Spiritual Preparation now before Easter!

In our weakness as human beings we waver again and again. We find it so hard to avoid our favorite sins. Mindful as we are that the Lord God is the fountainhead of grace and peace, we seek His Mercy for our mistakes and failures.

Realizing the spiritual benefits of a proper and general examination of conscience, we respond to the gift of His grace by a good confession of sins.

As a way of growing in holiness and virtue we, as Catholics are urged to approach the Sacrament/Mystery of Penance, especially now, before the Feast of Our Lord's Resurrection. Our spiritual life must be placed in good order.

A Penance Service will take place in the Cathedral Church on Monday, March 10 th at 12:00 noon and 7:00 pm.

Be certain to approach the Lord Jesus Christ, Physician of our souls and bodies, in this glorious Mystery of healing.

Easter this year is: Sunday March 23, 2008

As you may know, Easter is always the 1 st Sunday after the 1 st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20.)

This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that the Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Found out a couple of things you might be interested in!

Based on above, Easter can actually be one day earlier [March 22] but that is pretty rare.

This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old and above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! 9Here's the facts:

The next time Easter will be this early [March 23] will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you are 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that).

The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

~ Christ Did Not Die for the Perfect ~

Christ did not die for us because we are perfect but because we aren't/ The perfect man needs no Savior. And if Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (Matt.5::48), this demand of perfection throws us back week by week, day by day, on the mercy and the grace of God, because none of us is perfect. If perfection is fulfilling my goal to be a perfect reflection of the love of God, then I know that I am a miserable sinner utterly dependent minute by minute on God's forgiveness and grace. Thus, Christ's command to perfection keeps us humble and penitent knowing that we can never meet it: it keeps us constantly praying the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus, Son of God, be merciful to me the sinner."

A self-righteous person once said to a pastor, "When I find a perfect church, I'll join it!"

The pastor replied, "Young man, there has never been a perfect church, I would advise you not to join it, for as soon as you join it, it will become an imperfect church."

Do you have this special tree on your property?

If you have a pussy willow tree, please check the buds on the branches. The temperature may be freezing and snow on the ground but the willow tree seemingly just wants to push out the tiny buds as a sure sign of spring. Please cut willow branches and bring them to Church as soon as possible...for their blessing and distribution to our Faithful on Palm/Willow Sunday, March 16 th.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Today's Divine Liturgy Intentions

5:00 pm (Chapel) + Theresa Spur by Daughter, Elaine and Ronald Kapusta
7:00 am We pray for God's Blessing on our Parish Family!
9:00 am Health and God's Blessing for John and Martha Arendacs on the Happy Occasion of their 65 th Wedding Anniversary!
11:00 am + Peter Telischak by Helen Popovich and Family

The Divine Liturgy Schedule for this week

Monday, March 3, 2008
8:00 am Morning Lenten prayers; Reception of Holy Eucharist

Tuesday, March 4, 2008
8:00 am Morning Lenten prayers; Reception of Holy Eucharist

Wednesday, March 5, 2008
7:00 pm Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts

Thursday, March 6, 2008
Morning prayers omitted this morning

Friday, March 7, 2008
12:00 pm Lenten Devotions; Reception of Holy Eucharist

Saturday, March 8, 2008 - The Fourth All Souls Saturday
9:00 am (Liturgy) For an end to abortion by our Rosary Society

+++Next Sunday, March 9, 2008 +++
The Fifth Sunday of Lent

5:00 pm (Vigil Liturgy of Sunday on Saturday Evening at Chapel)

+ John and + Ann Securda by Brother, John & Ann Paulich

7:00 am + John Lokes [w/Panachida] by Daughter, Helen Lokes

9:00 am + Eleanor Vasel by Son, Bob

11:00 am (Chapel) We pray for our Parishioners and Benefactors!