March 10, 2019 • First Sunday of Lent

THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARY W e l c o m i n g a l l s i n c e 1 8 6 5

MISSION STATEMENT To share the gifts God has entrusted us by “being Christ to one another” through welcoming, comforting, healing

and teaching in loving service of our brothers and sisters, mindful of His unconditional love for all His children.

Address:

261 E 8th St, St Paul, MN 55101

Phone: 651-222-2619

Fax: 651-224-1190

Email: office@stmarystpaul.org

Website:

PARISH STAFF

Pastor,

Fr Benny Mekkatt, CFIC

frbenny@stmarystpaul.org

Associate Pastor,

Fr Jimmy Puttananickal, CFIC

Religious Education Director,

Jill (jbueno@assumptionsp.org)

Director of Music, Mary Joy

Maintenance, Vince

Secretary, Debby

IN RESIDENCE Congregation of the Sons of the

Immaculate Conception,

Fr Antony Skaria, CFIC

BULLETIN DEADLINE

Monday 12:00 pm

Deadlines during the month of April

will change due to the Easter Season.

Please watch bulletin for dates.

Mass Schedule:

Weekend: Saturday 4:30 pm;

Sunday 7:30 am & 10:30 am

Weekdays: Mon. - Fri. 12:00 pm

Saturday 8:15 am

Holy Days: 12:00 pm & 5:30 pm

Reconciliation:

Mon. - Fri. 11:30 am - 11:50 am

Sat. 4:00 pm - 4:20 pm and by appointment

Baptism & Marriage:

Call Pastor for arrangements.

CFIC CHILDREN’S MISSION COLLECTION This weekend there will be a second collection for

the CFIC Children’s Missions in India during all

Masses. Fr. George Manjankal, CFIC will be joining

us during the Masses. After the 10:30am Mass to-

day, there will be a reception for Fr George with

cake, coffee and conversation in the Blessed Monti

Community Room. All are welcome! Thanks to all for

your continued support to the mission.

MASS INTENTIONS Saturday, 9th

4:30 pm Dan Mason†

Sunday, 10th

7:30 am Ray & Margaret Zewers†

10:30 am Howard Upson†

Monday, 11th

12:00 pm Conner Sanders†

Tuesday, 12th

12:00 pm Holy Souls†

Wednesday, 13th

12:00 pm Bob Meehl† Thursday, 14th

12:00 pm Parishioners

Friday, 15th

12:00 pm Sophie Albright†

Next Saturday, 16th

8:15 am Gregory Joseph†

4:30 pm Scott Ackerman†

Next Sunday, 17th

7:30 am Joe & Rita Plantenberg†

10:30 am Jim Boyd, Sr† † Denotes deceased

WHAT SHALL I DO FOR LENT? With the celebration of Ash Wednesday, we have

solemnly begun our 40 day Lenten season. What shall I

give up for Lent is the most common question that arises

at this time. Well, giving up something that gives me additional

pleasures, is indeed a major sacrifice one could make. And to keep

up with that decision for forty days is quite a challenge too. But many

times, when I give up something for a cause, for Lent here, I need to

replace that vacuum with something else. As a result, we end up

adding extra gadgets or pleasures in to our life. It is true that we

need something else to replace what we give up. So if we give up

something with the intention of growing closer to God, why not find

something that can bring us closer to God & His kingdom? If you

plan to give up TV, Internet, or video game time, convert that time to

read a chapter or two from the Sacred Scriptures, or a spiritual book,

pray the holy rosary or one additional rosary for your family &

community, organize some moments of family prayers, spend an

hour before the Blessed Sacrament for adoration (St. Mary's has the

adoration on every Thursday from 12:30 - 6:00 PM), or try to attend

a few days of daily mass, if not all the forty days. If you are giving up

any food items or drinks, check how you can donate a little more for

a charity or ministries of our parish. The real purpose of this

beautiful season is to renew our life in a way that enables us to get

closer to God.

The Lenten project I would like to set before you is to ‘invite

one more’ person to our parish family. Here is a rough calculation. I

see around two hundred people regularly attending our weekend

masses. So I assume there are at least a hundred families regularly

attending weekend masses at St. Mary’s. So if each family, if not

every person, could bring one more family or person, there will be an

additional one hundred new parishioners by the end of Lent. What a

great way to celebrate Easter this year at St. Mary's! I am fully

convinced that you all love St. Mary's from the bottom of your heart.

This is a good time to build up our community & a great way to do

this is to bring additional members to our community. Let us really

show that we really love St. Mary's.

Now keep that motto ‘invite one more’ to all the ministries

that you are involved in. If you are a member of any ministries here,

like, choir, Fatima prayer group, Focus group, or faith formation

team, Adorers of Blessed Sacrament, hospitality team, funeral

luncheon team or any other ministries, invite & bring one more

person to all those wonderful ministries. Let us all take this as our

Lenten mission & thus we all become the beloved missionaries for

Christ. Let us make every effort to come out of the shells of our

shyness, inhibitions & indifference. Thus, we will be able to celebrate

the resurrection of our Lord with renewed spirit, enthusiasm & a new

life here at St. Mary’s. Keep in mind for the next forty days, ‘invite

one more person or family’ & reach out to your family & neighbors.

“Today, as never before, the Church has the opportunity of

bringing the Gospel, by witness & word, to all people & nations. I see

the dawning of a new missionary age, which will become a radiant

day bearing an abundant harvest, if all Christians, & missionaries &

young churches in particular, respond with generosity & holiness to

the calls & challenges of our time. Any community with a missionary

zeal would be a cordial & welcoming community & it will draw people

from every walks of life & keep on flourishing. Nothing can hinder its

growth.” St. John Paul II.

From Fr. Benny Mekkatt CFIC, Your Pastor

LITURGICAL ROLES Lectors

4:30 pm Sue Gores

7:30 am Pat Parnell

10:30 am Michael Peroz

Servers

4:30 pm Michael Gores

7:30 am Tom Koller

10:30 am Ava Hall

Eucharistic Ministers

4:30 pm Sue Gores

7:30 am Jean Jannetto

Tom Koller

Pat Parnell

10:30 am Michael Hall, Rosemary

Yeager and Kelly Hall

2 March 10, 2019

DEVOTIONS Holy Rosary: 30 minutes before all

Masses except on Fridays

Fatima Prayer Group: Mondays 4:30pm

Our Lady of Perpetual Help-Weds 12:30p

Adoration every Thursday 12:30-6pm

Divine Mercy Chaplet: Fridays 11:45am

Sacred Heart Novena-Fridays 12:30pm

FOCUS Scripture Group-Sat.7:15-8:15am

STATIONS OF THE CROSS/SOUP SUPPERS During the Lenten season come join us on Fridays for Stations

& Soup Suppers. Stations of the Cross will begin at 5:30pm

with Soup Suppers immediately following. Free will offerings

will be accepted.

March 15th Sponsored by the Liturgical Committee

March 22nd Sponsored by St. Mary’s Choir Members

March 29th Sponsored by Finance Committee/Trustees

April 5th Sponsored by Knights of Columbus

April 12th Sponsored by Stewardship Committee

April 14th Passion Sunday Vespers & Supper

(Sponsored by Faith Formation Members)

April 19th Good Friday Service/Stations/Lunch

(Sponsored by the Parish Council)

CONFESSION OPPORTUNITIES DURING LENT There will be a priest available for confessions 30 minutes

before all weekday and weekend Masses throughout Lent.

VOLUNTEER PARKING FOR ST PATRICK DAY If you are interested in volunteering to help with parking for

the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 16th from

8:00am until 1:00pm, sign-up sheets are located at the

entrances to church. Or contact Terri at 651-338-8319.

BAPTISM We welcome Bennett Sirbasku, son of Gage & Angela to our

parish family through the sacrament of baptism. Let us keep

Bennett and his family in our prayers.

WELCOME We welcome Elizabeth Bina to our parish family this weekend.

Elizabeth has also joined the St. Mary’s choir. Please make

her feel at home.

DIVINE MERCY Our Blessed Lord told Saint Faustina regarding recitation of

the Divine Mercy Chaplet: “Say unceasingly the chaplet that I

have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy

at the hour of death.” (Saint Faustina’s Diary, 687.) OUR

DIVINE MERCY CELEBRATION IS ON SUNDAY, APRIL 28th,

AFTER 10:30 AM MASS.

Mark Stahley 10th, Jose Coto 10th, Barbara Rau 11th, Roger Gatzke 11th, Matthew Rodriguez 11th, Michael Van

Wert 12th, Mary Makowski 12th, Carolina Paddock 12th, Arvin Dizon 13th, and

Barbara Bettinger 13th.

MASS ATTENDANCE MARCH 2ND & 3RD: 164

MARCH ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL FUND: $704

COLLECTION

Envelopes ...................................... $2,582

Plate............................................... $1,965

Auto Withdrawal ............................ $1,220

Sunday, March 3, 2019 ............... $5,767

St. Patrick’s Parade Parking,

March 16th, 8am to 1:00pm

Passion Sunday Vespers, Apr.,14th, 5pm

(followed by Light Supper)

Good Friday Service, Stations/Lunch

April 19th, 12:00—3:00 pm

Easter Vigil, April 20th 6:30pm

Easter Sunday Masses, April 21st,

7:30 am and 10:30 am

3 1st Sunday of Lent

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS RE Class, March 16th, 9-10:15 am

(2nd 1st Communion Mtg. with parents)

Joyce Berg and Renee Kasel and Mary Kay Peterson

FLOWERS ENVELOPES Easter flower donation envelopes are

available at the entrances to the church.

This is a wonderful way to remember

loved ones at this time of year.

DAILY LENTEN COLLECTION We will again have a collection at daily

Mass throughout Lent for the CFIC Chil-

dren’s Missions in India. If you are una-

ble to attend Daily Mass but would like to

give a donation, you may send it directly

to the parish office or collection basket

clearly marked “Daily Lenten Collection”.

The children in India and CFIC fathers

thank you in advance. Sunday:

Dt 26:4-10/Ps 91:1-2, 10-11,

12-13, 14-15 [cf. 15b]/Rom

10:8-13/Lk 4:1-13

Monday:

Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/Ps 19:8, 9,

10, 15 [Jn 6:63b]/Mt 25:31-

46

Tuesday:

Is 55:10-11/Ps 34:4-5, 6-7,

16-17, 18-19 [18b]/Mt 6:7-15

Wednesday:

Jon 3:1-10/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13,

18-19 [19b]/Lk 11:29-32

Thursday:

Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25/Ps

138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 [3a]/

Mt 7:7-12

Friday:

Ez 18:21-28/Ps 130:1-2, 3-4,

5-7a, 7bc-8 [3]/Mt 5:20-26

Saturday:

Dt 26:16-19/Ps 119:1-2, 4-5,

7-8 [1b]/Mt 5:43-48 ©LPi

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