Congratulations and blessings to our Confirmation Class who were fully initiated into the Catholic Faith yesterday. We will continue to keep you and your families close in our well wishes and prayers. Thanks to Bishop McIntyre for presiding and celebrating with us.
Frozen Jr. will take the stage at the Parish Center at OLP this week. We are excited to see the performances and to witness the many talents of our young performers. Thanks to the many individuals who have worked for many months behind the scenes to make this performance a reality.
Today, 19 March, is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. This year the Solemnity is transferred to tomorrow, 20 March. The Solemnity of St. Joseph celebrates his role as the Husband of Mary and as the Foster Father of Jesus. Pope Francis inaugurated 2021 as the year of St. Joseph with the Apostolic Letter – Patris Corde – With a Father’s Heart.
In his letter, Pope Francis frequently addresses the courage of St. Joseph, most especially during the birth of our Savior. “As we read the Infancy Narratives, we may often wonder why God did not act in a more direct and clear way. Yet God acts through events and people. Joseph was the man chosen by God to guide the beginnings of the history of redemption. He was the true miracle by which God saves the child and his mother. God acted by trusting in Joseph’s creative courage. Arriving in Bethlehem and finding no lodging where Mary could give birth, Joseph took a stable and, as best he could, turned it into a welcoming home for the Son of God to come into the world.”
Later, Pope Francis challenges us to imitate the creative courage of the Patron of the Universal Church: “God always finds a way to save us, provided we show the same creative courage as the carpenter of Nazareth, who was able to turn a problem into a possibility by trusting always in Divine Providence.”
It is also trust in Divine Providence that we celebrate at the end of the week. Saturday, 25 March is the Solemnity of the Annunciation.
The Annunciation commemorates the visit of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Mother inviting her to be the mother of the Son of God. The Annunciation also celebrates the Fiat, the trusting affirmative response that Mary made to the Angel’s message. Mass, to celebrate the Annunciation, will be at 8:30 at Notre Dame. Praying the Angelus is also a fitting way to celebrate this day.
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. (Hail Mary…)
Behold the handmaid of the Lord, Be it done unto me according to your Word. (Hail Mary…)
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (Hail Mary…)
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts: that we, to whom the Incarnation of your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, May by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Lady, and St. Joseph, pray for us.