A Letter from Our Pastor Masses for the Week

OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH BETHESDA, MARYLAND February 14, 2021

Masses for the Week

Monday, February 15 (Gospel reading: Mk. 8: 11-13) 7:00 AM + Carol Dundon vvvvv 12 NOON + Steve O’Neil Tuesday, February 16 (Gospel reading: Mk. 8: 14-21) 7:00 AM + Msgr. James Beattie 12 NOON + Martha Lewis Wednesday, February 17 (G. reading: Mk. 6: 1-6, 16-18) 7:00 AM + Asuku Family 12 NOON + Aida Austria Thursday, February 18 (Gospel reading: Lk. 9: 22-25) 7:00 AM + Dario Marchesan v 12 NOON + Conrad Lindeman v Friday, February 19 (Gospel reading: Mt: 9: 14-15) 7:00 AM Int. Veronica & Fran Yeatman 12 NOON + Alan Joseph Jathoo Saturday, February 20 (Gospel reading: Lk. 5: 27-32) 8:00 AM Int. Margaret Lunden vvvvvv 11:00-11:55 AM Confessions 12 NOON + Mary O’Connell 4:00-4:45 PM Confessions 5:00PM + Margaret O’Connor v Sunday, February 21 (Gospel reading: Mk. 1: 12-15) 7:30 AM Int. Mary Defusco 9:00 AM + Jack Townsend 10:30 AM Int. Gene DeLaCroix 12 NOON People of the Parish vvvvvvvv 1:30 PM + Joseph Can Ngoc Pham

Due to the suspension of the Monday - Friday 8:00am Mass, the intentions scheduled for those

Masses will be transferred to Sunday Masses.

The graces of each Mass are applied to the persons listed in the book regardless of whether

they appear in the bulletin or are mentioned during the Mass.

A Letter from Our Pastor Hello Friends, Do you know what celibacy is? Some think it is simply abstaining from sexual relations. Others think it is an antiquated idea that prudish people came up with centuries ago to keep priests upset. These people like to tell me how many world problems would be solved if I was married. (I’m always fascinated by people who think they know how to fix my life.) BUT the Church, as always, has the truth. Celibacy is a great gift that some have been given, such as Fr. James and myself. It is the gift of self to the service of the Church, which grants us the freedom to serve you without constraints. This parish becomes our family and you call us father, which is what we (undeservedly and sometimes poorly) strive to be. However an even greater understanding of celibacy is that we are called to hold nothing back and give ourselves entirely to stand as Alter Christus (or another Christ) in living out the sacraments. We cannot be divided in our minds, hearts or souls, which have been likened to Christ. You see this in its greatest form when the priest says - I absolve you, or This is MY body and this is MY blood, or I baptize you. This is where the imperfect person (the priest) takes on the perfection of the person of Jesus Christ for the service and salvation of His Church. We do not deserve to be this priestly person, we have simply been called. And with your prayers and the power of the Holy Spirit, this is what we do. Sometimes though, the pragmatic steps into the realm of the divine. What do I mean? I can recall many times when February 14 (which is the day you might be reading this) was a forgotten part of my life. Yes, I refer to Valentine’s Day. How many times was I reminded to do something nice for a girlfriend? Oh, I may have disappointed one or two young ladies years ago. And I cannot help but think that it is a good thing God called me to the priesthood or the disappointment would have likely gone on for years to come. The origin of this day comes from stories about a certain St. Valentine. Not much is known about this third century saint, but we do know he was real (relics of St. Valentine have been unearthed and can be found throughout the world). In addition to being a bishop of the Church, he performed miracles such as the restoration of sight to a daughter of a Roman official. He was sadly put to death by the Roman emperor Claudius for refusing to renounce his faith and witnessing the marriages of many young Christian couples - both acts earning him a martyrs death. Before being beaten with clubs and beheaded, he brought about the miraculous healing of his jailer’s daughter, leaving the girl a note signed, “Your Valentine.” What does this have to do with presenting a beloved with heart shaped chocolates or buying flowers for your wife? I can’t say I really know. But my failure to do so in the past has brought me to serve Christ in a way that I hope can live up to the memory of a saint so many centuries removed from us.

So today, I hope you married or engaged men do something special for your beloved. And also ask our friend St. Valentine to pray for you - for your marriage, your future marriage - or perhaps in your failure to do so like me, you find your way to serve our Lord and His Church in a way that He has called you to do. St. Valentine - pray for us! Fr. Rob

SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

2020 Tax Letters have been mailed. If you do not receive one in the upcoming weeks or have any questions, please contact Claire Toms at

[email protected].

Ash Wednesday is February 17, 2021. It is not a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses will be at 7:00am,

12 Noon, and 7:00pm in Spanish.

Please note that Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are

obligatory days of abstinence. The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When

fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to

a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members from age 14 onward.



Finance & Administration: “How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for me?” (Psalm 116:12) Our February Poor Box will be going to Isaiah’s Promise/St. Joseph’s House. Isaiah’s Promise was founded in 1995 to provide support, information, friendship and hope for families who decide to carry to term after receiving a severe or fatal prenatal diagnosis. We understood, first-hand, the need to support these families who, after making this courageous, loving decision to continue the pregnancy, often feel isolated and alone. Please support women making the courageous choice for life.

Moving In, Out or Within the Parish? Please help us keep our records up-to-date by filling out this form and dropping it in the collection basket or rectory mail slot. Thank you. NAME:________________________________________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________

______________________________________________

PHONE: _______________________________________

EMAIL: ________________________________________

____ I/we am/are new to the parish. Welcome! ____ Change of address within the parish. Thank you! ____ I/we am/are moving out of the parish. God be with you!

Welcome to Our Lady of Lourdes!

To register, please either fill out the form below or email Claire Toms at [email protected] with your

information.

You will then be emailed a link to a registration form for you to fill out.

You can also go directly to lourdesbethesda.net

to access our parish registration form.

Thank you and we are happy to welcome you to Our Lady of Lourdes.


Con la imposición de la ceniza, se inicia un tiempo importante para todo cristiano llamado Cuaresma. Es un tiempo especial que la Iglesia nos regala para prepararnos dignamente para la vivir el Misterio Pascual, es decir, la Pasión, Muerte y Resurrección del Señor Jesús. La palabra cuaresma viene de la palabra en latín “quadragésima”, lo que significa que es el cuadragésimo día antes de la pascua. Son 40 días de preparación para la gran fiesta de la Pascua. Es un tiempo para arrepentirnos de nuestros pecados, y de cambiar algo de nosotros para ser mejores personas y poder vivir más cerca de Cristo.


Regístrese o mantenga Actualizada su información: Recorte el siguiente formato de inscripción y entréguelo en la

Misa junto con la colecta o llévelo a la Rectoría.

- Soy (somos) nuevo(s) en la Parroquia. Queremos inscribirnos. - Llevo (tenemos) ya tiempo asistiendo a esta parroquia y queremos inscribirnos. - Estoy (estamos) inscritos y esta es la nueva dirección. - Ya no podré volver a esta parroquia. Favor eliminar mi nombre de la lista.

NOMBRE:_______________________________________________________________________________

DIRECION:__________________________________________________________________APTO:____________CIUDAD:________________________

CODIGO POSTAL:______________TELEFONO:_______________________________CORREO ELECTRONICO:____________________________________

Por favor marque

con una según corresponda

El mensaje bíblico del Miércoles de Ceniza es: "Convértanse". Y se expresa en un rito muy sencillo mediante la imposición de ceniza acompañadas de las siguientes palabras: "Conviértete y cree en el Evangelio" y con la expresión "Acuérdate que eres polvo y en polvo te convertirás". Este rito nos invita a todos a reflexionar acerca de la importancia de la conversión y nuestra realidad humana de fragilidad sujeta a la muerte. Aprovechemos esta oportunidad para revisar nuestra vida. Primero, agradecer todo lo que día a día recibimos gratuitamente de Dios, y segundo, reconocer los momentos en que Dios no ha estado dentro de mi vida. Y si lo ha estado, muchas veces lo he dejado en un rincón esperando a que yo abra mi corazón para que pueda entrar y transformar mi vida. El deseo de Dios es que tengamos vida, y vida en abundancia, para eso se ha acercado a nosotros en su hijo Jesús. Preparemos nuestro corazón para que Él entre y transforme lo que sea necesario. Que Él nos convierta y podamos retomar el camino que nos lleva a Él, la única verdadera fuente de Vida Eterna.

Documents

A Letter from Our Pastor Masses for the Week