A Time of Grace for Our Parish

Dear Parishioners,

As you know, our parish is under the patronage of St. Joseph.  The church calendar honors him on two different dates:  March 19 (St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary) and May 1 (St. Joseph the Worker).

This year, to celebrate our patronal feast day we will include a celebration of 40 Hours Eucharistic Devotion from March 18 to March 20.  I will be the celebrant for the 5:30 PM Mass on Sunday, March 18, after which we will begin solemn Eucharistic Adoration.

I truly believe that when we take the time to be with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, it is a time of tremendous blessing not only for us as individuals but also for our families and for our parish family.  I do not ever want us to take for granted the great gift of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.  Time spent with Him is a grace-filled time.  We can express our love and adoration for Jesus, thankfulness for our blessings, and contrition for sin (our own and the sins of others).  We can also intercede for one another and petition the Lord for our various needs.  It is precious time to spend with the One Who loves us beyond our imagining and Whom we should love above and beyond everything else!

On Monday, March 19--the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary--there will be three Masses:  8:30 AM (regular morning Mass), 10 AM (school Mass with a renewal of the Sisters’ vows) and 7:30 PM (part of the 40 Hours celebration).

On Tuesday, March 20 there will be two Masses:  8:30 AM (regular morning Mass) and 7:30 PM (closing Mass for 40 Hours with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament).

What I am requesting from you, my parishioners, is that you dedicate one hour sometime during these three days to spend with the Lord in adoration.  (This should ideally be in addition to any time attending Mass.)  I intend to continue this devotion both nights—around the clock—but I need your help and cooperation in order to do this.  Could you please think about taking an hour to pray?  Why not encourage members of your family to pray as a family for an hour?  Perhaps a group or organization within the parish can make a holy hour together (choir, Knights of Columbus, pastoral council, extraordinary ministers of the Holy Eucharist, etc.).  I especially need a few insomniacs or night owls to cover the late hours!

Sign-up sheets will be available at the doors of the church so that we can be sure that there is always someone keeping watch with our Lord.

Please assist me in making this a special time for our parish as we adore our Eucharistic Lord.


Could you not keep watch for one hour? (Mk. 14:37b) 


The choice is always yours.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

St. Joseph