Scension Hurch of the A
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C hurch of the A scension PARISH MISSION STATEMENT: WE JOYFULLY PROCLAIM, CELEBRATE, WITNESS, AND SERVE JESUS CHRIST 9510 W. 127th St. • Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 681-3348 • www.kcascension.org • [email protected] APRIL 23, 2017 Divine Mercy Sunday SUNDAY MASSES Saturday: 4:30 p.m. Sunday: 8:15 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 5:00 p.m. WEEKDAY MASSES Monday-Friday: 6:45 a.m., 12:00 noon Saturday: 8:30 a.m. RECONCILIATION Tuesday: 6:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m. Thursday: 7:00 p.m. Saturday: 3:30 p.m. ANOINTING OF THE SICK 1st Thursday of the Month: 6:30 p.m. ROSARY Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Monday-Friday: 6:20 a.m. Thursday: 6:30 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. BAPTISMS Please contact the parish office or website for information and scheduling MARRIAGE Couples should contact one of the parish priests at least six months prior to the wedding date Annulments: Contact Fr. Tom or Fr. Regie OFFICE HOURS Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. Church of the Ascension Divine Mercy Sunday April 23, 2017 “WHY MASS EVERY SUNDAY” “Why do we need to go to Mass every Sunday?” That was a question recently asked of me by one of our younger parishioners. It is a great question, one that we should all give some thought to. Why is it important that we celebrate the Eucharist each week? How does it fit into our relationship with God and our spiritual life? There are lots of reasons why we celebrate the Eucharist weekly and not just on Easter Sunday. Here are just a few for us to think about: • Jesus at the Last Supper told us to ‘do this in memory of me’. Celebrating the Eucharist is our yes to Christ’s command. It is an expression of our discipleship with Christ. • The Mass is the most perfect prayer that we can offer because it is not just my prayer or our prayer, but both of those joined with the very prayer of Christ on the cross. • Every Eucharist is a re-presentation of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; it is standing at the foot of the cross on Calvary and joining our lives with the sacrifice of Christ. • The first commandment is to recognize God as God of my life and not put other gods before the one true God. Sharing in the Eucharist each week expresses our recognition that God is number one in our life. • The third commandment commands us to keep holy the Lord’s Day. How better can we keep the Lord’s Day holy than by joining with Christ in his sacrifice? • We are called to express gratitude to God for all the blessings we receive 24/7. The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving. Every Mass is a ‘Thank You’ to God for all the blessings we daily receive especially our life and salvation in Christ. God gives us 168 hours each week; is it too much that He asks us for one in return? • In the Eucharist we hear the Word of God proclaimed and experience the very real and true presence of Christ in Holy Communion. For truly the Eucharist is not just a symbol or reminder, but the very living presence of Christ among us. Who would not want to experience this loving presence at least each week? • We come to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord on Easter, but each Sunday is a mini-Easter as we experience at every Mass the grace of the risen Christ in His Word, His Sacrifice, His Body and Blood. We come to celebrate Mass each week because we believe in Christ and realize our need to be joined ever more closely with Him throughout our lives, not just occasionally. If we believe in Jesus and His abiding presence in the Eucharist, who or what could possibly keep us away from the Mass each week? The question should probably not be “Why do we need to go to Mass every Sunday?”, but rather “What could possibly keep us away from Mass every Sunday?” That is a good question to ponder this Easter. To be joined with Christ and His Body in prayer is not peripheral, but is at the very heart of our lives if we truly believe in Christ as our Lord and Risen Savior. Easter Blessings! Fr. Tom 2 Church of the Ascension Divine Mercy Sunday April 23, 2017 PERPETUAL ADORATION AND COVERED CANOPY SURVEY Fellow Parishioners: Several times over the last couple of years parishioners have asked about the possibility of erecting a new adoration chapel, one that will accommodate more people and be more visibly located to encourage more people to share in adoration. They have suggested this because they believe our current chapel, while very nice and usually quiet, is not well located and often not large enough for the many people who want to use it. A second recommendation is to build a covered canopy over the church entrance which was initially planned for our church. With this in mind the Church Renewal Committee has been meeting regarding these recommendations and is currently exploring some options. However, before we proceed further it is important that we have input from you as parishioners. Please fill out the following questionnaire either on-line (kcascension.org, click the Chapel Survey link) or with hard copy (return it in the wooden box in the gathering area). Please complete this by May 15. Thanks for your input and your suggestions. Fr. Tom The goal is to increase the seating capacity to 30-36 seats from the current 16 seats while creating an uplifting, spiritual environment that will enhance adoration. This space would be quieter, minimizing outside noise, as well as providing improved comfort and security for those using the chapel. An entrance canopy would provide shelter during inclement weather especially for the elderly and those with disabilities. 1. How many times a month do you frequent the adoration chapel? once a week more than once a week less than once a week 2. How long is your average stay? one hour greater than one hour less than 30 minutes 3. If the chapel were readily visible and available would your visits increase or decrease? increase decrease stay the same 4. I believe Eucharistic Adoration is an important ministry in our parish. Yes No DK* 5. I know where the adoration chapel is located and when it is open. Yes No DK 6. I would like us to have a chapel that is more visibly located. Yes No DK 7. I would like us to have a larger chapel to accommodate more people. Yes No DK 8. I support the decision to build a new Adoration Chapel? Yes No DK 9. I would financially support the building of a new adoration chapel. Yes No DK 10. I am in favor of building a canopy over the front church entrance. Yes No DK 11. I would financially support the construction of a canopy. Yes No DK *Don’t Know Further comments or recommendations: If a new chapel is built, some features I would like to see included are: Please fill out the questionnaire on-line (kcascension.org., click Chapel Survey) or place the completed survey in the box in the gathering area. Please do this May 15. Thanks for your input! 3 Church of the Ascension Divine Mercy Sunday April 23, 2017 ASCENSION THIS WEEK CALENDAR OF EVENTS STEWARDSHIP Sunday, April 23 Dress for Success, Gathering Area, Before All Masses Weekly Offertory: April 9 $ 45,065.45 Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast, Parish Hall, April 16 $ 73,518.94 9:00AM-Noon Sunday Scripture, St. Luke Rm., 9:15AM Monthly Autodebit: March $201,473.09 Kids for Christ (K4C), 10:00AM 680 Families on Autodebit Baptisms, Church, 1:00PM Baptism Class, St. Luke Rm., 1:00PM Fiscal YTD: March, 2017 $4,731,362.53 AA Mtg., St. John Rm., 1:00PM Eucharistic Adoration and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Church, 3:00PM Registered Families 3,132 Al-Anon Mtg., St. John Rm., 4:00PM S & L, Youth Ctr., 6:30PM Year-1, Youth Faith Formation (YFF), 6:30PM THANK YOU Monday, April 24 Thanks to all who so beautifully enhanced our Easter Masses Ladies Bridge, St. Luke Rm., 12:30PM Finance Council Mtg., Conf. Rm., 5:45PM through music, flowers, decorations and for the help of all our RCIA Class, St. Matthew Rm., 6:00PM liturgical ministers. Your generous gift of yourself in these Men’s Basketball Age 21+, Gym, 8:30PM ministries has also enriched us through this Easter celebration. Tuesday, April 25 Shalom House Dinners, Parish Hall, Deliver Desserts by 3:00PM Father Tom, Father Regie and Father Alessandro 33 Days to Merciful Love, St. Luke Rm., 7:00PM Wednesday, April 26 Guadalupe House Dinners, Parish Hall, Deliver Desserts by 4:30PM School of Faith, St. Matthew Rm., 5:30PM Youth Faith Formation (YFF), 5:30PM Zoom-HS Youth, Youth Ctr., 6:00PM Men’s Basketball Age 21+, Gym, 8:30PM Thursday, April 27 ACS Jesus Day PALM DISPOSAL Care Portal-Foster Parent Training, Offsite, 6:00PM American Heritage Girls, Parish Hall, 6:15PM Often people ask what to do with old palm branches. You can either burn them or break them into small pieces and put Friday, April 28 in your garden or around your tree. The primary thing with Men of Ascension, St. Luke Rm., 6:00AM any blessed object is that we treat it with respect and return Women of Ascension Spring Event, Church, 6:00PM them to their natural elements.