Last Sunday we gathered with Peter, John, and James at the mountain of Transfiguration and were summoned to listen to God‘s chosen Son. This week the scriptures draw us into the mystery of just who that God is. The first reading, perhaps one of the best known in the Bible, recounts the story of Moses and the burning bush, when the mysterious divine name is revealed. The responsorial psalm is a hymn extolling the attributes of God. Saint Paul and the Lord Jesus describe a God who judges and metes out punishment. No matter the lengths to which the scriptures go, we know that no amount of words will ever come close to capturing who God is. Our lives and our Lents are really journeys toward that mysterious One who will one day welcome us into the heavenly home that awaits those who put their trust in God alone.
© Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.

Daylight Savings Time -- Don't forget to turn your clocks AHEAD one hour before you go to bed on Saturday, March 13,
or you will be late for everything on Sunday. Daylight Saving Times begins NEXT SUNDAY.

This Week at Our Lady of Sorrows  

Sunday, March 7th
Rosary, 7:35 am
Mass - 8 am
Hospitality after 8 & 10:30 Mass
PRE Class, 9 am
Mass – 10:30 am
Spanish Confessions 3:45-4:45
Spanish Mass- 5 pm

Mon, March 8th
Communion Service - 8:15 am
STVDP City Wide Meeting, 6:30 pm

Tuesday, March 9th
Communion Service– 8:15 am
K of C Meeting, 7:30 pm KH

Wednesday, March 10th
Legion of Mary, 4:30 pm LH
Communion Service, 6:30 pm
RCIA, 7 pm KH
Youth Group, 7 pm

Thurs., March 11th
Communion Service -8:15 am
Baptism Class, 7:30 - KH

Friday, March 12th
Communion Service - 8:15 am
Ravioli Roll, cafeteria
Stations of Cross, 6:30pm
Poor Man Supper (PRE)

Saturday, March 13th
Ravioli Roll, cafeteria
Confessions, 3:00 – 3:30
Mass – 4:00 pm

Sunday, March 14th
Rosary, 7:35 am
Mass - 8 am
K of C Breakfast, 9 am cafeteria
PRE Class, 9 am
Mass – 10:30 am
Spanish Confessions 3:45-4:45
Spanish Mass- 5 pm
Bible Study Class, 6:30 pm

Weekly ~ Readings ~ Special Observances
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Fundraisers

20th Anniversary of Eaglefest coming October 10th ~ Click here for details

Click here for ways you can help support our school.

New Parishioners - Wedding Congratulations - Baby Announcements
 

• School Registration -- The registration process for Our Lady of Sorrows Parish School begins on Monday, March 1. All currently enrolled students must be caught up on their tuition and other fees BEFORE they will be allowed to register for next year. Students must be enrolled BEFORE they are eligible for any tuition assistance. There is a non-refundable registration fee of $25.00 per student until May 1. After May 1, the non-refundable registration will be fee $50 per student.

• 20th ANNUAL EAGLEFEST – Plans are underway! Brush the dust off of your old pictures, ideas and suggestions. If you haven’t been involved this is a great opportunity. Can’t make the meetings please send your thoughts, suggestions and or ideas to lindarodonnell@bellsouth.net. The only bad thought, suggestion or idea is the one that is left unspoken. It's not to late to get involved, our next meeting will be in April. Thanks!

• Holy Land Pilgrimage ・ For nearly a year we have been anticipating the OLS Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Our pilgrims depart on their journey this Friday, March 5th and will return on Tuesday, March 16th. All the Mass intentions published in the bulletin will be kept in the celebrations of the Eucharist our pilgrims will have in the holy places they visit like the Basilica of the Annunciation, the Church of the Incarnation, the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, etc. Please keep our pilgrims in your prayers as they will be remembering the people of OLS at each holy site. Those making this pilgrimage are: Rosalie Scola Allen, Juanita Cacciola Baker, Forrest Benskin, Lorraine Bisner, Tom Bisner, Theresa McGarvey Bringham, Frances Cacciola Bursi, Olga Camarena, Kathleen McGarvey Carpenter, Jim Crowder, Susan Crowder, Jenetta Doall, Ken Doall, Kimberly Eggert, Martha Hensley, Lisa Hudson, Carolyn Johnson, Mary Kissell, Bertalilia Leon, Aguayo Leon-Tomas, Deacon Henry Littleton, Jeanne Littleton, Ann Marty, Bill Marty, Lidia Muñoz, Anita Ocasio, Rosie Owens, Barbara Rawlings, Carol Specht, Pat Stavrum, Vickie Taube, Gerry Taulman, Fr. Bryan Timby, and Carmen Valasquez. (Those highlighted have connections to OLS.)

  Visiting Priest ・ Next week, Fr. Cresencio ―Cris‖Balino of Cross International Catholic Outreach will be visiting OLS and will speak at all the Masses on behalf of the poor in developing countries. This ministry was founded to create a meaningful link between parishes in America and the priests and nuns working in the Church overseas in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Central and South America. OLS, as we know, is not a wealthy parish but we are a generous parish with those who share our state of poverty. Please make Fr. Cris feel welcome just as if he is at home.

  Fr. Cris was born and reared in the Philippines and felt called to the priesthood while witnessing the suffering of the poor in his country. He has been ordained since 1994, have received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Rome. Father is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian and Filipino and has done extensive missionary work around the world. Commenting on his work with Cross International, Fr. Cris says, ―I feel humbled to serve the poor because Jesus considered them blessed in spirit and so are we if we share whatever wealth God has given us whether material, spiritual or intellectual.‖

  Fr. Cris will hear confessions in English on Saturday from 3:00-3:30 p.m. and in Spanish on Sunday from 3:45-4:45 p.m.

• School Cafeteria Walk-in – OLS has received a grant that is providing a camera security and lock system for the front door to the school, a new refrigerator for the Pre-School Snack Program and to do some renovations to the cafeteria. We are looking for a few strong workers who will tear out the illegal wooden shelving from the kitchen walk-in without damaging the insulation during the Monday-Wednesday of Spring Break (March 8-9-10) and to scrub and sanitize the walls and floor in the walk-in so we can install up-to-code stainless steel shelving. The work must be complete by noon of March 11 so the Altar Guild can proceed with the Ravioli Roll on that Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

• Ravioli Roll – Once again, the Altar Guild is seeking dedicated parishioners to help with the Ravioli Roll on Friday, March 12, through Sunday, March 14. This our ―Easter Roll‖ and we need as many people on site to help us roll dough, stuff the pasta and seal it properly. Teens and young adults are especially welcome to join us.

• CBHS 3-v-3 Soccer Ole’ Spring Classic Tournament – The 3-v-3 soccer tournament is back to Memphis! This tournament is for boys and girls age 5-18, coed over 18, adult competitive and recreational, Men’s over 30, Men’s over 40, Women’s open and Women’s over 30. For more information, please visit www.cbhs.org/rlima or call 901- 261 49 66. Tournament date: March 20th. Application deadline: March 12th.

• St. Joseph Altar (March 19) – Make plans now to come celebrate St. Joseph’s Fast Day at OLS on Friday, March 19. Everyone in invited to place framed picture of their deceased relatives and friends on the altar as we celebrate the saint who is the Patron of a Happy Death. On the altar you will also find fava beans which are an integral part of the history of the St. Joseph Altar because many years ago, the island of Sicily suffered a great drought that caused all the crops to dry up and die. All that was left for the people to eat was fava beans, a bean that was fed to the cattle. The people survived on a stew made from boiling dried fava beans in sea water with a little oregano. As they ate the beans they prayed to St. Joseph, the patron saint of families, that he would intercede on their behalf before Jesus so the Jesus would ask God the Father to send rains to end the drought. After forty days of praying, rains came and new crops were planted. In thanksgiving for God answering their prayers through the intercession of St. Joseph, Sicilians began building special altars on St. Joseph Day (March 19) and they carry dried fava beans in their pockets to remind them of God’s generosity of providing them something to eat even in time of drought. Make plans now to come to our St. Joseph Day Altar on Friday, March 19.

• Parish Pastoral Council – The March meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council is reschedule from Tuesday, March 23, to Monday, March 22, due to the conflict with the Parish Penance Service at the cathedral. The meeting will be at 7:00 p.m.

• Fr. Gantert Run – It is that time of the year again, dust off your tennis shoes and sign up for the Gantert 4 mile walk/run to be held on April 18th. A new level of sponsorship has been added consider being an alumni or individual sponsor for $25.00. All alumni / individual sponsor names will appear on the t-shirts. You can walk, run or be a virtual runner. Sign up or become a sponsor at www.racesonline.com today! More details coming soon.

• Lent

  No baptisms will be celebrated during Lent to focus our attention on the call to conversion and the significant role the sacrament plays in the celebration of the Easter Vigil. In fact, there will be no holy water available during the season. So, if you need a supply for your home, be sure to get it before Feb.16th.

  Fasting means that a person may have one regular meal on that day and two smaller meals that together do not equal the regular meal. It also means that one turn away from between-meal snacks and beverages like coffee, soft drinks. Water is the allowed exception between meals. As always, those who are under observation or treatment for medical problems are not obliged to fast from food and beverages but may choose to fast in some other form. (The other day on which Catholics obliged to fast is Good Friday.)

  Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent, including Good Friday, are also days of abstinence from meat and meat by-products. All Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are obliged to abstain from meat and all food made with or flavored with meat on these days. For those who wish to beg the question ―What is meat?‖ the answer is: ―meat‖ is the slaughtered of flesh of any creature that uses lungs to breathe, e.g., cows, chickens, whales, frogs, snake, etc. Fish and other creatures that use lungs to breathe are not considered ―meat‖ and may be consumed in days of abstinence. There is no dispensation from abstinence, not even for health reason or ―old age,‖ despite the valiant efforts of some to get me to give one!

   

  An Explanation – A commonly asked question is what do we consider to be ―meat‖ when determining how to abstain from meat on the Fridays of the year, especially during Lent when it is absolutely required? The answer is quite simple: If it has lungs, it is considered to be meat. This applies only to the butchered flesh of an animal and not eggs, milk or cheese. Fish have gills, not lungs, so fish is allowed for consumption. And, as I told one little boy when pressed for a more definitive answer: Yes, all insects may be eaten on the Fridays of Lent but one might want to be sure they don’t overeat them on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday lest they not be fasting as prescribed for all Catholics of age.

  • Stations of the Cross – The Stations of the Cross will be celebrated twice each week during Lent. The will be celebrated on Wednesday afternoons in a simple format for the children of the school, but Adults are welcome. On Friday evenings, the Stations will be celebrated at 6:20 p.m. with Benediction following. There is a plenary indulgence attached to the proper meditation of the Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent. This means that if you make a good confession within seven days before or after meditating on the Station all temporal punishment in Purgatory for sins committed will be forgiven.

    

  • Poor Man’s Supper – Each Friday night during Lent we will have our traditional “Poor Man’s Supper” in the cafeteria following the Stations of the Cross.  The supper will be prepared by a differ parish organization each week.  The one exception this year will be Friday, March 19, the Solemnity of St. Joseph, when we will have an Italian Feast to honor the spouse of Mary and the earthly father of Our Lord Jesus (additional information is in the bulletin).
    
     

  • Disciples On The Journey – Our Lenten Bible Study will begin in just a few weeks and is based on the lectionary readings (Cycle C) for the season. The study is meant to be done in small groups of 8-12 in the home and each week the group should have completed their gathering before coming to Mass.

     Why share your faith in small groups? Because it fosters community, enlivens and deepens our faith, enhances personal prayer and spirituality, and contributes to the life of the entire parish.

     Why use the Sunday reading? Because it helps the Word of God come alive, deepens and enriches the Sunday liturgy experience, increases awareness of God’s presence in daily life, and fosters a desire to live the Catholic faith more fully in family, parish and community.

     Why meet during Lent? Because Lent is the liturgical season for conversion and renewal, Lenten Sunday readings give us direction for ongoing conversion, Lent is a special time to focus on our relationship with Jesus, and the reflections, discussions and meditations give guidance for the Lenten journey.

    We will have sign-up sheets in the vestibule beginning next Sunday (Jan 24) for all those who would like to participate. The cost is a mere $5.00/person. We have a limited number of booklets available (40 English/30 Spanish) but can order more if necessary. If you would be willing to host a group please indicate that when you sign-up.

    SOMETHING EXTRA

    How often have you been asked what you are giving up for Lent? Sometimes we never grow out of the childhood habit of just giving up candy or sugar! How about a different approach, by which you make an effort to do something extra to honor God in this season?

    • Reconcile yourself with someone you don’t like, someone you generally avoid, or someone you have injured in some way.
    • Perform acts of kindness for people without expecting anything back.
    • Buy a meal for a homeless person.
    • Resolve neither to listen to nor pass on gossip.
    • Take time to be in a natural outdoor space—your yard, a park, by a lake—even if it’s only for half an hour.
    • Read all you can about what causes poverty. Not only will you give yourself some useful lessons in economics, sociology, and biology, you will know better how to serve God’s poor.
    • Save the cost of one meal a day and donate it to a favorite charity at Easter time.
    • Study, meditate, and pray with one or two scripture passages each day.
    • Do some ordinary daily task, and think about God while doing it.
    • If you are sick, confined to the house, or on the road a lot, pray for the needs of others.
    • In a place you go to regularly—your office, the supermarket, school—think where Jesus might be in that place, and what you might do for him.
    • Are there special prayers or devotions from your ancestral heritage that might help you grow spiritually?
    • Clean out closets and give gently-used clothing and household items to a charity.
    • Take bags of grocery items to the local food pantry.
    • Take part in a weekday Mass, parish mission, or special Lenten prayer service.
    • Keep a crucifix near you. Remember Jesus’ death on the cross.
    Copyright © 2009, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.

• New Pastoral Letter – Bishop Steib has written the second installment of his pastoral letter ―Living Our Catholicism … Who Do You Say That I am?‖ and is encouraging every parish organization to use the letter for group reflection at their meetings in the weeks leading into Lent. Copies of the letter are in the vestibule for your convenience.

• THE "M" WORD

  Let’s begin with the obvious: The Church has to have money, and our parish has to have money. No money, no ministry. Our parish needs money to help those who are hurting in body, mind, and spirit; it needs money to pay clergy and staff; it needs money to educate the young and to pay the bills for everyday services, such as electricity, water, gas, and maintenance. Just like our own homes, it cannot operate without it. Where does the money come from? There are no presses printing money in the bishop’s office; there are no weekly armored-truck deliveries from the Vatican. The money to do Christ’s work through the Church comes solely from all of us—disciples of the same Lord Jesus Christ. Money in itself is neither good nor bad, neither clean nor dirty. Yet how we use money, or how we let money use us, determines its morality. Selfless sharing of our financial and other resources is a powerful, liberating activity that makes us and the world a better place. Turn on the TV any day of the week and you can find a televangelist with the message, ―Give a financial contribution, and God will then shower blessings on you.‖ The message of stewardship, based on the scriptures, is the absolute opposite. God gives first—life, health, a roof over our heads, food to eat, and much more. We do not achieve these by our efforts alone, so returning a portion of our financial resources in the parish offertory is a way to express our real gratitude for what we have already received. If you have never made a regular contribution to the parish offertory, begin now. If you have made a small commitment before, see if you can increase it a little. If God has blessed you greatly, give greatly in return. Copyright © 2009, World Library Publications. All rights reserved.

• Social Action Committee – Fr. Timby seeks parishioners with a social conscience to form a committee that will offer assistance that is beyond the scope of the St. Vincent de Paul Society to the Frayser area. See the bulletin for more information or call the rectory.

• Hispanic Youth Ministry – A group of young adults from a number of different parishes in Memphis are assisting Fr. Timby in building a ministry for young Hispanic adults (ages 18-35).  They are teaming up with young men and women who attend OLS and discussing things such as Bible studies, liturgical involvement, retreat opportunities, and community service.  (In most cultures of the world, the word “youth” refers to young adults because those under the age of 18 are still considered children.)

• Catholic Café Radio – Don’t forget to tune into The Catholic Café radio program each Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.  on AM 990.  In West Tennessee the program is broadcast on FM 97.7 each Saturday morning at 10 a.m.  You can also listen to the podcast of any of their programs at www.catholicafe.org.  The Catholic Café is a local program that began less than a year ago and recently went national, serving 35 cities on the Relevant Radio Network. 

• Visit www.memphiscatholic.org for more information on Memphis Catholic High School and the Education That Works Program.  For information in Spanish contact Ted Schreck Director, Work-Study Program 901.276.1221 ext.16 or by email tschreck@memphiscatholic.org.

• Parish Bible Study 2009-2010 – Next year we will be studying St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, one of the most contentious books of the New Testament....See the bulletin for more information.

• Prayer for Fr. Timby
  Please join us in prayer for Fr. Timby - click here for a copy of the prayer

The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are going. —Oliver Wendell Holmes

What better proof of your pride could you have given than to claim you were not proud? —St. John Climacus

Last Updated 03.06.10

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