Saint Pius X Catholic Parish, dedicated to renewing all things in Christ, is committed to evangelization through prayer, service, sacrificial giving, faith formation, and community.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The Eighth Station of the Cross: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

We adore you O Christ, and we praise you.
Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

a reflection by Robby Kiley, Director of Religious Education
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?”
~Luke 23:27-31

When I see crises reported on the news, I often find it easy to have empathy for those who are suffering. We see images in the news of devastation caused by natural disasters or war, and our hearts go out to those who are impacted. This sort of empathy is good, but it is also easy – I am not with these people on a daily basis, I’m not personally impacted by this hardship, and I can move on to the next item of interest whenever I’d like. I’ve found myself having a different reaction in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is not a crisis far away from me. I have to deal with fears of scarcity, disease, and disruptions in my everyday life. I’ve found my ability to have empathy for others shrinking, as I turn my attention to my needs, my family, and my small community.

In times like today, I’m grateful for the people who help me to focus on the needs of those around me. These people help me to contextualize my own sufferings in reference to the greater needs of the world, especially the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Last week, I was on a conference call with a group serving the needs of adults with disabilities. I was leading the call, and my biggest concern ahead of the meeting was figuring out where to start – and lamenting the difficulty of doing anything right now with all of the uncertainty swirling around us. It was only when one of our board members asked about the direct needs of the people we serve that I was jogged out of my self-centered haze. Rather than being consumed with my own fears and frustrations, I was challenged to see the immediate needs of the vulnerable person in front of me!
In the eighth Station of the Cross, Jesus is a model for us. Were I in Jesus’ place, I might be tempted to join the women of Jerusalem in their weeping. I’ve thrown enough pity parties to know how cathartic they can feel at times – why not join the women, and allow them to comfort me in my hour of distress? But Jesus instead focuses outward, attending to the needs of the women and their community instead of his own. This can be a challenge for us in the time of COVID-19. Especially as we are socially isolated, it can be easy to focus only on our own problems. We are removed from other people, and our vision shrinks to consider only our own situation.

The challenge for us in this fifth week of Lent, is to consider how we might move beyond our own grief to see the needs of others. Is there a lonely relative that needs a phone call and reassurance? Have I asked about the needs of the poor in my community and explored ways to help? Have we found time to stop and pray for the needs of the world? As we follow Jesus on his journey to the cross, may his passion help us move from self-absorption to true empathy for those most in need .
Though we cannot be together for Friday night stations at Saint Pius X this year, we invite you to embrace this touching prayer with your family by following along with the video below, narrated by Fr. Bill Schooler. God bless all, until we meet again.
PRAY WITH POPE FRANCIS
1:00 P.M. eastern time today!

Pope Francis is offering a special "Urbi et Orbi" blessing (to the city [Rome] and to the world) which is normally reserved for only Christmas and Easter.

Pope Francis will preside over a moment of prayer on the sagrato of St Peter’s Basilica, the platform at the top of the steps immediately in front of the façade of the Church. “I invite everyone to participate spiritually through the means of communication”, he said.

The ceremony will consist of readings from scripture, prayers of supplication, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; and will conclude with Pope Francis giving the "Urbi et Orbi" Blessing, with the possibility of gaining a plenary indulgence for all those who listen to it live.

Follow THIS LINK to learn more about how to pray with Pope Francis today.
MASS
We've added options for all to "attend" Mass as we stream online and now have a television option on Sunday. Please share the information with those who may not use technology, so all can watch and stay connected to Saint Pius X.

Live broadcasts of Mass at Saint Pius X:
Monday-Saturday,  8:45 a.m.
Saturday , 5:00 p.m.
Sunday , 10:00 a.m.
View on the parish website  HERE   or the parish Facebook page  HERE .

Sunday , 12:00 p.m. (pre-recorded Mass at Saint Pius X)
Broadcast on local TV WMYS, My Michiana
antenna TV channel 69.1
Comcast/Xfinity channels 15, 194 HD, or 1034 HD
AT&T U-verse channel 69
Dish Network channel 16)
DID YOU KNOW?
THE ROSARY
We pray the Rosary every day of the week on the parish Facebook page , at 3:00 p.m. Guess where priests and seminarians are praying each day, while joining a community of almost 200 strong who pray every day while we are in this time of isolation.


COMING MONDAY, MARCH 30!
We will pray the Angelus, Monday through Friday at noon. Learn more about the seminarians who are "home" during the pandemic and pray this beautiful prayer with them each day on the Facebook page .

CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY

A perfect way to pray mid-week. Seminarian Sam Martinez and Director of Youth Ministry, Brittany Tull, share an opportunity to sing and pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

Join them every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., on the parish Facebook page
AND OTHER NOTES

Resources on the Website
Visit StPius.net/AtHome to access a vast library of resources including recommended books, videos, news articles, and more for adults, families, kids, and teens.

Facebook Live Events
(Reminder: A Facebook account is NOT needed to join us on Facebook.) Whether it's a regularly scheduled event or a special feature, anyone can access our events by accessing our Facebook page (@StPiusGranger) or on the internet with this link:


Submission Request
We want to know what you are doing at home to "keep the faith"; how you are celebrating Mass, new prayer rituals, etc.

Send your photos, videos, or whatever you like so we can re-share with the parish community: Kim Mauch, kmauch@stpius.net .
Live Stream
If the live-stream on the parish website "freezes" while you're watching an event, try refreshing the page. (We understand the Sunday, 10:00 a.m. live-stream was difficult to access for some viewers. We are working to correct the problem. A recorded version will be posted on the parish website ( StPius.net ) shortly after the Mass.

Having trouble finding the live stream on the website?
Go to StPius.net
Scroll down and look for an image like the one below. This is where the live-stream events will be viewable.


Still having trouble?
Contact us at 574-272-8462 or kmauch@stpius.net and we will try and assist.
COVID PRAYER

The following prayer will replace the parish stewardship prayer at Mass until further notice.

Mother of Divine Love, we entrust to you our nation and world, our families and loved ones, that we may be spared the worst of this illness.

In this time of trial and testing, hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful.

For those already afflicted, obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.

For those working to help the sick and bring an end to this crisis, obtain the strength to continue their work.

Shelter us under the mantle of your protection, conform us to the will of the Father, remind us always of the love of your Son, Jesus, and bring his peace to our land and to our hearts.

Amen.

Saint Rocco, protector against the plague and all contagious diseases, pray for us!

Saint Pius X Catholic Church | 574.272.8462 | kmauch@stpius.net | StPius.net