5th Sunday in Lent March 28, 2004
LENTEN MASSES
Monday through Saturday – 9am
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Friday – 7:00 p.m. triumphal procession and the Agony in the Garden, the Cross, and the Rising, to New Life on Easter Sunday.
It is not just a week, it is a life to share the life of Christ.
PARISH PENANCE SERVICE
THIS SUNDAY – MARCH 28 – 7:30 P.M.
SACRED HEART CHURCH – MIDDLEBORO
Let us celebrate God’s mercy and loving forgiveness that we can experience in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are sure that the Penance Celebration will be a moving experience and we hope sincerely that you will not miss this opportunity to prepare for Easter by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
OFFERTORY FOR Mar. 21 ST ……………….…$4,008.77
Second Collection .................................................... 1,128.75
WE CAN HELP SISTER RACHEL
Sister Rachel is in the midst of a long, difficult program of treatment. Medical insurance covers those bills for the most part.
Other living expenses mount very quickly and Sister is on a leave of absence, which impacts on her income under terms On this evening (Mar. 28 th ) all of the priests of the
Middleboro, Rochester, Lakeville Cluster will gather at 7:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Middleboro, to celebrate the Sacrament in a Reconciliation Service for all parishioners……please join us! of her contract.
Sister Rachel cannot be in a crowd because it would pose infection dangers. But, from home and in the parish hall she continues to plan the First Communion and Confirmation of our
READINGS FOR THIS WEEKEND
Is 43: 16-21
Phil 3: 8-14
Jn 8: 1-11 or Ez 37: 12-14 children.
The Parish Council has suggested that on Palm Sunday we will put baskets at the doors of the church for anyone who feels they would like to help Sister Rachel meet these expenses.
Rom 8: 8-11
Jn 11: 1-45 or 11: 3-7, 20-27, 33b-45
In today’s second reading, St. Paul says, “For His sake I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish so that
Christ may be my wealth.” Does my stewardship suggest that I could say the same?
If you would like to drop Sister Rachel a note or send an
Easter Card her address is: Sister Rachel Labonville, C.S.C,
13 Meadow Lane, Bridgewater, MA 02342
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
April 5 th : Confirmation II rehearsal for candidates only at 7 p.m.
April 5, 6, & 7 : Last week of classes
R.C.I.C.
MASS INTENTION
Sun….....Mar..28……...11:00 a.m……
Carla Goncalves-Coval
Mon..….Mar. 29…….…9:00 a.m….. Jose Lourenco
Thur…...Apr.. 01………9:00 a.m…… Barbara Noll
Sat….....Apr. 03…….…5:00 p.m….. Joseph McGinnis
Sun…....Apr. 04…….…9:00 a.m….. Robert Phyllis
Sun…....Apr. 04……...11:00 a.m…. Timothy Hourihan
Rite of Christian Initiation of Children
This week-end at the 9:00 a.m. Mass our "elect", John
Lynch and Katlyn Houlihan will be presented with the Our
Father. Please keep them and also Bill McGurk, our
Adult "elect" in your prayers as they prepare to celebrate the
Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil this year.
PROTECTING GOD'S CHILDREN
FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Lent is coming to an end. Next Sunday we celebrate
Palm Sunday, the remembrance of Jesus’ triumphal entry into
Jerusalem, the beginning of Holy Week.
The “strange” thing is that Friday of Holy Week we call
“Good” Friday. What can be “good” about the death of our
Redeemer, the death of the Son of God. And, in that is the reason we call it “good”.
Jesus followed the will of His Heavenly father and died
– AND ROSE – to take away our sins and open for us the possibility of sharing divine life in Baptism and inheriting the kingdom of Heaven. Because the man, Jesus, is also the eternal, infinite Son of God. His sufferings are infinite and more than enough to save our world.
Parents are requested to accompany any child to the Hall who needs to use the bathroom during the week-end Masses.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. It is of the utmost importance that we protect all our children from harm of any kind.
SAVE THE DATE
We are planning to have the Baccalaureate Mass for our
High School Seniors on Sunday, May 23rd at the 9:00 a.m.
Mass. This will also be our Family Mass in May.
Will you take palms on Palm Sunday? Take them if you are joined to Christ for the Week – for your life – to share in the
TODAY:

5th Sunday in Lent March 28, 2004
TODAY: MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP
MAKE YOUR OWN SUNDAE PARTY
Come and join us for an ice cream lunch! We will be having
OPERATION RICE BOWL
This program sponsored by the Catholic Relief Services, is recommended for every household as a worthy Lenten project a Make Your Own Sundae party on Sunday, March 28th from 12:30-2:30 in the church hall, so be sure to stay after the
11:00am Family Mass! This party is open to all middle school youth (grades 5th-8th). Also we’d like to ask any 9th and 10th graders to come and help out! We’ll play some games and have a lot of fun! Please RSVP to Heather Bodwell at mhmbodwell@aol.com or Sister Carol at
SisterCarol@SaintsMarthaAndMary.com of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through your generosity,
Catholic Relief Services is able to help people around the world where the need is most critical. at the exits of the Church.
Rice Bowls may be picked up
Returns may be placed in the Parish
Rice Bowl which is located near the altar. Proceeds will be forwarded to Catholic Relief Services. All during Lent C.C.D. classes are invited to make monetary donations for Operation
Rice Bowl , We invite all parishioners to join our children and to take advantage of this opportunity to reach out to others.
DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE – ACTION NEEDED BEFORE
A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION RECONVENES
As Catholics and as citizens we are responsible for participating in the decisions made concerning our families and our society. Contact your legislators with a clear message that the so-called “compromise amendment” on marriage and civil unions is not acceptable. Tell them that the people have the right to vote on each issue separately. Find out how to contact your legislators at http:/www.state.ma.us/legis.
DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE INFORMATION MEETINGS
What is going on in the legislature? What is the Church’s position? What are we called to do? – Come and find out! All
Catholics are strongly encouraged to attend one of the
CLOTHING DRIVE FOR ST. FRANCIS HOUSE -
It’s Spring cleaning time again and we will be collecting
MEN’S clothing from May 23 rd to May 30th.
At that time would you bring the clothing to the Rectory porch and they will be delivered to St. Francis House in Boston – a shelter and social service (employment seeking) house for men. We did this last year and the Franciscan Fathers and the other men were most grateful.
LAST TWO WEEKS ENDS OF MAY information meetings being held this week. . All meetings are scheduled for one hour. For a listing of all the meetings, see the archdiocesan website at www.racab.or.
CLUSTER GATHERING TO DISCUSS
“THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST”
If you have seen this Mel Gibson movie, you may want to reflect on it with other people of faith, regardless of what you thought about it. Sacred Heart Church will facilitate a discussion for everyone interested on Good Friday, April 9 th at noon in the
Parish Hall on Oak Street, Middleborough.
“In the Christian world…erroneous and unjust interpretations of the New Testament relative to the Jewish people and their presumed guilt(for the crucifixion) have circulated for too long, engendering sentiments of hostility toward this people.”
Pope John Paul
"The message of the liturgy in proclaiming the passion narratives in full is to enable the assembly to see vividly the love of Christ for each person, despite their sins, a love that even death
.
DATES TO REMEMBER .
Mar.28: Parish Penance Service – 7:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart
Church, Middleboro
Mar 28: Make your own sundae party – 12:30-2:30 grades 5-8
Apr. 05: Conf. II rehearsal
Apr. 05-07: Last week of Religious Education classes
READINGS FOR NEXT WEEKEND
Palms: Lk 19, 28-40
Mass: 1 st Reading: Is 50: 4-7
2 nd Reading: Phil 2: 6-11
Gospel: Lk 22: 14-23, 56 or 23: 1-49 could not vanquish. The crimes during the Passion of Christ cannot be attributed indiscriminately to all Jews of that time, nor to Jews today. The Jewish people should not be referred to as though rejected or cursed, as if this view followed from
Scripture. The Church ever keeps in mind that Jesus, his mother
Mary, and the apostles all were Jewish. As the Church has always held, Christ freely suffered his passion and death because of the sins of all, that all might be saved.
See other resources for preaching and teaching the Passion of the
Lord at the Archdiocesan website: www.rcab.org See link
"Jewish Affairs"