MASS INTENTIONS March 22, 2020 – Fourth Sunday in Lent Reconciliation – by appointment. Baptism – Please call Fr Lefor . Wedding – Please call Fr Lefor Funeral – Please call Fr Lefor. Bishop Folda has placed restrictions on funerals. New to Parish – Please register at the parish office or call parish secretary, Sue (284-6060). Fr. Lefor will pray these intentions during the private daily Mass this coming week. 03/21 – Saturday – Pro Populo (for the people) 03/22 – Sunday – † Rose Lefor – Glenn & Nancy Lefor 03/23 – Monday – Father Lefor’s Intention 03/24 – Tuesday – † Marge Praska – Jane Zidon 03/25 – Wednesday – (L) Cornelis & Cornelia Jonk – Corrie Enander 03/26 – Thursday – † Aloys Lutovsky – Ray & Linda Lutovsky 03/27 – Friday – Special Intention of White Family – White Family 03/28 – Saturday – (L) Robert Gemmill – Linda & Families 03/29 – Sunday – Pro Populo (for the people) PRAYER LIST Please pray for the following members of our Tri-parishes who are sick or hurt: Elaine Swartz, Elinor Grabanski, Ron Dvorak, Robert Gemmill, Heidi Gustafson, John Beneda, Hadler Ellingson, Charles Waechter If you would like a name added to the prayer list, please contact the Parish Office. After 4 weeks names will be removed unless resubmitted. Thank you. ST. JOHN NEPOMUCENE, Pisek ST. JOSEPH, Lankin ~ STs. PETER & PAUL, Bechyne Pastor – Rev. Jason Lefor Email: [email protected] – Cell: 701-520-0369 PO Box 27 – 167 Newton Ave – Pisek, ND 58273 Telephone: 701-284-6060 [email protected]www.plbtriparish.org www.facebook.com/NepomuceneOfPisek Faith Formation Schedule All classes canceled until further notice. Fr. Lefor will send emails with resources to help you continue faith formation with your children at home. Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions for March Catholics in China: We pray that the Church in China may persevere in its faithfulness to the Gospel and grow in unity. 03/22/20 03/23/20 03/24/20 03/25/20 03/26/20 03/27/20 03/28/20 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Fourth Lent Saint Nicholas Owen Bridget Foerster Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo Makayla Jelinek Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero Faith Nord Annunciation of the Lord Janet Gemmill Amber Brueckner Saint Catherine of Genoa Brogan Novak Saint Rupert Saint Venturino of Bergamo Jerry Hodny WEEKLY BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY, EVENTS & SAINT of the DAY CALENDAR St. John’s Stewardship Report Total Budgeted Sunday Collection for 2020 $54,080.00 Budget to Date 11,440.00 Actual Sunday Collection to Date 8,733.45 Excess/(Shortfall) (2,706.55) Weekly Budget $1,040.00 Past week (Total 59 Households Registered) 5 Households Gave past Week 85.00 Online Giving 0.00 Loose Plate 91.00 Total 176.00 Past Week’s +Excess/(Shortfall) (864.00) God’s ways of seeing are not our ways, we hear in today’s First Reading. Jesus illustrates this in the Gospel—as the blind man comes to see and the Pharisees are made blind. The blind man stands for all humanity. “Born totally in sin” he is made a new creation by the saving power of Christ. As God fashioned the first man from the clay of the earth (see Genesis 2:7), Jesus gives the blind man new life by anointing his eyes with clay (see John 9:11). As God breathed the spirit of life into the first man, the blind man is not healed until he washes in the waters of Siloam, a name that means “sent.” Jesus is the One “sent” by the Father to do the Father’s will (see John 9:4; 12:44). He is the new source of life-giving water—the Holy Spirit who rushes upon us in Baptism (see John 4:10; 7:38–39). This is the Spirit that rushes upon God’s chosen king David in today’s First Reading. A shepherd like Moses before him (see Exodus 3:1; Psalm 78:70–71), David is also a sign pointing to the good shepherd and king to come—Jesus (see John 10:11). The Lord is our shepherd, as we sing in today’s Psalm. By His death and Resurrection He has made a path for us through the dark valley of sin and death, leading us to the verdant pastures of the kingdom of life, the Church. In the restful waters of Baptism He has refreshed our souls. He has anointed our heads with the oil of Confirmation and spread the Eucharistic table before us, filling our cups to overflowing. With the once-blind man we enter His house to give God the praise, to renew our vow: “I do believe, Lord.” “The Lord looks into the heart,” we hear today. Let Him find us, as Paul advises in today’s Epistle, living as “children of light”—trying always to learn what is pleasing to our Father. St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology ~ Sunday Bible Reflections with Dr. Scott Hahn ~ www.salvationhistory.com REFLECTION ON TODAY'S LITURGY
Transcript
MASS INTENTIONS
March 22, 2020 – Fourth Sunday in Lent
Reconciliation – by appointment.
Baptism – Please call Fr Lefor .
Wedding – Please call Fr Lefor
Funeral – Please call Fr Lefor. Bishop Folda has placed
restrictions on funerals.
New to Parish – Please register at the parish office or call parish secretary, Sue (284-6060).
Fr. Lefor will pray these intentions during the private daily Mass this coming week. 03/21 – Saturday – Pro Populo (for the people) 03/22 – Sunday – † Rose Lefor – Glenn & Nancy Lefor
03/23 – Monday – Father Lefor’s Intention 03/24 – Tuesday – † Marge Praska – Jane Zidon 03/25 – Wednesday – (L) Cornelis & Cornelia Jonk – Corrie Enander 03/26 – Thursday – † Aloys Lutovsky – Ray & Linda Lutovsky 03/27 – Friday – Special Intention of White Family – White Family 03/28 – Saturday – (L) Robert Gemmill – Linda & Families 03/29 – Sunday – Pro Populo (for the people)
PRAYER LIST Please pray for the following members of our Tri-parishes who are sick or hurt:
Elaine Swartz, Elinor Grabanski, Ron Dvorak, Robert Gemmill, Heidi Gustafson, John Beneda, Hadler Ellingson, Charles Waechter
If you would like a name added to the prayer list, please contact the Parish Office. After 4 weeks names will be removed unless resubmitted. Thank you.
ST. JOHN NEPOMUCENE, Pisek ST. JOSEPH, Lankin ~ STs. PETER & PAUL, Bechyne
Pastor – Rev. Jason Lefor Email: [email protected] – Cell: 701-520-0369
PO Box 27 – 167 Newton Ave – Pisek, ND 58273 Telephone: 701-284-6060 [email protected]
www.plbtriparish.org
www.facebook.com/NepomuceneOfPisek
Faith Formation Schedule
All classes canceled until further notice. Fr. Lefor will send emails with resources to help you continue faith formation with your children at home.
Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions for March
Catholics in China: We pray that the Church in China may persevere in its faithfulness to the Gospel and grow in unity.
WEEKLY BIRTHDAY, ANNIVERSARY, EVENTS & SAINT of the DAY CALENDAR
St. John’s Stewardship Report
Total Budgeted Sunday Collection for 2020 $54,080.00
Budget to Date 11,440.00
Actual Sunday Collection to Date 8,733.45
Excess/(Shortfall) (2,706.55)
Weekly Budget $1,040.00
Past week (Total 59 Households Registered)
5 Households Gave past Week 85.00
Online Giving 0.00
Loose Plate 91.00
Total 176.00
Past Week’s +Excess/(Shortfall) (864.00)
God’s ways of seeing are not our ways, we hear in today’s First Reading. Jesus illustrates this in the Gospel—as the blind man comes to see and the Pharisees are made blind.
The blind man stands for all humanity. “Born totally in sin” he is made a new creation by the saving power of Christ.
As God fashioned the first man from the clay of the earth (see Genesis 2:7), Jesus gives the blind man new life by anointing his eyes with clay (see John 9:11). As God breathed the spirit of life into the first man, the blind man is not healed until he washes in the waters of Siloam, a name that means “sent.”
Jesus is the One “sent” by the Father to do the Father’s will (see John 9:4; 12:44). He is the new source of life-giving water—the Holy Spirit who rushes upon us in Baptism (see John 4:10; 7:38–39).
This is the Spirit that rushes upon God’s chosen king David in today’s First Reading. A shepherd like Moses before him (see Exodus 3:1; Psalm 78:70–71), David is also a sign pointing to the good shepherd and king to come—Jesus (see John 10:11).
The Lord is our shepherd, as we sing in today’s Psalm. By His death and Resurrection He has made a path for us through the dark valley of sin and death, leading us to the verdant pastures of the kingdom of life, the Church.
In the restful waters of Baptism He has refreshed our souls. He has anointed our heads with the oil of Confirmation and spread the Eucharistic table before us, filling our cups to overflowing.
With the once-blind man we enter His house to give God the praise, to renew our vow: “I do believe, Lord.”
“The Lord looks into the heart,” we hear today. Let Him find us, as Paul advises in today’s Epistle, living as “children of light”—trying always to learn what is pleasing to our Father.
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology ~ Sunday Bible Reflections with Dr. Scott Hahn ~ www.salvationhistory.com
Some principles/comments on applying Bishop Folda's directive:
Dear brothers in Christ, The various diocesan offices (Bishop, Fr. Kraemer, Fr. Jasinski, Fr. Goodwin) have been receiving numerous questions about how to apply Bishop Folda’s directives surrounding COVID-19 precautions. Thank you for your patience in awaiting some of the clarifications/answers. Here are some application notes, provided after direct discussion with Bishop, Fr. Kraemer and Fr. Jasinski): The directives are put in place to do our part to help ensure the physical safety of others, and then ourselves, and then the others we cannot serve if we are infected. They are best interpreted and applied simply as written. We are not seeking (and I know none of you are seeking) to abandon the faithful in time of need. That is why individual confession, Viaticum and danger of death sacraments are permitted. Further, entry into the sacramental life through baptism, and weddings are permitted with precautions. The dead will be buried, with temporary precautions about the size of gatherings. All parish events, classes, gatherings, bible studies, blood drives, book clubs, dances, religious education are non-essential at this moment. They are to be canceled. A ‘private’ Mass means a ‘private’ Mass. That is, the priest is celebrating Mass without a separate, non-clerical, congregation. We are trying to protect others, including those who will not understand or stay away for their own good or others’ good. That means we don’t offer Mass with them. This means we don’t let a few of them know when the “non-scheduled” Mass is going to be so they can come. This means we don’t go into people’s individual homes to celebrate Mass. It is understood that many of our smaller congregations may have a small daily Mass crowd of under 10. However, as painful as it is, it is better to be cautious and safe rather than the end up with the serious anomaly of happily celebrating small daily Masses and not gathering on Sunday. Mass is not being celebrated to avoid groups, and so the same principle applies to doing communion services. They are not to be held. In a similar fashion, an individual may request communion from us. Be aware to discern whether this is a critical need due to health, etc. It will defeat the purpose if we permit it to some and not others under ordinary circumstances. The precautions intended by these directives extend to bringing Holy Communion to the homebound who are not in immediate need, by either clerics or EMHC. We should refrain from this, acknowledging that this is an undesirable suffering for the homebound just as not being able to attend Mass is for the other lay faithful. “Individual Confession may be arranged with a local priest, while making appropriate arrangements that allow for both social distancing and confidentiality. “ This does not exclude the possibility of scheduled times for confessions. However, each pastor should some care to try to minimize/discourage/spread out groups. Please don’t use the regular confessional because of the confined space. Remember that confession, and all sacraments, take place in person. Telephone confession is not permitted and causes grave issues of confidentiality, etc. We can encourage our parishioners in the felt-absence of our common prayer and sacraments. We have many means of communication with our homebound, including post-cards and phone calls to see how they are doing, especially if they are alone. Fr. Kraemer is working with Paul Braun to livestream some Masses. More details will be provided when this is ready. One exception that was not covered specifically in the directives is the case of offering Mass in the privacy of a religious community. Since these communities are already “gathered” in common life, the ‘private’ Mass is permitted with their chaplain. But simply be aware that this should not then become the ‘alternate venue’ for the Mass for laity to attend. One encouragement is to contact any local nursing home or hospital, before any emergency call comes in, and find out if they have precautions that they wish you to be aware of before making any end-of-life or trauma type visit. Please make sure they know you are available to attend to those in emergency situations. Let us all pray for each other and those we serve as we try to make the best of this situation! Msgr. Joseph P. Goering Vicar General/Vicar for Clergy Diocese of Fargo (701) 356-7945
The above directive was issued by Bishop Folda on March 17.
Further clarification of the Bishop’s directive was provided to
the priests of the Diocese of Fargo on March 19. Msgr.
Goering’s email is to the right of Bishop Folda’s directive.
Please direct any questions you may have to Father Lefor.
