Mass Schedule – Lent V (March 13, 2016)
14, Lenten Feria
15, Lenten Feria
16, Lenten Feria
17, St. Patrick, Bishop
18, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop
19, St.Joseph, Spouse of the BVM
+ Patrick was born about 390, in southwest Britain, somewhere between the Severn and the Clyde rivers, son of a deacon and grandson of a priest. When about sixteen years old, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. Until this time, he had, by his own account, cared nothing for God, but now he turned to God for help. After six years, he either escaped or was freed, made his way to a port 200 miles away, and there persuaded some sailors to take him onto their ship. He returned to his family much changed, and began to prepare for the priesthood, and to study the Bible. Around 435, Patrick was commissioned, perhaps by bishops in Gaul and perhaps by the Pope, to go to Ireland as a bishop and missionary. Four years earlier another bishop, Palladius, had gone to Ireland to preach, but he was no longer there. Patrick made his headquarters at Armagh in the North, where he built a school, and had the protection of the local monarch. From this base he made extensive missionary journeys, with considerable success. To say that he single-handedly turned Ireland from a pagan to a Christian country is an exaggeration, but is not far from the truth. He left an autobiography (called the Confessio), a Letter To Coroticus in which he denounces the slave trade and rebukes the British chieftain Coroticus for taking part in it, and the Lorica or “Breastplate” a poem of disputed authorship traditionally attributed to Patrick. The Lorica is found in many hymnals today.
+ All that we know of Joseph we learn from the first two chapters of Matthew and of Luke. Otherwise he is mentioned only in passing in Luke 3:23; John 1:45; John 6:42 as the supposed father of Jesus. In the face of circumstances where a man of lesser character might have reacted very differently, Joseph graciously assumed the role of Jesus’ father. He is well remembered in Christian tradition for the love he showed to the boy Jesus, and for his tender affection and care for Mary, during the twelve years and more that he was their protector. Joseph was a pious Jew, a descendant of David, and a carpenter by trade. The Gospels use the Greek word tekton, which means “builder,” as in “architect” and he may have been a mason or a metalworker, or what we might think of as a building contractor. In favor of the traditional translation Justin Martyr, who was born in Palestine around 100, wrote that he has seen plows and ox-yokes still in use which were said to have been made in the carpenter-shop at Nazareth. In the past claims like this were too quickly and superficially dismissed, but they are at the very least testimony to what the Christians of Palestine in the early second century believed that Joseph’s occupation had been. Because of the silence of the Gospels, and because Jesus entrusted Mary to the care of John, it is generally believed that Joseph died a natural death after the visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve (Luke 2:41-51), but before the Baptism of Jesus when He was thirty. Joseph’s influence during those early years must have been wholesome indeed. When Jesus spoke of God as being like a loving Father, He was using a word that he had first learned as a child to apply to Joseph. Joseph stands as a testimony to the value of simple everyday human things, and especially that human thing called “fatherhood.”
+ Wednesday Agape & Christian Education for all ages begins the Lenten term this Wednesday, March 16, 2016. We will begin serving the meal at 5:45 pm and after a time fellowship we have classes for all age groups. Chris James will continue our lenten devotional series on St. John of the Cross’ The Ascent of Mount Carmel and St. Teresa of Avila’s The Interior Castle. All blessings!
+ All Saints Men’s Group will meets each Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. in undercroft of the parish church.
+ Our Monday Morning Bible Study is also into its Lenten term. The Bible study meets each Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. For further information contact Priscilla King at kingplk@gmail.com.
+ The Holy Communion is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 12:15 p.m.
+All Saints parishioner may obtain a Mass card from the Church office. A Mass card is a greeting card given to someone to inform him or her that a deceased loved one or friend was remembered and prayed for at a weekly Mass. It is a specifically Christian way to express one’s love. Call Julie McDermott at the Church office (434-979-2842) and she will help you fill out the form. The celebrant will sign the card and we will mail it from the Church to the family of the loved one.