Last week's pastor's column was unusually long (some would say in contrast to my homilies which are always long). If you didn't read it, the focus was on all the opportunities that this Lent affords us at Sacred Heart Parish to grow in our life in the Lord and hopefully develop new habits that can continue long after Lent is over. While sadly we don't have anyone preparing for the three sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil, we are called to include in our private and public prayers those who will be receiving these sacraments and will commence a new journey with the Lord and with brothers and sisters in the Lord. While many still think of Lent as a time to "give up" things like chocolate, and other favorite food, or fast from some of the other things of the world as a 40 day penance for sins we have committed, it also gives us the opportunity to "do the things of the Lord," like being attentive to family, friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners who need a caring voice or a caring hand. Consider calling Cathy Wedwick at 501-915-8456 or Pat Widlowski at 501-922-1395 to find out what opportunities there are to be a "Helping Hand" to a parishioner in need. There's also the opportunity to give blood at the Knight's of Columbus bimonthly blood drive THIS Tuesday anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Village United Methodist Church on Carmona Road. While we usually never know who will get our blood, we can be confident that it will help someone to recover from surgery, or even save their life during a medical crises.
I would also like to urge everyone to join the Lenten effort to help the materially poor throughout the world through the Catholic Relief Services "Operation Rice Bowl" by accumulating money throughout Lent through money saved by not buying certain non-essentials (which are many in number out there) and just giving some of our abundance to aid the poor. Lent is also a good time to help the poor in our area through Jackson House by putting something (even a dollar or two) in the wooden container marked for that purpose in the Narthex. With higher prices on food and other items hitting everyone, it is especially a challenge to those who have limited funds to start with. It would definitely make a great impact if ALL of the 600 plus people who come to Mass here every weekend put at least one dollar in that box each weekend of Lent. The amount collected would feed a large number of people who need the assistance for a variety of reasons. After spelling all of this out, I hope you see that this pastor's column is really a continuation of last Sunday's opportunities to make this Lent potentially life-changing in ways that keep us truly grounded in the Lord in ways that strengthen us in faith, hope and love and in confidence in the eternal life Jesus Christ has won for those whose faith is lived in word and in deed.
I would also like to urge everyone to join the Lenten effort to help the materially poor throughout the world through the Catholic Relief Services "Operation Rice Bowl" by accumulating money throughout Lent through money saved by not buying certain non-essentials (which are many in number out there) and just giving some of our abundance to aid the poor. Lent is also a good time to help the poor in our area through Jackson House by putting something (even a dollar or two) in the wooden container marked for that purpose in the Narthex. With higher prices on food and other items hitting everyone, it is especially a challenge to those who have limited funds to start with. It would definitely make a great impact if ALL of the 600 plus people who come to Mass here every weekend put at least one dollar in that box each weekend of Lent. The amount collected would feed a large number of people who need the assistance for a variety of reasons. After spelling all of this out, I hope you see that this pastor's column is really a continuation of last Sunday's opportunities to make this Lent potentially life-changing in ways that keep us truly grounded in the Lord in ways that strengthen us in faith, hope and love and in confidence in the eternal life Jesus Christ has won for those whose faith is lived in word and in deed.
I couldn't imagine myself or anyone referring to a heart attack as being a "timely" event in any kind of positive way. That was until my brother Danny (who's been the plant manager at Sacred Heart for around 5 years) had a heart attack last Saturday night. Without going into details, let me tell you that he ended up on Sunday afternoon having a heart cath. and having a stint put in where the LAD artery was 100% blocked. I say the heart attack was timely because the Lenten Season will start this Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) and for the longest time he has always lost weight through some of his Lenten practices and is part of the plan given to him for his ongoing recorvery and better health. While most (if not all of us) are not recovering from a life-threeatening event such as Danny's, I would hope that all will try to make this our best Lent ever, knowing that life can change or even end in an instnat and we should all strive to be ready to meet our "merciful judge" the Lord. While the traditional practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving should generally be followed, I would like to present some concrete opportunities in our parish to aid you in making this your best Lent ever and HOPEFULLY finding yourself continuing some of these practices for the rest of your life.
I start with the suggestion of participating in at least one daily Mass a week in addition to a weekend Mass for the Lord's Day. These are offered at 9:00 a.m. except on Wednesdays during March when they will be at 5:00 p.m. For those not already doing so, I urge you to sign up for and be committed to one hour of prayer and spiritual reading in our Eucharistic chapel. You can sign up any day of the week from 4:00 a.m to 1:00 a.m. the following day. If after Lent is over you want to keep that hour, you (and those you pray for) will be truly blessed by it.
Consider participating in our 6-week scripture reflection and study on the Passion and Resurrection Narratives in all 4 Gospels. Call Cathy Kraus right away (501-922-2062, ext. 11) or just show up THIS Monday at 9:45 a.m., Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., or Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the classroom wing of our parish building. I guarantee you will be enlightened and inspired by what you experience in contemplating the most important part of the bible (at least for Christians)!
Our Men can really get a spiritual boost by participating in the Sacred Heart Men's retreat March 7-10 at St. John's Retreat Center in Little Rock. Coming early in the Lenten Season it can make a huge difference in how the rest of your Lent goes. For the ladies of the parish LOSH is sponsoring a one day women's retreat on Monday, March 28 in the Lower Hall.
The Stations of the Cross (including a Stations for seniors) will be prayed every Friday of Lent at 4:30 p.m.
Toward the end of Lent (April 3-6) Fr. George Knab will offer a parish mission to inspire us in our relationship with the Lord each evening with Mass each morning and talks in the evening AND opportunity for the Sacrament Reconciliation with him each day and with other priests on Tuesday of the mission.
Finally, we will be blessed to welcome legendary Christian music artist John Michael Talbot for a Lenten concert on Saturday, March 12 in our church. Committing to making this your BEST Lent ever by participating in these offerings truly has the potential to change your lives in a significant way and most importantly of saving our lives for an eternity of peace and joy in the Lord, whenever and however our life in this world comes to an end!
I start with the suggestion of participating in at least one daily Mass a week in addition to a weekend Mass for the Lord's Day. These are offered at 9:00 a.m. except on Wednesdays during March when they will be at 5:00 p.m. For those not already doing so, I urge you to sign up for and be committed to one hour of prayer and spiritual reading in our Eucharistic chapel. You can sign up any day of the week from 4:00 a.m to 1:00 a.m. the following day. If after Lent is over you want to keep that hour, you (and those you pray for) will be truly blessed by it.
Consider participating in our 6-week scripture reflection and study on the Passion and Resurrection Narratives in all 4 Gospels. Call Cathy Kraus right away (501-922-2062, ext. 11) or just show up THIS Monday at 9:45 a.m., Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., or Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the classroom wing of our parish building. I guarantee you will be enlightened and inspired by what you experience in contemplating the most important part of the bible (at least for Christians)!
Our Men can really get a spiritual boost by participating in the Sacred Heart Men's retreat March 7-10 at St. John's Retreat Center in Little Rock. Coming early in the Lenten Season it can make a huge difference in how the rest of your Lent goes. For the ladies of the parish LOSH is sponsoring a one day women's retreat on Monday, March 28 in the Lower Hall.
The Stations of the Cross (including a Stations for seniors) will be prayed every Friday of Lent at 4:30 p.m.
Toward the end of Lent (April 3-6) Fr. George Knab will offer a parish mission to inspire us in our relationship with the Lord each evening with Mass each morning and talks in the evening AND opportunity for the Sacrament Reconciliation with him each day and with other priests on Tuesday of the mission.
Finally, we will be blessed to welcome legendary Christian music artist John Michael Talbot for a Lenten concert on Saturday, March 12 in our church. Committing to making this your BEST Lent ever by participating in these offerings truly has the potential to change your lives in a significant way and most importantly of saving our lives for an eternity of peace and joy in the Lord, whenever and however our life in this world comes to an end!
When we were offering the "parking lot Mass" for almost a year due to "pandemic," some people who were offered a weekly bulletin when they drove up, told one of our wonderful volunteers (or me), "I dont need one, I'm getting it online through our parish website." I would hope that those who said this as well as others (including those who come to Mass every weekend) are accessing our wonderful church website (www.hsvsacredheart.com) for this and for other helpful information about our parish. I pray the parking lot folks will see and read this pastor's column as well as the rest of our parishioners who read the bulletin because the topic is weekly participation in the celebration AND RECEPTION of the Eucharist. I continue to be greatly concerned about our parishioners who are still not receiving Holy Communion at least once a week. I say once a week because if the fear of getting COVID is still keeping people (including some of you) away from coming to Mass on the weekend because of the numbers of people in church (though our folks are still good about social distancing in the pews), it is alarming to me that they are not coming to at least one daily Mass a week when there are normally about 40 people present in a church that has a capacity of 600 if all the spaces in the pews are taken.
Is it that some have gotten used to participating in the Mass online or on television and have become "satisfied with that" which means making a "Spiritual Communion" at the time people who are attending Mass are receiving Jesus, the Bread of Life? Is it because they have gotten out of the habit of going to weekend Mass and are not choosing to start a new habit (at least while the pandemic has not completely waned) of coming to a daily Mass every week? Is their absence from attending the Mass and receiving the Eucharist coming from a lack of appreciation or even belief in the "Real Presence" of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist? Is their absence from Mass for another reason or reasons? I truly need the help of parishioners who are attending Mass weekly to invite parishioners who are not coming, to come back (because you, others, and firstly the Lord is missing them) and attest to the importance for you of receiving Jesus weekly in Holy Communion. (Of course our shut-ins are receiving Holy Communion weekly through myself or devoted lay ministers of Holy Communion to our homebound who cannot come to church). If you want to be straight forward and ask why they aren't coming to church for Mass at least once a week and not respond but let me know by e-mail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) I would appreciate that input.
I continue to pray for an end to the pandemic (as I know many of you do), and I'm also realistic that according to some "experts" it may never completely go away and at some point we all must resume our lives as they were before the pandemic which means, I hope, in order of priority being with the worshipping community for Mass (and reception of the Body of Christ) on the Day of the Resurrection, the Lord's Day!
Is it that some have gotten used to participating in the Mass online or on television and have become "satisfied with that" which means making a "Spiritual Communion" at the time people who are attending Mass are receiving Jesus, the Bread of Life? Is it because they have gotten out of the habit of going to weekend Mass and are not choosing to start a new habit (at least while the pandemic has not completely waned) of coming to a daily Mass every week? Is their absence from attending the Mass and receiving the Eucharist coming from a lack of appreciation or even belief in the "Real Presence" of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist? Is their absence from Mass for another reason or reasons? I truly need the help of parishioners who are attending Mass weekly to invite parishioners who are not coming, to come back (because you, others, and firstly the Lord is missing them) and attest to the importance for you of receiving Jesus weekly in Holy Communion. (Of course our shut-ins are receiving Holy Communion weekly through myself or devoted lay ministers of Holy Communion to our homebound who cannot come to church). If you want to be straight forward and ask why they aren't coming to church for Mass at least once a week and not respond but let me know by e-mail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) I would appreciate that input.
I continue to pray for an end to the pandemic (as I know many of you do), and I'm also realistic that according to some "experts" it may never completely go away and at some point we all must resume our lives as they were before the pandemic which means, I hope, in order of priority being with the worshipping community for Mass (and reception of the Body of Christ) on the Day of the Resurrection, the Lord's Day!