www.stmaryscoltsneck.org
March 27, 2022
8
Quo vadis… My Dear Parishioners:
(confession) at 3:00pm. We will have 12 priests for individual confessions. Please make time Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Lent for you and your family to participate. Please known as Laetare Sunday. Our human tenden- consult other sections of this bulletin for more cy is to think we can make a go of life on our details. own. If we are happy to settle for minimums, some of us can muddle through life reasonably As preparations continue to be made for our happy. This parable reminds us that God offers Holy Week, Triduum and Easter celebrations, us much more. If we choose to die to self please get involved. It takes many to help pre(“coming to [our] senses”) and return to God, pare these liturgies. You should be receiving we are greeted with forgiveness and feasting. your Holy Week/Triduum/Easter Worship However, our heavenly Father’s Feast isn’t a Schedule in the mail. Please place it in a conmatter of welcoming us back as the sons and venient place for easy reference. Plan to particdaughters we were, but actually transforms us ipate in the many opportunities for worship and into more perfect sons and daughters sharing prayer that are offered here in our parish comin divine life. Our feasting is on much more munity. Why not invite a family member or than a fattened calf; the Feast to which we are friend who might feel marginalized from the invited is nothing less than the Body and Blood church to join with you during Holy Week of the Son. Repentance is the way we pass 2022? Thanks to our parish staff and the many from death to life. Repentance is the way we volunteers who have prepared, photocopied, pass from Ash Wednesday ashes to Easter folded, collated, stamped and sealed the matefeasting. We wear rose vestments this weekend rials for this mailing. to remind us that our Lenten journey continues to make progress toward Easter. The next few I have had the opportunity to personally greet weeks are known as Passiontide. The focus of Catholics who have moved into our community the readings shifts from the Lenten imagery of and are coming to mass with our parish comthe desert to one of betrayal, sacrifice, and re- munity. It is important for each of us to be an demption. ambassador of Christ inviting neighbors to come and be a part of our parish. Also, several Friday, 25 March, the Solemnity of the Annun- have introduced themselves to me as residents ciation, Our Holy Father Pope Francis has of Colts Neck and parishioners of our parish asked the People of God to pray with him as he who have lost the “habit” of coming to mass entrusts Russia and the Ukraine to the Immac- and bringing their children with them. Lent ulate Heart of Mary. We include this prayer in has been an opportunity for them to re-discover the electronic bulletin so that you might pray it their Catholic Faith and the importance of wherever you may be on 25 March and perhaps keeping the Sunday Sabbath by receiving Holy more frequently in solidarity with those who Communion. Thank you for being such great suffer. I am grateful to so many of you who ambassadors. have utilized the links we have provided to shares resources for humanitarian aid. Have a great week. Let us remember one another in prayer. Happy Sunday. Peace. Father Next Sunday we will celebrate God’s Mercy in Jeff the Sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation
