The Church of St. Mary 420 Irving Street

Alexandria, MN 56308

Parish Office: 320-763-5781 Website: www.stmaryalexandria.org School Office: 320-763-5861 Email: stmary@stmaryalexandria.org Rel Ed. Office: 320-763-9202 Diocese website: www.stclouddiocese.org

Office Hours: 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM Monday – Thursday 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM Friday

March 18, 2018 THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

Fr. Steve Binsfeld

Readings for the Week of March 18 th

Monday: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Rom 4:13, 16- 18, 22; Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a Tuesday: Nm 21:4-9; Jn 8:21-30 Wednesday: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Dn 3:52-56; Jn 8:31-42 Thursday: Gn 17:3-9; Jn 58:51-59 Friday: Jer 20:10-13; Jn 10:31-42 Saturday Ex 37:21-28; Jer 31:10, 11-13; Jn 11:45- 56 Sunday: Mk 11:1-10 Phil 2:6-11; Mk 14:1-15:47

WEEKLY MASS SCHEDULE

Daily Mass Server: Tues., Wed., & Thur.,- Gene Burghardt Monday No Daily Mass Tuesday 5:00 PM +Val Platto Wednesday 8:30 AM +Katherine L Plachta Nelson Thursday 7:00 AM +Sandy Tomczik 1:30 Grand Arbor + Dave Collins Friday 8:30 AM +Irene Bundy Saturday 5:00 PM +For the Parish Sunday 8:00 AM ++Ben & Dorothy Vanderheiden 10:00 AM +Peggy Hansen

Peace to You on this 5th Sunday of Lent! Several weeks ago I began my homily with stories of 3 incidents that happened at the Cathedral when I was pastor there. The stories had some humor to them and were used to show that there are places that attract all kinds of people...just like the temple in Jerusalem at Passover. It is never my intention to make light of mental illness. There are so many who struggle in various degrees with it. My staff at the Cathedral knew many of those who suffered from various forms of mental illness by name, as they lived above the various storefronts or in some of the HUD rental units downtown and were regulars at our church. We would often sit and talk with them and help them out in various ways. There was room for everyone. That was the beauty (and the challenge) of being a pastor of a downtown church. “Here comes everybody.” The point is that we are—all of us—brought together in this place we call “the Church.” One of the songs we sing states, “the young and the old, the frightened, the bold, the greatest and the least” are all invited to the feast. We are all members of the same household of God. Speaking of “here comes everybody,” we are approaching Holy Week. Palm Sunday is next weekend. It is the holiest week of the year when we recall Jesus entrance into Jerusalem where he would suffer, die and rise. This year we have 5 candidates who will be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church, confirmed and take their first Communion with us. We are happy to welcome them. So…please, do take part in the various liturgies of the church. Please do sign up for various ministries that are needed at the sign-up table near the sacristy. We are trying to upgrade our records. We are finding that we are not able to contact any number of people by phone as their numbers are disconnected. A while ago, something happened where I needed to contact a family in an emergency situation. “We’re sorry…but this number has been disconnected.” We respect your privacy; we do not hand out your phone number or address. Be we do need some way of contacting you. If you sign up for a ministry, people in that ministry do need… Continued on page 2…

LENT AND HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE Penitential Services Sunday, March 18 2:00 PM Wednesday, March 21 7:00 PM Individual Confession Times Sat., March 24 - 3:00 PM, Tues., March 27 - 3:00 PM, Wed, March 28 - 10:00 AM Palm Sunday Masses 5 PM Saturday; 8 and 10 AM Sunday *Palms blessed and distributed at each Mass HOLY WEEK Holy Thursday, 3/29 7:00 PM – Mass of the Lord’s Supper *incense used, Adoration follows in the Great Hall Good Friday, 3/30 9:00 AM – Morning Prayer *incense used 12:00 PM – Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion With veneration of the Cross & Communion

* incense used 8:30 PM – Tenebrae Service A contemporary service with veneration of the Cross

Holy Saturday, 3/31 9:00 AM Morning Prayer *incense used 8:30 PM Easter Vigil (no 5 PM Mass) *incense used Easter Sunday, 4/1 8:00 AM & 10:00 PM Mass

“Our Mission

is to know, love, and serve God by living the Eucharist.”

Promulgated on Pentecost Sunday 2013

WELCOME TO THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY 1

March 24TH & 25th

SATURDAY 5 PM MASS Greeters Team 4 Barbara Nei, Patricia Pederson, Julie Olmscheid, Peter Olmscheid, Ian Thorson, Drew Olson Ushers Team 4 Lawrence Van Hout, Gregory Thompson, Audrey Cline, Jerry Cline, Jane Sirek, Glenn Sirek, Timothy Moe Extraordinary Ministers Team 4 Lector 1 See Holy Week Schedule Lector 2 See Holy Week Schedule Server See Holy Week Schedule

SUNDAY 8 AM MASS Greeters Team 8-B Marian Schoeberl, James Schoeberl, Walter Roers, Evelyn Roers, Mary Zwilling, Mathias Zwilling Ushers Team 8 Mark Maloney, Alicia Salfer, Walter Roers, Jerome Daas, Michael Donnay, Anthony Zimny, Thomas Herzog, Sr. Steven Niblett Extraordinary Ministers Team 8 Lector 1 See Holy Week Schedule Lector 2 See Holy Week Schedule Servers See Holy Week Schedule

SUNDAY 10 AM MASS Greeters Team 12-B Becky Eckstein, Dan Eckstein, Kay Hendricks, Michael Hendricks Ushers Team 12 Larry Gasperlin, Brian Flaten, Mark Pederson, Paul Maack, Ben Zacher, David Wosmek, Ron Boyden Extraordinary Ministers Team 12 Lector 1 See Holy Week Schedule Lector 2 See Holy Week Schedule Servers See Holy Week Schedule

_________________________________________________ DRIVERS– March 25th Bethel Manor – Mike Savageau Windmill Ponds – Blair Hovel Arabella Manor – Mike Baudrau Grand Arbor – John Hovel & Ron Boyden

HOSPITAL/NURSING HOME– March 25th Hospital – Betty Ebsen Knute Nelson/Nelson Gables – Kevin & Mary Gorghuber Bethany – Mary Strasser

THANK YOU to Father Steve & Members of St. Mary’s for hosting the Red Cross Blood Drive March 12th & 13th. Thank you to all that donated blood. It is very much appreciated by the Red Cross & the Grey Ladies of the Red Cross.

BANNS OF MARRIAGE I Kyle Athey & Kelsi Conroy

ADULT BIBLE STUDY: Tuesday evenings in the Great Hall immediately following the 5 PM mass. Call Mike at 759-1911 for more info.

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Thursday mornings in the Commons Area of the church at 6 AM. Call Mike at 759-1911 for more info.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: God’s love and mercy are immense! There is still time to join and be transformed as we study Father Gaitley’s “Divine Mercy In The Second Greatest Story Ever Told” beginning this weekend. This is a 10-part DVD-based study offered at two different times: Saturday morning from 8-10 a.m. in the Boy Scout Building and Sunday evenings from 6:30 -8:30 p.m. in the St. Mary’s School. You may alternate between sessions. Understand and be prepared for Divine Mercy Sunday on April 8th and enjoy building faith-centered friendships. No previous study experience necessary! There is no homework with this study! To enroll and for more information contact: Lori 320-808-1145 or Tammy 320-808-6404 Email: biblestudywomen@gmail.com

ST. MARY’S PRAYER LINK: If you have a prayer request, please send to Wosepkak@aol.com or phone Kelly Wosepka at 320-815-4655. You may also call Julie Desautels at 846-1842. All prayer requests will be kept confidential.

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel Rosary: Sundays (before Mass) 7:35 AM & 9:35 AM

Holy Spirit Prayer Group: Thursdays 5:30-6:00 PM (rosary in Commons Area) 6-7 PM prayer time in the Chapel. Contact Jim Joerger at 834-2945.

Divine Mercy Hour: Mondays from 3-4 PM. Contact Barb Nei at 846-0022.

Sanctity of Life Prayer Group: Meets the 1st Wednesday of every month at 7 PM. Contact Louise Revering at 762-8632.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION – Sharing One Hour with the Lord. Adoration is one way you can make prayer and spending time with the Lord a greater priority in your life. Please consider being a regular adorer for our Chapel. For more information - contact Sue McCulloch at 320-491-7006 (call or text); tscamcculloch@charter.net. Mon: 8-9 pm; Tues: 1-2 pm; Wed: 7-8 pm, 11-midnight; Thur: 3-4 pm; 4-5 pm; Fri: 3-4 am.

FAIR TRADE CART: Have you checked out the Fair Trade Cart recently? We have a great selection of tea available as well as coffee and hot chocolate. Treat yourself (or a friend) and at the same time you can make a difference in the lives of people from developing countries. Buying these products from producers in developing countries at a fair price will help them be self-sufficient, rather than be dependent on charity or aid.

If you or someone you know in our parish community is sick or ill or has a family member who could use our prayers, please call our Parish Nurse, Kathy Fischer, at 762-2320. Please remember the following people in your prayers: Ruth Partington, Ron Hoffman, Chris Ficenec, Ken Judson, Jim Rutten, Scott Addy, Pat Pahl, Ione Grubb, Ilene Woida, Glorene Iverson, Pat Pihaly, Dice Ganje, Carol Peterson, Pat Eich, Lorine Vipond, Yvonne Lorsung, and Betty Schlosser.

ADULT FAITH FORMATION LITURGICAL MINISTERS

PRAYER CORNER

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some way to contact you. We do email blasts so that you can better know what special events are coming up. TO THAT END we have your household census/information form with a cover letter available for you to pick up, correct, change, add to, delete…and then return to us. You can pick up your form in the commons area after Mass these next 3 weeks. Please fill in/correct them and get them back to us either in the offering basket, in the office or the office drop box outside the office door as soon as possible. We need your help. If you do not want your address and phone numbers listed, please give us your information and check “Unlisted” or write it at the top. We are winding up to do another parish pictorial directory, so we would like to include a current census in the directory. PLEASE HELP US. Our School is again having their annual Casino Night on Friday, the 13th of April at Carlos Creek Winery beginning at 6:30. It is a really fun evening for all of our parishioners. Casino night tickets are available after Mass this weekend and the next two and the weekend after Easter, or at the School. Come, have a great time and meet others in a fun atmosphere. In the coming weeks we will be switching over to a new bulletin format including COLOR! With new technology & new supplier contracts we are able to produce a color bulletin while also realizing a significant savings each year. We have our first Lenten Penitential Service this afternoon at 2 PM…and the second is this Wednesday at 7 PM. Fr. Steve

THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BINGO Sunday, March 18th at 7:00 PM & Wednesday, March 21st at 2:00 PM at the KC Hall on 6th Ave E. & Nokomis. Team 13 Curt Mateer, Philip Pittman, Jim Faber, Joseph Korkowski and Eddie Dummer will be in charge.

SANCTITY OF LIFE MOMENT:

40 days for Life comprehensive statistics Prayers are being answered: - since beginning in 1999; 13,523 lives have been saved from abortion;

154 abortion workers quit; 90 abortions facilities closed. Father God, thank you! Thank all of you who lift the unborn in your prayers Meets the 2nd Monday of each month from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the prayer room in St. Mary’s School. Please join us! Contact Bruce Becker for more info: 320-759-2003 or bbecker100@gmail.com. Visit St. Mary’s Sanctity of Life online at http://sanctityoflife.org/ for information or resources.

SPRING RUMMAGE SALE April 7, from 8:00am to 12:00pm. Drop off April 6th at St. Mary’s School from 4:00pm to 6:30pm. No large pieces of furniture. Contact Cecelia at 320-491-8527 with any questions.

PARISH LIFE COMMITTEE NEWS: March 18th please join us in the Great Hall after the 8:00 and 10:00 AM Mass to welcome our newest members to The Church of St. Mary. Also, our committee will be hosting a reception after the Easter Vigil Mass on March 31 in the Great Hall.

MISSION QUILTING: We welcome anyone to attend our mission quilting at 12:30 on Monday, March 26th in the Great Hall. If anyone would like to sew pillowcases for the Caring and Sharing Room from sheets, please call Joyce B with any questions at 320-763-7615.

MN FoodShare Month: March Campaign “ If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need

and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 1 John 3: 17-18.

Thank you for your generous donation of food items and dollars this past week. About our local “Outreach Food Shelf”: did you know?

• That any adult member of a registered family can pick up their monthly food allotment but an appointment is needed to do so?

• That a good choice to donate is Kleenex, toilet paper, laundry, dish and personal soap? And tooth brushes and toothpaste?

• That although money is needed for the “Outreach Food Shelf” capital expansion, the first consideration in using donated dollars is ALWAYS the purchase of food?

Thank you for your generous response to our March MN Food Share Campaign.

STEWARDS OF CREATION:

The Bible contains a profound message about the stewardship of material creation: God created the world, but entrusts it to human beings. Caring for and cultivating the world involves the following:

0 joyful appreciation for the God-given beauty and wonder of nature;

0 protection and preservation of the environment; 0 respect for human life-shielding life from threat

and assault, doing everything that can be done to enhance this gift and make life flourish;

0 and development of this world through noble human effort-physical labor, the trades and professions, the arts and sciences-our work.

Excerpt from: THE THEOLOGY OF STEWARDSHIP A Summary of the United States Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Stewardship

COMMUNITY NEWS

STEWARDSHIP PARISH HEALTH

WELCOME TO THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY

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email: stmreled@stmaryalexandria.org

Phone: 763-9202

Class Schedule

Sunday School: March 18, 9:50 – 11:00 AM

Grades 1-5: March 21, 3:45 – 4:30 PM

Grades 6-11: April 4, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

SUNDAY SCHOOL VOICES

Today will be our last Sunday school class. We made a Holy Week folder that we can look at during Holy Week. What a beautiful time Holy Week is in our church! We will have a special time together in the gym after the 10:00 Mass—we’ll share some of our favorite songs with you! Everyone is invited to come to the gym for our spring program.

JR/SR HIGH FAITH FORMATION

No Class – Penance Service in the church at 7:00 PM

Confirmation candidates have Confirmation Learning Centers on March 21 between 4:00-7:00 PM in the school gym.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

It has been 5 years since our last picture directory. To get ready to make it as current as possible, we need you to check your household information we have on file. This is in an envelope with your name on it located near the Hospitality Desk in alphabetical order. Please review and make any changes directly on the report and leave at the Hospitality Desk or the Parish Office.

Photo Sessions will take place in the Great Hall during May and June. Sign-up for photo sessions will begin after Easter on April 7 and 8 after all Masses. Online scheduling is available. Watch for more details.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6

A few months ago, my husband Jeff and I started cleaning out our extra bedroom. It had be-

come a storage closet. Boxes were stacked from floor to ceiling. We de-cided it was time to sort through them and clear out some of the clutter.

Riffling through the rummage was fun to do. I found old photo’s from my children’s school days. I laughed at the picture of Tim with the circle of red Kool-Aid stain around his lips and re-membered how mad I was about it back then. I came across tokens and awards the kids had won. As I lifted out sweat-ers hand-knit by their great-grandmoth-er, tears came to my eyes when I saw the bears and bunnies they wore as infants. These were articles worth holding on to.

Then I got down to the nitty-gritty of things. I rum-maged through items that I had packed away that were hardly used and still in good condition. Comforters, un-used picture frames, knick-knacks of all sorts, filled a number of boxes. Kitchen gadgets, china with pretty pink flowers, and lamps with shades were found. It was time to clear out the clutter

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StewardshipInspiring a deeper understanding of true giving March 2018

Be a Channel

Don’t store up treasures here

on earth where they can erode away or may be stolen. Store them in heaven where they will never lose their value and are safe from thieves.” Matthew 6:19

“

Continued on page 4...

and give these things to someone who could put them to good use.

As I carefully handled each item to pack them in the box, I was mind-ful that we need to be a channel rather than a reservoir. That we shouldn’t hold on to things that we don’t need when there are plenty of others in the world who could use them. I pondered how the Dead Sea is called “dead” because nothing flows from it. When we hold on to things rather than give them, we are in danger of become dead spiritu-ally.

While I wrapped the breakable items in tissue paper, I recalled hearing that the word “miser” is the root word of miserable. God doesn’t want us to hold on to everything, I said to myself. He wants us to experience the joy of giving rather than the misery of containing.

As I watched Jeff fold the flaps on the cardboard boxes, I thought about all the blessings that these items could

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I f only I had more, I would give more.

How often we’ve all said that. St. Luke had something to say about this: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Lk 16:10). If you aren’t giving sacrificially with what you have, you wouldn’t give sac-rificially if you had more. How much you have has noth-ing to do with your generosity to God.

For my 50th birthday, a friend let me borrow her hat – a two layer “cake” of stiff vanilla cloth, sit-

ting on a top of a brim of blue velvet. On top, six red and white candles stood in rigid attention, topped with orange and yellow flames. If real and ignited, these candles would create a terrific blaze!

As I shared my hat with others, warm experiences filled my heart. My favorite was seeing the grin on my dad’s face, the silly hat on his head, as he blew out his real candles on his 75th and last birthday.

When God Requests a Candle

God’sLighthouse

How much should we give? The Bible recommends tithing. And I like the expression, “first

fruits of our labor,” as opposed to the modern thought of giving to God only whatever hasn’t been used to add to our own affluence. To take the first and the finest of what we have and give to God seems a much more worthy gift.

Certainly it brings that very Chris-tianity into our homes. Tithing seems at first glance to be a gamble, and we may tell ourselves there are other places for our money. The children must be fed and clothed and educat-ed. Yet, it is true that if we give to God, and let God come through with resources as we need them, we are not really gambling, but living close to faith itself. We are trusting God. And in tithing our trust is tested.

In tithing, the church ceases to be a structure of stone and steel and glass, and becomes an involvement of love for one another, and for all humanity. I don’t pretend to know why. I only know that total involve-ment in Christ’s humanity brings warmth and a feeling of strength that we very much need; that all people need.That love is not a part of the past,

but of the present. Christ said he would be with us always, but he did not say we would necessarily be with him. We may or may not be. But by our tithe, we make a decision for our Christianity.

When we tithe, we may give far more than we think is “sensible” to our

church. In no material way do we try to justify our actions, other than to ad-mit that we cared enough to give. When one asks why it should be right, when there are so many other places for our money, the answers are so simple as to defy argument. We must never be luke-warm. We must be for God.

Continued on page 4...

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A business executive once told me that whenever she needed something important done, she

would always choose “someone busy” to do it. She’d learned that busy people were the ones who had learned to use their time effectively. I asked her if that was fair. She answered, “Maybe not, but the work needs to be done.”

Sometimes it seems every church does the same thing as this executive. A few people seem to do everything: serving on committees, cleaning the church, and teaching Sunday school. Others may contribute in various ways, but not nearly as much. It’s the busy people that practice stewardship of time most effectively, which make them vital to the church’s good works.

Busy people deserve our respect, thanks, and most importantly, help. We shouldn’t wait to be asked; what work needs to be done isn’t a secret. If we join in, we may learn we can accom-plish more than we thought, back when we weren’t so busy.

The immediate, almost natural,

reaction to the prospect of serving on a church committee is, “I haven’t time.” Maybe it is a valid excuse. On the other hand, if it isn’t, who is to say you aren’t telling the truth? But do you honestly feel that the church members who are helping, neces-sarily have more time to give than those who aren’t?

A former dress designer in St. Louis, 89, teaches health and physical education at a local

Community Center.

In Utah, a 70-year-old woman re-ports “I am stone deaf and losing vi-sion, but still yearn to be of use to oth-ers.” She is learning Braille to use her remaining sight in transcribing reading material for the blind-deaf.

Foster grandparents in New Mexico, ages 60 to 83, put in 20 hours a week helping children with learning disabili-ties grow in self-confidence, trust and health.

A 63-year-old mechanic in Upstate New York tells why he likes a program that employs older people to work with deprived children: “It’s hard to quit when you’ve worked all your life. I’m more interested in these kids than I ever thought I could be. My wife enjoys hearing me talk about my work and it’s making us both happier.”

An attorney, 66, devotes three hours a week in Minneapolis to reading tech-nical bulletins to a sightless director of a society for the blind. “It was through the Christophers,” wrote the lawyer,

How Retired People Can Help

“that I got thinking about how to help others and how important it was even if it was just a little bit.”

In fact, the world over, thousands of retired people have served without salary in nearly 130 countries, thanks to the International Executive Service Corps. They lend assistance to private firms in underdeveloped areas.

Someone Busy

Copyright © Parish Publishing, LLC

May not be reproduced without permission.888-320-5576 www.parishpublishing.org

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Continued from page 1...

Be a Channel...bring to someone in need. I felt an en-thusiasm over God’s promise that it would flow back to us as we give into someone else’s life.

After getting rid of a few things, my house feels lighter and so does my heart.

Then one day, my friend surprised me. “I need the hat back,” she stated. “What?” I said. MINE! I thought. But, I had to return it, because it was hers. She had been kind to lend it to me in the first place.

After my next celebration this month, I’ll mail it to her reluctantly - cloth lay-ers, blue brim, six candles and all.

Also this month, I’ll need to return something else. Our stewardship pro-

Continued from page 2...

When God Requests...

gram begins. Will I reluctantly return what God loaned me in the first place? Will I feel relieved that God doesn’t ask for the entire hat? Will I refuse God one candle, when he leaves the remain-der shining so brightly?

Our stewardship program is under-way. Let’s give with gratitude as our individual candles contribute to a blaze that brightens our community and warms the world beyond!

Retired people rejoice in giving theirtime and talent all over the world.

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Email: stmaryss@stmaryalexandria.org Phone: 320-763-5861 Fax: 320-763-4833

We invite you to attend St. Mary’s School Casino Night – an annual event that includes great food, gourmet desserts, socializing, casino-style games, silent and live auctions, raffles and drawings, plus much more. There is something for everyone! Come to have fun while supporting our school! Watch the bulletin each week for more details!

Event and raffle tickets are available after Mass and at school!

2018 RAFFLE ITEMS: All raffles will be drawn at St. Mary’s School Casino Night on April 13, 2018 at the Carlos Creek Winery.

ST. MARY'S SCHOOL St. Mary's School educates the whole child within a

nurturing Catholic Christian environment.

ELDEN’S GIFT CARD

Value: $500

Donated by: Elden’s Fresh Foods

TANDEM KAYAK

Value: $500

Donated by: Alexandria Martial Arts and Movement

& Stoeckel-Jahner Surveying

ONE SEASON OF LAWN MOWING

Value: $1200

Donated by: Rosengren Lawn Care

& Landscaping

PHOTO SESSION AND PRINTS

Value: $200

Donated by: Maggie Wood Photography

GYM TEACHER FOR THE DAY

Value: Priceless

For Your Special Student at St. Mary’s School

FREE TUITION

Valid for the 2018 -19 School Year

For Your Special Student at St. Mary’s Student

10th Annual Auction & Casino Night

Friday, April 13, 2018

Carlos Creek Winery Doors Open at 6 p.m.

All Are Invited!

CALENDAR RAFFLE WINNERS

MARCH 2018

March 11 Rogelo Rodriguez, Alexandria $35 March 12 Nancy Patrick, Nelson $20 March 13 Sr. Lauren Virnig, St. Joseph $20 March 14 Jim Sladek, Alexandria $20 March 15 Diane Olson, Brandon $50 March 16 Emily Zwach, Alexandria $20 March 17 Rogelo Rodriguez, Alexandria $20

SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

2018–19 Kindergarten Registrations are being accepted. Please contact the school office for more details.

St. Mary’s School Fish Fry is scheduled for March 16th from 4:30-7:00 in the school gym.

Save the Date! St. Mary’s School 10th Annual Auction and Casino Night is scheduled for Friday, April 13th at Carlos Creek Winery beginning at 6:00 pm. ALL ARE WELCOME! It’s a great evening of fun. Tickets are available after Masses or at the school office.

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LITURGICAL & MUSICAL NOTES

Understanding Holy Thursday – Gospel and Footwashing One would think that the gospel for Holy Thursday would be the story of the institution of the Eucharist. We hear instead about what happened during the meal. The Church speaks volumes to us about the gospel chosen for this feast. We hear John the Evangelist telling the story of how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. John closely connects Eucharist with washing feet. Some interpreters believe that John’s gospel was a very early homily given at a eucharistic liturgy. ► Foot washing. Long ago, Holy Thursday was referred to as Maundy Thursday. Maundy comes from the word mandatum. It means “command.” The word is from the Latin text of Jesus’ words from John’s Gospel later in the same chapter as the washing of feet: “I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” The word mandatum is connected to the foot washing because Jesus called his action at supper an example that his disciples should follow.

► The Holy Thursday ritual has been called the Mandatum, not because of the foot washing but because of the antiphon that is sung during the ritual. One of the

antiphons is John’s text: I give you a new commandment...

► Jesus continually poured out himself in complete love to God’s people. The mandatum is a prelude to the ultimate gift of love he would extend to the whole world the next day as he sacrificed his life on the cross. We are to do as Jesus did,

follow the example of washing the feet of others.

► At one point in Church history, the mandatum was considered a sacrament. It was believed to be a sign of service, charity, and filial love and was celebrated frequently throughout the year.

► John is clear. If we want to share in the Eucharist we must wash the feet of others; we must offer humble service; we are to love with a paschal love, a love in which we die to self and offer our lives for others as we participate in Christ’s ongoing redemption of the world.

► Gifts for the poor. This is one liturgy in which the faithful are encouraged to process forward with their gifts for the poor.

► Transfer of the Eucharist. There is no significant meaning attached to the transfer of the Eucharist other than a practical one. Enough eucharistic bread was consecrated for both the Holy Thursday and Good Friday liturgies. The Eucharist is simply taken to another place (a place of reserve) until it is brought back to be distributed for Holy Communion at the Good Friday liturgy, since Mass is not celebrated on Good Friday, and therefore, no hosts can be consecrated on that day through the celebration of the Eucharist.

Next Week: Understanding Good Friday – Passion / Tenebrae

Collection for the Weekend of March 11, 2018 Actual Budgeted Sunday Envelope $ 20,723.50 $ 29,941.18 Loose $ 1,200.19 $ 2,115.38 Sunday Children $ 162.11 $ 115.38 A more detailed report may be viewed at the Parish Office.

Pastor Steve Binsfeld 763-5781

Parish Business Administrator Todd Wentworth 763-5781

Director of Music and Liturgy Laurie Youngers 763-5781

Parish Nurse Kathy Fischer 762-2320

School Principal & Elem. Religious Ed Troy Sladek 763-5861

Logistics Coordinator Laurie Bienias 763-9202

Coordinator of Youth Ministries & Confirmation Gina Pohlen 763-9202

Parish Trustees Elmer Kobbermann 834-3103 Francie Peterson 320-360-0325

Pastoral Council President Steve Russell 218-943-5191

Finance Committee Mike Dolan 763-4705

Board of Education Francie Peterson 320-360-0325

Liturgy Committee Laurie Youngers 763-5781

Committee for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Tammy Boushek 760-5405

Parish Life Committee Verna Winter 507-329-0135

Cemetery Committee Leon Breun 320-763-5781

320-760-8084

President: Steve Russell Vice President: Mike Sponsler Secretary: Sonya Skinner Megan Bristow, Tammy Huss, Dan Hillback, Dawn Houska, Mary Jane Reif, Tabatha Odens .

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

PARISH STAFF

PASTORAL COUNCIL

CARING & SHARING ROOM

FINANCIAL GIFTS