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513-575-0119 easeton@cinci.rr.com 5890 Buckwheat Rd Milford, Ohio 45150 |
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Setonotes - Volume 6, Issue 2 March/April 2007
From the Pastor’s Desk
Upcoming April Events
New Parishioners
Baptisms
Deaths
A Passion Play
Parish Financial Reports
From Where I Sit...
Catholic Bible Study
First Reconciliation Celebrated by Seton Second Graders
Ladies of Seton
Feed Your Body while you Feed your Soul
Operation Rice Bowl
Faith and Marriage
Marler Open
Noteworthy News from the Music Ministry
Announcement: Kenneth J. DeHanes, Sr. Ordained to the Order of Deacon
Christ Renews His Parish
Joint Lenten Penance Service
SALT Reflection 29
SASEAS School is Grateful for Two Priests
Seton Friday Night Lenten Fish Fry and Stations of the Cross
SMILE Youth Ministry - Upcoming Events
RCIA Q & A: Purification & Enlightenment, Lent, and how it affects you!
Seton Preschool Students are getting ready for spring
Caregiver Assistance Network
Vacation Bible School (VBS) Planning Now Underway
Dear people of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish,
On February 21st, we began the solemn season of Lent. It is a time of preparation for the joyous celebration of Easter and the Easter season. During Lent, we embrace the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is a time of doing less (acts of self denial) and doing more (prayer, and acts of charity). The forty days of Lent are followed by fifty days of celebrating the Easter season. Lent is a time when all of us try in some way to share in the passion of our Lord, and Easter is a time when we celebrate his conquering sin and death by His death and resurrection.
During Lent, we remember in a special way all RCIA catechumens and candidates. They have made important life decisions, and are making a great act of faith as they journey to full membership in the Catholic Church. We pray for them in a special way as they get closer to the Easter Vigil, when they will be able to join us at the altar of God.
Please remember that during Lent we are praying the Stations of the Cross in Church every Friday night at 7:30 pm. Immediately following, I will hear confessions. Receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderful way to prepare oneself for the glory of Easter. We will have a joint penance service at St. Andrew on Wednesday, March 28th.
On Good Friday, in conjunction with St. Andrew Parish, Seton will celebrate the Good Friday liturgies for both parishes from 12:00 - 3:00 pm. For those who cannot make it during the afternoon, St. Andrew will offer Good Friday liturgy for both parishes in the evening.
Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, recently published his 2007 Lenten message. He writes, "Dear Brothers and Sisters! 'They shall look on Him whom they have pierced' (Jn 19:37). This is the biblical theme that this year guides our Lenten reflection. Lent is a favorable time to learn to stay with Mary, and John, the beloved disciple, close to Him who on the Cross, consummated for all mankind the sacrifice of His life. With a more fervent participation let us direct our gaze, therefore, in this time of penance and prayer, at Christ crucified who, dying on Calvary, revealed fully for us the love of God."
Please remember that our School PTO is holding a fundraiser called "Take a Chance Night" on Saturday, March 24th. Please watch for details in the bulletin.
On Saturday, April 28th, Ken DeHanes will be ordained to the deaconate. As a deacon, he will be at Mass, and helping in various other ministries. We congratulate him for answering the call, and working hard for three years to prepare for working in the Lord's vineyard, helping to build up the Kingdom of God here on earth.
God bless you,
Fr. Michael L. Cordier
| April 1 | Palm Sunday
regular Mass schedule Easter Egg Hunt, 2:00 pm A Passion Play , 7:00 pm |
| April 5 | Holy Thursday Mass, 7:00 pm Adoration following Mass Night Prayer, 10:45 pm |
| April 6 | Good Friday Mid-Day Prayer, 12:00 noon Liturgy of the Passion, 12:30 pm Stations of the Cross, 2:30 pm Fish Fry, beginning at 5:30 pm Liturgy of the Passion, 7:30 pm at St. Andrew only |
| April 7 | Easter Vigil Easter Vigil Service, 8:45 pm Reception following Mass |
| April 8 | Easter Sunday regular Sunday Mass schedule |
| April 9 | Parish Office Closed |
| April 15 | Divine Mercy Sunday Chaplet and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, 3:00 pm |
| April 20 | Jr. High Dance |
| April 21 | First Communion Retreat, 9:00 am |
| April 22 | SMILE Pancake Breakfast |
| April 28 | St. Vincent de Paul Clothing Give-Away |
| April 29 | Confirmation, 2:30 pm at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral |
Mary Gaeke
Steven and Melanie Sparks
Michael and Kari Bacon
Barry and Lisa Fridley
Todd and Brooke Danciak
Victor and Rebecca Encinias
Jeffrey and Tandy Weisker
Ken and Michelle Ostrander
Donna Court
Eugene and Doris Corcoran
Tod and Erin Mollaun
Michael and Bree-Ann Brewer
Todd and Kathleen Hamblin
Sandra Kimbrell
David and Frances Dunaway
Wanda Gaitley
Debrorah Kammer
Robert Oehler
Samuel Parker Mailloux, son of Eric and Jennifer
Ethan Conover Brummett, son of Harold and Amy
Cole David Brummett, son of Harold and Amy
Anderson Gentry Byram, daughter of Richard and Tracy
Jackson Cooper Roth, son of Scott and Amy
Dakota James Roth, son of Scott and Sharon Douglas
Timothy Gerard Voto, son of Michael and Mary Jo
Kylie Rae Yazell, daughter of William and Deborah Kammer
Morgan Grace Dunaway, daughter of David and Frances
Christopher Scott Reckman, son of Michael and Lisa
Angelina Marie Wendel, daughter of Eddie and Mandy
Loretta Kagrise
Mary Williamson
Mae Wedding
Austin Elfers
Michael Watson
Thomas Johnson
A PASSION PLAY
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I write this in the midst of ice, downed tree limbs, gray skies, and more ice - lots of ice! When I start my eight-year-old car, it makes a noise that sounds something like, "You can't be serious!" When I put my coat on to go outside, our dog used to get excited; now she slinks off and hides in the basement. I hope by the time you receive this edition of Setonotes, the great ice storm of 2007 will be gone.
There is some sunny news. Our parish financial picture is improved over this time last year. Let's look at some numbers - all as of January 31. Last year, our total offertory collection stood at around $511, 000. This year, total offertory donations are at $554,000. Parish families have put about $43,000 more in the collection basket so far this year. That is something to be grateful about! I hope this trend continues. Other sources of income, such as bingo, and festival, are also higher this year.
Some of our expenses have also decreased this year. The mild weather in December was a big help. Our total utility bill for the whole parish so far this year is about $45,000. Last year it was almost $56,000. That's a significant reduction of $11,000. Repair costs are also down from last year, and so are office costs like postage and printing. I commend our parish staff for helping to control costs. We have also reduced expenses by lowering our debt repayment from $12,500 per month last year, to $10,000 per month this year. I hope we can return to the higher amount next year, so we pay off our debt faster.
Many parishes in our Archdiocese are struggling financially. The newspapers have printed stories of parish school closings and parishes combining. It saddens me to read of such things. As I write this article, our own Seton Finance Committee is preparing to advise Fr. Cordier regarding the parish contribution to our school budget for next year. Next we tackle the parish budget for 2007-2008. Although we still have many financial challenges, the parish is "in the black" for the seven months of our fiscal year that ended on January 31. This is great news, and I wanted to let parish families know that their generosity is helping to make a difference.
As a parish, we are doing better financially than last year, but we still have five months left in the fiscal year. Working together - pastor, parish staff, advisory committees and parish families - I hope we can finish this year with a balanced budget. May the Lord bless us in this effort.
Marc Greenberg, Business Manager
Catholic Bible Study
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Join us for a Summer Scripture Study focusing on the Psalms. |
On Monday, January 29, our second graders took a step forward in their faith life. These youngsters celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. The children were accompanied by their parents and other family members, many of whom also celebrated the sacrament that night. It was truly a blessed evening.
Prior to the celebration the children attended a Saturday morning retreat, which culminated many months of preparation. Parents, members of the First Communion Committee (FCC), and some parish staff members helped prepare and facilitate the retreat. Opportunities to deepen their understanding and ask questions insured a meaningful first experience of the sacrament.
Please keep these children in your prayers as they prepare for their First Holy Communion. If you would like to serve on the FCC please contact Justine Lakotas at xxx.xxxx or Cathy Wheeler at xxx.xxxx.
Margaret Bergh
I think everyone is looking forward to spring and so are the Ladies of Seton. We will be getting ready to sell tickets for the Easter dinner raffle. The tickets will be sold six for $5 or one for a $1, and the winner will receive a $50 Kroger gift certificate, a $50 Honey Baked Ham gift certificate and a $25 Jerry's Cheesecake gift certificate. We are depending on your support to make this a success for our group.
We donated salad and dinner rolls to Elizabeth Ann Seton Feast Day dinner, and the leftovers were donated to St. Vincent de Paul. We will be providing desserts at the fish fry starting February 23rd. We will also sell raffle tickets at the dinners and play split-the-pot.
We had a pizza party at our February meeting, which everyone enjoyed. Our next meeting will be March 15th, when we will have a guest speaker. We hope to see you there.
Pat Bishop
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Lent has begun and the PRP community is striving to keep the church's
challenge to grow through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. They are participating
in an almsgiving project that will help them connect with the needy of the world.
Operation Rice Bowl (ORB) is a program of Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States. Their mission is to assist the poor and disadvantaged, leveraging the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to alleviate human suffering, promote development of all people, and to foster charity and justice throughout the world.
Working through local offices and an extensive network of partners, CRS operates on five continents and in 99 countries. They aid the poor by first providing direct assistance where needed, then encouraging people to help with their own development. Together, these approaches foster secure, productive, just communities that enable people to realize their potential.
As the official international relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic community, CRS is also committed to educating the people of the United States to fulfill their moral responsibilities toward our global brothers and sisters by helping the poor, working to remove the causes of poverty, and promoting social justice.
The PRP initiative was kicked off on Sunday, February 24, with a video explaining who would benefit from the sacrifices the children and their families would be making. The short recording also showed other children who have committed to the program in the past. Materials were passed out and the families are saving and turning in money each week as a result of their decision to sacrifice on behalf of ORB. Each family has received a calendar for the season of Lent, which offers a suggested meditation each day and spotlights a different country each week that will benefit from the donations. A simple meal is also featured to help families experience what it would be like to live in another culture.
Interested parishioners are welcome to be a part of this effort and are invited to pick up the materials (calendar and "rice bowl bank") in the narthex. You can turn in your donations via the Sunday collection basket by placing them in an envelope clearly marked Operation Rice Bowl. This is the second year that we have participated in this program and our goal is to collect over $900, which would exceed last year's giving.
The Parish Religion Program (PRP) meets every Sunday in the school. If you have a child three years old through eighth grade and would like them to be a part of the program, please contact Margaret Bergh at xxx-xxxx or e-mail xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xx.xxx.
Margaret Bergh
In an effort to help bring about an increased awareness and a deeper appreciation of the beautiful teaching the Catholic Church has regarding marital love, and to support what is known as Natural Family Planning, I am beginning a series in Setonotes called Faith and Marriage.
I begin this series by calling on the expertise of Pope John Paul II. He wrote an apostolic exhortation called, "The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World." It is a beautiful theological explanation of the role of the Christian family, living amidst the problems of the modern world. I will quote extensively from this document to lay a good foundation for explaining why the Church teaches what she teaches regarding marital love and sexuality. It is an effort to preach the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pope John Paul begins the exhortation as follows: "The family in the modern world, as much as and perhaps more than any other institution, has been beset by the many profound and rapid changes that have affected society and culture. Many families are living this situation in fidelity to those values that constitute the foundation of the institution of the family. Others have become uncertain and bewildered over their role or even doubtful and almost unaware of the ultimate meaning and truth of conjugal and family life. Finally, there are others who are hindered by various situations of injustice in the realization of their fundamental rights."
"Knowing that marriage and the family constitute one of the most precious of human values, the Church wishes to speak and offer her help to those who are already aware of the value of marriage and the family and seek to live it faithfully, to those who are uncertain and anxious and searching for the truth, and to those who are unjustly impeded from living freely their family lives. The Church offers her services to every person who wonders about the destiny of marriage and the family."
"Illuminate by the faith that gives her an understanding of all the truth concerning the great value of marriage and the family and their deepest meaning, the Church once against feels the pressing need to proclaim the Gospel, that is the "good news," to all people without exception, in particular to all those who are called to marriage and are preparing for it, to all married couples and parents of the world."
"The Church is deeply convinced that only by the acceptance of the Gospel are the hopes that man legitimately places in marriage and in the family capable of being fulfilled."
"At a moment of history in which the family is the object of numerous forces that seek to destroy it or in some way deform it, and aware that the well-being of society and her own good are intimately tied to the good of the family, the Church perceives in a more urgent and compelling way her mission of proclaiming to all people the plan of God for marriage and the family, ensuring their full vitality and human and Christian development, and thus contributing to the renewal of society and of the People of God."
Fr. Michael L. Cordier
Marler Open
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Greetings!!! Would you like to be a part of something new in the music ministry? This year we will be presenting A Passion Play on Palm Sunday at 7:00 pm. This is a retelling of the last days of Jesus Christ in the form of a cantata-both singing and the spoken word. If this sounds interesting to you, please join us in the church for rehearsals at 7:00 pm, beginning on February 25th. These rehearsals will be split between preparing for the Passion and the music for Easter Vigil, so you can sing as much or as little as your time allows.
The Music Ministry always welcomes people willing to share their God-given gift of music with our community and what better time to join than now as we prepare for Holy Week and Easter!!! There are several different groups to choose from:
The Children's Choir is the youngest part of the Music Ministry at Seton. This group sings for the 10:30 Mass on the 3rd Sunday of each month and the First Communion Masses in the spring. The rehearsal time is 2:00 to 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoons during the school year. We are always happy to welcome parishioners who are in the second to eighth grade at any time!!!
The Adult Choir meets on Tuesdays at 7:30 to rehearse for the upcoming weekend's Mass. This choir is responsible for the first three Masses on Sunday; plus Holy Days, Penance Services, etc.
The high school and college students of our community sing for the Noon Mass on Sundays and are now rehearsing along with the adult choir, which meets on Tuesday nights at 7:30 in the church.
The newest choir at Seton is the Bell Choir. This choir rehearses on Monday nights at 7:00 pm when we are preparing for the Easter Vigil, (April 7th this year). Rehearsals will begin on February 26th. The remaining rehearsals are: March 5th, 12th, 26th and April 2nd.
Instrumentalists are also encouraged to join any of the vocal choirs-guitars, flutes, brass-whatever your specialty is, we can use it!!
If you ever have a question, comment or concern, please come speak to me after any of the Sunday Masses, or call-xxx-xxxx cell or xxx-xxx-xxxx home or E-mail me at xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.
Dana Braun
This joint parish renewal process is off to a wonderful beginning! We owe a special thanks to our Women's and Men's Giving Teams that prayed and worked hard to present the gift of Christ Renews His Parish to fellow parishioners. Below are the women and men from St. Andrew and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton who attended our January and February weekend retreats:
| Women's Weekend Jennifer Hemminger Pat Cormier Dana Lindley Mindy Wagner Deanna Montgomery Carol Marino Jennifer Huxell Ann Marie Kenner Julie Rugh Nancy Bilek Kimberli Hahn Jan Vogel Sherri Enneking Allison Estes Rebecca Leuhrmenn Tish Marquardt Monica Ater Mary Ellen Travis Karen Bush Kathy Loveless Barb Krauss Alma Fath Laura Shary Gayle Bibisi Juliene Haskins Ceese Belisle |
Men' Weekend Douglas Bain Steve Mick Jeff Purvis Mickey Cooper Peter Loveless Brian Kelly Joseph Schweickart John Davis Chris Losekamp Greg Oliver Glen Petrosky Dave Bingham Noel Enneking Greg Williams Mark Shary Adam Huxel Ron Hollmann Patrick Kirwen Chris Watford Tom Paquette |
Mark your calendars for our Christ Renews His Parish Summer Weekends!
Women's Weekend: July 28 - 29, 2007
Men's Weekend: August 4 - 5, 2007
Joint Lenten Penance Service
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"...the first responsibility of a man of faith is to make his faith really part of his own life, not by rationalizing it but by living it." (No Man Is An Island by Thomas Merton, p. xiv)
It is common for many of us to want to make our faith part of our life but often we are not sure how to bring our faith into our everyday decisions. The Church can help us with these decisions by giving direction to our thinking. This is especially true when we face moral and socio-economic problems. One of the recent aids provided by the Church is the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2420, the Church explains what she speaks to and why, "The Church makes a moral judgment about economic and social matters, 'when the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls requires it.' She strives to inspire right attitudes with respect to earthly goods and in socio-economic relationships."
How does the Church do this? "The Church's social teaching proposes principles for reflection; it provides criteria for judgment; it gives guidelines for action." (CCC 2423) One of the principles states that, "Any system in which social relationships are determined entirely by economic factors is contrary to the nature of the human person and his acts." (CCC 2423)
The Church continues to develop this idea when she discusses profit in paragraph 2424 of the Catechism, "A theory that makes profit the exclusive norm and ultimate end of economic activity is morally unacceptable. The disordered desire for money cannot but produce perverse effects. It is one of the causes of the many conflicts which disturb the social order."
The discussion in paragraph 2424 continues, "A system that 'subordinates the basic rights of individuals and of groups to the collective organization of production' is contrary to human dignity. Every practice that reduces persons to nothing more than a means of profit enslaves man, leads to idolizing money, and contributes to the spread of atheism. 'You cannot serve God and Mammon.'"
The Church also speaks to the role of the market place in paragraph 2425. "The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modern times with 'communism' or 'socialism.' She has likewise refused to accept, in the practice of 'capitalism,' individualism and the absolute primacy of the law of the marketplace over human labor. Regulating the economy solely by centralized planning perverts the basis of social bonds; regulating it solely by the law of the marketplace fails social justice, for 'there are many human needs which cannot be satisfied by the market.' Reasonable regulation of the marketplace and economic initiatives, in keeping with a just hierarchy of values and a view to the common good, is to be commended."
Even democracy is mentioned as succeeding only under certain circumstances. "The Church recognizes that while democracy is the best expression of the direct participation of citizens in political choices, it succeeds only to the extent that it is based on a correct understanding of the human person." (Doctrinal note on some questions regarding The Participation of Catholics in Political Life by Joseph Card. Ratzinger)
Reflecting on the teaching of the Catholic Church and the relationship of these teachings to the present day status of the dignity of human persons is imperative. We can make faith part of our daily life.
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Judy Alten and Jerry Braun
Throughout Catholic School's Week, St. Andrew-St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School showed their appreciation to so many people, from our school parents to our parishioners, to our faculty and staff, to various community members. At the conclusion of the week-long celebration, a special thank you was made to Fr. Cordier and Fr. Rob during the all school Mass. Below is the tribute from the students that was read at the conclusion of the Mass honoring both Fr. Cordier and Fr. Rob.
Educating the mind, body and spirit is our theme for this year's Catholic Schools Week. St. Andrew - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School is committed to this task, but it is only truly fulfilled in this place, at the altar of the Lord, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in the Word and in the Eucharist. With the knowledge we receive through the Good News of the Gospel, and the nourishment we receive from the Body and Blood of Christ, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, as we seek to fulfill His will for us.
We at St. Andrew - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School are blessed to have Fr. Cordier and Fr. Rob, good holy priests who have devoted their lives to serving Christ. The heart of Jesus is in them. They help us to become closer to Jesus in a way that only priests are capable of doing, through the real living Christ, present in the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is present in the heart of every priest, and it is evident in both of them. By their words and actions they reveal the living Christ to all of us. They help us to be pure of heart, so that we are better able to see Christ in all of His creation, and most especially in each other.
We are most thankful to you, Fr. Rob and Fr. Cordier, for all that you do to help us to grow closer to Jesus in our mind, body and spirit, at the altar of the Lord, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in the Word and in the Eucharist.
St. Andrew-St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is so fortunate to have not one priest, but two, to lead our school children in learning through service and prayer as they seek to fulfill His will.
Andrea Callahan
Seton Friday Night
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Each Friday night beginning February 23rd through |
Junior High Lock-in
All Junior Highers (7th and 8th graders) are invited to the SMILE Junior High Lock-in
at the Countryside Y in Lebanon on Saturday, March 10, from 9:00 pm to 7:00 am.
We'll begin our night with Mass. After that you will be free to enjoy the following activities: swimming, basketball, volleyball, racquet ball, dodge ball, walleyball, climbing wall (special permission slip required), movies, pizza and lots of fun!
The cost of the activity is $20.00 per person. For more information, please call Scottye Anderson (xxx.xxxx).
CINCINNATI 2000
High school and 8th grade students are invited to join the SMILE Group at Cincinnati
2000 which will be held at Moeller High School the weekend of March 23, 24 and 25
(Friday, Saturday and Sunday). We will come home on Friday and Saturday and return
to Moeller in the morning.
Cincinnati 2000 is a Eucharist-centered retreat that gives young people an opportunity to grow in their relationship with Christ and the Church and encourages them to become active in their parishes.
The retreat format will include fellowship, music, small group discussions, prayer and talks by nationally known speakers.
The cost for this weekend retreat is $30.00. Please send your payment to the SMILE Youth Office, 552 Main St. Milford, OH 45150. Call Scottye for more information.
Young Neighbors in Action Mission Trip
SMILE is sponsoring a Mission Trip this summer through Young Neighbors in Action.
We will be going to Detroit, Michigan on July 14th through the 21st for a week filled
with reaching out to other people and making their lives just a little better.
We will join together with about 50 other high school students from various parts of our country and help in areas such as making minor repairs to homes of poor families, working at a soup kitchen, assisting with a bible school, class, working with infants or working with a group that build and renovate homes for people in need.
We have 21 (four adults and 17 high school students) spaces available for this trip. If you're interested please call Scottye.
Scottye Anderson
What does Lent have to do with those becoming Catholic?
In Lent, RCIA participants move into the final period of preparation for the sacraments.
They have been nourished by the graces of various liturgical Rites throughout the
RCIA process, which have helped them to embrace God's call. In Lent, God pours
purifying and enlightening graces upon them, through the spiritual preparation they
receive in RCIA sessions, the special Rites that mark the Sundays of Lent, and the
prayers offered for them by the faithful.
How should the RCIA process encourage all Catholics to enter into
Lent more deeply?
The Church, in the RCIA process, calls this proximate time immediately preceding
initiation the period of "Purification and Enlightenment" for those in the RCIA process.
That is what Lent is meant to be for all of us, who are already receiving the
graces poured out through the sacraments of the Church. The Church calls us to
reflect on our own baptismal graces, through prayer, penance, and almsgiving. We are
also called to pray for those who are approaching the Easter sacraments of initiation.
We are called to examine our lives through increased prayer and penitential
practice; identify sins that keep us from becoming holy; purify ourselves through the
sacrament of Reconciliation; and express our gratitude to God through the love of the
poor by giving from our material and spiritual bounty. Throughout Lent we enter
into the Passion of Jesus Christ. We turn our hearts and minds in prayer to our
own Way of the Cross, we call our own wounds by name, and we give them to the Divine
Healer. When we behold the empty tomb at Easter, we can be filled with joy,
believing with complete certainty that those chains that bind us have been broken, and
that life, not death is our birthright.
How can every Catholic make Lent a time of "purification and
enlightenment"?
We can attend weekday Mass. We can reflect on the Creed, taking each statement of
belief and asking ourselves if we do believe, and what it means in our everyday lives.
We can go to adoration and to confession. We can attend our parish penance
service. We can pray the Stations of the Cross, pray the Liturgy of the Hours, pray
the rosary. We must pray, every day. We can fast from food, TV, foul language,
gossip, and the list goes on and on. We can give alms, in a genuinely sacrificial
manner, to the poor. As Catholics we know all of these things. It is not a
lack of "things to do" that have many of us scratching our heads on Holy Thursday
wondering why Lent was really not any different for us than any other forty days
throughout the year. What we lack is a conversion of the heart. We don't
have to seek far to hear God speak to us. The Church in her wisdom provides us in
the Liturgy of the Word at Mass what our hearts yearn to hear. In the Lenten
liturgies the Church prays what she believes and teaches, and in word and sacrament the
Lord directs us toward his Divine heart.
What is the Penitential Rite?
For those baptized Christians seeking to enter full communion with the Catholic Church,
this Rite helps them to prepare for the healing sacrament of Reconciliation.
Normally occurring on the 2nd Sunday of Lent after the homily, this Rite calls the
candidates to a deeper repentance and a total abandonment to the mercy of the Father who
sent his only Son to die for our sins. Our prayer for these candidates, and for
ourselves, is that the presence among us of Jesus who is the sum of the Law and the
Prophets will transfigure all our lives with his redeeming grace, bringing us to
conversion - a genuine desire to be holy as he is holy. Please join us for the
Penitential Rite at the 9:00 Mass on March 4.
What are the Scrutinies?
These Rites are celebrated to help deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to
protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ, who is the Way, the
Truth, and the Life (RCIA 141). The Rites of Scrutiny are meant to uncover, and
then heal, all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the elects' hearts and to bring out
through repentance all that is upright, strong, and good. Three Scrutinies are
celebrated in the parish community on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent, after the
homily. The Scripture readings for the Scrutinies ordinarily come from Cycle A of
the Lectionary: the Gospel story of the Samaritan woman at the well for the 1st Scrutiny,
the Gospel story of the healing of the man born blind for the 2nd Scrutiny, and the
Gospel story of the raising of Lazarus for the 3rd Scrutiny. The celebrations of
the Scrutinies also remind the whole parish community of the need to reflect on their own
sins and the need for God's help. Please join us for the Scrutinies at the 9:00
Mass on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th weeks of Lent.
How might the Scrutinies of the RCIA process help the parish as a
whole?
On the 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of Lent we participate in the Scrutinies. The
universal Church hears the stories of the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, and the
raising of Lazarus. These readings were chosen to be the driving force of
prayerful introspection, surrender, and conversion. They offer powerful images of
surrender, sin, conversion, faith, and healing. In our faith journey with those
seeking Baptism, we must stir our souls, as if they were dying campfires, to expose any
parts of ourselves that have not been purified by the burning love of the Holy Spirit.
We are challenged with the Samaritan woman at the well when we thirst for the
Lord, who knows what we need and provides it; we beg, with the man born blind, to see
Jesus, who is the light and gives us sight; and finally we lie with Lazarus within the
tomb of oblivion and death, built with the stones of our own sins, until Jesus reaches
out his hand and pulls us from the pit. Take this gift of the Church and use this
group of readings as Lenten reflections. The Scripture readings for each Scrutiny
are listed below. Read them slowly, asking the Lord to give you the grace to hear
what is being said to you. Share these readings with your children or your spouse.
| 1st Scrutiny (3rd Sunday of Lent) Exodus 17:3-7 1 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9 Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8 John 4:5-42 | 2nd Scrutiny (4th Sunday of Lent) Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Psalm 23:1-6 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 | 3rd Scrutiny (5th Sunday of Lent) Ezekiel 37:12-14 Psalm 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-7 Romans 8:8-11 John 11:1-45 |
Sean Ater
The preschool children are decorating their classrooms with their art projects such as kites, windsocks, caterpillars, bunnies, butterflies and, of course, green shamrocks to welcome the beginning of spring. But I am afraid some snow might still be in the forecast, so we are not putting away coats, boots and mittens yet!
First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents in our three-year old class sessions for sending in cookies for our February Special Friend's Heart Bingo Night. The cookies were delicious and enjoyed by everyone! We hope the dads, special friends, and the preschoolers had a fun time playing heart bingo. We played approximately ten games of bingo and had numerous winners!!!
The staff, our Parent's Board and myself would like to thank the Men of Seton for donating $100 towards the preschool's door security system. As always, you are there when we need you...thank you!
Registration for the 2007/2008 school year is completed. A special thanks goes to all of you who shared your good thoughts about our school to your friends and neighbors. Your support means a great deal to the teachers and myself as we strive to make this the very best preschool possible. We have a few openings for preschool left in our afternoon programs. If you are interested in enrolling your child for the 2007/08 school year, please have them give me a call. The spots are filled on a first come first serve basis.
During the month of March, our preschoolers will be enjoying a program called Webby Dancing, that is sponsored by our Parent's Association. We have had this program in the past, and the children truly enjoy partaking in all different forms of dance.
Later in April we will be winding down the school year with Parent/Teacher Conferences, Mother's Day Tea, Park Days and Easter Parties.
So for now, we wish all of you a sunny warm spring, a relaxing spring break, and a blessed and Happy Easter.
Terri Imming
"Navigating the Senior Care Maze" is a free informational talk for senior citizens and their families. It will be held at St. Andrew Church Undercroft on Tuesday, March 27, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, Karen Sorah, will outline some of the resources available for adult Day Care and for long-distance caregiving. This is open to the public - invite a friend!
Support groups for caregivers meets the first Tuesday of each month. Please call Scottye Anderson, xxx.xxxx; Marcy Schutte, xxx.xxxx; Mary Schutte, xxx.xxxx; or Lynn Periatt, xxx.xxxx for more information.
Scottye Anderson
The parish Vacation Bible School planning committee is meeting to plan an exciting program for young members of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Andrew Parish again this summer. If you like children and would like to help with this program, watch the bulletin for the announcement of when the committee meets. Not sure if you've missed it? Call Margaret Bergh at xxx.xxxx or Barb Aluotto at xxx.xxxx to volunteer. It takes many helpers to make this program a success. All are welcome!