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Immaculate CONCEPTION Catholic Church Contents: 2 Living Lent in 2021 3 Pastor Letter: Sharing Love in Different Ways 4 Stewardship Retreat Offers Opportunity to Draw Closer to Christ 6 Celebrating the Miracle of St. Blaise Feast Day, Feb. 3 7 Immaculate Conception Community Provides Essential Support to Sister Parish

February 2021

Lent Offers Numerous Wonderful Opportunities to

Grow in Faith and Service

ach year seems to go by faster and faster. And before we know it, Lent is over and Easter has arrived. We don’t want this important time to sneak up on us this year — after all, as Pope Francis has pointed out, Lent is an important time for renewal in our faith. In his message for Lent 2018, the Holy Father told us, “In our preparation for Easter, God, in His providence, offers us each year the season of Lent as a sacramental sign of our conversion. Lent summons us, and enables us to come back to the Lord wholeheartedly and in every aspect of our life.” With the COVID-19 precautions in place, Lent activities may look a bit different this year, says Fr. John Wakube. Yet, Lent can still be a time of conversion, personal prayer, and penance. Stations of the Cross, a common Lenten observance, are prayed at 7 p.m. on Fridays during Lent. There are also multiple opportunities for Reconciliation, in addition to the weekly times. We are also encouraged to attend the Triduum Masses — Holy continued on page 5

Immaculate CONCEPTION

Living Lent

in 2021

uring the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting and praying in the desert, Satan was constantly tempting Him. He preyed on Jesus’ humanity, trying desperately to get Him to test God. Of course, we all know that it didn’t work. As Jesus is 100 percent God at the same time that He is 100 percent man, the devil was unable to take hold of Him. Yet, the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert communicates an all-important truth to us. Jesus, the God-man, experienced everything we have and everything we ever will as human beings. Satan even tried to tempt Him, just as he tempts us every day. But because Jesus is God at the same time that He is human, He had no tendency to give in to Satan’s attempts. Even so, Christ fought Satan tooth and nail, putting him in his place — “Get away, Satan! It is written, ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship, and Him alone shall you serve’” (Matthew 4:10). At that, the devil left Him. We all find ourselves in similar situations. We live in a world wrought with sin, and, in his everso-cunning way, Satan makes the sinful look appealing. We must stand firm in our faith and tell Satan to “get away,” just as Jesus did. Only then will we truly experience the glory of the salvation that Christ came to give. Lent offers us a particular time to fight Satan, taking courage in the resurrection that we are preparing to celebrate. It is a time that we spend focused on strengthening our 2

relationships with the Lord. Armed with His power, which we receive in many different ways, we can resist the temptations of the devil and accept the salvation Christ offers each one of us. How can we do this? Get to know the Lord through prayer. Read the Scriptures often. St. Jerome tells us that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. So, we must be steeped in Scripture. Read it daily — chapter by chapter, or verse by verse. It is, after all, the Word of God! Draw close to the Blessed Mother — she is eager to bring us to her Son. Join her at the cross, where she witnessed her most precious Son die for each one of us. Pray the Rosary — individually and as a family. It is a powerful prayer through which, with Mary, we walk through Christ’s life, His death, and His resurrection. Unite with Christ Himself in His suffering. Let us focus on the spirit of the season. We are to be preparing ourselves, just as Christ did, for the great event that won for us salvation!

A Letter From Our Pastor

Sharing Love in

Different Ways

Dear Parishioners,

hat’s the most widely observed saint’s day in February — the one that’s kept even by those who aren’t practicing Catholics? Undoubtedly, it would be St. Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The irony is that his feast isn’t even on the General Roman Calendar of feasts to be observed throughout the world. That doesn’t mean that he’s not recognized as a real, historical person, or as a genuine saint, but only that his influence throughout the Church has not been as significant as that of other saints. So who was St. Valentine? There are several St. Valentines, as the name was not a rare one in the ancient Roman Empire, but the saint we celebrate was a priest of Rome martyred in the late third century. Still, that doesn’t explain how his feast came to be celebrated as the day one sends letters, cards and presents as expressions of romantic love. The truth is that the custom of sending tokens of love comes not from any direct connection with St. Valentine, but from the ancient belief that birds begin to pair off on Feb. 14. And if courtship in the natural world occurred then, it must be appropriate for humans, as well. The association between St. Valentine and love

notes is a later development. Nevertheless, it’s not wrong to connect the two. Love has many aspects, and our conception of it is richer if we keep more than one of them in mind. Martyrdom is the result of loving God more than our earthly life. St. Valentine was a martyr because of his love — his love for Jesus Christ and His Church. If he had not loved God so much, he could have repudiated his Lord and saved his life. We, in turn, express our love by sending cards and gifts on St. Valentine’s Day. But isn’t that what stewardship as a way of life is — a little martyrdom? Not to push the image too far, but when we are faithful stewards, we give up a little portion of our lives out of our own love for Christ. Most Christians will not be called on to be martyrs, in the sense of forfeiting our physical lives for God. But we are called to give up some of our comforts, indulgences and riches because of our love for Him. So then, as you prepare to celebrate and share your love with your Valentine this month, remember St. Valentine and his love for Christ. As well, keep in mind that God loves us, and return that love with your own toward Him. Loving God will be reflected in how you prioritize your use of

the time, talent and treasure God has entrusted to you. As St. John wrote (1 Jn 4:19), “We love because he first loved us.” Happy St. Valentine’s Day! Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. John Wakube Pastor

Immaculate CONCEPTION

Stewardship Retreat

here are few ways to nurture our faith life in a more meaningful way than by participating in a parish retreat, and Lent is one of the best times to do just that! Here at Immaculate Conception, we are blessed to have the opportunity to increase our spiritual awareness this Lent with a virtual parish retreat on the Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship, led by the dynamic Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB. By opening our hearts and minds during such an important liturgical time, we can answer the call to deepen our faith this Lenten season. Fr. Godfrey, the current Rector at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, Ind., is looking forward to joining us virtually on March 6 to share his deep passion for the stewardship way of life. He brings with him a great enthusiasm for the topic in addition to a wealth of personal experience. “Through the grace of God, I’ve been a Benedictine monk of

Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB

Saint Meinrad Archabbey since 1988 and a priest of the Catholic Church since 1994,” Fr. Godfrey says. “Each assignment I’ve been given by the superior has brought many blessings. I have served the Church as a seminary teacher, pastor, chaplain for a community of Benedictine Sisters, seminary administrator,

Choirmaster, and other tasks. I’ve directed retreats since soon after I was ordained a priest.” Our retreat day will be a unique opportunity for parishioners to experience spiritual renewal and to transform both individual lives and our entire faith community. The theme of stewardship is near and dear to Fr. Godfrey’s heart as it provides us with a valuable guide to life in Christ. “This topic is important because it helps people see their true vocation as Christian disciples,” he says. “In other words, what has Christ asked me to do? The four pillars are important because they embody the movement of Christian life. Each of us has the call to grow in these four ways: What does welcoming look like in our day? Do I tell God what I need and also listen for the answer? Am I willing to learn, be formed, and grow in my faith? And how does all of this move me to notice the needs of others and serve Christ in them?”

“It’s not an easy task to take stock of the most important elements of our lives while we’re in the thick of daily living,A retreat, at its best, gives us the ‘time away’ — even if it’s in our homes — to examine what is important and how we’re measuring up. Retreats also encourage the important art of listening toGod’s grace speaking to our hearts... so that we become stronger communities of faith.” — Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB 4

Offers Opportunity to Draw Closer to Christ In today’s busy world, a Lenten parish retreat invites us to step out of our daily routines for a moment and focus on strengthening our relationship with God and, in turn, more fully answering the Gospel call to community and discipleship. “It’s not an easy task to take stock of the most important elements of our lives while we’re in the thick of daily living,” Fr. Godfrey says. “A retreat, at its best, gives us the ‘time away’ — even if it’s in our home — to examine what is important and how we’re

measuring up. Retreats also encourage the important art of listening to God’s grace speaking to our hearts. It’s so easy to miss that still, small voice in our otherwise hectic lives. It’s also a wonderful time to connect with other parishioners, an act of hospitality in itself so that we become stronger communities of faith.” With the inspiring Fr. Godfrey at the helm, our 2021 parish retreat promises to be an engaging experience for all. We hope that parishioners will plan on taking advantage of this opportunity to

experience a deepening of faith during the Lenten season by participating in our virtual parish retreat on March 6! “More than anything, I appreciate the good work the Holy Spirit chooses to do in the lives of people as a result of drawing near to the quiet voice of God’s grace,” Fr. Godfrey says. “I look forward to getting to know my fellow disciples on the journey.” Please keep an eye on the bulletin and parish website for details on how to register for this free virtual retreat!

Lent Offers Numerous Wonderful Opportunities to Grow in Faith and Service continued from front cover Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday. We spent some of last Lent not being able to attend in-person Mass, due to COVID-19 precautions. But, our parish doors were always open for prayer, says Fr. John. During the time with no public Masses, most of us learned a new term — Spiritual Communion. This was our only option to receive the Eucharist, through prayer. Fr. John is thankful and hopeful that we can safely celebrate Mass and receive the Eucharist during this Lent and Easter. He has been impressed with the ways people are staying connected.

“People are starting to come back to Mass,” he says. “People missed the fellowship and getting together with one another after Mass, but people are still finding ways to stay united.” While it is not safe to gather in a large group, especially for the most vulnerable, Fr. John says the best thing we can do this Lent is to pray. There are so many needs around us, whether involving poverty, or mental or physical illness. “Find prayers you can pray online,” he says. “Pray for each other. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Pray for the sick. Pray for our country.”

He also recommends finding prayer groups and ways to connect on social media. We will continue with the Lenten tradition of dropping prayers and money in the boxes at the entrance to Immaculate Conception. The money is given to Catholic Charities and other organizations helping the poor in the North Little Rock Area. Fr. John also recommends continuing to donate items and money to benefit the poor and homebound. This is another thing we can do from home. Let us use this Lent to draw closer to our Lord in prayer, so we can fully celebrate the beauty of Easter 2021! 5

Immaculate CONCEPTION

Celebrating the Miracle of St. Blaise Feast Day, Feb.3

his month, we reflect on the life of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, who is one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers" — a group of Catholic saints whose intercession is believed to be effective against diseases. Every year on Feb. 3, we celebrate the feast day of St. Blaise, during which parishes around the world bless the throats of the faithful. So, as we continue to navigate the ongoing challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, we may look toward St. Blaise's example and pray for his intercession during these difficult times. Though we do not know much about the life of St. Blaise, tradition tells us that he was born to wealthy, saintly Catholic parents. Born in Armenia, he devoted his life to medicine and helping the sick. He was a physician, until he was begged by the people to become their bishop. He was appointed by the Church as bishop of the Diocese of Sebaste. Around the year 313, when the Roman Emperor Licinius was persecuting the Church, Blaise lived as a hermit in the woods among animals that he befriended. One day, a group of hunters found Blaise and seized him. Upon their trip to the governor, they encountered a woman whose pig was being attacked by a wolf. Blaise commanded the wolf to leave the pig alone and, upon his command, the pig was 6

freed unharmed. Blaise was then taken to prison, where he miraculously healed a boy who was choking to death on a fishbone. While Blaise remained in prison, the woman whose pig he had freed brought him two candles to serve as his light so that he could read the Scripture. It was from the miracle of saving the choking boy that the custom of praying to St. Blaise to cure all ailments of the throat was born. And, so, after still refusing to recant his Christian beliefs, he was suspended from a tree and his flesh was torn with iron combs or rakes. Blaise was then thrown into a lake to drown. To the surprise of his persecutors, he surfaced

and walked upon the water, and he invited his persecutors to join him. They should do this, he said, to show the power of their gods. The pagans took him up on his invitation, and ultimately they were drowned. Blaise was then told by an angel to return to dry land to receive martyrdom. He was beheaded on the shore and immediately went to heaven. Because of his prison experience and his great reputation as a healer, St. Blaise’s intercession is invoked for the healing of diseases affecting the throat. The candles that the clergy place upon our throats while blessing them symbolize the candles that enlightened St. Blaise’s cell as he studied Sacred Scripture — connecting his spiritual life to the physical healing. Let us remember to invoke the intercession of this great healer upon any ailments that might be affecting us, either physical or spiritual — especially those pertaining to the throat. The blessing of the throats is done by the priest holding two blessed candles near the throat in the form of a cross. The priest says, “Through the merits and intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver thee from all diseases of the throat, and preserve thee from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Immaculate Conception Community Provides Essential Support to Sister Parish

or decades, Most Holy Mother of God Parish in Vladivostok, Russia, was dormant. The church had been taken over and repurposed by the Soviet Union during the Communist era. But in the 1990s, Catholics managed to restore the church building and reopen the parish. Now, Immaculate Conception Parish has become its sister parish, and our community offers the Russian parish its prayer and financial support. Susan Gray and Susan Freeman serve as coordinators for the sister parish arrangement that began in 2010. Our sister parish has about 250 families, although that count is flawed by the lack of what we would consider typical family units. “The concept of a family with mom, dad, and kids is non-existent,” Susan Gray says. “There are high divorce rates and high alcoholism. Russia has made it easy to divorce. A family with mom and dad and kids is rare.” Susan Gray has been to the parish four times, with the first visit taking place in 1996, shortly after Communism fell. The church had just been completed when Communist control reached Vladivostok. During Susan’s first visit, she saw what had been done to the building — it had been converted to a document archive building with steel beams and concrete floors. “It took years for them to get it back to what it was meant to be,” she says. Our parish is kept updated through a newsletter written by the priest in Vladivostok and printed in the U.S. We also have yearly speaking programs by one of two American priests who had visited our sister parish after Communism fell. With the former Soviet Union dissolved, Most Holy Mother of God Parish enjoys a good working relationship with the local and state government units who provide social services. Those entities will approach the parish for guidance in providing help in different cases.

The Catholic Church of The Most Holy Mother of God, our sister parish, in Vladivostok, Russia.

The pandemic is causing problems there, especially related to travel across the vast Russian landscape. Anyone in Vladivostok who wants to leave Russia, or travel across the country, must first fly to Moscow and get tested. Then, if they are determined to be uninfected, they are cleared to fly overseas or within Russia itself. “In Vladivostok, the priests started a new order of priests with a novitiate program,” Susan Gray says. “The seminarians spend one year there, and there are 16 men who have finished their year, but they cannot get out due to flight restrictions. There also are men who want to go there for study, but they can’t. So, a lot are stuck in place right now.” Yet, for the distances and restrictions involved in Russia, there have been moments of connection. continued on back cover

Immaculate CONCEPTION 7000 John F. Kennedy Blvd. North Little Rock, AR 72116 Church Office: (501) 835-4323 www.iccnlr.org

Immaculate Conception Community Provides Essential Support to Sister Parish continued from page 7 “Susan Freeman and I were lunching with Fr. John and Fr. Myron Effing, one of the priests in Vladivostok,” Susan Gray says. “Fr. Myron said he had received a request from a seminarian wanting to spend his novitiate year in Vladivostok. He was someone from Africa, but there was no way to have him vetted and no contact in Africa to help. Fr. John, who is from Uganda, said ‘Maybe I can do it.’ When Fr. Myron mentioned the man’s name and said he was from Uganda, Fr. John exclaimed, ‘I know the man!’ It was watching a God moment play out! Fr. John had been the seminarian’s advisor and knew him well. He’s one of the men stuck in Vladivostok right now.”

We can help our sister parish in our own "God moments," by keeping the parish in prayer and by helping with monetary donations. Envelopes are included in our donation packets, or donations can be made online at https://vladmission.org. For more information, contact Susan Gray at 501-606-1734, or Susan Freeman at 501-834-3258.

LITURGY SCHEDULE

Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m. | Sunday Masses: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Daily Mass: Wednesday, Thursday, and First Saturday of the Month at 8:15 a.m. Confessions: Tuesday: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., Thursday: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

ADORATION

Tuesday thru Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the main church