Fr. Andy's Pastor's Corner

Dear Brothers and Sisters: Mar 22-23

At St. Paul Stations of the Cross are at 7pm on Fridays. Simple Supper in Dohony Hall (free) from 5:30 – 6:45pm on Mar 28, Apr 4, 11. No Stations or Supper on Good Friday, Apr 18.
At Resurrection Stations of the Cross at 7:30pm on Fridays. Simple Supper in the hall (free) from 6:15pm – 7:30pm on Mar 28 and Apr 11. No Stns or Supper Apr 18.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE SIMPLE SUPPERS AHEAD-OF-TIME through the websites and facebook pages of each parish OR by calling the parish offices at each parish.

THE MEN'S ACTS RETREAT is put on by the parishioners and staff to help fellows in our parishes and

outside our parishes to come to a closer walk with Jesus in the Church. I am going on the next retreat

which will be from Thurs nite to Sun morn Apr 24-27, 2025. To register & for more information you can see info currently on our facebook pages and websites or call Arnie at 240-472-5705 or Sean at 619-993-6665.

THE CHAMPIONS INITIATIVE: We all need a champion in our lives. Let’s take some time out of our schedule this Lent to grow in our faith. Remaining talks:

Dr Erika Rodkey, "It Feels Like Home to Me," Sun March 30, Resurrection Hall, 630-8pm. Erika is a licensed clinical social worker. She will present about the results from extensive studies which showed the dramatically positive impact that believing in a loving God has on young people.
“Walking with Jesus through the Challenges of our lives,” with Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM, Conv. Thurs Apr 10, in the church at Resurrection, 7pm. Fr. Jude will share an inspiring story about overcoming obstacles through our faith. WE HAD TO RESCHEDULE OUR PLAY -- "From Slave to Priest" because of unforeseen complications with the actors. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

CONFESSIONS DURING LENT

At St. Paul – Sats at 3:30 – 5pm / Weds 7-8:30pm on Mar 26, Apr 2 (two priests), Apr 9 (three priests). No confessions on Wed Apr 16 (Wed of Holy Week)

At Resurrection Sats 3:30 – 5pm / Weds 4-6pm at the parish office building (one-story building on your left as you enter on Chatham Rd) on Mar 26, Apr 2 (two priests), Apr 9 (three priests.)

No confessions on Wed Apr 16 (Wed of Holy Week). Tues Apr 15 there will be 7 priests at 7pm in the main church at Resurrection.

And now a bit about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This sacrament grew out of the understanding, in the Christian community of the first disciples, that Jesus was still working among us, through the Holy Spirit, just as he had when he was walking around Israel in the flesh. Jesus told them that it was now their job to do his work before his would ascend beyond our sight: And he told them that he would send the Holy Spirit to help them in doing his work....as happened at Pentecost.

And this mindset also applied to how Jesus, when he was walking around Israel in the flesh, forgave people their sins. For example, in John 20, not long before the Ascension, Jesus breathes upon the disciples and explicitly tells them that they now can forgive sins. And that the early Christians saw that Jesus wasn't just working through the 12 disciples to forgive sins in James 5:14 we see that the local leaders in any Eucharistic community could do the same. That verse says that if the local presbyter (elder, priest) prays over a sick person and anoints them w oil that their sins will be forgiven and God will lift them up.

So, this was the mindset of the early Church. The form of this experience that we have today developed out of practices in Ireland and Britain in the 500's AD where people would go to monks at monastaries to pray with them and to confess their sins. Certain features of what developed there were that there was complete privacy -- the priest could not share what the penitent had said -- and even that the penitent could choose to confess and talk anonymously.

Peace! Fr. Andy