As Easter approaches, it seems a good time to encourage our folks to take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Here is Pope Francis talking to Jesuits about being good confessors:
"We need to work so that the freshness of the Gospel and its joy are understood. Jesus came to bring joy, not moral casuistry. To bring openness, mercy.
"Jesus loved sinners…Jesus loved sinners … he loved them! He had a strong dislike of the corrupt! The Gospel of Matthew in chapter 23 is an example of what Jesus says to the corrupt.
"To have the freshness of the Gospel is to love sinners. I know one confessor, when sinners come to confess, he welcomes them in such a way that they feel free, renewed…And when the penitent has something difficult to say, he does not insist but says, “I understand, I understand,” freeing that person of embarrassment.
"He makes of that confession an encounter with Jesus Christ, not a torture room or a psychiatrist’s couch. We need to be the reflection of merciful Jesus.
"And what did Jesus ask of the adulteress? 'How many times and who with? No! He simply said, 'Go and sin no more'!”
|
|
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the most unique and beautiful aspects of Catholicism. Jesus Christ, in His abundant love and mercy, established the Sacrament of Confession, so that we as sinners can obtain forgiveness for our sins and reconcile with God and the Church. The sacrament “washes us clean,” and renews us in Christ.
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’” (John 20:21-23).
EXPERIENCE PEACE AND LOVE
If you haven’t been to Confession in a while, we would like to welcome you back, and invite you to participate in this beautiful sacrament of healing. Take a step in faith. You’ll be surprised about how free you feel after taking part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. So many describe incredible feelings of peace, joy, relief, and love that they never expected. Jesus is calling you to experience His mercy in this way too.
You may have questions about the practices and "how to's" of reconciliation/confession. That's why we're providing the two videos below. As to opportunities to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, here are the dates, times and details:
April 10 - Lenten Penance and Communal Reconciliation Service
(
details
)
April 19 - Good Friday Sacrament of Reconciliation
(
details
)
|
|
Video: A Primer on The Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession
|
|
Video: Sacraments 101: “Why We Confess”
|
|
Bread for the World's Offering of Letters to Congress
|
|
Get Involved: Write to Congress!
Sunday, April 7th - Ignatian Hall
After 9 AM, 10:30 AM, and 6 PM Masses
Compiled by Emma Ditzel and Candra Healy
|
|
Each year, Bread for the World encourages us to write letters to Congress about specific legislation that can make a real difference to people struggling with hunger and poverty.
On April 7
th
, Saint Ignatius parishioners and the Baltimore community are invited to join us in Ignatian Hall after the 9 AM, 10:30 AM, and 6 PM Masses to write letters to Congress. These letters will be focused on the following three issues: global hunger, migration and immigration, and criminal justice reform. If you are unable to join us after Mass, you can easily submit online letters to Congress through the Justice & Peace Hunger & Poverty subcommittee
website.
READ MORE
|
|
Free Trees!
On Saturday, April 6th, Blue Water Baltimore will be giving out 75 free trees for planting in the Baltimore community. Come out to Station North for a free tree to plant at your home or in your neighborhood!
11 AM – 3 PM
Station North Tool Library
417 E Oliver Street, Baltimore 21202
For the rest of the list of "Earth April" events,
click here
.
|
|
Caring For God's Creation...
|
|
From the Environmental Justice Subcommittee
Afraid of Composting? It's Easy!
Composting at home is easier than you think. First, pick up a rotating composter from your local home improvement store. Second, put your vegetable and fruit scraps in it and turn it. Lastly, wait for it to break down and then add it to your flower pots, garden, or wooded area. It’s easy and it helps reduce the carbon footprint of the parish.
|
|
Video: The Basics of Composting with Alex Baglione
|
|
Stella Maris is a nonprofit care facility, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy as an affiliate of Mercy Health Services. Since 1983, they have provided both inpatient and home hospice care in Baltimore City, County, Carroll County, and Harford County. They are currently in need of Hospice Volunteers to make home respite visits for families that are taking care of their loved ones.
If you are interested please fill out an application on their website at
www.stellamaris.org
. We have trainings coming up in July. For more information please call 410-252-4500 x7254 and ask for Meghan.
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 3 - 6 PM
Lenten Evening Encounters: "The Writings of Henri Nouwen"
|
|
|
|
Saturday, April 6
Young Adult Retreat at Bon Secours
|
|
|
|
Saturday, April 6 - 9 AM
Saturday Retreat in Ignatian Spirituality
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 7 - 8:30 AM - Noon
PREP Registration for 2019-2020 Year
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 7 - after the 9 AM; 10:30 AM; and 6 PM Masses
Bread for the World: Offering of Letters
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 9 - 6:30 PM
Iñigo Book Group
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 10 - 7:30 PM
Lenten Penance and Communal Reconciliation Service
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 11 - 6:30 PM
Justice & Peace Committee
|
|
|
|
April 12-14
Parish Retreat at Faulkner
|
|
|
|
Saturday, April 13 - 4:30 PM
Palm Sunday (Saturday Vigil Mass)
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 14 - 8:00, 9:00, 10:30 AM, 6:00 PM
Palm Sunday
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 14 - 8:30 AM - Noon
PREP Registration for 2019-2020 Year
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 16 - 6:45 PM
Women of the New Testament
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 17- 7:30 PM
Tenebrae Service
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 18 - 7:30 PM
Holy Thursday
|
|
|
|
Friday, April 19
Good Friday
|
|
|
|
Saturday, April 20 - 7:30 PM
Holy Saturday Solemn Easter Vigil
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 21
Easter Sunday
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 23 - 7 PM
Embracing God's Gifts
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 25 - 6:30 PM
Interfaith/Ecumenical Committee Meeting
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 28 - 9:45 AM
Respect for Life
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 28
Earth Day Sunday
|
|
|
|
Sunday, April 28 - 12 PM
Piano Concert by SERGIO MILITELLO
|
|
Worship with Offerings, Liturgy and Prayers for Others
|
|
POOR BOX
This week's Poor Box support goes to support
Bread For the World.
|
|
MASS MUSIC
Attached is the listing for the music selections at next Sunday's 10:30 Mass.
|
|
PRAYERS OF PETITION
Attached are the Prayers of
Petition for this week.
|
|
Theologians Get Tough With Germany's Bishops Over Church Reform
Theologians in Germany were recently invited to speak to the nation's Catholic hierarchy about the clergy abuse crisis and they used the rare opportunity to chastise the more than 60 bishops for being too slow in pushing for major Church reforms.
The theologians were given an entire "study day" to address the German Bishops' Conference during its March 11-14 spring assembly in the northern Diocese of Osnabrück.
They did not mince their words, openly directing the bishops to the Church's "systemic defects."
READ MORE
|
|
 |
Solutions Need to be Found with the Whole Church, Not Just Rome
At a visit to La Croix during a Paris conference organized by the German, Swiss and French bishops' conferences on "The common good in Europe," Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich, a member of Pope Francis' advisory council of cardinals, reflects on the crisis that the Church is currently experiencing.
How do you see the crisis that the Catholic Church is experiencing today?
Cardinal Reinhard Marx:
Since Vatican II, we have asked ourselves how the Church should situate itself within a modern, pluralist society where people are free to believe or not that Jesus was raised from the dead and that they can actually meet him.
READ MORE
|
|
|
|
Explainer: Why Doesn’t Pope Francis Want People to Kiss His Ring?
Why do Catholics kiss the pope’s ring? And why doesn’t he want them to?
Protocols evolve and changes can be confusing, especially when most people only meet a reigning monarch (or pope) once in their lives. As we have seen in the past few days, old habits die hard, even when the pope is trying to keep the receiving line moving. So while Pope Francis might not be a fan of hand and ring kissing, he is actually following the lead of John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Before the Second Vatican Council, it was customary in most countries for both priests and laity to kiss a bishop’s ring upon greeting him as a sign of respect and obedience. But times change, and the gesture can also be seen as furthering clericalism and ties to temporal power.
READ MORE
|
|
|
|
READER NOTIFICATION:
"Parish: the thought" is a publication of St. Ignatius Catholic Community, Baltimore. Each edition contains articles and news feeds that are included for awareness of current topics in our world today. The positions expressed by outside authors and news feeds are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of St. Ignatius Catholic Community or its staff.
- This e-zine was compiled by John C. Odean
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
