ST. PATRICK 4 Valley View, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 • 712-323-1484 www.stpatrickcb.org

April 11, 2021 2nd Divine Sunday/2nd Week of Rev. James Ahenkora Pastor

Rev. Mr. Charles Hannan Deacon Rev. Mr. James Mason Deacon Rev. Mr. Emmet Tinley Deacon Rev. Mr. John Pfenning Deacon

Mass Schedule Saturday: 5 PM Sunday: 7:30, 9 & 11 AM Tuesday - Friday: 8 AM Tuesday & Thursday: 6 PM Monday Eucharistic Service: 8 AM

Reconciliation St. Patrick Mission Statement Tuesday & Thursday We, the people of St. Patrick Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa, a 5 - 5:45 PM Community of Catholic believers, accept our mission of proclaiming Saturday and living the Gospel of Christ. We seek to deepen our 3:30 – 4:30 PM relationship with and one another through individual and Or by appointment. Call the communal prayer, celebration of the , reflective study of Parish Office to arrange a time. scripture, education, and social activities. While responding to the needs of our own community, we reach out in union with other to create a world of justice and love. FR. JAMES WEEKLY REFLECTION Upcoming Events My dear family of God, This is the second Sunday of Easter, traditionally known as the Monday, April 12, 2021 Sunday. Holy Mother Church calls on us to reflect on the unfathomable and 8 AM Eucharistic Service inexhaustible mercy of God. The word "mercy" in contemporary English has a 7 - 8:30 PM Into the Breach very restricted meaning. It is usually used to refer to an act of pardon. In

Catholic theology, however, mercy means more than pardon or the Tuesday, April 13, 2021 cancellation of punishment. Dr. Robert Stackpole in his book, "Divine Mercy: A 8 AM for Conversion of guide from Genesis to Benedict XVI," says mercy is God's love reaching to meet Souls the needs and overcome the miseries of His creatures. I share with you an 5-5:45 PM Reconciliation excerpt from Dr. Robert Stackpole's book. 6 PM Mass for the Frascht Family In the Old Testament, there are two principal words that we usually translate as mercy. First of all, there is the word hesed, which means "steadfast love, Wednesday, April 14, 2021 love." Someone who has the attribute of hesed is someone you can always count on, 8 AM Mass for Robert Fischer someone who never lets you down. When in the Old Testament the word hesed is used 9 AM - 12 noon Craft Ladies of the Lord, this always occurs in connection with the covenant that God established with Israel. This covenant was, on God's part, a gift and a grace for Israel.

The second most common word for God's mercy in the Old Testament is the Hebrew Thursday, April 15, 2021 word rachamim: which means tender, compassionate love, a love that springs from 8 AM Mass for Connie Hellers pity. Someone who has rahamim is someone who feels for your plight and is moved 5-5:45 PM Reconciliation with to help you. Rachamim is often used in conjunction with hesed. It 6 PM Mass for Rita Jones comes from a root word rechem, which means a mother's womb. Thus, there is a special intimacy and responsiveness about this kind of love, and a special concern for Friday, April 16, 2021 the sufferings of others. And so when these Hebrew words hesed and rachamim are 8 AM Mass for Vic & Helen applied to God we mean He is steadfast, dependable, righteous, true to Himself and to Rupiper His promises. He is tender, responsive and compassionate like a mother responding in 8:30 - 9:30 AM Legion of Mary love to the sufferings of her children. In the New Testament, the Greek word that is usually translated as "mercy" is the 8: 30 AM - 3 PM Adoration word eleos. It can also be translated as loving kindness or tender compassion. The 3 PM Divine Mercy Chaplet Greek word comes from a root word meaning oil that is poured out. Thus, when the Church sings in her liturgy the Greek words Kyrie Eleison and Christie Eleison, she is Saturday, April 17, 2021 praying that the merciful love of God will be poured out upon her children, like holy oil 3:30 - 4:30 PM Reconciliation from above. According to the Fathers of the Church, the Church herself was born from 5 PM Vigil Mass for Quintin the wounded side of Christ, when out of His heart there poured out blood and water, Brownfield symbolic of all the graces of the two chief , and the Eucharist (Jn 19:34). In short, eleos is God's merciful love poured out upon His people.

Sunday, April 18, 2021 In the Latin tradition, the principal word for mercy is misericordia, which 7:30 AM – Mass for means, literally "miserable heart." Father George Kosicki, CSB, the great Divine Brisso Mercy evangelist, once summed up the meaning of this Latin word as follows: 9 AM – Mass for St. Patrick misericordia means "having a pain in your heart for the pains of others, and Parish taking pains to do something about their pain." The most comprehensive 11 AM – Mass for Steve statement by the on the meaning of Divine Mercy can be found in Whitehouse St. Pope John Paul II's encyclical letter (Rich in Mercy, You will be able to purchase 1981). In that encyclical, the Holy Father made two very important statements items from the Holy Land at all about mercy. First, he wrote, "Mercy is love's second name." Secondly, he the Masses this weekend, April th th taught that mercy is "the greatest attribute of God." So on this Divine Mercy 17 /18 . Sunday we are reminded of God's steadfast love and His divine Mercy which is unfathomable and inexhaustible. On this Sunday and always, Sr. Faustina reminds us of the ABC of the Divine Mercy as follows: A - Ask for God's divine mercy B - Be merciful like our heavenly Father C - Completely trust in Jesus. Do have a grace-filled week. Shalom!

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Readings for the Week New and Notable… Monday: Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8 Tuesday: Acts 4:32-37; John • ARS WOMEN'S RETREAT 3:7b-15 The Altar and Society is hosting a women's retreat on April 17, 2021 Wednesday: Acts 5:17-26; John beginning at 9 AM in the St. Patrick Social Hall. All Council Bluffs Women are 3:16-21 welcome. Bring your friends and families. We'll start with an individual Thursday: Acts 5:27-33; John breakfast box and then Chris McGruder from Des Moines will begin with a 3:31-36 talk, the five minute short film, The Veil Removed, followed by Mass and final Friday: Acts 5:34-42; John 6:1-15 thoughts. The retreat will end at noon. The film is powerful and is changing Saturday: Acts 6:1-7; John 6:16- lives. Will it change yours? Please RSVP to Bridget Trager, 21 [email protected] by April 10 for a breakfast count. Sunday: Acts 4:8-12; 1John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18 • "OUR LADY TEAR OF JOY" We will host "Our Lady Tear of Joy" a presentation by Arrow Osborne here on Friday, April 16. We will pray the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 5 PM followed by the presentation at 5:30 PM See the flyer in today's bulletin.

Ministry Schedule • FROM THE DIOCESE OF DES MOINES "The Diocese has made some adjustments in its COVID-19 mitigation policies. April 17/18 The social distancing policy in churches was adjusted April 1 to allow every Saturday 5 PM pew to be used. Households are still asked to observe social distancing Sacristan - Dick Janousek between other households within each pew, and when possible between Lector - Beth Hempel pews. Additionally, baptismal fonts and holy water fonts may be refilled after EMCHs - Cindy & Tracy Joneson the Easter Vigil, and scholas of four-five singers at a safe distance from the congregation are now permitted. Masks, though, will continue to be Sunday 7:30 AM required on church property." To read the entirety of Bishop Joensen's Sacristan - Dennis Shea Lector - Teresa Chamley letter regarding the new COVID-19 standards, go to the front page of the EMCHs -Steve Chamley & JoAnn Diocese website: dmdiocese.org. Rasmussen

Sunday 9 AM Parish Stewardship/Tithing week ending April 4, 2021 Sacristan - Rita Hughes Current Year Current Year Last Year Lector -Dan Koch EMCHs - Vicky Blum & John Schlautman Date Actual Budget Variance Actual YTD (3-31-2021) 599,772 592,300 7,472 569,568 Sunday 11 AM 3-7-21 14,092 12,700 1,392 Sacristan - Tim Cortney 3-14-21 21,239 12,700 8,539 Lector - Mike Reilly EMCHs - Andrea Bahsore & Tim Cortney 3-21-21 16,450 12,700 3,750 3-28-21 11,547 12,700 (1,153) SERVERS 4-4-21 18,129 15,650 2,479 Until further notice we will not

Other Donations Received schedule Servers Building Maint: $230.00 Needy Fund: $113.00 GIFT BEARERS Until further notice we will not St. Patrick statue: $50.00 schedule Gift Bearers Gifts paid Pledges Goal Variance GREETERS 2021 ADA 36,804 7,481 76,001 (31,716) Saturday 5pm 2020 ADA 66,544 59,739 6,805 Sunday 7:30 Capital Campaign: Payments received this week: $2,931.00 Sunday 9:00 Pledges outstanding: $267,203 Loan Balance: $3,161,359 Sunday 11:00 Number of registered families: 1,035

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Office Contacts Sacramental & RE Announcements • 4TH SUNDAY FOR ALL 4th Sundays, traditionally created for high school students, has been 712-323-1484 expanded this year to include all ages and households. There will be one [email protected] session each month, on the fourth Sunday of the month. This Month - Sunday, April 25: Care for the Environment, preparing our Office Hours parish grounds for Spring at various times throughout the day. There will Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 3 PM be a Sign-Up Genius on the website soon!

Pastor • NCYC Fr. James Ahenkora There will be an NCYC in Indianapolis in November. Although it seems 712-323-1484 very early to commit to this convention, the Diocese of Des Moines is [email protected] asking parishes to begin recruiting. The Diocese will buy the first batch of tickets, at the lowest price, on April 15. If you are interested in attending Deacons as a leader, student, or parent please contact Linda Pfenning at Rev. Mr. Charles Hannan [email protected]. There will be further information 712-323-6923 about the convention after Masses on Sunday, April 18.

Rev. Mr. James Mason 402-639-6965 • GRADE SCHOOL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SCHEDULE Rev. Mr. Emmet Tinley On Wednesday April 14, the third and fourth graders will meet in the Church. 712-323-4855 Rev. Mr. John Pfenning • CONFIRMATION 712-322-2887 [email protected] Freshman Confirmation The freshman Confirmation Students will meet on Wednesday, April 14 in Parish Manager the Social Hall. We will begin at 6:30. Please bring your completed rosary if Darin Hecker you have not already turned one in.

712-310-3138 Sophomore Confirmation [email protected] The sophomore Confirmation Students will have a retreat on Sunday, April

18 from 12:00 noon until 3:00 pm. Students will have special seating at the Director of Formation 11:00 Mass and brunch together in the Social Hall at noon. To RSVP for this Jill Faust retreat, please see the link on the front page of the parish website. 712-323-1484 [email protected] • PRE-BAPTISM SESSION Sessions are held on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 PM in the Coordinator of High School Faith church. The next session will be Tuesday, April 20. If you have a child Formation & Confirmation that needs to be baptized, please call the Parish Office, 712-323-1484 to Linda Pfenning sign up. A session is required for parents and Godparents. The Baptism 712-323-1484 session must be completed before a baptism date is scheduled. [email protected] •RCIA Parish Secretary Please welcome Elizabeth Roane, Elizabeth Hytrek and Terynes Kleffman Beth Wilson who came into full communion with the Catholic Church this Easter. 712-323-1484 [email protected] • LOOKING FOR UNUSED "DECISION POINT" BOOKS The Religious Education team is looking for unused copies of the Hall Rental workbook, "Decision Point" by Matthew Kelly. If you have a that you no 712-323-1484 longer want, please donate it to the parish RE program. Contact Linda Pfenning, Confirmation Director, at [email protected].

For more information on Faith Formation at St. Patrick contact Jill Faust or Linda Pfenning or visit our Faith Formation Website at https://sites.google.com/view/stpatsfaithformation/home.

4 stpatrickcb.org 712-323-1484 Ministry Contacts Ministry & Organizational Activities

• KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Music Ministry The Knights monthly meeting is held on the first Thursday of the month Lyn Stuntz after the 6 PM Mass. 402-578-6081

• ALTAR & ROSARY SOCIETY Marriage Prep Women's Retreat April 17 - See page 3! George & Kris Smith The Altar & Rosary Society meets the third Thursday of each month. 402-650-6471 The Altar & Rosary Society Governing Board is seeking nominations for

members to serve on the 2021-2022 governing board. The governing board Bereavement Ministry oversees the programming and business portion of the ARS. A term on the board lasts one year. If you would like to nominate yourself or another Vickie Rule person please email Bridget Trager at [email protected]. 712-325-0772

• INTO THE BREACH Prayer Chain All Catholic men are invited to a City-Wide meeting series called "Into the Prayer requests may be submitted Breach." This program for all Catholic men 18 years or older follows a book via the Parish Office or website. of the same name. Join us in discussion of the Apostolic Exhortation sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Our third session will be Monday, Hospital & Care Center Chaplain April 12, 7 - 8:30 PM. For more information contact Dennis Shea at 402- 250-1678 or [email protected]. Reiver Catholic Jack DeLong – Club Advisor • LEGION OF MARY [email protected] The Legion of Mary meets every Friday morning after the 8 AM Mass. The Audriauna DeLong – Student Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic association of Catholics who, with the Leader sanction of the Church, and under powerful leadership of Mary [email protected] Immaculate, Mediatrix of All Graces, serve the Church on a voluntary basis

in about 170 Countries.

• JOY ON THE JOURNEY Organization Contacts Joy on the Journey is a support and social activity for those who are widowed, divorced, or separated. It is a social coffee time which includes Knights of Columbus fun, prayer and connection. We meet the Second Tuesday of the month Larry Andress – 712-355-0441 after the 8 AM morning Mass, around 8:30 AM. Please feel free to join us. No reservation necessary. (We will practice social distancing and wear Altar & Rosary Society masks.) Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 13. Bridget Trager – 712-328-9603

Legion of Mary • REIVER CATHOLIC - change of schedule Cathy Eastwood - 402-598-0172

Attention high school graduates! Welcome back! The Reiver Catholic Club Joy on the Journey will be meeting at St. Patrick Church for prayer, fellowship, and discussion about the Saints. Check us out on FaceBook for day/time of our meetings. Mary Bartlett - 712-269-1501 For questions, signup, and/or suggestions please contact Audriauna DeLong Dick Janousek - 712-256-0631 or Jack DeLong. See our Facebook page for more information: Vickie Rule - 712-325-0772 @ReiverCatholic Women’s Book Club • WORLD DAY OF PRAYER Jeanette Kenny World Day of Prayer for Vocations is April 25. This day of prayer, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, offers us the opportunity to publicly Mission of 72 fulfill the Lord’s instruction to “Pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send Margie Graeve – 712-309-1119 laborers into His harvest” (Matthew: 9:38; Luke 10:2). Please pray that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord’s call Parish Nurse to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, societies of apostolic life and Margie Graeve – 712-309-1119 secular institutes. Elaine Fenner – 712-328-2481

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STEWARDSHIP • KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS FUNDRAISER ATTENTION : help the Knights of Columbus fundraiser at no additional cost to you. Simply join us for dinner at McAlister’s Deli on, Tuesday, April 13 from 5 - 9 PM. When ordering, be sure to tell them you wish to support St. Patrick’s Knights of Columbus. There is no cost to you, but McAlister’s will donate a portion of your bill to the Knights. WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP!

• PROJECT UPDATE The Knights of Columbus Project Hope which ran during January and February for Coats for Kids was a huge success thanks to the generosity of our parishioners. Over $805 was collected during these two months for this Project and it will go toward the purchase of coats for many children in need. For the months of March and April, Project Hope will consist of donations to the New Visions Homeless Services. New Visions Homeless Services include Mohm’s Place, David House, Joshua House and Timothy House and they provide much needed help for those who are experiencing homelessness and hunger in our community. Their wish list is: men’s white tube socks, underwear and t-shirts, women’s undergarments, styrofoam plates, cups, napkins, paper towels, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves for men, women and children, coats, sweatshirts, sweat pants for men, women and children, white towels and wash cloths, personal hygiene products such as deodorant, razors, shampoo, shaving cream, shampoo, laundry soap and bleach, tin foil and saran wrap, trash can liners, pillows, sheets, blankets and sleeping bags, gift cards to Walmart or Sam’s Club, gasoline cards and bus passes, coffee, creamer and sugar. The Knights of Columbus would like to thank you in advance for your kind generosity and the support you have given to help those in need through Project Hope.

YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH, December 8, 2020 - December 8, 2021 To celebrate the Year of St. Joseph, each week in the St. Patrick bulletin, we will feature inform- ation about St. Joseph and give you ideas on how to celebrate him on his Feast Day, March 19, as well as all year long. St. Joseph: A Man to Emulate by Fr. Don Miller, OFM, Franciscan Media 'A Just Man,' con't. Joseph’s role as a foster father, as we can imagine, was not easy, either. His worry and anxiety over the child’s birthplace, and then, the threat on his life, must have weighed heavily on Joseph’s heart. And missing the child when he stayed behind in Jerusalem at the age of 12 caused both Mary and Joseph to worry. But, evidently, he settled in Nazareth and worked at his carpentry trade, and was able to supply his family with a decent home and living. As Jesus grew old enough to know the love that Joseph and Mary had for each other and for him, and to appreciate what his dad had taught him about life and carpentry, we can just imagine how close was the bond between them. It must have been a hard and sad day when Mary and Jesus had to face the death of their beloved husband and father. We don’t know exactly when Joseph died, but we presume it was before Jesus began his public life. But because Jesus was also a carpenter, we can imagine Joseph teaching him the tricks of the trade. Nestled in Nazareth and serving his community, St. Joseph must have had some happy days working alongside his foster son, moving about the village, and enjoying Mary’s cooking. 'A Model for Many' Is it any wonder that the Church had declared Joseph the patron saint of those who work with their hands, of travelers, of husbands, and of a happy death? And just as Jesus gave us his mother to be our mother as he hung dying on the cross, so the Church has declared Joseph the patron saint of the universal Church to watch over it and guide it as he did the Christ child so many centuries ago.

For more of this article by Fr. Miller, go to https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/st-joseph-a-

man-to-emulate

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AROUND THE COMMUNITY • SAINT ALBERT SCHOOLS Saint Albert Catholic is enrolling students now for the 2021-2022 school year. Our students experience a robust curriculum all designed to challenge students and provide an exceptional learning environment. We off the best value in education and we provide tuition assistance to help you afford it. Expect more. Explore Catholic education at Saint Albert. Schedule your visit today at [email protected].

• FR. JAMES' TUESDAY NIGHT STUDY To join Father James in his Tuesday night Bible Study contact the Faith Formation Office at [email protected]. We will send you the one time log on information.

• Sunday, April 11, 2021 is Divine Mercy Sunday. As in the past years, we will have a time set aside for Adoration, praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Reconciliation. This will take place at Corpus Christi Parish (3304 Fourth Ave) from 2 - 4 PM on Sunday, April 11. We will start with Adoration at 2 PM with Reconciliation being available from 2 - 4 PM; the Rosary will be prayed at 2:30 PM and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be prayed at 3 PM. You do not have to be present for the whole two hours, you may come whenever you wish and can leave whenever you wish. Divine Mercy Sunday Q&A

Q: What is the meaning of Divine Mercy Sunday? A: Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter, which is the last day of the Easter Octave. In 2021, the feast is on April 11. During the course of Jesus’ to Saint Faustina on the Divine Mercy He asked on numerous occasions that a feast day be dedicated to the Divine Mercy and that this feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. The liturgical texts of that day, the 2nd Sunday of Easter, concern the institution of the of Penance, the Tribunal of the Divine Mercy, and are thus already suited to the request of Our Lord. This Feast was granted to the Universal Church by Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the canonization of Sr. Faustina on 30 April 2000.

Q: When should the Divine Mercy be prayed? A: Just as the Image can serve as a reminder of the “ocean of Divine Mercy,” as well as its price, so can the daily remembrance of the Divine Mercy at the hour of Christ’s death.Jesus asked Saint Faustina, and through her us, to celebrate the Hour of Great Mercy, promising tremendous graces for those who do so. "At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy ... In this hour I Do you like the look of the new color ads in the bulletin? will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Would you like to promote your business while Me in virtue of My Passion." (Diary, 1320) supporting St. Patrick? SolutioSoftware, is offering a great deal. If you purchase any level of sponsorship on Q: Can the Divine Mercy prayer be said at any time? the website, you will receive a 1/2 price, colored ad in A: While 3:00 p.m. is the best time to pray the Divine the bulletin! If you are interested, call SolutionSoftware Mercy Chaplet, the faithful can say this prayer any time of day and on any day of the week. at (712) 201-8989 or email them at [email protected].

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