Blessed Sacrament Parish

Stations of the Cross on Fridays through Lent at 7 p.m.   This Friday (2/26) the ladies of CCW will lead us using “Mary’s Way of the Cross.”

K of C Fish Fry goes from 5-7 p.m. on Fridays as well.  It is take-out only…  Call the parish after 3 to place your order and dinners delivered to you vehicle!  269-673-4455    Information/Menu is in the bulletin…see the bulletin link attached.
The Knights are sending out a call for volunteers to help as well.  Call parish office or Andy Wesche at 616-916-6833

This Sunday (2-28), we have our Lenten penance Service at 3 p.m. with five confessors available. We assure you that we have planned for safe distancing, Confession areas set up in church, hall, and school. 
Families of Religious Ed are requested to come at 2 p.m.  Fr. Antony will be leading students and parents in a special preparation, with examination of conscience.  Meeting down in the parish hall.

Beginning on Monday, March 1 – March 29, Jack Pfeiffer, who is a seminarian from St. Margaret is doing a Zoom series on the Spiritual Teaching of some of our great saints… These are Monday evenings and run from 7-8 p.m.    You’ll need to sign up for this… either through the parish office, ( I can help)  or contact Jack by email at  Pfeiffer.jack@shms.edu  Looking forward to this!

Next week, there is no Wednesday Mass because of First Friday Devotion.   Eucharistic Adoration on Friday (3/5) from 5-6 p.m. with Mass at 6 p.m.

Mass offerings for the week:
Saturday: Feb. 27 4 p.m. for Lynn Mead, req. by Barb Mead
Sunday, Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. for Blessed Sacrament Parishioners
Monday, Mar. 1, 9 a.m. for Earl and Marie Gardiner, req. by Lynn Gardiner
Wednesday Mar 3  -  NO MASS today ( due to First Friday)
Friday, Mar. 5  FIRST FRIDAY DEVOTION,   Adoration from 5-6  Mass at 6 p.m. for George Diem Jr. req. by Jean Diem
Saturday, Mar. 6 4 p.m. for Mark Vandermeer, req. by Deacon Gene and Margie Haas
Sanctuary Light offered for Richard Wilcox.

----Mr. Alan Smith, who we had scheduled to come and speak here on the life of Bishop Fulton Sheen has two books available through our office and gift corner which would be great for Lent.. 
They are “The Cries of Jesus From the Cross”  and “Lord Teach Us to Pray”.   Both of these are anthologies of the writings of Bishop Fulton Sheen.   $15..  also he has a short  “Wartime Prayer Book” for $5.  Contact the office.

The publication “The Catholic Devotional” is available in the narthex…They are nice pocket sized books with a beautiful collection of prayers and Catholic devotions…  FREE!
 

Dear friends in Christ,
Greetings of Peace, Joy and Love to each one of you!

As we enter into the Second Sunday of Lent, our focus shifts to the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus “took with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain apart, and there in their presence, he was totally transfigured.” (Mt 17:1)

Mountain represents a place closer to God, an intimate encounter with Him, a place of prayer. Jesus is revealed to the three disciples as transfigured, luminescent and most beautiful. Then, Moses and Elijah appear speaking with Him. His face is so resplendent and his robes so white that Peter, awe-struck, wishes to stay there, as if to stop time.

Suddenly from on high, the voice of the Father resounds proclaiming Jesus to be his most beloved Son, saying “listen to him”. Our Father says this to us as well: “Listen to Jesus, because He is my beloved Son.” We need to listen to Him for going forward on the path of Lent. Without listening to the Master, a disciple cannot become like Him.

Like Jesus, we all need to go apart, to ascend the mountain in a space of silence, to find ourselves. We live in a society surrounded by so much of noise. In the midst of all that, we need to fine tune our hearts so as to be able to hear Him speak to us.

But we cannot stay there! Encounter with God in prayer inspires us anew to “descend the mountain” and to our daily routine. Our ‘ascent’ to his mountain will help us to deal with all the fatigue and challenges of the ‘descent’. It will also help us to be a source of comfort to those weighed down by fatigue, sickness, injustice, and suffering. As we continue joyfully on the path of Lent, let us learn a little more how to “ascend” with prayer and to “descend” joyfully to our daily life.

I will be away from the Collaborative from 5 March till 26 March. I will be going to India to visit my family and take care of some important personal matters. I will highly appreciate your prayers for me. In my absence, Fr. Francis Xavier, a religious priest belonging to SVD (Society of Divine Word) will be substituting me. Please extend to Fr. Francis a warm welcome and your full collaboration.

In Christ,
Fr. Simon Manjooran