Sunday's Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11 Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22 Hebrews 4:14-16 Mark 10:35-45

Here are several commentaries on these readings:

• St. Charles Borromeo Lectionary Site (PDF)


• Cup of Salvation (Also available to be heard as an MP3) from St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology


• Prime Ministers Zebedee from The Crossroads Initiative

As we continue in this Easter season, we remember the incredible miracle of our Lord's resurrection. This week's excerpt from the Catechism mentions some of Jesus' appearances to His disciples and the importance of their witness to His having been raised from the dead.

641   Mary Magdalene and the holy women who came to finish anointing the body of Jesus, which had been buried in haste because the Sabbath began on the evening of Good Friday, were the first to encounter the Risen One. Thus the women were the first messengers of Christ's Resurrection for the apostles themselves. They were the next to whom Jesus appears: first Peter, then the Twelve. Peter had been called to strengthen the faith of his brothers, and so sees the Risen One before them; it is on the basis of his testimony that the community exclaims: "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"

642   Everything that happened during those Paschal days involves each of the apostles - and Peter in particular - in the building of the new era begun on Easter morning. As witnesses of the Risen One, they remain the foundation stones of his Church. the faith of the first community of believers is based on the witness of concrete men known to the Christians and for the most part still living among them. Peter and the Twelve are the primary "witnesses to his Resurrection", but they are not the only ones - Paul speaks clearly of more than five hundred persons to whom Jesus appeared on a single occasion and also of James and of all the apostles.

643   Given all these testimonies, Christ's Resurrection cannot be interpreted as something outside the physical order, and it is impossible not to acknowledge it as an historical fact. It is clear from the facts that the disciples' faith was drastically put to the test by their master's Passion and death on the cross, which he had foretold. The shock provoked by the Passion was so great that at least some of the disciples did not at once believe in the news of the Resurrection. Far from showing us a community seized by a mystical exaltation, the Gospels present us with disciples demoralized ("looking sad") and frightened. For they had not believed the holy women returning from the tomb and had regarded their words as an "idle tale". When Jesus reveals himself to the Eleven on Easter evening, "he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen."

644   Even when faced with the reality of the risen Jesus the disciples are still doubtful, so impossible did the thing seem: they thought they were seeing a ghost. "In their joy they were still disbelieving and still wondering." Thomas will also experience the test of doubt and St. Matthew relates that during the risen Lord's last appearance in Galilee "some doubted." Therefore the hypothesis that the Resurrection was produced by the apostles' faith (or credulity) will not hold up. On the contrary their faith in the Resurrection was born, under the action of divine grace, from their direct experience of the reality of the risen Jesus.


Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Through Pope John Paul II, the Church has declared that the second Sunday of Easter will also be known as Divine Mercy Sunday. On this Sunday, which is also the eighth day in the octave of Easter, a special emphasis is made on thanking God for His Divine Mercy and proclaiming the message that God's Divine Mercy is available to all.

The Divine Mercy is an online ministry of the Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception. Along with information on the Marians and their ministries, this site also provides a number of online resources. These include news and special Divine Mercy events, information about the Divine Mercy Shrine, and a section on the Divine Mercy devotion which provides users with the opportunity to deepen their relationship with our Lord Jesus.

From Catholic Culture

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Through Christ's death we have been freed from the bondage of sin, and through His resurrection we have been given new life. This week's excerpt from the Catechism describes the incredible importance of Christ's resurrection.

651   "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain." The Resurrection above all constitutes the confirmation of all Christ's works and teachings. All truths, even those most inaccessible to human reason, find their justification if Christ by his Resurrection has given the definitive proof of his divine authority, which he had promised.

652   Christ's Resurrection is the fulfillment of the promises both of the Old Testament and of Jesus himself during his earthly life. The phrase "in accordance with the Scriptures" indicates that Christ's Resurrection fulfilled these predictions.

653   The truth of Jesus' divinity is confirmed by his Resurrection. He had said: "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he." The Resurrection of the crucified one shows that he was truly "I AM", the Son of God and God himself. So St. Paul could declare to the Jews: "What God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you.'" Christ's Resurrection is closely linked to the Incarnation of God's Son, and is its fulfillment in accordance with God's eternal plan.

654   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. This new life is above all justification that reinstates us in God's grace, "so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Justification consists in both victory over the death caused by sin and a new participation in grace. It brings about filial adoption so that men become Christ's brethren, as Jesus himself called his disciples after his Resurrection: "Go and tell my brethren." We are brethren not by nature, but by the gift of grace, because that adoptive filiation gains us a real share in the life of the only Son, which was fully revealed in his Resurrection.

655   Finally, Christ's Resurrection - and the risen Christ himself is the principle and source of our future resurrection: "Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. . . For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." The risen Christ lives in the hearts of his faithful while they await that fulfillment. In Christ, Christians "have tasted. . . the powers of the age to come" and their lives are swept up by Christ into the heart of divine life, so that they may "live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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In connection with the octave of Easter, recent years have witnessed the development and diffusion of a special devotion to the Divine Mercy based on the writings of Sr. Faustina Kowalska who was canonized 30 April 2000. It concentrates on the mercy poured forth in Christ's death and resurrection, fount of the Holy Spirit who forgives sins and restores joy at having been redeemed. Since the liturgy of the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday - as it is now called - is the natural locus in which to express man's acceptance of the Redeemer's mercy, the faithful should be taught to understand this devotion in the light of the liturgical celebrations of these Easter days. Indeed, "the paschal Christ is the definitive incarnation of mercy, his living sign which is both historic-salvific and eschatological. At the same time, the Easter liturgy places the words of the psalm on our lips: "I shall sing forever of the Lord's mercy" (Ps 89[88] 2)".

Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (154)

For more information about devotion to the Divine Mercy click on the following links:

• The Divine Mercy
• EWTN
• Marians of the Immaculate Conception

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The bulletin for March 23, 2008 is available by clicking here to view it.

Listed below are a few of the items from this week's bulletin. See the bulletin for more details and to read all of the announcements.

PANTRY: Most of us will be enjoying a special Easter dinner this weekend. Those who come to our pantry for food assistance may not fare so well. Recently we have been short of many items. We can purchase canned goods at the Food Bank at a reduced price, but we very much need the support of this parish for those very welcome toilet articles.

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY: The Pastoral Care Committee wants to develop a program where Holy Comforter parishioners can demonstrate their giving spirit by ministering to each other. There are times when we can use extra help because of illness, having had surgery, or a child is born, for example. If you are able to prepare a meal or provide a ride, you qualify to be part of this giving ministry. We need a list of people who are available to help when one of our own is in need. The Lenten season is a a special time to consider what we can do to help our Holy Comforter family. A sign-up sheet will be on the table in the The Commons. Please sign up to make a meal, provide a ride, or help coordinate this program. There are no age or gender restrictions -- all are welcome to join this giving group. You will truly be spiritually rewarded.

FIRST EUCHARIST PREPARATION: First Eucharist Classes will begin on Saturday, April 5th at 9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Teresa Ritzert.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: Christian Formation classes are in DESPERATE need of volunteers to help set-up and break-down classes on Sunday mornings. It is a ten-minute commitment. Please sign-up in the Commons for any Sunday when you can spare a few minutes to help our youth and catechists. For more information, contact Teresa Ritzert.

ANNUAL DIOCESAN HAITI GATHERING: The Annual Diocesan Haiti Gathering is Saturday, April 5th at St. Thomas Aquinas from 8:45 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. All those involved in Haiti Twinning or interested in Haiti are welcome to join in a day of celebration, education, and networking. This year's focus is "A Spirituality of Global Solidarity". The registration fee of $20 includes breakfast, lunch, and handouts. To register, email mmainous@richmonddiocese.org or call (804) 622-5127.


CATHOLIC-JEWISH DIALOGUE: Holy Comforter is hosting the annual Catholic-Jewish Dialogue on Sunday, April 6th at 3:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help set up chairs, tables, and refreshments and to serve as greeters. Please sign up in the Commons or contact Teresa Ritzert.

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The Director of the Vatican Museums, Mr. Antonio Paolucci, who welcomes the visitors to the present web site, hopes that this informative means may be a useful instrument of knowledge and access to the complex reality of these five hundred – year old art collections which are the destination of more than four million visitors each year.

It is one of the most renowned and famous cultural institutions of the Holy See, known all over the world for its masterpieces that have been commissioned, collected and preserved in time by the Roman Pontiffs. Besides the great heritage of movable works of art, sculptures and paintings, exhibited in the galleries, the visit inside the Vatican Museums also includes very significant and artistically relevant places of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, such as the Niccolina Chapel containing the paintings of Beato Angelico, the Borgia Apartment decorated by Pinturicchio, the Rooms painted by Raphael and, naturally, the Sistine Chapel with the frescoes of the great masters of the fifteenth-century that come from Umbria and Tuscany and of Michelangelo.

The Holy Father has entrusted us with the great responsibility to care for, preserve, study, and enhance this invaluable heritage of culture and art, by making it known and putting it at the disposal of a very diversified public from all over the world. More than three hundred people – among functionaries, employees, restorers, and attendants – dedicate themselves every day, with great professionalism and availability to accomplish this difficult task. (from the Web site)

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The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a powerful testament to God's mercy. Through the grace of this sacrament, we can be restored to wholeness and a right relationship with God no matter how much we may have alienated ourselves from Him through our sin. This week's excerpt from the Catechism describes these powerful effects of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

(For more Lenten resources, view the Resources for Lent section of the Web site.)

1468   "The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship." Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this sacrament. For those who receive the sacrament of Penance with contrite heart and religious disposition, reconciliation "is usually followed by peace and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation." Indeed the sacrament of Reconciliation with God brings about a true "spiritual resurrection," restoration of the dignity and blessings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is friendship with God.

1469   This sacrament reconciles us with the Church. Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. the sacrament of Penance repairs or restores it. In this sense it does not simply heal the one restored to ecclesial communion, but has also a revitalizing effect on the life of the Church which suffered from the sin of one of her members. Re-established or strengthened in the communion of saints, the sinner is made stronger by the exchange of spiritual goods among all the living members of the Body of Christ, whether still on pilgrimage or already in the heavenly homeland:

It must be recalled that . . . this reconciliation with God leads, as it were, to other reconciliations, which repair the other breaches caused by sin. the forgiven penitent is reconciled with himself in his inmost being, where he regains his innermost truth. He is reconciled with his brethren whom he has in some way offended and wounded. He is reconciled with the Church. He is reconciled with all creation.

1470   In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the judgment to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life. For it is now, in this life, that we are offered the choice between life and death, and it is only by the road of conversion that we can enter the Kingdom, from which one is excluded by grave sin. In converting to Christ through penance and faith, the sinner passes from death to life and "does not come into judgment."

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Holy Week

"In Holy Week, the Church celebrates the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of the earthly life, beginning with his messianic entry into Jerusalem".

The people are notably involved in the rites of Holy Week. Many of them still bear the traces of their origins in popular piety. It has come about, however, that in the course of the centuries, a form of celebrative parallelism has arisen in the Rites of Holy Week, resulting in two cycles each with its own specific character: one is strictly liturgical, the other is marked by particular pious exercise, especially processions.

This divergence should be oriented towards a correct harmonization of the liturgical celebrations and pious exercises. Indeed, the attention and interest in manifestations of popular piety, traditionally observed among the people, should lead to a correct appreciation of the liturgical actions, which are supported by popular piety.

Palm Sunday

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, or "Passion Sunday", which unites the royal splendor of Christ with the proclamation of his Passion".

The procession, commemorating Christ's messianic entry into Jerusalem, is joyous and popular in character. The faithful usually keep palm or olive branches, or other greenery which have been blessed on Palm Sunday in their homes or in their work places.

The faithful, however, should be instructed as to the meaning of this celebration so that they might grasp its significance. They should be opportunely reminded that the important thing is participation at the procession and not only the obtaining of palm or olive branches. Palms or olive branches should not be kept as amulets, or for therapeutic or magical reasons to dispel evil spirits or to prevent the damage these cause in the fields or in the homes, all of which can assume a certain superstitious guise.

Palms and olive branches are kept in the home as a witness to faith in Jesus Christ, the messianic king, and in his Paschal Victory.

The Paschal Triduum

Every year, the Church celebrates the great mysteries of the redemption of mankind in the "most sacred triduum of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection". The Sacred Triduum extends from the Mass of the Lord's Supper to Vespers on Easter Sunday and is celebrated "in intimate communion with Christ her Spouse".


Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (138-140)

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The bulletin for March 16, 2008 is available by clicking here to view it.

Listed below are a few of the items from this week's bulletin. See the bulletin for more details and to read all of the announcements.

PANTRY: Once again this month, we asked for toilet articles in the Reverse Collection. We are the only pantry that has these articles, and they are much appreciated. We always try to include as a bare minimum, a bar of soap and a roll of toilet paper in each pantry bag. Other toilet articles are given out as they are requested, but no one should have to beg for soap and toilet paper. Since we distribute 250 bags a month, that is a lot of soap and toilet paper.

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY: The Pastoral Care Committee wants to develop a program where Holy Comforter parishioners can demonstrate their giving spirit by ministering to each other. There are times when we can use extra help because of illness, having had surgery, or a child is born, for example. If you are able to prepare a meal or provide a ride, you qualify to be part of this giving ministry. We need a list of people who are available to help when one of our own is in need. The Lenten season is a a special time to consider what we can do to help our Holy Comforter family. A sign-up sheet will be on the table in the The Commons. Please sign up to make a meal, provide a ride, or help coordinate this program. There are no age or gender restrictions -- all are welcome to join this giving group. You will truly be spiritually rewarded.

FIRST EUCHARIST PREPARATION: First Eucharist Classes will begin on Saturday, April 5th at 9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Teresa Ritzert.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: Christian Formation classes are in DESPERATE need of volunteers to help set-up and break-down classes on Sunday mornings. It is a ten-minute commitment. Please sign-up in the Commons for any Sunday when you can spare a few minutes to help our youth and catechists. For more information, contact Teresa Ritzert.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The next meeting will be held Monday, March 17th at the Stone Chapel next to the Church of the Incarnation which is located behind Toys 'R' Us on US 29 North off of Hillsdale Drive. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 7:15 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. If you are interested in joining the Knights, contact Joe Murray (971-2737), Tom O'Rourke (244-2852), or Jim Morrisard (973-6570).

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Observance of the solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, has been moved to March 15th this year because March 19th falls during Holy Week when saints days are not celebrated.

Devotion to St. Joseph developed slowly, more slowly than devotion to Mary. The devotion seems to have begun in the East, with the apocryphal History of Joseph the Carpenter (4th-7th century) playing a major role in fostering the devotion. The Copts likely kept his feast as early as the 4th century. In one of the oldest Coptic calendars we possess, St. Joseph was commemorated on July 20. In later Greek calendars, he is remembered on either December 25 or December 26. In the West, devotion to Joseph developed more slowly, with its earliest promoters being St. Bernardino of Siena and John Gerson. The theological foundations they set paved the way for the establishment of the Feast of St. Joseph. St. Teresa of Avila and St. Francis De Sales were also known for their strong devotion to St. Joseph.

The feast of St. Joseph did not enter the Western calendar until AD 1479. In 1714 Pope Clement XI composed a special office for the feast, and in 1729 Pope Benedict XIII inserted his name into the litany of the saints. Pope Pius IX declared him patron of the universal Church in 1870. In 1955 the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker was promulgated by Pope Pius XII, observed on May 1. This feast was added to the calendar on May 1st to counter the Communist May Day celebration that day, by offering a Christian view of labor, and prime example in the husband of Mary. The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker is not a holy day of obligation. In 1962 his name was added to the list of saints in the Roman Canon (the First Eucharistic Prayer).

Many traditions and customs have developed around St. Joseph and his feast day. March 19th has been a traditional day to show hospitality in the Italian culture. On this day, all who come to the door are invited to dinner. The family table is extended full-length, moved against the wall (like the Church altar), and a statue of St. Joseph surrounded by flowers and candles is made the centerpiece. After the guests have enjoyed the bounteous feast (blessed by a priest prior to the meal), the guests leave so other guests may enter. What is left is given to the poor. On a variation of this theme, a table is set up in the town square, and all families bring food. After Mass, everyone comes and shares a meal, which consists of a variety of foods, including bread baked in the shape of scepters and beards.

Another popular custom associated with St. Joseph is burying St. Joseph statues upside-down in order to sell one's home more quickly. While there is nothing inherently wrong with burying a saint statue, this practice should not be used superstitiously, but simply viewed a process whereby one joins one's prayers with St. Joseph, asking God to sell a home more quickly. The statue is not magic. Many people, to thank St. Joseph for his intercessions, will display the buried statue in their new home.

From
ChurchYear.Net

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The The Institute on Religious Life (IRL) promotes and supports the growth, development, and renewal of the consecrated life—particularly vowed religious life—as a gift to the Church and an evangelical witness to the world. We include and engage bishops, clergy, religious, consecrated and lay faithful in a collaborative apostolate of prayer and service, guided by the magisterial teachings and rich heritage of the Church.

Rev. John A. Hardon, S.J., established the IRL in 1974, and inspired its work, in response to the Holy See's plea to help save religious life in the United States. He was aided by outstanding co-founders and by early collaborators, including Blessed Mother Teresa, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, and many others. While others were resigned to a generation of turmoil in religious life, the IRL's founders persevered in hope. They weren't content to sit back and watch the dire predictions come true. They rolled up their sleeves and began to build and prepare for a much brighter future. Today, the IRL has expanded to meet the needs of established orders and a growing number of emerging religious communities and other institutes of consecrated life. The supernatural hope of the IRL's founders--which, to many, seemed foolhardy at the start--is beginning to come to fulfillment. (from the Web site)

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Observance of the memorial of St. Patrick has been moved to March 14th this year because March 17th falls during Holy Week when saints days are not celebrated.

Saint Patrick's Day is observed in March 17, the date of Patrick's death. This feast always falls during Lent, and is a commemoration, meaning that other, more important, feasts and fasts take liturgical precedence over this holiday. This is why in some years, the official Catholic observance of the holiday falls on a date other than March 17. Because the commemoration always falls during Lent, the liturgical color of Saint Patrick's Day is violet. However, when celebrated as a solemnity (for example, in Ireland), the liturgical color is white. Since St. Patrick is associated with Ireland, the "Emerald Isle," the color popularly associated with his holiday is green, the color we have employed for this page. However, oddly enough, at one time, blue was the color commonly associated with Saint Patrick's Day.

While Saint Patrick's Day has been celebrated since the first millennium in Ireland, it is due to the influence of Franciscan Luke Wadding in the early 17th century, that the feast is on the general calendar of the universal Church. While originally only a religious holiday, Saint Patrick's Day has developed into a popular secular holiday in many countries, including Ireland (where it is a federal holiday) and the United States which has a large Irish-American population. One popular custom is Saint Patrick's Day parades, which originated in the United States. The first known parade occurred in 1737 in Boston. Another popular custom is eating green foods (including those that have been dyed green, e.g. green beer). Another custom is wearing some item of green clothing, and pinching those that do not. Partying is also associated with Saint Patrick's Day, although the Church does not sanction parties that lead to sinful behavior.

From
ChurchYear.Net

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As one commentator noted, in the forgiveness of our sins, our Lord has done the difficult work through His passion, death, and resurrection. We contribute through our contrition and satisfaction. Even these action are done through Christ as this week's excerpt from the Catechism notes.

(For more Lenten resources, view the Resources for Lent section of the Web site.)

1459   Many sins wrong our neighbor. One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries). Simple justice requires as much. But sin also injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called "penance."

1460   The penance the confessor imposes must take into account the penitent's personal situation and must seek his spiritual good. It must correspond as far as possible with the gravity and nature of the sins committed. It can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear. Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become co-heirs with the risen Christ, "provided we suffer with him."

The satisfaction that we make for our sins, however, is not so much ours as though it were not done through Jesus Christ. We who can do nothing ourselves, as if just by ourselves, can do all things with the cooperation of "him who strengthens" us. Thus man has nothing of which to boast, but all our boasting is in Christ . . . in whom we make satisfaction by bringing forth "fruits that befit repentance." These fruits have their efficacy from him, by him they are offered to the Father, and through him they are accepted by the Father.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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March is dedicated to St. Joseph (Part 1)

In activating His plan of salvation, God, in His sapient providence, assigned to Joseph of Nazareth, "the just man" (cf. Mt 1, 19), and spouse of the Virgin Mary (cf. ibid; Lk 1, 27), a particularly important mission: legally to insert Jesus Christ into the line of David from whom, according to the prophets, the Messiah would be born, and to act as his father and guardian.

In virtue of this mission, St. Joseph features in the mysteries of the infancy of Jesus: God revealed to him that Jesus had been conceived by the Holy Spirit; (cf. Mt 1,20-21); he witnessed the birth of Christ in Bethlehem (cf. Lk 2, 6-7), the adoration of the shepherds (cf. Lk 2, 15-16), the adoration of the Magi (cf. Mt 2, 11); he fulfilled his mission religiously with regard to the rearing of Christ, having had him circumcised according to the discipline of the Covenant of Abraham (Lk 2, 21) and in giving him the name of Jesus ( Mt 1, 21); in accordance with the Law of the Lord, he presented Christ in the Temple and made the offering prescribed for the poor (cf. Lk 2,22-24; Ex 13, 2. 12-13), and listened in wonder to the prophecy of Simeon (cf Lk 2, 25-33); he protected the Mother of Christ and her Son from the persecution of Herod by taking them to Egypt (cf. Mt 2, 13-23); together with Mary and Jesus, he went every year to Jerusalem for the Passover, and was distraught at having lost the twelve year old Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2, 43-50); he lived in Nazareth and exercised paternal authority over Jesus who was submissive to him (Lk 2, 51); he instructed Jesus in the law and in the craft of carpentry.

The virtues of St. Joseph have been the object of ecclesial reflection down through the centuries, especially the more recent centuries. Among those virtues the following stand out: faith, with which he fully accepted God's salvific plan; prompt and silent obedience to the will of God; love for and fulfilment of the law, true piety, fortitude in time of trial; chaste love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, a dutiful exercise of his paternal authority, and fruitful reticence.

Popular piety has grasped the significance, importance and universality of the patronage of St. Joseph "to whose care God entrusted the beginning of our redemption", "and his most valuable treasures". The following have been entrusted to the patronage of St. Joseph: the entire Church was placed under the patronage and protection of this Holy patriarch by the Blessed Pius IX; those who are consecrated to God by celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Mt 19, 12): "in St Joseph they have [...] a type and a protector of chaste integrity"; workers and craftsmen, for whom the carpenter of Nazareth is a singular model; the dying, since pious tradition holds that he was assisted by Mary and Jesus in his last agony.

Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (218-20)

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The bulletin for March 9, 2008 is available by clicking here to view it.

Listed below are a few of the items from this week's bulletin. See the bulletin for more details and to read all of the announcements.

IMPACT: Help make a difference in our community by participating in the IMPACT Nehemiah Assembly scheduled for Monday, March 10th at 6:15 p.m. at U-Hall. At the assembly, we will continue to press for much needed change in two important areas--affordable housing and dental care.

PANTRY: It is Reverse Collection weekend again, and once again we are asking for toilet articles. Although we can purchase many staple groceries for very resaonable prices at the Food Bank, we are not able to purchase toilet articles there. People who come to us for groceries are very grateful when we can include toilet articles in their bags. Please continue with your generous support.

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY: The Pastoral Care Committee wants to develop a program where Holy Comforter parishioners can demonstrate their giving spirit by ministering to each other. There are times when we can use extra help because of illness, having had surgery, or a child is born, for example. If you are able to prepare a meal or provide a ride, you qualify to be part of this giving ministry. We need a list of people who are available to help when one of our own is in need. The Lenten season is a a special time to consider what we can do to help our Holy Comforter family. A sign-up sheet will be on the table in the The Commons. Please sign up to make a meal, provide a ride, or help coordinate this program. There are no age or gender restrictions -- all are welcome to join this giving group. You will truly be spiritually rewarded.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Throughout Lent there is a weekly Stations of the Cross on Friday at 7:00 p.m. A Cross Bearer, two Candle Bearers, and two Readers are needed. Families are urged to volunteer. Training will be provided. Total time involved is less than one hour. Please sign up in the credenza.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: The deadline to register for the 2008-2009 Christian Formation and Sacrament Prepartion Classes is April 1st. Registration by this date is vital for planning classes and ordering textbooks. Note that payment can be made in August. For more information, contact Teresa Ritzert.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: Christian Formation classes are in DESPERATE need of volunteers to help set-up and break-down classes on Sunday mornings. It is a ten-minute commitment. Please sign-up in the Commons for any Sunday when you can spare a few minutes to help our youth and catechists. For more information, contact Teresa Ritzert.

LOTTERY FOR TICKETS TO PAPAL MASS: The Diocese of Richmond will have 400 tickets available for the papal mass which will be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at the Washington Nationals Baseball Park on April 17, 2008 during his visit to the U.S. The tickets will be assigned by lottery.

To enter the lottery for the tickets visit the Diocese of Richmond Web site, print out and fill in the form available there, and send it in to the diocese. Those who are not able to access the form via the Web site, may request a form from the parish office.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The next meeting will be held Monday, March 17th at the Stone Chapel next to the Church of the Incarnation which is located behind Toys 'R' Us on US 29 North off of Hillsdale Drive. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 7:15 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. If you are interested in joining the Knights, contact Joe Murray (971-2737), Tom O'Rourke (244-2852), or Jim Morrisard (973-6570).

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The Heralds of the Gospel is an International Association of Pontifical Right, the first established by the Holy See in the third millennium, on the liturgical feast of the Chair of St. Peter, February 22nd, 2001.

Comprised mainly of young people, this Association is established in 57 countries. Its members practice celibacy, and are entirely dedicated to apostolate, living in separate houses designated for young men and young women.Their life of recollection, study and prayer alternates with evangelizing activities in dioceses and parishes, with special emphasis placed on the formation of youth.

Three essential pillars: The spirituality of the Heralds is based on three essential points: The Eucharist, Mary and the Pope.

These points are represented in the emblem that distinguishes them.

Their charism leads them to strive for perfection, while always searching for the pulchritude in all their daily actions, even in the most private ones.

Seeing in culture and art efficacious tools of evangelization, the Heralds characteristically place special emphasis on both choral and instrumental music.

Hence, the Heralds have formed various choirs and symphonic bands to bring their message of faith, incentive and confidence to today’s humanity. (From the Web site.)

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

What do you need to do when you go to confession? How often should you go to confession. This week's excerpt from the Catechism helps to answer these questions by explaining the confession of sins.

(For more Lenten resources, view the Resources for Lent section of the Web site.)

1455   The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible.

1456   Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: "All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly."

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."

1457   According to the Church's command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year." Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.

1458   Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:

Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear "man" - this is what God has made; when you hear "sinner" - this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made .... When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. the beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The Via Matris

As Christ and Our Lady of Dolours were associated in God's saving plan (Lk 2, 34-35), so too they are associated in the Liturgy and popular piety.

As Christ was the "man of sorrows" (Is 53, 3) through whom it pleased God to have "reconciled all things through him and for him, everything in heaven and everything on earth, when he made peace by his death on the cross" (Col 1, 20), so too, Mary is "the woman of sorrows" whom God associated with his Son as mother and participant in his Passion (socia passionis).

Since the childhood of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary's life was entirely lived out under the sign of the sword (cf, Lk 2, 35). Christian piety has signalled out seven particular incidents of sorrow in her life, known as the "seven sorrows" of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Modelled on the Via Crucis, the pious exercise of the Via Matris dolorosae, or simply the Via Matris, developed and was subsequently approved by the Apostolic See(140). This pious exercise already existed in embryonic form since the sixteenth century, while its present form dates from the nineteenth century. Its fundamental intuition is a reflection on the life of Our Lady from the prophecy of Simeon (cf. Lk 2, 34-35), to the death and burial of her Son, in terms of a journey in faith and sorrow: this journey is articulated in seven "stations" corresponding to the "seven dolours" of the Mother of Our Savior.

This pious exercise harmonizes well with certain themes that are proper to the Lenten season. Since the sorrows of Our Lady are caused by the rejection of her Son (cf. John 1,11; Lk 2, 1-7; 2, 34-35; 4, 28-29; Mt 26, 47-56; Acts 12, 1-5), the Via Matris constantly and necessarily refers to the mystery of Christ as the suffering servant (cf. Is 52, 13-53, 12). It also refers to the mystery of the Church: the stations of the Via Matris are stages on the journey of faith and sorrow on which the Virgin Mary has preceded the Church, and in which the Church journeys until the end of time.

The highest expression of the Via Matris is the Pietà which has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Christian art since the middles ages.

Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (136-7)

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The bulletin for March 2, 2008 is available by clicking here to view it.

Listed below are a few of the items from this week's bulletin. See the bulletin for more details and to read all of the announcements.

PANTRY: In this prosperous area in the richest country in the world, there are many people who do not have enough in their pay check to cover all of their expenses and still buy food. So they come to us for help. Thanks to your generous support we are able to provide them with bags of nourishing food and toilet articles. Whatever you can donate will be gratefully received. Right now we especially need toothbrushes. Thank you.

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY: The Pastoral Care Committee wants to develop a program where Holy Comforter parishioners can demonstrate their giving spirit by ministering to each other. There are times when we can use extra help because of illness, having had surgery, or a child is born, for example. If you are able to prepare a meal or provide a ride, you qualify to be part of this giving ministry. We need a list of people who are available to help when one of our own is in need. The Lenten season is a a special time to consider what we can do to help our Holy Comforter family. A sign-up sheet will be on the table in the The Commons. Please sign up to make a meal, provide a ride, or help coordinate this program. There are no age or gender restrictions -- all are welcome to join this giving group. You will truly be spiritually rewarded.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Throughout Lent there is a weekly Stations of the Cross on Friday at 7:00 p.m. A Cross Bearer, two Candle Bearers, and two Readers are needed. Families are urged to volunteer. Training will be provided. Total time involved is less than one hour. Please sign up in the credenza.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: Christian Formation classes are in desperate need of volunteers to help set-up and break-down classes on Sunday mornings. It is a ten-minute commitment. Please sign-up in the Commons for any Sunday when you can spare a few minutes to help our youth and catechists. For more information, contact Teresa Ritzert.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: Christian Formation classes are in desperate need of volunteers to help set-up and break-down classes on Sunday mornings. It is a ten-minute commitment. Please sign-up in the Commons for any Sunday when you can spare a few minutes to help our youth and catechists. If you are able to help, please contact Teresa Ritzert.

LOTTERY FOR TICKETS TO PAPAL MASS: The Diocese of Richmond will have 400 tickets available for the papal mass which will be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at the Washington Nationals Baseball Park on April 17, 2008 during his visit to the U.S. The tickets will be assigned by lottery.

To enter the lottery for the tickets visit the Diocese of Richmond Web site, print out and fill in the form available there, and send it in to the diocese. Those who are not able to access the form via the Web site, may request a form from the parish office.

PARISH SURVEY: A survey has been mailed to the homes of all registered parishioners. In the interest of trying to gain a more detailed understanding of the parishioners' opinions, it has been decided to use multiple, narrowly focused surveys rather than one large survey. The first survey which has been mailed focuses on the adult members of the parish. Please return your survey in the enclosed self-addressed envelope. Contact the parish office if you have not received your survey.

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The Work of the Holy Angels (OA) is "a recognized spiritual movement in the Holy Catholic Church which aims at fostering an intimate collaboration with the holy angels for the glorification of God and for the sanctification of souls."

The site offers an in-depth introduction to the organization, its mission, and its work. Of special note is a section which outlines the basic elements of the spirituality of OA; its topics are broad and of general interest as well. This site is replete with resources for spiritual growth.

In 1992 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a Decree on the doctrine and customs of the Association "Opus Angelorum". The Direction and members of the Opus Angelorum have accepted in obedience all the determinations of this decree and the one of 1983. Since 1992, the implementation of the Decree has proceeded in collaboration with and under the guiding authority of the Delegate of the Holy See, Father Benoit Duroux, O.P.

From Catholic Culture

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

One of the requirements for making a good confession is contrition. We must reject the sin which we have committed and have a firm resolution to not commit the sin again. This week's excerpt from the Catechism covers this topic of contrition.

(For more Lenten resources, view the Resources for Lent section of the Web site.)

1451   Among the penitent's acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again."

1452   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.

1453   The contrition called "imperfect" (or "attrition") is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin's ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.

1454   The reception of this sacrament [Penance] ought to be prepared for by an examination of conscience made in the light of the Word of God. the passages best suited to this can be found in the moral catechesis of the Gospels and the apostolic Letters, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the apostolic teachings.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

Via Crucis (Part 2)

This is the second part of a section on the devotion of the Via Crucis or the Way of the Cross. To read the first part, click here.

Note, that every Friday during Lent there is a Way of the Cross at the parish beginning at 7:00 p.m.

The following may prove useful suggestions for a fruitful celebration of the Via Crucis:

• the traditional form of the Via Crucis, with its fourteen stations, is to be retained as the typical form of this pious exercise; from time to time, however, as the occasion warrants, one or other of the traditional stations might possibly be substituted with a reflection on some other aspects of the Gospel account of the journey to Calvary which are traditionally included in the Stations of the Cross;
• alternative forms of the Via Crucis have been approved by Apostolic See(138) or publicly used by the Roman Pontiff(139): these can be regarded as genuine forms of the devotion and may be used as occasion might warrant;
• the Via Crucis is a pious devotion connected with the Passion of Christ; it should conclude, however, in such fashion as to leave the faithful with a sense of expectation of the resurrection in faith and hope; following the example of the Via Crucis in Jerusalem which ends with a station at the Anastasis, the celebration could end with a commemoration of the Lord's resurrection.

Innumerable texts exist for the celebration of the Via Crucis. Many of them were compiled by pastors who were sincerely interested in this pious exercise and convinced of its spiritual effectiveness. Texts have also been provided by lay authors who were known for their exemplary piety, holiness of life, doctrine and literary qualities.

Bearing in mind whatever instructions might have been established by the bishops in the matter, the choice of texts for the Via Crucis should take a count of the condition of those participating in its celebration and the wise pastoral principle of integrating renewal and continuity. It is always preferable to choose texts resonant with the biblical narrative and written in a clear simple style.

The Via Crucis in which hymns, silence, procession and reflective pauses are wisely integrated in a balanced manner, contribute significantly to obtaining the spiritual fruits of the pious exercise.

Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (134-5)

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The Holy Comforter parish Web site offers two eNewsletters. Subscribing to both only takes a few seconds, and, of course, they are both free.

Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter
The first subscription is for the weekly eNewsletter. Each week the eNewsletter arrives in your email inbox on Friday morning. The information in the eNewsletter includes:

• The upcoming week's liturgy schedule.
• Highlights from next Sunday's bulletin.
• Next Sunday's parish bulletin attached as a PDF file.
• Prayer intentions for the month.
• Devotions for the current liturgical season.
• An excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
• A short article on Church history.
• The Web link of the week.

For more information, including how to subscribe to the weekly eNewsletter, click here.

Subscribe to the Blog
The second email subscription available is for this Blog. By subscribing to the Blog, you will receive via email all of the information that is posted on the Blog. Each morning an email will be sent to you which includes all of the information which was posted on the Blog on the previous day. If no entries were made the previous day, an email is not sent. To subscribe to the Blog, simply click here and follow the directions to complete your subscription.

All email addresses are kept in the utmost privacy and only used to send the newsletter or the Blog posts.

The bulletin for February 24, 2008 is available by clicking here to view it.

Listed below are a few of the items from this week's bulletin. See the bulletin for more details and to read all of the announcements.

PANTRY: Many people "give up" things of Lent, and they are often things we do not want to have in our lives anyway: smoking, drinking, chocolate, dessert, etc. If we give up those things for 40 days, we will be healthier, but will the world be a better place? Suppose this year, we add something. Add a few items to the weekly grocery cart for the Pantry. You can still give up those negatives that plague your life, but you will also be adding positives to the lives of others.

PORTRAIT APPOINTMENTS: Scheduled portrait appointments continue this week, February 25 - March 1. Portraits are taken at the white Carriage House of First Presbyterian Church on 522 Park Street. Please keep your appointment. If you must cancel call 975-5995.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Throughout Lent there is a weekly Stations of the Cross on Friday at 7:00 p.m. A Cross Bearer, two Candle Bearers, and two Readers are needed. Families are urged to volunteer. Training will be provided. Total time involved is less than one hour. Please sign up in the credenza.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: Christian Formation classes are in desperate need of volunteers to help set-up and break-down classes on Sunday mornings. It is a ten-minute commitment. Please sign-up in the Commons for any Sunday when you can spare a few minutes to help our youth and catechists.

HAITI TWINNING UPDATE: A Haiti Twinning meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. this Sunday, February 24th in the fellowship hall downstairs. Come hear the latest news from our parishoners who travelled to our twin parish, St. Michael's in Haiti. Also, learn more about what you can do to help. The committee is still looking for people who would be willing to sponsor students at the St. Michael's school for only $10 per month.

PARISH SURVEY: A survey has been mailed to the homes of all registered parishoners. In the interest of trying to gain a more detailed understanding of the parishoners' opinions, it has been decided to use multiple, narrowly focused surveys rather than one large survey. The first survey which has been mailed focuses on the adult members of the parish. Please return your survey in the enclosed self-addressed envelope. Contact the parish office if you have not received your survey.

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The mission of the Society of Saint Gianna is to promote holiness in the family and respect for the sanctity of all human life by spreading devotion to St. Gianna and the virtues she extolled through presentations, literature distribution, maintenance of the St. Gianna Shrine in Warminster, PA, including the facilitation of pilgrimages to the shrine and by providing opportunities for the veneration of her relics by the faithful. (from the Web site)

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

In older missals, each day in Lent and other feasts refer to a "Station" in some church of Rome. Although this practice is not highlighted in our present missals, the Church still honors this tradition of Stational Churches, particularly during the Lenten season (see the Vatican website for the list of the stational churches for Lent).

Stational or station churches are churches in Rome designated to be the special location for worship on a particular day. This practice dates back to the early centuries of the Church. The Pope (or his legate) would celebrate solemn Mass in one after another of the four greater and the three minor basilicas during the 4th and 5th centuries (the seven churches or Sette Chiese -- St. John Lateran, St. Peter, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Mary Major, the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, St. Lawrence, and the Twelve Apostles). Other churches were added to list as needed for various liturgical occasions, bringing the total number of churches to 45, with the last two (Santa Agatha and Santa Maria Nuova, called Santa Franciscan Romana) added by Pope Pius XI on March 5, 1934. When the popes started residing in Avignon, France in 1305, the popularity of this devotion declined until recently.

On the day of the station, the faithful would gather in one church (church of the collecta or gathering) and in procession singing the Litany of the Saints or psalms, they would go to the church where the Mass was to be celebrated: there they met the Pope and his clergy, coming in state from his Patriarchal Palace of the Lateran. This was called "making the station." Such a Mass was a "conventual mass" (or community Mass) of the City and the world, Urbis et Orbis (the visible congregation in Rome and the invisible audience of the entire world). This old custom reminds us that Rome is the center of Christian worship, from which we received our faith and our liturgy.

From Catholic Culture

For more information about the stational churches for Lent, visit the Pontifical North American College Lenten Station Church Web site.

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

In following Christ, we are called by Him to a continual conversion of the heart. During Lent, we sharpen our focus on acts of penance which can assist us in the conversion of our hearts. This week's excerpt from the Cathecism addresses the many forms of penance in the Christian life.

(For more Lenten resources, view the Resources for Lent section of the Web site.)

1434   The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one's neighbor, tears of repentance, concern for the salvation of one's neighbor, the intercession of the saints, and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins."

1435   Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, by the admission of faults to one's brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness. Taking up one's cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance.

1436   Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins."

1437   Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father - every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.

1438   The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church's penitential practice. These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).

1439   The process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father: The fascination of illusory freedom, the abandonment of the father's house; the extreme misery in which the son finds himself after squandering his fortune; his deep humiliation at finding himself obliged to feed swine, and still worse, at wanting to feed on the husks the pigs ate; his reflection on all he has lost; his repentance and decision to declare himself guilty before his father; the journey back; the father's generous welcome; the father's joy - all these are characteristic of the process of conversion. the beautiful robe, the ring, and the festive banquet are symbols of that new life - pure worthy, and joyful - of anyone who returns to God and to the bosom of his family, which is the Church. Only the heart of Christ Who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Lenten Resources

The parish Web site has been updated to include some Lenten Resources. The resources on the Web site include information on fasting and abstinence, the parish liturgical schedule, and a number of links to aid you in your devotion throughout Lent.

Via Crucis (Part 1)

Of all the pious exercises connected with the veneration of the Cross, none is more popular among the faithful than the Via Crucis. Through this pious exercise, the faithful movingly follow the final earthly journey of Christ: from the Mount of Olives, where the Lord, "in a small estate called Gethsemane" (Mk 14, 32), was taken by anguish (cf. Lk 22, 44), to Calvary where he was crucified between two thieves (cf. Lk 23, 33), to the garden where he was placed in freshly hewn tomb (John 19, 40-42).

The love of the Christian faithful for this devotion is amply attested by the numerous Via Crucis erected in so many churches, shrines, cloisters, in the countryside, and on mountain pathways where the various stations are very evocative.

The Via Crucis is a synthesis of various devotions that have arisen since the high middle ages: the pilgrimage to the Holy Land during which the faithful devoutly visit the places associated with the Lord's Passion; devotion to the three falls of Christ under the weight of the Cross; devotion to "the dolorous journey of Christ" which consisted in processing from one church to another in memory of Christ's Passion; devotion to the stations of Christ, those places where Christ stopped on his journey to Calvary because obliged to do so by his executioners or exhausted by fatigue, or because moved by compassion to dialogue with those who were present at his Passion.

In its present form, the Via Crucis, widely promoted by St. Leonardo da Porto Maurizio (+1751), was approved by the Apostolic See and indulgenced, consists of fourteen stations since the middle of seventeenth century.

The Via Crucis is a journey made in the Holy Spirit, that divine fire which burned in the heart of Jesus (cf. Lk 12, 49-50) and brought him to Calvary. This is a journey well esteemed by the Church since it has retained a living memory of the words and gestures of the final earthly days of her Spouse and Lord.

In the Via Crucis, various strands of Christian piety coalesce: the idea of life being a journey or pilgrimage; as a passage from earthly exile to our true home in Heaven; the deep desire to be conformed to the Passion of Christ; the demands of following Christ, which imply that his disciples must follow behind the Master, daily carrying their own crosses (cf Lk 9, 23).

Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (131-3)

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church eNewsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the eNewsletter, click here.

The Holy Comforter parish Web site offers two eNewsletters. Subscribing to both only takes a few seconds, and, of course, they are both free.

Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter
The first subscription is for the weekly eNewsletter. Each week the eNewsletter arrives in your email inbox on Friday morning. The information in the eNewsletter includes:

• The upcoming week's liturgy schedule.
• Highlights from next Sunday's bulletin.
• Next Sunday's parish bulletin attached as a PDF file.
• Prayer intentions for the month.
• Devotions for the current liturgical season.
• An excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
• A short article on Church history.
• The Web link of the week.

For more information, including how to subscribe to the weekly eNewsletter, click here.

Subscribe to the Blog
The second email subscription available is for this Blog. By subscribing to the Blog, you will receive via email all of the information that is posted on the Blog. Each morning an email will be sent to you which includes all of the information which was posted on the Blog on the previous day. If no entries were made the previous day, an email is not sent. To subscribe to the Blog, simply click here and follow the directions to complete your subscription.

All email addresses are kept in the utmost privacy and only used to send the newsletter or the Blog posts.

The bulletin for February 17, 2008 is available by clicking here to view it.

Listed below are a few of the items from this week's bulletin. See the bulletin for more details and to read all of the announcements.

PANTRY: Many people "give up" things of Lent, and they are often things we do not want to have in our lives anyway: smoking, drinking, chocolate, dessert, etc. If we give up those things for 40 days, we will be healthier, but will the world be a better place? Suppose this year, we add something. Add a few items to the weekly grocery cart for the Pantry. You can still give up those negatives that plague your life, but you will also be adding positives to the lives of others.

PORTRAIT APPOINTMENTS: The scheduled portrait appointments are this week, February 18 - 23. Portraits are taken at the white Carriage House of First Presbyterian Church on 522 Park Street. Please keep your appointment. If you must cancel call 975-5995.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Throughout Lent there is a weekly Stations of the Cross on Friday at 7:00 p.m. A Cross Bearer, two Candle Bearers, and two Readers are needed. Families are urged to volunteer. Training will be provided. Total time involved is less than one hour. Please sign up in the credenza.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION: Christian Formation classes are in desperate need of volunteers to help set-up and break-down classes on Sunday mornings. It is a ten-minute commitment. Please sign-up in the Commons for any Sunday when you can spare a few minutes to help our youth and catechists.

PARISH SURVEY: A survey has been mailed to the homes of all registered parishoners. In the interest of trying to gain a more detailed understanding of the parishoners' opinions, it has been decided to use multiple, narrowly focused surveys rather than one large survey. The first survey which has been mailed focuses on the adult members of the parish. Please return your survey in the enclosed self-addressed envelope. Contact the parish office if you have not already received your survey.

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This post is from the Holy Comforter Catholic Church Bulletin Newsletter which is sent out once a week via email. If you would like to subscribe to the Newsletter, click here.