Thank you all for your generosity and your kindness at my Installation Liturgy as your pastor celebrated last Saturday evening, 20 January. Thanks to Monsignor Matz who, as our regional dean, led the celebration. Thanks also to all who helped to adorn the church and to our lectors, altar servers, deacons, and our music ministry for adding their talents to a beautiful celebration. Thanks to the Knights of Columbus Peace Council for adding a striking presence. Thanks also to those who helped to organize, prepare, and bring about the reception that followed the Mass. Bishop McIntyre regretfully was not able to be with us that evening. The bishop will make a pastoral visit to our parish school on Friday, 2 February for the conclusion of our Catholic Schools Week celebrations.
Our Catholic Schools Week celebration will commence this Sunday, 28 January with the opening Mass at 9:30 a.m. at Notre Dame de Lourdes. An Open House at the school will follow Mass. Catholic Schools Week began in 1974 to showcase the gift of Catholic education. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” We give thanks to Mrs. Pileggi, our principal, and for the dedicated faculty and staff at Notre Dame de Lourdes. Our school students, and our alumni are exemplars of the treasured legacy of Catholic education. The goodness of God’s grace and the intercessory love of Our Lady are so very evident at our parish school. I hope that you can join with us for the Catholic Schools Week celebrations.
Several of our school and PREP students will receive the Sacrament of Penance tomorrow evening, 29 January at Our Lady of Peace Church. These students are also preparing for their reception of First Holy Communion on 4 May. Congratulations to our young parishioners who will receive this great Sacrament of forgiveness and mercy for the first time. Thanks to our teachers and catechists who have helped to prepare our students for this Sacrament. Peace and blessings to all.
The Sacrament of Penance is celebrated every Saturday at Our Lady of Peace from 3:30 until 4:15 p.m. Additional opportunities to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance during Lent will be occur on Monday, 11 March at Our Lady of Peace from 1:30 – 3p.m., and at Notre Dame de Lourdes on Thursday, 14 March from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
The Examination of Conscience is an essential aspect to prepare for the reception of the Sacrament. A review of the Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Works of Mercy assists with the examination.
Commandments: Reverence of God, God’s Holy Name, and participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; respect for authority, life, sexuality, property, truth; being satisfied with your blessings and trying to live modestly and simply.
Beatitudes: yearning for God with gentleness and patience, seeking justice with compassionate understanding; living a holy and upright life while being respectful of those who fail to reach that standard; being in harmony with yourself, others, and God’s created order; recognizing, upholding, and defending the truth.
Works of Mercy: feeding the hungry; quenching thirst; sheltering; clothing; healing; unshackling; clearing the pathway to heaven; teaching the faith; advising; counseling; forgiving; comforting; praying; being patient; caring for the environment.
And of course, the praying of the Act of Contrition, in these or similar words, should be a daily habit. O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishments. But most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.