Fr. Rick’s Pastoral Messages 4/2/23

Senior Activity Center – Please see the flyers in the gathering space to discover the many activities offered to seniors in our area.

Remember:  Good Friday is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat.

Holy Week Schedule:

Monday through Wednesday:  Mass 8:00 AM

Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 7:00PM

            Adoration until 10:00 PM

Good Friday:

            Stations of the Cross: 3:00 PM

            Passion of the Lord with Communion: 7:00 pm

Holy Saturday: Adoration 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM

Easter Sunday Mass of the Resurrection:  8:00 AM & 10:00 AM

This Week:  Annual Collection for Support of the Holy Land


Four-minute Meditations – As noted last week, we have completed our series of 15 four-minute meditations on the Mass as a component of our observance of the National Eucharistic Revival.  If you would like to re-review them, you can find the entire series at https://www.dioslc.org/eucharistic-revival/worship .  Select ‘Reflections on the Mass…’

Share the Fun:  Remember that we are a ‘Hospitality Parish’ with a major outreach to our many visitors. Please sign up to help host our Sunday morning Coffee and Muffin gathering. Sign up list is in the gathering space.

RICE BOWLS – If you picked up a Rice Bowl this year for Catholic Relief Service donations, you can turn them in to Fr. Rick at any time…. soon.

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“A friend is long sought, hardly found and with difficulty kept.”                St. Jerome

Feet Washing.  As with last year, the Holy Thursday Mass will NOT feature the foot washing ceremony…NOT because I lack humility or that I do not recognize the great service of so many of our disciples. However, our tiny group usually has the same volunteers for everything, the attendance on Holy Thursday is usually very small and my aging knees are still in need of some recuperation.  Therefore, in the spirit of real pastoral service, I am again offering breakfast, lunch or supper to anyone interested at the rectory as it can be scheduled throughout the next few months. You may come in groups of two to six and choose from a wonderful (but limited) variety of food options.  (Please pray that the apricots don’t get froze out this year).  There will be a sign-up list in the gather space.

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Strength in Suffering and Humility

Homily Reflection Questions

On one of the most important days of His life Jesus chooses to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey which is part of his message of turning the world’s power structure upside down.  Think of a time when you had the opportunity to be adulated or the center of attention and instead you chose to redirect the attention or message to something or someone else.  What was your real motive?  How do you suspect it may have changed your life?  How might it have changed others’ lives?  

In the early Christian era palms were a symbol of Christianity.  To display palms on the outside of one’s house was a way of identifying oneself as a Christian.  However, this was not just a name, but a way of testifying that one was actually participating in the suffering of Christ.  How do we discern whether we are just coping with life and suffering or if we have willingly entered into a phase of suffering as a ‘co-redeemer’ with Jesus?  How has this witness changed your life?  How might your willingness to suffer with Christ have influenced others?