Traditionally, this weekend begins the time called “Passiontide.” The final two weeks of Lent are used as an immediate preparation for the sorrowful events of the Easter drama. It is a period of time to focus more and more on the passion and death of Jesus and so accompany him on his way to Calvary. For many centuries the Fifth Sunday of Lent was known as “Passion Sunday” while next weekend was, and still is, Palm Sunday. During this time the Church’s liturgy became more somber and a sorrowful mood was reflected in the various practices that occurred in the liturgy.

The most obvious example of a more somber mood was the veiling of statues and images, which still is an optional practice in the current Roman Missal. The idea was that we would fast even from images in church, and not just food. Many of my younger priest brothers have revived this practice wherever they have served. Crosses remained covered until the end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remained covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.”

Palm Sunday was seen as the “Second Sunday in Passiontide,” and is currently listed in the liturgical calendar as “Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.” It is on this day that the Passion narrative is read, the longest Sunday Gospel reading of the entire year. The Church beckons us on Palm Sunday to look toward the cross and see Christ’s immense love for us, sacrificing himself for our sins. It is a preview of what is to come on Good Friday.

After Palm Sunday, Passion Week gives way to Holy Week and the Church follows Jesus during his final days in Jerusalem. The Passion narrative was traditionally proclaimed during Mass on each day of Holy Week leading up to Holy Thursday. Wednesday during this week is known as “Spy Wednesday” and signified the day on which Judas betrayed Jesus and informed the Sanhedrin of his plan. Various other practices occurred during these final two weeks of Lent, such as Stations of the Cross and the Tenebrae services. In the end, Passiontide is meant to be a special penitential period where we focus on Jesus’ bitter passion and foster within ourselves sorrow for our sins. The good news is that Passiontide does not have the last say, and this somber period of preparation ends quickly so that our hearts can rejoice in the beauty of Christ’s resurrection. Knowing the traditions of the Church during Passiontide, will you enter into the mystery of your salvation by Jesus Christ even more the next two weeks? What will you do to make this a very Sacred Time?

In Christ and Mary Immaculate, 

Fr. Tony

This evening, Friday March 19 there will be a  group consecration at the Cathedral after the Stations of the Cross.  We will be reciting the consecration together and you will be able to sign and date your consecration in front of the image of St. Joseph.  If you are participating from home through the livestream, we will also have a certificate available to pick up in the office. Please call the office if you would like a certificate! 

St. Joseph, pray for us!

Stations of the Cross are prayed Fridays during Lent at 5:30 PM at the Cathedral and after the noon Mass on Wednesdays at St. Mary Star of the Sea. 

Cathedral of Our Lady, Fridays at 5:30

March 19 and 26

St. Mary Star of the Sea, Wednesdays at 12:40

March 24

The Cathedral Stations will be livestreamed each week and are saved on the Cathedral YouTube Channel where you can watch and pray them anytime.  

We will celebrate a Penitential Rite with our candidates during the 5 p.m. Mass on March 20. This Rite prepares them for the healing Sacrament of Penance. It calls them to a deeper repentance and a total abandonment to the mercy of the Father who sent his only Son to die for our sins.  What does this mean for our parish family? This Rite reminds us to reflect on our own sins and the need for God's help in our lives. It calls us to grow in holiness and to deeper repentance through our own celebration of the Sacrament of Penance during this Lenten season. The Lord's Prayer will be given to our candidates today at Mass. It entrusts to them the precious words of our Lord on prayer. This prayer of hope is to Catholics a summary of the entire Christian life. It is a model of the relationship of trust that we are invited to enter as children of our Heavenly Father. For those coming into the Church, it symbolizes the passing down of our heritage of prayer, learned at the feet of our Savior, and nurtured in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that is the Church. On Sunday afternoon, March 21, the candidates and their sponsors will experience a time of Catholic prayer during a Retreat in preparation for the Easter sacraments of initiation. Let us continue to pray for our candidates, as well as for ourselves, as we journey together toward the joy of Easter.

My name is Dr. Gordy Harvieux, and I’m a member of the Pastoral Council. The COVID 19 pandemic has impacted all of us. As a pediatrician, I am seeing unprecedented amounts of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, weight gain, lack of motivation, academic failure, drug use and children falling behind on well child care and immunizations. It takes an emotional toll. Fortunately, I’ve still been able to practice my faith; it has been my solace. When the Masses were shut down, I was asked to assist with the Facebook live-streaming of the Mass (remember the glitch in the Easter Sunday Mass?). I’ve also been serving as sacristan for the 5 pm Saturday Mass. We need Jesus and the sacraments now more than ever; we all need to help others, and as it says in the book of Esther (4:14): “Who knows but that it was for a time like this that you were put here.”

Following his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus predicted his suffering, death, and Resurrection and prepared his disciples to believe in the salvation that his death would accomplish. Jesus presented the idea that his dying would be beneficial. He also taught that those who would be his disciples must follow his example of sacrifice. 

Today’s Gospel prepares us to journey with Christ during Holy Week, reminding us that Jesus stayed focused on his purpose and gave glory to God by accepting suffering and death for our salvation. Jesus teaches his disciples and us that those who want to follow him must serve others by thinking about others’ needs before their own. When we do this, we, too, give glory to God.

During Lent, we focus more intently on what it means to live faithfully as a follower of Jesus. We are approaching the end of Lent, and this Sunday’s Gospel helps us to understand what it means to follow Jesus all the way to his sacrifice on the cross. 

There is a question that we sometimes hear people ask, “What’s in it for me?” “What’s in it for me?” is a common question in our society. “What’s in it for me?” is the wrong question for followers of Jesus. Jesus certainly did not ask this question as he journeyed to the cross. 

Jesus teaches his disciples that those who want to follow him must serve others, thinking about others’ needs before their own. This is also true in families today. Family life is often a balancing act in which we prioritize and attend to a variety of competing needs. We learn the value of putting others’ needs ahead of our own. In family life we also learn that when we make personal sacrifices to serve others, we gain so much more than we may have lost.

Talk about how important it is to your family life to gladly serve one another. Ask each person to consider the last time that another family member asked for help. What was your response? Did you cheerfully try to honor the request, or did you ask, “Why me?” How do you think Jesus would want us to respond when someone in our family asks for help?

Ask each family member to try and respond cheerfully to requests for help for the next week. Look at how your Lenten promises are going and what might you do between now and Easter to show your willingness to follow Jesus in serving others? 

Faith Formation continues next week with our special XLT night at St. Lawrence from 7 PM – 8:30 PM. It will be a night of confession, prayer, and praise. All families are invited and encouraged to attend. 

             

Thank you to the CREED Fund: Stella Maris Academy was  generously awarded a CREED grant in February 2021 for members of our SMA faculty and staff to be enriched by two educational opportunities. Thanks to funds granted by CREED, SMA’s Faith Formation Director, Jenny Boran will have an opportunity to enhance her education and training with a special course offered by the Theology of the Body Institute. Additionally 10 members of SMA’s faculty and staff will be able to attend the National Catholic Liberal Arts Education Conference this July. These two opportunities would not be made possible without the generous support and grants provided by CREED. This fund- The Catholic Religious Education Endowment Fund- provides for the financial support of educational opportunities for the enrichment of faith and the spreading of the Gospel by the laity, deacons, priests and Catholic schools in the diocese of Duluth. The fund is supported in part by the Evangelization Through Education capital campaign. Stella Maris Academy is deeply grateful for this gift from CREED and their ongoing and faithful support of our school.  

New members are always welcome! You are invited to join us in the ministry of experiencing God in serving our neighbors living in poverty. Email svdpduluthmn@gmail.com for the meeting link, questions, or more details. St. Vincent de Paul Immaculate Conception Conference holds meetings on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month via Zoom at 6 pm. For our neighbors in need of assistance, please call (218) 409-6887 to speak with one of our members.

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As covid-19 cases increase in our area, it is a good time to make sure we are all taking the precautions that are in our control.  

Face Masks: Wear a face mask when you are at church. If you are not able to wear a face mask, please obtain a face shield.

Hand Sanitizing Before Communion: When you come up to communion, you will notice there is hand sanitizer in the aisle. To make sure we are doing things safely, first pull down your mask, then sanitize your hands prior to receiving communion.    

Cleaning the Pews: After Mass, please sanitize the area in which you are sitting. Sanitizing wipes can be found in the side aisles. Thank you.

The annual Steubenville Conference Mission Trip for students in grades 9-12 is tentatively planned for July 6-12, 2021!  We are hoping to go to the Steubenville Conference in Springfield Missouri July 9-11.  

Registration is open and more information can be found at www.dioceseduluth.org/Mission-Trips