FATHER'S TWO CENTS WORTH

Today is Valentine’s Day, and I wish to all of you a Happy Valentine’s Day.  It is a day to recognize special persons in your life, and especially your spouse and those of your family.  It would be very good, besides the flowers and candy and food, to say a few prayers for your loved ones, and even to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist for them.

This week-end, we have a Luke 18 Retreat going on in our parish.  I continue to ask all of the parish to pray for the presenters, for the students who are making the Luke 18, and for all of the others who are taking care of food, facilities, sleep facilities, and making it all come to a successful event.  God bless all of you who are involved, and give your time.

We welcome the 4^th Degree Knights of Columbus to our parish this day.  May God bless them in all of their efforts to support the church and its members!

Wednesday is ASH WEDNESDAY—THE BEGINNING OF LENT, 2010.  It is a day of strict FAST AND ABSTINENCE, meaning no eating of meat for anyone over the age of 14, and eating one main meal, and the other two meals not to equal the main meal.  This applies to those of age 14 to 59.   All Fridays of Lent are days of Strict Abstinence.  We are not allowed to eat between meals when we are fasting.  Again, it is a time to give serious consideration about our spiritual status before God, not man, and to repent from all those actions and omission that lead us away from God into Sin.  It is also a period to take time to pray, spiritual reading, meditation, and self denial (to build up will power).

The Special Collection on Ash Wednesday is for the Church of Eastern Europe that was under communist control for so long, and is trying to rebuild.  You have an envelope in your packet for this purpose.

Our Lenten services will be at 5:30 P.M. again, since it seemed to draw a larger attendance than a later time.  It also frees up the evening if one has further events they need to attend.  We will have mass on Wednesdays at 5:30 P.M.  We will have Stations of the Cross and Benediction on Fridays at 5:30 P.M.  Might I ask those of you who can, to alter your Dinner/Supper schedule a bit so that you can come to church and attend these services, and to bring your children with you so that they can see your faith, and learn from you?

Again, we are providing for you, the “Little Black Book” of Lenten thoughts and information.  They will be available at the exits of church.  We also have about 90 copies of “The Word Among Us”, which is also a booklet of daily spiritual reading, and has the Mass texts for all of the days of Lent included.  This would be especially helpful to those who make the effort to come to mass during the week.  After next Sunday, I will take those remaining books to the Hospital to be passed out by the Pastoral Care Dept.

Thanks to all who renewed their Messenger subscription last Sunday.  I encourage the parishioners to subscribe to the Messenger to learn more about our faith, our faith in action today, and events that have happened or will be happening in the Diocese.  It is $23 a subscription, and not as expensive as the daily papers, or most of the magazines.  It brings us good solid truth and doctrine that can strengthen our faith.  SUBSCRIBE!

CHURCH CHATTER: Yes! It's time to share your news with the parish again. Please help us to make the Church Chatter newsletter timely and interesting by sending your news to Linda Zacharski @ kzacharski@charter.net  or 566-8022. If your group is making plans for activities that will take place during Lent, Spring or Summer, this is the time to get it in the newsletter. We want to hear from all the ministries at our church -- from the pastoral council and RCIA to the CYO and the HCS 150th anniversary committee. Everyone in the parish deserves to know what's happening. No group is too small; no ministry is insignificant. Please don't hide your light under a bushel! Thanks.

SOUP SUPPER AND SPEAKER SERIES COMING SOON! The Annual Soup Supper and Speaker Series will be held on the first three Mondays of March - March 1st, March 8th, & March 15th, beginning at 6:30 pm each of the evenings. Mark your calendars! Stay "tuned" for more information next week!

SMALL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY will soon begin the Spring Season. You may join one of the groups in our parish that gathers this Lent to read and discuss faith based materials. Please call Joe Pettinger at 618-301-8135 or e-mail johnpettinger@yahoo.com.

MESSENGER RENEWAL WEEKEND: The Messenger, your local diocesan newspaper, brings news of events important in your parish, your diocese and the universal church. Please stay "connected" through a subscription to the Messenger. Annual subscriptions are $23 and the envelopes are provided in your parish envelope packet.

GIFT CARDS: Whether you are planning a nice dinner out or need to grab a quick bite, we have gift cards to meet your needs. Tony’s Place ($25), Applebee’s ($25), Chevy’s, ($25), Chili’s ($25), Burger King ($10), Arby’s ($10), Starbucks ($10), Fazoli’s ($25), TGI Friday’s ($25), Home Town Buffet ($25), Logan’s Roadhouse ($25) and many more.

SHEPHERD SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28: The Mascoutah Concerned Christians Food Pantry needs the following items this month: powdered milk, sugar, oats, canned spinach, coffee, and laundry & dish detergent. Thank you for supporting the pantry.

GET YOUR TICKETS AND T-SHIRTS: The HCS 150th Celebration committee will be selling tickets for the April 24th dance after each Mass in the month of March. The ticket prices are $15 per person in advance or $20 at the door. There are T-Shirt order forms at all entrances of church if you would like to purchase one. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact Angie Norrenberns at 566-7078.

HCCCW: This past week you received the Bi-Monthly Quilt Raffle Tickets for 2010. You may buy or sell these tickets and return them by putting them in the collection basket, dropping them off at the rectory, or mail them to the rectory at PO Box 160, Mascoutah. This past year we paid for Missals ($1200), Hosts ($1959), Wine ($948), Altar Candles ($342), Advent Candles ($84), Christmas & Easter Flowers ($748) and other items.

"It is very important for us

 to come to a better understanding

of how to be really present to the Lord, in the present moment.

We need to trust that He knows what He is doing.

If we could go before Him in the Blessed Sacrament

and say very simply, 'Here I am, Lord;

I am concerned about this, so I offer it to you.

I offer me to you,'

we then allow Him to take care of us.

 We allow Him to answer our prayers

 instead of telling Him what we want Him to do."

Visit Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration  every Tuesday following the 8 AM Mass until 7 PM,

and on Saturdays from 9-10 AM.

If you would like to commit to a specific hour

 to pray on Tuesdays,

 please call Mary Ellen Mueller at 566-9529.