Savoring the Mysteries

A week ago Saturday, several of our members were received into Full Communion with the Church in the highly impressive ceremony of the Easter Vigil. They have spent the past year preparing for this moment. Following through several steps, including the Rite of Election in the Cathedral with Archbishop Perez, these aspiring Catholics drew closer and closer to the full practice of the Faith. In the Vigil Rite, they are invited to finally join us in the celebration and reception of the Eucharist. All throughout the world, men and women professed their faith and were finally joined with all their brothers and sisters.

As they go forth to live out their Christian life, they, along with each of us, are invited into a deeper relationship with the Easter Mysteries; that is, the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord. The Fifty Days of Easter make up the period of “Mystagogy,” a fancy Greek word which simply means “to savor the Mysteries.” The entire Easter Season is a time for the newly initiated and the entire community to deepen their grasp on the Paschal Mystery, through sharing in the Eucharist, meditating on the Easter Scriptures, and sharing works of charity.

Here are a few open-ended or unfinished questions that you might consider as you spend these Easter days “Savoring the Mysteries.” There are no right or wrong answers, just questions which will help us in our quest to know God better and to live at peace with one another.

What is most valuable in my life now?

How can I grow spiritually or emotionally this Easter Season?

What brings me the most joy and how am I going to get more of it?

In what way may I be of service to my brothers and sisters?

Where do I see the Mercy of God?

May the joy of the Easter Season and the Mercy of God give you peace in abundance as you savor God’s goodness to you and to all of our brothers and sisters.

Happy Easter, again!
Father Kennedy

Saturday April 15th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday April 16th Divine Mercy Sunday
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday April 17th
6:30 am † Elizabeth Currie

Tuesday April 18th
6:30 am † Patricia Frederick

Wednesday April 19th
6:30 am † James McAnulty

Thursday April 20th
6:30 am † Jen Beerley—31st Anniversary

Friday April 21st St. Anselm
6:30 am † Margaret Mary Youse

Saturday April 22nd
8:00 am † William Morris

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, Bud DeLaurentis, Don Meyer, Janet McHenry Howarth, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…Sister Jane Dolores Biddle, IHM; Sister Michael Maureen McArdle, IHM; Sister Judith Mary Stecklair, IHM;  Sister Karen Marie Corcoran, IHM…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

REJOICE!

“This is the ‘day which the Lord has made.’ Alleluia! Take fresh hope, brothers and sisters of the whole world! With Christ our Passover, everything is possible! Christ goes forward in our future!” These beautiful words of praise were spoken by Pope John Paul II in his 1991 Easter Message.  It was true then, and true now, that Our Lord Jesus Christ defeated death and rose with His Glorified body on that wondrous day.  Making His Passion even more glorious and wonderful is that we join Christ in His Resurrection. We, through Christ’s sacrifice, will also be resurrected.

On Easter, we remember what Our Lord has in store for all of us when we accept, embrace, and have faith in Our Lord and Savior.  It is easy to forget what is truly in store for our eternal future.  The things of this world are constantly working against us, making it difficult to even believe such wondrous things.  Even the apostles, in their own sorrow, forgot the teachings of their beloved Rabbi.  He told them on the third day that He would rise from the dead; yet, they struggled to understand what they were witnessing.  What a testament to our own faith that we believe and celebrate without being there on the first Easter Day.

On this Easter Sunday, we can also celebrate the fact that those who have gone before us in death will be reunited with us.  Death is no longer the end of life because through Christ, we continue to have a relationship and will be reunited with all our beloved. Knowing this, we can truly no longer fear death.  What a happy day this day is.

Let us sing with joyous voices and embrace all that we love as we enjoy the gift Christ has given us…the gift of our repaired relationship with our Creator whom we can truly now call Our Father.

May Jesus live in our Hearts forever!
Deacon Chris

Palm Sunday – April 2, 2023
Palms distributed at all the Masses
4:00 PM Vigil, 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM

Monday – April 3, 2023
Living Stations – 7:00 PM

Wednesday – April 5, 2023
Living Stations – 10:30 AM
Holy Name Society Prayer Service – 6:30 PM
Tenebrae Prayer Service – 7:00 PM

Holy Thursday – April 6, 2023
No morning Mass
Mass of the Lord’s Supper – 7:00 PM
Church will remain open until 11:00 PM

Good Friday – April 7, 2023
There will be no exposition of the Eucharist in the Chapel.
Morning Prayer – 9:00 AM
Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion with Holy Communion – 3:00 PM

Holy Saturday – April 8, 2023
There will be no daily Mass and confessions.
Morning Prayer – 9:00 AM
Easter Vigil – 8:00 PM

Easter Sunday – April 9, 2023
Mass – 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM
Choir Performance – 10:40 AM

Easter Monday – April 10, 2023
8:00 AM Daily Mass
There will be no exposition of the Eucharist in the Chapel.

Divine Mercy Sunday – April 16, 2023
Mass – 4:00 PM Vigil, 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM
Exposition of the Eucharist – 12:00 PM
Divine Mercy Chaplet – 2:00 PM

Click HERE to livestream the services.

Saturday April 8th Holy Saturday & Easter Vigil
8:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday April 9th Easter Sunday
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday April 10th
8:00 am † Gino Arilotta

Tuesday April 11th
6:30 am † Daniel Mackintosh

Wednesday April 12th
6:30 am † Francis & Eileen Frankenfield

Thursday April 13th
6:30 am † Karen Dorland

Friday April 14th
6:30 am Thomas Quaresima

Saturday April 15th
8:00 am † Marge Ziegler

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, Bud DeLaurentis, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Three years. Jesus only had three years of His public ministry to do what He did for us on the cross. It makes me think of what else can happen in three years.  I looked around the internet and found a few things that people say can happen during that amount of time. Most UK undergraduate degrees take less than three years to complete. Once in a blue moon may refer to a rare event, but you can experience a blue moon roughly once every three years. If you can get your hands on a spacecraft, travelling to Mars only takes about six months; however, Earth and Mars are only close together roughly every two years. So to complete this journey, it would take three years. If you walk at a speed of three miles per hour for eight hours a day, it would take about three years to walk the distance around the world. One person said, “It takes an average of two years, eleven months and eight days to go from meeting someone special to getting engaged.”

Three years is not a lot of time. In fact, it is just the beginning of something. In Jesus’ life, his three years of public ministry was only a small introduction of who He is. We are still studying and praying about His life on earth thousands of years later.  So, what are some of the things Jesus did in three years that we are still coming and seeing?

Jesus humbled Himself to be baptized by His creation and allowed Himself to be emptied and tempted in the wilderness.  He gathers disciples, apostles, and friends. He performs miracles, teaches with authority, forgives sinners, and challenges religious leaders to think and act differently. He tells people that God is love and that following Him is not about following a set of rules for the rule’s sake. He is rejected in His hometown of Nazareth.  He sends out His twelve apostles on their missions and instructs them how to share His gospel message. He prays. He rests. He eats and drinks with religious and sinners. He feeds the 5,000. At one point, everything is going well for Him. He has everyone’s attention. The crowds are gathering around him saying. “We believe. We believe. We believe you are the Son of God and can do anything.” Then He talks about His Body and Blood being real food and real drink.  They are confused by what He is saying, so He doubles down and says that whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood has eternal life. Many who said they believed turned away from Him.  After revealing this truth, Jesus continued with His ministry and raised Lazarus from the dead. The Jewish religious leaders plot to murder Him to save their own way of life and their own way of thinking. They are stuck in the mindset that “this is how we have always done it.” There is so much more that Jesus did in His three years, but His final journey to Jerusalem and His entrance into the city on the first Palm Sunday, begins today, Holy Week. 

Three years looks so small when we compare it to the age of our universe which is over 13 billion years old or to our earth which is 4.5 billion years old.  Three years is not a lot of time. Jesus doesn’t delay to save us. In fact, what we see is that He rushes to save us. Three years, one holy week, and three days in the tomb is not a lot of time in comparison to time itself, and yet these events that we remember this week changed creation forever.  Jesus coming here is just an introduction to His great love for you and me.  He wants us to know that our God isn’t here to destroy us, but He is willing to be destroyed to save us.

This week, let us pray that we slow down our lives and learn more why we call this week Holy.  Jesus has something to say to all of us, so please, even just for three minutes each day, come thirsty for His love.

Saturday April 1st
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday April 2nd Palm Sunday
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday April 3rd
6:30 am † Carl and Theresa Kroupa

Tuesday April 4th
6:30 am † Regina Tanzillo

Wednesday April 5th
6:30 am † Intentions of Luke Trombetta

Thursday April 6th Holy Thursday
7:00 pm Intentions of the Presider

Saturday April 8th Holy Saturday
8:00 pm Intentions of the Presider

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Sherry Burke, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, Bud DeLaurentis, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

              “God is life,” and He is the giver of life to us. We are spiritually alive only when we are living in friendship with Him and with one another. As we continue this journey of Lent, let us pray for the gift of a deeper friendship with God and others through the God-man, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

Every form of life is a gift from God and the readings this Sunday remind us of this fact. The First Reading from the Prophet Ezekiel (37:12-14) is a message of hope and restoration, “I am now going to open your graves… you will live.” It is God who gives us life and sustains this life in us. Only He can grant us the fullness of life and open our graves, but never without our cooperation. Opening our graves means leading us out of and away from every form of limitation that creates an obstacle to our full communion with Him.

God’s gift of life is bestowed on us in two forms: our natural life and our supernatural life. Our natural life, which is God’s first gift to us, is given by Him without any effort on our part. In order to grow in the supernatural life or in friendship with God, we must freely respond to God’s invitation through the graces which He alone gives to us. Saint Paul in the Second Reading (Romans 8:8-11) reminds us that “People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God.” A good life is a life lived in such a way that the choices and aspirations of our natural life correspond to the demands of the supernatural life.

The key to our growth in the supernatural life is to nurture and deepen our friendship with the God-man, Jesus. This is the unique qualification of Lazarus in this Sunday’s Gospel (John 11:1-45), “Our friend Lazarus is resting, I am going to wake him.” Jesus said “our friend” because all those who are in friendship with Jesus Christ and through Him are friends with the Triune God, are also friends to one another. This friendship is based on their mutual choice and response to one and the same friend, Jesus. Previous to this, Mary and Martha said, “Lord, the man you love is ill” demonstrating the personal relationship and affection that must exist between us and God as an indispensable prerequisite for us to merit the supernatural life of grace which He bestows.

The Easter joy we look forward to is a real manifestation of the presence of God’s life within and around us. Ability to develop a lasting relationship and friendship with God is a concrete sign of spiritual growth and maturity. This friendship is what makes us disposed to have God in and around us always like Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. When we are gifted with an intimate friendship and love of God which overflows into a genuine love of others, our Triune God is attracted to us.

May God grant us the grace to build a strong and firm friendship with Him and may our friendship with Him, like that of Lazarus, attract Him to us always with His tremendous gifts of supernatural life and never-ending love!

May God love and bless you!
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday March 25th Annunciation of the Lord
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday March 26th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday March 27th
6:30 am † Joseph McFadden

Tuesday March 28th
6:30 am † Mary Rose Tobin

Wednesday March 29th
6:30 am † Father John Keane

Thursday March 30th
6:30 am † Francis O’Connor

Friday March 31st
6:30 am † Elizabeth Kelley

Saturday April 1st
8:00 am † Phyllis Talese

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Sherry Burke, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, Bud DeLaurentis, Marion Lewis, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…Patricia Lewis; Laura Cozzi; Margaret Sherwood; Harold Perrong; & Angelo Ballerino…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

+Dear Saint David Parishioners,

         In today’s first reading, we can ask ourselves, “How many times am I like Samuel and judge by appearances?” If you are like me, you may answer, “more times than I would like to admit.” This may be the truth, but with Jesus’ grace, we can pray, “Jesus, please help me not to judge, but rather to see others as You see them, as one created in Your likeness and loved unconditionally. Help me to be more charitable and loving, rather than negative and critical.” We heard in this reading from Samuel, “Not as people see does God see, because people see the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” 

           May we be open to allowing Jesus, our Good Shepherd, to lead us along the right paths of life and let His light and love shine through us to others. Additionally, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, just like the blind man in today’s Gospel, we can be healed from our blindness and share Jesus’ forgiveness with others. Freed from our sins, we are then strengthened to walk in the light of the Lord and can invite others to do the same. 

Lenten blessings! Saint Joseph, whose feast day is celebrated tomorrow, pray for us!
Sister Mary

Saturday March 18th St. Cyril of Jerusalem
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday March 19th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday March 20th St. Joseph Spouse of the Virgin Mary
6:30 am Fr. Chris Redcay

Tuesday March 21st
6:30 am † Maryanne McGowan

Wednesday March 22nd
6:30 am † Dolores and Albert Anderson

Thursday March 23rd St. Turibius of Mogrovejo
6:30 am † Jim Kennedy

Friday March 24th
6:30 am † Josephine Dugan

Saturday March 25th Annunciation of the Lord
8:00 am † Francis and Louise Lindgren

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Sherry Burke, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, Bud DeLaurentis, Marion Lewis, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

A Celebration and Thanks for the Success of Forty Hours

What a joy and blessing the last week has been to be able to come together as a parish and gaze upon our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament – the Eucharist.

       We would like to thank all those involved in the success of our Lenten Parish Retreat:

Fr. Carbonaro
Fr. Kennedy
Deacon Chris
Deacon Bill
Deacon Don
Kris Van Hees
Lusea, Jordan, & Aydan Paradis
Peter & Santo Baumeister
Mary & Peter Stelacio
Luke Ellison
Maddie Cole
Katie Kelly
Joe & Christine Leonardi
Barb Aughtmon
Kathleen Piselli
Choir Members
Maureen Karns
Terry Rutherford
Kelly Pelicano
Paula & Gary Warnalis
Meg & Mike Stelacio
Monica & Skip Marlin
Julia Marlin
Pat Weatherford
Kathy Dugan
Jo Ann & Fran Schluckebier
Mary Anne Dempsey
Maddi Cartlidge
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick
Sr. Mary St. Mark
Queen of Angels Students
PREP Students

       Our biggest thank you is FOR Christ who called us to be in His presence those forty hours. We thank all those who signed up to spend an hour with our Lord and those who stopped by just to say hello to Him. Christ will always be our closest friend even when we don’t acknowledge Him or recognize His presence in our lives. God is never far. He is there waiting to accept us – ever reaching out to us with loving, open arms. It is in Christ that we can build a firm foundation in our faith. Start by spending 15 minutes before the Blessed Sacrament – He is patiently waiting for you. Christ is the Divine Physician waiting to heal your aching heart.

Fr. Dennis Carbonaro had three main points for us to continually reflect on throughout the season of Lent:

We must remember that God is FOR us. He sent His only Son to be a loving sacrifice repairing what we cannot repair. God sees and God provides all that we need to live a holy life. Alone, none of us can handle the fires of life, but we are not alone, especially in the presence of the Eucharist. God speaks unceasingly, “I love you and I am with you.” It begs a response of love from us on our part. 

In response and in imitation of a God who is FOR us, we must learn to live FOR one another and to give FOR the other. We are called by God to grow deeper in holiness. He asks the best from us because he gives the best to us. It is in the Eucharist that we can find all the grace that we need to respond to all that God requires of us. We are all called to the perfection of Love, using the strength delt out to us by Christ in his Holy Sacrifice – the Eucharist.

As the reflection of Christ’s love in the world, we are called to be an example to others. From the prayer of St. Teresa of Avila, “Christ has no body but yours…” We are meant to be Christ’s light in a world where the devil lurks on the streets of our everyday lives. These Forty Hours have been a time to become renewed and refreshed, strengthened in our Christian faith, to be His beacon of hope to others in the secular world. With our eyes fixed on Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament, we grow in hope for what is to come, bringing that message to all those we encounter in our lives.

If God is FOR us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

Saturday March 11th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday March 12th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday March 13th
6:30 am † Joseph R. Serianni

Tuesday March 14th
6:30 am † George H. Fesmire, Sr.

Wednesday March 15th
6:30 am † Thomas Lawson

Thursday March 16th
6:30 am † Gallo Family

Friday March 17th St. Patrick
6:30 am † Mary Turner

Saturday March 18th St. Cyril of Jerusalem
8:00 am † Harry Weckerly

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Sherry Burke, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased… Michael D. Mahon…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

A few years ago, a young woman working the same job site as me found out that I was a deacon.  She sought me out and introduced herself. She asked if I had any problem talking about religion and if she could ask me some questions. I said sure, I’m all about religion. She began to tell me about herself and how she was raised Catholic by her very devout parents. She went to Catholic grade school and high school and pretty much stayed faithful to the teaching of the church and raised her children Catholic as well. She then told me about her father. He was a very faithful and devout man. He never missed Mass, prayed all the time, and was the true inspiration to the rest of the family to also practice their faith. This is where the story went south. She told me her father developed cancer. Her family experienced the rollercoaster ride that cancer treatment can be. Good news one day, bad the next. Her father tried everything and never gave up but, in the end, after quite a bit of suffering, he finally passed from the horrible disease.

During his suffering, he never lost his faith, totally trusting in God’s plan for him. This tragedy, however, left this woman very lost and angry. She was angry at her father for never getting mad at God, and she was furious with God. How could God put her father through all that if He loved him? And how could God take away her father whom she loved so much if God loved her? She asked me with all the suffering her family went through and all the suffering she sees in the world, how could there ever be a loving God.? She believed that there was no God. She no longer practiced her faith and stopped raising her children as Catholics.

The first thing I told her was she must not really believe there is no God, because why would she come and find me to talk about it? God’s grace was still moving in her heart. The second thing I told her was that it was okay to be angry with God. He can take it. He can take it because he was suffering right alongside her father and her family. Most of all, I told her, God created us to love us. All he asks is that we love him back. That’s it.

God could have created us to automatically love him in some kind of robotic relationship, but God wants more than that. He wants us to choose him with our total hearts. To achieve a total kind of love, we must be able to do that in an environment which allows us not to choose Him. If everything was perfect all the time, it would be easy to love God; or maybe, if everything was so perfect, would we even need God? God does not want us to love him because we have to, He desires us to love Him because we want to. Suffering is the opportunity to recognize that God is right beside us and to allow Him to share in our suffering.

We sometimes forget that God did not spare His only Son from suffering. It was through Christ’s suffering and death, which he chose, that we are reunited with the Father. Christ’s obedience and love had to be genuine or His sacrifice for us would have meant nothing.

We will all experience loss and tragedy. No one is spared from it. Even the apostles did not want to hear that Jesus would suffer when Christ revealed to them what is in store for Him in this world. It is after this revelation Christ chooses to share with Peter, James and John what His suffering will bring: His Transfiguration. They were illuminated and surrounded by the love of God and living in that very love. Loving God and living his Gospel brings us through our trials and will transfigure us and bring us through all suffering.

The last thing I spoke to her about was that she is going to need God again. The death of her father was not the last tragedy she will experience. Why would you choose to suffer without our God by your side? Her father knew this. It was why he never lost his faith. When you are in a difficult situation and you are struggling, turn to God. He is right beside you.

May Jesus live in our hearts forever.
Deacon Chris

Saturday March 4th St. Casimir
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday March 5th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday March 6th
6:30 am † John and Elizabeth Dobbins

Tuesday March 7th Ss. Perpetua & Felicity
6:30 am † Lawrence J. Tobin, Jr.

Wednesday March 8th St. John of God
6:30 am † Deceased members of the Link & Simpson families

Thursday March 9th St. Frances of Rome
6:30 am † Elizabeth M. Beck

Friday March 10th
6:30 am † John Kenney

Saturday March 11th
8:00 am † Louise Iovino Wright

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Sherry Burke, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…Jennie Adasavage & Anne Becker…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to the source and summit of our faith in the celebration of the Eucharist.

In a world where temptation and evil abound, where devotion to the Mass and our Lord in the Holy Eucharist have declined, where the practice of penance and confession have been forgotten, we need the Forty Hours Devotion more than ever. The Forty Hours Devotion provides a wonderful opportunity for the spiritual growth and healing of each person and the parish as a whole.

We have chosen the National Eucharistic Revival as the theme for our Forty Hours Devotional Retreat. The National Eucharistic Revival is a movement to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery here in the United States by helping us renew our worship of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Toward a Eucharistic Revival
By Dr. James Pauley | September 20, 2022

Radical Change
The need for “revival” in relation to the Eucharist could be understood in two ways. First, we American Catholics stand in need of a revival of faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. As we know, there has been a steep decline in the number of Catholics who believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. The Eucharistic Revival is a tangible movement of the Church, in our great need, toward our Eucharistic Lord.

But a Eucharistic Revival isn’t only about our faith in the Eucharist. The Eucharistic presence of Jesus is how God also heals and revives our fragmented world. There is clearly so much that is broken, both outside of and within the Church. Pope Benedict XVI once compared the effects of the transubstantiation of bread and wine to nuclear fission. Receiving the Eucharist is meant to introduce a principle of radical change within a person, giving each of us the capacity, because of our communion with Jesus, for unmeasured self-giving love. And such love heals and renews, not only persons, but cultures too.

Of course, merely adoring or receiving the Blessed Sacrament doesn’t automatically create this kind of change within a person. Each of us must intentionally allow this encounter to influence us. Only then does the building of a civilization of love become a meaningful possibility. Mother Teresa depended upon Eucharistic Communion, and the global effects of her “yes” to God continue to reverberate to this day. The world needs an army of real disciples who actually know Jesus intimately and know how to live in and from a deep union with Him. Great things then become possible.

Meet the Lord of History
When we encounter the Eucharistic Lord in the Mass, we are not meeting Jesus somehow in the abstract. Rather, we are meeting him in his Paschal Mystery, in the very act of laying down His life out of love, for our great good. Sacramental theologian Lawrence Feingold puts it this way:

“In the Eucharist, Christ gives to His Bride the very act by which He poured out His life for her to cleanse and sanctify her by meriting the remission of sins. . . . In other words, Christ willed to give a testament to His Bride that would be not only His own living presence but also the continued presence of the very act by which He showed Himself as the Supreme Lover of our souls.”

When we encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, we meet the Lord of History who wishes, by His self-emptying love made present, to draw us into an intimate communion with Him in His Mystical Body, the Church. Of course, such a communion becomes possible not only by receiving the Eucharist but also by giving all of ourselves back to the Lord as a sacrificial offering. Suffice it to say, such a deep loving exchange is what we were made for. It revives us. It makes us capable of bringing the light of Christ into our communities in new ways.

Unprecedented
The National Eucharistic Congress will be the first since Philadelphia’s in 1976. These two years of revival before the event really have no precedent. The Revival and the Congress will help Catholics to encounter the Eucharist with new eyes, but also to encounter the broader Mystical Body of Christ in a very powerful way. I was able to see St. John Paul II come to my hometown of Phoenix in 1987. It was a life-changing experience for sixteen-year-old me to see seventy thousand Catholics gathered for Mass at Sun Devil Stadium (with all the images of Sparky the Sun Devil covered over with artwork featuring angels and saints). I hope that my children might see a hundred thousand Catholics who love the Eucharist gathered together in Indianapolis and that we all will take great courage and strength from such an encounter.

Saturday February 25th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday February 26th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday February 27th St. Gregory of Narek
6:30 am † Wanda Muth

Tuesday February 28th
6:30 am † Lawrence J. Tobin Sr.

Wednesday March 1st St. David
6:30 am † Brian Zingle—5th Anniversary
9:00 am Intentions of the Parishioners (Feast of St. David Mass)

Thursday March 2nd
6:30 am † Doris Fernandes

Friday March 3rd St. Katharine Drexel
6:30 am † Marietta and Joseph Johnson

Saturday March 4th St. Casimir
8:00 am † Domenic Colibraro

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Sherry Burke, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

This Sunday at the 9 AM Mass, Jennifer Mueller, Ruben Jimenez, and Yamilet Jimenez will assemble publicly for the first time to declare their desire to enter into a relationship with God in Jesus Christ. Their spiritual journey has brought them to this point as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) at the Easter Vigil on April 8th. With the Rite of Acceptance that we celebrate today, the Church will accept them as “catechumens” (those who are receiving catechesis). Now they become part of the household of Christ – a spiritual change that brings them into the fold of Christianity.

On Sunday, February 26, they will join other catechumens from across the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at the cathedral to participate in the Rite of Election. At the cathedral, Archbishop Nelson Pérez will formally elect the catechumens for admission to the Sacraments of Initiation. The Rite of Election is the earthly celebration of the catechumens being elected by God. It is celebrated with great solemnity to show how much the Church recognizes the importance of the decision to seek unity with God. After the celebration of this rite, Jennifer, Ruben, and Yamilet will become “the elect.”

Our elect will continue their journey with a period of purification and enlightenment throughout Lent. The Church helps them and encourages them to enter into a deeper understanding of Christ’s saving sacrifice with the celebration of three Scrutinies (on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent). Our elect will be invited to prayerfully reflect on the sinful nature we all possess and their desire for salvation. This is a good time for us to also reflect on sin and repentance.

Jennifer, Ruben, and Yamilet are joined on this journey by Taylor Pearsall and Angel Jimenez who prepare to complete their Christian initiation with the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Taylor and Angel will join us on the 2nd Sunday of Lent for a special Penitential Rite where we will all be invited to prayerfully prepare ourselves to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as we approach Easter.

Entering into this Lenten season, let us pray for them and let us use this time to reflect on our own Baptism and the gift of eternal life.

Saturday February 18th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday February 19th
7:00 am Intentions of the Presider
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19 & For Peace in Eastern Europe
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday February 20th
6:30 am † Mary Turner

Tuesday February 21st St. Peter Damian
6:30 am † Mary Turner

Wednesday February 22nd Ash Wednesday
6:30 am † Suzanne W. Casazza
9:00 am Intentions of the Parishioners
7:00 pm † Mary Turner

Thursday February 23rd St. Polycarp
6:30 am † Edward Kane

Friday February 24th
6:30 am Bill & Carolyn Petrosky

Saturday February 25th
8:00 am † Nancy Devlin

---

Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick … Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, James Dehan, Eric Bull, Bruce Seth, Vanessa Wismer, Karen Dale, Agnes Neas, Maria Pinto, Ernestine Spinello, Bryce Cassidy, Marta Gomeztor, Marion Price, Ed Bergan, Evelyn Griffin, Ray Wilson, Teresa Riegal, Bob Bohrer, Loretta Ceniviva, Regina Poskus, Joe Rosales, Pedro Flores, Thomas McLaughlin, Laverne McPhail, George Weatherford, Kathleen Lochner, Imelda Kormos, Kay Kenney, Howard J. Drager, Michael Boyle Sr., Eddie Quintana, Ralph Cosgrove, Anne & Mike Butera, Robert Mehlbaum, Eleanor Soboleski, Joseph Bellisari, Philip Bell, Joyce Drexler, Maria Gulach, Sherry Burke, Earl T. Bauder, John Flickinger, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased…Marie Forrester & Mary Trauger…

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

+ Dear Saint David Parishioners,

Once there was a man named Charlie who was feeling quite unsettled with his life, but couldn’t really put his finger on the reason why. He was happily married to Sarah, was blessed with three beautiful children, and was satisfied with his work. Charlie reflected on his life and considered himself a decent human being; he thought of himself as a reliable and responsible person, a satisfactory husband and father, and one who occasionally helped those who were less fortunate. Even though these were acceptable qualities, something was just not right. Nothing major was happening in his life; it was the same ol’, same ol’. One day while he was taking a walk in the park, he heard an inner voice say to him, “Charlie, what you are missing is Me.” “What?” Charlie spun around to see if anyone was around, but there was no one. Charlie thought to himself that he must have imagined it. Again, the inner voice repeated, except this time a little louder, “Charlie, what you are missing is Me!”

Charlie realized that the inner voice was Jesus. He thought, “I am no Saint Paul falling off a horse, but this is real. I know it is.” Charlie didn’t want to tell anyone for fear that he/she would think that he did fall off a horse. Instead, he stopped into Saint David Church where it just happened to be a day when the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for adoration. Now Charlie remembered that when he attended Saint David School, his teacher taught that Jesus is actually present in the Blessed Sacrament. As Charlie knelt down before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, he found himself pouring out his heart in prayer – explaining to Jesus all that he was going through, even though he realized that Jesus already knew, but Charlie continued anyway. He then sat back, not thinking or saying anything, but just gazing at Jesus in the monstrance. He thought, “Wow, this is really amazing that our God came down from heaven, was born of the Virgin Mary, became a baby, grew up as all of us do, began His public ministry, was crucified, and rose from the dead to save me and all of us from sin. How remarkable!” Charlie then just sat back in the pew and let himself process this experience. Charlie relished this personal encounter with Jesus and felt an inner peace that he had never experienced before.

As time went on, Charlie made it a weekly practice – sometimes once or twice a week to stop into adoration. He then began attending weekly Mass with Sarah and the kids. Sarah never asked why the sudden change, but she did notice that Charlie was becoming more attentive, patient, and generous with his time with her and the children. Even some of Charlie’s friends mentioned to Sarah that Charlie seemed different, but in a good way. Finally, one day Charlie shared with Sarah all that he went through and invited her to join him in going to adoration. Together, their marriage became stronger because they would pray together, share their thoughts on Scripture passages, discuss the weekly Sunday readings as a family, and participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a family. During Advent and Lent, they prayed a decade of the rosary as a family. These shared practices deepened not only their marriage but their family bonds as well. Charlie remembered one of his religion teachers telling the class, “The family that prays together, stays together.” Charlie felt blessed that he had taken the time to get to the bottom of his unsettled feelings and as a result, his Catholic faith became an integral part of his everyday life. Jesus now had a central place in his life and in his family’s life and life felt more manageable and less anxiety-ridden with Jesus by their side! Charlie gave thanks and praise to God for this awesome experience and explained to those who would listen how Jesus wants to have a personal encounter with each one of us– we just have to be willing to stop and listen.

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary