What is your plan for Lent? If Lent is going to be a time of renewal and growth, you need a plan. Are you just going to let Lent happen? Go through the motions? Lent is just a few days away. What changes do you want to make?
Any good plan begins with an assessment of where we are, our present condition. I invite you to spend some time reflecting on your current condition as a Christian. How is your spiritual life? Are you still growing in faith or have you become stagnant? Do you show appropriate care and concern for those in need?
After assessing our present condition, we can identify areas for needed growth. Perhaps you feel the need to strengthen your relationship with the Lord. Maybe you recognize that you could be more generous to others (with your time, your money, your talents, etc.) Or this Lent may be a time to grow in knowledge of your faith through reading or study.
The next step in your plan is to choose which means will help you meet your goals. There are so many things to choose from: additional time for personal prayer, spiritual reading, joining a Bible study or taking an online course, making time to participate in outreach to those in need, fasting from something in order to be able to share more, and many more options. My point is: choose the means that will help you reach your goals. Don’t just “do something for Lent.” Do something for you.
When the end of Lent arrives, the way you will know if Lent has been a success for you will be to answer this question: How did I grow during Lent? Am I a more loving person, a more enthusiastic Christian? Can I identify the changes that I was able to make?
Our traditional celebration of Ash Wednesday will look and feel just a little different than usual. All of the essential elements of our piety and devotion will enable us to begin the season of Lent with devotion and fervor.
There will be two Masses: 7:00 am and 8:00 am. These will be in English. There will be four very brief prayer services at: 10:00 am, 12:00 noon, 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm. These services will be bilingual. All of these will be held in the church. Maximum capacity of the church is 175 persons. Those unable to get inside the church will still be able to receive ashes.
Face coverings are required for all who participate. Social distancing must be maintained. Collection baskets into which you can place your Ash Wednesday offering will be available at the entrance.
There will be a few differences this year. Ashes will be distributed at the end of the Mass or prayer service (not after the gospel). The priest will say the words over all the people just once: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel.” He and the ministers will go to each person and put the ashes on the forehead using a cotton swab (a different cotton swab for each person to avoid possible cross contamination). They will begin with the last row. After receiving your ashes, you may leave immediately.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we make accommodations to ensure a safe as well as prayerful environment for Ash Wednesday.
Many people like to pray the Stations of the Cross during Lent. In order to make it possible to follow the Stations in the fresh air, the parish has created some simple outdoor Stations of the Cross in the parking lot at the side of the church (near the Chevron station). Throughout Lent, this parking area will be closed to traffic and set aside for praying the Stations.
Also, on each Friday of Lent, Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 3:00 pm in the church. Of course, masks and social distancing are required.
Changes in Locations for Some Masses
Pursuant to the new guidelines for indoor worship in the state of California, we are able to make a couple changes to our weekend liturgical schedule. The criteria for these changes reflect two important principles that we have followed since the beginning of the pandemic: no one will be turned away and we will not limit attendance by requiring reservations.
Based on our Mass attendance records, we can safely move the following weekend Masses inside the church:
Saturday at 5:00 pm (Spanish)
Sunday at 7:30 am
The remainder of the weekend Masses will continue to be celebrated on the covered court of the school. We will continue to monitor attendance at all Masses to determine if any additional changes are warranted. In case of rain, we will be able to open the church for certain Masses but only the first 175 people will be able to attend.
All weekday Masses (Monday through Friday, 7:00 and 8:00 am; and Saturday at 8:00 am) will be held in the church. Once again, we will use an alternate seating plan so that those attending the 7:00 am Mass will sit on the right side of the church, while those attending the 8:00 am Mass will sit on the left side. Because of the need to clean the church and record our online Masses, the church will remain closed for the rest of the day.
Weddings, funerals and baptisms will be celebrated in the church with a maximum attendance of 175 persons.
Bible Study
on Isaiah 40-55
God has a message of hope. It came in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
Understanding Jesus as the heart of God’s message we might take a lesson from the early Church: after Jesus’ death and resurrection the Church turned to the book of Isaiah. Its poetic prophecies in chapters 40-55 provided rich insights into the significance of Jesus and how to speak hope into discouraging circumstances. Isaiah spoke to the hearts of early Christians. Let him move you as we journey together through Lent.
The study begins Monday, February 15, - 6:45 pm-8:30 pm
It continues February 22, March 1, 8, 15, 22.
We will not meet in person; we will meet via Zoom conference (from the comfort of your own home). You need a computer (desktop or laptop) or a tablet or cell phone to meet.All who register will get an email with information on how to join the meeting. There is no cost for the zoom conference to you.
You will need the Booklet – cost $15. The study booklets are available at the parish office; office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 12:30pm.
No bible study experience needed. Join us and bring a friend!
COVID CELLO PROJECT 10 "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber
278 cellists from 29 countries make beautiful music together online.
Black History Month
Continuing to spotlight African-American Catholics who have given outstanding witness to the faith throughout history, this week we consider Venerable Henriette Delille (1813-1862).
Henriette Delille was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she would live her entire life. For the love of Jesus and responding to the Gospel’s mandate, she was determined to help those in need. Henriette was also a person who suffered as she made her way through life, and she bore many crosses. She taught those around her that sanctity can be attained in following the path of Jesus. It was in this manner that she dealt with her troubles and major obstacles to achieve her goals. Some of the troubles Henriette met were the resistance of the ruling population to the idea of a black religious congregation; the lack of finances to do the work; the taunts and disbelief of people in her mission; the lack of support from both the Church and civil authority; and poor health.
However, Henriette practiced heroic virtue. She had faith, lived in hope, and practiced love. She was compassionate, forgiving, and merciful. She believed in justice and was not afraid to do what was right in the eyes of God. God blessed her efforts and, in 1842, she founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family. Henriette died 20 years later on November 17, 1862. Her funeral was held at St. Augustine Church. Her obituary stated, “. . . Miss Henriette Delille had for long years consecrated herself totally to God without reservation to the instruction of the ignorant and principally to the slave.”
Online Giving Reminders
Please remember to log in to your Online Giving account frequently to make sure your payment method is up to date.
For help with forgotten passwords, please contact Online Giving technical support at 800.348.2886, ext. 2.
Click on the Online Giving icon below to create or access your account.
"Catholic Trivia”... not because they are trivial but because these might be things that not everyone knows. Test your knowledge by reading the five questions, remember your answers (or jot them down), then click the link below to find the answers.
In what century did Lent begin?
What is the etymology of the word Lent?
What are the three traditional Lenten practices that are derived from the gospel which is read on Ash Wednesday?
What is a common name for the day before Ash Wednesday?
What is the official end of Lent according to the Church’s liturgical calendar?
If you have other members of your family or your friends who would like to be on our email list, just let me know or write to Mary McLain at mmclain@stpatrickcarlsbad.comWe will be pleased to add them.
We have opened a YouTube channel where we have daily and Sunday Masses as well as Fr. Ron's new Bible Study posted for the parish called St Patrick Church Carlsbad that you can subscribe to.
The Law regarding leprosy is given to Moses and Aaron.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 32:1-2,5,11
A prayer of contrition and confession for sin.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1
Paul urges the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitates Christ.
Gospel Reading
Mark 1:40-45
Jesus cures a person with leprosy, who reports his cure to everyone.
Background on the Gospel Reading
In today’s Gospel, we continue to hear Mark report the miraculous healings that Jesus performed in Galilee. The Gospel begins with Jesus healing a man with leprosy. Leprosy is a disfiguring, infectious skin disease that has been surrounded by many social and religious taboos throughout history. In 1873, the cause of leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, was identified. We now know that leprosy is caused by a bacterial infection. Although it is infectious, modern medical studies have shown that transmission is more difficult than previously thought. Since the 1940s, medical treatments have been available, and the patient no longer needs to be isolated once long-term treatment has begun.
In Jesus’ time, however, religious and social taboos dictated the behavior of those with leprosy and other skin diseases. The Law of Moses provided for the examination of skin diseases by the priests, and if leprosy was identified, the person was declared unclean. People with leprosy lived in isolation from the community. They were instructed to rip their clothes and to announce their presence with loud cries when moving in the community. If the sores of leprosy healed, the Law of Moses provided a purification rite that permitted the person to return to the community.
In today's Gospel, the man with leprosy took the initiative, approaching Jesus and asking for healing. In doing so, the leper violated the religious customs of the day by approaching a person who was clean. His request to Jesus can be interpreted as a courageous and daring act. The confidence of the leper in Jesus' ability to heal him is evident in the words of his request. But his words can also be read as a challenge to Jesus, asking just how far Jesus was willing to extend himself in order to heal someone. While healing the man, Jesus touched him, which also violated established social norms. This is an important sign of the depth of Jesus' compassion for the man and an important statement about Jesus' interpretation of the Law of Moses.
Although Jesus touched the leper, he did not break completely with the Law of Moses. He instructed the man not to tell anyone about the cure and told him to present himself to the priests as prescribed by the Law of Moses. The first instruction sounds nearly impossible to honor. Certainly, the man would want to share the good news of his healing, and his quick improvement would require an explanation. The second instruction honors the Law of Moses.
Mark's Gospel tells us that after this healing, it became difficult for Jesus to travel freely. There are several possible explanations for this. There might have been concern about the repercussions of Jesus' breach of social and religious norms. In touching the man with leprosy, Jesus made himself unclean. Mark's narrative, however, leads to the conclusion that Jesus' movement was hampered by his popularity. Despite his instructions, the cured man spread the word about Jesus' healing power. Even when Jesus was in deserted places, people sought him out in search of his healing.
A new hymn was recently composed (2020) that highlights the need for healing in our nation and our world. It borrows a familiar melody from Johan Sebastion Bach. Below are the lyrics and you can listen to it through the link:
Rebuilding starts with weeping, with tears that fall like rain,
With full and honest grieving for years of loss and pain,
For suffering and sorrow that never had to be.
Rebuilding starts with weeping for all who are not free.
Rebuilding starts with praying, with hopes allowed a voice,
With visions for our country, with reason to rejoice.
We offer up our spirits, our hearts and minds and hands.
Rebuilding starts with praying for strength to heal our land.
Rebuilding starts with loving, with care for every soul,
With yearning in compassion that all may yet be whole,
That enemy and neighbor may know a better day.
Rebuilding starts with loving, for love will show the way.
Lenten Food Drive
The Knights of Columbus will be hosting a Lenten food drive to benefit the North County Branch of the San Diego Food Bank. Giving to those in need is a powerful way to do your part to participate with our church community during Lent. The drive will run the first four weekends of Lent. Donations will be accepted before/after all weekend Masses (Saturday and Sunday). The donation station will be set up at the back door of the hall. Drive up and the Knights will unload the food from your trunk. Our goal for this drive to 3000 pounds of food. That will serve a couple thousand meals.
A Chorus of Captains
Amanda Gorman's poem which she recited at the Super Bowl recognized the three honorary game captains that the NFL had chosen for Super Bowl LV: Los Angeles teacher Trimaine Davis, who worked to secure Internet access and laptops for his students so that they would be able to access remote learning during the pandemic; Tampa nurse Suzie Dorner, who has been managing the COVID ICU at Tampa General Hospital; and Marine veteran James Martin, who has helped veterans and their families connect virtually through his work with the Wounded Warrior Project. Here the poem in case you didn’t see it or want to hear it again and again.
WayMaker
This praise and worship song reminds us to keep our focus on the God who never forgets us and never leaves us alone. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
Diacono Miguel Enriquez
“Doblar su frente humilde ante Dios, y recordar que eres polvo y al polvo has de volver” San Oscar Romero.En unos días iniciaremos el tiempo de Cuaresma. Pero ¿cómo va a ser diferente esta Cuaresma a otras que hemos vivido? Obviamente, la pandemia va a influir en la manera que estamos acostumbrados. Pero ¿cómo va a ser diferente este año? Romero, en sus palabras nos dice que es necesario “doblar nuestra frente ante Dios, recordando que somos polvo y a polvo volveremos.” ¿Qué nos quiere decir con esas palabras? Es llegando a esta verdad, que la muerte nos va a llegar a todos, pero nosotros tenemos la promesa de Vida Eterna, de mirar al Señor Jesucristo cara a cara al final de nuestro tiempo. Y con ese fin debemos vivir nuestra vida. Vivamos esta Cuaresma disponibles para el Señor, creando y permitiendo espacios en nuestras vidas cotidianas para estar quietos y escuchar su voz de amor. Por favor hagan clic en los Videos indicados. espero que les ayude en su reflexión.
Por favor hagan clic en los Videos indicados. espero que les ayude en su reflexión.
If you are in a healthy relationship, your health can be benefiting from it. Dr. Helen Riess, director of the Empathy and Relational Science Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and author The Empathy Effect, says that love can help your health, both mentally and physically.
When you feel loved, dopamine, the feel-good brain chemical associated with reward, is especially active. When we are in a healthy and loving relationship, our mood improves. This relationship can occur not only with our partners, but it can also be with close friends or even with God.
When people feel securely connected, their stress levels are normal. “Just being in the presence of someone who greets us with positive regard and caring can lower the levels of cortisol and adrenaline and create a greater steady-state, which means that our neurochemicals are back to balance,” says Dr. Riess. Cortisol can damage our brains and weaken our cardiovascular and immune systems over time.
Companionship decreases the neurotransmitters responsible for anxiety. On the other hand, loneliness can compromise your health from increasing inflammation to activating pain centers. Dr. Riess says, “being in love and feeling close to another person can mitigate anxiety.”
Mutual support and care improve your life expectancy, and being in a healthy and loving relationship will contribute to longevity. Research has shown that married couples enjoy more living-longer than singles. It also suggests that those life-long benefits are explained by constant social and emotional support, better adherence to medical care, and having a partner who can hold you accountable to healthy lifestyle behaviors and keep you away from bad habits.
Good news for singles. In 2010 a review of 148 studies found a linkage between longevity benefits to close social relationships, not just romantic ones. Therefore, staying connected with your friends and family is good for your health.
LA ESQUINA DE LA SALUD MENTAL
Cómo Afecta el Amor a su Salud
Si tiene una relación sana, su salud puede beneficiarse de ella. La Dra. Helen Riess, directora del Programa de Empatía y Ciencias Relacionales del Hospital General de Massachusetts y autora de The Empathy Effect, dice que el amor puede ayudar a su salud, tanto mental como físicamente.
Cuando te sientes amado, la dopamina, el químico cerebral que te hace sentirse bien asociado con la recompensa, está especialmente activo. Cuando estamos en una relación sana y amorosa, nuestro estado de ánimo mejora. Esta relación puede darse no solo con nuestra pareja, sino también con amigos cercanos o incluso con Dios.
Cuando las personas se sienten conectadas de forma segura, sus niveles de estrés son normales. Dr. Riess dice que, "El solo hecho de estar en presencia de alguien que nos recibe con respeto y cariño puede reducir esos niveles de cortisol y adrenalina y crear un mayor balance, lo que significa que los neuroquímicos han vuelto a un estado estable". Cortisol puede dañar nuestro cerebro y debilitar nuestro sistema cardiovascular e inmunológico con el tiempo.
El compañerismo disminuye los neurotransmisores responsables de la ansiedad. Por otro lado, la soledad puede afectar su salud desde el aumento de las inflamaciones hasta la activación de los centros del dolor. Dr. Riess dice que "estar enamorado y sentirse cerca de otra persona puede mitigar la ansiedad".
El apoyo y el cuidado mutuos mejoran su esperanza de vida, por eso tener una relación sana y amorosa contribuirá a su longevidad. Las investigaciones han demostrado que las parejas casadas disfrutan de vivir más tiempo que los solteros. También sugiere que esos beneficios de por vida se explican por el apoyo social y emocional constante, una mejor adherencia a la atención médica y tener una pareja a la que se pueda responsabilizar de los comportamientos de estilo de vida saludables y de alejarlo de los malos hábitos.
Buenas noticias para los solteros! En el 2010, una revisión de 148 estudios encontró un vínculo entre los beneficios de la longevidad y las relaciones sociales cercanas, no solo las románticas. Por lo tanto, mantenerse conectado con sus amigos y familiares es bueno para su salud.
Our parish offices are open, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 12:30pm.
During this time of inactivity, we will use our parish email system to communicate with parishioners to offer spiritual reflections and make announcements.
In case of an emergency, you can always reach us by phone. We will be checking regularly for messages and respond as soon as possible. If need be, the answering service can get in touch with one of our priests quickly- 760-729-2866.
If you know someone who does not receive our emails, please forward this to them, or have them reply to this message.
To email a priest at St. Patrick Church click the link below:
