Happy Easter to one and all! How are you feeling today? I hope that you are well. Liturgically speaking we are celebrating the most solemn days of the year. That is to say that the first eight days of the fifty day Easter Season have the highest liturgical ranking of “Solemnity.” In a very humble way we are invited to whoop it up in these days to the extent that we are able. :)
A passage from one of St. Paul’s Epistles or Letters sums up the cause for our rejoicing and celebrating:
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"If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep…
[Therefore] thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
." (1 Corinthians 15:13-20, 57)
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Jesus did indeed triumph over sin, suffering, and death itself. We are living in the victory of Christ who conquered the grave. Alleluia! May that Good News resonate within our hearts, our homes, and our faith community for the praise and glory of God now and forever. Amen.
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Christ be Our Light,
Fr. James
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P.S. You might already be aware of this but if not it’s worth noting that, “The word ‘Easter’ comes from Old English, meaning simply the ‘East.’ The sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ, who is the true Light of the world. The Paschal Candle is a central symbol of this divine light, which is Christ. It is kept near the ambo throughout Easter Time, and lit for all liturgical celebrations.” (
usccb.org
)
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Divine Mercy Sunday "Drive-in" Celebration
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Parishioners are invited to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at IC, safely respecting social distancing, with a “drive-in” time of Eucharistic Adoration, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Praise and Worship Music, and Confessions in the Immaculate Conception Parking Lot, Sunday, April 19 from 3:00 - 5:00 pm. And to help support the Immaculate Conception School there will be delicious chocolates available for purchase!
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Fr. James Daily Video Message - April 16, 2020
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More daily video messages from Fr. James
and Sunday Masses celebrated by Father James can be found on Facebook, YouTube, our My Parish App and on our website:
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Trivia Question of the Week
The First Reading for Mass today comes from what book of Scripture?
A. Wisdom
B. Revelation
C. Exodus
D. Acts of the Apostles
See the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
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Make a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in September of 2020 with Fr. James! Spots are limited. Please see the Magi Travel website for more details:
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You can watch with your free parish subscription by simply selecting our parish’s name during registration at
formed.org/signup
.
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Enjoy a free subscription to FORMED.org
FORMED provides amaz
ing online videos, audio and books 24/7 for you to grow in your faith.
It's EASY and FREE to Register!
- Go to iccsonline.formed.org and click next
- Enter your name and email and click sign-up
- Enjoy and share with others in our local community!
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Answer to the Trivia Question of the Week:
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Immaculate Conception
Church and School
Church: 763-788-9062
School: 763-788-9065
info@immac-church.org | ICCSonline.org
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You're receiving this email because of your relationship with Immaculate Conception Church and School. To no longer receive messages from Fr. James Peterson, please click the link at the bottom of this email to unsubscribe. Thank you.
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