Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Newsletter — Apr 2023

Our Lady of Lourdes CATHOLIC CHURCH

Meet the Sandner Family Living out Faith and Stewardship Together

Family life can get busy. It takes intentionality to live out our faith and make time to serve in the parish community. Parishioners Molly and Jason Sandner have five boys and strive to serve in many ways, even amid the busyness of life.

For the Sandners, living out their daily life as Christians happens first and foremost through their vocation as parents.

“The logistical chaos of running a household of seven can easily become a distraction from the highest priorities — staying focused on Christ,” Molly says. “Amidst that chaos, things like daily prayer, weekly Mass, consistent time in adoration and at reconciliation, weekly Rosaries, and the like are things we aim to incorporate consistently. Like all on a faith journey, sometimes we’re better than other times.”

The Sandners have also been intentional about where their boys attend school, committing to providing them continued on page

The members of the Sandner family are actively involved in our parish community.

Teaching By Example

The Importance of Prayer in a Child’s Life

“Iwantto be just like Mom and Dad!” Perhaps nothing lifts a parent’s heart like hearing these words. While certainly affirming, such words also remind us of the great responsibility that comes with parenthood.

Children often examine the lives of their parents when making decisions that will affect their own lives. For example, a young boy may dream of becoming a physician one day, just like his father. Or a young girl may hope to become a veterinarian, just like her mother. Could the same be said about their parents’ faith lives?

Just as children learn traits and values from their parents, they should also learn the importance and great joy of developing a personal relationship with Christ. And the foundation of such a relationship is prayer — conversation with God.

How should we go about teaching our children to pray? There are several methods, but none works as well as teaching by example. Begin teaching the importance of prayer by praying openly with your spouse. This teaches children that prayer is meaningful and important, and not just a ritual. Also, pray with your children — in the morning and in the evening. Show your sons and daughters the importance of beginning and ending each day in prayer.

While a fortunate dilemma, it’s a dilemma nonetheless — Catholics face the challenge of discerning which prayers to use, considering the thousands available. A good rule of thumb is to start simple — maybe an Our Father or Hail Mary, and then move into something more complex — Hail, Holy Queen or Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, among others. Begin with prayers your children can pick up fairly quickly. Not only will this show them that praying can be fun and easy, but shorter prayers are also usually easier to understand.

Teach your children the importance of spontaneous prayer, rather than just prescribed prayers. Spontaneous prayer is any prayer that is created at the same time it is offered. Another way to think of spontaneous prayer is “praying in your own words.” Structure spontaneous

prayers according to the ACTS acronym — Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. In layman’s terms, this means beginning each prayer with words of adoration, such as “You are the Lord God Almighty. I love you.” Move into a period of contrition, asking God’s forgiveness for the sins you have committed. Then, give words of thanksgiving, thanking God for the gifts He has given. Finally, spend time sharing with God your heart’s desires. These intentions can be personal or on another’s behalf. Following this format ensures that spontaneous prayer “covers all the bases,” and doesn’t become just a mental wish list. While God wants to hear and grant our wishes, He also expects words of adoration, contrition and thankfulness.

The best time to begin praying with your children is right now. The sooner they learn about prayer, the sooner they can begin cultivating their own relationship with Jesus. Many parents even pray with their children before birth, hoping their unborn son or daughter can hear their words in utero. Remember, there is no better way to teach one’s children about the value of prayer than by example.

Just as children learn traits and values from their parents, they should also learn the importance and great joy of developing a personal relationship with Christ. And the foundation of such a relationship is prayer — conversation with God.

The Easter Message Is the Foundation of Our Stewardship

Dear Parishioners,

How do you feel at the end of the Palm Sunday Mass each year? Have you ever noticed the abrupt shift of tone during that liturgy? It begins with great joy, as we celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the acclamation of the crowds. But then the mood swings to sorrow, despair even, when the passion Gospel is read, for we hear those same crowds shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” a few days later.

Palm Sunday, of course, begins Holy Week, the most important week in the Christian year. The confusion of conflicting moods is spread through the week, especially during the Easter Triduum from sundown Holy Thursday to sundown Easter Sunday.

Holy Thursday offers us the glorious Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrating the institution of the Eucharist before we pass to the sadness of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The next day brings us the Good Friday Liturgy of the passion with our recognition of what our sins did to the Incarnate Son of God. Then, after a day of waiting as we mourn Jesus’ burial and repose in the tomb, we celebrate His victory over sin, Satan, and death at the Easter Vigil on Saturday night or at the Masses the next day. If we have participated in all the main services of the Triduum, we arrive at Sunday evening exhausted but joyful.

Our joy comes not only because Christ rose from the dead, but also because we benefit from it. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, “The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life” (654).

In other words, Christ’s Resurrection is the source of our own future resurrection. St. Paul wrote about it to the Romans — “For if we have

grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection” (Romans 6:5).

Eternal life in union with Christ — a hope for a new life beginning now and extending on into heaven — is the result of Jesus’ Resurrection. What greater grounds for thanksgiving can there be than this Easter hope? We should sing with joy about this promise from God!

And how do we show our joy and our gratitude to God for this amazing gift He has given us? We join in worship and praise God by word and song. We share the Good News of Jesus’ victory over death with our family, friends, and neighbors. And we offer back to the Lord a portion of the time, talent, and treasure He has entrusted to us. Yes, the Easter message that we share in the benefits of Christ’s Resurrection is the ultimate foundation

Photo and News Ministry Putting a

WhenBob Bowerman retired 29 years ago, he found an avocation that has become a true vocation for him. He is the coordinator of Our Lady of Lourdes’ Photo and News Ministry, which helps keep us informed of activities throughout our parish, as well as the diocese.

Bob’s primary activity is producing the weekly Our Lady of Lourdes News on Flocknote.

“It has grown from 125 recipients to 1,200,” Bob says. “It has on average 800 ‘openings’ each week that is considered the ‘gold standard’ for a number of viewings. In it, I publish between 10 to 25 photos each week, and a lot of our parishioners contribute. Items come from our school and different ministry leaders. I edit it and publish it, sending it out. In addition, for the past 10 years, we have provided photo support for the different Our Lady of Lourdes ministries.”

If this work hasn’t been enough to keep anyone else busy, Bob also provides photos for the parish directory, our website, and the weekly bulletins, as well as to Catholic Stewardship Consultants.

The ministry also provides service beyond our parish.

“I’ve been providing photos for the North Carolina Right to Life Prayer Breakfast for Life for the past eight years,” Bob says. “The breakfast involves about 100 photos. The event is a big production, drawing between 400 to 600. I’ve also created videos and DVDs for it.”

For the past 12 years, Bob also has been photographing the Ignited by Truth Catholic Conferences, slated this year for April 28-29 at the North Carolina State University’s Reynolds Coliseum. Bob also provides video and DVDs for the Run for Life sponsored by the diocese. It was held this year on March 18 at the WakeMed Soccer Park with proceeds going to BirthChoice here in Raleigh.

This ministry also makes sure our parish concerts — especially the Christmas concerts — are recorded on video and DVDs. He conducts and publishes interviews that are testimonials for our Adoration Chapel. The ministry also produces leadership training videos for the diocese.

After a lightning strike brought down our video streaming system for eight months, Bob worked to restore it.

Spotlight on Our Parish’s Activities

If one is tempted to imagine Bob carrying a huge package of equipment, he eases that notion.

“Ninety percent is a good iPhone,” he says.

He has used a high-end Nikon camera, as well as a professional-level Sony Camcorder.

As one may expect, living in stewardship is the foundation for Bob’s work.

“The ‘why’ of what I do is an unspoken message,” Bob says. “There’s a lot of people in activities in the

parish, and my message is, ‘Would you like to be one of them, create a community, and invite people to it, encourage it?’ That’s the basis of stewardship, what stewardship is all about.”

Bob credits his wife, Teri, with providing him the support he values to do his work.

“She previously headed up the Stewardship Council,” Bob says. “She has built up the ministries at Our Lady of Lourdes from 20 to 80 ministries.”

Meet the Sandner Family continued from front cover

with a Catholic education and environment. They first joined as parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes in 2010 when their oldest son, Jackson, started school here.

“Having experienced other local parishes, we really connected with OLL when we began attending Mass and when our kids started in school, helping us to expand our parish family of friends,” Molly says.

Molly and Jason met at Towson University in Maryland. Jason, a baseball player, was pursuing an accounting degree, and Molly competed in gymnastics while earning a degree in elementary education. They began dating as sophomores in college. Molly had been raised in a devout Catholic family, attending Catholic schools and receiving her sacraments. Jason, however, went through the public school system and received only some of his sacraments.

“During college, Molly reintroduced me to the Catholic faith, leading to my Confirmation process before marrying,” Jason says.

They married after graduation and after Molly had completed her student teaching assignment. They lived in Maryland for a couple of years until Jason’s career led them to Raleigh in 2003. They are parents to five boys — Jackson, Drew, Gavin, Austin, and Tyler — and the family enjoys raising their pup, Lambeau.

Both Molly and Jason are very involved in our

parish community.

“Serving in various ministries at OLL allows us to live out our faith, not overlooking the time and talent elements of sharing our time, talent, and treasure,” Jason says.

Jason serves on the Finance Council and the Diocesan Finance Council for the Diocese of Raleigh. He also coaches the middle school baseball team at OLL. Molly is involved with the Women of Grace Ministry, a weekly Bible study, as a volunteer at the OLL school, and she attends daily Mass several times each week. Both Molly and Jason are regular adorers in the Adoration Chapel.

“Consistently serving in some capacity enables us to develop good habits and quality use of our spare time, surrounding ourselves with fellow parishioners who are likewise committed to the parish,” Jason says. “Serving has allowed us to move beyond checking the bare minimum boxes, and truly engaging in our faith and parish life.”

The Sandners have enjoyed the relationships they’ve developed with other parishioners through their service in our community. They also appreciate the opportunity to lead as examples to their children.

“Serving shows our boys a more well-rounded way to live out our faith and has led to some great friendships with those that we’ve worked with in ministry,” Molly says.

Finance Council Ensures Responsible Stewardship of Our Parish Treasure

Running a parish and school means that a great deal of money flows in and out. As stewards of that money, the Finance Council ensures that budgets are followed and that money is handled with care and responsibility. The Finance Council assists and advises Fr. Pat on all financial matters.

Jeff Yardley has been on the Finance Council since 2009 and currently serves as the Chair. He prepares the agenda for the monthly meetings and works closely with Fr. Pat and the voting members of the council.

“Being on the Finance Council has really given me a better appreciation for the behind-the-scenes operation of the church and school,” Jeff says.

Although he works in finance, Jeff’s involvement was somewhat by chance.

“I had gone to school with Frank Janasiewicz, our previous Finance Council Chair,” Jeff says. “I wandered into an OLL Ministry Fair with no intention of signing up for anything and saw Frank there. We were catching up and when he found out I was in finance, he roped me in.”

Jeff stayed with the council and stepped into the role of Chair after Frank. He and the other six members meet with Fr. Pat and Chris Sutton, Principal of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School.

“We review, advise and approve projects large and small — everything from large multimillion dollar capital projects and campaigns, such as when we built the St. Bernadette Center, down to

the replacement of HVAC units and other campus improvements,” Jeff says.

The understanding of stewardship in our parish means that our Finance Council has a very real appreciation for the gifts and needs of the parish. Their work is ordered towards using those gifts to help us all grow in our relationship with Christ, from our littlest kindergartner to our oldest parishioner.

“I think stewardship has helped us better frame decisions,” Jeff says. “We always had this focus among the members, but the renewed emphasis has given us something to point to and use as a framework.”

The Code of Canon Law requires that every parish have a Finance Council to advise the pastor. Members must be parishioners and not staff. The diocese guidelines make it very clear that members should have a solid background in finance and strongly value the development of the faith community. This balance ensures that the Finance Council will truly serve the parish and the school.

Jeff takes his role seriously and understands that he and the Finance Council are managing the money that parishioners earn and generously give to the parish. The work they do brings transparency and accountability to the parish finances and culminates in the annual financial report.

“We as an organization take your generous gifts of treasure seriously and with the deepest sense of responsibility,” Jeff says.

I think stewardship has helped us better frame decisions. We always had this focus among the members, but the renewed emphasis has given us something to point to and use as a framework.

Jeff Yardley, Finance Council Chair

Responding to the Glory of CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AT EASTER Dying,

He Destroyed Our Death; Rising, He Restored Our Life

“He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.

On the third day He rose again from the dead” – Apostles’ Creed

As we have recently come to the end of our Lenten journey toward Easter, let us take a moment to meditate on three pivotal lines from the ancient creed, which comprise the central events of our redemption.

Far from being a mere myth or legend, in Jerusalem around the year 30 A.D., Jesus Christ — the Son of God made man — was tortured at the hands of the Romans. He was flogged, beaten, spit upon, and crowned with thorns. He was made to carry the cross through the crowded streets to Golgotha and, once there, He was crucified — He was nailed to a cross and died. Just as someday we will each be laid in our graves, Jesus was laid in His.

The most obvious question that confronts the observer of this horrific reality is “why?” Luckily, Christ made the impetus for His self-sacrifice quite clear: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14-15).

The reasons Christ died on the cross are twofold, one negative and one positive. The negative cause is sin. Only in witnessing the cost of redemption — the death of the Son of God — can we begin to comprehend the profound magnitude of sin: “You have been purchased at a price,” says St. Paul (1 Cor 6:20).

Conversely, Christ willingly accepted the cross because of love. St. John famously says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

Uniting these two causes, St. Paul says, “God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

In His limitless compassion, Christ entered into the

fullness of human suffering — physical torment, emotional agony and utter isolation — so that He might share complete solidarity with mankind. Accordingly, His passion and death not only accomplished our redemption, but by the cross, He also showed us the way to true discipleship. For Christ taught His disciples long before His crucifixion, “if anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23).

Christ’s is the final and perfect covenant between God and man, and it is a covenant of love, with Christ Himself as its high priest. Nevertheless, this covenant is not based on love as popular culture conceives of it, but love as Christ displayed it: “The way we came to know love was that He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16).

Joined with the passion, Christ’s Resurrection is the key to the entire Gospel — for in rising from the dead, Jesus proved true His bold promises. He had prophesied to the apostles, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down

Responding to the Glory of Christ’s Resurrection

at Easter

continued from page 7 on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again” (Jn 10:18). The Resurrection vindicates this promise and validates His teaching and miracles.

Furthermore, Christ, “the firstborn from the dead,” opened the door to eternal life and to new creation (Col 1:18). Out of the darkness of despair, the scattered and frightened disciples saw the risen Christ and were renewed and transformed. Filled with faith in the crucified and resurrected Savior, they evangelized the known world.

St. Paul summarizes the centrality of the redemptive power of the Easter Triduum with his characteristic zeal: “If Christ has not been raised, then empty

(too) is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:14-17).

This Easter, let us respond to the glory of Christ’s Resurrection by exclaiming, as St. Thomas the Apostle did, “My Lord and my God!” And may each of us be filled with faith in God of our salvation, hope in the rewards He has won for us, and love for Him who has deigned to bestow them on us.

This Easter, let us respond to the glory of Christ’s Resurrection by exclaiming, as St. Thomas the Apostle did, “My Lord and my God!” And may each of us be filled with faith in God of our salvation, hope in the rewards He has won for us, and love for Him who has deigned to bestow them on us.