Dear Parishioners,

Alleluia! Alleluia! What marvels our God has done in raising Jesus of Nazareth from the dead. He is the Christ! Our Risen Lord! On behalf of the parish staff and Fr. Norm of Heart to Heart, I extend our best wishes that this Easter Sunday and Season bring a renewed spirit of faith, hope, and charity as we come together to celebrate this incredible event.

The mystery of his Death and Resurrection cannot be contained in a single day. Over the next seven weeks we will hear how our relationship to Christ – the Vine and Good Shepherd – is intertwined yet fragile. We need one another to stay connected to Him. So as a parish community we gather weekly to pray, do as he commands, and serve others in charity.

Each week we rediscover his presence among us. It strengthens our being Catholic and doing Catholic until He comes again, or we die and stand before Him in judgment.

Through the generous donation of a parishioner we have received copies of Matthew Kelly’s book entitled, “Rediscovering Catholicism”. As an adult Catholic, I encourage you to take a copy home with you to read. The book is a FREE gift for Easter (while they last!). If you like, PASS IT ON to someone else. If you like, a $2 freewill offering in the collection basket would enable us to purchase more copies, but not obligatory. Our gratitude to the donor is expressed in reading this excellent book and discovering the richness of our faith.

In a bulletin insert this past Christmas, I shared my reasons about the placement of the Eucharist in the tabernacle at the high altar. This Easter Sunday the Eucharist will be reserved now in that tabernacle.

It is the custom of the Church that upon entering and leaving the church, a Catholic genuflects in the direction of the tabernacle that reserves the Eucharist. This is done with reverence to Christ’s Real Presence.

It is not necessary to genuflect every time you pass in front of the tabernacle. And yes, if you have knee problems a reverent bow from the waist is an appropriate substitute to genuflecting.

Ministers during Mass – Readers, Servers, Ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, et alia – simply bow to the Mass Altar during the Mass; do NOT genuflect to the tabernacle unless you are with the priest in the entering or departing procession.

A reminder that next Sunday there will be a prayer service for those who follow the novena and devotion to Divine Mercy. It will begin at 2:30pm in the church.

On Wednesday, April 11, there will be a meeting of the Hispanic Parish Council at 7pm in the Parish Office Conference Room. Please keep this important meeting and ministry in your prayers as we discern the needs and future response of our parish to the Spanish-speaking community.

Our thanks to the many women and men who helped to decorate the church for the Easter Season, and to the staff and volunteers who helped to make the Holy Week Liturgies prayerful and uplifting. God bless you especially in this Season of Joy! Happy Easter, Fr. Dan

Queridos Hermanos:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Lo que se maravilla que nuestro Dios haya hecho en la resurrección de Jesús de Nazaret de los muertos. ¡Él es Cristo! ¡Él es nuestro Señor Resucitado! De parte del equipo parroquial y del Padre Norman de la Oficina Del Corazón al Corazón, amplío nuestras felicidades que este Domingo de Pascuas y la Temporada te traen un espíritu renovado de fe, esperanza, y caridad cuando venimos juntos para celebrar este acontecimiento increíble.

El misterio de su Muerte y Resurrección no puede estar contenido en un día solo. Durante las próximas siete semanas oiremos como nuestra relación a Cristo – la Vid y el Pastor Bueno – es entrelazada aún frágil. Necesitamos el uno al otro para quedarnos relacionados con Él. Asi, como ser una comunidad de fe que juntamos semanalmente para rezar, hacer lo que nos manda él, y servir a otros en la caridad.

El miércoles, 11 de abril, habrá una reunión del Consejo de Parroquia hispano a las 7pm en la Sala de Conferencias de Oficina Parroquial. Por favor de mantener esta reunión importante y ministerio hispano en sus peticiones cuando hablamos de las necesidades y del futuro oportunidades podemos crear para la comunidad de habla español.

Recuerdan que el próximo domingo habrá un servicio de rezo para aquellos que siguen el novena y la devoción para Misericordia Divina. Comenzará a las 2:30pm en la iglesia.

En el futuro la Eucaristía estará reservada en el tabernáculo en el Altar altísimo.

Gracias a muchas mujeres y hombres que ayudaron a decorar la iglesia para la Temporada de Pascua, y al personal y voluntarios que ayudaron a hacer las Liturgias de Semana Santa y oraciones especiales durante la Semana Santa. ¡Dios te bendiga sobre todo en esta Temporada de Alegría! Felices Pascuas, Fr. Dan