mailto:mmallon@charlestiondiocese.org

FROM THE PASTOR

The Gospel reading for this Third Sunday of Lent is the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan “Woman at the Well.” In order to appreciate fully the meaning of this passage a little bit of historical context is necessary.

Who were/are the Samaritans? First, remember that King Saul, King David and his son King Solomon ruled all of the tribes of Israel in what is called nowadays the “United Monarchy.” Following Solomon’s death, the ten tribes in the northern portion of the kingdom refused to accept Solomon’s son Rehoboam as king. This event, in the year 930 B.C., led to the splitting of the United Kingdom into two separate kingdoms: Israel in the north (ten tribes), with its capital first at Shechem and later at Samaria; and Judah (the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) in the south, with its capital at Jerusalem. The two kingdoms were in almost continual state of war with one another. In 732 B.C., King Pekah of Israel forged an alliance with the King Rezin of Aram (in modern-day Syria) and threatened Jerusalem. Therefore, King Ahaz of Judah sought an alliance with King Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria, which at that time was the region’s “superpower.” The Assyrians invaded, defeated, and annexed Aram and a substantial part of Israel. The populations of those areas were deported and resettled elsewhere in the Assyrian Empire. Israel limped along as a truncated state for another few years until the Assyrian king Sargon II invaded in 720 B.C., annexed what was left of Israel and deported the remaining population. The people from these two deportations became known as the “Ten Lost Tribes.” Incidentally, Sargon II’s officials kept meticulous records, which indicate that 27,290 Israelites were deported in the second deportation.

The forcible resettling of conquered populations is a time-tested method for ensuring control (it still goes in on the modern world: the Soviet Union did it routinely), and so in addition to deporting the Israelites, Sargon II also forcibly resettled people from elsewhere in his empire to the land the Israelites once occupied. These people came from the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in what is modern-day Iraq. Obviously, they would not have been worshippers of the one true God. In the ancient Near East, however, the idea was prevalent that gods were closely tied to the land. And so, when some difficulties arose for the new inhabitants, they appealed to the Assyrian king to send them some Israelite priests who could teach them to worship the God of the land they now occupied. What developed was then a syncretistic religion combining elements of the worship of the God of Abraham with the worship of the pagan gods of the new population. For this new religion, the Samaritans, as they were now known, built a temple on Mount Gerizim to rival the Temple on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. The well at which the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman takes place is at the base of Mount Gerizim.

For the Jews, then, these Samaritans were foreigners, pagans, and corrupters of the worship of the one true God. Thus, we have the context for the fact that, as John recounts in his Gospel, “Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.” In fact, Jews traveling from Judea to Galilee would usually “take the long way around” and skirt the Jordan river to travel north, rather than defile themselves by passing through the land of the Samaritans. The very fact that Jesus on His journey north passed through Samaria is an indication of His intention to bring them the Good News.

Over the centuries, the Samaritan population has diminished: many converted early on to Christianity, while many later converted to Islam. Today, there are about 800 Samaritans left — about half live still on Mount Gerizim, the mountain to which the Samaritan woman in today’s Gospel refers, in the village of Qiryat Luza (under joint Israeli and Palestinian control); most of the other half lives in the Israeli city of Holon, on the coast south of Tel Aviv.

Fr. Tebalt

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND SHUT-INS:

Please pray for all our loved ones serving with the armed forces, especially Jordan Austin and Cody Piontek.

Al Butler Ann Pressley Anne Drummond Baby Trenton Bailey Hastings Barbara Boatwright Barbara Catania Berta Cardenas Betty McKee Bill Mitchell Bob Stevenson Brecken Patton Carmel Hazzard Cecelia Lanzoni Chan Stewart

Charity Kalo Cheri Bowllan Cheryl Allen Chris Saam Christie Parker Coral Hutira Daisy Rodgers Danny Lynch Deanne Howard Debbie Hodges Donna Brown Edward Hicks Elaine Kerber Eve Weideman Florence LaRose

Fran Krug Frances Shea Frank Szcwczak Frank Welch Gabby DiPietro Garson Aburto Gayle Rossi George Aitken Gerald Lewnau Glenda Lominick Greg Smith H.D. Peters Isabella Ruiz Jack Cavari Jean Powell

Jeffrey Moorer Johnny Hodges Juanita Flores Karen Krug White Kathie Nixon

Kevin Glenn Kim Alden Kim Kang Laura Sears Margaret Mueller Mark Kornet Mary Jones

Michael Meder

Pat Reardon Patty McDaniel Perfecta Thompson Pete Normile Randy Flick Renee Moreno Robert McDaniel Rodney Watts Rosa C. White Rosalie Stevenson Rosemary McHugh Sherry Fowler Thomas W. Shea, Jr. Willette Parker William Sexton

THE SAFE DIGITAL FAMILY CHALLENGE

Text SECURE to 66866 to get started. Receive one email a day for seven days to help you with the latest parental control ideas for your home. Emails include: • YouTube Restricted Mode • Understanding Apps • Setting iOS Screen Time and Content Restrictions • Google SafeSearch • The Importance of Accountability • Social Media and Teens • Critical Conversations • Available in English and Spanish. Totally Free!

Horario de oficina para el Ministerio Hispano: jueves: 5:30 p.m.– 8:30 p.m. y domingos de 1:00 –3:00.Para contrataciones de coro, comunicarse con el Sr. Jesus Avila - 864-561-4859.

Los padres de familia deben de registrar el bautismo en la oficina con 3 meses de anticipación, también deben de participar y colaborar en la misa. La aplicación se llenará en persona con la secretaria Stefanie. Debe de traer el acta de nacimiento ORIGINAL del niño/a.

Segundo martes de cada mes-clases prebautismales después de la misa. Para más información favor de comunicarse con el Sr. Ramiro 864-337-6833.

Hay Hora Santa y Exposición con el Santísimo, todos los viernes, a las 7:00 P.M. (Siete de la Noche). Cordialmente invitados.

THE KNIGHTS’ CORNER The next Fourth Degree Assembly meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 25, at 7:00pm in St. Bernadette Hall. The next Fifth Sunday Rosary offered by The Knights for the sick and infirm will be on March

28 and 29. The entire parish is invited to participate in these prayers after the 5 pm Vigil and 9:30 am Masses The LAST FISH FRY for 2020 is next Friday, Proceeds benefit our Seminarians!

PARENTS OF FIRST COMMUNION STUDENTS - TODAY- 3pm (English) and 3/22 - 3 pm (Spanish)

MANDATORY meeting in St. Bernadette Hall of parents and children of Sacramental Year 2 to discuss the upcoming First Communion Masses. Please be prompt.

LENTEN SUPPER OPPORTUNITIES 6:30pm - 8pm - Thursday (after stations,) - March 19 -

Soup supper by Youth Group 5pm - 7:30pm - Friday, March 27 - K of C Fish Fry 6:30pm - 8pm - Thursday (after stations,) - April 2 - Soup supper by GCWC

RACHEL’S VINEYARD The Diocese of Charleston’s Rachel's Vineyard week-end offers women and men who have had an abortion, or participated in one, a supportive, confidential and non-judgmental retreat where they can find healing, peace and strengthening of faith! March 20-22, 2020 in the Green-ville area. For more information please contact Christy 803 554 6088 or Kathy 803 546 6010 or at: grace4heal ing@gmail.com or rachelsvineyard.org

KNIGHTS’ 2020 GOLF TOURNAMENT The Knights of Columbus will be in the narthex after Masses for the next two weekends—March 14/15 and March 21/22 to solicit support for our annual golf tournament to benefit K of C charities. Please consider joining a golf team or being a hole sponsor.

LOST AND FOUND There are a number of sweaters, jackets, coats, etc. that have been collected after church that have ended up in “Lost and Found.” Please check to see if any of your property might be there. They will all be donated to charity if they are not soon claimed.

CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER Please pick up a baby bottle in the narthex to fill with your spare change as a Lenten offering to benefit our local CrossRoads Crisis Pregnancy Center. The bottles will be regathered on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19.

CATHOLIC BOOK CLUB The OLOL Catholic Book Club will meet Tuesday, 3/24 at 6:30 pm. Contact Dr. Joseph Johnson, jjohnson@charleston diocese.org, if you have any questions.

BURDEN BOX AT CROSS There is a “burden box” at the foot of the Lenten Cross again this year.

THAT MAN IS YOU- SUNDAY At 10:30 a.m., meet in the ‘Cry Room’ adjacent to the Narthex after today’s 9:30 a.m. Mass. All men are invited!

THAT MAN IS YOU Meet at 6:00 a.m. Thursday in the Church Hall. Coffee and donuts from 6 to 6:15. Program starts at 6:15 and ends at 7:15. March 19 Week 22 - The Fruitfulness in Christ • Speaker: Steve Bollman • Discovering the Fruits of Union with Christ • The Dangers of Distorted Spiritual Vision • Exploring the Active Purgation Process • Avoiding Spiritual Blindness • Navigating the Dark Night of the Soul • A New Commandment: The Mission Field of the Family

SAVE THE DATE The Annual OLOL Oktoberfest will be held on October 2. Team Leaders and Volunteers are needed! Call Michael Berry for more information - 804-307-9736.

WEEKLY COLLECTIONS Sunday, March 7 / 8, 2020

Attendance: 953 Collection: $ 18,611.70 Building Fund: $ 530.00

(Totals include Memorial and online donations.)

Text your name and prayer request - or update - to the Our Lady of Lourdes Prayer List at 864-992-6302.

I.C.I.S I Care I Share is now accepting donations for the Easter Food Basket Program. A collection box is available in the narthex. Thank you for your continued generosity.

COMMUNITY LENTEN PILGRIMAGE LUNCHEONS Wednesdays - 12:30pm – 1:30pm

March 18 - Greenwood First Baptist Church, 722 Grace St, March 25 - Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, 700 S. Main St. April 1 - First Presbyterian Church, 108 W Cambridge Ave. April 9 - Morris Chapel Baptist Church, 530 Baptist Ave,

IN THE DIOCESE ... Natural Family Planning encompasses moral, natural, healthy, modern and scientifically reliable methods of family planning in accordance with God's design and will. Visit sccatholic.org/nfp to find a full listing of NFP methods and instructors in the Diocese, locate a session or to register or contact Kelli Ball, Diocesan NFP Coordinator at kball@catholic-doc.org or 803-807-0158.

The Lay Carmelite community of Greenville invites you to attend one of their upcoming meetings to about Carmelite spirituality. The Lay Carmelites of Greenville invite interested Catholic men and women to visit their monthly meeting. Call Jan 770-827-7929 for more info. Meetings each first Saturday at St.Elizabeth Ann Seton, Simpsonville,with 9 am Mass.

mailto:grace4healing@gmail.commailto:grace4healing@gmail.comhttps://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2frachelsvineyard.org&c=E,1,jcaudPyDic8D2cy1xaLbsHzrNDv9pynVDD-fg2vqFXvvTstvDfwwmtQJzoPRJZG8_s7cpeuF_62h2cktD2cWmiK3X8p350QbcScP8CwAXj5GfW6SHauchtBf6bBQ&typo=1