Fourth Week of Lent

March 26, 2019

by Fr. Reginald Samuels

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

          We come to the midway point of Lent and Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday. We get the name for this Sunday from the entrance antiphon: Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her (Isaiah Chapter 66 verse 10-11). In this week’s gospel we hear the familiar parable of the Progical Son. As we prepare to enter the celebrations of our Eucharist, take the time to listen intently on the entire parable and not just gloss over it in our hearing. It is amazing how we can pick up new things in which Jesus wants us to focus on in a familiar parable.

Next Sunday, we are will be celebrating the final of several rites for RCIA called the Scrutinies of the Catholic Church. These rites are usually celebrated on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent. The Scrutinies are “Essentially rites are composed of prayers of intercession and the laying on of hands so that the Holy Spirit may be invoked and the spirit of evil cast out. They are celebrated purposefully at Mass, so that the whole congregation is given the opportunity to pray for and support those preparing for the Easter sacraments and to make the point that conversion is not only a personal matter but a communal commitment.” Please continue to pray for all those who will be entering the Church during the Easter Season. As we celebrate the Scrutinies this weekend, the Gospel readings will come from readings of Cycle A.

STHY will celebrate Passover with our 5^th Annual Seder Meal on Saturday April 6^th following the 5:00 pm Mass. The Seder meal is a ceremonial dinner that commemorates the Jewish exodus from Egypt and includes the reading from the Old Testament and the eating of symbolic foods. Tickets are $15/family and $8/individual. You may make a reservation by calling the parish office. Please RSVP the parish office by Friday April 5^th and join us for this special event in the life of our parish.

Mark your calendars for Saturday and Sunday April 27^th and 28^th , for our annual Parish Spring Festival. This will be our seventh festival for our parish in close to 20 years. The Springs Festival theme this year is “All Star Weekend” Raffle ticket packets are available and are on sale now. I highly encourage you to make your commitment to helping our parish at the festival and pick of a ticket packet to sell.

There are two studies on FORMED.org for Lent, that I am challenging everyone to be a part of: (Password 77GVZ3)

The first study is called: Forgiven: The Transforming Power of Confession. This series explores the grace and healing offered in Confession and shows how this sacrament of mercy reveals the depth and bounty of God’s love. By looking at God’s revelation of his mercy in Scripture and making a step-by-step examination of the Rite itself.

The next offering is: A Lent to Remember, a Lenten encounter with Mercy. This series explores the ways God reaches out to each of us with his mercy. Through Christ’s suffering on the cross in the Paschal Mystery and his perpetual reception of his people in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God makes his love, his very self, present to us in the world.

          For 54 years, St Hyacinth has been building on the foundation of God’s promise of unconditional love for all people. We stand on the shoulders of the saints who have gone before us, and from this remarkable vantage point, we see what we must do to continue sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and welcoming all people to join us on this incredible journey.

          There is no greater joy than making a difference in the world and in the Church, and I hope you will pray about the difference you can make through your generous support. To be successful, we need every St. Hyacinth member to participate in our Capital campaign. Your gift of sacrifice will reflect God’s love at work in the world for generations to come.

          Our challenge is great, but so too is our faith – a faith that has carried our church for a half a century. Just as the saints of the past took leaps of faith, preparing the way for future generations, so too will we take a leap of faith, imagining and building a vital St. Hyacinth for the next fifty years and beyond. Together we will continue Building faith Family and the future….. Our Sanctuary…. Our Home.

God Bless,
Fr. Reginald Samuels