Lent
During Lent, the time of Mass on Tuesday at St. John's, will be changed from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. We will pray the Rosary before Mass at 4:35 pm, and mediate upon the Stations of the Cross following Mass. At St. Mary's, we will pray the Rosary at our usual day, on Wednesday, after morning Mass. The Stations of the Cross we will celebrate on Friday after morning Mass and at 6:00 pm.
The Stations of the Cross is a pious way of honoring the Passion and Death of Christ. The term 'Stations of the Cross' derives from the method of performing this gathering: standing at fourteen different places while meditating and praying on the Passion of Christ.
Each year our diocese celebrates "BE RECONCILED DAY" - a day of opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This year it will be celebrated:
St. John the Evangelist church: Tuesday, April 8, from 9 am to noon and from 3-4:30 pm.
St. Mary church: Wednesday, April 9, from 9 am to noon and from 5 to 7 pm.
Daily Readings
Weekly reading
Readings for the week of March 23, 2025
- :
- Sunday: Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15 / Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11 (8a) / 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 / Lk 13:1-9
- Scrutiny: Ex 17:3-7 / Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8) / Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 / Jn 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
- Monday: 2 Kgs 5:1-15b / Ps 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4 / Lk 4:24-30
- Tuesday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10 / Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11 / Heb 10:4-10 / Lk 1:26-38
- Wednesday: Dt 4:1, 5-9 / Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20 / Mt 5:17-19
- Thursday: Jer 7:23-28 / Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 / Lk 11:14-23
- Friday: Hos 14:2-10 / Ps 81:6c-8a, 8bc-9, 10-11ab, 14 and 17 / Mk 12:28-34
Pastor Message and Prayer
3/16
Lent
What really leads to peace?
Read 1 Maccabees Chapter 7
No matter who fights it, war ends up being a dirty business. Even in today's raids, which are surgical, the possibility of collateral damage remains present. The Hasideans, ancestors of today's Hassidim, learned that the hard way. When they see that the army is under the high priest Alcimus' command, they think everything will be fine: "A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not harm us" (verse 14). So, they thought. But how could they be so naïve? The blessing of Alcimus is meaningless if the high priest is himself "ungodly." He finds himself entangled in all kinds of compromises with the enemy, on one side, and he has to cope with troublemakers among the Israelites on the other (verses 21-23). In the author's view, the high priest and his men have done "great damage in Israel" and even more wrong "than the Gentiles had done."
"Then Judas prayed and said: 'Judge him (Nicanor) according
to his wickedness." 1 Маccabees 7:40-41
Then enters Nicanor, one of the king's "honored princes," whose name means "the victorious one." Nicanor is filled with hatred against Israel and has received royal orders to destroy the people. The allegedly invincible commander and his mighty army are "crushed" in defeat (verses 43-47), causing great rejoicing among the Jews and a new feast to be established to commemorate the unlikely victory. But the author entertains no illusion about the ephemeral victory that day.
How can we press our governments and our leaders to take the right steps toward lasting peace?
Prayer Starter: Lord, we long for peace. Give us the courage and the spirit to build peace around us and never to give up on our hopes for understanding and harmony between people and nations.
Fr. Joachim
St. Mary Mass Times
Saturday 6:00pm
Sunday 8:30am
Daily Mass Times
Wednesday 8:30am
Wednesday: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 9am-9:30am
Friday 8:30am
First Friday 8:30am Healing Mass and Adoration
Confession Times
Saturday from 5:30-5:50 or
by appointment by calling the Rectory at 815-858-3422
St. Mary Office Hours
Wednesday 8:30 am- 3:30 p.m.. by appointment
Thursday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
