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 9, 2025
- Sunday: Dt 26:4-10 / Ps 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 (see 5b) / Rom 10:8-13 / Lk 4:1-13
- Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18 / Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15 / Mt 25:31-46
- Tuesday: Is 55:10-11 / Ps 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 / Mt 6:7-15
- Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10 / Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 / Lk 11:29-32
- Thursday: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25 / Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 / Mt 7:7-12
- Friday: Ez 18:21-28 / Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 / Mt 5:20-26
- Saturday: Dt 26:16-19 / Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 / Mt 5:43-48
- Next Sunday: Gn 15:5-12, 17-18 / Ps 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14 / Phil 3:17—4:1 or 3:20—4:1 / Lk 9:28b-36
Pastor Message and Prayer
3/9
Lent
Can war be a solution?
Read 1 Maccabees Chapter 5
The Romans, who could boast one of the mightiest and best trained armies in history, coined the phrase: "Si vis pacem para bellum," which means: "If you want peace, be ready for war." This sounded to them like the best of "realpolitik." But it sounds strange now. If you go to war, it is mainly because you want war. If you want peace, who can stop you from building peace?
This chapter speaks of war, and only war. We can see the spiral of violence developing. The Gentiles get angry. So, does Judas Maccabee. They fight. So, does Judas. But who will stop the cycle of violence? The enemy comes from all sides. Judas and his brothers do their best to quench the fires, but there seems to be no end to them. Even the priest in Jerusalem engage in battle, against Judas' instructions, only to encounter defeat. So, all in all, the perspective in this chapter is really depressing. Once was is declared, who will have the vision and the courage to stop it?
"So, they went up to Mount of Zion with joy and gladness,
and offered burnt offerings, because they had returned in safety."
1 Maccabees 5:54
We need modern prophets like Martin Luther King to say "I have a dream...," and like Pope Paul VI who launched, at the united Nations in New York, a resounding "No more war! Never again war! If you wish to be brothers, drop your weapons" (October 4, 1965). Why don't political leaders listen to such voices?
How can we, as Christians, better unite to promote the cause of peace?
Prayer Starter: Lord, you are a God who speaks peace to your people. Let our hearts be touched by your design of peace for the world.
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.
