PassionTide

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you to everyone who helped put together the Pancake Breakfast and to those who joined us this Sunday!  Due to last week's winter storm, we have rescheduled our fundraiser to this weekend and appreciate your support and understanding.  We are working to fund our Stained-Glass Windows at St. Mary and are at $57,000 pledged toward our $70,000 goal!  This fundraiser will go a long way toward completing this project and preparing us for our third stage of developing an interior remodeling plan.

As a development update: While in Mexico City, I was fortunate to acquire an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the image of our Mother has been a source of conversion for millions of individuals to the Catholic Faith, the restoration of families, and countless blessings for those who devote themselves to the Mother of God.  I was blessed to have the opportunity to lay this image on one of the nails of Christ’s Cross and offer up this image for a specific intention.  This was my prayer: the sanctification of our parish families; for families who are broken that they may be restored; for families who are lukewarm that they may be set on fire with divine love; for families who are in darkness that they may see Christ’s light; for families who are on fire that they may go on mission to share the Gospel; and for families in despair that they may receive hope in turning to Mary and the Bride of Christ.  With this image, I hope families may go to the Blessed Mother with all their prayers and turn to Mary in confidence.  I find it deeply appropriate that this image will be hung on the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the spouse of Mary, who shared his heart with Mary and Jesus.  This image will be hung in the back of St. Joseph on the southeast wall.  May Our Lady of Guadalupe grant many graces to your family!

As we enter Passiontide, the last two weeks of Lent, in the Dioceses of the United States, the practice of covering crosses and images throughout the church, beginning this Sunday, may be observed. Crosses remain covered until the end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.  As the bishops of the United States remind us, "The veiling of crosses and images is a sort of 'fasting' from sacred depictions which represent the paschal glory of our salvation. Just as the Lenten fast concludes with the Paschal feast, so too, our fasting from the cross culminates in an adoration of the holy wood on which the sacrifice of Calvary was offered for our sins. Likewise, a fasting from the glorious images of the mysteries of faith and the saints in glory, culminates on the Easter night with a renewed appreciation of the glorious victory won by Christ, risen from the tomb to win for us eternal life."  The powerful removal of the veil on Good Friday reveals the scandal of the Cross, the humiliation of Christ, and His vulnerability to all people.  Furthermore, the temple veil is torn, revealing the innermost sanctum of God to man. This drama comes with the ultimate unveiling at the Easter Vigil, when Christ conquers death.

May this veiling of our senses to the visuals of Christ’s life grant us focus.  May this fast prepare us for His entrance into Jerusalem and the drama of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection!

In Christ,

Fr. Luke Fleck