St. John's

Thursday, March 4, 2021

WE WELCOME YOU A gracious welcome to all parishioners, guests, and visitors! It is a pleasure to welcome you to our Parish to share a life of faith in Jesus Christ, Our Savior. This is the House of the Lord.

The Religious Education program begins on Sundays with our 9:00am family mass followed by an hour of classroom instruction.

Our Senior Confirmation students will be attending their virtual Confirmation Retreat on Saturday, March 13, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Please keep our students in your prayers as they journey toward their Sacrament of Confirmation.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK
The annual celebration of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick will be rescheduled to a later date in view of the continuing Coronavirus Pandemic. Our parishioners who are sick and unable to attend Mass continue to be united with us in the worship of the Lord each Sunday. Thank you for your consideration.

2nd COLLECTION MARCH 6/7th
On the weekend of March 6/7th we will take up the Collection for the Church in Latin America. Your gift to the Collection will fund catechesis, youth ministry programs, and seminarian education in Latin America and the Caribbean. Please support the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean and be generous in today's Collection.

A LENT OF OPPORTUNITY: 2021
The Women's Guild will host a speaker after mass on Wednesday, March 10th at 9:15am. Please join us for A Lent of Opportunity: 2021 presented by Father Stephen LaCanne. All members of the parish are welcome to attend.

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT - FIRST FRIDAY
will take place March 5th. Adoration begins after the 8:45am Mass and will conclude before the Noon mass. Confessions are Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00pm in the Parish Hall.

It's not what you give up... it's who you become. Join us for a life-changing lenten experience. Embrace a deeper, more spiritual rewarding life, and lose yourself in God this Lent. Click on the following link to take your first step toward unlocking your God-given potential. bestlentever.com

Choose Life

We ask those attending Mass in-person, to please wear cloth masks that cover both the mouth and nose.

Welcome to the Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church parish family. We continue to deepen in the strengths of the parish: prayer, worship, and education of our members in the ways of God. We welcome you. We hope and pray that you will grow with us as we journey on our life's road to the Lord.

ALL LIVE TELECAST MASSES WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE SCREEN ABOVE.
We have installed a camera system in the back of the church to telecast masses live on this page. If you can't join us in person, please join us here. Click our YouTube link to view past services. Please consider Online giving.

LENT: SPRINGTIME OF THE SPIRIT

Each year the Church calls on us to reflect on our need for self-discipline in our lives. During the "Forty Days of Lent" the traditions of the past are recalled although much adjusted to our present-day culture. The practice of "Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving" has been exceptionally beneficial to persons in the twenty centuries of Christianity as it placed in perspective the need to keep our human appetites in check. In our day of intense self-indulgence, we realistically have a need to exercise self-control.

The motivation for our special efforts during Lent is not simply for social or selfish reasons as much as demonstrating to God the responsible capacity we have to exercise free will. Self-destruction by our over-indulging in any extreme mode of life is not in our interest since that was not the purpose for which God gave us our freedom. Responsible living habits on a daily basis will give us the human protection to survive but will demonstrate to a loving God our desire to be good stewards of life.

Borrowing a thought from Flor McCarthy about Lent being a springtime of the spirit:

Each year the trees give us a lesson in renewal. First the bud, then the blossom, and finally the shoot. Spring dresses the trees in a new robe and makes them young again. But this happens only because in autumn they let go of their old leaves, and in between endured a period of nakedness. Lent is in the springtime of the spirit. Lord, help us not to be afraid to let go of old habits and to face our spiritual poverty, in order that you may renew us, and so at Easter we will feel young again in our discipleship.

May your Lenten experience be one of personal renewal.

Blessings,
Father Vincent T. Kelly

THE SEASON OF LENT

Lent provides an opportunity of great grace when we highlight our personal resolve to serve the Lord through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. May we foster self-discipline in whatever way we deem appropriate.

Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics in good health 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday and on all the Fridays of Lent. The special Paschal fast, as well as abstinence, are prescribed for Good Friday and encouraged for Holy Saturday.

Our weekday masses for Lent are 8:45am and 12 Noon. Stations of the Cross will follow the noon mass on Fridays during Lent.

PRAYER OF THE WEEK

Prayer for the Second Sunday of Lent

O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may at your prompting discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.