1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

4th Sunday of Lent
Theme: The Son of Man Lifted Up,
That All May have Eternal Life in Him
Eucharistic Liturgies for the week of March 15, 2015
Sat
Sun
Mar 14
Mar 15
Mon Mar 16
Tue Mar 17
Wed Mar 18
Thu Mar 19
Fri Mar 20
Sat Mar 21
5:00 pm
8:00 am
9:30 am
11:15 am
5:00 pm
9:00 am
9:00 am
9:00 am
5:30 pm
9:00 am
9:00 am
5:00 pm
+Maria Rodriguez & Maria Beltran
Parishioners by our Pastor
+Lori Hays
Benefactors of our Parish
+Bruno Menicucci
+Tillie Marquez
+Eric Thaheld
Communion Service
+Robert Synott
Special Intentions of Cecil Duran
+Joe Gallagher
+Joseph Scanlan
Readings for the week of March 16, 2015
Monday: Isaiah 65:17-21; John 4:43-54
Tuesday: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; John 5:1-16
Wednesday: Isaiah 49:8-15; John 5:17-30
Thursday: 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22;
Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a
Friday: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22; John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Saturday: Jeremiah 11:18-20; John 7:40-53
Sunday: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-33
Dear Parishioners,
This Fourth Sunday of Lent has traditionally
been called “Laetare Sunday.” The Latin verb
laetare is the imperative form for “rejoice!” During
this penitential time the Church permits us to loosen up for
moments of joy as we near Easter and to wear the color
rose vestments, only one of two Sundays of the Church year.
And, this week we have two great feasts, Tuesday,
St. Patrick’s Day, and Thursday, St. Joseph’s Day. If you
could attend Mass on these days in honor of them, it would
be a blessing, I am sure.
We continue to remind you of Catholics age 14 and
older to abstain from eating meat on the Fridays of Lent.
Also, I hope that you are faithfully keeping a regimen to
become more spiritually strong and fit through exercises
such as making the Stations of the Cross Fridays or when
you are able. We will be sharing our concluding thoughts on
the Book of Revelation this Friday following the Stations.
You will soon be receiving our scheduling for the
sacrament of reconciliation, the triduum, and Easter Sunday
Masses, if you are a registered parishioner. There will be
ample opportunities for confession Holy Week.
The Finance Committee will meet Monday, March
23rd, at 6:00 p.m. in the parlor; the Building and Landscaping
Maintenance Committee will meet at 7:00 p.m. in the parlor.
Your Pastor,
Your prayers are needed for the recovery of the following people:
Frediani Fam, Ruby Sandoval, Emma Hittle, Corinna Osgood,
Chicago Fam, Londos Fam, Marie Gardner, Beeson Fam,
David Burch, Kristy Burch-Weinberg, Alfredo Panelli, Capurro
Fam, Katie Branson, Donna Meek, Rico Carretero, John
Michael Langley, Hudson Fam, Maureen Flynn, Charles Connelly,
Sandra Rippee, Marie Kiley, Donna Casci, Liam Vonderhaar, Sr
Mora McGarry, Sr Gertrude, Shirley Menicucci, Jodi Kehmeier,
Caruso Fam, Josephine Baltierra, Cordova Fam, Erebia Fam, Ciara
Lamia, Kari Ann Briggs, Carmelita Monette, Grayson McClure,
Michon Holland, Albert Torres, Tony Cormier, Martina Caruso,
Clifford Hess, Theresa Ryan, Kim Barstow, Rosa Tolentino, James
Dorsey, Tom Reed, Ricardo Gonzalez, Kay Petty, Linda Cato,
Corrine Glass, Delaney Fam, Barbara Heyrmann, Marjorie Carrier,
Llewellyn Fam, Amanda Van Horn, Angela Vergna, Julie Franchi,
Helen Balliette, RR Devlin, Nina Harrison, Jim Hagala, Dambacher
Fam, Frank Churruca, Joe Newton, Guadalupe Lemus, Courtney
May, Skylar Watson, Connie Reid, Judy Jennings, Neary Reth
Please call when they recover, so the name may be removed from the list.
LEARN YOUR FAITH/RCIA: an Invitation for
Conversion & Full Initiation into the Church
Thursdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm parish hall
If you are someone or do you know someone who . . .
_ has expressed an interest in becoming Catholic?
_ was baptized Catholic as a child, but has not celebrated the
Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist?
_ would like to learn more about the Catholic Faith?
_ Everyone is welcome to attend!
STEWARDSHIP REFLECTION
All that we have and all that we are
comes from the Lord. “We are truly His
handiwork,” says St. Paul in the Second Reading, “created in Christ Jesus to lead the life of good deeds which
God prepared for us in advance.” The greatest gift, the
greatest peace, the greatest happiness — the greatest
love that you can receive is Jesus in the Eucharist. This
is His gift to us and the offering of our lives is our return
to Him.
DEATHS
Please remember in your prayers the souls of
Miriam Sagun, Jack Bisceglia, and Fred Green,
whose funeral Masses were held Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday of this past week, respectively, at
Immaculate Conception Church, and for Anita Fischer,
whose funeral Mass will be held Monday at Our Mother of
Sorrows Cemetery chapel.
The 2nd collection today will be for the Catholic
Home Missions Appeal which helps support basic
pastoral/formation programs for 4 out of 10 dioceses
in the United States. Please be generous and help
strengthen not only the Church at home, but throughout the
country. Your support makes a difference.
Mon March 16
Tue March 17
6:00 am-10:00 pm
Adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament
6:00 am-10:00 pm
Adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament
9:00 am Mass
1:30 pm Prayer
Quilters - hall
9:00 am Mass
6:00 pm Fundraising
Cte - parlor
Wed March 18
6:00 am-10:00 pm
Adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament
9:00 am
Communion Service
5:30 pm Mass
9:30 am MOMS
Group - hall
7:00 pm Healing
Hearts - chapel
Thu March 19
Fri March 20
Sat March 22
Sun March 23
6:00 am-10:00 pm
Adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament
9:00 am Mass
6:00 am - 5:00 pm
Adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament
9:00 am Mass
5:00 pm Mass
Masses at:
8:00, 9:30 &
11:15 am, 5:00 pm
7:00 pm
Learn
Your
Faith/
RCIA
7:00 pm Stations of
the Cross & Book of
Revelation study
program
7:30 pm B.L.D.
Community
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Mon - Thu
6:00 am to 10:00 pm, Fri 6:00 am - 5:00 pm. Pray
for Vocations hour M-F 12:00 pm. Rosary M-F
8:30 am & Thursdays 6:00 pm. Please sign the
sheet each time you visit with our Lord.
Welcome: Whether you are visiting or new to our parish, we
are blessed to have you celebrate with us! We extend to you
the hospitality of our parish. If you wish to join our faith
community, we welcome you! Parish registration forms can be
found on a table in the gathering space.
Moving or leaving the parish? Please notify the office of
change of address.
Baptism: We welcome all families with young children. The
1st step for the parents is to attend a class; they are held on the
1st Tuesday of every month at 6:00 pm. When choosing your
child’s Godparents, they must be baptized, confirmed, receive
communion regularly in the Church, and if married, must be
married in the Catholic Church.
Matrimony: at least one of the Catholic parties must be a
registered, practicing member of Immaculate Conception.
Please call the pastor to make an appointment to begin your
marriage preparation process four to six months before your
desired date. Please make no arrangements until after this
appointment. The Engaged Encounter weekend is required.
AROUND THE PARISH
Congratulations and welcome to Divine Amaree,
daughter of Richel and Wymmie Valera, who was
baptized Saturday, March 7th, at Immaculate Conception
Church.
Upcoming Meetings:
The Fundraising Committee meeting will be Monday at
6:00 pm in the parlor. All parish ministries/organizations who
utilize our facilities are expected to have a representative
attend.
The Prayer Quilters will meet Tuesday at
1:30 pm in the hall.
The MOMS Group will meet Wednesday at
9:30 am in the hall. Child care will be provided
from 9:00 - 11:00 am.
The Healing Hearts Grief Support Group will meet
Wednesday at 7:00 pm in the chapel.
Prayer List for Family Members in the war:
Navy: Bruce Kelsey, Mike Mott, Oscar Ruiz
Marines: Matthew Schroeder, Conan Salberg, Thomas
Prado, Nathanael & Angel Foresee, Ryan Eskandary, Dave
Kirby, Jacob Painter, Isaiah Jones, Joe Sheldrup, Ryan Bombard
Special Forces: Kevin Lydon, Aaron Gibson, Jeremy Valdez
Army: Mike Sheely, Roland Snyder, Steve Lewis, Greg Cook,
Butch Pajarillo, Jr, Steven Garcia, Logan Forbing, Michael
Hardiman, Daniel D’Annunzio, Gordon Gogan, Alex Cisneros,
Dominic Manoli, Michael Sorondo, Joseph Pace, James Owens,
Eric Mankin, Tim Wise, Juan Ruvalcaba, Jesse Carlile, Nathan
Suddeth, Zachary Long, Garrett Spratley, Joel Gentry
Air Force: Dennis Chanez, Bob Davis, Ida Davis, Todd Hudson,
David Sifers, Kelly Sifers, Cesar Ochoa, Trevor Nolan, Alan
Nadal, Katherine Dew
National Guard: Early Jones, John Secora, Lela Sorondo,
Robert Hindman, David Sousa, Ryan Carlile, Eric McKenzie
Please pray for their safe return and for peace. If any parishioner has a
loved one in the war with Iraq and Afghanistan, please call the parish
office to place his/her name on the list.
Stations of the Cross followed by Book of
Revelations study program Friday at 7:00 pm
The BLD Charismatic Group will meet Friday, at 7:30 pm
in the hall.
Attention Eucharistic Ministers &
Ushers: a sign-up sheet for the extra
Masses for Palm Sunday, Holy Week,
and Easter is on the bulletin board in
the sacristy and in the ushers room on the counter.
Please fill in a time when you can serve.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend:
the Catholic Church is affirming and supporting
you in your chosen vocation – marriage. Take
advantage of this great gift to enhance your
relationship and enjoy a love-filled weekend away
together. The next date is April 17-19 here in Sparks. For
more information, visit our website at
www.sacramentowwme.org or contact Terry & Janet at
[email protected] or 916-489-3464.
Protecting God’s Children
Awareness Session: Tuesday,
April 21st, at 6:00 pm and Saturday,
May2nd, at 9:00 am in the Faith Formation bldg.
Reservations are necessary as space is limited.
Call the parish office to register. It is mandatory
for any one who comes in contact with children to take this course: ushers, eucharistic
ministers, lectors, altar server trainers, religious
education teachers, and adult aides.
An Easter Miracle in Prison - Forgiving a Murderer
by Deacon Dennis Dolan
On Easter 2014 at the conclusion of the Maximum Security
Communion Service, an inmate approached me. She asked
if I could do her a favor. I said that I would if I could. “Will
you come stand with me?” “What? Why?”
She pointed at one of the women in my choir.
“That is the murderer of my sister:” I thought, “Oh crap!
There’s going to be a fight!” Before I could say anything
she continued, “I’m going home this week. This is my last
Mass here. I want to forgive her before I leave.”
Standing toe to toe with her hand grasping the other’s arm,
her forgiveness was profusive and unconditional. “Neither I
nor my family hate you. We want you to go on with your
life and not carry this around. You have a beautiful little
daughter at home. She needs you.”
That’s when we all started “puddling up.” Her, me,
all the other choir women standing around who by now
were tuned into what was unfolding. But particularly, the
woman on the receiving end of this magnanimous gesture.
She was being visibly unburdened. It was shown clearly in
her face and posture.
The three of us ended up in a group hug (a real
correctional “no no” ordinarily). I said to the on-looking
congregation that milled around us, “This is it, Ladies. This
is ‘the program!’ Take a good long look at what Jesus was
talking about!”
I wished the departing inmate well. I told her it
was the most dramatically good thing that I have seen in my
correctional career of over 20 years.
I told her, “I want to be like you when I grow up.”
I left the house that morning prepared to give a
homily on Resurrection. I returned home having seen one.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Please fill out the form below and
return it in the collection basket
or the parish office. Please print
clearly.
These are the hours needed:
Tuesday 11:00 - 12:00 am and
Friday 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Name _____________________________________
Phone Number___________________________
World Meeting of Families 2015: Philadelphia September 22-24. Pope Francis will be in attendance and will be
presiding at Mass on Sunday, 25th.
When God sends help, don’t ask questions: She
hurried to the pharmacy to get medication. Got back to her
car and found that she had locked her keys inside. The
woman found an old rusty coat hanger left on the ground.
She looked at it and said, “I don’t know how to use this.”
She bowed her head and asked God to send her some
HELP. Within 5 minutes a beat-up old motorcycle pulled
up. It was driven by a bearded man who was wearing an
old biker skull rag. He got off of his cycle and asked if he
could help. She said, “Yes, my daughter is sick. I’ve
locked my keys in my car. I must get home. Please, can
you use this hanger to unlock my car?” He said, “Sure.”
He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute, the
car was open. She hugged the man and through tears said,
“Thank you, God, for sending me such a very nice man.”
The man heard her little prayer and replied, “Lady, I am
NOT a nice man. I just got out of prison yesterday; I was
in prison for car theft.” The woman hugged the man again,
sobbing, “Oh, thank you, God! You even sent me a professional!” Is GOD great or what!?
round trip airfare: deposit required
hotel for 5 nights: $159 per night with one night at $139
conference fees: $325 if paid before April 30
For full information and complete details on the trip, please
contact Deacon Richard Ramm at 329-2571, ext. 127 or
[email protected].
Lectors for March 22
Second Lector
First Lector
Sat
Marilou Christoffersen
Sun 8:00 am Helen Linde
9:30 am Bobbie Butchko
11:15 am Bart Lydon
5:00 pm Ron Reigle
Scott Mowbray
Sandy Matoza
Pat Souza
Cesar Calix
Ann Hurst
Servers, please remember to sign in
on the sheet on the bulletin board in
the ushers room. If you are unable to serve your
scheduled time, please get a substitute.
Altar Servers for March 22
Please check the bulletin board in
the gathering space for events, job opportunities,
and information not listed in the bulletin.
Sat
David Condon, Jude Erichsen, Lucas Lacy
8:00 am Alex Hernandez, Amanda Hooghkirk, Marieka DeJesus
9:30 am Lucas Godard, Reece & Julian Isip
11:15 am Chantelle Cabanilla, Darci Quayle, Caelan Caudell
5:00 pm Madeleine Wood, Kate Awong-Ingle, Katelyn Shakal
Advertiser of the week
Pyramid Veterinary
Hospital
356-8323
2405 Pyramid Way
www.PVHcares.com
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Through your will you
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For further information, please call the
For information call 827-5111 parish office.
750 E Glendale Ave 356-6988
Mr V’s Specialties
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space available
call 358-5977