WELCOME TO OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH Sixth Sunday of Lent April 9, 2017 Facility Reservations Calendar Please confirm events at www.olaparish.net. Sat, Apr 8 th Curia Meeting 9:30am, St. Paul s Room Sun, Apr 9 th Palm Sunday Open Gym - OLA Basketball 7:30am, Parish Hall RCIA 11:00am, St. John s Hall Mon, Apr 10 th School Band 2:00pm, Parish Hall OLA Volleyball Practice 3:00pm, Parish Hall Girl Scout Troop 3097 Meeting 3:00pm, St. John s Hall Boy Scouts Troop 328 Meeting 6:30pm, Parish Hall April OLA Women s Book Club Meeting 6:30pm, St. John s Troop 328 Scout Meeting 6:45pm, Seton Hall Christian Meditation 7:30pm, School Library Tues, Apr 11 th Young Rembrandts Art Program 3:05pm, School Meeting Rm Boys Volleyball Practice 5:30pm, Parish Hall KofC Business Meeting 6:00pm, St. John s Hall Baptismal Preparation 7:00pm, St. Anne s Room Wed, Apr 12 th Legion of Mary Meeting 8:45am, St. Paul s Room School Band 2:00pm, St. John s Hall Stations of the Cross 2:20pm, Church Boys Volleyball Practice 3:00pm, Parish Hall Youth Choir Rehearsal 6:00pm, Church Music Recital 6:30pm, Parish Hall Music Ministry Rehearsal 7:00pm, Church Thu, Apr 13 th Holy Thursday PARISH OFFICE CLOSED School Liturgy 10:50am, Church OLA Volleyball Practice 2:25pm, Parish Hall SVdP Meeting 4:00pm, St. John s Hall OLA Boys Volleyball Practice 5:30pm, Parish Hall Fri, Apr 14 th Good Friday PARISH OFFICE CLOSED Stations of the Cross 7:00pm, Church Sat, Apr 15 th Easter Vigil RCIA 9:00am, St. John s Hall RCIA 10:00am, Church RCIA Reception 9:00pm, St. John s Hall Save-The-Dates April 16 th :Easter Sunday Masses 8:00am,10:00am & Noon April 17 th - 22 nd :Slurry Sealing & Restriping of the Walnut Avenue parking lot, including area near Food Locker. April 22 nd :Community Shred Day 8:00am - Noon on Cottage Lot Mass Requests To request a Mass, please contact the Parish Office. Sat, Apr 8 th 5:00pm Lizz Baca Baca Family Diane Klein Linchfield-Stacy & Klein Family Sun, Apr 9 th 8:00am George & Don Theda Lord Richard Oswald Don & Terri 9:30am Mario Affinito Nancy Affinito Margaret & Joseph Lavenda Tom Lavenda& Family 11:00am Rose Simms Marie Mauer Dennis Cosca Henry & Barbara Reyes 7:30pm OLA Parishioners Mon, Apr 10 th 8:00am Arlene Fuller Maria Pesely Lura Spaulding Tues, Apr 11 th 8:00am Byron Parker Gloria Plog (Birthday) Wed, Apr 12 th 8:00am Dale & Arlene Fuller Portillo Family Thur, Apr 13 th John & Maureen Abdo Peggy & Fernando Cheryl Carter 7:00pm All Souls OLA Parish Fri, Apr 14 th Good Friday Sat, Apr 15 th Holy Saturday 8:15pm Don Felton Mary Lou & Bob Faggella Norma Estelle Buckerfield Phyllis Howard Jessie Weisinger Teresa Meresa Holy Thursday 7:00pm: Evening Mass of the Lord s Supper: Adoration until 10:00pm in the chapel. Good Friday 12 Noon and Stations of the Cross at 7:00pm Easter Vigil 8:15pm Easter Sunday Masses 8:00am 10:00am (egg hunt to follow) 12:00noon Ask an Usher for a Hearing Assist Device. Save-The-Date Fr. Brendan McKeefry, OLA Pastor Emeritus will celebrate his 50th Ordination Anniversary at 5:00pm Mass on Saturday, May 13, 2017, followed by a reception in St. John s Hall.
REFLECTIONS & JOYFUL OPPORTUNITIES The Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by Fr. Eduino Silveira, Pastor Today we begin Holy Week remembering Jesus entering into Jerusalem to accomplish the work of Salvation by His suffering, Death on the Cross at the hands of evil people who do not have the love of God in them. It was to destroy the power of the evil one, the lord of death, the devil that Jesus Christ came and gave His life. By His Glorious Resurrection He restored life and joy. As we meditate on such great love and thank God for all He did in Jesus Christ to save us let us ask Him to give us the grace to reject all that is contrary to love and to help others know the salvation Christ won for us. Riding with Jesus into Jerusalem by Dean Marshall, OLA Seminarian Today, we welcome Jesus Christ as we lay down palm fronds and exclaim shouts of jubilation when He enters the city. We recognize Him as the King He is, yet He did not enter the world as a typical King, nor will His death evoke images of royalty, at least not how we would normally envision it. In these moments, Christ teaches us humility: He humbled Himself in the most radical way possible, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness. Jesus did not seek earthly kingship, even though it was rightfully His; instead, He emptied Himself totally, even to the point of death, death on a cross. Jesus entrance into Jerusalem and His eventual trial remind us that, at times, we treat Him the same way in our hearts and our lives. Even though we welcome Him into the city and our lives today as a King, He will soon stand before us, bruised, beaten, and ready to submit Himself to the cross, because of our sin. Though He was in the form of God, He did not seek to use His power to stop what is about to happen. Jesus embraces His fate, serving as an example of humility, perseverance, obedience, and most importantly, love, to all of us. What are we to do with this image, this reality, of welcoming Christ today, only to send Him to death later? First, we see that because of His radical humility and openness to God s will, His name, Jesus Christ, should cause us all to bend a knee, acknowledging His kingship in our lives and in our hearts. Second, we discover that despite our mistakes, mistakes that led Him to the Cross, He still loves us more than the universe itself, so much so that He gave His life for us. Third, while the images that we will encounter over the next week will be difficult at times, these events lead to His glorious resurrection, and, if we allow Him to reign in our hearts, love will triumph in our lives and we too will be made new with Jesus Christ. For reflection: What are some ways in which I need to accept Jesus as King in my life not just in an outward sense, but in my heart and mind as well? Blessings in Abundance 11 th Annual Benefit for the Poor Benefit for the poor dinner with Dave Casper on May 19, 2017 at the Double Tree at Arden, starting at 5:30pm. This event will feature artist, Fr. Tom O Neil, and will honor the Leatherby Family. For more information contact: Tom Aguer at 563-7827 or www.svdp-sacramento.org. Pontifical Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land, April 14 th Pope Francis has asked our parish to support the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, which helps Christians in the Holy Land. Your support helps the church minister in parishes, provide Catholic schools and offer religious education. This collection also helps to preserve the sacred shrines. The wars, unrest and instability have been especially hard on Christians. In these times of crisis, this collection provides humanitarian aid to refugees. When you contribute to this you become an instrument of peace and join with Catholics around the world and with the church in the Holy Land. 2017 Men s Cursillo Weekend I have wonderful news! three men agreed to discern for the role of Rector of the 2017 Men s Cursillo last weekend. Their discernment took place April 6th at St John the Evangelist in Carmichael. To that end our community came together to pray and sing during the discernment process. Thank you to everyone that came out to support us. God Bless.
YOUTH + OLA Youth Choir and Ensemble (Grades 3-12) All parish and school children grades 3-12 are invited to participate in these activities. We are looking for both singers and instrumentalists. Practices are from 6:00-6:55pm on Wednesday evenings in the church. Please contact our Music Director, Casey Oliver, with any questions at 481-5115 or worship@olaparish.net. OLA School News Yee Haw! The Country Fair is just six weeks away! Save the dates Friday, May 5th, 5:00pm- 9:00pm, and Saturday, May 6th, 3:00pm-9:00pm. We have many of your old favorites and some new exciting additions! If you would like to volunteer to work a shift or two at the Country Fair please contact the school office. WANTED: Easter Eggs for the Annual OLA Easter Egg Hunt Donations of plastic Easter eggs filled with candy or other treats will be accepted at the Parish and School Offices until Thursday, April 13th. We ask that donors please adhere to the School s nut-free policy when selecting candy or treats to donate. A list of acceptable candy can be found in the Health and Wellness section under the Parents tab on the OLA School website. Questions regarding acceptable candy donations can be sent to olanurses@gmail.com while general donation questions can be sent to Karen at mongeauherold@yahoo.com. The hunt will take place after the 10:00am Mass on Easter Sunday. See you there! OLA Youth Group (Grades 7-8) Wednesdays (grades 7-8) 7:00pm - 8:30pm and Tuesdays 7:00-8:30pm (grades 9-12): Youth Group meetings are held in Seton Hall. Please contact Johann at 488-4626 or email: youth@olaparish.net. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. It is most appropriate that Child Abuse Prevention Month is held during the Easter season. There is no better time than Easter to celebrate the protection of our most valuable gift from God our children. A Prayer for Healing Holy Spirit, comforter of hearts, heal your people s wounds and transform brokenness into wholeness. Grant us the courage and wisdom, humility and grace, to act with justice. Breathe wisdom into our prayers and labors. Grant that all harmed by abuse may find peace and justice. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen Pastoral Assistance for Victims of Sexual Abuse: The Diocese of Sacramento provides pastoral care to persons who have suffered sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy and other Catholic Church workers. Please call toll-free at 866-777-9133 if you are seeking assistance in coping with this tragic situation. Assistance is available in English and Spanish. Family Promise Needs Your Assistance! Family Promise is looking for a new location for their Day Center. They need approximately 2,000 square feet, $2500/month, near a light rail station. A building with a yard for children in which to play would be great. (I already have a promised donated swing set). It has to have a permit to work with homeless families and have parking for 4 cars. If you, or anyone you, know have such a place, please contact Marsha Spell, Director of Family Promise, 443-3107 or Maggie Schlesinger, OLA parishioner, at 359-4787. Have you just bought new towels and want to find a home for your old ones? The Family Promise Day Center is in dire need of them. They presently have four families and could really use bath towels and wash cloths. Please call Maggie Schlesinger, 359-4787, to arrange for pick up or drop off. Thank you. Dear OLA Parishioners, Thank You for the donation totaling $3,545.92 to Family Promise of Sacramento. The families in our program are forever in gratitude and thank you beyond measure. Please know that your donation is helping families without homes begin again and find a home. May God bless you and yours. Sincerely, Marsha Spell, Executive Director
OLA PARISH MINISTRIES Please contact our parish office at 481-5115 or parish@olaparish.net for ministry details. Altar Servers light candles, hold the books, and handle the vessels, etc. so that the celebrant can focus on leading the assembly in prayer. Servers Girls and boys, 5th grade and older, are invited to participate. Bereavement Committee Members provide caring support while assisting with funeral planning. Building and Grounds coordinates the regular maintenance and improvement of the buildings and grounds. Catholic Daughters of America strive to be helping hands where there is pain, poverty, sorrow or sickness. Christian Meditation Group meets once a week in prayerful of silence called Christian Meditation in which we find God who dwells in our hearts and in doing so finds ourselves.. Eucharistic Homebound Ministers bring homebound parishioners Eucharist to their homes or care facilities. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist in the distribution of Holy Communion. Faith Formation for Children volunteers teach the Catholic Faith to our parish children once a week. Family Promise Ministry provides fellowship and healthy meals to homeless families with children. Permanent housing is the ultimate goal, along with developing the self-sufficiency needed to sustain them. The Parish Finance Council advises the Pastor in matters pertaining to the financial affairs of the parish. Habitat for Humanity volunteers provide time and talent to build homes for families in need. The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic Family Fraternal Service Organization, which assists the Church and communities in the Arden Carmichael areas. Lectors are lay ministers who read from the Lectionary at Mass or other liturgical celebrations. The Legion of Mary is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They take the Eucharist each week to homebound persons and care facilities in the area, as well as facilitating a Mass once a month. The Liturgy Committee under the direction of the Pastor, sets goals, direction and principles for the liturgical life of the parish, assesses the needs of the worshipping assembly, trains competent liturgical ministers, and implements directives from the universal Church and the diocesan church. The Environment Committee liturgically adorns the church. Greeters receive the community and welcome them to our Faith Family. Ushers help worshipers find seats, take up the collection, coordinate the presentation of the gifts, assist persons who need hearing assist devices and give visitors necessary information. Martha & Mary Gathering is open to all parish ladies. They meet for fellowship, spiritual growth, and to assist with parishioner funeral receptions. Ministry of Small Things volunteers help parishioners with various one-time tasks according to their abilities. Music Ministers offer their gifts by singing or playing an instrument in our adult and youth choirs. Offertory Counters are volunteer teams who count the offertory collections. The Pastoral Council is a pastoral consultative body which strives to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit among God s people in the parish. It gives its help to the Pastor in fostering pastoral activity. P.E.R.T. (People Enjoying Retirement Together) promotes the spirit of friendship while providing opportunities for programs and activities to enhance the temporal and spiritual life of their later years. Respect Life Committee, through prayer and events, promotes life from conception to natural death. Social Committee engages our parish community in a welcoming manner through the planning and execution of social events like our community dinners. Social Justice Ministry Committee will coordinate social justice activities for the parish. Sowing for Jesus is a group who craft and grow spiritually together once a week. St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) OLA Conference is a group of Catholic lay persons who respond to the needs of the poor living within the OLA parish boundaries. These needs are met through the twice-weekly on-site food locker and home visitation teams who provide temporary assistance with rent, utilities, clothing, etc. Vocations Committee prays and has events to inspire people to consider the religious life. Women s Book Club will meet to share the joy of reading. Bulletin Item Submission We welcome you to submit items for possible inclusion in our weekly bulletin. Scripts must be received at: development@olaparish.net no later than Friday evening for inclusion in the following weekend s bulletin. Please note that items may be edited for length as we strive to include numerous parish, diocesan and local news items.
OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE YOUR FAITH Vocations Cross Prayer Campaign OLA has a Vocations Cross Prayer Campaign. Each week, a family will take home the Vocations Cross. During their week, they commit to praying for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, as well as for our priests, seminarians, and religious in the Diocese of Sacramento. The cross will then be returned to the parish the following Friday, and presented to a new family at the Mass they normally attend. If you are interested in participating, please contact Dean at 481-5115 or seminarian@olaparish.net. The Sacramento Classic Don t miss the 3 rd Annual Basketball Game, Diocesan Priests vs. Seminarians, on Tuesday, May 23, 2017, at Christian Brothers High School, Sacramento, CA. Doors open at 6:30pm and game starts at 7:00pm. To purchase tickets contact Marisela at 733-0258 or msmith@scd.org. Tickets: $10 adults, $40 Group of 6 Adults, $5 Students K- College. OLA Young Adults Group (College Age) - Second and Fourth Fridays Meetings are held in Seton Hall from 7:00-8:30pm. Contact Johann at 488-4626 or youth@olaparish.net. St. Vincent DePaul Guidelines for Assistance Do you know anyone living within OLA s church boundaries that needs food or financial assistance? They may be eligible for help from OLA s SVDP Conference. Here are our guidelines for assistance: Those needing food should come to our food locker on Tuesdays or Thursday mornings from 9:00am to 10:50 am. The locker is located off the Walnut Avenue parking lot to the right of the school and behind the fence. For questions call 481-5119. Food Locker clients receive enough food for three meals for three days for every person in the household. Clients may return every fourteen days. Those coming for the first time should bring proper identification and proof of address for every person in the household. Individuals needing financial assistance should call over the SVDP office 481-6352 Monday through Friday mornings (except holidays). For those who qualify, funds are available for rent, utilities, clothing, and other emergency needs. Our OLA/St. Vincent de Paul Conference serves anyone who lives within our parish geographic boundaries. Generally, the northern boundary for our parish is Marconi Avenue, the eastern and southern boundaries are the American River and the western boundary is Eastern Avenue. If you know someone living in those areas who may need the type of help described above, please have them contact us. Walnut Parking Lot Closed April 17 th - 22 nd! Joe Breault (A&B Asphalt) will be here the week of April 17 th through 22 nd to slurry seal and restripe the Walnut Avenue parking lot, including the area near the Food Locker. The school will be closed during this week for Easter Break so hopefully no special accommodations will need to be made. However, this will affect visitors to the Parish Office and Food Locker. Taste of Hope, a Benefit for Wellspring Women s Center This event will mark our 30th year serving the Oak Park neighborhood as a drop in center for women and children. Wellspring is a critical community resource for over 200 guests who come through our doors to experience hope, served each weekday. For information contact Jodi at: 454-9688 or Jodi@wellspringwomen.org. Divine Mercy Conference April 22nd St. Clare's Divine Mercy Conference will be held on April 22 nd at St. Clare Catholic Church, 1950 Junction Blvd., Roseville. The conference features Dr. Robert Stackpole, director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, author, and university professor who will explore God s message of merciful love for his people in Scripture and church history. Tickets will be $25 at the door or at Easter s Books and Gifts. They can also be purchased in advance by calling: Mellie at 541-5142, Jen at 468-2225, Fiona at 521-8144, or Daisy at 605-6867.
STEWARDSHIP & ENLIGHTENMENT OPPORTUNITIES Thank you for your generosity on March 18th & 19th Weekend Offertory: $ 9,359.92 Electronic Giving: $ 1,293.33 Total: $10,653.25 Average Weekly Budget Amount: $13,846.15 March 25th & 26th Weekend Offertory: $ 7,975.13 Electronic Giving: $ 1,467.67 Total: $ 9,442.80 Average Weekly Budget Amount: $13,846.15 Catholic Relief Services: $ 4,024.36 As they were marching out, they came upon a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. MATTHEW 27:32 The Lord calls us to love God and to love our neighbor. Every day we are presented with opportunities to love our neighbor and help him carry his cross. These opportunities aren t usually big events, they are usually ordinary occurrences like helping someone carry their groceries or holding the door open for them. The key is putting the other person s needs before our own and not expecting anything in return. Thank You to All That Support OLA Via Amazon Smile Thank you to everyone that supports our parish with their purchases. Remember this doesn t cost you anything! The Amazon Foundation contributes half a percent of your total purchases to our Parish. Just shop via OLA Parish s Amazon smile portal: smile.amazon.com/ch/45-3954215. We appreciate your support! Sacramento Catholic Forum Presents Terry Barber, Founder of Lighthouse Catholic Media and author will be speaking about the 10 Commandments of Evangelization - How to share your faith with anyone on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Mass: 6:30am followed by networking Breakfast/Speaker: 7:15am Location: Christ the King Retreat Center 6520 Van Maren Lane, Citrus Heights, CA $20.00 for pre-register or $25.00 at the door. Cost: Further information and reservations: www.saccatholicforum.org Parish Pay (LPI) Auto Pay Our Lady of the Assumption Parish invites you to consider our electronic giving program, ParishPay, as a way to automate your regular weekly offerings. Electronic giving is convenient for you and provides much-needed consistency for our church. There is no cost for you to participate. If you are currently giving on a weekly basis, you will no longer need to write out 52 checks a year or prepare 52 envelopes. And when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, this program will allow your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis. To sign up, simply go to: http://parishpay.com/. Parish Pay has been purchased by Liturgical Publications but will use the same link. Estate Planning A legacy gift to Our Lady of the Assumption is one of the most rewarding and far-reaching investments you can make. Our Lady of the Assumption takes the trust you place in us seriously and has used previous gifts to support the educational needs of our students, the liturgical and basic necessities of those helped by our charity partners locally, as well as investing in the future of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. We are grateful to those who have included us in their plan for the distribution of their assets after death. We pray that you will keep Our Lady of the Assumption Parish and/or School in mind. We invite you to contact the Parish Office if you wish to learn more. Sacramento Pilgrimage The Diocese of Sacramento, in collaboration with Radio Santisimo Sacramento (RSS), is organizing the fourth annual pilgrimage to seven parishes within the City of Sacramento on Holy Saturday, April 15 th at 7:00am. We will start at St. Elizabeth Church and continue to the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacramento, St. Francis Church, Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception, and the Sacramento Food Bank concluding at the Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe. We will also make a brief stop at the Capital. This beautiful Hispanic tradition was adopted four years ago during the observance of the Year of Faith. It offers the faithful an opportunity to prepare their hearts for the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. There were over 1200 participants last year. We anticipate the same or more participants this year. A Plenary Indulgence will be associated with the participation in the pilgrimage along with the requisite Confession, Communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father. If you have any questions, please contact Lorena, General Manager of RSS, at lorenaa@radiosantisimosacramento.com or 442-7349.