1st Reconciliation Rescheduled

Saturday, March 13 at 10:30 am (Children's Service) or
Wednesday, March 17 at 7:00 pm (Parish Service)

Lent 2010

Ash Wednesday:

Wednesday, February 17 is Ash Wednesday. Mass will be celebrated at 9:00 a.m.and 7:00 p.m. Ashes will be distributed at each of these liturgies. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season and is a day of fast and abstinence.

Fasting and Abstinence During Lent:

Catholics in the United States are obliged to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays during Lent.

• We are also obliged to fast, i.e. limit eating to a single full meal a day on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
• Catholics in the United States are encouraged to observe the season of Lent with the practice of voluntary self-denial and penance, including acts of prayer and devotion, charity to the poor, as well as other forms of Christian witness.
• The law of abstinence binds all persons who have completed their fourteenth year. All adults, i.e. those who have completed their eighteenth year, are bound by the law of fasting up to the beginning of their sixtieth year.

Prayer Opportunities During Lent:

• Beginning February 24th at 7:00 p.m. and continuing for
  each Wednesday of Lent, we will gather for Evening Prayer in the Daily Mass Chapel.
• Beginning February 19 and continuing for each of the Fridays of Lent [this does not include Good Friday] we will gather to pray the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 p.m. Simple soup suppers will be served prior to Stations beginning at 6:00 pm.

Sacrament of Reconciliation:

In addition to our usual schedule, we will celebrate Communal
Reconciliation Services during Lent. There will be a number of priests available at these services to facilitate time for individual confessions. The schedule of services available is: Wednesday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s and Thursday, March 18 at noon at St. Michael’s.

25 Hours of Silence: R U Ready?

In today's busy, noisy, crazy world, it is often difficult to hear the voice of God. If you want to listen more attentively to Christ, this is the retreat for you! Fr. Michael Renninger is leading the 25 Hours of Silence Retreat, April 9 (6:30 pm) to April 10 (7:30 pm) at the Roslyn Retreat Center in Richmond. This retreat is open to young adult Catholic men and women, and costs $45. Participants will shut off cell phones, iPods, and computers, and will stop talking so that God can speak. Space is limited! For more information, contact the Office of Vocations: mrenninger@richmonddiocese.org.

Blessing of the Runners

Want to start this year's Urkrop's Monument Avenue 10K Race with a little Divine Assistance? If so, you're invited to join Fr. Renninger for an ecumenical worship service and "Blessing of the Runners" that will take place at 7:30 am on race day, March 27. This brief worship service will take place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart - just steps away from the finish line for the 10K. All are invited to attend!! For more information, contact the Office of Vocations, Catholic Diocese of Richmond, at 804-359-5661. This may be your one chance to wear your running shoes and shorts to church!!

DivorceCare

St. Mary's Catholic Church is offering a special weekly seminar and support group for people who are separated or divorced, every Thursday evening, from 7:15 - 9:00 pm in the Lower Commons. Program will run March 4, 2010 - May 20, 2010. For information and registration, contact Sharon Vrtis at (804) 740-4044.

     DivorceCare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life's most difficult experiences. You don't have to go through separation or divorce alone.
    DivorceCare seminars and support groups are led by people who understand what you are going through and want to help. You'll gain valuable DivorceCare resources to help you deal with the pain of the past and look forward to rebuilding your life.

DivorceCare ministry will be a place of hope, healing, and restoration
where all faiths are welcome.

Bereavement Support Group
beginning January 31, 2010

Have you experienced the loss of a loved one in your life? Would you like to share your experience with others? Would you like to learn more about dealing with your grief?

St. Mary's is offering a grief support group to help you. This group will meet on 7 consecutive Sunday afternoons, from 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm here at St. Mary's, starting on January 31. If you would like to find out more about this group, please call Sr. Pat at the Parish Office (740-4044).

The Shepherd's Center of Richmond
Open University Classes - Winter 2010
Tuesday Evenings, January 12 - March 2 at St. Mary's
Open to anyone 50 and older

Chips & Chatter: 5:30 - 6:00 pm

Evening Speakers: 6:00 - 6:45 pm

Jan 12: Bitten by the Adventure Travel Bug -
             Dr. Dana Marie Buchanan
Jan 19: The Story behind the Stories -
             Jeremy Slayton, reporter, Richmond Times Dispatch
Jan 26: Navigating through Market Volatility -
             Jay Moore, financial advisor, Merrill Lynch
Feb 2: Protecting Ourselves: We Can Do It! -
             Thomas Gallagher, president, Richmond Better Business Bureau
Feb 9: The Holocaust through One Survivor’s Eyes -
             Timothy Hensley, research librarian, Holocaust Museum
Feb 16: The Myths, Realities, and Challenges of Feeding our Community -
             Fay Lohr, CEO, FeedMore, Inc
Feb 23: The Impact of Buying Locally: Think.Shop.Buy Local Campaign -
             Nancy Thomas, president and CEO, Richmond Retail Merchants Association
March 2: Living with a Demon -
               Dr. Charles Bryan, president emeritus, Virginia Historical Society,
               partner in Bryan & Joyner Consulting, LLC

Classes: 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Five Accomplished Virginians before Assuming the Presidency
           Dr. Alan Briceland
Early Giants of Astronomy
           Bev Orndorff
Spanish 101
           Patricia Gray

To register, call Rebecca Oxenreider in the Parish Office or go to the Shepherd's Center Website - http://www.richmondshepcntr.org/openuniversity/1OU-Registration.htm

Seasonal Flu Viruses & Liturgical Celebrations

In response to concerns about the spread of the H1N1 and other flu viruses this flu season, the Diocese of Richmond has recommended precautionary measures be taken at liturgical celebrations.

For the present, we request that:

• In lieu of holding hands during the Lord's Prayer, we pray with hands folded or extended in the traditional posture known as the orans gesture.
• At the Sign of Peace, we may acknowledge each other without shaking hands.
• As has been our practice recently, all Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are instructed to use the available hand sanitizer before Mass.

As always, you are remined that it is never a sin to miss Mass because of illness.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Rosary Prayer Group

Beginning on Saturday, October 3rd, we will recite the Rosary every Saturday in the Daily Mass Chapel beginning at 4:45 pm. All are welcome to join us.