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Dear Parishioners: 


You may have already received a message from the Maryland Catholic Conference, but I want to make sure you know about this legislation and make your voice heard:


House Bill 001 and Senate Bill 686, currently before the Maryland General Assembly, propose removing the statute of limitations on civil claims for future incidents of child sexual abuse AND retroactively revives claims that are currently time-barred, no matter how long ago the alleged abuse occurred. These bills treat public and private institutions differently; the set a lower time frame on public institutions than private institutions, such as parishes and non-public schools. This legislation would create two classes of survivors and unfairly lean against religious and private institutions. Put simply, it’s bad law. I ask that you consider contacting your State Senator and House Representatives. Find your representative HERE.


Sincerely, 

On Who He Was

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St. Patrick

Saint Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint, known for spreading Christianity throughout the country as a missionary during the 5th century.


Who Was Saint Patrick?

The man who would come to be known as Saint Patrick was captured by pirates as a child and brought to Ireland. During his enslavement, he was called to Christianity and escaped his captors after six years. He returned to Ireland as a missionary, and in his teachings combined Irish pagan beliefs with Christian sacrament. He is annually honored on his feast day, March 17.


READ MORE: Little Known Facts About Saint Patrick



Early Life

The man who would come to be known as Saint Patrick, apostle of Ireland, was born in Britain circa 386 A.D. Much of his life is unknown to historians and can’t be verified, though some sources have listed his birth name as Maewyn Succat, with the name Patrick later taken on during his religious journeys or ordainment.

His father, Calphurnius, was a deacon from a Roman family of high social standing. Patrick’s mother, Conchessa, was a close relative of the great patron Saint Martin of Tours. Patrick’s grandfather, Pontius, was also a member of the clergy.


Surprisingly, Patrick himself was not raised with a strong emphasis on religion. Education was not particularly stressed during his childhood either. Later in life, this would become a source of embarrassment for the spiritual icon, who would write in his Confessio, “I blush and fear exceedingly to reveal my lack of education.” READ MORE

The Story of St. Patrick - How Christianity Spread in Ireland

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Click on video above to see "The Story of St. Patrick 'How

Christianity Spread in Ireland Drive Thru History Ends of the Earth"

WHAT IS SAINT PATRICK'S DAY?

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By Neil Hargrove


Green beer, green food, green clothes. Is there more to Saint Patrick’s Day?


It’s a day to rival New Year’s Eve and Mardi Gras. In cities all over the world, from Dublin to Sydney to Tokyo, people flock to the streets to celebrate all things Irish and to indulge in parades, beer, and the color green. In fact, some of a child’s earliest memories might even be getting pinched for failing to wear green on March 17—known across the globe as Saint Patrick’s Day.

But how did this simple feast day, which originated on a small island in the Northern Atlantic in honor of a local celebrity, become a widespread celebration that spans the globe?


THE HISTORY OF SAINT PATRICK’S DAY


The legacy of Saint Patrick (approximately 385–461 AD) is found, in part, in the celebration of his Saint’s Day, which corresponds to the day of his death, March 17.1 This day was originally celebrated only in Ireland and was considered a more somber day of remembrance than its modern incarnation. READ MORE

From the Antiracism Task Force

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St. Ignatius would like to highlight the ministry of the Antiracism Task Force during the month of March! 


The Antiracism Task Force seeks to reveal the Gospel we are called to live through a deeper understanding of Catholic social teaching and Ignatian spirituality while embracing the beautiful gifts of diversity. 


As Catholics, we are all called to perform not only charity (short term, emergency assistance for individuals) but also justice work (addressing systemic, root causes of problems that affect many people). 


Our desire as a Task Force is to offer opportunities for parishioners to transition from passively non-racist to actively antiracist through education and works of Justice.


As we honor St. Patrick this week, we wanted to draw your attention to a special event on Sunday We hope you will join us!

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St. Patrick’s Day Virtual Antiracism Prayer Service in collaboration with St. Francis Xavier Parish of NYC (March 19 @ 3:30PM):


Join a diverse group of parishioners from Baltimore, NYC, and throughout the country for a presentation leveraging Ignatian and Celtic spirituality to explore the complicated relationship between Irish Catholics and racial justice. From the history of enslavement of the Irish and discrimination of Irish American immigrants to teachings of modern day Irish American social justice activists like Daniel Berrigan and Frances Sweeney, we’ll discover why Antiracism work is so important to keep relevant while reveling in the spirit of St. Patrick. Email antiracism@st-ignatius.net if interested!


Additionally, the Task Force is currently forming small groups to perform the Ignatian Solidarity Network's 21-day Ignatian Racial Equity Challenge. If interested in doing this as part of a small group, send us an email at antiracism@st-ignatius.net!

This month you can really celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

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Can you hear jigs in the air? March has special significance for those with an Irish background or those who have appreciation for all things Irish. On March 17, the Church celebrates the life of one of its greatest missionaries, St. Patrick, who converted an unruly island into a land of saints and scholars. A little bit of that wild and carefree disposition is still evident in Irish dancers. This month, your newly minted (green) pastor, Brian Frain, S.J., offers free Ceili (pron. Kaylee) dance classes. Ceili dance, a coordinated group dancing genre, is traditionally performed at Irish parties called either hoolies or ceilis.

 

Requirements: Participants commit to three classes offered Tuesdays throughout March. Attendance is critical to fill the spots in group dances. Participants will demonstrate a willingness to learn, comfort making a mistake or two, and the desire to relax all their stiff Lenten penances for just that evening. No dance experience is necessary, but mobility is. Participants do not need to be in shape (take it from the pastor….). Priority is given to registered parishioners who register before March 10. Open enrollment begins March 11. The class is free, and the enrollment is on a first come, first serve basis. Class size is limited to 16 participants. Uisce (Irish for water, pronounced “ishka”) will be served. BYOB.   


Location: Second floor Parish Offices. 


Dates and Times: March 14, 21, 28 from 7:00pm-8:15pm 


For more details:  Fr. Brian Frain, S.J. 410-727-3848 x 121

Enroll in Class

From the Interfaith Committee

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Discussion Registration

From the Environmental Justice Committee

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On April 1, from 10 AM – 12:30 PM the Neighborhood Design Center will be hosting its second Annual Trash Dash, which this year will focus on the Middle Branch.  

 

{Founded in 1968, NDC is a nonprofit organization that facilitates the development of healthy, equitable neighborhoods in Baltimore City and Prince George's County through community-engaged design and planning services. Over the last 50+ years of collaborations with neighborhood partners in Maryland, NDC has developed their unique co-design process. Their work prioritizes the community’s vision, hones it through deep listening and engagement, and elevates the residents’ voices in creating what they want to see in their communities. Behind the excellent design, NDC's work supports stronger, more resilient communities.}

 

The Environmental Justice Committee is seeking willing participants from St. Ignatius to join in this event. The Trash Dash event not only helps raise money for this amazing organization but will help clean up one of Baltimore's most important waterways (all while having some fun and friendly competition).  You can learn more about the Trash Dash event and register for the event here:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0949AFA62EA0F4C43-trash 

 

Wait! There's more! At the end of the Trash Dash, participants can join NDC staff to visit stormwater catches and green landscaping on Medstar Harbor Hospital’s campus. The Neighborhood Design Center was involved in the first stage of this massive project, working to engage community members and Medstar’s Green Team in the planning process. Medstar Harbor Hospital’s $1.34 million dollar investment resulted in four retrofitted parking lots, two rain gardens, 12 bioretention areas, over 16,000 square feet of conservation landscaping and almost 100 new trees. During this visit will be able to show participants first-hand the importance and impact of conservation landscaping on Baltimore’s green spaces and waterways. See: 

 

https://bluewaterbaltimore.org/blog/armedstar/ 

https://d18lev1ok5leia.cloudfront.net/chesapeakebay/greenatmedstar_v2.pdf 

 

We hope you'll participate in this opportunity to support NDC, learn about one of their major environmental projects, and help clean up the Middle Branch - - all on the same day! 

From The Loyola School

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The Loyola School trustees invite you to a kickoff dinner at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, at The Engineers Club, 11 West Mount Vernon Place, Baltimore.


To mark the occasion, the trustees have established the Rev. William "Bill" Watters, S.J. Magis Award. The first award recipient has also dedicated his life to Baltimore's youth. He is longtime St. Ignatius parishioner J. Joseph Brune, a Man for Others in the Jesuit tradition. In a half-century at Loyola Blakefield and St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, and earlier at Baltimore City College, Joe Brune has been an exemplary teacher, coach, counselor mentor, and friend.


Individual tickets are $650. All proceeds from this event will go toward building The Loyola School for our deserving students, the future leaders of Baltimore.


For more information and to purchase tickets, visit

www.loyolaearly.org/watters-award/  

"Seek the City to Come" - your input please!

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To view Fr. Frain's explanation of Seek the City to Come

and his need for your input click on the video above

The "Seek the City to Come" urban initiative is an Archdiocesan effort to reimagine the Catholic presence in Baltimore City and its immediate surroundings. Recognizing changes in the city over the last generations, with demographic changes and population declines, the initiative seeks to revitalize the mission of the Church in the city by aligning resources with those who need them to maintain and broaden the mission of evangelization to Baltimore.


Seek the City began in earnest last summer and included a series of listening sessions opened to the public throughout the autumn to solicit from the faithful their ideas, hopes, and concerns about their own parishes and the wider Catholic presence in the City. With this listening phase concluded, the initiative moves to its “envisioning” phase, which includes a parish check-in by Bishop Lewandowski, the Vicar for the City and the Seek the City team (including members of the Office of Parish Renewal), as well as synod-like gatherings of the faithful within the parishes themselves.


It is these meetings of parishioners at St. Ignatius, led by fellow parishioners, to which you are now being invited. They will provide the opportunity to offer and discuss the strengths and weakness, past, present, and future of the parish, and the way it may feature in the life of the urban vicariate to come, as changes are discerned and implemented. To that end, we are offering 2 different kind of 'listening' sessions - those that are in person before and after Mass; and those that are accomplished via Zoom meetings. We would love your input and are asking for you to choose a session to attend via either Zoom or In Person by pressing the appropriate button below and signing up.


Thanks for your participation.

Schedule In Person Session
Schedule Zoom Session

Upcoming Events

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Tuesday Evenings February 28 thru April 4

@ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Young Adults Lenten Bible Study

Learn More

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Friday Evenings February 24 thru March 31

@ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Stations of the Cross – Got Soup?

Learn More

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Tuesday, March14 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Reading & Discussion Group

Learn More

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Wednesday, March 22 @ 7:30 pm

Lenten Communal Penance Service

Learn More

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Sunday,  March 26 @ 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm

LGBTQ+ Scripture Study

Learn More

How you can help in our Easter Celebration

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Easter Flower Contributions


Parishioner assistance in the form of donations are needed for our annual Easter Flowers collection. This drive gives St. Ignatius the ability to decorate the sanctuary properly for such a great occasion. Flower orders are placed at the end of March. Donations are accepted until March 31. Those who give through Faith Direct can scroll down to a separate collection for Easter Flowers. Make sure you write in the “notes section” who the flowers are donated in honor of (living) or in memory of (deceased). Those who contribute by envelopes will find the flower collection envelope in the Narthex. Donors will have their names and loved ones in the bulletin and Ezine. Thank you in advance for your financial and prayerful assistance. 

Donate to Easter Flowers

Food and Set Up / Tear Down for the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday


Tony Floyd, chair of Hospitality Committee, requests parishioner assistance for Easter Vigil and Easter to set up and clean up Hospitality for Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. He also needs parishioners to drop off Easter foods on Easter Vigil, April 8, between 12-3pm. Please sign up on Ezine or call Barbara Dailey (410) 727-3848 at the parish office to let us know what you can bring. Thank you for your kindness!

Sign up to help or bring food

Offerings & Prayers & Snapshots

POOR BOX

This week's collection: 

Anti Racism Initiatives




PRAYER LIST

Pray for those who are sick

and on our Prayer List.


Click here for Prayer List

NUMBERS SNAPSHOT

Last weekends 

attendance and collection 


Learn More

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HOW TO GIVE  

How to contribute to 

St. Ignatius Catholic Community.


Here's How to Contribute

In the Media

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Jesuit Father Brian Frain, pastor of St. Ignatius in Baltimore, enjoys playing Irish music on his accordion. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Leap of faith: Jesuit priest is a master of Irish song and dance

By George P. Matysek Jr.


As a lilting Irish hornpipe blared from his smart phone, Jesuit Father Brian Frain’s hard shoes repeatedly smacked a wooden floor with rapid-fire precision. The hypnotic rat-a-tat-tat-tat that echoed in the empty room seemed like the perfect percussive accompaniment to the Celtic tune.


When the music changed to a jig, the priest’s feet flew even faster as he floated across the floor – arms rigidly held alongside his torso. 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 designed and compiled by John C. Odean
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