Sunday, February 24, 2008

Announcements for the week: Third Sunday of Lent

Please pray for Fr. Gilchrist, the pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Olathe, Colorado who is experiencing trouble with the department of immigration. Should the attempts to keep him here fail, he will have no choice but to return to New Zealand, at least for a while. Pray that whatever is to happen, let it be done according to the will of God.

St. Michael's Convent in Spokane, Washington will be holding a "Vocations Weekend" retreat for young women who are at least juniors in high school up to the age of 35 and might be interested in religious life. "Vocations Weekend" will be taking place from February 29 to March 2, 2008. It is a good idea to make your plans known to the Vocations Directress by Wednesday, February 20. For more information, please contact:
Vocations Directress
St. Michael's Convent
8502 North St. Michael's Road
Spokane, WA 99217-9333
phone: (509) 467-0986 ext. 102
e-mail: smjosephine@miqcenter.com

A weekend Lenten retreat will be held at St. Michael's in Spokane, Washington between March 7-9, 2008. If you are able to attend, registration forms are available at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel and also you may access an online registration form at www.cmri.org. The applicable registration fees are $150 per individual, for those who need overnight accomodations; $75 per individual, for those who do not need an overnight accomodation but meals will be provided. Please note, the fee includes a $50 deposit, which is due by Monday, February 25, 2008. For additional information, please contact Fr. Casimir Puskorius, CMRI at (509) 467-2425 ext. 100

Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI is planning a Pilgrimage in various cities of France and Spain to visit Shrines of Our Lady and of the Saints between June 10-24, 2008. The expected cost per person is $3515 for land travel portion; $950 single supplement; expect $1,200 for air fare (depends on point of origin from America to Europe). The price includes hotel stays, guides, private air-conditioned coach, entrance fees, and daily breakfast and supper meals (pilgrims must provide for their own lunch). APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN MARCH 1, 2008. $100 fee is due at the time of submission of application. For more information, please contact:
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI
St. Joseph Minor Seminary
15384 N. Church Rd.
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Phone # (208) 687-0290

Audio CD's are now available from the 2007 Fatima Conference "All Generations Call me Blessed", which took place in Spokane, Washington at Mount St. Michael. They are $60.00 for a complete set of the talks, and $5.00 for the individual topics. For more information call (509) 467-1077

Traditional Catholic 2008 calendars are back in stock. If you would like to purchase one, you may come to the Chapel or call Pat Balderrama at: (909-829-0997). They are priced at $8.00 per calendar.

Third Sunday of Lent

From the Introit:

My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare: look Thou upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor.

Epistle from the letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians (5: 1-9):

Brethren, Be ye followers of god, as most dear children: and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us, and oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. But fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints: or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose: but rather giving of thanks. For know you this, and understand, that no fornicator, or unclean, or covetous person, which is a serving of idols, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For you were heretofore darkness: but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light: for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth.

Gospel according to St. Luke (11: 14-28)

At that time Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb. And when He had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the multitudes were in admiration at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. And others tempting, asked Him a sign from heaven. But He, seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because you say that through Beelzebub I cast our devils. Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he is come upon him and overcome him, he will take away all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with Me, is against Me: and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest: and not finding, he saith: I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps that gave Thee suck. But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Announcements for the week: Second Sunday of Lent

Please pray for Fr. Gilchrist, the pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Olathe, Colorado who is experiencing trouble with the department of immigration. Should the attempts to keep him here fail, he will have no choice but to return to New Zealand, at least for a while. Pray that whatever is to happen, let it be done according to the will of God.

Friday February 22, 2008, there will be Mass at 7:00 P.M. at the Chapel followed by Stations of the Cross.

St. Michael's Convent in Spokane, Washington will be holding a "Vocations Weekend" retreat for young women who are at least juniors in high school up to the age of 35 and might be interested in religious life. "Vocations Weekend" will be taking place from February 29 to March 2, 2008. It is a good idea to make your plans known to the Vocations Directress by Wednesday, February 20. For more information, please contact:
Vocations Directress
St. Michael's Convent
8502 North St. Michael's Road
Spokane, WA 99217-9333
phone: (509) 467-0986 ext. 102
e-mail: smjosephine@miqcenter.com

A weekend Lenten retreat will be held at St. Michael's in Spokane, Washington between March 7-9, 2008. If you are able to attend, registration forms are available at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel and also you may access an online registration form at www.cmri.org. The applicable registration fees are $150 per individual, for those who need overnight accomodations; $75 per individual, for those who do not need an overnight accomodation but meals will be provided. Please note, the fee includes a $50 deposit, which is due by February 25, 2008. For additional information, please contact Fr. Casimir Puskorius, CMRI at (509) 467-2425 ext. 100

Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI is planning a Pilgrimage in various cities of France and Spain to visit Shrines of Our Lady and of the Saints between June 10-24, 2008. The expected cost per person is $3515 for land travel portion; $950 single supplement; expect $1,200 for air fare (depends on point of origin from America to Europe). The price includes hotel stays, guides, private air-conditioned coach, entrance fees, and daily breakfast and supper meals (pilgrims must provide for their own lunch). APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN MARCH 1, 2008. $100 fee is due at the time of submission of application. For more information, please contact:
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI
St. Joseph Minor Seminary
15384 N. Church Rd.
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Phone # (208) 687-0290

Audio CD's are now available from the 2007 Fatima Conference "All Generations Call me Blessed", which took place in Spokane, Washington at Mount St. Michael. They are $60.00 for a complete set of the talks, and $5.00 for the individual topics. For more information call (509) 467-1077

Traditional Catholic 2008 calendars are back in stock. If you would like to purchase one, you may come to the Chapel or call Pat Balderrama at: (909-829-0997). They are priced at $8.00 per calendar.

Second Sunday of Lent

From the Introit:

Remember, O Lord, Thy bowels of compassion, and Thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world, lest at any time our enemies rule over us: deliver us, O God of Israel, from all our tribulations.

Epistle from the letter of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians (4: 1-17):

Brethren, We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus that, as you have received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God: and that no man overreach nor circumvent his brother in business: because the Lord is the Avenger of all these things, as we have told you before and have testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification: in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel according to St. Matthew (17: 1-9):

At that time Jesus took Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: and He was transfigured before them. And His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then Peter answering said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: Arise, and fear not. And they, lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man till the Son of Man be risen from the dead.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Sermon of Fr. Gerard for The First Sunday of Lent


One of the things, which Our Lady said to St. Bernadette, besides communicating to her and the importance of making the sign of the cross reverently and praying the rosary, she indicated to St. Bernadette, who was just a child at the time, that she should pray the rosary and Our Lady followed along while St. Bernadette said the Our Father’s and Hail Mary’s and when she came to the Glory be, then Our Lady joined because she is not in need like we are of the petitions of the Our Father and she would not praise herself, but certainly would glorify the most Holy Trinity. Our Lady spoke very few words but some three of the very significant ones that she spoke were the words: “Penance, penance, penance” and she was trying to communicate the idea of the importance of that very necessary spiritual work, which comes right into the theme of today’s sermon, the fact that lent is a time of mortification, it is a time for doing penance. This Holy season commemorates the Passion and sacrifice of Christ in a special way.

The purpose of the liturgical year in general is to contemplate each one of the mysteries of Christ, so as to bring to mind what each one teaches us and renew in our souls the grace of each of these mysteries. Christ’s whole life was a continuous sacrifice, which came to its completion during the sacred Passion. This is commemorated during lent, especially Passiontide, and most particularly, the last three days of Holy Week, which is called the Sacred Tritium when we contemplate the mysteries of Our Lord’s Passion and death upon the cross. The Lenten fast is an inseparable part of this Lenten observance. It imitates the forty-day fast of Christ in the wilderness, the forty-day fast of Moses on Mount Sinai when he went up to receive the Ten Commandments and the forty-day fast of Elias when he walked to Mount Hoard, which in those days was called the Mountain of God. Fasting is especially recommended by the Fathers of the Church. St. Ambrose can speak for them all, and he lived in the early 5th century: “Just as the gates of the Gospel were opened unto you, through the forty days fast of Christ in the desert, so he who desires to enter into the Gospel and collect the fruit of the resurrection, should fulfill the fast, which Moses of the Old Law and Christ in the new indicated as the strong ally or helper of virtue.”

In the early Church, the law of fast was most rigorous. The faithful fasted every day, except Sunday, eating nothing until sunset. In Jerusalem, the daily offering of Mass was suppressed, or suspended, as a sign of mourning. While in Rome, Mass was celebrated each day in a different Basilica by the Pope. The faithful gathered at one church and processed chanting the litanies to this stational church, where the Mass was offered and in some Missals, you will find that it says: “Collecta” or Gathering at a certain church and then they station at another church because they went in procession from one church to the other. St. Benedict, the patriarch of western monasticism, in his rule advises each one to offer up some special individual sacrifice of mortification such as cutting down of food, drink, sleep or amusement. The spiritual writers tell us that what the devil fears most is when we cut back on our food, drink and sleep because this weakens our fallen human nature, our disorderly inclinations of our fallen human nature and strengthens us in the spirit consequently making us stronger in resisting the assaults of the devil.

The present practice of fasting has been considerably diminished from that which was practiced in the early years of the Church and the last revision of these laws was given in 1956 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States pertaining to fasting in the United States. Although the mind of the Church is that we should do some fasting, if it is possible, during lent. But if the external observance has diminished, the interior spirit of fasting must remain. When the Fathers speak of fasting, they stress that first of all, it should be interior and at many times during the Holy season of Lent, if you read the prayers of the Mass for each day of the season, it talks about fasting from sin. This is a repeated thing in many of the Masses. St. Augustine, who also lived around the beginning of the 5th century, wrote: “One will say to you: ‘I cannot fast because it makes me ill’ but who can ever say: ‘I cannot forgive one who has harmed me, or had done me an injury because my health prevents me’?” St. Isidore says: “If you cannot fast, then alms are sufficient without fasting.” And St. Bernard of Clairvaux: “If only the tongue has sinned, then let it be the tongue alone that fasts, but if all the others also have sinned then why should they not also fast? Let the eyes fast by avoiding curious looks, the ears by not listening to rumors, the tongue from detraction of lies but much more, let the soul fast from its vices and from its own will. We must always do some mortification in order to obtain the full benefits of the Lenten season.”

This season is compared in a spiritual way to spring and nature. Through nature, people that keep gardens cultivate plants and trees to obtain the fruits of them, they go out and hoe up the ground, pull out the weeds, they go to the vines of the fruit trees, and they cut out the dead branches, they cut back the healthy branches so that they can bring forth more fruit and in the spiritual life, this is what we do. We cut off the dead branches of our sins, we prune back the inclinations of our fallen human nature by acts of self-denial, acts of penance, and we pull out the weeds of our faults and sins. We cultivate the ground so that the seed of the word of God, the seed of God’s grace may bear its fruit unhindered.

The best fast of all, is that of charity. Almost everyone of St. Augustine’s sermons mentions honest deeds and the pardoning of our enemies through the principle works of charity. The Epistle of the First Friday of Lent speaks of the same subject. There can be no true penance without an underlying spirit of penance, so if we just go through the motions but do not have a conversion of heart, the penance has very little value, if any at all. As we read on Ash Wednesday from the Prophet Joel: “Thus saith the Lord: be converted to me with all of your heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning. And rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy.”

During the past few days, the Masses for the ferial liturgy talked about just the subject of Our Lord noting how some in His day such as the Scribes and Pharisees disfigured their faces and made themselves look disheveled, they rent their garments as external marks of penance, but their hearts were not in accord with that and so our Lord said: Don’t let other people see or know the fact that you are fasting or doing penance but rather try to bury yourself in a humble way, to be careful not to let the penance, which you are doing show externally, so that instead of having a reward from God, you are seeking a reward or praise from others. This is the internal penance, the internal sacrifice, which is the most necessary accompanied by the external practices of the Holy season of Lent and if we make a good use of this season then when it comes to Easter, having participated with Our Lord in His Passion and in His crucifixion in our own limited degree, then we will share also in the joys of the resurrection and in the special graces of the spiritual rebirth, which that feast is intended to provide for us.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.

Announcements for the week: First Sunday of Lent

Please pray for Fr. Gilchrist, the pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Olathe, Colorado who is experiencing trouble with the department of immigration. Should the attempts to keep him here fail, he will have no choice but to return to New Zealand, at least for a while. Pray that whatever is to happen, let it be done according to the will of God.

Friday, February 15, 2008, there will be no Stations of the Cross at the Chapel.

Friday February 22, 2008, there will be Mass at 7:00 P.M. at the Chapel followed by Stations of the Cross.

St. Michael's Convent in Spokane, Washington will be holding a "Vocations Weekend" retreat for young women who are at least juniors in high school up to the age of 35 and might be interested in religious life. "Vocations Weekend" will be taking place from February 29 to March 2, 2008. It is a good idea to make your plans known to the Vocations Directress by Wednesday, February 20. For more information, please contact:
Vocations Directress
St. Michael's Convent
8502 North St. Michael's Road
Spokane, WA 99217-9333
phone: (509) 467-0986 ext. 102
e-mail: smjosephine@miqcenter.com

A weekend Lenten retreat will be held at St. Michael's in Spokane, Washington between March 7-9, 2008. If you are able to attend, registration forms are available at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel and also you may access an online registration form at www.cmri.org. The applicable registration fees are $150 per individual, for those who need overnight accomodations; $75 per individual, for those who do not need an overnight accomodation but meals will be provided. Please note, the fee includes a $50 deposit, which is due by February 25, 2008. For additional information, please contact Fr. Casimir Puskorius, CMRI at (509) 467-2425 ext. 100

Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI is planning a Pilgrimage in various cities of France and Spain to visit Shrines of Our Lady and of the Saints between June 10-24, 2008. The expected cost per person is $3515 for land travel portion; $950 single supplement; expect $1,200 for air fare (depends on point of origin from America to Europe). The price includes hotel stays, guides, private air-conditioned coach, entrance fees, and daily breakfast and supper meals (pilgrims must provide for their own lunch). APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN MARCH 1, 2008. $100 fee is due at the time of submission of application. For more information, please contact:
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI
St. Joseph Minor Seminary
15384 N. Church Rd.
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Phone # (208) 687-0290

Audio CD's are now available from the 2007 Fatima Conference "All Generations Call me Blessed", which took place in Spokane, Washington at Mount St. Michael. They are $60.00 for a complete set of the talks, and $5.00 for the individual topics. For more information call (509) 467-1077

Traditional Catholic 2008 calendars are back in stock. If you would like to purchase one, you may come to the Chapel or call Pat Balderrama at: (909-829-0997). They are priced at $8.00 per calendar.

First Sunday of Lent

From the Introit:
He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I will deliver him, and I will glorify him: I will fill him with length of days.

Epistle from the letter of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (6: 1-10):

Brethren, We exhort you that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For He saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation. Giving no offense to any man, that our ministry be not blamed: but in all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, charity unfeigned, in the word of truth, in the power of God: by the armor of justice on the right hand and on the left: by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and yet known: as dying and behold we live: as chastised and not killed: as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing: as needy, yet enriching many: as having nothing and possessing all things.

Gospel according to St. Matthew (4: 1-11):

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was hungry. And the tempter coming said to Him: If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Who answered and said: It is written: Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Then the devil took Him up into the holy city and set Him upon the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him: If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down. For it is written: That He hath given His Angels charge over Thee, and in their hands shall they bear Thee up, lest perhaps Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil took Him up into a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said to Him: All these will I give Thee, if falling down Thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan! For it is written: The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left Him. And behold Angels came, and ministered to Him.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Sermon of Fr. Gerard for Quinquagesima Sunday


In today’s Epistle, St. Paul sings the praises of charity and points out its necessity:

“We may perform all sorts of good works or have faith, we may even have sufficient grace to move mountains or give all that we have, but if we have not charity, that is supernatural charity, the love of God above all things, which abides in our souls by sanctifying grace, they will do us no good.”

True charity is that, which according to Jesus Christ, is loving God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. And it must be the spiritual basis for our edifice or else faith, hope and the other virtues will be but an empty shell. Charity must exist, especially in families, which form the basis of society. First of all, it must exist between husbands and wives.

We read in the book of Genesis that:

“In the beginning God created Adam but since there was not to be found a helper like unto himself, God said ‘it is not good for man to be alone.’ ‘Let us make a help like unto himself.’”

While St. Paul says in the Epistle to the Ephesians, which can be found in the Nuptial Mass:

“Let wives be subject to their husbands as to the Lord.” Further, he says: “Husbands love your wives as Christ also loved the Church and delivered himself up for it.” He also wrote: “Men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. Let every one of you in particular love his wife as himself and let the wife fear her husband.”

Now in the relation between husbands and wives under the Christian dispensation, it’s not like it was under the old dispensation or as was practiced among the pagans, when the wife was looked upon as property and more like a slave than anything else. In the Christian dispensation, as God said in the book of Genesis that: “She is to be a help to her husband” and the husbands are to love their wives as themselves, not treating them as a second-rate or a lower class and the wives are to respect their husbands, which is what the term fear in this sense means. Just as the one of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is the fear of the Lord, it is not a fear of a slave but is a reverential fear of offending, or fear of displeasing. Note that St. Paul does not command wives to love their husbands because it is an inseparable part of their nature to love not only their husbands but also their children. Parents must install the practice of charity into the minds and hearts of their children and not permit fighting and bickering. This may be a common occurrence, but part of the training of children is teaching them to resist the temptations of meanness, fighting and harsh or uncharitable language. Only when they grow older, will children appreciate their siblings, their brothers and sisters and regret their lack of charity towards them, by that time it may be too late because they may be living far away, or by some accident they died and so it is important that they value their siblings, that they learn from an early age the respect that they should have for their brothers and sisters.

In the Psalms, David said:

“Oh, how good and pleasant a thing is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”

This unity is the harmony born of charity. From the family this charity, which must flow from the love of God, not just humanistic type of charity based on feelings but based on the love of God. From the family, this charity will spread into society so that Catholic families will be like the leaven, which will cause the dough, which we can call the rest of society to be raised to a higher level just as if there is any disharmony in the family, hatred and lack of charity, it will spread from the family into the community and from the community into the local area and from the local area into the country and when countries are in disharmony like this and there is disorder in them, this is where we get the beginnings of wars. That is why the practice of charity is important, especially in Catholic families.

In the time of the Roman Emperors, one person wrote, I believe it was to the Emperor Traigen, and said: “These Christians have a love for one another.” Charity was the hallmark of the Christians in those early days and it should be the hallmark of Christians in our own days as well, and if it is not, then something is lacking and examinations of conscience must be made. The practices of Lent, which we are soon to embark upon must be given life by charity. If we were to do all sorts of penances and make ourselves really unbearable and uncharitable towards those that we have to deal with, that penance would be defeating its purpose. The penance is designed, or ought to be calculated, to help us to practice virtue to conquer some of our fallen inclinations, to get greater control over them, and by that means help us to practice charity in a greater extent. So that should be our care during the Holy season of Lent while we embark upon these penances, these acts of self-denial during this Holy season, we are also to keep in mind that they are not an end in themselves but only a means. They should help us to grow in the practice of virtue, especially in charity, otherwise they are not going to meet their purpose, they are failing in their reason of being.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.

Announcements of Fr. Gerard

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a reminder about the laws concerning abstinence: Ash Wednesday is a day of complete abstinence and beginning that day, all the days of Lent are days of fast, which means that the two small meals may not equal the main meal in size and the main meal may be eaten after noon. The two small meals are meatless for those between the ages of 21 and 59.

Ash Wednesday is a day of abstinence for all those ages 7 and up, unless there is a problem with your health. There is no upper limit for the abstinence. Also after the first Sunday of Lent will come the ember days of Lent and those three days, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Wednesday and Saturday are days of partial abstinence all those 7 years of age and older are allowed to only have meat once in those days. Friday, as usual, is a day of complete abstinence.

During Lent on Friday evenings, there will either be Mass or recitation of the Stations of the Cross. Basically the first, third and fifth Fridays of Lent, I will be here so there will be a Mass at 7:00PM. The other Fridays, second and forth, those are the weeks that Fr. Gabriel will be coming and so there will not be Mass but the Stations of the Cross will be prayed beginning at 7:00PM.

The First Friday requirement for the promise of Our Lord’s Sacred Heart requires the reception of Holy Communion on nine consecutive First Fridays, the First Saturday requires the praying of the Rosary, a 15 minute meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary on First Saturday for five consecutive months as well as confession and Holy Communion. The confession may be made either a week before or after the First Saturday, especially because of the current situation, communion intended for First Saturday may be fulfilled on the Sunday after the First Saturday.

Our Lady came and appeared to Sister Lucía and explained to her, her request for the First Saturday, which she had spoken about in the six apparitions to the children in 1917. She came back in 1925 or 29 and explained exactly what she wished for the First Saturdays and promised special graces, especially for a happy death for those who would practice this devotion. Sister Lucía asked: “What if people can’t make it to Holy Communion on the First Saturday?” and Our Lady responded: “If the priest will not allow it, then they can fulfill it on the following Sunday.” Especially give our current circumstances, it is more than justified to say that you may make your First Saturday Communion on the following Sunday. There is rarely a Mass here on the Saturday and almost never on the First Saturday.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Announcements for the week: Quinquagesima Sunday

Please pray for Fr. Gilchrist, the pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Olathe, Colorado who is experiencing trouble with the department of immigration. Should the attempts to keep him here fail, he will have no choice but to return to New Zealand, at least for a while. Pray that whatever is to happen, let it be done according to the will of God.

There will be no Mass for Ash Wednesday, Fr. Gerard will not be present in California. The ashes will be administered on the following Sunday, which would be the First Sunday of Lent.

Friday, February 8, 2008, Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 P.M. followed by Stations of the Cross.

St. Michael's Convent in Spokane, Washington will be holding a "Vocations Weekend" retreat for young women who are at least juniors in high school up to the age of 35 and might be interested in religious life. "Vocations Weekend" will be taking place from February 29 to March 2, 2008. It is a good idea to make your plans known to the Vocations Directress by Wednesday, February 20. For more information, please contact:
Vocations Directress
St. Michael's Convent
8502 North St. Michael's Road
Spokane, WA 99217-9333
phone: (509) 467-0986 ext. 102
e-mail: smjosephine@miqcenter.com

A weekend Lenten retreat will be held at St. Michael's in Spokane, Washington between March 7-9, 2008. If you are able to attend, registration forms are available at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel and also you may access an online registration form at www.cmri.org. The applicable registration fees are $150 per individual, for those who need overnight accomodations; $75 per individual, for those who do not need an overnight accomodation but meals will be provided. Please note, the fee includes a $50 deposit, which is due by February 25, 2008. For additional information, please contact Fr. Casimir Puskorius, CMRI at (509) 467-2425 ext. 100

Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI is planning a Pilgrimage in various cities of France and Spain to visit Shrines of Our Lady and of the Saints between June 10-24, 2008. The expected cost per person is $3515 for land travel portion; $950 single supplement; expect $1,200 for air fare (depends on point of origin from America to Europe). The price includes hotel stays, guides, private air-conditioned coach, entrance fees, and daily breakfast and supper meals (pilgrims must provide for their own lunch). APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN MARCH 1, 2008. $100 fee is due at the time of submission of application. For more information, please contact:
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI
St. Joseph Minor Seminary
15384 N. Church Rd.
Rathdrum, ID 83858
Phone # (208) 687-0290

Audio CD's are now available from the 2007 Fatima Conference "All Generations Call me Blessed", which took place in Spokane, Washington at Mount St. Michael. They are $60.00 for a complete set of the talks, and $5.00 for the individual topics. For more information call (509) 467-1077

Traditional Catholic 2008 calendars are back in stock. If you would like to purchase one, you may come to the Chapel or call Pat Balderrama at: (909-829-0997). They are priced at $8.00 per calendar.

Quinquagesima Sunday

From the Introit:

Be Thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of refuge, to save me: for Thou art my strength and my refuge: and for Thy Name's sake Thou wilt lead me, and nourish me.

Epistle from the letter of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (13: 1-13):

Brethren, If I speak with the hongues of men and of Angles, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries and all knowledge: and if I should have all faith so that I could remove montains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: Charity envieth not, dealing not perversely, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Gospel according to St. Luke (18: 31-43):

At that time Jesus took unto Him the twelve and said to them: Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man. For He shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and scourged and spit upon: and after they have scourged him, they will put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of those things, and this word was hidfrom them, and they understood not the things that were said. Now it came to pass, when He drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried out much more: Sond of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto Him. And when he was come near, He asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight, thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.