April 12, 2015 Divine Mercy Sunday

DIVINE MERCY
SUnDAY
April 12, 2015
E F
ternal
ather,
I offer You the Body and
Blood, Soul and
Divinity of Your dearly
beloved Son. Our Lord,
Jesus Christ, in atonement
for our sins and those of
the whole world.
St. Mary Church
Hagerstown, MD
St. Michael Church
Clear Spring, MD
April 12, 2015
Divine Mercy Sunday
Dear Friends,
A blessed Easter season and Divine Mercy Sunday to you! Alleluia - He is Risen!
Last weekend, beginning the Triduum with Holy Thursday mass and going through the last mass
at 1 pm Easter Sunday, we had about 2000 worhsippers attend our beautiful liturgies and
churches in lovely Easter decor - including St. Michael's in Clear Spring, which was also filled to
the brim! I am grateful particularly to our Altar Society, and our maintenance staff, particularly
Bob Eves and Josh Bowers, and to Bill Fischer, and ushers, altar servers and many "hidden" volunteers who helped make our churches and spaces of worship so splendid in order to worship the
Lord! To them, and to all who helped: thank you so much!
In last weekend's column, I also included a quote from Pope Francis that was included here, but
incomplete... so, I guess you could consider it a "sneak preview" for this weekend! So I have included the quote, in it's entirety, below. It is taken from the chapter "The Courage of the Cross"
from his book Open Mind, Faithful Heart [p. 72-73, published by Herder & Herder. In the spirit
of the Lord's "Divine Mercy," once described by St. Faustina as so great as to be likened to an
"ocean of mercy": if we embrace and carry our crosses, the Lord Jesus will make us worthy to
share in His destiny!
May God bless you with His mercy and grace, through Jesus Christ, truly risen from the deadPeace in Him,
Fr. Collin
***
"The cross is what marks out the militant dimension of
our existence. With the cross it is impossible to negotiate,
impossible to dialogue: the cross is either embraced or
rejected. If we decide to reject it, our life will remain
trapped in our own hands, encased in the petty confines
of our own short horizons.
If we embrace the cross, then by that very decision we
lose our life; we leave it in the hands of God, in the time
of God, and it will be given back to us in a different form.
During our time of prayer, we would do well to reflect on
this crossroads that decide our future. Let us humbly ask
the Lord of glory that he consider us worthy to share in
his destiny and his cross. And let us very humbly and
with childlike tenderness ask the mother of the Lord, who
is our own mother and the mother of the Church, to place
us with her Son." - His Holiness, Pope Francis
RESPECT LIFE: Today's bulletin includes an envelope for our annual MOTHERS’ HONOR ROLL
AND NOVENA. Please list the names of all mothers, living and deceased, whom you wish to be remembered in our Novena of Masses. Return the envelope with your list of names, along with any donation you
wish in the collection basket by Sunday, April 26. Please limit the number of names requested to five (5) or
less. This fundraiser supports parish pro-life activities throughout the year, including literature distributed at
the local abortion facility and helps save lives.
Rehearsal for the Eucharist Celebration will be held in the church on Thursday, April 30, 2015
at 7PM. All First Communicants are urged to attend.
Eucharist Celebration for the First Communion class will be held on Sunday, May 3, at 1:00 Pm in the church.
Details of meeting place for the procession will be mailed to all parents.
Confirmation Candidates will attend a Day of Prayer at Mount Saint Mary’s University on Friday, April 24,
to prepare for the reception of Confirmation. All Candidates are to meet in the Parish Center at 7:30 AM. We
will return to St. Mary at 5:00 PM.
SCHOOL NEWS
Enrollment for the 2015-2016 school year is now under way! St. Mary Catholic School is currently accepting applications for the next school year. Don’t delay because there is limited space available for grades
Pre-K through seventh grade. Please contact Rachel O’Connor at the front desk at 301-733-1184 or by email
at roconnor@stmarycatholicschool.org for more information. Our next Open House will be held on Monday,
April 27th from 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
All young adults (18-35) are invited to the Our Lady of the Cenacle group on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tuesday of the month for dinner and fellowship at the Corner Pub, located at 158 S Mulberry St, Hagerstown, MD
21740. We meet at 7:30PM in the upper room. Please contact Maria Cocchiaro 301-739-0390 ext. 128.
Marriage Encounter: He is risen! May the joy of Easter be with you. Let Marriage Encounter
help you resurrect the romance in your marriage. Sign up today to attend one of the upcoming
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends on April 17-19, 2015 or November 6-8, 2015 in
Rockville, MD. For more information and to apply online visit welovematrimony.org, or call 301
-541-7007, or email at applications@welovematrimony.org.
Ask the Priest
Father,
If someone has a mortal sin and they tell God about it, are they forgiven?
The Catholic Church, founded by Jesus Christ, in the year A.D. 33 teaches us that "Individual, integral confession and absolution remain the only ordinary way for the faithful to reconcile themselves with God and
the Church, unless physical or moral impossibility excuses from this kind of confession." (CCC1484). And
#1456 it teaches, “When Christ's faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, "for if
the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not
know." However, #1452 states “When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition
is called "perfect" (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of
mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.”
What all that means in ordinary language is that Jesus founded the Sacrament of Confession when He said to
his apostles, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain
are retained.” (John 20:23). Jesus founded the Sacrament of Confession as the only ordinary way for the forgiveness of mortal sins. The Sacraments are Jesus promises to us that what He promised is true and certain.
When you have made a good confession confessing all your mortal sins with true sorrow by the kind of sin
they are and the number of times you have done them and promising never to do them again, you can be certain of the Lord’s forgiveness by the absolution of the priest. Any other means does not have that certainty,
and is really “just a roll of the dice.” God can work outside the sacraments. God can forgive mortal sins with
a “perfect” act of contrition. A “perfect” act of contrition means one that is done for love of God only. If
you are sorry because you are afraid of going to hell, because you are afraid of not going to heaven, because
you are afraid of what people will think if you don’t receive Holy Communion, then your act of contrition is
“imperfect” and your mortal sins are not forgiven. Even though a “perfect” act of contrition will forgive mortal sins, part of what makes the act “perfect” is the resolve to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon
as possible.
St. Michael Catholic Church Tuition Assistance Program
Beginning in the 2015-16 School Year St. Michael Parish will provide tuition assistance
in the amount of
$750 per child to any child of a St. Michael Parishioner attending St. Mary Catholic
School.
This is in addition to the reduced tuition rate ($1,000 per child) which the children of St.
Michael already enjoy as a mission church of St. Mary Catholic Church.
For complete details, contact Alice Martin, Business Manager, 301-739-0390 x114
4/5/2015
Please pray for
St. Mary
Attendance
Joan St. Ledger,
mother of Patricia McDermott,
Principal of St. Mary School.
1568
Regular Coll.
$19,845.59
Online Giving
Total
May she rest in the Peace of Christ.
$22,392.84
Readings for
April 12—19, 2015
Sunday 4/12
Acts 4:32-35
1st John 5:1-6
John 20:19-31
Monday 4/13
Acts 4:23-31
John 3:1-8
Tuesday 4/14
Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7b-15
Wednesday 4/15
Acts 5:17-26
John 3:16-21
Thursday 4/16
Acts 5:27-33
John 3:31-36
Friday 4/17
Acts 5:34-42
John 6:1-15
Saturday 4/18
Acts 6:1-7
John 6:16-21
Sunday 4/19
Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
1st John 2:1-5a
Luke 24:35-48
220.00
248.25
Total
If you look at the world with a pure heart,
you will see the face of God
in the lilies of the field,
the birds of the air,
the starry night,
and the faces of the poor and humble.
62
$988.00
2,547.25
*School Support
*Poor Box
Other
PURITY OF HEART
St. Michael
$468.25
Amount Needed**
$15,239
$988.00
106.00
$1,094.00
$749
**This is the amount of weekly collection that would allow
St. Mary/St. Michael to break even for fiscal year 2015
*Not used for St. Mary/St. Michael operating expenses
April 13—19, 2015
Day Date Mass
Mass Intentions
Mass Intention
Mon.
4/13
6:30
8:30
Franziska Ott
Eileen Ieda
Tues.
4/14
6:30
8:30
Josef Missel
Special Intentions for Joe & Peggy Corrigan
Wed.
4/15
6:30
8:30
Mary Ann Hartnett Miley
Clement J. Scanlan
Thurs. 4/16
6:30
8:30
Jack Hudson
Christie Ann Chronowski
Fri.
4/17
6:30
8:30
Fanz Missel
Special Intentions for Adoration Adorers
Sat.
4/18
8:30
5:15
Special Intentions for Rich Bernnhard
Ginny Wagner
Sun.
4/19
8:00
9:30
11:00
12:50
Latin Mass
St. Michael
10:30
Mary Ann Hartnett Miley
Special Intentions for The Colliflower Family
Carmela & Michael Morongell
Parish Members & Benefactors
Knights of Columbus Corner
New council website for keeping informed of council news: www.kofc1365.org
Brotherhood Council Meetings 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 8pm in the Council Hall. Our Worthy Grand
Knight for 2014-2015 is Cel Shannon. For information, please contact Cel Shannon at cel_s67@hotmail.com.
Bingo Bingo Bingo. Every Tuesday at the Knights of Columbus Hall (20340 Leitersburg Pike, Hagerstown,
MD 21742) Starting at 6:45 pm we conduct 34 bingo games for the public. Please join us and have fun.
Nominations for next year's officers are coming up. Elections will be held at the May 14th meeting. Please
speak with Deputy GK John Danko about officer positions in the council.
New council website for keeping informed of council news: www.kofc1365.org
Bingo Bingo Bingo. Every Tuesday at the Knights of Columbus Hall (20340 Leitersburg Pike, Hagerstown, MD
21742) Starting at 6:45 pm we conduct 34 bingo games for the public. Please join us and have fun.
Free Family Movie Night. On April 17th, the movie, Beauty and the Beast, will be shown at the Panborn
Council Knights of Columbus, 20340 Leitersburg Pike. Doors open at 6:30pm and movie starts at 7pm. Refreshments will be provided. The evening's activities include a brief discussion on Catholic traditions and
suggestions for service projects your family may perform.
Reservations are requested at
familyalive@yahoo.com.
Color Corps dress in Full Regalia join together to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at St. Mary's Hagerstown
4/12/15. Meet at 10:45am
Nominations for next year's officers are coming up. Elections will be held at the May 14th meeting. Please speak with
Deputy GK John Danko about officer positions in the council.
Attention 1st Degree Knights: There will be an upcoming 2nd Degree on 4/13/15 at St. Katherine Drexel in Frederick. Please advise Financial Secretary by 4/6/15 if you wish to attend.
Carenet of Frederick Ultrasound Initiative raised a total of $3435 through donations by local parishioners, the Pangborn Council and the Ladies Auxiliary. The total goal of raising $13K has been achieved through your generosity in
supporting this worthy cause.
Food Bank Drive on 2/24/15 raised $42 and 118lbs of donated food for the Western MD Food Bank. Thank you for
your support.
Assembly & Ladies Auxiliary will hold a Social Dinner on Thursday, April 16th 6:30pm at the Council Hall. Meeting
to follow at 7:30pm.
Daily Mass —Catholic TV Programming
For the week of April 12, 2015 the Priests presiding on the televised Mass are*:
Sunday April 12 - Father Sheridan, Lakeville
Monday April 13 - Father Domurat, East Boston
Tuesday April 14 - Father DeFazio, Haverhill
Wednesday April 15 - Father Mahoney, Charlestown
Thursday April 16 - Father Dabney, Boston
Friday April 17 - Father Clary, Brookline
Saturday February 21 - Father Reed, The CatholicTV Network
*Schedule is subject to change
Pro-Life Quote:
“For some time now both life and liberty have been under assault by an overarching, Godless secularism, replete with power and money, but sadly lacking in wisdom, both human and
divine: a secularism that relentlessly seeks to marginalize the place of faith in our society... Since [the
infamous 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade], over 50 million unborn children have lost their
lives through abortion, and now the secularist assault on human life threatens the chronically and terminally ill and the frail elderly by the promotion of laws in various states [including Maryland] to legalize
physician-assisted suicide.” – Archbishop William E. Lori
Holy Inspirational Quotes: “The Gospel of Easter is very clear: we need to go back there, to see
Jesus risen, and to become witnesses of his Resurrection. This is not to go back in time; it is not a kind of nostalgia. It is returning to our first love, in order to receive the fire which Jesus has kindled in the world and to
bring that fire to all people, to the very ends of the earth.” - Pope Francis
Divine Mercy Sunday:
please join Fr. Collin, Fr. Larry and St. Mary parishioners in celebrating the Feast of Divine Mercy today after
the 11 AM Mass. Fr. Collin will lead in song “The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy”. At the Hour of Mercy
(3:00) following the Latin Mass, the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration will begin with Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament and praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will continue until Benediction at 6:00 PM. Because one must be in a state of grace (free from mortal and venial sins)
to receive the extraordinary grace promised by Our Lord, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available
from 3:30-6:00. We will conclude at 6:00 PM with veneration of the Divine Mercy Image blessed by St. John
Paul II and a 1st class relic of St. Faustina. Also, Fr. Collin will bless the Images of Divine Mercy for your
home and any sacramentals.
Divine Mercy Sunday
extends Extraordinary Grace to the faithful who participate. On
April 30, 2000 (the 2 Sunday of Easter), St. Pope John Paul II canonized Sr. Faustina
Kowalska, a young Polish nun, and decreed that, “the Second Sunday of Easter henceforth
throughout the Church will also be called Divine Mercy Sunday”. In his homily on Divine
Mercy Sunday in 2001, St. John Paul II said, “Divine Mercy! This is the Easter gift the
Church receives from the risen Christ and offers to humanity.”
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