Thursday, March 11, 2021 SPRING FORWARD! DAYLIGHTS SAVINGS TIME
Please remember that the clocks spring forward one hour this Sunday morning, March 14, 2021 at 2 am.
LENTEN CONFESSIONS & STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Wednesday evenings during Lent, Little Flower will have Confessions from 6:30 - 8:00 pm and Stations of the Cross will be at 7 pm.
During Lent we will pray the rosary on Fridays from 10
PASTORAL REFLECTION
Deacon Jim Shanahan
The term "fake news" has been the object of headlines and great discussion over the past several years. In general, it refers to the spreading of disinformation on-line or in the traditional media. "Fake news" is false information based on non-existent or distorted facts meant to deceive and control the reader.
LENTEN PRAYERS FOR VOCATIONS During the Lenten season, we invite parishioners to pray each day for vocations. As a parish community, let us take these forty days to pray especially for those discerning a call to the religious life with the Archdiocese of Washington and the IHM Sisters. Please take a brochure at the back of church so you can follow along each day. You can also find the complete list and prayers to use on our website. This week we pray especially for:
Mar 12 - Ray Gilmore, Marcin Szpot Mar 13 - Peter Mlynarczyk, Ben Bralove Mar 15 - Jessiah Rojas, Mattia Cortigiani Mar 16 - Jimmy Morgan, Thong Nguyen Mar 17 - Clifton Mastran, Matthias Gneiding Mar 18 - Stephen Wong, Lucas de Lima Podda
PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED – Please pray for the repose of the souls of Kathleen Annarella, Michael Bradshaw, Madeleine Brown, Jeremiah Collins, Thomas Dimond, Agnes Donahue, William Gildea, Kathleen Kelley, Robert Keyes, Daniel Klug, Beatrice Larson, Christopher Lent, Deacon John McGinness, Grace Mulvihill, Jean Ostmann, Ed Padelford, Shane Potts, John Sweeney, Joan Wells, J. William Whitty.
FOR THE SICK- Please pray for the sick members of our parish and for all who are in need. Keep these and all the intentions of our parish in your prayers.
GUIDELINES FOR MASS
The Church of the Little Flower is open for Sunday and weekday Masses.
The seriousness of this pandemic, however, dictates that we follow strict guidelines and important safety measures. Please carefully read the guidelines HERE.
Masks are required to be worn at all times when in church.
Dispensation from the Sunday and Holy Day obligation remains in effect. Many options are available for participating in Mass when we cannot be present at the liturgy. View the Archdiocese of Washington list of live-streamed (and recorded) Masses and Prayers.
STEWARDSHIP CORNER The Year of St. Joseph – The Solemnity of St. Joseph this Friday is especially significant as Pope Francis proclaimed this year, starting on December 8, 2020, as dedicated to St. Joseph. Pope Francis said that the coronavirus pandemic has heightened his desire to reflect on St. Joseph, as so many people during the pandemic have made hidden sacrifices to protect others, just as St. Joseph quietly protected and cared for Mary and Jesus. Pope Francis added that he wanted to highlight St. Joseph's role as a model father who served his family with charity and humility. Special indulgences during the Year of St. Joseph can be received through many different prayers and actions. These are listed at Year of St. Joseph: How to gain an indulgence (catholicnewsagency.com) St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, fathers, husbands and workers, pray for us.
Saints as Model Stewards – May the saints whom we honor this week inspire us to use our own unique God-given talents and opportunities as He would have us do. On Wednesday we honor St. Patrick who, in the fifth century, used his talent for preaching the Gospel to evangelize Ireland. What an incredible, lasting impact this one life had! We are all called to perform heroic acts. Our actions may not have the impact of Patrick's but, in God's eyes, what counts is our effort to use fully the particular talents He has entrusted to us. Thursday – St. Cyril of Jerusalem (d 386), doctor of the Church, bishop and superb catechist. His eloquent opposition to the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ, resulted in his being exiled for half of his episcopacy. The Church is richer because of his clear and thorough teaching and his courageous struggle against heresies.
Lenten Reflection – Prayer and Willing Sacrifice –"No one who does not carry his cross and come after me can be my disciple." (Lk 14:27) Saints also constantly remind us to be grateful, even for the crosses that we have received from the Lord. In some instances the benefits of those crosses should become evident to us right away, as they serve to increase our humility and our sense of dependence on the Lord. Against a world that tries to be autonomous from God, we always proclaim our dependence on Him. At other times, we might not understand what could possibly be the benefit, in particular when we are suffering the serious consequences of injustices committed by other persons. Like Job and the saints, we trust in the Lord. (Paraphrased from Human Life International newsletter)
Poor Box Donations – Donations in March will go to the Catholic Charities Healthcare Network, which assists indigents with medical problems. It has more than 3,000 medical appointments a year and refers 3,000 more. Time and Talent - If you are a medical professional and would like to learn more about how you can make your pro-bono services available to the Network, please contact Sister Romana Uzodimma at 202-481-1424 or at romana.uzodimma@cc-dc.org.
ONLINE OFFERTORY We appreciate your continued financial support during Lent. Our preferred method of giving is through our online provider, Faith Direct. The secure enrollment process is simple and takes less than 3 minutes to complete. Please consider enrolling in Faith Direct or increasing your level of giving. You may also make a safe and secure one-time gift online. God bless and many thanks.
MEN'S DISCERNMENT RETREAT Cardinal Gregory invites men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, who are interested in learning more about the priesthood, to attend a discernment retreat led by priests and seminarians of the Archdiocese of Washington. The retreat will be held March 26 to March 28 at Saint John Paul II Seminary and the Washington Retreat House in Washington, DC. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. For more information, contact Fr. Mark Ivany at 202-636-9020. Please note that COVID-19 protocols will be in place.
|