Day of Reconciliation
Monday of Holy Week, April 14, is the annual Diocesan-wide celebration of the Day of Reconciliation. Here at St. Joseph’s, confessions will be heard from
11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Category: From the Pastor’s Desk (Page 1 of 66)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As Jan Wolowski carries the processional cross, leading me through the Stations of the Cross on Lenten Friday evenings, I am always struck by the beauty of the stations here at St. Joseph’s. Some years ago, when they showed signs of wear and tear, Marianne Keating volunteered her time and talent to restore each station. The vibrant colors bring “The Way of the Cross” to life and lead us to prayer. Thank you to Marianne and to Jan!
Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. The use of a colt instead of a horse is highly symbolic, representing the humble arrival of someone who comes in the name of peace, as opposed to a warrior mounted on a military steed. Palm branches are recognized widely as symbols of peace and victory, hence their use on Palm Sunday. The palms enjoy one of the longest sacramental blessings of any blessed item and are one of the few sacred items blessed in the context of the Mass itself. In church, the faithful hold their palm branches high for the rite of sprinkling and blessing, then bring their palms home and place them with devotion behind a crucifix or holy picture – a yearlong reminder that Christ “reigns from the wood,” suffered and died out of love for us, and is with us in our own times of suffering, peace, and victory.
With prayerful best wishes for a blessed Palm Sunday and Holy Week,
Fr. John Mahoney
Please pray for the repose of the souls of:
Thelma Branscombe , Claire Mulleavey and“Betty” Dauphine,
who died last week.
Monday, April 14
A Diocesan Day of Penance
Confessions will be heard in the church
11:00am-12:00pm and 5:00pm-6:00pm
Dear Parishioners and Visitors,
“I pulled the cat’s tail” is a sin that a youngster might bring into the confessional on a Saturday afternoon, but as our spirituality matures, we recognize the need to examine our lives with a more serious sense of purpose. Lent is a season of prayer and penitence when we engage in some self-reflection about our relationship with God and His Church.
While venial sins are minor offenses against God’s commandments that impede our relationship with God and His Church, mortal sins significantly rupture our relationship with God and others. For a sin to be mortal in nature, the sin committed (or omitted) must be 1) a serious violation of God’s law, 2) must have been done with sufficient knowledge of its seriousness, and 3) must have been done deliberately and with sufficient freedom of the will – i.e., “on purpose.”
As followers of Christ, we need to examine our lives and recognize any sinful thoughts, words, and behaviors that impede the life-giving connection we share with God through His son, Jesus Christ. Such an examination of conscience should be done regularly, always with trust in God’s mercy and love, and then be brought, with true contrition, to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
With prayerful best wishes,
Fr. John Mahoney