St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church
A National Historic Landmark ~ Founded April 1869 Celebrating 150 Years of Tradition
1930 West 54th Street • Cleveland, Ohio 44102 Parish Office: 216-631-5633 Fax: 216-631-5634 Website: ststephencleveland.org Email: [email protected] Fifth Sunday of Lent ~ March 21, 2021
Parish Office Hours
Parish Staff
Church Secretary:
Bap sm The bap sm of infants and children under 1st Friday 6:30pm / 1st Saturday 9:30am the age of seven is celebrated monthly.
Call the Parish Office to Register.
Marriage Weddings should be arranged with the Pastor at least 6 months in advance.
This Week’s Church Services MASS SCHEDULE CELEBRANT SCHEDULE
We welcome all Parishioners and Visitors to Mass at St. Stephen. Saturday 5PM Sunday 8AM Sunday 11AM
The Confession schedule is as follows— March 20 & 21Fr. Benjamin Fr. Franz Fr. Caroli Saturday: 4:15—4:45 pm — Club Room (parking lot entrance) March 27 & 28 Fr. Caroli Fr. Franz Fr. Benjamin Sunday: before 9:30 am Mass—Room behind St. Joseph’s Altar All Sundays at 9:30am & 5:00pm & Holy Days: Rev. Bede Kotlinski
Please call the Parish Office if you wish to scheduled a private Confession. LITURGICAL MINISTRIES — March 20 & 21
______Saturday 5PM Sunday 8AM Sunday 11AM Saturday, March 20, 2021—Church Lector Fred Courtright Evelyn Trucks Jerry Nowesnick Vigil of the Fi h Sunday of Lent 5:00 PM † Anthony Chresos LITURGICAL MINISTRIES —March 27 & 28
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Sunday, March 21, 2021—Church Saturday 5PM Sunday 8AM Sunday 11AM Fi h Sunday of Lent Lector Evelyn Trucks Glenn Sneed 8:00 AM Janet Sherman—Health READINGS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 21 9:00 AM Pray the Holy Rosary; Confession (see above) 9:30 AM Tradi onal La n (Passion Sunday) — Tamara Bevelacqua Monday: Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 [41c-62]; 11:00 AM †† Chris Ann Blankenship, Dawn Tucker, Deceased Ps 23:1-6; Jn 8:1-11 Members of the Smith Family, Living & Deceased Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102:2-3, 16-21; Jn 8:21-30 Members of the Bewley Family Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Dn 3:52-56; Jn 8:31-42 5:00 PM Triden ne La n Mass - †† Patricia B. Flynn, Joseph E. Flynn Thursday: Is 7:10-14; 8:10; Ps 40:7-11; Heb 10:4-10;
______Lk 1:26-38 Monday, March 22, 2021—Rectory Chapel Friday: Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-7; Jn 10:31-42 Lenten Weekday Saturday: Ez 37:21-28; Jer 31:10, 11-13; Jn 11:45-56 6:30 PM Julio Castro
______Sunday: Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16 (procession);
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 Is 50:4-7; Ps 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Lenten Weekday Phil 2:6-11; Mk 14:1 — 15:47 [15:1-39]
6:45 AM Triden ne La n Mass (Feria of Passion de) (Church) SAINTS/OBSERVANCES — WEEK OF MARCH 21 † Fr. Timothy Buyansky, O.S.B. 6:30 PM (Rectory Chapel) Anonymous— Special Inten on Sunday: Fi h Sunday of Lent; Third Scru ny
______Tuesday: St. Turibius of Mogrovejo
Wednesday, March 24, 2021—Church Thursday: The Annuncia on of the Lord St. Gabriel Friday: Fast and Abs nence 6:30 PM Triden ne La n Mass — † Lt. Col. Ben Gratzer 7:00-8:00 PM Confession, Holy Hour, Benedic on
______PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING:
Thursday, March 25, 2021—Church Walter Allen Larry Haynes Elizabeth Niehaus Annuncia on of the Blessed Virgin Mary Luann Ashby Barb Helon Mark Reynolds 6:30 PM Triden ne La n Mass — Bob & Kathy Habjanic Willie Averyhart Catherine Henry Herb Rielinger ______Victoria Bailey Cecilia Hoefer Randy Rollins Friday, March 26, 2021—Church Tom Beercheck Agnes Hogan Alberta Scroll Lenten Weekday Burley Blankenship Michael James Bruce Schirhart 5:00 PM Anonymous—Special Inten on Lawrence Blasius Milan Kovatch Ken Schneider 5:30 PM Sta ons of the Cross Barbara Bradley Betsy Kraus Adriane Simovic
______Patricia Burfield Fred Krisch Glenn Sneed Saturday, March 27, 2021—Church Ann Caldwell Roger Lipfird Sharon Sneed Vigil of Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord Fr. Joseph Callahan Inis Lustri Ann Stromp 5:00 PM † Marilyn Rock Fran Corbin Ann Malone Isabel Guadiz Tobey
______Deacon Moisés Cruz Tracy Mar n Evelyn Trucks Sunday, March 28, 2021—Church Rebecca D’Andrea Jennifer Mar nc Tina Vehar Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord William Fry Maureen Masterson Noel Walters 8:00 AM Parishioners Wanda Eland Ben McDonald Karin Whyde 9:00 AM Pray the Holy Rosary; Confession (see above) Alberta Gall Steve McElroy Verona Family 9:15 AM Triden ne La n Mass — Deborah Hemphill Mike Gallo Patricia McGonegal John Young 11:00 AM †† Russell & Dawn Sutherland, † Bart Dekom Roger Gregory C. McQuaide Family Jim Zinkan 5:00 PM Triden ne La n Mass - Living & Deceased Members of Abbé Nicholas Johanni—pursuit of his priestly voca on the Johnson, Bewley & Barron Families Sister Rose-Marie (Rose Johanni) of the Passion of the Royal Contact the Parish Office at 216-631-5633 to schedule a Heart, Burning Furnace of Mercy.
Mass inten on. The customary s pend (offering) is $10.00. First Responders — Officer Chris Larson, and Lt. Timothy Maffo-Judd Fifth Sunday of Lent
REFLECTION TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION God revealed through the Prophet Jeremiah His plan to estab- Ask senior parishioners about this fi h Sunday, and they will lish a New Covenant of reconcilia on with His people. In the share memories of this Sunday years ago, when it was known as appropriate me God sent His only Son to be the Sacrificial Vic- “Passion Sunday.” In those days, the statues and crucifixes were m of the Redemp ve Plan. Jesus knew very well that the only draped in purple cloth, and a deeply somber atmosphere in- way to bring this Victory is through a voluntary sacrifice on the fused worship. The structure is different today for good reason. The stunning changes in the appearance of the church building cross. By His Holy Death, human slavery to sin is put to an end drew a en on away from the twofold work of Lent: reconcilia- and Glorious Life is revealed. He illustrated this fact by saying on and preparing for ini a on. Today, this Sunday is given to “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains reflec on on the necessity to commit, like Jesus, to the Father’s just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” The will. Wherever elect are present today, the “A” reading reveals sacrifice of Jesus opened the Door of Grace for us to be in union Jesus’ compassion in the face of human suffering, and his desire with God for ever. We are called to live according to the spirit to call us from the tombs of sin, isola on, and even death itself. of the NEW and ETERNAL COVENANT which Christ sealed by His As Lent draws to a close over the next ten days, and before the Precious Blood. By the virtue of our bap sm, we are called to beginning of the Easter Triduum on Holy Thursday, we enter an serve Jesus and be ready to par cipate in sacrificial services ideal me for celebra ng the sacrament of reconcilia on. — that benefit the sick, the hungry, the homeless, the refugees, James Field, Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co. etc. both near and far. Remember the words of Jesus, “The PASSION SUNDAY, OR SUNDAY IN MEDIANA Father will honor whoever serves me.” In wisdom, choose to The liturgical cycle of the Passion begins with the Mass at the serve the one who Died for us on the Cross. Va can, where Nero crucified the first Vicar of Christ and where ~ Fr. Benjamin Koka Symmachus had built an oratory named Sancta Hierusalem, as the Sessorian Basilica was originally called, in honor of the tri- umphant Standard of Redemp on. Pro-Life Corner The Mass of this Sunday is en rely dominated by the memory Wisdom of the Ages… Tertullian, a Chris an writer who died of the Sacrifice on Golgotha, and is one of the most beau ful in the third century, wrote the following: ‘Thus, you read the and pathe c in the whole Roman An phonary. During the fort- word of God, spoken to Jeremias: "Before I formed thee in the night, the early Orclines Romani forbid the final doxology. In womb, I knew thee." If God forms us in the womb, He also today's Mass the Judica me is sung at the Introit, and is there- breathes on us as He did in the beginning: "And God formed fore omi ed previous to the Confession before the priest goes man and breathed into him the breath of life." Nor could God up to the altar. have known man in the womb unless he were a whole man. "And before thou camest forth from the womb, I sanc fied The communion verse (1 Cor. 11 24-25) expresses the union of thee." Was it, then, a dead body at that stage? Surely it was the daily sacrifice with the Passion of our Lord. The liturgical not, for "God is the God of the living and not the dead."’ celebra on of the Passion begins today; the words of St. Paul - De Anima 26.5 ~ Priestsforlife.org (as adapted by the Church) emphasize the commemora on of the sufferings and death of Christ in every recep on of Holy St. Turibius of Mogrovejo (1538-1606)
Communion. The whole Chris an life (as St. Ambrose remarked) “Time is not our own and we must give is linked through its sufferings, austeri es, self-denials and sac- a strict account of it”. He traversed his rifices, with the one only sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The whole en re archdiocese three mes on foot and work of salva on is the con nua on and comple on of the alone; exposed to tempests and torrents mystery of our Saviour's death and resurrec on. His sacrifice as well as the wild beasts and tropical heat. sanc fies and consecrates all our sacrifices and makes of them He also had to deal with fevers and o en one offering before God. ~ The New Roman Missal, Fr. F. X. threats from hos le tribes. He countered Lasance and Rev. Francis Augus ne Walsh, O.S.B. these all the while bap zing and confirming almost one half million people which included the future Saint Rose and Saint PIEROGI FUNDRAISER Mar n de Porres and also Saint Francis Solano (who later be- came a close friend) and Blessed Juan Masías. A big “Thank You” to everyone who ordered from h ps://anastpaul.com/2018/03/23/saint-of-the-day-23-march- our Pierogi Fundraiser. This is a reminder that you st-turibius-of-mogrovejo-1538-1606/ can pick up your order between 4pm and 7pm at the St. Stephen Rectory, 1930 W. 54th Street. We will be MARCH 14th — 21st OFFERTORY COLLECTIONS ge ng back to you with the final sales figures when they are available. Contribu ons/dona ons received from the mail, and the March 14th through March 21st Offertory Collec ons will be reflected in next week’s bulle n. MEETINGS/ACTIVITIES WEEK OF MARCH 21, 2021
Thank you all for your generosity! All Meetings and Activities—Cancelled The Season of Lent
LENT* AND EASTER SCHEDULE *GUIDE ON ABSTINENCE
Abs nence: March 26 5:00 PM English Mass 5:30 PM Sta ons of the Cross Begins on one’s 14th birthday. Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent. March 28 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord Abstain from meat. 8:00 AM English Mass No Confessions Excused from fast and abs nence outside the age limits 9:15 AM Procession + Triden ne La n Mass include the physically or mentally ill including individuals 11:00 AM English Mass suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes. Also 5:00 PM Triden ne La n Mass excluded are pregnant or nursing women.
March 31 Wednesday in Holy Week *GUIDE ON FASTING 6:30 PM Triden ne La n Mass Days of Fast: Tenebrae to follow Applies to everyone aged 18 to 59, inclusive. April 1 Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 7:00 PM English Mass One full meal permi ed and two other meals may be April 2 Good Friday taken which, when combined, are less than a full meal.
2:15 PM Sta ons of the Cross If possible, the fast on Good Friday is con nued un l the 3:00 PM Passion of our Lord Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the "paschal fast"
April 3 Easter Vigil to honor the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus, and 8:30 PM English Mass to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrec on. April 4 Easter Sunday Cancelled 8:00 AM English Mass Solemnity—March 19th—Saint Joseph, Spouse of the No Confessions Blessed Virgin Mary 9:30 AM Triden ne La n Mass 11:00 AM English Mass ANNUNCATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY—March 25th — This Feast, which is now kept, not only through- Exercise of the Way of the Cross out the whole of Spain, but in almost all the (Viae Crucis exerci um) Churches of the Catholic world, owes its A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful, who make the origin to the Bishops of the tenth Council of pious exercise of the Way of the Cross. The gaining of the Toledo, in 656. These Prelates having plenary indulgence is regulated by the following norms: thought that there was an incongruity in the 1) The pious exercise must be made before sta ons of the Way ancient prac ce of celebra ng the feast of the Annuncia on on of the Cross legi mately erected. the twenty-fi h of March, inasmuch as this joy solemnity fre- quently occurs at the me when the Church is intent upon the 2) For the erec on of the Way of the Cross fourteen crosses Passion of our Lord, and is some mes obliged to be transferred are required, to which it is customary to add fourteen pictures into Easter Time, with which it is out of harmony for another or images, which represent the sta ons of Jerusalem. reason—they decreed that, henceforth, in the Church of Spain 3) According to the more common prac ce, the pious exercise there should be kept, eight days before Christ, a solemn Feast consists of fourteen pious readings, to which some vocal pray- with an Octave, in honor of the Annuncia on, and as a prepara- ers are added. on for the great solemnity of our Lord’s Na vity. In course of 4) A movement from one sta on to the next is required. But if me, however, the Church of Spain saw the necessity of return- the pious exercise is made publicly and if it is not possible for all ing to the prac ce of the Church of Rome, and of those of the taking part to go in an orderly way from sta on to sta on, it whole world, which solemnize the twenty-fi h of March as the suffices if at least the one conduc ng the exercise goes from day of our Lady’s Annuncia on and the Incarna on of the Son sta on to sta on, the others remaining in their place. of God. But such had been, for ages, the devo on of the people Those who are "impeded" can gain the same indulgence, if they for the Feast of the eighteenth of December, that it was consid- spend at least one half an hour in pious reading and medita on ered requisite to maintain some ves ge of it. They discon n- on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ. ued, therefore, to celebrate the Annuncia on on this day; but the faithful were requested to consider, with devo on, what Four condi ons required: (1) sacramental confession, (2) recep- must have been the sen ments of the Holy Mother of God on of Holy Communion, (3) prayer for the inten ons of the during the days immediately preceding her giving him birth. A Holy Father, and (4) complete detachment from all sin, even new Feast was ins tuted, under the name of the Expecta on of venial sin. the Blessed Virgin’s Delivery. The Liturgical Year by Prosper Guéranger The Image of Divine Mercy
In 1931, our Lord appeared to St. Faus na in a vision. She saw Jesus clothed in a white garment with His right hand raised in blessing. His le hand was touching His garment in the area of the Heart, from where two large rays came forth, one red and the other pale. She gazed intently at the Lord in silence, her soul filled with awe, but also with great joy. Jesus said to her:
Paint an image according to the pa ern you see with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies al- ready here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory (Diary, 47, 48). I am offering people a vessel with which they are to keep coming for graces to the fountain of mer- cy. That vessel is this image with the signature: “Jesus, I trust in You” (327). I desire that this image be venerated first in your chapel, and [then] through- out the world (47).
At the request of her spiritual director, St. Faus na asked the Lord about the meaning of the rays in the Image. She heard these words in reply:
The two rays denote Blood and Water. The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous. The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. … Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him (299). By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works (742).
These words indicate that the Image represents the graces of Divine Mercy poured out upon the world, especially through Bap sm and the Eucharist.
Many different versions of this image have been painted, but our Lord made it clear that the pain ng itself is not what is important.
When St. Faus na first saw the original image that was being painted under her direc on, she wept in disappointment and complained to Jesus: “Who will paint You as beau ful as You are?” (313).
In answer she heard these words:
Not in the beauty of the color, nor of the brush lies the greatness of this image, but in My grace (313).
So, no ma er which version of the image we prefer, we can be assured that it is a vehicle of God’s grace if it is revered with trust in His mercy.