Saint Mary
Catholic Church
Hagerstown, MD
and
Saint Michael
Catholic Church
Clear Spring, MD
Palm Sunday
March 29, 2015
March 29, 2015
Palm Sunday
Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe, but it is now already “Palm Sunday”! I hope your Lent, so quickly almost to
completion, has been spiritually fruitful and fulfilling for you.
You may recall, for those of you who attended my masses last weekend, the story I shared with
you during my homily (courtesy of Father Brett Brannen, formerly of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary.) It was about a small boy who had received a small, miniature statue of Jesus from the priest
as a gift; but, looking at it, he actually did not know it who it was. But when his mom pulled a rosary out of her pocket and pointed to the crucifix and again said to him, “Who is that?” he then
immediately replied, “That’s Jesus!” She then turned to Fr. Brett, and said to him: “He only
knows Jesus on the Cross.”
As we hear the reading of the “passion” of Jesus in the Gospel this weekend at mass, we are reminded of the “cost” of Christianity. We indeed believe that the founder of our Church, our faith,
truly died on a cross about 2000 years ago. A historical reality – and the central truth in our heritage and tradition of faith. To paraphrase, as it has once been said, “without the Cross there is no
Christ.” Christ’s mission was to do the will of his Father: “Thy will be done” as he taught us to
pray in the “Lord’s Prayer.” It led him straight to the cross. As a disciple of Christ, a follower of
him: should we, you and I, expect anything less ourselves – than also the cross within our own
lives?
Yet, the good news is this: our faith does not end at the cross. If it did, Jesus would not be the
“Christ” he is, and claimed to be. The Crucifixion is always followed by the Resurrection. This
means that if we have faith, even if the size of a simple mustard seed, we also have an unyielding
hope, even in the midst of the sufferings and trials we so often experience in life. My prayer for
you and myself this Holy Week and Easter is to experience anew the grace of a strengthening of
an expectant hope in our lives. And to quote St. Rose of Lima, to encourage you to: “Joyfully
carry your cross: if you do, it will carry you to Heaven”Peace, In Jesus Christ, Crucified yet RisenFather Collin
***
The Stations of the
Cross:
We have just produced our newest video for the “Inspire/Ask-the-Pastor” project: it is an eightminute version of the Lenten devotion “Stations of the Cross”, filmed right here in our beautiful
Church of St. Mary! To see it, and even pray the Stations with Scriptural meditations, go online
to: http://www.your4state.com/ask-the-pastor and scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on
the “The Stations of the Cross.” Enjoy! And, may God bless you!
Blessing of Easter Food Baskets
Fr. Collin will bless your basket filled with the food for your
Easter Meal on Saturday, April 4 at Noon in the church.
Unbound Prayer Day: Have you ever longed for freedom but felt unable to receive it? Do past sins,
hurts, or memories keep weighing you down? On Saturday morning, April 18th there will be teams available
to provide prayer ministry using the Unbound model at the Church of the Resurrection. Unbound Prayer is
based on 5 simple, Scriptural keys that will help you unlock areas of your life where you feel “stuck” or that
have held you back in your spiritual growth. This Unbound prayer model provides compassionate listening
without judgment to help you attain greater freedom in Christ. If you are interested in receiving this kind of
prayer, please contact Dan Gahagan by Saturday, April 11th via email at [email protected] to learn more about this and to schedule a time for prayer.
Unbound Prayer Day:
Have you ever longed for freedom but felt unable to receive it? Do past sins,
hurts, or memories keep weighing you down? On Saturday morning, April 18th there will be teams available
to provide prayer ministry using the Unbound model at the Church of the Resurrection. Unbound Prayer is
based on 5 simple, Scriptural keys that will help you unlock areas of your life where you feel “stuck” or that
have held you back in your spiritual growth. This Unbound prayer model provides compassionate listening
without judgment to help you attain greater freedom in Christ. If you are interested in receiving this kind of
prayer please contact Dan Gahagan by Monday April 13th via email at [email protected] to learn more about this and to schedule a time for prayer.
SCHOOL NEWS
Enrollment for the 2015-2016 school year is now under way! St. Mary Catholic School is
currently accepting applications for the next school year. Don’t delay because there is limited
space available for grades Pre-K through seventh grade. Please contact Rachel O’Connor at the
front desk at 301-733-1184 or by email at [email protected] for more information. Our next Open House will be held on Monday, April 27th from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
All young adults (18-35) are invited to the Our Lady of the Cenacle group on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tuesday of the month for dinner and fellowship at the Corner Pub, located at 158 S Mulberry St, Hagerstown, MD
21740. We meet at 7:30PM in the upper room. Please contact Maria Cocchiaro 301-739-0390 ext. 128.
Children who are making their First Communion need to be getting ready for their interviews. If they are
in St. Mary school or St. Mary CCD Program, they will be interviewed during their class. If they are Homeschooled, please call Jan at 301-739-0390 ext 129 to set up an interview.
CCD School of Religion will have an Easter holiday on Sunday, April 5.
Classes will resume April 12, 2015.
Divine Mercy Sunday
April 12, 2015
12:00-12:30
12:50
3:00
3:00-6:00
6:00
Chaplet of Divine Mercy sung (after 11:00 Mass)
Latin Mass
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Adoration – Confession
Chaplet of Divine Mercy at the Hour of Mercy
Benediction & Veneration of Divine Mercy
Image (St. John Paul II blessed), 1st class relic of
St. Faustina and 2nd class relic of St. John Paul II
“I desire that the whole world know My infinite Mercy.
I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My Mercy.”
Pro – Life Quote: “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” J.R.R. Tolkien
Holy Inspirational Quotes: “Almsgiving, according to the Gospel, is not mere philanthropy:
rather, it is a concrete expression of charity, a theological virtue that demands interior conversion
to love of God and neighbor, in imitation of Jesus Christ, who, dying on the cross, gave His entire
Self for us.” - Pope Benedict XVI
Divine Mercy Novena: (April 3–11)
The Lord instructed St. Faustina (and us) to say the Divine Mercy Chaplet for 9
days beginning Good Friday (April 3) and ending before the Feast of Divine
Mercy Sunday. Jesus explained, “By this novena, I will grant every possible
grace to souls(796)... I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the
fountain of My Mercy, that they may draw from there the strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the
hour of death. On each day, you will bring to My Heart a different group of
souls, and you will immerse them in this ocean of My Mercy, and I will bring all
these souls into the house of My Father...I will deny nothing to any soul whom
you will bring to the fount of My Mercy. On each day you will beg My Father,
on the strength of My bitter Passion, for graces for these souls.” (1209) Please
join St. Mary Catholic Church and the universal Church in praying this beautiful
novena given to us by our Lord. Enclosed in this week’s bulletin is a red pamphlet that explains more fully the Divine Mercy Novena and Chaplet.
Divine Mercy Sunday:
On Sunday, April 12, please join Fr. Collin, Fr. Larry and St. Mary parishioners in celebrating the Feast of Divine
Mercy. After the 11 AM Mass, Fr. Collin will lead in song “The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy”. At the Hour of
Mercy (3:00) following the Latin Mass, the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration will begin with Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament and praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will continue until
Benediction at 6:00 PM. Because one must be in a state of grace (free from mortal and venial sins) to receive the extraordinary grace promised by Our Lord, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available from 3:30-6:00.
“My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day, the very depths of My tender
mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy.
The soul that will go to confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins
and punishment. On that day all the Divine floodgates through which grace flows are opened. Let no soul
fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My Mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or
of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very
depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy
throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it
be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the
Fount of My Mercy.”(699)
We will conclude at 6:00 PM with veneration of the Divine Mercy Image blessed by St. John Paul II and a 1 st class
relic of St. Faustina. Also, Fr. Collin will bless the Images of Divine Mercy for your home and any sacramentals. By
partaking in this Feast of Mercy, you will receive Our Lord’s promise of complete remission of all your sins and the
punishment due to you because of them!!! Who can resist that offer - It’s like winning the mega, mega, mega spiritual
lottery!!! Your soul will be “transfigured” and shine as brightly as it did when you were newly baptized!!!
Praying through Lent with Pope Francis
Passion/Palm Sunday of Lent
Here Is Your King Matthew 21
What kind of a King are you, Jesus? You
do not enter the Holy City to receive the
honors reserved to earthly kings, to the
powerful, to rulers. You enter to be
scourged, insulted and abused, to receive
a crown of thorns, a staff, a purple robe:
your kingship becomes an object of derision. Help me follow your example.
3/22/2015
St. Mary
St. Michael
Attendance
950
57
Regular Coll.
Online Giving
Easter
Total
$9,161.25
1,892.25
50.00
$11,053.50
*School Support
*Poor Box
*EOM
Other
Total
Amount Needed**
35.00
154.63
166.00
15.00
$370.63
$348.85
$348.85
$12.00
$12.00
$15,239
$749
**This is the amount of weekly collection that would allow
St. Mary/St. Michael to break even for fiscal year 2015
*Not used for St. Mary/St. Michael operating expenses
Readings for
March 22—29, 2015
Sunday 3/29
Isaiah 50:4-7
Philippians 2:6-11
Mark 14:1—15:47
Monday 3/30
Isaiah 42:1-7 33-62
John 12:1-11
Tuesday 3/31
Isaiah 49:1-6
John 13:21-33, 36-38
Wednesday 4/1
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Matthew 26:14-25
Thursday 4/2
Revelations 1:5-8
Luke 4:16-21
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
1st Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15
Friday 4/3
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Hebrew 4:14-16; 5:7-9
John 18:1—19:42
Saturday 4/4
Genesis 1:1—2:2
Genesis 22:1 18 or 22:1, 2, 9a, 10
Exodus 14:15—15:1/Isaiah 54:5
Sunday 4/5
Acts 10:34a, 37-443
1st Corinthians 5:6b
Mark 14:1—15:47
March 30—April 5, 2015
Day Date Mass
Mass Intentions
Mass Intention
Mon.
3/30
6:30
8:30
Mary Ann Hartnett Miley
Special Intentions for Jenny & Billy Riley
Tues.
3/31
6:30
8:30
Finda Dauda
Special Intentions for Kathryn Corrigan
Wed.
4/1
6:30
8:30
Special Intentions for Richard Stevenson
Bud & Catherine Corrigan
Thurs. 4/2
6:30
8:30
No Mass
Special Intentions for
Peggie & Henry Carroll
Fri.
4/3
8:30
3:00
Morning Prayer No Intention
Liturgy No Intention
Sat.
4/4
7:30Vigil
Sun.
4/5
8:00
9:30
11:00
Special Intentions for
Eleanor & Ned Carroll
Special Intentions for Gene Eakle
Mathew Skinner
Special Intentions for Susanna Kankam
(birthday anniversary)
Latin Mass
12:50
Bea Kosia
St. Michael
10:30
Parish Members & Benefactors
Ask the Priest
Father,
In his recent encyclical, Evangelium Gaudium [The Joy of the Gospel], Pope Francis makes a distinction between evangelization and proselytizing. Please explain the difference?
The first thing to remember is that the secular media often misquotes or misinterprets what Pope Francis says.
Another thing to remember is that Pope Francis is used to speaking as a pastor rather than as a pope, and often talks casually rather then technically. However, in his encyclical, Evangelium Gaudium, #15 he states
“It is not by proselytizing that the Church grows, but ‘by attraction.’”
The Pope is NOT saying that we should avoid sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He makes that very clear
early in the same paragraph when he writes, “we cannot forget that evangelization is
first and foremost about preaching the Gospel to those who do not know
Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him.” What Pope Francis wants us to
avoid is the attempt to force people to become Catholic or to impose our rules on them. He writes,
“Instead of seeming to impose new obligations, they should appear as people who wish to share their joy, who point to a horizon of beauty and who
invite others to a delicious banquet.” In other words, it is not enough for someone to
follow the Commandments if the do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. You should not come to Mass
every Sunday because it is a mortal sin (e.g. proselytizing) but because you love Jesus and want to receive
Him in Holy Communion (e.g. evangelizing). Proselytizing gets people to follow the rules. Evangelizing
shares your relationship with Jesus Christ. You can follow Jesus’ rules without loving Him, but you can’t
love Him without following His rules. Proselytizing is about filling up the pews, evangelizing is about inviting someone into heaven. I heard someone once say, “Our job is evangelization, conversion is the job of the
Holy Spirit.” Proselytizing is much harder than evangelization because proselytizing looks at the number of
converts; evangelizing is about talking to someone about the one whom you love, Jesus Christ.
Ask The Priest” is a continuing feature of the Bulletin. If you have a question regarding the Catholic faith,
please place your question in the box on the back table.
Knights of Columbus Corner
New council website for keeping informed of council
news: www.kofc1365.org
Brotherhood Council Meetings 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 8pm in the Council Hall. Our Worthy Grand
Knight for 2014-2015 is Cel Shannon. For information, please contact Cel Shannon at [email protected].
Bingo Bingo Bingo. Every Tuesday at the Knights of Columbus Hall (20340 Leitersburg Pike, Hagerstown,
MD 21742) Starting at 6:45 pm we conduct 34 bingo games for the public. Please join us and have fun.
Free Family Movie Night. On April 17th, the movie, Beauty and the Beast, will be shown at the Pangborn
Council Knights of Columbus, 20340 Leitersburg Pike. Doors open at 6:30pm and movie starts at 7pm. Refreshments will be provided. The evening's activities include a brief discussion on Catholic traditions and
suggestions for service projects. Reservations are requested at [email protected].
Color Corps dress in Full Regalia join together to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at St. Mary Hagerstown
4/12/15. Meet at 10:45am
Nominations for next year's officers are coming up. Elections will be held at the May 14th meeting. Please
speak with Deputy GK John Danko about officer positions in the council.
Congratulations to Brother Roy L. Viar III of Hagerstown for reaching the Honorary Life Membership status.
Congratulations to Brian Noel, Lawrence Joia, Valentine Malafeew, and James Fetcha who took the First Degree
on 3/12 to become Knights in our council.