“What should I do for Lent?” This is a question I hear people asking themselves every year. It is an important question, but it can be asked in other ways too. “What will I do to grow in my relationship with God during Lent? What can I do during Lent that will help me be a more caring and compassionate person? How can I grow in my knowledge of God and God’s revealed Word? Who needs my help this Lent? Can I strengthen my prayer life? What do I need to change in myself and the way I relate to others?” and there are many more good questions we can ask ourselves as Lent is about to begin.
This week we celebrate Ash Wednesday. The schedule for the distribution of ashes is included below. While Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, it is more important to think about how I will observe Lent for the entire season. It is a preparation for the renewal of our Baptism at Easter. As such, it is a period of grace and renewal. We have a number of special activities that will occur during Lent and they can be a sources of growth in faith during Lent. They are described elsewhere in this newsletter.
But Lent is about more than programs and activities. Each of these is a means to an end. That end or goal is conversion and renewal. We each seek to grow and become stronger in faith. We turn from any sinful ways and try to be more like the disciples Jesus calls us to be. We strive to become more selfless, more generous, more loving, more in love with the Lord. The conversion and renewal are both internal and external. The means that we choose to aid us in this renewal will be unique to each person. But do something this Lent. Don’t let the opportunities pass you by.
I encourage you to spend some time in these days leading up to Ash Wednesday to think about what needs to change in your life. Then make a commitment to do something that will help you move toward that change during the rest of Lent.
Once again, we are making a small book available to parishioners this weekend called Not By Bread Alone. It is a collection of short reflections based on Scripture verses for each day of Lent. We offer it free of charge. If you wish, you can make a small donation. However, if you take it, please plan to use it each day of Lent as a source of renewal and spiritual growth.
As a part of our Lenten journey, we will offer a special Mass on Tuesday March 7, at 11:00 am during which we will celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The sacrament is open to anyone who has a chronic illness or is physically weakened because of old age or a serious health problem. The sacrament of the sick will be offered in bothEnglish and Spanish. Some of our priests will concelebrate and assist in the anointing of the sick persons. Anyone is welcome to join in the prayers of the Mass.
Lenten Penance Services
During the season of Lent, there are 16 Penance Services scheduled across North County. The priests of the various parishes of the deanery collaborate to provide many opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. At each of these Penance Services, there will be many priests available for confessions. You may want to print this schedule and put it in a place that you can refer to it.
Our parish priests are also available for confessions in our church every Wednesday at 8:30 am and 6:00 pm. Our parish Penance Service will be on Wednesday, April 5.
During Lent communal praying of the Stations of the Cross will be held in the church every Friday at 3:00pm and again at 6:30pm.
The stations of the cross at 3pm will be led by one of the Deacons.
The evening stations will be hosted by parish ministry groups and prayed either in English, Spanish, or with bilingual material.
February 24: Stations of the Cross in Times of Suffering
March 3: Scriptural Stations of the Cross
March 10: Viacrucis (Inmediamente ai terminar la Misa de 5:30pm)
March 17: Stations of the Cross for Families (bilingual)
March 24: Viacrucis (Inmediamente ai terminar la Misa de 5:30pm)
March 31: Stations of the Cross for Youth (Bilingual)
All parishioners are encouraged to make time on Fridays to pray the Stations in community. The outdoor stations of the cross are also available any time. The church is open during the day for private praying of the Stations.
Taizé Prayer around the Cross
Join us on Tuesday evening, March 28, in the Church. We will begin at 7pm in our quiet candle lit church.
The cross will be our focus as we listen to readings from Scripture, meditate in silence, and chant songs in the style of the ecumenical monastic community of Taizé in France.
Gather with us for an hour of prayer witnessing the sufferings of Jesus and our world.
This weekend (February 19-20) we will have a special second collection for Emergency Disaster Relief as a response to the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Proceeds from the collection will provide support for humanitarian assistance, long-term recovery and significant Church needs caused by these earthquakes. Thank you for your generosity.
For I was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me (Mt. 25, 35)
The Refugee Resettlement team is grateful for the generous support of St. Patrick parishioners for our refugee family. We received $3486 and generous offers of donated furniture and household goods. We are looking locally for a two-bedroom rental apartment for less than $2200 per month.
To all our parishioners and their friends: come join us for delicious homemade soup and dessert in the parish hall from 4:30 – 6 PM every Thursday. Our chefs continue to cook truly gourmet soups. This week, Thursday February 23, will feature delicious chicken barley soup, bread and dessert. There is no cost to enjoy. Come join us for good food, conversation and music.
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A todos nuestros feligreses y sus amigos: únase a nosotros para disfrutar de una deliciosa sopa casera y un postre en el salón parroquial de 4:30 p. m. a 6 p. m. todos los jueves. Nuestros chefs continúan cocinando sopas verdaderamente gourmet. Esta semana, jueves 23 de febrero, contará con una deliciosa sopa de pollo con cebada, pan y postre. No hay costo para disfrutar. Ven y únete a nosotros para disfrutar de buena comida, conversación y música.
Beethoven’s Allegretto from Symphony No. 7 in A Major
Jonathan Scott performs his solo organ arrangement of the Allegretto from Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 by Ludwig van Beethoven at the organ of The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, UK.
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Catholic Trivia
"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.
The conversion of St. Paul happened on the road to what city?
Before his conversion, Paul was involved with the death of which first martyr?
To what two Christian communities did St. Paul write two letters?
To what co-worker did St. Paul write two letters?
To whom did St. Paul write a letter asking him to accept a freed slave named Onesimus as a brother in Christ?
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.com We will be pleased to add them.
Merciful and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 3:16–23
Are you not aware that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Gospel Reading
Matthew 5:38–48
My command to you is: love your enemies, pray for your persecutors.
Background on the Gospel
The last two antitheses offered in the Sermon on the Mount deal with love of enemies. We should not look at “an eye for an eye” as an inordinately strict punishment. It is actually meant to limit acts of revenge by making sure the punishment is not excessive but fits the crime. However, Jesus asks his followers to take a different approach by resisting retaliation altogether. The response to a stronger person who slaps us on the cheek, takes us to court, or demands a service of us is not to resist. Similarly, for a weaker person, such as a beggar or borrower, we are to give him or her what he or she asks for. Those who are called to the Kingdom of Heaven are to go beyond the way the world usually works and serve God’s kingdom here on earth.
The other difficult demand of those who are called to the kingdom is to embrace the enemy. There is no command in the Old Testament to hate individuals in a personal or vindictive way. But there is a religious stance that calls one to hate evil and to distance oneself from those who participate in evil. In contrast, Matthew emphasizes that love of God and love of neighbor are the fundamental commands on which all else depend. Because God’s love is unconditional, we are to strive to love as God does, though, of course, it is challenging. Is it even possible?
The key is in the final verse. We are to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect. Matthew uses the Greek word telos, which is probably better translated here as “complete.” We are not to be perfect as in doing everything correctly, that is, as in being absolutely morally correct. We are to be perfect as in striving to reach the completeness we are called to in the Kingdom of Heaven. Attempting to love our enemies is part of striving for that completeness.
The King’s Harpists
We have heard so many rendition of “The Blessing” that have originated from so many places in our world, many of them using the internet to make presentations which include people from many nations. Here in this versions, 144 harpists from 35 different nations, including Israel, gathered together with worshippers from 140 nations in Jerusalem.
Annual Lenten Food Drive
Our Knights of Columbus Council 15076 will be hosting our annual Lenten Food Drive to benefit the San Diego Food Bank - North County Branch!
Our food drive will run throughout Lent starting February 25-26 and will finish strong the weekend of March 25-26. There will be Knights there before and after most Masses to collect donations. Non-perishable food items (except for glass containers) will be accepted along with cash and/or checks.
This food drive is an awesome way for us to help others in need. By doing good deeds, we can show our appreciation to God for everything he has provided to us! It is a way to practice almsgiving during Lent.
Just like Fall food drive, the donation station will be located just outside the front door of the Parish Hall. Please look for the red food donation barrels. There will also be barrels on the patio of the church.
Movie at the Mission
The Letter: A Message for Our Earth
Lent and a Journey of Ecological Conversion a new engaging and inspiring documentary featuring Pope Francis.
Thursday March 2, 6:30pm-8:30pm
For more information or to register, call (760) 757-3659, scan the code,
Our St. Patrick Dinner Dance sponsored by the Knights of Columbus will take place on Saturday March 11 in the parish center. Corned beef dinner with all the Irish trimmings. $20 per person or $60 per family. Cash bar opens at 6:00 pm. Music by Cillian Bridge. Tickets are available on the church patio after Masses or from the parish office.
Next Family Mass
The next Family Mass will be celebrated on Sunday, February 26 at 9:00 am. This will be the First Sunday of Lent. Bring the children to hear more about Lent.
World Youth Day and Eudist Pilgrimage
Support our parish young people for their pilgrimage by making a donation through Online Giving. Choose Fund "Other" and indicate for WYD!
Jesus les dijo a sus discípulos, “Ustedes sean perfectos, como su Padre celestial es perfecto”. Mateo 5:48.La próxima semana, iniciamos la Cuaresma con los servicios del Miércoles de Ceniza. Nuestras misas de ese día están llenas de muchos que vienen para que las cenizas se trazan en su frente. Se nos dice, “Recuerda que eres polvo y al polvo has de volver” o, “Conviértete y cree en el Evangelio”. Las dos oraciones nos recuerdan que Dios necesita ser el primero en nuestras vidas, y no las cosas de este mundo. Pero no miremos este mundo como algo perdido y sin significado. Porque mientras existe el ser humano, mientras existimos tú y yo, el mundo es importante para Dios. ¡Por nuestro propio bautismo, somos enviados por Dios de reflejar su amor a todos! Al final de cada misa escuchamos, “La misa ha terminado, pueden irse en la Paz de Cristo”. Somos polvo y al polvo regresáramos. ¿Cómo podemos obtener una conversión y creer en el Evangelio? En el Evangelio de esta semana, San Mateo dice, “Que sean perfectos como su Padre celestial es perfecto”. Esta meta parece imposible de alcanzar. Todos conocemos nuestra debilidades y luchas contra el pecado. En la segunda lectura de esta semana, San Pablo pregunta, “¿No saben ustedes que son el templo de Dios y que el Espíritu deDios habita en ustedes?” Cada uno de nosotros somos templo del Espíritu Santo, sólo queda que le demos “una chancita” al Espíritu Santo que se mueva en nosotros. Dejar que el Espíritu Santo nos sane, nos transforme a ser criaturas nuevas que reflejan amor, gracia, perdón y reconciliación, en nuestro estilo de vida. Así empezamos hacer “perfectos como Dios es perfecto”. Que esta cuaresma sea un tiempo de purificar para alcanzar la meta que nos pone San Mateo.
¡Nuestro Consejo de Caballeros de Colón 15076 organizará nuestra colecta anual de alimentos de Cuaresma en beneficio del Banco de Alimentos de San Diego - sucursal del condado norte!
Nuestra colecta de alimentos se llevará a cabo durante la Cuaresma a partir del 25 y 26 de febrero y terminará con fuerza el fin de semana del 25 y 26 de marzo. Habrá Caballeros allí antes
y después de la mayoría de las Misas para recolectar donaciones. Se aceptarán alimentos no
perecederos (excepto envases de vidrio) junto con efectivo y/o cheques.
¡Nuestro Consejo de Caballeros de Colón 15076 organizará nuestra colecta anual de alimentos de Cuaresma en beneficio del Banco de Alimentos de San Diego - sucursal del condado norte!
Esta colecta de alimentos es una forma increíble de ayudar a otros que lo necesitan. ¡Al hacer buenas obras, podemos mostrar nuestro agradecimiento a Dios por todo lo que nos ha provisto! Es una forma de practicar la limosna durante la Cuaresma.
Al igual que la colecta de alimentos de otoño, la estación de donación estará ubicada justo afuera de la puerta principal del Salón Parroquial. Busque los barriles rojos de donación de alimentos. También habrá toneles en el patio de la iglesia.
Our parish offices are open, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30 to 4:30pm
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