From the desk Monsignor Bride 

On Ash Wednesday, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, sent a message to the faithful of the world concerning themes for this most sacred season of Lent.
The theme of His message was:
”They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.” (Jn 19:37)
This is a stirring message which has great relevance for all of us.
The Holy Father calls us to direct our gaze, in this time of penance and prayer at the crucified Savior who, on dying on Calvary, revealed fully the love of the Father for us all who have been redeemed.
Pope Benedict reminds us that all of humanity, from the very moment of our origin on this planet earth, was seduced by the lies of the Evil One, the Devil, and thus, we rejected God’s love.
Our first parents believed for themselves that they were self-sufficient. They in fact did not need the word, the rules, and the love of the God who had made then and given them the garden in which they were living. The seduction of them by the devil was then shown that Adam and Eve turned in on themselves and withdrew from the source of life –God Himself. This withdrawal resulted in a human bondage which saw men and women apart from God, independent of God, and no longer united fully with him.   This became the great abyss, the great separation, the great division between God and His creation.  It was this separation that God himself would have to heal and bring back together that was accomplished by the Son of God becoming a Man and then dying for us all.
When this great separation happened, God did not abandon his creation.  Even though our first parents had withdrawn from God, even though they went off hiding, nevertheless God did not cease to love his creation, to care for his creation, to center his actions on this creation.
This develops and becomes the central mystery of our Faith, the central fact of our redemption, the visible love of God for all men and women.  This, writes Pope Benedict, is the mystery of the Cross. It is the overwhelming power of God the Father’s merciful love for us all.
The Father desired to return humanity to the state of perfect union that was the state of the Garden of Eden. It was that state which our first parents rejected and which brought forth the pain, punishment, of Original Sin and the cause of creation’s loss, pain, suffering, illness, death.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us look at Christ pierced on the Cross! He is the unsurpassing revelation of God’s love… On the Cross it is God Himself who begs for the love of his creatures. He is thirsty for the love of every one of us.
“Lent is a time to renew our love for our God who redeemed us. We must accept that love and devote ourselves to communicating it to others. Christ draws us to Himself in order to unite Himself with us.
“When we contemplate the love of God, when we see Him whom they have pierced, we must open ourselves to Him and to others. When we behold him whom they have pierced we recognize the wounds inflicted on the Lord as wounds inflicted on the dignity of the human person.
May Lent be a time for every Christian to renew the experience of God’s love given to us in the crucified Christ, a love that each day we, in turn, must ’regive’ to our neighbors, especially the ones who are suffering so much and who are in such need.
“I wish you, my brothers and sister, a fruitful Lenten journey.”
                     Benedictus PP XVBI

                                 Monsignor Bride
                              
SPECIAL PARISH LENTEN SUPPER
This Saturday, March 10th, following the 5:00 P.M. Mass.

This Saturday NIGHT, March 10th –turn clocks ahead one hour.
 SUNDAY – ALL MASSES ON DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.

Adult Education Class will be held on Monday, March 12, 2007

 
 Monsignor Bride’s 40th Anniversary of Ordination
 --  May 4, 2007 --
Monsignor  will celebrate a Special Mass on Saturday, May 5th, at 5:00 P.M.
followed by Pot Luck Supper in Hall.
All will be invited!

Choir practice: 
This Thursday, March 15th, at 6:30 P.M.

                          
CRUSADE OF PRAYER ON fRIDAYS
7:30A.M.   Morning Mass
8:00A.M.   Exposition of  the Blessed Sacrament
                 followed by   Morning Prayer             
8:15 A.M.  to  4:45 P.M. Individual Adoration and
                  Praying for Vocations  all day in  Church
4:45 P.M.   Evening Prayer /Benediction/Closing

                 
    TRUE LOVE WAITS…         For High School Young Adults – 4-Part Series on March 11, 18, and 25th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM – At. St. Bernard’s High School, 1593 Norwich-New London Tpke. (Rt. 32), Uncasville. (Meet in the cafeteria.)  A straight forward presentation on love, sex, consistent with Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.  Includes 3 seminars and a closing Mass.  At the closing Mass, participants have the opportunity to make their own commitment to God to integrate their sexuality and their spirituality as adult men and women.  Parents and friends are welcome to attend.  To register, or for more information, call the Office of Family Life at (860) 889-8346, ext. 283 or 282.
  

Outside the Parish
In support of St. Patrick Cathedral School, they will hold their 3rd Wine and Roses Auction.  Mark you calendar!!!  March 24, 2007   6:00 – 10:00 PM at Mohegan Sun Casino.  For ticket information, call Lynn Karam 887-5120 or Tim Ouellet 887-9503.

                 
                    Announced Masses

Monday, March 12th    Lenten Weekday                        
7:30 A.M. Edward Sokol   (Sr. Michelle) 

Tuesday, March 13th     Lenten Weekday                        
7:30 A.M. Intention of Celebrant
Wednesday, March 14th    Lenten Weekday  
 7:30 A.M.  Special Intention  (Ruth Sanislo)
 Thursday, March 15th     Lenten Weekday                                   
 7:30 A.M.  Parishioners of OLPH   
Every pastor is required by Canon Law to have a Mass offered for the parishioners of his parish once a week.  This is called the “Pro Populo Mass.”        
Friday, March 16th   Lenten Weekday  
7:30 A.M.  Philip B. & Frances E. Pasquale (Estate)
6:30 P.M.   Stations of the Cross