Events

eginning Wednesday, April 13 at 6:30pm we will offer two opportunities for faith enrichment. Both groups will be held at our school. Please purchase one of the following books, read the first chapter, and join us on April 13th at the school. No registration is required. All are welcome.

Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe

or

Living the Lord’s Prayer: The Way of the Disciple by Fr. Albert Haase, OFM

Interior Freedom leads one to discover that even in the most difficult circumstances we possess within ourselves a space of freedom that nobody can take away, because God is its source and guarantee. Living the Lord’s Prayer follows the lines of this greatest of all prayers, showing how the ideas have been understood by great people of faith in the past and revealing how they are useful for our spiritual formation today. Both books can be purchased on line at Amazon.com or AbeBooks.com.

The Holy Name Society has made a change. Our general meeting will be held on the 2nd Monday of each month at St. Bernard-St. Mary School starting promptly at 7:30 p.m. On April 11th we shall feature “Marian Apparitions of the 20th Century.” All are invited.

We will be changing the missalettes on Friday, April 15th at 8 a.m. Many helping hands will be appreciated!

Saint Matthew Church will be hosting the St. Ferdinand Youth Ministry as they present “Living Stations” next Sunday, March 13th at 7 p.m. in the church. This one hour prayer service is a portrayal of Christ’s journey through his life, death and resurrection using music and narration. Plan to join us in free prayer and meditation on Christ’s journey to Calvary. A free-will offering will be collected at the conclusion to offset the cost of this ministry. Any questions please call St. Matthew’s parish office at 330-733-9944.

As early as the 3rd century, Christians started to sign themselves with a cross. Eighteen centuries later, we continue the practice of making the sign of the cross when we start to pray, when we celebrate the sacraments, and when we enter a church. Done so often and usually out of habit, has this ancient gesture lost its meaning for us?

Over 3 nights, Fr. Albert Haase, OFM, will lead us in a parish mission entitled SIGNED AND SEALED WITH THE CROSS. We will explore the identity of our God proclaimed in the ancient gesture of being signed with a cross. We will also explore the challenges and responsibilities we accept when we seal our lives with the sign of our salvation.

Our Lenten Mission is an opportunity to be renewed in spirit and gain new insight into our faith. Please block off these 3 nights at 7pm: Monday, March 28 through Wednesday, March 30 to be with fellow parishioners and bring a friend. Refreshments will follow each evening in the Hall.

Lent begins Ash Wednesday, March 9. Distribution of Blessed Ashes will occur at a Prayer Service or a Mass at:

8:00 AM – Prayer Service at our SB-SM School

9:30 AM – Prayer Service in our Parish Church

11:00 AM – Prayer Service at Children’s Hospital

12:10 PM – Daily Mass with Distribution of Ashes

5:10 PM – Daily Mass with Distribution of Ashes

Our Parish Appreciation Dinner – Please make a point to join St. Bernard-St. Mary parishioners at this parish-wide event. MARCH 5 at 6:00pm here in the Social Hall. Chili Dinner, meet new parishioners, organizational heads, Q&A Forum with the Pastor, and 50-50 Raffle. All are welcome to attend.

Todos están invitados a La Cena Parroquial el 5 de marzo, el sábado, a las 6:00 P.M. en el Salón Social. Comida de Chili, bebidas, juegos para los niños, conversación con el pastor y equipo pastoral. Te esperamos a este evento para toda la familia .

Are you ready to start thinking about Lent? Do you enjoy fiction that moves you closer to Christ? Do you enjoy others insights as they share about their relationship with Christ? Do you like getting a BOGO, killing two birds with one stone? If any of these questions appeal to you then consider this 5 week Book Study headed by Fr. Dan Reed. Reading assignment for the Vinegar Boy will be five chapters, less than forty pages and a quick read. Participants come prepared to share something that struck them from reading that week, and possibly make a life application. Meetings will be held in the former St. Mary Rectory Wednesdays 2/23; 3/2; 3/9; 3/16; 3/23 from 8-8:30 p.m. Books are out of print but available on Amazon.com/Abe books/Valore books and a copy may be at the Library. Please feel free to join us for all or some of our Books Study meetings.

On Sunday, January 23rd from 2 to 3pm there will be Eucharistic Adoration, rosary, and Benediction at St. Bernard-St. Mary Parish to save human lives. Please come and ask for God’s grace to convince a young mother-to-be to choose life.