LENT | | 2017 Newsletter Ash Wednesday: Spiritual Medicine By Thomas Merton (excerpt from Seasons of Celebration)

Ash Wednesday, the a sign of death, but a promise of life to those beginning of the Lenten who do penance. Hence the seemingly fast, is a day of happiness, a paradoxical character of the Ash Wednesday Christian feast. It cannot be liturgy. The gospel charges us to avoid otherwise, as it forms part outward signs of grief and, when we fast, to of the great Easter cycle. anoint our heads and to wash our faces. Yet we receive a smear of ashes on our heads. The Paschal Mystery is There must be grief in this day of joy. It is a above all the mystery of day, we shall see, in which joy and grief go life, in which the church, by together hand-in-hand. celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, enters in the Kingdom Only the inner rending, the tearing of the of Life which he has established once and for heart, brings this joy. It lets out our sins, all by his definitive victory over sin and death. and lets in the clean air of God’s spring, the We must remember the original meaning of sunlight of the days that advance toward , as the ver sacrum, the church’s “holy Easter. Rending of the garments lets in spring” in which the catechumens nothing but the cold. The rending were prepared for their baptism, of heart is that “tearing away” “The cross of ashes, and public penitents were made from ourselves and our vetustas traced upon the ready by penance for their – the “oldness” of the old man, forehead of each restoration to the sacramental wearied with the boredom Christian, is not life in a communion with the rest and drudgery of an indifferent only a reminder of the church. existence, that we may turn to of death but God and taste his mercy, in the Lent is then not a season of inevitably a pledge liberty of his sons. punishment so much as one of resurrection.” of healing. When we turn to him, what do we find? That “He is gracious and merciful, There is joy in the salutary fasting and patient and rich of mercy.” abstinence of the Christian who eats and drinks less in order that his mind may be It is necessary that at the beginning of this more clear and receptive to receive the fast, the Lord should show himself to us in sacred nourishment of God’s word, which his mercy. The purpose of Lent is not only the whole church announces and meditates expiation, to satisfy the divine justice, but upon in each day’s liturgy throughout Lent. above all a preparation to rejoice in his love. The whole life and teaching of Christ pass And this preparation consists in receiving before us, and Lent is a season of special the gift of his mercy – a gift which we receive reflection and prayer, a forty-day retreat in in so far as we open our hearts to it, casting which each Christian, to the extent that he is out what cannot remain in the same room able, tries to follow Christ into the desert by with mercy. prayer and fasting. Ash Wednesday is for people who know what The cross of ashes, traced upon the forehead it means for their soul to be logged with these of each Christian, is not only a reminder of icy waters: all of us are such people, if only death but inevitably a pledge of resurrection. we can realize it. The ashes of this Wednesday are not merely - Thomas Merton First Down & 40By Fr. Eric Tellez, Pastor It amazes me how many the season of Lent is something to be endured, times people approach God a time to give up things we love in life, doing with some suspicion or extra praying, even attending weekday Masses, hesitation about His love for going to Confession and giving to the poor. us. Somehow we feel that His Then when Easter arrives we seem to stop these love must have a catch, we practices and forget the great words of Lent know that there is a judgment and end it there. We can sometimes be seen as day so we will have to face Lenten people, enjoying the misery we create for the music for our faults. We ourselves because we are not worthy. struggle with the idea that God could actually love us This Lent I am asking parishioners and all our unconditionally, meaning that friends to see Lent as a pathway that leads to that His love never wavers or leaves us at any moment great season of Easter. What evidence will we give in our lives. If we put total trust in God’s love, as followers of Christ that we live as people who there are people who will try to remind us that trust, believe and surrender to the unconditional there is also punishment for our sins, damnation love God has for each one of us? The sacrifices for the wicked and we should never of Lent all need to lead to the 50 be too comfortable with His love “These forty days days of Easter where we know because we really never deserve it. offer everyone a that we are loved and that the unconditional love God gives us will At the same time the scriptures great path to ask be given by us to others. When we provide us with overwhelming ourselves, ‘How are tempted to listen to those who examples of God’s love for us: we can I come to willingly put doubt into our hearts are the apple of His eye; He claims love God about God’s love for us, we need us as His own; we are worth more to act differently during Easter. than a sparrow; tax collectors even more?’” We need to remember the word and prostitutes are entering the “unconditional.” It means always; it Kingdom. Yet somehow Catholics often choose means love is never earned but freely given; that to overlook this truth and choose to reflect on when we fail to love in return there is always an unworthiness, sin, offenses against God and the invitation to respond better. Fellow disciples of need to be saved from hell. Jesus Christ, look beyond the important practices of Lent, and see where the path of Lent leads us. The season of Lent needs to be seen as a season It is to the great feast of Easter, where we live not of our willingness to respond to God with the as Lenten people, rather we live as Easter people. same love He has given each one of us. These forty days offer everyone a great path to ask Blessings and peace this Lenten season. I look ourselves, “How can I come to love God even forward to being with you on Easter Day and the more?” Unfortunately for a number of Catholics, entire Easter season. - Fr. Eric Lenten Survival Kit † Praying - Make a commitment † Fasting - Giving up things for † Almsgiving - Put money aside as to , attend daily Mass; spend Lent is a powerful experience. an offering; reach out to neighbors, time in prayer before the Blessed Fasting could entail eating less co-workers and others who could Sacrament; pray the Stations of than normal, or fasting from the use your support; use your Habitat the Cross on Friday evenings; pray good things we love to eat. We may for Humanity bank; participate in as a family by reading through the also choose to fast from things “Undies Sundays”; lessen another’s upcoming Sunday reading from like television, the internet, social burden by placing the needs of our website; find a devotion of media, or things that consume us. others before your own needs; and prayer for this special season; and We should reflect on how fasting be open to understanding your as a family listen and talk about from such things might help us live own blindness to the suffering the Gospel. differently at Easter time. around us. Italian for “In the presence of,” In Presenza Di is an opportunity for the entire community to gather before the Blessed Sacrament for a time of prayer, praise, teaching and adoration. Based on an old Franciscan devotion, this contemplative night contains praise & worship, silence, scripture, a reflection, and adoration all done in the presence of our Lord in the Eucharist.

Join Fr. Eric, 7:00 - 8:15 pm in the Daily Mass Chapel Mondays during Lent, March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3

Fish Fry SPONSORED BY OUR OWN MEN’S CLUB AND KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Fridays, March 3 & April 7 4:30 - 7:30 pm

Fish dinner $10 | Kid’s Mac ‘n Cheese $5 Family dinner special: 2 Fish dinners & 2+ Kid’s Mac ‘n Cheese meal for just $30 per family!

Tickets sold after all Masses, Feb. 18/19 & 25/26. We have limited space and limited meals. Please get your ticket to ensure your spot! Walk-ins are welcome as space & meals allow.

Proceeds support the St. Patrick Habitat for Humanity builds. Prayer, Fasting & Almsgiving OUR GPS FOR LENT By Dan Minton, Coordinator of Stewardship Stewardship GPS is Giving, Praying and Serving. in the desert, in a personal acknowledgment of our The three pillars of Lent are Prayer, Fasting and hunger for God’s word and in an awareness of our Alms Giving. See how similar? Prayer and Giving solidarity with those who hunger for bread. In the final are in both. The difference comes in the other analysis, fasting is not an end in itself, but a practice one. Lent is a time of reflection and a time to that enhances our love of God and of neighbor.” work with God on making changes to ourselves. Fasting helps with that. So as we fast from food and other This year, as we pray during Lent, we “things” this Lent, and as we feel the ask that you focus on fasting. This year, pangs of hunger for that food or those really give it your best effort. things, we pray for those who go without. If you are giving up something America Magazine puts it this way, you would normally spend money on, “There is a place for fasting in contemporary like coffee, fast food, candy, etc., save Catholic spirituality, but the practice must that money during Lent and GIVE ALMS be based in love of God and love of all God’s to our Rice Bowl, Habitat for Humanity creatures. Following the catechesis in Matthew 6, it or St. Patrick outreach. And finally, turn our focus must be linked to prayer, by which we express love of to God and ask Him to help us know, love and God, and to almsgiving, by which we express love of serve Him more. neighbor. It must be rooted in an imitation of Jesus - Dan

Adult initiation What’s the Difference? By Maggie Seliga, Director of Formation Fasting & Abstinence Adult Initiation at St. Patrick is an ongoing, Fasting and abstinence promote self-discipline year round opportunity for adults to explore and support prayer. Though often associated becoming Catholic. If you are an adult who has together, fasting and abstinence are two different never been baptized or baptized in another Church disciplines. Christian tradition and you wish to grow deeper in your relationship to Jesus Christ, then Adult Fasting refers to the quantity of food consumed Initiation may be for you. on a particular day. On Ash Wednesday and , healthy adult Catholics, ages 18-59, Initiation is framed in a process of conversion are required to fast, limiting food to one full meal which occurs over a period of time. This journey with minimal food eaten at the other two meal takes place in small groups with a trained team times and nothing in between. of facilitators. The process is centered in prayer, breaking open the Sunday Readings, sharing faith Abstinence refers to the kind of food one denies and life experiences, and celebrating sacred Rites. oneself, such as meat. During Lent, healthy Lent is the season of the church year during Catholics age 14 and older are required to abstain which our Candidates and Catechumens become from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and every the Elect of God through the Rite of Election. In Friday of the season. addition, three Scrutinies are celebrated. The Lenten season and rites allow the participants to discover what it means to die to their old life and rise at Easter to a renewed and deeper commitment to Jesus. The elect will celebrate the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist during the beautiful Mass. Please keep them in your prayers. If you are interested in this process, please call the Parish Office.- Maggie Building a

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MARCH 11, 2017 Undies Sundays 8:30 am - 1:00 pm Lenten Collection

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The Season of Lent Christian Men Speaker Series Sundays, March 5, 12, 19, 26, & April 5 with Mike Sweeney, former Major League Baseball All-Star Liturgy Thursday, March 9: 7:00pm Weekend Liturgy: Saturdays 5:00pm and Taize Prayer Sundays 8:00am, 10:30am & Tuesday, March 28: 7:00 - 8:00 pm 5:00pm (Youth Liturgy) Weekday Liturgy: Men’s Mass & Breakfast Monday through Friday: 8:00am with Mike Tully, CEO of AAA & Parishioner Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 5:30pm Saturday, March 25: 8:30 - 10:30am

Sacrament of Reconciliation of the Lord’s Passion Saturdays 3:30pm - 4:30pm April 9, 2017 The Sacrament of Reconciliation will not take place Please Wear Red on Saturday, April 15 Liturgy: Wednesdays, March 8, 15, 22, 29, & April 5: Saturday, April 8: 6:30 - 7:30pm 5:00pm - Church Sunday April 9: Penance Service 8:00am, 10:30am - Church & Fenlon Monday, April 10: 7:00pm 5:00pm Youth Liturgy - Church Habitat for Humanity Banks & Rice Bowl Return Weekend Prayer and Meditation Blessed Sacrament Chapel Holy Thursday Monday-Thursday: 8:30am - 8:00pm April 13, 2017 Friday & Saturday: 8:30am - 4:30pm 7:00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Eucharistic Exposition Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Wednesdays, 6:00 - 8:00pm April 14, 2017 12:00pm Family Stations of the Cross featuring ministers representing Stepping Stones, Daily Mass Chapel The EDGE & Singing Angels Fridays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, & April 7: 6:00pm 1:00 - 3:00pm Quiet Prayer and Meditation 7:00pm Good Friday Liturgy: St. Joseph the Worker Hike Passion, Veneration of the Cross & Eucharist for the Homeless 2017 McDowell Mountain Park. Saturday, March 4: 8:00am April 15, 2017 Registration & donation options: 7:00pm Easter Vigil www.hikeforthehomeless.org or Contact Cathy Olds at the parish office. Easter Sunday April 16, 2017 To Repent is to Relent Liturgy: 6:00am - Church with Fr. Bill Faiella, CSC 8:00am - Church & Fenlon Hospitality Center Thursday, March 9: 1:00 - 2:30pm 10:30am - Church & Fenlon Hospitality Center 12:30pm - Church WHEN WE WORSHIP

WEEKEND

Saturday: 5:00 pm Sunday: 8:00, 10:30 am & 5:00 pm (Youth Liturgy)

st. patrick WEEKDAY Catholic Community C HRISTIAN DISCIPLES IN MISSION Monday - Friday: 8:00 am Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 5:30 pm 10815 N. 84TH ST. SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260 PHONE: (480) 998-3843 FAX: (480) 998-5218 OUR WEBSITE PARISH OFFICE HOURS A vibrant new home for resources, information on the sacraments, articles, podcasts, videos and more. Monday - Thursday: 8:30 am - 8:00 pm Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm WWW.STPATCC.ORG Summer: Monday & Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm /STPATRICKSCOTTSDALE Tuesday - Thursday: 8:30 pm - 8:00 pm