St. Francis of Assisi Church Washago 3315 Muskoka Street Washago, ON Mass: Saturday, 5:00 pm (Summer ONLY) Sunday, 9:30 am

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1 St. Francis of Assisi Church Washago 3315 Muskoka Street Washago, ON Mass: Saturday, 5:00 pm (Summer ONLY) Sunday, 9:30 am PARISH MINISTRIES and SERVICE GROUPS Mass Servers: Frances McFall Capital Campaign: John Leskew Children s Liturgy: Katrina Hunt Eucharistic Ministry: Jeanne McDonald Hall Rental: Bob Goodwin Ladies Group: Lucille Moore Lectors: Paulette Van Dyk Liturgy: Maureen Guarnaccio Ministry to the Sick: Pat Grisdale Sacraments: Tammy Wilson Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation St. Joseph Cemetery: Maurice McMillan Parish Team: refer to Guardian Angels Orillia Rectory Office: 115 West St. N., Orillia; x121

2 Third Sunday of Lent Give us water to drink. Exodus God s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5.1-2,5-8 The water that I will give will become a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. John , 19-26, 39a, Mass Intentions Sunday March 19 / 3-Lent 9:30 am St. Francis of Assisi Mass: Mary Desroches Wednesday March 22 12:05 pm Lenten Series- Reading: Matthew 5:17-19 Guest Speaker: Elder John Solely Seventh Day Adventist Church Reception to follow in the Guardian Angels parish hall Sunday March 26 / 4-Lent 9:30 am St. Francis of Assisi Mass: People of the Church

3 Bulletin Insert-Parish Outreach to Seniors Program We are thrilled to let you know that the brochures for the new Parish Outreach to Seniors Program have arrived! Please consider introducing a senior to this program, or joining our next volunteer training session on Saturday, April 8. Contact information is in the brochure. Wanda MINNINGS, is the program coordinator and will be speaking at all the weekend Masses at St. Columbkille and St. Francis of Assisi on March 25/26. Faith Formation Learn more about the Holy Mass through video talks by Dr. Scott Hahn as we discuss the book The Lamb s Supper. Come out to three morning or three evening sessions in the Guardian Angels parish hall on Thursdays at 10:30 am starting March 23; Fridays after Stations of the Cross at 6:30 pm on March 24, March 31, April 7. Please contact Anne Buchanan at for more information. Sunday of the first Scrutiny Today is the first of the threee Sundays of Scrutinies, which are steps in the final stage of preparation for people entering the Church ( the Elect ). During these last few months, those preparing for baptism at Easter have been studying the Scriptures and the tradition of the Catholic Church. But now, their months of catechism lessons take a backseat for awhile. Front and center during these Sundays of Scrutiny is a long, deep look at their lives. The entire assembly prays for the elect during the scrutinies. Each of the scrutinies includes a prayer of exorcism - a prayer for the spiritual protection, deliverance from evil, and the God-given freedom of the elect as they mover toward baptism. The assembly isn t there simply to watch these crutinies. Everyone inevitably thinks about their own life. The prayers for the elect become everyone s intense prayer. The purifying of the elect becomes the purification of the whole parish. Reflections from the Little Black Book for Lent

4 Stations of the Cross St. Francis of Assisi Church Monday, 20 March at 9:30 am Wednesday Lenten Noon Hour Series 2017 Take time for some quiet reflection during Lent. Guardian Angels Church will be hosting the Ecumenical Series every Wednesday in Lent beginning at 12:05 pm with special guest speakers and music. Please join us following the service for Soup, Coffee & Tea in the parish hall. Free will offering. Diocesan-Wide Day of Confessions Spread the Grace! Tuesday, March 28, :00 am-noon 7:00-8:00 pm Guardian Angels Church Invites everyone from Sacred Heart, St. Columbkille and St. Francis of Assisi Churches for this healing Sacrament. Easter Flowers We are again offering Parishioners a chance to sponsor Easter Flowers for the Sanctuary, there are Easter Flower envelopes at the Church Entrances Parish Campaign ShareLife Sunday Collections April 2 / May 7 / June 4 Our theme this year is Living the Gospel by providing for those in need. I invite you to join in supporting the

5 important work of ShareLife agencies with a sacrificial gift to the 2017 ShareLife campaign. Thank you for your generosity! On a given night, 6,000 people across Canada between 16 and 24 have nowhere to call home. This represents 20 per cent of the total homeless population. In Toronto, estimates of homeless youth range from 900 to 2,000 nightly. The ShareLife supported Rights of Passage program at Covenant House have been active in making a positive difference in the lives of homeless youth on the streets of Toronto. 75 % of these youth have been matched with mentors and have also made progress in strengthening their life skills and family relationships, getting them ready for life on their own. In addition, the ShareLife funded Youth In Transition programs helps youth in foster care to transition to independent living. Legion of Mary What is this worldwide lay organization? On Saturday, March 25, after the 9:00 am Mass at Guardian Angels, you are invited to our parish Legion of Mary s annual Acies. This ministry meets weekly to pray and learn and then visit those in need offering to bring Holy Communion to those who cannot join in the Sunday Eucharist. We are inspired by our Blessed Mother Mary and rely on her help to receive God s grace to grow in holiness and love our neighbour. You are invited to the Acies for prayers after Mass, re-dedication to Mary and light refreshments in the hall. Auxiliary members are especially invited. For more information call Anne Harrigan at Bus Trip to St. Michael s Cathedral in Toronto Wednesday, April 19 th Guardian Angel s Parish Council has arranged a Bus Trip to St. Michael s Cathedral in Toronto. Bus will leave Guardian Angels at 9:15 am arriving at St. Michael s approximately 11:30 am. There are confessions before Mass. Mass will start at 12:10 pm. We will have a tour of the Cathedral and are hoping to meet with the Cardinal or one of the Bishops. On the way home we will stop at Vinnie-Zucchini Restaurant on Rutterford Rd for a Buffet Lunch for less than $ The cost of the Bus is $25 per person. There are only 54 seats on the Bus, so it is first come first served. This will be a memorable experience. For tickets please contact Mike at

6 MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS-FOR LENT 2017 The Word is a gift. Other persons are a gift 3. The Word is a gift The Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus helps us to make a good preparation for the approach of Easter. The liturgy of Ash Wednesday invites us to an experience quite similar to that of the rich man. When the priest imposes the ashes on our heards, he repeats the words: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. As it turned out, the rich man and the poor man both died, and the greater part of the parable takes place in the afterlife. The two characters suddenly discover that we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. (1 Tim 6:7). We too see what happens in the afterlife. There the rich man speaks at length with Abraham, whom he calls father (Lk 16:24.27), as a sign that he belongs to God s people. This detail makes his life appear all the more contradictory, for until this moment there had been no mention of his relation to God. In fact, there was no place for God in his life. His only god was himself. The rich man recognizes Lazarus only amid the torments of the afterlife. He wants the poor man to alleviate his suffering with a drop of water. What he asks of Lazarus is similar to what he could have done but never did. Abraham tells him: During your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus had his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony (v.25). In the afterlife, a kind of fairness is restored and life s evils are balanced by good. Pro Life Roast Beef Dinner Fund Raiser Guardian Angel s Pro Life Committee will host a Fund Raiser Roast Beef Dinner on Saturday, April 9. The money raised will help to offset the cost of the Bus Trip to a Pro-Life Demonstration in Ottawa. Please come out and enjoy a delicious meal while supporting Pro-Life. For tickets please contact Mike at or Eileen at

7 Parish Stewardship St. Francis of Assisi March 11/ March 13/ Total Donation: $365 $372 Building Fund: $273 Thank you everyone for your most generous donation. Please remember your Parish in your Will or Estate Plan.