March 18, 2018 5th Sunday of Lent A Message From Our Pastor "I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." (Jn 12:27-28) What a challenge for us no complaining, no personal drama, but gving glory to God instead. Jesus Christ is challenging us. He helps us to understand the meaning of an obstacle, a difficulty, or of suffering. In this world we try to remove everything that could have the slightest element of a discomfort. We have pain killers, we have tranquilizers, and we use drugs or alcohol just to escape from the challenges or discomforts of life. But none of these save us from the reality of the underling suffering. They are only postponing the fact that our life is full of suffering. So, what can we do to embrace it? Do we have to drop everything and just to accept our hopelessness? That is not what Jesus is saying. Some elements of suffering come because of our body and its weakness. We call it sickness or illness, and we can treat these. But, there is a kind of suffering that we can accept for the glory of God. This suffering comes to us from the Cross of Jesus Christ. It contains silence, humbleness, and love of God. It leads from human misery to spiritual freedom in Christ. It is for the glory of God. Stations of the Cross Fridays during Lent at 6:30 p.m. Holy Thursday ~ Mass of the Lord s Supper at 7:00 p.m. Friday of the Passion of the Lord ~ Stations of the Cross at 3:00 p.m. Veneration of the Cross at 7:00 p.m. Holy Saturday ~ Easter Vigil at 8:00 p.m. Easter Sunday ~ Masses at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. (no 5:00 p.m. Mass) Please Note: There will not be 9:00 a.m. Mass on Holy Thursday and Good Friday The Easter Blessing of the Food will be Saturday, March 31st at 10:00 a.m.
What s Happening at Our Parish... Parishioner s Prayer for the Spiritually adopted babies: Dear Jesus, through the intercession of Your Mother, Mary, who gave you life with love, and through the intercession of St Joseph, a man of faith, who took care of you after you were born - I beg You to spare the lives of the unborn babies who people have adopted who are in danger of abortion. I also pray for their parents, give them love and courage so that they are able to let their children live the life which you have prepared for them. Amen. First Day : At conception, of the 200,000 sperm that try to penetrate the mother s egg cell, only one succeeds. At that very moment, a new and unique individual is formed. All of the inherited features of this new person are already determined. Permanent Diaconate Formation Program The Permanent Diaconate Formation Program is starting a new formation class in the Fall of 2019! Learn more by attending one of the upcoming information sessions throughout the Diocese: Session I: April 22 6:00pm @ St. Francis, Castle Rock Session II: May 6 6:00pm @ St. Catherine of Siena, Burlington Session III: May 20 6:00pm @ St. Joseph, Salida Session IV: May 25 6:00pm @ Holy Apostles, Colorado Springs If you or someone you know is a Catholic male in good standing and might be a good candidate to discern a vocation to the Permanent Diaconate, these information sessions will be very helpful to learn more about the Program and the application process. Please pray for those God is inviting to consider this vocation! More information about the Permanent Diaconate at www.diocs.org/ Vocations/Permanent-Diaconate The Pax Moms are organizing a Lenten service project! We will be collecting donations for Alternatives Pregnancy Center through March 25th. There will be a bassinet in the Narthex to collect the items. All items will be delivered to the center during Holy Week. The items listed below are what the center is in need of. They ask that all items be new. Thank you for your donations and generosity. Washcloths * girls socks * diaper cream * Lotion * baby toiletries * bottles * pacifiers * teethers * rattlers * small toys * sleepers (0-6 months) both boy and girl * winter outfits (0-6 months) both boy and girl 5th Sunday of Lent -2- March 18, 2018
You Can Help Your Marriage Do you feel alone? Thinking about separation or divorce? Are you frustrated, bored or angry with each other? Do you argue or have you just stopped talking to each other? Does talking about it only make it worse? Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi with a long i - a French word meaning rediscovery ) helps couples through difficult times in their marriages. This program has helped 10 s of 1000 s of couples experiencing difficulties in their marriages. This program can help yours too. For confidential information or to register for the April 13-15, 2018 program, please call 720-257-9106 or email us at Retrouvaille.CO@gmail.com. Please visit our website at www.helpourmarriage.com for more information. A LENT TO REMEMBER! Pax Christi will be hosting graduate students of theology from the Augustine Institute to lead us in a special study. Join us on Sunday March 18th and 25th from 6:30 8:00 p.m. in the Great Hall. Drinks will be provided. Please bring an appetizer to share. If you are unable to make these meetings you can still participate! Simply go to our FORMED subscription and access the Lent to Remember study. If you haven t registered for a free account yet, you can do so at www.paxchristi.formed.org. Pax Christi Knights of Columbus 6th Annual 40 Cans for Lent Food Drive When: Saturday, March 24th from 8:00 10:00 a.m. Where: Bring food donations to the Pax Christi parking lot. Why: Provide food for Pax Christ s Pantry and Denver Rescue Mission That the Lord, who rescues the life of the poor from the power of the wicked, might send an angel to guard and protect all unborn children; We pray to the Lord: Haiti Pax Christi Lenten Cup Collection - Project 2017-2018 St. Marguerite Chapel lies deep in the heart of the peninsula of Haiti and is only accessible by car if there is no rain; otherwise all parishioners, workers, villagers and visitors travel by donkey or motor bikes. After Hurricane Matthew devastated this tiny chapel, parishioners had little to no nope of recovering a safe place to worship out of the elements of the often harsh weather. Because of your generous donations to the Haiti Pax Christi Lenten Collection in 2017, you answered the prayers of the faithful of Cocoye du Chêne, who were thrilled that their chapel was finished enough to celebrate Christmas Masses. Due to the dedication of the From Here to Haiti staff, they will be returning to complete the interior with cement and a coat of paint to finish the beautification of this beloved chapel. Please fill your Lenten cup, available in the bins in the Narthex, to the brim and return them after Holy Thursday. If you are making out a check, please make sure Haiti Lenten is written on the memo line. Your Lenten collections always produce miracles for villagers in remote regions of Haiti! Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice to the cry of the poor. ~ Pope Francis Accepting Enrollment for 2018-2019 School Year. Preschool open enrollment continues until March 30th. If you would like more information or a tour of our school, please contact Mandi Lupher at 303-799-1036, ext. 107 or mlupher@paxchristi.org. Registration packets can be found at http://skdschool.paxchristi.org/home/registration/ Pax Christi Catholic Church -3- Littleton, CO
Parish Ministries Altar Linens Ministry The Altar Linens Ministry takes care of our altar linens and ensures that they are ready for use in liturgies. Volunteers pick up the linens weekly from church, bring the linens home, wash and iron them and return them to the church. Time commitment is one week per month for two hours. We need several volunteers and alternates. Please contact the Parish Office at jlafond@paxchristi.org or 303-799-1036. Money Counting Ministry We are looking for a few money counters. If this is a ministry in which you might be interested, please call Lisa Walker in the parish office at 720-419-0123 or by email at businessmanager@paxchristi.org. For more information on our ministries, go to www.paxchristi.org and click on Ministries Music Ministry How Is Liturgical Music Sacramental What is Beauty? The classic definition of beauty in our Catholic tradition is not that it is found in the eye of the beholder. The proper understanding of beauty in the Catholic context is much more of a theological, objective consideration. The truly catholic definition of beauty is that something is beautiful when it reveals its ontology most clearly. Ontology is a fancy word that means the nature of being, or essence. When we ask whether a piece of liturgical music is beautiful, we really are asking if it is revealing its ontology, or its essence, to us, and therefore if it is revealing to us the ontology of the liturgy, because the liturgical music by definition is in service of the liturgy. What is the ontology of the liturgy? This finally is an objective, theological question. Subjective consideration is left behind here, What I like, What I don t like, The way I grew up, What my parish does is not so much a concern when we look at the ontological question. The theological reality of the liturgy is this: in the Sacred Liturgy it is Christ who acts, and in the Sacred Liturgy it is Christ who speaks. In the Sacred Liturgy the prayer of Christ is offered to the Father for the salvation of the world. The liturgy is the action of Christ, the great prayer of the Church and we actively participate in that action of Christ as part of his body in the liturgical assembly. In the liturgy how do we worship God? Is it a personal time of prayer when we offer our own personal worship to God? This is surely a good thing for us to do constantly in our lives, but this is fundamentally not what we do in the liturgy. In the liturgy it is Christ himself who offers perfect worship to the Father. We participate in this perfect worship of God and are ourselves offered to him as members of his own body. What role does sacred music play in this great prayer of Christ that is the sacred liturgy? St. Augustin said that singing is for the one who loves. Christ s prayer in the liturgy is the ultimate song of love, the ultimate prayer of sacrifice. Is it any wonder why the church asks us to sing the liturgy? For it is in the song of the liturgy that the voice of Christ, the word of God, the Logos is made incarnate in our midst sacramentally. It is in the sung texts of the liturgy that the love song of the Trinity, where the Word of God, Christ is sacramentally made flesh and dwells among us. How much does this change our discussion about songs that we like to sing at Mass? Pax, Raymond Ortiz, Music Director Faith Formation Welcoming Catholics Home A welcoming ministry for anyone who has been away from the Church, thinking about returning, and would like some help getting started or continuing the journey. We answer your questions, listen to your concerns, provide an update on the Faith, and help you renew your spiritual life. Come by yourself or with a family member or friend. All are invited to take another look at the Catholic Church. Come home for Easter! We meet weekly on Thursday evenings, 6:30-7:45pm through March 29th. For more information or questions, contact Roberta Marsh at 720-419-0127 or rmarsh@paxchristi.org. 5th Sunday of Lent -4- March 18, 2018
Liturgy Liturgy Are You In It? As was said before, Liturgy means an action of the people. But there could be some misunderstanding. Even if it is an act performed by people, it doesn t mean that it comes from people. Liturgy comes from God himself, and it is He that acts in us. Liturgy is given to us as a gift. It was instituted and passed on to us by Jesus Christ. Do this in memory of me. (Lk 22:19) If you would like to see the entire Holy Trinity, Liturgy is the best place to witness It. God, the Father fulfils his salvific plan in Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, by His whole life, by His passion, death and resurrection, reveals the plan of the Father. From his pierced side we received two sacraments: water cleansing sin Baptism, and blood that is a source of a new life Eucharist. To enact these two, God sent his Holy Spirit, who gives salvation to everybody that comes to Him. The descending of the Holy Spirit is the inauguration of the Liturgy. Gathered Apostles rejoiced and praised God (Ac 10:26). Worship is possible because the Holy Spirit was poured on the Church. The Holy Spirit became the source of life of the Church. Jesus Christ reconciled the world with God, and now this message is alive by the Holy Spirit. After this I shall pour out my spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old people shall dream dreams, and your young people see visions. Even on the slaves, men and women, shall I pour out my spirit in those days. I shall show portents in the sky and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the Day comes, that great and terrible Day. All who call on the name of Yahweh will be saved, for on Mount Zion will be those who have escaped, as Yahweh has said, and in Jerusalem a remnant whom Yahweh is calling. (Jl 3:1-5) The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. He makes us alive. He makes Liturgy alive. He gathers us, and sanctifies us. All liturgical action happens by the Holy Spirit. At this point you are probably asking yourself what this means. The answer is in the Book of Revelation: The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come!' Let everyone who listens answer, 'Come!' Then let all who are thirsty come: all who want it may have the water of life, and have it free. (Rv 22:17) The entire Liturgy prepares us to welcome Jesus Christ. When you received baptism, you opened yourself up to this one, final call: Come Lord Jesus. Since then, every day, every celebration of the Eucharist is done by the Holy Spirit, who leads us to the Father. Your work, your prayers, your house, your family, yourself, everything comes to the Liturgy, and in praise calls: Maranatha Come, Lord Jesus. Please Save the Date! Women's Retreat, June 1-2 Pax Christi Catholic Church What is The Feminine Genius? What is YOUR Feminine Genius? And how can we better use our Genius in our vocations, missions, and our world? Join us for a life-changing, one-day retreat, based on Saint Pope John Paul II s Mulieris Dignitatum. The retreat will begin Friday evening, and will reconvene for most of Saturday, as we explore these questions and more. You will come away from this retreat with a renewed sense of dignity and worth in your own unique Feminine Genius, and a renewed sense of closeness with, and wonder for, our Lord. Sponsorships Available! Did you know that the Feminine Geniuses of the world make more than 85% of the buying decisions for their households? Are Christian women, in all age groups, a part of your business's target market? Do you value giving back to your community and your parish? If so, sponsoring this event may be perfect for you or your business. We are seeking sponsors to help offset the costs of the event, especially meals and snacks. For more information or to give your support, please contact Laura Luchini at 303-807-6732 or ljluchini@gmail.com. Organized by PaxMoms and the ENDOW Womens' Groups Pax Christi Catholic Church -5- Littleton, CO
THE WEEK AHEAD Monday March 19 9:30a-11:30a Biblical School 9:45a-11:30a Catechism Study 6:30p-7:30p RCIA Get-Together Tuesday March 20 1:00p-3:00p Prayer Shawl 4:15-5:30p Choir (1st Year) 6:30p-8:00p St. Vincent de Paul Wednesday March 21 9:30a-10:30a Prayer Chain Mtg 9:40a-11:40a ENDOW 10:00a-12:00p Pantry 5:15p-6:30p Choir (2nd Year) 6:30p-8:15p Catechism Study 6:30p-8:30p ENDOW 7:15p-9:00p Choir (M/W Schola) Thursday March 22 9:30a-10:00a Spanish Rosary 9:45a-11:15a Bible Study 6:30p-7:45p Welcoming Catholics Home 6:30p-7:30p Adoration/Confession Friday March 23 9:45a-11:15a Gospel Reflection 10:00a-12:00p Pantry 10:00a-12:00p Symbolon (Spanish) 6:30p-7:00p Stations of the Cross Saturday March 24 7:00a-10:00a KofC 40 Cans for Lent 6:00p-9:00p Retrouvaille Sunday March 25 Palm Sunday 9:30a-12:00a KofC Breakfast 9:40a-10:30p Bible Blast 9:45a-11:30a RCIA/RCIC 11:45a-12:30p Easter Vigil Practice 12:30p-2:30p GIFT C 6:30p-8:00p A Lent to Remember 3/17 5:00p Mass for the People 3/18 8:30a Gilbert Vigil (d) 3/18 10:30a De Anna Payne 3/18 5:00p Carolyn Novoa 3/20 9:00a Cathy Edley (d) 3/21 9:00a Ken Tollefson (d) 3/22 9:00a Lainey Shapiro (d) 3/23 9:00a Don Imgrund The Catholic Legacy Society was created to honor our legacy donors who have named their parish, Catholic school or a ministry of the Diocese of Colorado Springs as a beneficiary in their will or trust, retirement account, charitable gift annuity or charitable trust, life insurance policy, or through the establishment of an endowed fund. The Diocese is grateful to acknowledge these special benefactors during their lifetimes. And, in conjunction with our mission, this special society provides an opportunity for benefactors to make their philanthropy a perpetual legacy for themselves and an example for their families. It also creates an infrastructure of support that makes our parishes, schools and ministries stronger, sustainable and better equipped to reach future generations. If you have named your parish, a Catholic school or a ministry of the Diocese of Colorado Springs in your estate plan, or are considering doing so, we invite you to become a member of the Catholic Legacy Society. For more information go to http:// thecatholiclegacysociety.org. PARISH STAFF Phone: 303-799-1036 Fax: 303-799-1072 Pastor: Fr. Marek Krol Direct dial: 720-419-0122 mkrol@paxchristi.org Deacon: Thomas Sandusky Direct dial: 720-419-0131 tsandusky@paxchristi.org Business Manager: Lisa Walker Direct dial: 720-419-0123 businessmanager@paxchristi.org Administrative Assistant: Joanne Lafond Direct dial: 303-799-1036 supportstaff@paxchristi.org Director of Music: Raymond Ortiz Direct dial: 720-419-0124 choraldirector@paxchristi.org Director of Discipleship: Ginger Giesen Direct dial: 720-419-0126 faithformation@paxchristi.org Director of Youth Ministry: Chenele Shaw Direct dial: 720-419-0125 ymdirector@paxchristi.org Head Catechist: Roberta Marsh Direct dial: 720-419-0127 restaff@paxchristi.org Maintenance: Victor Corral Direct dial: 720-419-0130 maintenance@paxchristi.org St. Katharine Drexel School: Mandi Lupher Direct dial: 720-419-0128 mlupher@paxchristi.org 5th Sunday of Lent -6- March 18, 2018
MASS SCHEDULE Tuesday thru Friday: 9:00am Saturday: 5:00pm Sunday: 8:30am, 10:30am & 5:00pm Holy Days (weekday): 6:30am and 7:00pm Sacrament of Reconciliation: Tuesday - Friday: 8:30-8:50am Thursday: 6:30-7:30pm (Chapel) Saturday: 4:00-4:30pm or by appointment PARISH OFFICE HOURS Monday thru Thursday: 9:00am - Noon & 1:00pm - 4:00pm Friday: 9:00am - Noon Phone: 303-799-1036 Fax: 303-799-1072 Sacramental Emergencies: 303-799-1036, option 2 Parish Stewardship of Treasure Contributions to Pax Christi for March 11, 2018 Regular Offertory: $19,137 Debt Reduction: $7,299 Weekly Offertory Needed: $28,000 Number of registered families 956 Smart Decision Service When you provide a check as payment, you authorize us either to use the information from your check to make a onetime electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction. New Parishioners & Visitors We welcome you to our parish! Go to www.paxchristi.org for more information about our parish and to register. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Have you signed up for Online Giving? If you would like to use this service, go to www.paxchristi.org and click on Stewardship/Giving It s convenient, easy and secure. P P ➇ qrst sq 12 34r5 13667sr 8 rs5 910❶❷❸ ❹❺❻ ❺❻❼❽❾❿➀❻ ➁❻❺❽➂➃ ➄➅❼ ➆➄❼❾➅❿❼❽❻➈ ❿➂➃ ➉❻➆❻❾❻❼❽❻➈ ❽➈ ➄➂❻ ➄➊ ❺❽➈❾➄❼➋ ❿➂➃ ❾❼❿➃❽❾❽➄➂➌ ➍➎➏➏➐ ➑➒ ➓ ➎ ➒ ➎ ➐ ➏ ➏ ➎ ➍ ➏ ➎➏➐