stsppchurch.org). Parish Office Mgr. Libby Downs (ljdowns@stsppchurch.org)...pastoral Associate Jennifer Groves (jgroves@stsppschool.org) School Secretary Leigh Ann Johnson Parish Assistance Coordinator Steve Kinnard (skinnard@stsppchurch.org)...maintenance Foreman Sarah Kranz (skranz@stsppschool.org)...school Principal Donna Pfeufer (dgpfeufer@gmail.com)...thrift Store Gen. Mgr. Angie Phillips (abphillips2013@gmail.com)...thrift Store Mgr. Mayra Tirado (mtirado@stsppchurch.org)...hispanic Ministry Asst. Sue Wassmer (swassmer@stsppchurch.org)...parish Secretary Amy Watkins (awatkins@stsppchurch.org)...parish Music Director The Catholic Church teaches that the sexual abuse of any person is a grave moral evil. To report any instance of sexual abuse by any employee of the Catholic Church please call the Office of the Bishop in Owensboro at (270) The Safe Environment Program is now available at the Diocesan website SACRAMENTS Reconciliation: Confessions will be heard Saturday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (English and Spanish), Wednesday at 4:30 PM. (ENGLISH and SPANISH). Confessions will be heard any time by appointment. Baptism: Baptismal Preparation Class is usually held the first Sunday of each month. Our next class is scheduled for April 2, 2017 at 4:00 pm. Please call the Parish Office. Registration is required. Marriage: Contact the Office six months prior to the desired date. School News Catholic School Position Available: Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School is currently seeking applications for the position of School Principal Beginning with the school year. Description: PreK Students Located in Hopkinsville, KY Requirements: Practicing Catholic Four years teaching experience (elementary preferred) Master s Degree Kentucky administration certificate or a minimum of 15 hours toward certification and continuing to work toward completion Excellent administration/communication skills Send resume to the following address: Rev. Richard Meredith Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church 902 E. 9 th Street Hopkinsville, KY crmeredith@stsppchurch.org Fundraiser Raffle for SPPS 8 th Grade Class Trip: Saints Peter and Paul School 8 th Graders are selling raffle tickets for a chance to win a YETI Hopper 40 Cooler or a $100 Gift card of your choice. Tickets are $5 each and available from any 8th Grade Student as well as the School or Church office. Tickets will also be available at Soup Supper s and Fish Fry s. Drawing will be held Monday, April 17 th at 9:00 a.m. Thank you in advance for your support of our 8 th Grade Class.

3 APRIL 2, 2017 FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT 3 This week is Spring Break. Our Parish Office will be open on Monday, April 3 rd from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We will be closed Tuesday, April 4 th thru Friday, April 7 th. If there is a pastoral emergency, please call (270) and follow the emergency prompts. Scrutinies: This weekend we celebrate the 3 rd Scrutiny with those preparing for full communion with the Catholic Church. These Scrutinies are meant to uncover then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect. The scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. So continue to pray for the elect as they continue their journey to the Easter waters and sacraments. These include our Catechumen (unbaptized): Judi Anderson, Tatiana Behn, Shaina Buckner, Colleen Gallardo, Becky Jones and Candidate (baptized): Zachary Gallardo. Sympathy: As a parish let us pray for our parishioner, Clara Sue Downs. Clare s sister, Beulah Norris Gilles Herrell passed away on Monday, March 13 th at the age of 85 at the Hermitage Care and Rehab Center in Owensboro. She retired from Kentucky Electronics and also worked at Foodland for 10 years. She was a member of Precious Blood Catholic Church, AmVets and a lifetime member of the American Legion. Her joys included playing cards, bingo and watching UK basketball. She was preceded in death by her first husband, John Henry Giles in 1974 and her second husband, Charles W. Herrell in Surviving are her children 3 daughters and 3 sons and 1 stepson, 10 grandchildren, 8 greatgrandchildren; 2 sisters; 1 stepbrother and 1 stepsister. Her funeral was held on Friday, March 17 th at Precious Blood Catholic Church with burial at Rosehill Cemetery in Owensboro. In addition Clara Sue s brother, Charles Dan Thompson passed away on Saturday, March 4 th in Owensboro at the age of 84. Dan was a lifelong farmer and a member and founder of Daviess County Pork Producers. He was a devoted Catholic and a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Owensboro. He was preceded in death by his wife, son and grandson. Survivors include his 2 daughters, 5 sons, 15 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren 1 brother and 4 sisters. His Funeral Mass was held on Saturday, March 11 th at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church with burial in the church cemetery. As a parish, let us keep Clare Sue s family in our prayers this week as they mourn their loss and may we as a church pray: May their soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. Thank You Card: We received a Thank You card we wanted to share with you. We the family of Elizabeth Jones are gratefully acknowledging and thanking you for your kind expression of sympathy. We also appreciate your love shown our Beloved Elizabeth during her time here at the church and at Covington Nursing facility. Thank you for that wonderful meal after the service. Blessings, K. Elaine Thomas. Office Help Needed: Libby is in need of help in her office on Friday, April 7 th. Items needed are filing, sorting, wrapping, etc. If you can assist for an hour or more, please see Libby for more information. Palm Sunday: Next Sunday we will celebrate Palm Sunday, also called The Passion of the Lord. We invite all to wear red and gather with us (weather permitting) near the school as we celebrate Christ entrance into Jerusalem. We will bless palm and then walk in procession into the church where we will hear the Passion of Our Lord according to St. Luke. Covering of Statues: The practice of veiling crosses and statues during the last two weeks of Lent was approved by the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) in November 2001, granted recognition by the Holy See, and has been in effect since April This practice is a way to extend the Lenten fast. Veiling statues and images is a visual fast which helps us to focus all our attention on Christ as we approach the celebration of his Passion. We clear away any distractions so that we might focus on him who calls us through the cross to new life. The Season of Lent is a time to recognize what we are really hungering for. It is a time to take inventory of our lives and to ask ourselves how we are doing in our quest for the ultimate prize in life. In other words, do we understand that what the human soul is crying out for is the fullness of life that Jesus came into the world to bring us. Our hearts were made for you O Lord, and they will not rest until they rest in you. St. Augustine Area Communal Lenten Penance Services For your convenience we are providing you with the area Lenten Penance Services. Please take the time to prepare yourself for the Easter waters. Sunday, April 2 6:00 p.m. Saint Michael the Archangel, Oak Grove Thursday, April 6 6:00 p.m. St. Stephen, Cadiz Sunday, April 9 6:00 p.m. Saints Peter and Paul, Hopkinsville Chrism Mass: The Chrism Mass is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11 th at 6:30 p.m. at the Sportscenter in Owensboro. We have rented a 47 passenger Charter Bus. We will depart from Saints Peter and Paul parking lot at 4:00 p.m. We will arrive around 5:30 p.m. to the Sportscenter. This gives you ample time to visit and meet with other priests

4 4 SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY and friends. After the Mass, we will stop for dinner at Moonlight Bar-B-Q and then head home. We typically arrive back in Hopkinsville around 10:30 p.m. The cost to ride the bus is $12.00 per person and dinner will be at your own cost. To reserve your spot on the bus, you can see Libby in the sacristy after all weekend Masses or stop by the office and see her. Payment is due at the time of reservation. We hope that you can join us as we travel as a parish to attend this beautiful celebration. Holy Week and Triduum Worship Schedule Palm Sunday of the Lord s Passion April 8/9, 2017 Regular Weekend schedule with Palm Procession. Holy Thursday: The Last Supper of Jesus Christ April 13, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. (Bilingual) Good Friday: The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ April 14, :00 a.m. Morning Prayer 12:00 Noon The Way of the Cross 3:00 p.m. Good Friday Service English or 6:00 p.m. Good Friday Service English or 8:30 p.m. Good Friday Service Spanish Easter Vigil: The Vigil of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ April 15, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.; Bilingual Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ April 16, :00, 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. in Spanish Help Needed: After the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, April 15 th, we will be welcoming our newest members of the faith with a light reception. We are in need of desserts as well as help with set-up and decorating on Saturday afternoon and help with the reception and clean-up afterwards. Please be generous with your abilities and let us show them how happy we are to welcome them to our catholic faith. Please call the parish office, if you can help Friday Lenten Preaching Mission at Grace Episcopal Church located at 216 East 6 th Street at 12:00 Noon. April 7: The Rt. Rev. Terry Allen White, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky April 14: The Very Rev. Alice Nichols, Grace Episcopal Church All Services begin at noon and a luncheon follows in the parish hall. Luncheons are $8.00 and all proceeds benefit charitable organizations in our community. Please know that no lunch will be served on Good Friday. Stations of the Cross: Saints Peter and Paul will offered Stations of the Cross each week at the following times: Thursdays in Spanish immediately following the 5:30 p.m. Mass Fridays in English at 6:00 p.m. On Friday, April 7, at 6:00 p.m. we will have our First Friday Mass instead of Stations of the Cross. Come and join us. (We adore you O Christ and we praise you! Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world!) KC s Annual Lenten Fish Fries: Join the Monsignor James Willett Council #7847 of the Knights of Columbus for their last Lenten Fish Fry scheduled for Friday, April 7 th. Serving is from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with the menu including: Fried Catfish, Slaw, Hush Puppies, French Fries, Drink and Dessert. CRS Rice Bowl/Operation Rice Bowl: How is your Rice Bowl collection going? Remember, our Rice Bowls stay in our homes until Holy Thursday, April 16th. On Holy Thursday, our Rice Bowls are returned to the church at Mass (7:00 p.m.) as gifts of alms to the Poor. When we give to Rice Bowl: 25% of our donations go to hunger and poverty alleviation efforts in our own community (diocese); 75% of our donations support Catholic Relief Service s humanitarian relief programs in 100 countries worldwide. $10 provides a family with two weeks of food. Upcoming Special Collections: April 14: Holy Land Collection - Good Friday: Christ s homeland, is our spiritual home as well. Over the years the shrines marking the great events of His life and death have been cherished and protected from harm by the kind support of Christians all over the world. This collection helps to ensure these shrines for years to come. Easter Sunday The Seminary. The Seminary collection is a Diocesan collection that helps with the ever increasing cost of educating our seminarians for the priesthood. Regarding Special Diocesan Collections: I ask this of you. Would you please consider for the foreseeable future earmarking whatever you intend to contribute to Diocesan Special Collections to pay down instead our parish s Diocesan Assessments? Just write Assessment across the envelope and/or check notation each time. Such contributions will be used only for paying down the assessment. Fr. Richard Important Liturgical Dates to Remember: Divine Mercy Sunday, April 23 rd First Holy Communion, Sunday, April 30 th at 4:00 p.m. Confirmation, Sunday, May 21 st at 4:00 p.m. Pentecost, June 4 th

5 THIS WEEK IN OUR PARISH APRIL9-9 Tues: Parish Offices Closed April 4-9 Fri: Fish Fry-5 pm-7 pm, Gym First Friday Mass-6 pm Sat: Prepare Church for Palm Sunday-9am, Church Readings for the Week of April 2, 2017 Sunday: Ez 37:12-14/Ps 130:1-8/Rom 8:8-11/ Jn 11:1-45 or 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45 Monday: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, or 13:41c-62/ Ps 23:1-6/Jn 8:1-11 Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9/Ps 102:2-3, 16-21/Jn 8:21-30 Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95/Dn 3:52-56/Jn 8:31-42 Thursday: Gn 17:3-9/Ps 105:4-9/Jn 8:51-59 Friday: Jer 20:10-13/Ps 18:2-7/Jn 10:31-42 Saturday: Ez 37:21-28/Jr 31:10-12abcd, 13/Jn 11:45-56 Next Sunday: Mt 21:1-11/Is 50:4-7/Ps 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24/Phil 2:6-11/Mt 26:14--27:66 or 27:11-54 Liturgical Publications Inc. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALMSGIVING Weekly food donations to Aaron McNeil Center (place food items in the barrel in the coat room of church) Operation Rice Bowl April 14 Good Friday: Holy Land Collection April 16: Easter Sunday: Seminary Collection Weekly Food Donations: Again this year during the season of Lent, we will be targeting weekly food items that will be donated to the Aaron McNeil Center as they distribute food items to those in need in our community. The food item this week is macaroni and cheese. All items can be placed in the barrel in the coat closet near the restrooms. Thank you so much for your generosity. Easter Flowers: Did you know the flowers in the church throughout the Liturgical Year are totally dependent upon your generous donations through the Easter and Christmas Flower fund envelopes included in your envelope packet? The seven weeks of Easter through Pentecost (April 16 June 4 th ) provides us with another opportunity to donate toward the beauty of the season in memory of or Stewardship News.. When Jesus heard about the illness of His friend, Lazarus, He responded, This illness is not to end in death; rather it is for God s glory, that through it the Son of God may be glorified. Every aspect of our lives our gifts as well as our sufferings can, if surrendered to Christ, lead to blessing for others and ourselves. Budget News Weekly Parish Collection... $10, Weekly Parish Budget Needs... $17, Diocesan Assessment 2016/17 ($69,161.00)...Paid In Full Diocesan Assessment 2017/18 (advance giving).. $3, Special Collection Catholic Relief Services... $ Weekly Capital Improvement Donations... $50.00 Capital Improvement Fund Balance... $17, Weekly A Legacy of Faith Fund Pledge Payments... $1, Diocesan Construction Loan to date $1,375, Stained Glass Window Donations... $0 Stained Glass Window Fund Balance... $414, APRIL 2, 2017 FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT Monday, April 3 8:00 AM Tuesday, April 4 JIM GORMAN 8:00 AM GINNY BARNES Wednesday, April 5 8:00 AM GASPERE AMARO 5:30 PM ANTHONY ALLEN Thursday, April 6 8:00 AM MARVIN KIESEL 5:30 PM Spanish PABLO SORIANO Friday, April 7 8:00 AM PATTY GOODE 6:00 PM FIRST FRIDAY MASS JEFF GOULET Saturday, April 8 8:00 AM BARRET HEYBURN 5:00 PM RYAN STINE Sunday, April 9 Palm Sunday 8:00 AM HELEN BROWN 10:30 AM THE NGUYEN FAMILY 2:00 PM Spanish BILL NICHOL 10:30 PM Spanish FOR ALL PARISHIONERS Indicates Requiem Mass SANCTUARY LAMP For The Nguyen Family ADORATION CHAPEL CANDLES In Honor Bill Rush in honor of a loved one. Please print the names clearly on your Easter Flower envelope and drop it in the collection basket. Thank you so much for the difference YOU make in the beauty of our worship space throughout the church year. Easter Egg Hunt: Our Knights of Columbus are sponsoring an Easter Egg Hunt on the grounds here at Saints Peter and Paul on Saturday, April 15 th (Holy Saturday) beginning at 9:00 a.m. Children up to 12 years of age are invited to come and hunt for eggs! Blessing of the Easter Basket Foods: The blessing of the Easter foods is a tradition dear to the hearts of every Polish family. Being deeply religious, they are grateful to God for all His gifts of both nature and grace. As a token of this gratitude, they have the food of their table sanctified with the hope that spring, the season of the Resurrection, will also be blessed by God s goodness and mercy. Here at Saints Peter and Paul, baskets containing a sampling of Easter foods are to be brought to the church to be blessed on Holy Saturday, April 15 th at 12:00 Noon. Preparing the Church for Palm Sunday: Something to think about. Would you be willing to come and help us prepare the church for Palm Sunday? We will gather on Saturday, April 8 th after the 8:00 a.m. Mass to prepare the church and the palm. Can you come join us? We need many helping hands. 5

6 6 SS PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, HOPKINSVILLE, KY In Need of Prayers Bradford Heights Pam Koob, Rosalina Lopez Covington Convalescent Pat Chesnut, Karen Logsdon, Teresa Mathieu Western State Nursing Facility- Arnold Borders, Debbie Dickerson, Ellen Jones Christian Health Center- Lillian Cotthoff, Norma Downs, Barbara Holubecki, Friendship House- Christine Mills Others. Clarence & Helen Allard, Trudy Anhalt, Dick & Jackie Arnold, Tammy Bellenger, Garrett Blue, Norma Boyd, Helen Brown, Scott Burnside, Marie Chandler, Alice Chuhralya, Richard Chuhralya, Sam Chesnut, Jimmy Cook, Mary Curtsinger, Nevaeh Marie Davis, Wendy Doyon, Pat Esposito, Connie Fowler, Martha Fowler, Gant Golladay, Jewel Claire Godot, Ron & Janice Godot, Scott & Stacey Godot, Jim Gorman, Beth Hancock, Debbie Harden, Mary Jean Hester, Joy Moseley Housley, Carol Johnson, Anita Jones, Joe Kukral, Bill & Bernie Kelderman, Larry Lytle, Rosie McCoy, Margie Meredith, Carlo & Lucia Mereu, Joe Mezzoni, Sr., Eric Moran, Sandy Mueller, Bill Nichol, Juan Phillips, Larry Puckett, Emily Pyle, Diana Quarles, Martha Reed, Emma & Gabriela Schiller, Marianne Shaw, Kristian Shouse, Mike & Marylyn Stocker, Georgiann Svestka, Ken Swicicki, Jerry Thomas, Rose Ann Tobin, Bev Todd, Hannelore Vanderklok, Wilbur Wataru, Isaac Joseph Widener, Helen Winstead, James Wittschack Please Pray for our Deployed Soldier & Family: Bryan Yoder PSR Pre-School thru 5 th Grade Religious Education will not be held this Sunday, April 2 nd as enjoy Spring Break. Classes will resume next Sunday, April 9 th at 9:00 a.m. in the school building. PSR-April Schedule Sundays, 9:00-10:15 PSR-April Schedule Sundays, 9:00-10:15 April 2-No PSR Class-Spring Break April 9-Class April 16-No Class-Easter Sunday April 23-Class April 30-No Class-First Communion Sunday-4:00 pm Youth Ministry Our Middle School and High School Youth programs will be off for Spring Break this Wednesday, April 5 th and will be off next Wednesday, April 12 th for Holy Week. We will resume classes on Wednesday, April 19th beginning with Mass at 5:30 p.m. April Schedule Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. April 5 - No Class Spring Break April 12 - No Class Holy Week April 19 Class April 26 Class Chrism Mass: We have several Confirmation Students would who would like to attend the Chrism Mass. Would you be willing to sponsor them? The cost of the bus is $12.00 each plus their dinner. See Libby for more Information. Confirmation Students - Reminders: Our next class scheduled for Wednesday, April 19 th is an important class. Projects due are Service Hours and Reflection Reports. In addition we will be writing our letters to Bishop Medley in class. All students need to be present. Also remember April is the time each student has their interview with one of our priests. Students, if you have not made your appointment, please do so. LAY MINISTERS APRIL 8/9 PALM SUNDAY Saturday, 5:00 pm Altar Servers...Sarah Sargeant, Rebecca Lee Cross Bearer... Grace Pape Candle Bearers... Carly Chaudoin, Karenna Chaudoin Incense Bearer... Joey Chaudoin Commentator... Donna Pfeufer Lectors... Tommy Winters, Pam Sweet Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers:... Robin Bilan,...Deana Holdman, Mary Moehlman, Arsha Battah Choir Loft... Tony Esposito, Tim Nosbusch Ushers... Joe Mezzoni, Ivan Viall... Bill Chaudoin, Laura Waldron Vocational Cross... Brock Sargeant Family Sunday, 8:00 am Altar Servers... Colleen Allen, Ashleigh Stevens Cross Bearer... Eli Folz Candle Bears... Eva Blankenberger, Lucy Wilkins Incense Bearer... Cole Stevens Commentator... LaDonna Downs Lectors... Jim Creighton, Chris Stevens Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers:... Dan Gardner... Lori Gardner, Emma Folz, Libby Downs Choir Loft... Ann Williams, Terri Means Ushers... Dick Dymek, Rocky Spader... Dalton Folz, Dillon Folz Vocational Cross... Richard Graham Family Sunday 10:30 am Altar Servers... Vy Nguyen, Jose Nicanor Cross Bearer... Estafany Nicanor Candle Bearers... Thieng Nguyen, Athena Wagner Incense Bearer... Roberto Nicanor Commentator... Russell Malone Lectors... Libby Downs, Kelly King Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers:... Joyce Wiedmer,... Donna Dunham, Nathan Tillman, Marlee Thomas Choir Loft... Theresa Garnett, Charles Fiscella Ushers... Billy Garnett, Doyle Shelton... Bill Harkins, James Long Vocational Cross... Lee Harton Family Sunday 2:00 pm, Spanish Comentarista: Mayra Tirado 1-2 Lectura:....Evelia Ocampo, Ángeles Hernández Ministro E:.....Sacerdotes, Roberto Cruz Hospitalidad:.....Chano Vieyra, Erick Ginez Monaguillos:...Michelle Salas, Jackie Ginez Portadores de Vela Bryan Linares, Aarón Oñate Portadores de Antorcha.Miguel Magaña, Irvin Juárez Portador de Cruz.....Alondra Hernández Portadora de Incienso...Dayana Hernández

7 APRIL 2, 2017 FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT DEATH AND THE 3 RD SCRUTINY Jesus does not ignore or deny the grievous horror which death is. Consciousness of human suffering and death, and the mysterious involvement of sin and evil in these, stands behind all that Jesus teaches. The promises of Jesus, such as those made in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5, are made in the face of suffering and death. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Just as the persecution clearly is placed in historical time, so also the reward clearly lies on the other side of death. Ultimately, all the beatitude which he promises is fulfilled in heaven. The Gospel which he preaches and the faith that he teaches assure us that his Father and ours can be trusted through all the suffering and death which we will undergo. His miraculous cures and his bringing people back from the grave demonstrate the reliability of his promise. They do not make an end of suffering and death in history. Jesus proves the trustworthiness of his Father by suffering and dying for us so that his Father might also raise him to heavenly glory for us. The hope which the Crucified and Risen Christ gives us is the source of Christian courage. The challenge of the 3 rd Scrutiny is whether facing suffering and death I trust God. This cuts to the core of every human sin from Adam to now and will do so to the very end. From Genesis to Revelation the Sacred Scriptures understand human suffering and death as the consequence of a great evil. God had created our first parents in the divine image and likeness and revealed them to be very good. God gave these human creatures the dignity and capacity to be pro-creators with God, to be stewards of and to have limited but real consequence in the creation, consequence of eternal significance. They had an awesome freedom and a holy innocence. Maintaining communion with God they would foster a reign of grace with now unimaginable potential for goodness. Were they to sin, however, they would unleash profoundly real and horrific consequences tending toward the destruction of God's good creation. And we know, according to the scriptures, seduced by the Devil, they did sin, defying both the goodness of God and their own created goodness. They disobeyed, choosing in mistaken freedom to be gods themselves determining what is good and what is evil. In this sin, laid at the foundation of the human race, they unleashed corruption upon themselves and their progeny leading to all manner of suffering and death. They had forsaken truth and bought a lie for which they paid dearly and for which the human race continues to pay dearly to this very day. God did not desire but did permit this sin, knowing the agony which would unfold in history from it. God could permit it because God also knew the redemption by which he would overcome it. God's creative goodness far surpasses all of evil's destructive potential. Creation itself groaned to find those intended to be its divinely appointed stewards now colluding with the Devil and its minions. Generation after human generation have ratified the initial disobedience by personal sin. The deadly destruction caused by human sin, except for God mitigating and restraining it, would have ended human history many times over. It seeks to do so still. Do not think, however, that God has made peace with this evil or must settle for mitigating it. It is in fact leashed, its time limited. Through the Cross and Resurrection of his incarnate Son, God acknowledged the evil of human history and acted to redeem us from it. Facing the evil humanity has wrought and suffered, misusing its stewardship, God has counteracted it with a goodness so surpassing evil as to eclipse it with glory. Respecting human freedom, God will turn the very curse we chose and ratified by sin into our cure, our redemption, and a new creation. And when our redemption is complete, evil and all allied with it will be utterly vanquished, reduced to insignificance. The Christian will find meaning and value in the suffering and death which is united with those of Jesus Christ. From the Cross, Jesus cried out to his Father, uniting himself to us in our mortal suffering and uniting all willing humanity to himself in his. So united he also shares with us the Father's sending of the Holy Spirit in answer to his crucified Son. "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies (Romans )." The Christian seeks to mitigate human suffering and death, to counteract insofar as possible those evils which are their causes. At the same time we accept the suffering and the death which we must bear by accepting the union with himself which Jesus Christ offers us in his Church and through the Sacraments. That which is otherwise a curse is in Christ found to be our cure by the way of the Cross which leads to our Resurrection in eternal life. Such is the hope which underlies our faith and which is the source of our courage and our conversion of life. Fr. Richard 7