Pastors Corner

Fr. Michael Olivere

Dear Friends,

            We hear this weekend one of the three classic Lenten gospels, the story of the woman at the well. This Samaritan woman comes to Jacob’s well in order to fetch her daily water, but in her encounter with Jesus she comes to realize that only in him can she be truly refreshed, with living water that will lead her to eternal life. She departs from Jesus never to be the same, and, even though we don’t know her identity, can be sure that she followed Jesus as a disciple for the rest of her life.

            Just as the woman at the well had her spiritual thirst quenched by the living water of Jesus, so do we, beginning on the day of our baptism and continually, on into eternity. The wellspring of life-giving water that Jesus offers us is water that never dries up, but constantly flows into the very fiber of our being, washing from us everything that keeps us from God and nourishing us in the very ways of God. Like the Samaritan woman, we are blessed to be the recipients of this life-giving stream.

  We will be celebrating this week our annual Triduum in Honor of Saint Joseph. The Triduum will be celebrated from this coming Monday, March 13^th through Wednesday, March 15^th at 7:00 P.M. Each evening’s services include the Triduum Prayers, a reading from Sacred Scripture, a homily, and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Our homilist each evening will be Father Andrew Auletta, Parochial Vicar (assistant pastor) at Saint Joseph Parish in Downingtown, Chester County. Father Auletta is a seminary classmate and friend of Father Lane, as well as a friend of mine. He is a fine young priest with a lot to share with us. We are thrilled that he can be with us during these sacred days.

I think it is especially significant that we are honoring Saint Joseph and asking his intercession while our world continues to be torn apart, especially by the terrible conflict in Ukraine, and in so many other corners of our world, and our nation. We are desperately in need of God’s help, and Saint Joseph, the great intercessor, will certainly hear our prayers and plead with God on our behalf. Joseph is a powerful saint, which is why we go to him with many different needs, always. Please join us this week, as we collectively petition Saint Joseph to ask God to stop war throughout the world, but especially this terrible conflict in the Ukraine, to change the hearts of world leaders, and to allow real and lasting peace to blanket our world for good.  
           
I remind you that we will be holding our parish Lenten Fish Fry on Friday evening, March 24^th, beginning at 6:00. Tickets are $25.00 for adults ($15.00 for children 12 and under), and includes a delicious Lenten buffet dinner, chances to win several baskets and other prizes, and fun games of BINGO! A good time is guaranteed. Tickets are available at the rectory. If you have any questions, please call the rectory, and see the complete advertisement elsewhere in this bulletin.

            Looking ahead at our Lenten calendar, I remind you that on Thursday, March 30^th at 7:00 P.M. in the lower church, we will be celebrating our annual Lenten penance service. As always, a number of kind priests will be here to celebrate the sacrament with us. Please plan on joining us as we prepare for Easter by receiving the great sacrament of God’s peace and mercy.

            Once again, I remind you:
 

• In addition to our regularly-scheduled daily Masses, there is an extra Mass celebrated each week at Saint Timothy’s on Wednesday at 7:00 P.M., followed by confessions;

• Stations of the Cross every Thursday evening at 7:00 at Saint Bartholomew’s and every Friday evening at 7:00 at Saint Timothy’s;

• our Lenten adult faith formation program, which is held every Monday of Lent at 7:00 P.M. in the Rectory. This year’s topic is The Passion and Resurrection Narratives of Jesus. We will be exploring the gospel stories of the passion and resurrection of Jesus, which are at the core of our Christian faith, revealing the nature of God, the person of Jesus, and the path of every disciple; 

I invite you to join us as we gather for these times of prayer and reflection during this season of grace.
           
            Know that you and those you love are daily remembered in my Mass and my prayers.

                                                                                    Love and prayers,
                                                                                    Father Olivere